Julie Evans
(1992-93)
I spent two years working at LIOJ, teaching mostly in the Community Programme, but also in the Team Teaching Programme whilst Asia Centre was undergoing renovations. I was very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work at LIOJ as it was my first full-time teaching position and my first experience of living abroad. I had recently graduated from Massey University in New Zealand. I really appreciated the hugely supportive staff and the wonderful students. Teaching at LIOJ was an experience I will never forget.
I have so many memories of Japan and of working at LIOJ that I'll simply list a few of them. Many of you will recall...
Karaoke (you know I loved it), The Gyosa Shop, Sakura in the Spring, 3 French Fries with Asia Centre Dinners, Meeting Famous Faces at JALT (Don knew everyone), John Festa, Iowa (are you still there Mary Ann?), So Many Parties, Takashimaya, The Price of Beef, Muzzy in Gondoland, Adam's Scooter, Furnishing My Flat from the Gome, Spider at Berta's (too big to fit down the vacuum cleaner), The Gorgeous Children, Gina's Cowboy Boots, Brick Wall Paper (Susan will remember), Tokyo Trains at Rush Hour, Kirin, Side Together Left (remember learning the Maori stick dance?), Phonics & Mary's Coloured Card Shopping, Don's Cheese Balls, Queues at Immigration, Custard Doughnuts (Thanks Eric), Line Dancing with Aldona, Green Toilet Slippers, Hitchhiking to Kyoto, Cosy Kotatsus, 500 on a Friday, Green Tea, Rice Planting for a TV Crew, Vending Machines, White Water Rafting on One Rapid, Mikan Picking... and most of all the fun that we all had together at Asia Centre.
Like many other teachers, the experience of working at LIOJ set up my career in the ESOL field. At the end of '93, I returned to NZ for a short while and worked at the University of Waikato. From there I headed back overseas to Europe. In between backpacking around Europe and the Middle East I worked at two summer schools in England, one for Village Camps at Hurstpierpoint and the other for International House in Southhampton. I also worked for Village Camps in Switzerland for a winter. Whilst travelling in Turkey in '94 I met Mark, a South African also backpacking around Europe. I later went to South Africa in '95 and lived in Port Elizabeth for 18 months. I was fortunate to find a job teaching English to school leavers from the local township. The experience was quite an eye opener and ever so rewarding. The itchy feet soon took hold again and in '97 Mark and I were off to Singapore. There I worked at the Overseas Family School teaching in the high school. Towards the end of '99, after such a long time away from NZ, I felt the need to return home. We moved to Auckland in Sept '99 and have lived here ever since. We got married in 2000 and last year we had a baby girl, Amy. I had been working in the School of Languages at Unitec up until having Amy in July of last year. As well as being a full-time Mum I also do some part-time IELTS examining and on-line tutoring. Until the next adventure begins we'll be staying put in Auckland so if anyone is ever down this way please look us up: juleva@hotmail.com.
Julie Miedema
May 2003
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