■Robinson ◆Birthplace: London, England ◆University of Kent, England BA: French Language and Comparative Literature ◆Liverpool University, England MA: English Literature ◆Fields of expertise: 19th Century English/French literature, French
◇What sort of places do you like in Japan?
— I really love hot springs.
I do a lot of sports such as football, swimming and going to the gym and consequently, the day after, the muscle pain can sometimes be pretty harsh. So, what better way to soothe my aches than to submerge myself in one of Japan’s hot springs. I especially love the foul-smelling sulphurous springs of Kusatsu.
And, it goes without saying that after I get out I enjoy stuffing myself with the finest of Japanese foods which can leave me aching in the belly region rather than the muscles.
◇What do you think is rewarding at OLAND?
— Being able to use one’s language skills.
At work, people from a great variety of countries use their native tongues as well as the common language of Japanese. Also, with the large amount of projects underway at the same time, it certainly could be described as a “stimulating” environment.
Rather than mere theoretical study, I enjoy the fact that I can actually put my language skills to the test in a real situation.
Of course, things can get tough at times, but I get a certain sense of achievement when I use my language ability to surmount the obstacles.
