Hello, this is Newsletter Editor, Nomunomu.

As we enter into December here in Ireland, Christmas time has begun. The town center is decorated with a Christmas tree, and a nativity scene with Jesus in a stable, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. As Christmas and the New Year gets closer, it is certainly the season of joy for the children.

On the other hand, December is the time of year where we tend to reminisce. I think back on my memories, being in Japan and making houses and rooms on Pangaea Net with the children each time they took part in Pangaea, the time spent with the children and staff from various countries at the week-long summer camp, as well as coming to Ireland. There so many more good memories, it’s been a good year. I hope everyone else’s year has gone well too?

It seems the introduction to this final newsletter for 2016 has become long. So, for this month, we shall hear about the motivation of the two interns, Ai and Qoo, who interned at the main headquarters for Pangaea in Kyoto. They both also took part in the summer camp as Facilitators. Also, in the Honest Village, for November’s activity, everyone went out on a field trip!

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1. Motivations for the internship
2. Honest Village Activity Report - November
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1. Motivations for the internship
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■ Qoo

Hello, my name is Sok-Kyong Li, and for the past half a year, I have been working at Pangaea as an intern. Everyone at Pangaea calls me Qoo.

I haven’t known Pangaea for very long, but the activities and aims Pangaea have to lovingly watch over children left a deep impression with me and as such I would like to make these activities and aims known more locally and internationally. As an intern, if I am able to contribute to this in some small way, that would make me incredibly happy.

In the Pangaea offices, I mostly helped with admin work for Pangaea, being in charge of contacting people and procedures for signing up members. Since I haven’t used either formal or business Japanese in work often before, I’ve made some mistakes at times and feel bad, but slowly I corrected myself and I feel my skills and myself has a person have developed.

At any rate, I am currently recruiting for new members at Pangaea. If anyone is interested, particularly with how to sign up, or what perks you get for being a member, please feel free to contact Li (qoo@pangaean.org) for more information.

I hope to be able to continue to work hard into the future as well, thank you everyone for your help so far.

■Ai

My name is Saki Uei. I’m known as Ai, and I began as an intern in September this year.

Actually, I’ve been lucky enough to write for Pangaea Ring in the newsletter twice now. Back in June, I first wrote an article under the theme of “Why did you return to Pangaea again?”. I can’t believe six months have passed since then. I realize it’s December, and my first job working an intern is one step closer to its end. I’m excited to see what the future will bring for Pangaea now having been such a close part of it, and I feel a sense of responsibility for it having been an intern.

For example, I was able to see the final version of the KISSY movie the other day. I remember I was surprised all over again seeing how the children changed over that week, and how quickly they matured.

As I try to stand aside to prepare activities, there are many things I worry about, but I also think it’s worth doing, and I want to both me and the children to continue to mature together. At the same time, I’ll keep trying my best in the office as well to make activities that are as fun as possible!

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2. Honest Village Activity Report - November
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Hello, this is Yumiko Mori, Chairperson at Pangaea, and also known as Yumi.

We’ve finished the KISSY summer video documentary! I thought, and yet it’s already December.

There’s already been snow in the Tokyo area, and here in Kyoto the time of year where the leaves turn red has also ended a week earlier than in previous years. It really looks like the season of chilly mornings and cold evenings is already upon us. In the headquarters, we’ve had three interns helping with current promotional activities by working on making application forms in order to acquire funds. They’ve been a great help. Toshiyuki Takasaki, or Toshi, the Vice Chairman, in spite of currently being in the middle of writing his thesis everyday for his doctorate, has been coming to the headquarters once a week at which time he was flooded with requests from everyone.

In November, Pangaea held its chairman meeting where it was decided to continue acquiring members to increase current activities, and also to support the promotion of the activities. I believe there are many people reading this newsletter who are concerned with the current state of affairs in the world. Therefore, while many countries are planning on creating barriers, Pangaea will continue to act as bridge to link us together. Everyone who feels like there may be no way to solve the current issue around creating barriers, please make sure to watch the Pangaea video when it’s released in January.

In November, Tokyo Honest Village took part in a field trip. We went to the Edo-Tokyo Museum in the Ryougoku area. The children came up with Pangaea playing cards categories based on the usual questions (favorite snacks, play area, cool buildings…), imagining the answers from a different point of view, as suggested by Guts, as it would have been in the Edo era. The lady that was the guide answered the questions - “I would think that their favorite snack would’ve been taro*…”, “Play area? A field...I think?” to which they added ”There’s no field in this display though...I wonder if they had nothing like dango**?”. It was nice. We had a lot of fun.

So, I wish everyone a Happy New Year. Let’s try our best for Pangaea in the coming year.

* a root or tuber that is cooked and eaten
** a sweet Japanese dumpling made from rice flour
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