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About Myself...
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It's been two months since I moved from Tokyo to Kyoto and started working for Pangaea. A few months ago, I was working for Citibank in Tokyo, but it feels like it is a long time ago. Kyoto is a beautiful city and I feel like being at my real home to be here.

In fact, this is not the first Pangaea Newsletter that I have ever written. I was requested to write "Pangaea Ring" in July 2009 as a volunteer. At the closing of the article, I wrote: "As for my wishes for the Pangaea's future, I hope Pangaea will continue its operation for a long time and the activity sites would increase from points to lines, eventually to cover the surface of the world. I will be really happy if I can be of any help for this purpose." I never imagined that I would become Pangaea staff someday when I wrote it, but this was the truthful description of how I felt about Pangaea. So I did not need to think much to decide to leave Citi and work for Pangaea, when Yumi said that she wanted me to help Pangaea's global implementation at the end of last year. Still, my decision surprised many people around me, as they felt working for non-profit organization was totally different from working for Citi.

Going forward, I will be working on the communication with Pangaea supporters, creating volunteer community and media relations. I too am now widely aware each and every day that I do not have any experience either in working for small non-profit organization or in the area of public relations. But I have already decided that I will not worry about my limitations and do what I can do for Pangaea, looking to people around me to help...

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2011 Pangaea Activity Has Started
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This school years' activity at "OK Village" in Tokyo has finally started on Saturday May 28th with the sponsorship of OKWave, after a pause in March and April due to the impact of the earthquake.

Children in Tokyo received the message from the ones in Korea and Kyoto to cheer them up after the quake.
http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2011/03/message_from_ko.html

In return, Tokyo kids prepared thank you message this time.
http://fb.me/VQqDan0D

Tokyo site was also connected with "Kyodai Village" in Kyoto with web camera, and children introduced themselves to each other and asked questions.
http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2011/05/may_pangaea_act.html

Tokyo children discussed how Kyoto would be like to decide on the questions they ask. After the webcam, they found Kyoto kids a lot of fun to be with, and all children gave feedback by circling the biggest smile mark in the activity report, which all Kyoto kids echoed in their reports as well.

Pangaea is recruiting volunteers who would participate in our activity. Please see our 2011 posters and flyers from the link below, and share them with those who may take interest:
http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2011/05/2011_pangaea_vo.html
http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2011/05/2011_pangaea_vo_1.html

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Pangaea's Agricultural Assistance Project in Vietnam
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"YMC-Viet", or Pangea's project to improve agricultural productivity in Vietnam, held between Feb and Mar 2011 was on TV news "World Wave Tonight" on BS1, NHK on Wed May 18th.
http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2011/05/pangaea_newslet.html

YMC-Viet was funded by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan, as a part of its Ubiquitous Alliance Project, and was conducted as a field test. As a result of the survey held after the project, it was found that children enjoyed using mobile phones and PC's, became interested in farming, while their parents could obtain helpful information from their sons and daughters. As children became interested in farming, there were more conversation between parents and children, which improved their relationship. Overall, the expectation is high for the continuation of the project in Vietnam.

To promote rural development in Vietnam further, Pangaea organized 3-day YMC academic workshop for three days from Friday May 20th to Sunday May 22nd in Vietnam to initiate the Vietnam-Japan interdisciplinary academic group, inviting researchers in informatics, agriculture and education. At the field trip, workshop participants could confirm the active participation to the project by local children. Vietnamese government officials and Japanese researchers has confirmed their commitment to the further development of YMC.
http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2011/05/the_1st_vietnam.html

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