WEDNESDAY,JULY 5,2006
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 9
PROFILE (CONTINUED FROM 6)
Hirano said she had always wanted to come to the United States, and after her study abroad experience, she decided she wanted to stay.
She said the culture was so different, and that she enjoyed the experience because she learned something new every day.
The American culture appealed to her because of events she saw in magazines and movies while growing up in Japan.
"The portrayals of America in magazines and movies made
me think that I could do certain things in America that I would be unable to do in Japan," she said. "People always want what they do not have."
After graduation, Hirano worked a few part-time jobs for two years, before returning to the University to earn her masters degree in Foreign Language Education.
Japanese Pitch as a Second Language — in the fall.
She has completed two years in her program and will start research on her thesis —The Benefits and Difficulties in Utilizing Japanese Songs for Acquiring
Hirano, a graduate teaching assistant in the east asian languages department, teaches elementary and intermediate Japanese at the University, but taught high school English when she lived in Japan.
Hirano said she prefers to teach college level, because she can concentrate solely on the languages.
"In middle school, high school, there are a lot more things to do besides teaching one subject;" she
said.
Hirano said she receives satisfaction from teaching through her students and their enthusiasm in learning Japanese.
"I really like teaching because students are really motivated," she said. "They're taking Japanese because they want to take it."
Hirano hasn't decided if she will stay in the United States or return to Japan after her thesis is completed.
—Edited by Dani Hurst
ALLERGIES (CONTINUED FROM 8)
Ransom also said that ragweed — a weed very prominent in this area — was particularly problematic to allergy sufferers.
Ben Combes, Inman senior, said that his allergies have lasted longer into the summer than normal.
Combes said that it was inconvenient for him because he'd be sitting in class and his nose would start running. He
said he always had to carry tissues with him.
"Actually, it's kind of embarrassing." Combes said.
People who have never had allergy symptoms before could usually tell the difference between those symptoms and other illnesses. Allergies were usually coupled with itchy eyes and nose, and fevers were often an indication of a cold or flu, Dr. Robert Brown, staff physician at Watkins said.
Matt Milburn, Rogers, Ark., senior, said that whenever he'd been outside he'd been sneezing more than usual and his eyes were watery. He said that if he didn't take medication first, he'd suffer all day.
His symptoms didn't even exist before this summer.
"I don't like it," Milburn said. I've never been a big pill person. It's just another thing I have to add to my list of things to do every day."
And the pill taking may not stop. Ransom said tree pollen reflects the moisture from the previous year, and with this information people could assume that the fall weeds would be "troublesome" as well.
—Edited by Janiece Gatson
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