In a twist learning Malay

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PICKING up a new language has always been on Toyoko Kawamura’s to-do list when she found out that her husband will be posted to Malaysia some five years ago.

“When our family first arrived in Kuala Lumpur, I knew I needed to master the local language as well as English to be able to converse with the people here,” said Kawamura.

However, the 46-year-old housewife’s ‘mission’ turned out to be a little too difficult for her as she had to struggle to learn both languages from her neighbours and newfound friends.

She even resorted to visiting a local kindergarten to teach Japanese songs in the hope of picking up some Bahasa Malaysia words in return from the young children.

“No matter how hard I try to learn the language, I can’t seem to be able to get it right. The children eventually picked up Japanese from me faster than I could learn Bahasa Malaysia,” she said.

Malaysian holiday: Kawamura with her husband and children (from left) Akane and Tomoya during a holiday to the Perhentian Island in Terengganu.

Although Kawamura admitted she did not learn much, she said the experience of sharing her mother tongue with the locals was a memorable one.

A year after living in Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, she met a few Japanese expatriates who told her of the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur and its activities.

Seeing how she had not had the chance to meet any Japanese since her arrival to Kuala Lumpur, Kawamura visited the club in Taman Seputeh and volunteered to be its newsletter coordinator.

“It is such a fun role for me as I get to go out like a reporter to find ideas and information for the newsletter,

“Besides that, I can express what I want to say better as it is all in the Japanese language,” she added.

Caring: Kawamura (standing second from right) visiting the Beautiful Gate Foundation with members of the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur recently.

A typical day for Kawamura involves preparing meals for her family, making sure her 15-year-old son goes to school on time and a stop at the Japan Club to help oversee the activities held.

On weekends, she sends her son to extra-curricular classes while she meets her friends either for a game of Indiaca or volleyball.

Her husband, Masashi Kawamura, who works for a Japanese multinational corporation, spends his free time playing golf.

At present, Kawamura has her hands busy managing a charity bazaar organised by the club’s women’s association. She is the public relations manager for the bazaar which is taking place tomorrow.

Once a year, she will go back to her hometown in Shiga to celebrate the Japanese New Year and to meet up with her daughter who is studying at a university there.

When asked about what she loved most about Malaysia, Kawamura said, it has to be the people and the food that the country offers.

“If we leave Malaysia, I will definitely miss the kind and patient people who have spent their time listening to me even though I do not speak English well,” adding that her favourite food in Malaysia was Bak Kut Teh and Wan Tan Mee.