Vol. 30
July 2021

Nonprofit Organization

Saijo International Exchange Association

西条市国際交流協会
NPO SIEA held its 2021 General Meeting.
On May 29, 2021, SIEA held its first general meeting as an NPO in thelarge conference room on the 5th floor in Saijo City Hall. To prevent thespread of COVID-19, a written resolution was also prepared.
At the meeting, last year’s operational and financial reports, as well as
officer positions for this year, were discussed and approved after muchdeliberation.
2021 will be SIEA’s first year as an NPO. In order to help bring about aglobal and multicultural society, SIEA will work even harder to foster
cross-cultural communication and international understanding, so welook forward to your continued support.
We can’t wait to meet you all at next year’s general meeting!
※One of our 2020 events. More info can be found on our homepage.

※More details will be in the Saijo City September newsletter.

Table of Contents
General Meeting Report

１

Towards a MulticulturalSociety

２

Volunteers Needed!

２

Become an SIEA Member for 2021!
Every year, SIEA recruits new members interested in cross-cultural activities. Paying membership dues is
one way to help support SIEA and get involved.
【Yearly Dues】Individuals: 1,000 yen、Students (up to HS) 500 yen、Groups 10,000 yen【Membership Length】 Day of Sign-up ～ March 31, 2022
【Application Process】
After filling out the Member Application Form, please submit it to the SIEA office.
（Download the form from the official websites of City Hall, every Branch Office, or every Community Center, or the SIEA homepage.)

Welcome to Belgium!
By Honami Dewerchin３

To the People of SIEA
By Nguyen Bui Anh Thy

４International Relations INFO４※ Members receive information on SIEA activities, the SIEA newsletter, and discounts on SIEA events. For more
information, please contact the SIEA office.
International Relations SAIJO is a newsletter published by the Saijo International Exchange Association (SIEA). Feel free to contact us with yourcomments, questions, and submission requests.

Saijo International Exchange Association (SIEA): 164 Akeyashiki New Bldg. 2F, Saijo, Ehime 〒793-8601
TEL:(0897)56-5151 EXT:2292
FAX:(0897)52-1386
E-mail: info@saijo-iea.jp
URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp/

2International Relations SAIJO

Towards a Multicultural SocietyAt SIEA, we believe in a future where “people of various nationalities and ethnicities cancome together to acknowledge their cultural differences, treat each other with respect,and build a better society.”*
SIEA will do its utmost to bring the world to our tight-knit community.

*MIC：Multiculturalism Promotion Research ReportInternational
Understanding
Activities

Friendship
Building Activities

We offer local and foreign
residents opportunities toexperience each other’scultures, deepen their global knowledge and understanding of other cultures,and develop a cooperative,
international consciousness.

To promote a more holistic worldview, weoffer dispatch opportunities and international exchange opportunities for ambitious
youth through which they can experience
different ways of thinking and cultures andlearn about a variety of ideas.
〇Young Leaders Training〇Online Exchanges〇Friendship City
〇Visits From Hebei University
Int’l Understanding Lectures〇Int’l Exchange Cafe
〇Agricultural Fair
〇Int’l Understanding Lectures 〇Reading Club
〇Language Courses〇Int’l Cooking Classes〇Halloween Party

Activities for a More
Multicultural Society
That’s hard tobelieve, Holmes.
We promote mutual understanding by offering
language instruction support and opportunities
to learn about Japanese culture and the local
It’s elementary,area so that foreign residents can enjoy a more
my dear Watson.
comfortable life in Saijo.
〇Introductions to Japanese Language Courses〇Team Translation〇Japanese Cooking Classes※ Due to COVID-19, some of these activities may be postponed or canceled.
For more information, please contact the SIEA office.
〇Saijo Fan Club Tours

Get Involved with Int’l Exchange!
At SIEA, we’re always looking for volunteers who want to get involved ininternational exchange activities, including translation, interpretation,❶Language Volunteers❷❸
Homestay Volunteers Event Planning Volunteers

Language volunteers use their language
abilities to help with translation, interpretation, and other related activities.

Homestay volunteers act as host families for international students during theirstay.

Event planning volunteers help with international
exchange events like the Agricultural Fair or theHalloween Party.

Fill in the form andsubmit to the office

Get contacted by SIEA with event
details and participate

How to Volunteer
Get a form from theSIEA page or office※Applying by e-mail is also acceptable.

※Details are arranged on a case-by-case basis.

Saijo International Exchange Association (SIEA): 164 Akeyashiki New Bldg. 2F, Saijo, Ehime 〒793-8601
TEL:(0897)56-5151 EXT:2292
FAX:(0897)52-1386
E-mail: info@saijo-iea.jp
URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp/

3International Relations SAIJO

Het is een goedweer Vandaag.
Dat is heerlijk

Esta muy rico.

맛있어요स्वादिष्टAn absolutely phenomenal view of the city!

Royal Galleries, Historic Centre ofBrugge, Belfort en Hallen※The Belgian national football teamhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCEUPFe-WcR2Bnbo6dnIkomg

VS.

COVID-19

Honami D

Good weather in Antwerp.

Welcome toBelgium!

(Writer) Honami Dewerchin(Editor) Kondo

非常好吃！
Ngon quá!

Convenience stores and snack aisles
often stock Belgian chocolates and Belgian waffles, so for many Japanese people, Belgium means chocolate and notmuch else. So let’s dive deeper. What kindof national personality do Belgians have?
What is Belgium in the first place? Having
lived in Belgium for two years, allow me toshow you Belgium through my eyes.
Belgium is a relatively new country, having declared its independence in 1830,
and its area and population are roughly
the same as Kyushu. The official languages
are Dutch, French, and German, andmany Belgians can speak other languages
like English with ease.

The best waffles in the world

People often describe Belgians as by-the-book and insular, justlike the Japanese people. However, it’s a different story when soccer events like the FIFA
World Cup or the Euros come around. During
this time, Belgians decorate their homes andcars with the Belgian flag, as loud cheers forthe Red Devils* echo from bars and homes.
Even though Belgium is mostly known for its
sweets here in Japan, it is also the birthplaceof French fries. It is famous for its gourmet cuisine, which, just like its official languages, isinfluenced by its neighboring countries. Besides Belgian cuisine, its restaurants offer
many delicious dishes from around the world.

2021.07

Lastly, regarding COVID-19, as of early July, over 45% of the Belgian population has been vaccinated and the northern parts of Belgium are now designated as low-risk areas. After nearly half a yearof strict lockdowns, many Belgians are finally enjoying the freedomof summer, drinking beers with their friends on cafe terraces and inpublic parks.
Because of COVID-19, it’s hard to live a “normal” life, no matter
where you are in the world. As long as we consider the environment
and the people around us, enjoy life, and do what we can to thebest of our ability, a bright future will await us. I’m sure of it.
Honami Dewerchin

Saijo International Exchange Association (SIEA): 164 Akeyashiki New Bldg. 2F, Saijo, Ehime 〒793-8601
TEL:(0897)56-5151 EXT:2292
FAX:(0897)52-1386
E-mail: info@saijo-iea.jp
URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp/

4International Relations SAIJO

To the People of SIEA

People from Vietnam and other foreign countries didn’t come to Japan to work justbecause they wanted to live a better life. Some are working to help send theirsiblings to college. Some are saving because they want to start their own businesses
and succeed. No matter how tough the work is, or how short the stay is, Japan is a
Just like many Vietnamese people, I’ve admired Japan ever since I was little, and wonderful country for people to visit. Many people dream about going to Japanesestudied Japanese in college. In recent years, Japanese companies have increasingly colleges. Every day, after work, they study Japanese, and on weekends, they study
expanded into the Vietnamese market, and the Japanese government is letting more some more through volunteer Japanese classes. The volunteer Japanese teachers are
Vietnamese exchange students and technical interns into the country. I was very the ones supporting them the whole way, too. Their kindness is heartwarming andlucky to have entered the job market when being able to speak Japanese meant precious for foreigners. On the other hand, many find it difficult to participate inbeing able to find a good job. While I was working at a company as a member of cross-cultural activities or Japanese language classes because of company circumstancsociety, I started thinking to myself, “I want to be helpful.” At that time, I learned es or situations at work. This is because some companies dislike interactions withabout working in Japan as a CIR and introducing many people to Vietnamese culture Japanese people or other foreigners. Many Vietnamese people are also too busy withand the Vietnamese people. On one hand, I wanted to know how Vietnamese people work, with most of their days spent just going back and forth between home andin Japan could be recognized as members of Japanese society, not only through my work. Some communities just become isolated. There is still a lot of work to do
own efforts, and on the other, I wanted to be useful in any way possible so that before anything gets changed, but I definitely hope volunteer Japanese classes andthe people around me would accept me.
cross-cultural activities will continue to be held in the future.
In early June, I finished my term as CIR and went back home to Vietnam. Thankyou for everything these last 4 years.

As a CIR, I felt blessed to have many opportunities to promote cultural exchanges
I originally came to Japan because I wanted to be helpful to people. After comwith Vietnam and Austria, set up friendship city agreements, and support foreign ing to Saijo, I met kind Japanese people, and they helped me a lot. I also metresidents. Besides my usual work, I also planned and took part in SIEA events. I young Vietnamese people filled with energy who motivated me to keep doing mytried my best to create an environment where Vietnamese people and local residents best. Thanks to everyone, I was able to have a very meaningful time in Saijo. Thankcould interact with each other. Many SIEA members and local residents helped with you from the bottom of my heart. If you get a chance to come to Vietnam, let methese events, too.
know. Let’s meet again soon!
By Former CIR Nguyen Bui Anh Thy
At cultural introduction events, local Vietnamese residents helped in many ways,
including searching for cooking ingredients. After work, they always came to help
with Vietnamese language lectures, too. Even when Japanese residents taking thelanguage courses complained about how hard learning Vietnamese was, they kept on
coming because it was fun interacting with Vietnamese people. Some of them evensaid that through these interactions, they could understand Vietnamese people betterand wanted to support foreigners more.
Vietnamese Interns Introducing
Vietnam at the Agricultural Fair

Ono Farm President and Vietnamese Employees Helping at Exchange EventSKV Cross-cultural EventJapanese Classes
at Taga Community Center

International Relations INFO★★

【Place】 Saijo City Welfare Center【Target Audience】 City residents or employees; SIEA members.
Able to attend more than 70% of classes.
【Fees】 7,000 yen (SIEA members: 5,000 yen) Textbooks not included.
【Term】 October 2021 ～ July 2022 (15 sessions, 2 sessions per month)※This is not a professional course. It may be changed to an online format at any time.
※More information on applications will be posted in the Saijo City September newsletter.

Editorial This is Kondo, and I’ll be in charge of International
Comments Relations SAIJO from this volume onwards.
I look forward to working with all of you.

International Relations SAIJO Staff:

Minoru Tokumasu
Kondo

Readable in
Full Color!

Saijo International Exchange Association (SIEA): 164 Akeyashiki New Bldg. 2F, Saijo, Ehime 〒793-8601
TEL:(0897)56-5151 EXT:2292

FAX:(0897)52-1386

E-mail: info@saijo-iea.jp

URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp/