Hello everyone!

2011 has started and it has been very busy January as YMC Viet project now moving in full speed. I decided to write the blog to introduce what is happening with a project. Please go to our website www.pangaean.org and click YMC Viet Logo.

Today I would like to share the reflection document from Seoul, Korea. As the location ends year long activity in December, they ran reflection activity with parents.



Closing Reflection by Jiseung Ahn (girl, 12 years old)
Hi, everyone. Today is the last day of Pangaea Project. It has been 8 months from the starting day of this project already. I feel really sad that we have to say good bye to each friend and facilitators. I've gained unforgettable happy memories that we have gone through together.

I felt really excited what would be going to happen for this project at the first day. Fortunately, it was fun to have friends who are funny and active and kind facilitators at every time when we met. I enjoyed much my friends’ PangaeaNet houses like a princess house, a fancy diamond house, a rice bowl shaped house when the time we presented our drawings of rooms and houses. I was surprised that other friends from foreign countries might look at my drawing through PangaeaNet. It was like they visited my real own house. I felt close to them even if they live far from here.

I could release all my stress and felt closer to Japanese and Malaysian friends after participating the webcam activities with 'Koetsuna', 'Color Matching Games' and 'Nazoren'. More than anything, I felt the most excited when foreign friends greeted "Gonnicchiwa Jiseung" "Halo Jiseung" just after I introduced myself to them via webcam. Actually, I was curious how communication among different cultures could be processed through pictures. However, I realized through this project that we could talk each other through our communication tools without each other's language. I could broaden my knowledge to the different countries and open my mind to them who I felt very far from here before.
All of Pangaea activities brought me to think that we can communicate with each other without languages; however, I think to learn other languages hard for when I visit other countries in the world afterwards. Besides, my dream is to be a writer and write a stirring novel to world people. Pangaea Project gave me valuable opportunities to motivate to become a writer more than ever. I'd like to deliver my thoughts through my own writing and illustrating.

As time has gone by, I felt closer to most of Japanese and Malaysian friends but there were some friends who I did not feel still intimate. However, I felt much familiar with all at the summer camp. We stayed one night together while catching catfish, flying our wishes to sky, and dyeing red clay in order to present to Kenya friends. At the same time, I could build lots of memories with facilitators.
I'm not sure if I could meet Pangaea friends and facilitators again but I feel appreciate them very much. I wouldn't forget my friends who shared joy together. I enjoyed very much participating in Pangaea Project for 8 months. I will cherish our memories in my heart forever. Thank you.

This tells you more about Pangaea than my explanation. I thank Sophia of Mizy Center to share this with us.

Well, I introduce Mr. Keiichi Suzuki, as the Pangaea Ring Writer for this month.
He participated in brain storming to develop the sound-related activity.

Yumi

I introduce Mr. Keiichi Suzuki, as the Pangaea Ring Writer for this month.
He participated in brain storming to develop the sound-related activity.



Hello.
I am Keiichi Suzuki. I've been playing music since 1970.
We started Moonriders in 1976 and this year is 35th anniversary.
I got to know Pangaea in the late 1990s when Ms. Mori was a Director of the Jou Jou division in Tomy company, ltd. Mr. Manabu Tanaka who was my classmate in my high school and was working for TOMY introduced her to me to work together. Then several years after I heard that they stared Pangaea. I also joined in the brainstorming for some basic ideas and processes of activities at an early stage.

We did everything by feel and hoped for a possibility that these children can communicate especially through sound or music. Regretfully, it didn't go as smoothly as doing it with Emoji. Emoji is great because of its simplicity and ability to share subtle diversities of expressions which vary between countries and people. A sound is invisible. It is difficult to set standards and to understand without any rhythms and tonalities. Even though there are also fixed rhythm, no tonality, no rhythm and atonal music, of course every sound could be music from a sound point of view. Probably it means music is too flexible. I think how to connect music and devices is the key.

I don't have any specific ideas what I want the children to make. It is important for the children to make something that they enjoy. Last year was the first Pangaea event I have attended in a while. Since then the translation technology and efficiency of Emoji has greatly improved. I was very surprised. The children were excited to create something fun and be involved. I think that feeling of curiosity is the most important thing. The basis of Pangaea is to motivate and encourage the children's curiosity. I would like to visit more Pangaea events to help encourage their curiosity too.

Keiichi Suzuki
Musician / moonriders

http://www.keiichisuzuki.com/　
http://www.moonriders.net/