我孫子市国際交流協会

Duration: March 30(Mon) to April 3 (Fri), 2009
Coordinator: NPO Sumiyoi-Machi-Zukuri Institute
Visitors: 19 young people from 11 countries
AIRA Volunteer interpreter: 6 persons

Same as last year, members of the World Campus International (WCI) Tour visited Abiko from March 26 to April 4, staying at host families in the city to commnunicate with people through various cultural activities. WCI tour is annually planned for young people, mostly college students from all over the world to stay at citizen's houses and to experience Japanese culture and daily life through friendly interchange with local people.
This year 19 youths from 11 nations stayed and participated in various events and activities in the city.
They were from, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Indonesia, Luxemburg, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Norway, Uganda and the U.S.A., in addition to local participation of 3 Japanese students.
Responding to a request for delegating volunteer interpreters, AIRA sent the following 6 members during the core-4 days: Seiko Ishizawa, Masayo Kaku, Yukiko Kawashima, Tetsuya Sugano, Masahira Takahashi, and Kanako Tomita (6 persons/11 in total)
The day by day activities are as follows (volunteers in the parenthesis).
1. March 30/Monday (Kawashima, Sugano)
Venue: Aijima Art and Culture Village
Event: "Kaiawase-Shell Game" playing: One of the traditional games originally played by the nobilities in Heian Era (8C-12C). Visitors enjoyed the game with instructors' help in the venerable Japanese room. Every player admired the shape and color of shells, particularly the exquisite pictures on the shells.
"Kagura" appreciation at the inner garden: An old folk entertainment with music and dance dedicated to the Divine. A student volunteered to play a humorous dance on the stage, getting big applause.
"Homemade lunch" was served, such as Oshizushi (pressed sushi), Oyaki (baked rice cake) and Japanese consomme. Interpretation trial on Japanese culture had much to tell volunteers as well.
2. March 31/Tuesday (Kawashima, Kaku, Tomita)
Venue: Abista's big hall
Event: Rehearsal day: Volunteers assisted people playing music, instruments and others for the finale event on April 3. They enjoyed practicing "Kappa odori" dancing with Abiko Kappa Odori Group members putting on kimonos. Then they rehearsed hoisting of their homelands' flag, playing musical instruments and music of their owns.
3. April 2/Thursday (Ishizawa, Kawashima, Takahashi)
Venue: Birds Museum through Teganuma Park
Event: A 3-hour walk rally with cleaning the roadsides on the way.
The group started the Birds Museum at 11:00 a.m., and made a round-trip walking of Tega-Ohashi, then proceeded to the late Dr. Murakawa's Villa, the late Jigoro Kano's Residence, and finally arrived at the Teganuma Park before dark.
Volunteers accompanied them and interpreted languages at main locations.
Everyone enjoyed the short but instructive trip under the fine weather.
4. April 3/Friday (Ishizawa, Kawashima, Tomita)
Venue: Abista's big hall
Event: A gala finale show : To mark the end of the 10-day stay in Abiko, a final big event was held with sixty guests at the hall. The event was kicked off by an inspiring address by Mr. Junichiro Hoshino, Mayor of Abiko, cerebrating the success of the intercultural exchange program. He also appreciated the voluntary activities by the citizens and cooperation by all concerned, wishing more progress of the WCI projects.
The large hall looked like a "miniaure world" full of dancing and singing of Kappaodori, hula dancing, Japanese songs, and the presentation of each country by the nineteen young men and women of WCI tour.
In addition to a support for a smooth progress of the event, AIRA volunteers contributed to interpretation of messages by the Mayor and the Chairman of the Abiko Social Welfare Institution.
Finally, thanks was given from the stage to all concerned including AIRA volunteers by all the students and WCI organization, and the representatives of the coordinator, Sumiyoi-Machizukuri Institute as well.

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