★The step up course of Japanese class for daily life started in July.

The students participate local community activities and outdoor class in the class as well as learning Japanese language. The class is held from 10 am to noon on every Friday and lasts until November.

My name is Ms. Akita. I am a teacher of this step up course class. All foreigners living in Handa are friendly and are studying very hard in the class. I enjoy teaching in the class. The class is focusing on a daily life. We sometimes go out of the class room to visit public facilities and participate local community activities. After I started to teach the class, I have learned many things as I can see Japanese society from the viewpoint of foreigners. We have 3 months left for the class. I will try my best to the end of the class.

Ms.Akita (Teacher)	Ms.Isaka (Teacher)	Ｃｌａｓｓ　ｒｏｏｍ

●Visit Handa Middle School

We had an outdoor class on July 15. We visited Handa Middle School. We observed a class in the school. The foreign students were impressed with a class. They said, “Children are cheerful and active”, “Teachers are tender”, “A school building is big and clean”, “Boys and girls study together in a curriculum of house work. It should be helpful for their future life”, etc. After observing a class, we had a meeting with Mr. Yamazaki, Principal, and Mr. Yamanaka, Deputy Principal. The foreign students asked questions in Japanese. They compared a class in Handa Middle School with classes in their countries. They could have a deeper understanding about Japanese education system.

Mr.Yamazaki (Principal)	Ｖｉｓｉｔ　Ｈａｎｄａ　Ｍｉｄｄｌｅ　Ｓｃｈｏｏｌ

●Visit Handa Police Station

We visited Handa Police Station on July 29. We listened to a lecture about police equipment and patrol cars. Then, we learned items related to our daily life such as emergency call, traffic rules, crime prevention, disaster prevention, etc. from policemen. The foreign students were interested how the police department is related to our daily life. They said, “Japanese policemen are kind and gentle”. They were impressed that Japanese police department system is preventing accidents and incidents effectively.

Handa Police Station	Mr. Sugiura, Police Inspector

★About　Midland Exchange students  
  
 (Essay by hostfamily -Click)

Since Handa and Midland started the sister city relationship in June 1981, Handa and Midland have been sending their high school students alternately every year. This year, three Midland high school students came to Handa. They stayed in Host families’ houses in three weeks, from July 22 to August 10.
Under the sponsorship of Handa city, Handa International Association carried out the student exchange program in 2011 summer, including planning, coordination of events and activities, communication with Midland Sister City Committee and budget control.

Courtesy visit to the Mayor of Handa	Three Midland students (keenan/Tellie/Mio) At Farewell Party

Three Midland students had a meeting with Japanese high school students. It was new in the student exchange program. 14 Japanese high school students (6 makes and 8 females) from various high schools joined the meeting.

Meeting with Japanese High School Students	Self introduction

１．What do you think about this meeting?

I enjoyed. All 14 Japanese students
Reason: Because I usually do not have a chance to meet foreigners.
Good. All 3 American students
Reason: I really appreciated the opportunity to meet high school students.

２． Could you talk to Midland high school students?
A: Yes, I could. 7 students

B: No, I could not. 6 Japanese students
Reason: There were too many Japanese students, comparing with the number of Americans.
            Bad English..

Photo of meeting memebers	At Toyota Museum

３． Do you think we should have this kind of opportunity more?

Yes. All 14 Japanese students
Reason: Can develop friendship.
            Do not have an opportunity to meet foreigners
            It is a fun time.
Yes. All American students
Reason: It's a fun time.
            I will really miss the friends I made on this trip together.

４．Comments from students

-As there were only high school students in the meeting, I could have a good talk.
-I enjoyed very much. I can not have this meeting usually.
-I could learn a lot to listen native English which I normally do not hear.
-I really had a lot of fun and everyone was extremely friendly and worked very hard to speak  English for us. Thank you for the opportunity.
-Very fun, well planned good to meet high schoolers. 　

Free talk. Self-introduction and some questions.

 Playing games in a bus.

Visited Toyota Kaikan and Toyota Factory.

Karaoke party on the next day.

At Karaoke room	Enjoying a quiz on a bus

★High school student meeting

I was a little nervous when I first met with three Midland students. But, it was an enjoyable and valuable meeting. Although we had some difficulties of a language barrier and a culture difference, we should be able to get something to meet with the same age foreigners. More importantly, it is a wonderful thing to make friends in a remote country as global citizens. I wish this meeting will continue to be held.

Mr. Kento Takeuchi

★Bhutanese students came to Handa!

Handa-Bhutan Youth Friendship Association is actively working to promote the friendship with Bhutan which is a friendship country during 2005 Aichi Expo. Strating on July 13, three high school students and one teacher came to Handa and stayed at host family homes.

With Mr. Suzuki, Principal of Narawa Middle School (Wearing a school uniform)	Performed a dance at Welcome party	Visit Nara city

▲Students with the Principal Suzuki at Narawa Middle School. (They wear a middle school uniform.)
▲Singing a song and dancing at Welcome Party

★To be a host family of a Bhutanese student

At Farewell Party

When I was first asked to host a Bhutanese student three years ago, I would decline it as I was not sure if I could do it. But, I reconsidered as I could not experience it usually and the child from Bhutan was the same age as my son. Japanese old saying “Stop worrying. Just do it!” Actually, it was a very pleasant experience a very nice memory for me to live with a Bhutanese child.

When I was asked again this year to host a Bhutanese student, I was pleased to accept it. I was glad to see my son of three grade of a middle school struggling to talk in English although English was his weak point. As the child was a vegetarian, I cooked Chinese dumpling with vegetables only and spicy fried vegetables. He liked those. He saw a sea at the first time in his life. I felt very happy to see him very impressed with a sea.
I had a valuable experience twice and learned many things. I want to thank to the people supporting this program.

Ms. Yoko Miyoshi (A host family of Buba)

★Ｔｏｐｉｃｓ　

★The Japanese class students visited Chita Electric Power Plant on June 19.

Visit Chita Electric Power Plant

The students and volunteer teachers had an outdoor class. They went to Chita Electric Power Plant. They learned a basic theory of a heating type power generation and observed a big boiler and a turbine. Everyone was interested in the electric power plant. Total 37 people participated. They are from 7 countries of Indonesia, Philippines, China, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Japan.

★Annual “Tanabata” festival took place in Kariyado Hall on July 24.

Enjoy "Bon" dance at "Tanabata" festival

Total 104 people including 40 foreigners participated. They enjoyed games, playing “Koto”, wearing “Yukata”, etc.
Midland exchange students were staying in Handa. They joined the festival, too. They enjoyed eating “Sushi” and wearing “Yukata”.
They wrote their wishes on “Tanzaku” and attached to a bamboo. “I want to see my mother”, “Cheer up! People in Tohoku region”, “I wish my Japanese gets better”, “I want to be rich and strong”, “I want a girl friend”, etc.
At the end of the festival, all people including foreigners with “Yukata”, young girls with high high-heeled shoes and children enjoyed “Bon” dance.

★We, foreign resident took part in local community activities.

Foreign resident took part in clean-up service and disaster prevention drill with the staff of Handa International Association. Local community people remember the faces and names of foreign resident as they joined a local community activity.

▲I want to participate this kind of activity again.　　(Chinese)

▲I am glad I could join a drill which I do not have in my country.　　(Sri Lankan)

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★We want volunteers.
Please work in the activities of Handa International Association as a volunteer.
You can start anytime!