(Update) Latest of ‘What are you doing now..?’ Vol.001- Kanata Yamada (EIC2006)
Hello EIC Family members,
Hope all of you are doing well and in good health.
Starting from this month, June 2022, we will be updating and sharing with everyone latest news from our EIC members who have written the blog in the past. Do you remember Kanata?
In November 2018, we have asked Kanata Yamada (EIC 2006) to share with us what she was doing back then, and now 4 years have passed she is back in Japan and willingly to share with us ‘what she is doing now!’
Name: Kanata Yamada
Hometown: Hyogo Prefecture
EIC Year participated: 2006
Past: In 2018 studied in Germany
Please read more about Kanata’s story here:
★Latest update of Kanata (June 2022)
- Present: Working for a company related to health (Tokyo)
- What have you been doing since the last blog (2018) you wrote to us?
After posting the blog I passed the German exam and studied at a graduate school in the northern tiny city Oldenburg in Germany. My major was “Sport and Lifestyle”, which especially focused on researching sociological aspects of sports and training science.
As I posted in the blog I wrote as my next challenge “to learn a lot about the system of prevention for the injuries and somedays contribute for the society in Japan”. I was able to make this challenge happen in my thesis with the title “Systematic comparison of different test procedures for measuring core strength and core strength endurance”, which aimed at how we can assess physical performance and how this method could be used for preventing the injuries in the future. I finished my master degree in January 2022 and went back to my home town in Hyogo prefecture and took a picture with my graduation certificate and continue my next stage of life.
What are you doing now and your next challenge?
Last year I got a job offer and now I am working at a company in Tokyo since April which produces medical devices. I’m learning a lot working there and being indirectly involved in supporting fit and healthy life of people and career of athletes.
I was assigned to international business operations so there is also chance to use English and to communicate with foreign people 🙂 My next challenge is to pass some qualifying examinations and get certificates that I need for my job maybe?
================ Blog post from November 2018 ====================
What she did in the past?
I have been in Heidelberg, Germany since this June and learned German until November in a language school. Now I graduated from the language school and am preparing for the exam of German. It’s held on 7th December and when I pass the exam, I can get the qualification for the application for the university. While I went to school, I did a part time job in a restaurant as a bar keeper. Otherwise I sometimes join in Kyougi-Karuta club in Munich and play Karuta not only with Japanese who live there but also with German who are interested in Karuta (besides I teach them how to get cards). Though they know the rule of Karuta, most of them can’t speak Japanese. For that reason when I play with them or talk with them, I have to use German to communicate with other members. But I think that it’s very good practice for me to improve my knowledge of German.
A town in Heidelberg, Germany 
Beautiful Lake in the town 
An art building
Why did you choose the things you are doing now?
Since when I was a child, I really liked doing sports but always suffered from injuries. Therefore I decided to major in sport sciences at the university and wanted to clarify how can people prevent from injuries. At the same time, I was interested in Studying abroad and especially the system of rehabilitation and prevention in Germany impressed me a lot. This is the reason why I want to study in Germany.
My school friends and I 
Me – teaching the locals, Japanese ‘Karuta’ card through playing at the same time learning German
How EIC has been an influenced in your life?
EIC has been really really influenced in my life. Without the experience in EIC, I might not decide to study abroad. The most impressed thing during EIC is the time when the camp leaders taught us about their hometown and what happened in the world. Then I felt that there was a lot of things what I hadn’t known yet and EIC taught me the importance of regarding the world in order to consider the thing from multilateral perspectives..
Otherwise there is the words that I always repeat when I face a trouble. That is, “Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Let’s try communicating in English.” You know, it’s a slogan of EIC. I think that we should not hesitate to make mistakes, rather than we should challenge further without hesitation or fear.
What is your next challenge?
In this time I submitted the documents to some universities where I want to study and now I am waiting for receiving the admission. When I have been accepted to study sport sciences, I want to learn a lot about the system of prevention for the injuries and somedays contribute for the society in Japan.
Message to EIC Family (Juniors)
Continue learning English! It could be a big fortune for you in the future!
Who would you want to know about (Friend in EIC or Camp Leader)?
EIC friend… Naho Hosokawa (EIC2006), Natsumi Hashimoto (EIC2006) and Shion Horiuchi (EIC2009)
Also I want to know about my Camp Leader at that time, John, Gabi and Tarta.
Global Network Team will be contacting the people whose name is mentioned in this article in the order of how it is written.
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Wow Kanata! Way to go!! awesome to hear your updates!
Such amazing news! All the best to you and your new chapter in Tokyo!
Maybe you can catch up with the GIC Family in Tokyo!
Hello Kanata. Hope you are doing well in Germany.
Thank you for joining our EIC 20th Anniversary the othe day and also our video chat. So, how is your study so far and how many more years do you have to study before you graduate?
Do you still teach Karuta to the locals?
What’s your challenges studying overseas?
Looking forward to hear from you.
Take care ne.