Between classes: Masa Iwase

International Education

Masa Iwase

loves Canada but wishes the soccer was better.

About me:

I'm from Okazaki, Japan. My town is famous for fireworks, miso paste and Shogun history. I came to Vancouver when I was 18. I thought it would be a short stay, but I've been here for several years now, and I feel half Japanese, half Canadian!

Future goals:

I'm completing a Master's degree and I want to be a professor. Douglas College gave me the encouragement and skills I needed to pursue my dream.

Why I came to Vancouver

In high school I wanted to learn English to communicate with people all over the world. English studies in Japan was mostly just memorizing terms. To really learn, I had to live in an English speaking place.

I wanted to go to England, to see my favorite British soccer players. But my parents preferred Vancouver, where my father had a friend who could keep an eye on me. I didn't mind. In fact, I was excited about learning Canadian English, which I think is 'standard' - so that English speakers around the world understand it. I'm glad I came because I really like Vancouver.

My english was terrible!

Vancouver has two major universities - UBC and Simon Fraser (SFU). A friend showed me around SFU and I liked the architecture. The academic advisors at Douglas helped me, and it was easy to transfer my credits from Douglas to SFU. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Now I'm doing a Master's degree in Communication.

Douglas College teachers: tough, but fair

My ESL instructors were friendly and fair, but tough. Progress seemed slow and sometimes I wanted to give up. But they encouraged me and I gained confidence. Classes are small, so instructors have time for you. My psychology and sociology professors respected me and understood the challenges of studying in a second language.

Worst thing about Canada:

Canada doesn't have good soccer. That's really too bad. But I've traveled to World Cup tournaments in France, as well as in Japan and Korea. I've seen hockey games, and I enjoy the sport, but I'm not sure why Canadians are so crazy about it.

What I expected Canada to be like

I imagined mountains, prairies. Cold, snow. White people. Big cars. Lots of nature . . . wild animals crossing the streets! Well, there was no snow when I arrived in April, just rain. When the sun came out, I saw a beautiful city. You have mountains, ocean, lots of trees and parks, a multicultural population, good restaurants. Vancouver has everything.

Best thing about Canada

People are friendly. And they work less than Japanese people, and spend more time with family. That's a great thing. Japanese people are workoholics.

Finding a home at Douglas College

I met a Japanese student who was studying at Douglas. She talked about the high quality education and the flexible entrance requirements - you could start even with a low TOEFL score. I checked it out. Douglas was friendly and multicultural. Good location close to Vancouver. Reasonable fees.

I started with academic preparation courses: English conversation, listening, reading and writing. After a year, I began taking regular academic courses, mostly psychology and sociology. It was quite challenging. I earned a General Studies diploma and an Associate of Arts degree. I was half way towards a Bachelor's degree.

Professor Iwase?

I love thinking about communication - from daily conversations, to information spread through mass media and the Internet. I'm researching contemporary Japanese young people's experience of food advertising and its potential impact on their food choices and health. I want to get a Ph.D. and become a professor.

Why I recommend Douglas College

If you are an international student and you want a university education, Douglas is a great place to start. I wouldn't be where I am if it wasn't for Douglas - it was a perfect stepping stone to university. You will work hard. There is a lot of homework for every class and you are expected to give presentations and to actively participate.