Japan-Palau Alumni Series: Vol.25- Ms. Cynthia Chin

Ms. Cynthia Chin is an alumna of the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship’s Specialized Training Program. After graduating from Palau High School in 1983, she studied in Japan from October 1984 to March 1987. She first completed six months of Japanese language training at the Bunka Institute of Language in Tokyo, then pursued Civil Engineering at Yomiuri School of Engineering.
 
Her interest in Japanese language and culture began early, by hearing her parents speak Japanese at home. Smiling, she admits she mostly wanted to understand what they were gossiping about. Her father, who is half Chinese, and her mother, who attended a Japanese school, were both fluent. She was also eager to understand popular Japanese films, often relying on older women at the theater to translate for her.
 
Although she had some exposure to Japanese in high school, living in Japan was a challenge, especially learning kanji. She remembers counting strokes to find characters in the dictionary. Teachers were attentive, even off campus, students received beeper alerts to check in. Ms. Cynthia laughs recalling how they’d try to skip school to sightsee, only to rush to a payphone when alerted. Despite occasional homesickness, she stayed focused on her goals and the desire to make her family proud. Support from fellow Palauan students and new friendships also helped. In her civil engineering class, she bonded with the only other female student, Ms. Nobuko Takahashi. Together, they visited Kyushu and Nagasaki’s Peace Memorial Park, and Ms. Cynthia also went skiing in Nagano with her teachers.
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Learning a new language while adjusting to life in a new school and country was a real challenge. Still, even though more than 40 years have passed, Ms. Cynthia says, “she would absolutely do it all again.” It was a time in her life that she deeply cherishes.
 
After graduating in 1987, Ms. Cynthia returned to Palau and worked with the Nishimatsu company to implement different grant aid projects in Palau. After Nishimatsu company closed in 1994, Ms. Cynthia left to Hawaii where she majored in Human Geography with an emphasis on Environmental Studies at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. She wanted to use her engineering background to preserve the environmental and natural resources of Palau. Now, Ms. Cynthia has been working at the Kapiolani Community College, one of the seven community colleges affiliated with University of Hawaii, for 20 years. She is a manager at the business office in the collection department, helping the 7000 students with their financial matters. She tells us that when students are able to succeed in their journey, that’s when she feel most rewarded. 
 
Ms. Cynthia loves most Japanese food, but her favorite is tonkatsu, the first dish she had after arriving in Japan. One of her favorite places to visit with friends was Disneyland, where they would spend hours enjoying the park and its many activities. She also experienced “Seijin Shiki”, the coming-of-age ceremony, when she turned 20. A special day in Japan, when young men and women celebrate entering adulthood. She wore a kimono and registered at city hall as an “official” adult. One of her most memorable moments in Japan was seeing snow for the first time. At first, she thought something was burning and mistook the falling flakes for ash or sparks. When she realized it was snow, she and her friends ran around, excitedly shouting and celebrating the moment.
 
On her recent visit in March 2025, she went to Disneyland and Disney Sea. The trip was emotional, bringing back memories and even some of her Japanese language skills. She revisited the area where she once lived, though her old apartment was gone, she was happy to see how the neighborhood had changed and enjoyed reminiscing about her time there.
Ms. Cynthia wishes to express her gratitude to the government of Japan for the opportunity to study there. “I hold Japan close to my heart,” she says. “Even though I’m not in Palau to contribute directly to Japan-Palau relations, I support our school’s international office as my way of giving back.” She is also thankful for the grant aid programs Japan has extended to Palau. As the two nations celebrate 30 years of friendship, she hopes for many more. “It’s a strong relationship, and I hope our leaders continue to nurture it for the benefit of future generations.”