Mr. M S

Dear fellow earthlings, 　It is Commander Manish speaking, first time to　embark on a journey to planet Nippon. 　I have come from a far away place called Canadacopia, which has two official languages English and French, although jibberish works just fine... Actually if you check the past booklets you will find two of my previous Comrads already registered under the Co-op Japan Program (CJP) belt. Good thing is that I am here with about 50 other Canadian students, yup its all for one kinda deal, either we all live or we all die (tokootai jya nai). 　Hum... 　It is rad having choosen this option, since I love travelling other worlds and I have a chance at learning another earthling language. Its the fourth one for me whilst not including the cyber languages like IRC etc. While I am out here, I enjoy my weekends, usually packed with adventurous outings to interesting little places and munching on some awesome delicacies. 　Hum... 　My future plans, I would like to continue working in the area of networked virtual environment. Why? Well it sounds like cyberpunks like us have a room here on earth, and it just sounds like human beings can finally have some fun as a team. No more worries... I caught some episodes of Star Trek a couple of times, and the Hollow Deck seems like a toy but NVEs are just like that eh... 　Hum... 　We enjoy all kinds of stuff, like ambient music and latino (yeah, the lambada stuff with cocktails). We have loads of snow on our side, got no way out, so skiing is the way. Summer time, two measley months, boating out of Lake Ontario is refreshing... I guess that will do for now, if any hacks or schmucks have any comments, please ring me at sharmam@ecf.utoronto.ca So catch you later eh?

Mr.H B

Hello my friends! 　This enchanting (??) person depicted next to this essay is Herbert Buchner, an "alien" from Bavaria, southern Germany. 　Yes, that's supposed to be me! After long trips to Europe (22 Years!) and North America (1/2 Year) I am "checking out" Japan right now (1/2 Year). 　I'm working on my thesis in the Speech and Acoustics Labs. 　Even till one year ago I didn't expect that I will ever come to Japan, especially not for working on a thesis, but my professor in Germany offered me: "Mr. Buchner, I have something very interesting for you! 　Can you come in my office in the afternoon?" 　"[...] OK. Please think about it and tell me your decision within the next 3 days!" (!!) 　In the following weeks after this decision I sometimes thought I must be completely crazy, since I had hardly time for learning the Japanese language (I came to Japan right after my last exam). 　After arriving in Tokyo, however, it didn't take long to realize that I made the right choice.Most people here are very kind (Mr. Wakamatsu is a good example. Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to take part in this booklet!) and it is a pleasure to work here.　Besides my project in NTT it is of course very interesting to explore the - sometimes very different - DOs and DON'Ts of the Japanese culture, especially with my friends I've met here. 　We often have lots of fun and it is a good chance to broaden one's mind. 　　　H B

Mr. D S

Well, it seems like coming to Japan has been an interesting experience to many and that they will remind of it all there life. To me, it was not just that. 　 I did not come here to go to some foreign country in order to get an interesting experience. I came here for a try. A try to see if I am able to live in Japan and enjoy it. This is because I plan to come here again and work during at least several years. So, I do not want to think of Japan as "a foreign country where I have been and had a lot of fun", but as a second home for me. 　Actually, the try succeeded and I really hope I will come here again very soon (why not next year?) to live here. Tokyo is said to be a very busy city, with a lot of stress and polution, but I find that, in some way, life is much more quiet than in Paris. Really, I love this country and its inhabitants. Most of the people I know who have been to Japan either did not like it at all or fell in love with it. I guess I am just one of the second kind... 　　D

Miss K F

My name is K F. 　My name Kyoko means today's children in Kanji. I'm 25 years old. 　I have many dreams and one of them is to go Egypt. I want to go Piramid in Giza and to want to see whether they are as if orion star(3 stars)

Miss M K

My name is Miss M K. My hobbies are painting and body-surfing. 　　I started the second hobby only last year, so I get nervous when a big wave comes.　　　　　　However I feel very good when I rise to the crest of the wave and go against the wind. At present I am learning to spin on the wave or to roll with it.

Miss L B

Hello, my name is L B and I have been in Japan for 10 months now as a post-doctoral fellow in Integrated Information and Energy Systems Laboratory (8-410). 　As a mountain climber, one of the reasons I really appreciate being at NTT is that I can see Fuji-san from my office when the weather is clear enough. 　The best season for the colours is probably the winter time. On the other hand, one of my most surprising experiences in Japan was climbing Fuji-san during the official time (July-August). During this time, you have to follow a line and queue before reaching the top. Like anywhere in Japan you will find soba shops, vending machines, souvenirs and even public phones, but at a height of 3770 meters. Incredible; you will probably never see that on any other mountains !!!! 　Talking of this, there is a old japanese saying which reflects exactly my point of view; Foolish are the people who have never climbed Fuji san Foolish are the people who have climbed Fuji san 2 times. 　Anyway, if you have a chance to climb this mountain, do not hesitate to catch it. 　Thanks to Wakamatsu-san for sketching me. L