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Today's Contents:
1. The first bits: SARS update, Events, Mt. Fuji climb, Connection Speeds, Discovery "Option E", Travel destinations
2. Course information
3. Staff Interview: Yumi Kondo
4. In the News: "PhD acquired in Vienna on Folk Dance Research"
5. Things Japanese: Cellphones
6. About The Yamasa Institute for Japanese Studies
7. Subscription Information
1. The first bits.
SARS update: We are pleased to announce that the World Health Organization has lifted their recommendation against travel to Taiwan, leaving the only location on the list as Beijing. It seems that the problem has all but cleared in Asia, with only Taiwan reporting any new cases in the past few days. the worst of it behind us. For more details on our admissions policy related to SARS and regular updates on the situation, please take a look at Yamasa's own SARS updates page at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/sars.html. If you need any further information on the subject don't hesitate to contact admissions@yamasa.org.
Climb Mt Fuji: The annual pilgrimage to Japan's national icon has been pencilled in for the weekend of July 26th/27th. The Mt. Fuji climb will be open to everyone and really is an experience of a lifetime. If you are unable to make the first trip then don't worry! There'll be another opportunity to scale the volcano again on the weekend of August 9th/10th. Further details are listed below in the Summer Tour Schedule.
OCJS access: If you are on campus, you might have noticed a small group of harried and yet somewhat elated geeks with screwdrivers running around. What gives? Well, we have upgraded the speed of the access for the OCJS (Online Center for Japanese Studies) and you can now enjoy a much faster connection, about 30 times quicker than before.
Discovery "Option E": Want to get a taste of the real Japan but don't have enough time to take a month or two off to study? Here is a solution. Due to popular demand and an increase capacity, we are now able to provide a new "Tour Only" option for Yamasa's "Japan Discovery Program". Online applications now enabled, accommodation includes futon rental, OCJS password and airport pickup also provided.
(a) Things to do:
Tokugawa Shogunate Exhibition: In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the start of Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 - 1868), the Okazaki Mindscape Museum of Arts is holding an exhibition of many items and belongings of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the first Shogun who was born and grew up in Okazaki. The exhibition runs until July 6th.
Folk dance festival: A folk dance festival will take place in Nagoya on August 30th and 31st. The "Nippon Domannaka Matsuri" will include a Yosakoi dance group from Okazaki. If you joining the dancing group from Rokusho Shirine near Higashi Okazaki train station then please contact Ms. Otake Itsuki on (0564) 51-2930 (in Japanese). Rehearsals are held from 7:00pm to 8:00pm every Friday.
Summer Tour Schedule: Do you want to see a little bit more than Okazaki? Eager to get away for a day trip or weekend? Then some of the upcoming tours during May and June will be for you. These trips provide a great opportunity for you to visit locations much cheaper of the price that it would cost normally, with an experienced guide and door-to-door service:
(Cost: To Be Confirmed. Departure from your accommodation on July 5th at 0700, return on July 6th by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees, accommodation. Dinner/Breakfast. Does not include lunches.) **Please note that you should try to book as early as possible for this tour**
Free Japanese Classes! Okazaki International Association holds free Japanese lessons taught by volunteers to non-Japanese living in Okazaki. Every Saturday from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at Tatsumigaoka-kaikan (3rd Floor), a 10 minute walk from Higashi Okazaki Station to Higashi Myodaiji cho. And also every 2nd, 3rd and 4th Thursday and Sunday of the month in Aoi Hall at Yamasa from 10:00am - 12:00am. Call 0564-45-5778 for more details, or email yoshiaki_yamamoto@hotmail.com
Free Origami and Kimono Classes! On the first Friday of the month the Okazaki International Association also holds free paper folding classes in Aoi Hall at Yamasa frmo 3:30pm. On the third Friday of every month they hold a kimono class at 2:00pm in Aoi Hall where you can try on a Yukata.
(b) Other bits:
Jon Walden
Admissions Coordinator, International Office
The
Yamasa Institute - Aichi Center for Japanese Studies
1-2-1 Hanehigashimachi
Okazaki
Aichi Japan 444-0832
Tel: +81 (0) 564 55 8111
Fax: +81
(0) 564 55 8174 (admissions)
Fax: +81 (0) 564 55 8113 (student
affairs)
Email: Admissions
Email: newsletter@yamasa.org
URL: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/
URL: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/
2. Course Information
Accommodation
If you are coming to Okazaki during the next few months, please visit the housing availability site, which has been upgraded.
Message from Yukiko Iijima (Housing Officer): Please also note that it is extremely important that you rank your accommodation preferences clearly. Upgrades are possible in the event of cancellations - so if your first preference is a single room in the village, select "Village single" as first choice, "Residence U" as your second choice and so on.
Long-term Courses:
Student Visa: The next student visa start date is October 2003, which we are still accepting applications for. The deadline for submission of complete visa kits is July 15th. Please note that we will take into account a number of factors when considering a student visa application including age, academic background, nationality and so on - automatic acceptance of a student visa application is not guaranteed. If you need more information about dates, please check the deadlines for the student visa listed in each course in the program catalogue. If you wish to apply for the October 2003 start please contact Admissions for more information.
Short-term courses:
| Tour destinations: The July 25th Discovery Tour visits a variety of destinations including Tokugawa Art Museum, Asahi Beer Brewery Tour, Atsuta Jingu, Kyoto, Magome, Tokugawa Art Museum, Asahi Beer Brewery Tour, Mikoshi festival, Hatcho Miso, Denpark, Mt. Fuji climb and many other destinations. See http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery__20030725a.html for more information. |
Discovery Tours all have vacancies - contact Admissions for further information. Tour dates for this year are available at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_dates.html
All extension programs have space from June 26th and academic programs have space from July but accommodation options are becoming limited.
3. Staff Interview: Yumi Kondo
 |
| Yumi Kondo |
The following interview, conducted by Roger Fung, was translated from the Japanese original.
For this issue's interview, I have the pleasure to have a brief chat with Yumi Kondo, currently a teacher in one of Yamasa's long-term courses, the AIJP. Miss Kondo, with her lively and skillfully taught lessons, has struck the innocent hearts of many, many students including me when I was one.
Roger: Miss. Kondo, you are amazing. Would you like to comment on this?
(Overcame by the introduction, Miss. Kondo collapses to the desk, cringing)
Yumi: I never knew such student existed! Are you sure that YOU were not the only one?
R: Of course not. I am pretty sure that there are plenty of such students around here. Anyway, let us start the interview. Have you only taught Japanese and Japanese only?
Y: Oh certainly not. I studied Computer Engineering in university and I didn't have any interest in linguistics back then.
R: Now that is a surprise. So if you weren't a Japanese teacher all along, what kind of work did you do?
Y: I have worked in some financial institution before, doing things related to computer systems and so on. But working with computers and dealing with programming meant that I had to have a good command of English, which I wasn't unfortunately, so it turned out to be quite a tough job. Eventually, I thought that I must do something about this so I went and studied English in the United States.
R: What do you mean by that?
Y: People kept asking me things about the differences between two words, all sorts of grammar questions and so on. The frustrating thing was, despite being a native Japanese speaker, I was completely stuck for explanations, let alone satisfactory answers. However, this frustration sparked an interest inside me and from that point on I was determined to become a Japanese teacher.
R: It's been a long, winding road I see.
Y: Yes it certainly has been one. Anyway, when I came back to Japan I went to specialist Japanese teacher training courses, took the test, passed it and got the license for teaching. When I got the license I wanted to..........................
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/staff_int_28.html
4. In the News: New articles
In this edition we have another article to help you practice,
"PhD acquired in Vienna on Folk Dance Research"
About "In the News": This section aims to help you improve your understanding of articles in contemporary Japanese print and web media. Articles are from a wide range of sources including business, fashion, music, lifestyle, entertainment, crime, politics, international relations and so on. All articles are printable, and are accompanied by streaming audio files of the article being read at normal speed by male and female native speakers. Furthermore there are questions from the OCJS faculty that will help you confirm your reading or listening comprehension skills. (If you are an advanced learner, you may wish to attempt the questions after first listening to the audio link only, and then read the article to test your listening comprehension skills).
In addition, by using the link generator of the OCJS online dictionary with its definitions and kanji animations, you can easily check the meaning of new words, and also the stroke order of any Kanji that are new for you. The titles of the links ARE NOT translations of the headline accompanying the article (we don't want to give beginner level students too many hints to the answers), but are indicative of the subject field.
5. Things Japanese: Cellphones
Although not uniquely a Japanese phenomenon, the cellphone craze that began just a few years ago has become a part of Japanese popular culture. There is nowhere to escape from the myriad of different ring tones and tunes, whether you are shopping, in a restaurant, at work or on a train. The country's obsession with all things electrical has made Japan a word leader in cellphones, with the latest technological advances in the field invariably coming from these shores.
What can you do with your cell phone?
If you think you can only use your phone to answer calls then you're sorely mistaken. Nowadays, a cell phone is not just a mere device that enables you use to answer phone calls anymore. Many phones no come with infrared links and satllite positioning systems as standard. You can also surf the internet, send emails, download and play video games, buy soda from vending machines, call up your favorite tunes from a karaoke machine, take digital photos and short movies and even cook breakfast......................
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/things_japanese_30.html
6. ABOUT THE YAMASA INSTITUTE'S AICHI CENTER FOR JAPANESE STUDIES
The Yamasa Institute is committed to providing high-quality education in the Japanese language. We are a non-profit organization, a part of the Hattori Group. We are accredited by Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education - APJLE, accreditation number B302 - and "the only Institute in the Mikawa region with the appropriate programs, systems, curriculum and facilities required for quality Japanese language education" according to the Ministry of Justice. Further, in recognition of the excellent quality of our programs, we are in the top tier of 'Appropriately Authorized Japanese Language Education Institutes' - in fact, the only school in the Mikawa area with this prestigious recommendation. For full details see the accreditation section on the homepage at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/accreditation.html
7. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
You are being sent this newsletter because at some time you contacted the Yamasa Institute's Aichi Center for Japanese Studies through email, or you contacted an internet-based Japanese language information service which forwarded your email to us. If you do not want to receive further issues of this newsletter, please send a message to unsubscribe@yamasa.org with the word "unsubscribe" in the title. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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