Mar 2009 Newsletter: Yumi's Monthly Note
The Pangaea facilitator training was held at the Universiti Malaysia
Sarawak (UNIMAS) on Feb 4th (Wed). Then Pangaea activity was held with
23 children on Feb 7th (Sat). For training session, approximately 20
participants were expected, however at the end 39 participants, such as
students, researchers and teachers came. It was a nice happening that
materials we brought were less than how many people showed up..Those who participated in the half-day training were various ethnic groups of people just like a representation of Malaysia as a country, as Malaysian, Hindi, Muslims and Chinese volunteers came. People were a bit nervous at first, but got along together as program proceeded to test manus like "Tako Introduction" and "Let's make your House." It was a great success. Most of them joined the first activity on Saturday and various ethnic groups of children enjoyed the activity there.
I usually try to say hello in each country's language, so I got the
Guidebook.. However, because of a multiethnic country, various ethnic
languages were written. So I gave up for this time. I spoke in English
at the activity but some children couldn't understand what I said.
At that time, facilitators supported me by translating for them.
Children were paired randomly, as junior high school students, elementary school students, boys, girls, Malaysians and Chineses, etc... A big older boy stooped down and was introduced by a small 4th grade elementary school boy at the "Tako Introduction" in which they introduced their partners to the others. It was a very lovely time. The House has already been completed and the UNIMAS village is up. And I heard that some messages from Tokyo or Mie Pref. were already sent. The activity will be held every month from February and the first Webcam activity is planned for June. Mr. Inoue and Mr. Iwata from the Telecommunication Technology Committee (TTC) visited Sarawak by the one-night-bullet-tour this time. Mr. Inoue gave a lecture about the great possibility through ICT for children.
I'd like to express my sincere thanks to the professors, the assistant professors and the researchers in the Pangaea Team in UNIMAS. Fitri who is the Pangaea Ring Writer this time, Gary and Ina who spent lots of time preparing, Alvini and Nara, the Dean, who worked on organizing the team and Khairuddin, the Vice Chancellor who accepted the Pangaea activity at first. The base which gave the quick & precise response was only the Mizy Center (Soul, Korea) until now, even though the bases in Japan were included. So I was just amazed that all your responses were so quick and precise. You simulated the activity from preparation to cleanup many times in preparation for doing it by yourself from now on until June. I realized that the activity moves to the next phase with the system completing the package.
Anyway, the food was so delicious in Sarawak! I was crazy about Sarawak Laksa, a soup. For my confession, I had Laksa every day. I spent one day with the family of Professor Alvin on Sunday. I became a good friend of his three cute children. So I'm really looking forward to meeting them again in June.
In March I will travel in Europe. We plan to do the Webcam activity between Vienna and Mie Pref., but I'm worried as it's still snowing, according to the weather report. I'll also visit Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.
This month Pangaea Ring Writer is Fitri, from the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. She is one of the main staff at the Malaysia base. I appreciate her understanding of Pangaea activity and her quick & precise response. Thank you very much.
See you next month!
Yumi
Children were paired randomly, as junior high school students, elementary school students, boys, girls, Malaysians and Chineses, etc... A big older boy stooped down and was introduced by a small 4th grade elementary school boy at the "Tako Introduction" in which they introduced their partners to the others. It was a very lovely time. The House has already been completed and the UNIMAS village is up. And I heard that some messages from Tokyo or Mie Pref. were already sent. The activity will be held every month from February and the first Webcam activity is planned for June. Mr. Inoue and Mr. Iwata from the Telecommunication Technology Committee (TTC) visited Sarawak by the one-night-bullet-tour this time. Mr. Inoue gave a lecture about the great possibility through ICT for children.
I'd like to express my sincere thanks to the professors, the assistant professors and the researchers in the Pangaea Team in UNIMAS. Fitri who is the Pangaea Ring Writer this time, Gary and Ina who spent lots of time preparing, Alvini and Nara, the Dean, who worked on organizing the team and Khairuddin, the Vice Chancellor who accepted the Pangaea activity at first. The base which gave the quick & precise response was only the Mizy Center (Soul, Korea) until now, even though the bases in Japan were included. So I was just amazed that all your responses were so quick and precise. You simulated the activity from preparation to cleanup many times in preparation for doing it by yourself from now on until June. I realized that the activity moves to the next phase with the system completing the package.
Anyway, the food was so delicious in Sarawak! I was crazy about Sarawak Laksa, a soup. For my confession, I had Laksa every day. I spent one day with the family of Professor Alvin on Sunday. I became a good friend of his three cute children. So I'm really looking forward to meeting them again in June.
In March I will travel in Europe. We plan to do the Webcam activity between Vienna and Mie Pref., but I'm worried as it's still snowing, according to the weather report. I'll also visit Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.
This month Pangaea Ring Writer is Fitri, from the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. She is one of the main staff at the Malaysia base. I appreciate her understanding of Pangaea activity and her quick & precise response. Thank you very much.
See you next month!
Yumi
Posted by: kumakinoko | 3. Newsletter
