Road to East Asia

Surfing the net, I have gained access to other cultures and a wide range of information. Just click on a few buttons, then my curiosity about a country or subject is satisfied within one or two minutes. Although I am in Canada, I can keep abreast of the latest news in Hong Kong.

Some people would think that gathering information on the net is a technical task which needs profound computer knowledge. On the contrary, it is as easy as "one plus one." A handbook is available on the net to assist beginners so that they can have an overview of what the Internet is about and how to "get along with" it.

As soon as a user has a general idea of the Internet, it is time to satisfy his or her hunger for knowledge. It is handy to gather information by key word search. When the net system sorts out the sources, he or she simply browses through the material and goes for the relevant data.

It is possible to get information from a variety of sources, personal homepages, education institutions, corporations, social associations and government agencies. They are all informative. Personal homepages, for example, often disclose the writers' biographical data on the net. Like other homepages, they are also linked to other sites. This can be said as an information exchange among net sites.

I was contented to be a reader and never thought that I could be a writer for a journal on the Internet before studying this East Asian literature course at Founders College, York University (FC1750.06). As the Internet is an international database, whatever I write may reach every corner of the world. Even as an inexperienced writer, now I have to be aware of the responsibility of a journalist, held accountable for what I say. Any visitor to our site may expect to read serious opinions regarding the literature we have been studying. Although I may disagree with the authors' point of view, it is imperative that my comments do justice to the works I discuss. Furthermore, whenever I use someone's sources and quotations to support my arguments, I must give credit to the author involved.

In this essay, I am going to introduce some sites that are worth visiting. For entertainment, there are opportunities to listen to music and read magazines. I have also discovered locations which describe course offerings in universities or help job seekers look for employment.


Academic Research

There are many sites about East Asian Studies but only a few of them feature East Asian literature. A Catalog of East Asian Internet Resources, for example, is a comprehensive guide to East Asia -- China, Hong Kong, North Korean, South Korean, and other countries in the region. Its drawback is that it does not include material on literature for every country.

The second site is Erik Jon Spigel's Homepage. With a focus on Kenzaburo Oe, Spigel says he is working on his Ph.D thesis about the "reception and context of technology in literature." Readers who do not know Kenzaburo Oe could get a general idea of his background and may be inspired to read the Nobel laureate's works. This homepage also looks into aspects of Japanese society, centring on the theme of sexual violence.

As Sociology is my field of study, I am interested in what I can do an study in this discipline. The homepage of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth not only provides the information on what courses are available, but on what students can do after graduating from Sociology. The information provides some relief to me as I was worrying what I could do in the future with a degree in Sociology.

Another site is York University's homepage for the Faculty of Arts. As I am studying at York, it makes sense to me to find out course offerings here. Although the information is very brief, it is helpful because it gives me a general picture of the programs available, especially when it is time to choose my major(s).


Entertainment

Apart from going to theatres and concerts, we have another way to entertain ourselves. We can now read periodicals such as Time on the net for there is a site which has links to numerous magazine homepages. Thus, even though people do not watch television or listen to radio, they are still able to access current news and pop culture. In addition, there are net sites for contemporary musicals such as the Phantom of the Opera , Cats, and Sunset Boulevard The publishers, however, do not usually put the entire magazine or newspaper or a complete song on the net.


Job Search

The Internet can be regarded as an international bulletin for job openings. A site called Asia-Net is useful for those who can speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean because the employers ask for these language skills. It includes job descriptions, job requirements, and responsibilities. Thus, job hunters are able to know whether certain vacancies suit them.

Another job search site, NCS Career Magazine, is even more comprehensive. Not only does it post jobs that are available, but it gives guidelines for writing a resume. Also, it offers a space for job hunters to post their resumes on the net. Consequently, they have more chances to expose their qualifications to the potential employers. In addition, this site includes employer profiles and a forum for job hunters to discuss issues about the job market. There are many other resources on this site waiting for our exploration.

By and large, an Internet expert does not only gather data but analyze them judiciously. The Internet is a practical tool for exploring resources if we use it effectively. But there is so much material available on the net that surfers can be confused. Additionally, it is very difficult to verify the authenticity of the information. It is imperative, therefore, to assess the material we read, especially articles on such controversial issues as abortion and religion.




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Editors and Writers: Maria Nadeau, Han Ki-Dongt, Sarah Tan, Kevin Perkins,
Michael Kociuba, Jennifer Henry, Sekou Russell, May Yuen, and Daniel Jacobs
Instructor and Founding Editor: Isabella Wai


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Copyright © 1996 by the author. Information from this article should be attributed to the author.

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