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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
September 10, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| August 15, 2005 |
Photo Tour VIII of Life Onboard |
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What better way to enjoy team spirit than to play a game of “human scrabble”? That’s exactly what some GET (Global English/Espanol Training) students did when they took part in The GET Language Olympics. The Language Olympics provides an opportunity for GET students of various levels to communicate with each other in English or Spanish through different activities, such as human scrabble. In this game, each color-coded team is given letters that they must arrange into as many words as possible. Other games included charades and a tongue-twister relay race. The red team gained the most points to become the champions of the Language Olympics. “We all had a really fun time,” voiced Mr. Akio Ishikawa, a GET student. “To speak English with different classes was a great experience and made us feel confident!” |
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As August 15, 2005 signified the 60th anniversary of the end of World War Two, the forum “Your Peace, My Peace, Our Peace” was held to discuss the years since the war, as well as the future of Article 9. In the campaign to support Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution—which renounces war and prohibits the maintenance of armed forces, August 15th saw the simultaneous organization of public notices in newspapers worldwide. Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution is a clear promise to the world, particularly to the people of the Asia-Pacific region who suffered from Japanese wartime aggression, to never repeat its history of war and colonization. Although Article 9 has set an important precedence towards confidence-building, mutual cooperation and peace-building, it is currently under threat of revision in the Japanese Diet. On August 15th, participants voiced their support for Article 9 as a concept that should be maintained and included in other countries’ constitutions. Peace to the Power of 9! For more information visit www.article-9.org |
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Bundled up in fleece and down jackets, participants enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Alaska’s fjords and glaciers as Peace Boat made its journey towards Seward, the last port of the 49th voyage. Moving carefully through the narrow fjord passages, Peace Boat passed by some of the more than 100,000 glaciers found in Alaska, including Hubbard Glacier and Muir Glacier. Many of the glaciers flow down mountainous valleys, and icebergs float in the sea as they break off from the glaciers and recycle into liquid. The Hubbard and Muir glaciers are the most impressive of all the glaciers, with Muir Glacier towering over 60 meters above water. However, glaciers are threatened by global warming and other adverse environmental effects. After experiencing the beauty of the glaciers, Peace Boat participants came to realize how imperative it is to protect them. |
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A wedding party was held on August 20th to celebrate the marriage of Emiko Ichinose, the International Director of the 49th Peace Boat voyage, and Matt Muirhead, the art director of the voyage. The theme was inspired by the Indian film “Monsoon Wedding”, with bright red, orange and yellow blossoms adorning the venue. The bride arrived wearing an equally colorful sari, but as a surprise she was soon asked to change into a wedding dress made by passengers specifically for her. The program included live musical performances by the couple’s friends, wedding games, as well as a video montage of messages from friends and well-wishers. And to close off the party, no wedding is complete without a wedding cake! Congratulations Emi and Matt! |
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To come up on stage in front of an audience and recite a speech in a language that is not your native tongue is a worthy accomplishment. This honor was garnered by the 62 GET students who participated in the GET Speech Contest—English and Spanish (by Japanese speakers), and Japanese (by non-native Japanese speakers). “The speakers’ language ability and effort is impressive and inspirational,” noted Allison Boehm, the guest coordinator, who sat as one of the judges. “Everyone has obviously worked hard on their speech, and it makes it that much harder for us judge to decide.” The speech topics ranged from sweatshops to childhood memories to personal hardships, as well as experiences aboard Peace Boat. The overall best speech award was given to Ms. Reiko Shimohigashi for “Following Your Dreams”; the funniest award went to Mr. Takashi Ito for “Mr. Sakai’s Message”; the most creative award to Ms. Miyuki Tajima for “I Don’t Know English”; and the most moving award to Ms. Kahoko Higashitani for “My Character”. |
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“Wa” is used to describe traditional Japanese art and culture. Various “Wa” performances were highlighted during the Wa Concert, which showcased the traditional arts of Japan. Decorated with pink cherry blossoms, bamboo leaves and scrolls of Japanese calligraphy, the stage conveyed the theme of the concert. The performances included classical Japanese dance, taiko (Japanese drum), poetry readings, sakuhachi (Japanese flute), and, of course, the well-known export, karaoke! |
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In his lecture “What is Zainichi?” Mr. Son Myon Su spoke about the experiences of Zainichi (Korean residents of Japan). A third-generation Zainichi, Mr. Son traced the history of Zainichi from their arrival in Japan as forced labourers, to the late 1980s when permanent residency was granted, enabling many to receive social security benefits. This status was granted only then, even though three generations of Zainichi have lived in Japan. The first generation considers their identity as Korean, and many wish to return to Korea. The second generation suffered not only from discrimination, but also from not having a homeland. The third generation has taken pride in their ethnicity and identity as Zainichi. “The third generation who were born and raised in Japan want to change their names from the adopted Japanese names back to their original Korean names,” said Mr. Son. “But their parents, the second generation, disagree because they spent so much time hiding their Korean name and ethnicity in the past as a way to avoid discrimination”. A gap remains between Zainichi generations concerning identity. “I believe we should be proud of both cultures—Korean and Japanese,” Mr. Son added. “It shouldn’t be about taking sides”. With the recent media attention on past kidnapping of Japanese citizens by the North Korean government, there have been more incidents where Zainichi students have been harassed and taunted as “spies for Korea.” However, the boom of Korean culture in Japan, called “kanryu”, has fostered understanding and interest about Korean culture to the mainstream society in Japan. |
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