Kentaro credits College Summer School experience with growth in confidence and English language skills
Edinburgh College's International Projects Assistant, Annmarie Lally, recently sat down with former international student Kentaro Izu, who travelled to Edinburgh from Japan in 2018 to study English, to find out more about his College experience and what he's up to now.
When Kentaro Izu visits Edinburgh College for the first time in over seven years, it is raining. He tells us with a smile that this is the exact type of weather that reminds him of Scotland. He remembers too Christine Park, our International Accommodation Officer, and both have a warm greeting for one another. It was Christine who first introduced Kentaro to his Scottish homestay host, Kathleen. He has stayed in touch with Kathleen all these years later and they have remained such good friends that, on this visit, he is even staying in her home, just as he did as an Edinburgh College Summer School student all those years ago.
As we walk through the Sighthill Campus, Kentaro recalls how he spent his time here: chatting to and making friends with students from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities; attending morning classes for English and music; feeling excitement for that day's social programme; playing in table tennis tournaments with his new-found friends. Kathleen had mentioned Kentaro's love for soccer when he stayed with her and when I ask him if he still plays, he tells me he does, and not only that, he often does voluntary coaching. Because of his excellent English (a truth he modestly denies) he has been able to coach junior-level soccer teams from all over the world. In fact, Kentaro uses English on a regular basis, especially when working. Although originally from Kyoto, for over two years now Kentaro has been working in Tokyo for Japan’s largest airline, All Nippon Airways, where he has been progressing steadily, communicating with clients in Japanese, English and Chinese.
He credits his experience at Edinburgh College, from the students he befriended, the classes he attended, the social programmes in which he partook, with encouraging him to come out of his shell and practice his English, helping to pave the path on which he now walks through life.
"That was my first time being around so many different nationalities and I am still in touch with many of them from that summer," he says fondly. "Especially the Panamanians and Italians". The Summer School in questions took place in 2018 with around 30 other students from various nationalities. Kentaro was only 17 when he joined and since then, he has been back to the UK three times, and has most definitely caught the travel bug with plans the day after our meeting to go onto Prague, followed by Budapest. He will be adding the Czech Republic and Hungary to his ever-growing list of countries visited, including Turkey, India, Taiwan, Thailand, to name but a few.
I ask him what one of his favourite experiences was, beyond meeting other students, and he thinks for a while ("there are so many!"), before settling on Edinburgh Castle's military tattoo. Edinburgh Castle, he tells us, is his favourite place in Scotland and he is going to visit there again after our meeting. Before he leaves, I ask him what he would say to international students considering studying at Edinburgh College. He advises the opportunity should be grabbed with both hands.
"Just try to make the very most of the situation," he says. "Try to make as many friends as possible." It is still raining when we say our goodbyes, but as Kentaro makes his way to the tram stop it does not seem to dampen his spirits in the slightest.
