SIEA General Term Meeting Announcement～～

Vol.26◆When: May 30, 2020 (Saturday) 13:00~◆Where: Saijo City Hall Main Building 5F Large Conference Room

March 2020

Details will be posted on the homepage. We are excited for our members to join us!

＜SIEA Projects Completed in 2019-2020＞

Contents◆Public Language Courses (Chinese・Korean・Vietnamese・English）

SIEA General Term
Meetingϭ

2020-2021 SIEA
Membership
Recruitment

ϭ

2020-2021 Project
Proposal
Submissions

ϭInternational
Exchange CaféϮ

◆Industry and Culture Festival (4/29)◆Hubei University Saijo City Visit (7/22～7/31） ◆Young Leader Training Program (8/1~8/13)◆International Bake Off!（8/27）◆Saijo Fan Club Tour (8/30)◆International Exchange Month (8/24～9/23）
8/24

An African Day

9/3～9/23

Weapons Art Exhibition

9/8

Discussions on Mozambique Weapons Art

9/16

Niger Film Screening and Homecoming Information Session◆International Understanding Lecture: Russia (9/29)◆2019 Halloween Party（10/27）

English Language in Ϯ
Saijo (ELIS) Volunteer
Association
International
Exchange Promotion
Association

ϯMy “Love Saijo”

ϯDates with Diana◆International Exchange Café (2/ year)◆Saijo Industry Fair「AFRICAFE」（11/9・10）

2020-2021
Membership Recruitment【Annual Membership Fee】
Individual 1,000円, Student (until highϰ

school) 500円, Organization 10,000円【Term】 April 1, 2020~ March 31, 2021
【Enrollment Method】(Current Members）We will send renewal

Events &Announcements

ϰguidelines in the mail. We look forward to
your continued membership!

International Relations Saijo(New Applicants) Complete membershipis a newsletter published inapplication form and submit to SIEA of-Japanese, English, and Viet-fice (Saijo City International Affairs Sec-

namese by the Saijo Interna-tion). (Forms available at city hall, publictional Exchange Association

facilities and for download online)(SIEA). We welcome your＜http://www.saijo-iea.jp/membership/＞comments, questions and^ĂŝũŽ/ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂůǆĐŚĂŶŐĞƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶŵĞŵďĞƌƐŚŝƉ

2020-2021 SIEA Project
Proposal Submissions
This year, we will continue to plan
activities promoting international
exchange in Saijo. Have you everthought “I want to do something likethis!” or “A non-Japanese person
might be troubled by this”? We lookforward to your ideas!
◆Eligibility: SIEA members(organizations・individuals・students）◆Contents: Proposals for international exchange projects in Saijo City
◆Application Method: Submit “Saijo
City International Exchange Association Project Proposal” (Please call or
email for consultation first)◆Deadline: March 31 (Tues.)◆Submission Place: SIEA office◆Decision: After the board of directors reviews the applications, the
SIEA secretarial office will coordinate events.

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

International Exchange Christmas Cafe
On Dec. 14 (Sat.), this year’s 2nd International Exchange Café took place at
the Omachi Community Center. Sakura Preschool, one of our organizational
members, hosted the café, while CIR Diana and the ALTs Megan and Joshua
also participated.
First, the café began with the Sakura Preschool children singing in chorus. Next, they played a few songs ontheir keyboard harmonicas while performing simple dance moves. They warmed the hearts of everyone present.
Then, Ms. Diana, Ms. Megan, and Mr. Joshua read picture books aloud to the children and played a game. After hearing about the many animals, such as the beautiful donkey, making an appearance in Ms. Diana’s
Christmas story and about the presents in Ms. Megan’s story, everyone was in the Christmas spirit. Mr. Joshua
brought three giant presents in Christmas wrapping paper for a game. The
children passed around the packages while Christmas music played. When themusic stopped, they could take off one layer of wrapping paper and claim one of
the many presents hidden inside. Everyone went home with a Christmas present. Lastly, the children ate snacks and drank juice while coloring in pictures!

English Language in Saijo (ELIS) Volunteer Association ~ Activities
Every year, ELIS hosts our well-established event “FUN FUN ENGLISH: Let’s Play Using English!” However, this year we had to cancel it as a precaution against further spread of the new coronavirus. Although it isunfortunate, ELIS understands that it is not wise to be negligent in the face of a still unfamiliar virus and that
we too must do our utmost to safeguard our lives.
This would have been the 16th time we held the event for the children of
Saijo City. With non-Japanese residents, we play various games and try tofamiliarize the children with English naturally. Our participants are always
excited and nervous, and the day is full of smiling faces. As hosts, we feel asense of accomplishment for deepening exchange.
One of Saijo’s ALTs, Mr. Westrop, asked us to extend such English language opportunities to more children throughout Saijo City. Since 2005, theyear following his request, interested ELIS members have introduced “Mini
FUN FUN ENGLISH (Mini FUN)” to each of the primary schools in the original Saijo area. Within the year, we hold “Mini FUN” at 9 primary schools.
The children’s determination as they join us with smiling faces and boundless enthusiasm always moves us. We are fortunate to have dedicated ELIS
volunteers who devote their time to gathering ideas and creating fun games
for the children with engaging teaching materials. It isn’t only about English
language support, as we endeavor to deliver programs that allow for heartfelt communication and holistic experiences. Witnessing the children’s proactivity and the wealth of their imaginative and expressive powers, the
ELIS staff also learns from these activities, so we too are full of gratitude.
We are open to ideas about further developing our “Mini FUN” activities as
we hope that they will cultivate the seed of international exchange in ourchildren. Let’s create stronger ties in our community! Let’s join in the same
passion!
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/

3International Relations Saijo
International Exchange Promotion AssociationŝƐƉůĂǇƐŽĨƚŚĞ&ŽŽĚ͕ůŽƚŚŝŶŐĂŶĚ^ŚĞůƚĞƌĂĐƌŽƐƐƚŚĞtŽƌůĚ

As globalization progresses, the number of non-Japanese residents living in Saijo has also
increased. Our members have lived in various countries throughout the world (especially indeveloping nations), so we launched this organization to increase understanding of different
cultures and cultivate a global perspective within the local community.
① Lectures & Homecoming Info Sessions
Experiences Abroad ・ Vietnamese Culture Introduction② World Food, Clothing & Shelter Displays
Surprising World Records!

tŽƌůĚǁŝĚĞƵůƚƵƌĂůǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞƐ

/ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂůƵŝƐŝŶĞ ŽŽŬŝŶŐůĂƐƐ:ĂƉĂŶKǀĞƌƐĞĂƐŽŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶsŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ,ŽŵĞĐŽŵŝŶŐ/ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ^ĞƐƐŝŽŶƐĂŶĚ&ŝůŵ^ĐƌĞĞŶŝŶŐƐ

③ World Café
Industry and Culture Festival and Industry Fair (Arabia)
and conversation with local non-Japanese residents andinternational cuisine, snacks, and teas.

⑤ Workshops
Square Dancing & Totem Pole Crafts④ International Cuisine Cooking Class
Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls ・ Chapattis⑥ Other Activities
Film Screening ・ SSC Display, etc.

tŽƌŬƐŚŽƉƐ,ŽƐƚĞĚƚŽĞǀĞůŽƉhŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐŽĨŝīĞƌĞŶƚƵůƚƵƌĞƐ

We promote the understanding of different cultures andinternational issues in the Saijo community throughactivities that both children and adults can enjoy.

We are currently holding
activities at community
centers, primary andsecondary schools, andnursing homes.

We welcome children & adults!

From Saijo to the World!
【Collaboration ・ Support】 Saijo International
Exchange Association ・ JICA Shikoku

Activities
throughout the
fiscal year

We also make guest appearances in yourtowns and companies.

When I first arrived in Saijo, everything was too quiet. I found nights
especially scary, so I had trouble sleeping. Where I grew up in Vietnam, I could even hear the sounds of cars and motorbikes at night. However, in October, Saijo has a makeover.
Day and night, the city reverberates with the lively sounds of taiko drums and flutes. What’s more, I was able tofall asleep after that. Yet, this liveliness doesn’t linger for long. The quiet returns with the end of Saijo Matsuri.
These days, I have grown accustomed to the tranquility, and I find large cities like Osaka overwhelming. Now, I
take quiet pleasure in enjoying the unhurried lifestyle in Saijo.
I was surprised when my daughter had just arrived in Saijo and said, “Japan and Vietnam are different!
There is no noise in Japan, but you can always hear noise in Vietnam!” As we walked through the shopping arcade, I laughed and agreed, “That’s certainly true!”In the shopping arcade that connects the Saijo station area to Konyamachi, it is quiet because few stores are
open. However, whenever I pass through it, I feel a sense of nostalgia. I feel this way, for example, when I passby the bookshop with the Showa atmosphere that I love. After retiring, a former school instructor preserves thefamily-run bookstore as an exhibition space. Old magazines and manga with simple, but colorful dust jackets
line the front entrance. The wooden cart that the owners used to transport books from the station is also by theentrance. If you make your way deeper into the living space, you will find an old-fashioned kitchen. All of thesethings remind me of the good old days of a former generation. Although I am not an avid reader, somehow myheart feels full when I enter this bookstore. Nearby, there is a mochi shop open every day. It sells mochi for 90円.
Since it is just-made, it is soft and delicious. The mochi attracts the attention of customers from a simple glasscase. Every time I pass by the display, I buy mochi. Whenever I eat it, I feel happy. There is an eatery called Sobaya a short distance away from the mochi shop. The curious store has very old food samples on display. I would
like to eat there at least once, but I have not had the courage to enter the shop since it is very old-fashioned.
That is, there are few seats but many regular customers.
Now that there are supermarkets and shopping malls, running businesses in the shopping arcade has growndifficult, so many shops have closed down. Still, there are vibrant paintings of danjiri on the shutters of many
shops that have gone out of business. They represent the liveliness of Saijo Matsuri in the fall. As I recall thebustling matsuri, I can hear the happy singing voices of people in the local karaoke bar full of Showa ambience.
The quiet of Saijo isn’t that of silence, but rather the glimmer of a ray of hope. I hope that the shopping arcade’s former prosperity will one day return. (Nguyen Bui Anh Thy—Coordinator for International Relations)☆ My 「Love Saijo」☆

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
Dates with Diana

Since I am not a native speaker of Japanese, I am
often asked, “What is your favorite Japanese word?” I
am not particularly familiar with proverbs or famous
quotations, so I usually answer “natsukashii” or“setsunai.” Even though there are similar expressions
in the English language, spoken English does not use
these words in the same way. So, when I learned“natsukashii” and “setsunai”, it was refreshing to beable to convey a feeling in the language of anothercountry when I had not be able to express the same
feeling with a single word in my mother tongue.
However, when I give this answer, I have sometimes
been told that since such words are absent from theEnglish language, people who use English as theirmother tongue perhaps have not felt the same emotion. This opinion surprised me, as I don’t think thatthe inability to express something with a single word
in a particular language is an indication of the lack ofthat emotion on the part of the speaker. With thatconcept in mind, I recall the musings of the German
philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche had inquired, “Is language the adequate expression of all
realities?” I think this means that, as human beings
have created language itself, its capacity to demonstrate reality and truth is fundamentally limited.
Whether I am speaking in English or in Japanese,
sometimes I am at a loss for words and can’t convey
my thoughts effectively. Words certainly have power,
but they also have limitations, and oftentimes we needto make use of other methods of expression. Nevertheless, words are tools that give us a deeper understand-ing of culture. Depending on the language, our capacity to express different emotions or ideas changes, so
learning a different language is valuable and thoughtprovoking. Even if such an expression doesn’t exist in
your mother tongue, I believe that, as human beings,
we still have the ability to understand the feelings
behind the words.
As it is difficult to express the complexity of humanemotion and conceptions through words, I am surethat many books have been written on this topic, but I
would like to introduce one that the whole family canenjoy. In Lost in Translation (2014), Ella Frances
Sanders explains untranslatable words from various
different languages. Here, I will introduce 4 of them.
① Meraki (adj.): “Pouring yourself wholeheartedly
into something, such as cooking, and doing so withsoul, creativity, and love” (Sanders,19).
② Ubuntu (noun): “Essentially meaning ‘I find myworth in you, and you find your worth in me.’ Can be(very) roughly translated as human kindness” (49).
③ Szimpatikus (adj.): “When meeting someone for the
first time, and your intuition tells you that they are agood person, you can refer to them as‘szimpatikus’” (83).
④ Saudade (noun): “A vague, constant desire forsomething that does not and probably cannot exist, anostalgic longing for someone or something loved andthen lost” (101).
Although Lost in Translation doesn’t include the etymology of each word, it has simple explanations of
their meanings, so it is still engaging. I love studying
languages, so I recommend it for your enjoyment!
*Sanders, Ella Frances. Lost in Translation, Ten Speed
Press, 2014.

Events & Announcements◆Korean（Saturdays・20 classes per level）
Beginner
13:00~14:30
Intermediate
15:00~ 16:30○Course Term: June 2020~ March 2021
○Application Period: April 20 (Mon.) ~ April 30 (Thurs.)○Capacity: Beginner : 15 people・Intermediate 20
people (first come first served)○Location: Saijo Sogo Fukushi Center○Course Fee: 7,000円 (SIEA Members: 5,000円)※Courses are not taught by specialists.
※The day of the week and time for both courses havechanged.
○Applications & Inquiries: SIEA Office◆Chinese (20 classes per level）
Beginner
Mondays 19:00~20:30
Intermediate
Wednesdays 19:00~20:30〇Course Term: July 2020~ April 2021
〇Application Period: May 18 (Mon.) ~ May 27 (Wed.)〇Capacity: 20 people per level(first come first served)○Eligibility: Able to attend over 70% of the course, fallingunder these stipulations:①Residing or commuting to the city
②Member of SIEA

We owe a great debt to all our members over thispast fiscal year. In 2019, SIEA celebrated its 5th
anniversary. We took on new challenges, such as
the Young Leader Training Program. We hope topush forward with international exchange activities withthe help of all of our members during the next fiscal year.
Editor
Notes

International Exchange Association NEWS Staff
Kosugi Maiko (小)Diana Marie Linton (ダ）Read in full(English Translation)color！
Nguyen Bui Anh Thy (ア）FF

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/