Vol.２０
September 2018

Contents
Halloween Party 2018 1
Participation Details and Event Schedule

Mr. J’s English Room

1

Disaster Prevention
Lecture2

Chinese Cooking
Class

2

International Bake Off 2
with Saijo’s ALTs
New ALT 20182

How about a trip to
Hue Viet Nam

3

2018~2019
Vietnamese Language
CourseHigh School Student
Report on Activities
for Regional Tasks①Purchase a Participation Card
（Purchases can be made in advance or on the day of）○Advanced Purchase（800 Sheets） 150円 per sheet
10/20 (Sat.) 12：00～15：00 Saijo City Hall 1F Lobby
10/22～10/25 (Weekdays) 8：45～17：00 Saijo City Hall
Regional Promotion Division (Main Bldg. 3F)○Day-of Purchase（200 Sheets） 200円 per sheet
Reception: Sales start from 12：30～②Trick or Treat 13：00～14：30③Compete in 3 of the 7 different
games! 13：00～14：30※④&⑤&⑥ You can join these④Face Painting 13：00～14：30
activities without a participation⑤Join the costume parade 14：45～15：15 card!
⑥Enjoy a dance performance
During the parade, judges will be looking at
15：20～15：40

3

SAIJO FAN
CLUB TOUR

4

Events &Announcements

4○Rock Paper Scissors Game〇Jack-o-Lantern Game
○Card Game
○Mummy Game
Starts 13：30～/14：00～2 times○Inspiration Game
○Photograph with Parade Float
Choose 3 of these activities★

⑦Award Ceremony 15：45～15：50⑧Group Photo 15：55～

□Free
■Paid

≪Exhibition & Sales Corner≫□Illustration Exhibit□Hooray!SAIJO■Balloon Art Sales■Uchinuki ２１ Corner■Sanagi Pro

Organizers: Saijo Shotengai Machitsukuri Kyougikai,
Saijo International Exchange Association TEL：0897-52-1206

your costumes! Children who get medals canreceive a prize on stage!

10/27（Sat.）

13：00～16：00
Saijo Shopping Arcade※Children younger than 4th grade mustbe accompanied by a guardianInternational Relations Saijo～November English Conversation Class Announcement～

is a quarterly newsletter

Mr. J’s English Class

published in Japanese, English, and Vietnamese by the
Saijo International Exchange Association (SIEA).

Message from J!

●Where：Saijo Public Welfare Center (Fukushi Center)●Eligibility：Residents of Saijo City or SIEA Members who can participate in at least 70% of the course●Cost：General 6,000円（SIEA Members 5,000円）●Date & Time：Thursdays Beginner：16：15～17：45/Intermediate:18：00～19：30/

Advanced:19：45～21：15

We welcome your comments, November～May 2019, 15classes in total, generally twice a month※Course will take place with aquestions and submissions.
Using English is fun! I would like tominimum of 10 students.
make an English Room with everyone!

Saijo International Exchange Association 164 Akeyashiki, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture 〒793-8601
TEL(0897)52-1206 FAX(0897)52-1230 E-mail: kokusai@saijo-city.jp URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp

2International Relations Saijo

June 30 (Sat.) SIEA held a disaster prevention lecture for non-Japanese residents
at the Saijo Public Welfare Center. We invited Ms. Yoko Kido, the Saijo City Disaster
Prevention Expert from the Liaison Council Women’s Division. Together we madepotato salad from Jyagariko, plates from empty milk cartons, and a stretcher fromworkman’s clothes. The participating non-Japanese residents and company employees
commented that they would share what they learned. We plan to host another lecture
to spread knowledge of disaster prevention amongst many more members of the nonJapanese community.
July 14 (Sat.) SIEA held a cooking class at the Omachi Community
Center. In Japan, pan fried gyoza (dumplings) are more common, but
in China, boiled gyoza are more prevalent. Participants had fun making authentic
boiled gyoza in Saijo with Mr. Cho, a native of China!

Preparing the gyoza
wrappers！

～International Bake Off～ August 22 (Wed.) During the International Bake Off at the Omachi Community Center, Saijo’s ALTs taught Saijo elementary school students how to bake desserts from their home countries. The event took
place in English, but the children were quick to understand! First, we learned how to make New Zealand Pavlova and a
Scottish Ginger Loaf. Everyone was so skilled that it seemed like they must help with cooking at home! Waiting for these 2
desserts to bake, we made Australian Damper Buns and New Zealand Chocolate Fudge Pudding. Traditionally made outside at a campfire, the Damper Buns we made were similar to chocolate chip melon pan. The pudding was crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside. In the end, we topped it off with milk to create an even tastier treat!
≪Interview Corner≫ Asuka (10) and Ryo (8)①How was the baking class???
A: A lot of fun!
②Which dessert did you enjoy the most?
A: Australian Damper Buns!
③Have you ever traveled abroad?
A: Not yet.
④Which “Bake Off” country do you want to visit?
A: Australia!

New ALT 2018
Introducing Saijo’s newest ALT!

Ambareen Hassan
Questions for Ambareen!
1 Why did you want to work in Japan?
○
2 What do you want to do while in Japan?
○
3 What do you want to talk about with locals?
○
4 What surprised you when you arrived in Saijo?
○
5 What is your favorite Japanese food?
○
6 What is your favorite Japanese word or phrase?
○
7 What about Japanese culture interests you?
○
8 What is your previous experience in Japan?
○
9 What food must visitors try in your hometown?
○
10 What should people see in your hometown?
○⑪ Please tell us about Canada!

⑩⑨① I have just completed my Masters in Teaching, and I cameto Japan to gain experience teaching English as a second language.
② I want to get to know the people in my community, andlearn about the language and culture of Japan.
③ I would like to talk to locals about how I can contribute to
the community and join in community events.
④ I was surprised by how beautiful the landscape of Saijo isand how welcoming the people in the community are.
⑤ I really like udon and am looking forward to discovering theudon restaurants in Ehime.
⑥ My favorite phrase in Japanese is yoroshiku onegaishimasu
because it can be used in so many ways to show that I am looking forward to working with the people that I meet in Saijo.
⑦ I am interested in how family oriented the Japanese cultureis.
⑧ This is my first experience in Japan, but I am very excited to
do and learn as much as I can.
⑨ Visitors must try a potato dish called poutine, which is very
delicious .
⑩ People should visit the CN Tower, which was once one of thetallest towers in the world.
⑪ I come from the city of Toronto in Canada which is similar to
Tokyo in size. The best thing about Toronto is how diverse andwelcoming the people are. Like the people in Saijo.

※ALTs （Assistant Language Teachers） help with foreign language activities, lessons and materials in elementary and junior high schools.

Saijo International Exchange Association 164 Akeyashiki, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture 〒793-8601
TEL(0897)52-1206 FAX(0897)52-1230 E-mail: kokusai@saijo-city.jp URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp

International Relations Saijo

How about a trip to Hue, Vietnam?

3

On August 19, a lecture on the friendship city relationship between the cities of Saijo and Hue was held. We would liketo express our gratitude to all of the participants. During the first half of the lecture, the CIR Anh Thy introduced Hue,and during the second half, the Information and Communications Department Head explained the sequence of events
that led to the friendship city relationship between Saijo and Hue.
Likened to the “Kyoto of Vietnam,” Hue was the seat of government for the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam forapproximately 150 years from 1802 to 1945. The Nguyen Dynasty was both the first dynasty to unify all of Vietnam, andVietnam’s last dynasty. The royal palace and temple buildings among other structures have been recognized as World
Heritage Sites. Set in the midst of captivating nature, many of the structures throughout Hue have deep historical significance, so the people of Vietnam view the city with pride.
While Saijo is famous for Mt. Ishizuchi and has the Kamogawa River, Hue is famous for Bach Ma Mountain and has the
Perfume River. However, the cities also share similar circumstances related to natural disasters. The damage from theheavy flooding that Hue experienced in 1999 led to a collaboration with Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies to undertake disaster prevention research. In Saijo, damage from the 2004 typhoon led to community
development with strong protections against natural disasters. Moreover, “Education for 12 Year-Olds” was implemented
to prepare children, the future of the city, to contend with disasters. Thus, Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Global
Environmental Studies introduced Saijo to Hue, beginning their exchange.
Beginning in 2011, JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) worked to implement Saijo’s disaster prevention
education in Hue over 3 years. During that time, each city dispatched representatives to make observations and carry out
exchange, deepening understanding and developing cordial relations. In addition to collaboration for disaster prevention,
Saijo has welcomed a CIR (Coordinator for International Exchange) from Vietnam since 2012. The CIR has been responsible for Vietnamese language classes, cultural introductions, and intercultural exchange activities to promote understanding of Vietnam. Lastly, since 2013, Saijo has run a booth at the “Hue Traditional Handicraft Fair” every other year to introduce Saijo to the people of Hue. After 13 years of relations, Saijo and Hue united as friendship cities in April 2018.
A friendship city relationship is new territory, so both cities must consider further exchange in various fields to build a
relationship of mutual trust. During the lecture, we asked participants to have a group discussion and express their opinions on what we can do for further exchange. Though many do not know a lot about Vietnam or Hue, participants suggested setting up a Saijo antenna shop in Hue and creating more opportunities for both cities to experience each other’s culture. Also, as Hue is famous for its lotus lake and Saijo’s friendship city in China, Baoding, also has a beautiful lotus lake,an exchange between the 3 cities could be meaningful. Participants also felt that Saijo could implement a program thatwould help the young Vietnamese engineers and technical skill trainees in Saijo to facilitate technical development intheir home nation.
During this month’s lecture, we hope that more people acquired deeper concern for Hue City and the relations between
Saijo and Hue as well as more interest in visiting Hue.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
2018~2019 Vietnamese Language Course ~ Contact the SIEA Office to apply!
【Where】
Saijo Public Welfare Center (Fukushi Center)【Eligibility】
Residents of Saijo City or SIEA Members who can participate in at least 70% of the course【Cost】
General 6,000円（SIEA Members 5,000円）【Date & Time】 Wednesdays 19:00～20:30
November～June 2019, 15 classes in total, generally twice a month※Course will take place with a minimum of 10 students.
※14 students participated in the 2018~2019 class. From this September, we will advance the level and pursue our studies.
~High School Student Report on Activities for Regional Tasks~
Saijo High School students have also participated in and learned about the Saijo International Exchange
Association’s disaster prevention activities for the non-Japanese community.
Q: After participating in such an event, what task do you think lies ahead?
A: I think that more people need to be involved in BOUSAIJO’s efforts for disaster prevention. In order to make information about disaster prevention common knowledge and start a dialogue, I think that it is important to create more ties
between people.
Q：As a high school student, what can you do?
A: I can spread awareness of what I have learned and talk to people about the activities in which I am involved. I think that
this will motivate the local people to think more deeply about the regional community.

Saijo International Exchange Association 164 Akeyashiki, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture 〒793-8601
TEL(0897)52-1206 FAX(0897)52-1230 E-mail: kokusai@saijo-city.jp URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp

4International Relations Saijo

Hi, everyone!
I’d like to talkabout “Saijo Fan
Club Tour.”
The tour was held on August 20. It was cloudy, but
I was glad it was not so hot. 10 guests and 6 guides
took part in the tour. I was one of the 6 guides.
We visited the Tourist Information Center, Shinji
Sogo Memorial Museum, Railway History Park in
Saijo, Saijo Library, Ito Lantern Workshop, Ishimizu
Carving Workshop, Moritaya, Seiryo Syuzo Brewery
and Ishizuchi Shrine.
I was in charge of the Shinji Sogo Memorial Museum by Saijo Station. Do you know the museum? I
have visited it a few times before, but the exhibits inthe museum didn’t look so impressive then. But thistime, the more I checked the exhibits about Shinji
Sogo, the more I wanted to know. By the way, Shinji
Sogo is called the “Father of the Shinkansen.”Now, I’ll tell you how I prepared to guide tourists.
First, I went to the museum and took some picturesof the exhibits after I got permission. Second, I wrote
a draft for each picture, while contemplating, “If I
was a visitor from abroad, what would I like toknow?” and “What knowledge am I going to share?”To guide, I checked a lot about the exhibits. I wanted to tell the guests all that I knew. But too much can

Saijo Fan Club Tourbe as bad as too little. I understood that I shouldn’t be
so talkative. I also read my draft almost every day,looking at the pictures of the exhibits. This helped mememorize my draft. I didn’t memorize sentence bysentence exactly, but I retained the knowledge about
the exhibits. Though I probably didn’t say all the sentences as they were written in my draft, I think I
shared the information with the guests effectively.
Also, around the end of the museum tour, one of theguests asked if the Shinkansen service will be available in Shikoku soon. Then, another guest said, “It will
cost a lot to start the Shinkansen service.” There weremany opinions on the Shinkansen in Shikoku, so we
had a lively discussion.
This tour was interesting. All the guests and guides
enjoyed it. I hope I can be a guide again.
Saijo City Office holds several language classes.
Last year there was a translation class. In the class,
we translated some sightseeing brochures and leaflets about Saijo City.
That translation practice was useful andhelpful for this tour.
Thank you.
R.Tokunaga

Events & Announcements＜September Events＞
9 / 29 Square Dance Lesson○When：13:00~15:00 ○Free of charge○Where：Omachi Community Center○Participants：Elementary school students and older
9 / 29 International Understanding Lecture「Thinking about Cuisine, Japan and the World with A
Cup of Coffee」
Join us for international exchange and someVietnamese coffee in this lecture with Office
Naturel’s Kenji Fujiyama.
○When：10:00~11:30 〇Members：￥200 General：￥300○Where： Saijo Fukushi Center○Participants： High school students and older＜October Events＞
10 / 3 International Understanding Lecture 「Germany」〇Where： Saijo City Hall 5F Large Conference Room
〇When：18：00～
10 / 6 Let’s Read Together
Enjoy English picture book story time! Children ages 3
and above and elementary school students are welcome tojoin with their guardians.
○Where： Saijo Library （9/18～9/25 Application period）○When: 10:30~11:30 ○Free of Charge※Participating children or their guardians must be
members of the Saijo International Exchange Association.
10 / 27 Halloween Party 2018
○Where：Saijo Shopping Arcade ○When:13:00~16:00＜November Events＞
11 / 10・11 Saijo Industry Fair
Join us at the World Café for cultural introductions, games,
and a chance to buy Vietnamese cuisine.
○Where：Saijo Agricultural High School「Saijo International Exchange Association Booth」○When：9:00~15:00★☆Volunteer Recruitment☆★
〇10/27〇11/10・11 ※Details in email letter!
☆Message from JICA☆
Volunteer Recruitment ~Be the Power to Change the World~〇Recruitment Period: Oct. 1～Nov. 1 (until noon)〇Eligibility: Japanese Citizens
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Born 1978/11/2～1999/4/1
Senior Overseas Volunteers
Born 1948/11/2～1978/11/1

For details: http://www.jica.go.jp/volunteer/index.html〇Inquiries JICA Shikoku TEL:087-821-8825
Editor
Notes

SIEA will be hosting many events after
September, so please check our HP and FB
for more information!

International Relations Saijo Staff
Yuki Teraoka （寺）Miho Ishimura (石）
Emi Sasaki （佐）Read in fullDiana Marie Linton (ダ）color！
(English Translation)
Nguyen Bui Anh Thy (ア）Saijo International Exchange Association 164 Akeyashiki, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture 〒793-8601
TEL(0897)52-1206 FAX(0897)52-1230 E-mail: kokusai@saijo-city.jp URL: http://www.saijo-iea.jp