Chinese and Japanese House
The Elf House is the Chinese and Japanese cultural immersion house. It serves as a residence for up to 12 students interested in Chinese and Japanese languages and cultures (for which Colorado College has language programs). Besides serving as a student residence, the house also provides a space for gatherings and events hosted primarily by Cultural Program Coordinators from China and Japan, in liaison with the Chinese and Japanese language programs, as well as the Asian Studies Program.
The Elf House is an inclusive space that also welcomes gatherings and events in the CC community that share and celebrate other Asian and Asian diasporic cultures (broadly conceived). The first-floor common area has a shared full kitchen and a raised platform with tatami mats, which provide a comfortable area for students to rest, study, and build community, all while looking out at the beautiful Japanese garden!
Learn more about the Chinese and Japanese House.The Garden
In 2003, Master Gardener Takashi Hayashi came from Tokyo, Japan, to spend five weeks in the garden.
He designed the garden and worked with groundskeeper Jerry Switzer and Horticulturist Cecelia Gonzales on a variety of stages of the project, including securing the materials from around the United States. Colorado College grounds people worked with Mr. Hayashi in the mornings. Students in the FYE Japanese Language and Culture course, taught by Joan Ericson, applied their classroom readings and discussion to this project; they interacted with Mr. Hayashi as they helped to create the garden in the afternoons and on some weekends.
View a video about the Japanese Garden.
Cultural Program Coordinators
Chinese CPC 2024-25- Meixi Chen
你们好！Nǐmen hǎo!I’m Meixi Chen, the Chinese Cultural Program Coordinator returning from 2022-23. I grew up in Sichuan, a place famous for its spicy hot pot and pandas. I have received a BA in Chinese Language and Literature from Fudan University, Shanghai, and my second major is Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. I am currently studying for an MA in Comparative and World Literature at the same institution.
I really enjoyed my past experience working at CC, being with wonderful colleagues and outstanding students, and I miss the days of seeing Pikes Peak at every dusk. I hope to spend another wonderful year with all my friends (old & new!), and I am looking forward to visiting museums, going on city walks, enjoying outdoor scenery, and doing crafts together. Fun fact: I love eating luosifen (snail rice noodles) ^_^ It is super smelly but tastes really good. You are welcome to try it!
Japanese CPC 2024-25 Nozomi Hashimoto
Hi! こんにちは (konnichiwa)!
I'm Nozomi Hashimoto, a recent graduate from the graduate school of International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan.
My name 'Nozomi' is spelled '望(nozo)実(mi)' in kanji characters. '望' means 'wish' and '実' means 'bear fruits'. So, my name '望実' could be interrupted as 'dreams come true'.
I was born and raised in suburban west Tokyo (except for the year I spent as a high school exchange student in New Zealand). Although Tokyo is the largest metropolitan city in Japan, my city is surrounded by beautiful nature, and this environment grew my love toward nature and outdoor activities!
Because my mother was a graphic designer, I have engaged myself in art activities since childhood. During my university days, I established an art club (icu.artsociety@instagram) and led a series of student-led creative projects such as an exhibition in the city library and on-campus workshops.
Influenced by my father who is a high school teacher, I became interested in education during university. I majored in language education and minored in psychology for my bachelor's degree, and specialized in education for my master’s degree. Along the way, I got three teaching-related certifications (national teaching license, IB teaching certificate, Japanese teaching certificate). In the future, I want to be an educator who can contribute to making positive changes to the education system of my country.
In my free time, I like visiting museums, walking/cycling, and doing workout at the gym. But my biggest hobby has been traveling abroad. During 2018 and 2020, I visited seven countries (for the five countries, I traveled by myself). Instead of going sightseeing and shopping in cities, I love exploring new places by visiting local museums, eating local food from vendors/supermarkets, and doing outdoor activities in nature.
Besides my hobbies, I am good at cooking and love serving food to people.I am looking forward to cooking Japanese food for the cultural events in CC. But most of all, I am excited to meet all of the CC community members!