Friday, March 30, 2012

Leaving for Japan in the rainy day!

It has been raining with some thunder. Yet we are leaving. Unfortunately Kyoto seems to a lot cooler than Chicago this spring and the forcast say that there be several rainy days:( I hope that COD group bring the sunny day and meet with full bloom of Sakura.

We will taking off Chicago at 1pm with American Airline this time to get to Narita to catch JAL for Osaka. Though the weather Japan may not kind to us, we will maximize our experience with this one-time unique student group.

Summer study abroad plan has also begun!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Japan Symposium finished Successfully!

The biggest day ofthis semester, Japan Symposium was successfully ended with the great Taiko Drum performance and Asian fashion show on last Thursday!

The Opening Ceremony with our college president and Consul General of Japan at Chicago was attended by over 120 audience which was followed by sessions of Dr. Norma Field and Dr. Jason Jones. The afternoon movie viewing and discuaaion over the recent award winning film "Okuribito (Departure)" was well accepted as well.

Thank you for all those attendees as well as orgnaizing committee members of College of DuPage.

Spring field trip is coming up this weekend and this blog will become the report of the each day events!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Japan Symposium on Thursday 3/22/2012!

This is the week of Japan Symposium. The Tea ceremony will be held at Student Lounge of SSC at 1pm tomorrow on Tuesday! Ms. Akiko Sato will perform this ceremony as she did it for us last fall!

Actual Symposium will be on Thursday at SRC 2800 at the college began by greeting from our president and the Honorable Counsul General of Japan. Three speakers, Dr. Norma Field, Dr. Jason Jones, and Dr. Stanley Murashige will talk about various topics about Japan including recent Nuclear disaster, Horror cinema, Arts, etc.

Japanese Taiko Drum will conclude the event!

Spring Japan trip is coming up soon, too!!!! Amzing record-high temperature in Chicago!

Monday, March 12, 2012

JCC/GTS Dinner was flourished!

March dinner has just passed with about 20 participants including several new faces. On Sunday night I had a dinner with some JET alums to think back just one year ago, which is the day Tsunami attacked Japan.

The first class for the Spring Kyoto Trip was held and everyone introduced among others and all wished stronger dollars and full-bloom of Cherry Blossoms.

There will be American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) annual conference this week in Toronto, Canada and I will be presiding one session. I am looking forward to meeting several professional friends in rather warm Canada!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

March began! Japan Symposium Returns!

The JCC/GTS monthly dinner will be on Friday 3/9/2012. I hope to see many spring-like faces there.

One of past students, Matt Bedford left for Gifu, Japan to teach English there. I am very happy to see his dream coming true after his graduation with many ups and downs from the college!!

Tha Japan Symposium will be held at COD SRC 2800 on Thursday (the whole day) 3/24/2012. Jason Jones (Univ. of Wisconsin at Milwaukee), Norma Field (Univ. of Chicago) and Andy Murashige (Art Institute of Chicago) will give the enthusiastic lectures. There will be Film viewing, Fashion Show, Taiko Drum and Japanese Dance are also coming to wrap up the event at night!

Hope to have you in the audience/spectators!