Studying French from age 11, it was exciting when my school in England teamed up with another in France for correspondence exchange. Francoise and I wrote to one another for five years before fading from one another's lives. But I have never forgotten her, or her impact on my life: opening up the world beyond the shores of my small island nation.
How clever therefore of American Rochelle Kopp and New Zealander Jillian Yorke (another islander) to team up for a textbook to help Japanese develop pen-pal relationships in English around the globe. Written in Japanese, but with bilingual phrases under headings like Greetings, and Writing about Future Plans, "Improve Your English Through E-mail Correspondence" is hitting a public nerve; reviews have been excellent and the title a top seller on Amazon.co.jp.
An enthusiastic communicator, Rochelle is managing principal of Japan Intercultural Consulting. "With offices here and in the U.S., JIC helps Japanese and non-Japanese work together more effectively. Offering cross-cultural training seminars, we are business-focused, with a practical approach."