Nice to meet you! I’m Sachiyo, based in Australia. I love traveling in a way that lets me really experience local life, guided by my interest in local crafts and culture. Lately I’ve been especially into Australian comedy and Indigenous art, and I’m studying with the goal of being able to enjoy my favorite comedians’ live shows without subtitles.
Queer folks and people from all kinds of backgrounds are very welcome!
Upper-intermediate conversation
Popular topics:
folk crafts (mingei)
women’s roles in society
views on marriage
the differences between urban and rural life in Japan
My lessons are usually based on the questions and interests you have in your own life, and we work together to find natural ways to express them. As we go through more sessions, we move on to deeper and more complex themes. In every lesson, I take time to carefully look at vocabulary, grammar, and natural phrasing, and I always give detailed feedback. In Saya’s School, we also use a wide range of real-world materials—such as news, TV shows, videos, and blogs—so that we can talk about many different topics.
What kind of country does Japan seem like to you? What kind of people live there, and what is daily life like? What differences do you notice compared to where you grew up? I want to help learners who have these kinds of thoughts talk about them with local people who only speak Japanese. That is the spirit behind my lessons: to support two-way, cross-cultural understanding. Even now, after talking with native speakers, I often find myself wishing I had asked more or said more. If you’ve ever felt that way, I would love for you to join my classes.
Completed 420 hour Advanced Japanese Teacher Training Course
IELTS general 7.0
Fukushima, Japan: Organized gallery exhibitions, worked as a guide at a traditional crafts manufacturer (mingei, woodworking, lacquerware), and sold crafts at a Tokyo department store; conducted intercultural exchange with international graduate students
Australia: Worked in a local retail shop and volunteered in flood-affected farming communities
International Study & Research: One year of language study in Leeds (UK); homestay and household research in Leyte (Philippines); flamenco rhythm training in Granada (Spain)