KCC NEWS Vol.71 1st, March, 2022

MARCH, 2022

Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center

Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center,Palette Kashiwa
2-7-1-301 Kashiwa,
Kashiwa,Chiba,Japan 277-0005■TEL: 04-7157-0281 ■FAX: 04-7165-7321■E-MAIL: kcc@kira-kira.jp■URL: https: //www.kcc.kira-kira.jp

Vol.
71

Cancellation of Youth Exchange Programs to Torrance, Camden, Chengde and Guam in 2022
Due to the continuing spread of COVID- 19 around the world, Kashiwa International Relations
Association (KIRA) has decided to cancel the exchange programs to our four sister-friendship cities.
KIRA is very sorry to anyone who was planning to participate in these programs.

The Sixth Japanese Speech Contest in Kashiwa by Foreign Residents (2/13)

A year has passed since the 5th Speech Contest was canceled and the Covid-19 pandemic is stillaffecting our lives. Through repeated discussions and in consideration of safety first, the Sixth
Speech Contest was at last held at Pallet Kashiwa after two years of absence.
The number of participants in the contest is increasing year by year. This year, 15 contestantschosen from many applicants, presented their speeches. Quite a few young speakers, including highschool students, participated and it can be said this also made the 6th contest so meaningful.
We would like to express our gratitude to the contestants, as well as
the judges, evaluators and everyone involved in the speech contest.
The names of winners are as follows:
Mayor’s Award: Mr. Ryoma Oda (The Philippines)
KIRA President’s Award: Ms.Ji Ri Ge Le Gen (China)
Special Award: Ms.Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen(Vietnam)
Special Award: Ms.Nguyen Thi Thu Trang (Vietnam)
The speech scripts of all the contestants’ will be uploaded on our website later.

Cross-cultural Tea Time
“ Indonesia –What we saw and felt
in the lives of about 30 years there –“Date: March 5, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Place: Palette Kashiwa, Multi-purpose space A
Lecturer: Mr. & Mrs. Yoshihiro andYoko NAKAGAW ARA
Number of applicants: 27
Participation fee: ￥ 400
Application: Please come directly
KIRA office or send an e- mail toboshu-1@kira-kira.jp

Photo Exhibition: “The history of exchange with Camden”
Period: March 6 – March 13Place: Palette Kashiwa, Open space

Commemorative Program for Exchange with Camden, Australia:"The History of Exchange with Camden”
Date: March 13, Sunday, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Place: Palette Kashiwa, Meeting Room ABC
Contents: 1. Explanation of the 25th anniversary ofthe mutual exchange between Kashiwa andCamden
2.Video messages from the members of theCamden International Friendship
Association (CIFA)
3.Discussion with CIFA members
by ZOOM
Number of Participants: 20
Participation fee: Free
Application: Please come directly to the KCC officeor send an e-mail to boshu-1@kira-kira.jp<P lease be sure to include the event nam e, your nam e, and phone num ber when apply ing by em ail. In addition, please note that theeventsm ay be canceled or changed depending on the CO V ID-19 infection status . Please contact the office for details.>

KCC NEWS Vol.71 1st, March, 2022

Japanese Speech Contest
Every Failure Is a Stepping Stone to Success(Speech by the Mayoral Award Winner, Ryoma Oda)

Hello, everyone. My name is Ryoma Oda. My father is Japanese, and mymother is Filipino. I grew up in the Philippines from the age of three until Igraduated from university, but I have chosen to be a Japanese citizen at theage of 20. I love talking, but I cannot express half of what I want to say inJapanese. Today, I would like to share some of my mistakes with you.
The first is a story from my college days in the Philippines. Japaneseinternational students came to my university to study English. I was picking
them up at the main gate of the university. And upperclassmen arranged awelcome board for them. When I took them to the faculty, I found that thewelcome board said, " Doitashimashite, international students of Waseda
University" in Japanese. When I asked, "Why does it say, ' Doitasimashite '?”The upperclassmen replied, " Doitashimashite in Japanese has the same
Mr. Ryoma Oda
meaning as welcome in English. We looked it up on Google”. I hurriedly told
them that it does not mean “welcome,” it is a reply to “thank you.” I should have confirmed the welcomeboard properly. I got embarrassed in front of Japanese students.
The second is the story about when I first went swimming on a beach in Japan. I was going to meet aFilipino friend at a station called "Onjuku". I looked it up on the Internet and found that the fare to Onjuku
was 1840 yen. I bought a ticket at Kashiwa Station on the Tobu Line and got on the train alone. AtFunabashi station, I was supposed to transfer to the JR line. But when I went through the automatic ticket
gate, the ticket did not come out. Surprised, I said to the station attendant, "Oh, Excuse me. Um...my ticket,
this, eat.” The station attendant seemed to be confused. He might have thought that I had eaten a concert
ticket or that it might be better to call an ambulance? Finally, another English-speaking station attendantcame over and explained to me in English, " You know, the tickets on each train line are different. Tobuline and JR are operated by two different companies, so you have to buy tickets for each. ” I got soembarrassed that I could not make myself understood in Japanese.
The third is the story of when I took a part- time job exam. I bravely applied for a part- time job at asupermarket. I was confident in the interview. But in the written test, there were so many difficult written
words that I could not understand them well. When I found out that I had failed the exam, I completely
lost confidence. Because until then, I had never failed exams. Seeing me depressed, my father casually said
to me, " Making mistakes iscommon. Ryoma, at least you haveContestants’ Mother Tongue, Country and Speech Title
learned something from that
Entry
Mothermistake.” After listening to what myCountry
Speech Title
No.
Tonguefather said, my way of thinking has1Vietnamese Vietnam
The Way Japanese People Workchanged, and I began to believe
2Mongolian China
What I Want to Tell the Japanesethat it would be better for me if I
3ChineseChina
Japanese People’s Sense of Distancecould grow step by step througheach failure I experienced. The
4
KoreanChina
My Impression on Japanese People
language, way of thinking, and5
Englishthe Philippines
Myselfcustoms are different between
6
Vietnamese Vietnam
Overcoming Failure
Japan and the Philippines. Just
7
ChineseChina
I Teach How to Make Meat Buns to My Japanese Teacherbecause
I choseJapanese
8
Mongolian China
Life in Japannationality, it did not mean I could
9Nepali
Nepal
My Daily Lifedo the same as Japanese people
10
Chinese
China
Difficulties I Encounter When Learning Japanese
immediately. Maybe I do not needto feel embarrassed too much
11
ChineseChina
My Japanese Language Training in High School
when I make mistakes. I believe
12
Tagalog
the Philippines
Every Failure Is a Stepping Stone to Successthat I can make further progress
13
Mongolian China
Japan I Had Heard About and Japan I Have Seen
through my mistakes in the future.
14Vietnamese Vietnam
My Favorite Words
Thank you for your kind
15
ChineseChinaLife in Japanattention.

KCC NEWS Vol.71 1st, March, 2022

Japanese Shonan Classes
Online Classes
Thurs

10:00am - 11:30am Japanese Intermediate and up

Sun

10:00am - 11:30am Beginner I, Intermediate I (2 classes)

In Person Classes (Shonan Community Center)※It maybe cancelled according to the pandemic situation.

Thurs

10:00am - 12:00pm Intermediate I

Sun

10:00am - 12:00pm Beginner I

Online Japanese Kashiwa Classes
Online Classes
Tue

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Japanese for all Beginning I (1st of the 19 lessons)Wed

10:00pm - 11:30pm Japanese Conversation for Beginners 2B

Wed

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Thurs

10:00am - 11:30am Beginning Conversation I (Beginner, Beginning 1)

Thurs

1:00pm - 2:30pm

Beginner Conversation 2 AFri

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Japanese for all Beginning Ⅱ (1st of the 41 lessons)Sat

9:30am - 11:20am

Intermediate Conversation

Japanese for all Beginning I (1st of the 16 lessons)Free legal advice and administrative procedure support for foreign residents

Lawyers and administrative procedure specialists will be available to help foreign residents with legal
questions and documents. Any questions or problems are acceptable, such as visa, domestic violence,divorce, or trouble at the workplace. Please register beforehand.
Date: March 23rd, Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Place: Palette Kashiwa Room A
Reservation: KCC officeConsultation for Foreign Residents

Kashiwa information delivery service

Monday: Spanish
Tuesday: Korean (only the 2nd and 4th Tuesday)
Wednesday: Chinese
Thursday: English
Friday: Chinese※ 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. everyday
Consultation Counter for Foreign Residents ( Maincity hall 3F)
TEL: 04 - 7168 - 1033 No reservation required.

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outbreaks in the language of yourchoice. Send a blank email to thisaddress to register.
Also, please read Kashiwa CityMagazine. It contains information
about COVID-19 vaccination.

Information about COVID-19
for foreign residents

Available in multiple languages

Questions?
Please contact the office ofKashiwa Cross-cultural Center (KCC)

Tel: 04-7157-0281
Fax: 04-7165-7321
Hours: 8:30 - 17:15
Closed on Sundays and national holidays

KCC Newsletter Edited and Published by: Kashiwa Cross-cultural Center designated administrator Specified non-profit organization,Kashiwa International Relations Association General Affairs Committee Public Relations Division