Hall-Dale High School Foreign language

Preparing for a life of learning...

Hirosaki HS Neputa Festival

Last evening (Wednesday) our students were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime
festival. The Hirosaki HS Neputa Festival kicked off their cultural fair
and we all joined in donning yukatas (summer kimonos) and walked the
3-mile parade route through downtown Hirosaki to the delight of thousands
of Japanese. I have attached a quick time movie clip (it’s actually a
photo and hopefully you can open it!) taken just before we hit the parade
route. Kids were not sure what to expect, thus the “so what’s this all
about look?” on some faces. But comments after the 2-hour parade? “I’ve
never seen anything like it!” “I was amazed!” “I never stopped cheering
the entire time!” and “I want to stay here forever!” Yukata_Photo.mov
Folks, Satoshi Mikami from the Aomori Dept. of Education, our “man in
charge” here in Aomori went to extraordinary lengths to put together the
most memorable exchange ever. You will be truly amazed when you talk with
your son or daughter this weekend and view the photos and videos (later
this summer you’ll get a complete set of photos and videos that I have
taken throughout the exchange). Can you help me show our appreciation and to let him know (beyond just
us!) that his very hard work has resulted in an extraordinary educational
experience for our kids.
You can send a brief email of thanks to him at

He will be truly exhausted and I am sure emotionally drained this weekend
as he has put his heart and soul into the exchange and to, in his own
words, “make his dreams come true for our students.”
Tonight is farewell party and is is sure to be a fitting emotional
conclusion to our wonderful stay in Aomori.
Let’s hope for no flight delays and we will see you all soon.

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Protocol

Just finished the obligatory courtesy calls with the Vice Governor of
Aomori and the prefecture commissioner of education. Our students were
well-dressed, and certainly acted the part of ambassadors from the State
of Maine. Such calls are necessary to obtain support from Aomori officials
so the exchange can continue in years to come. Some downloaded photos will
hopefully follow.
News continues to air about the quake, but I again want to ensure all that
we experienced nothing here in Aomori and all is well. Thanks for your
concerns.
More later.

Steve MacDougall

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Quake!

Hello all - First just want to let you know that everything is just fine
here in Aomori. I know all of you have heard about the earthquake that
hit Japan, but it was well south of us. Rest assured - all students are
doing just fine. We have talked with them about what happened, and they
understand and are responding just fine. There was a very slight after
shock in Aomori City - but similar to what some may have experienced in
Maine. So all is OK!
We are staying now at Aomori Arena in Aomori City (about 30 miles north of
Hirosaki City where host families are). Unfortunately they do not have
internet access, thus I could not respond to you earlier. We wil be here
today (Tuesday) through Wednesday. I will send another update late Wed.
night our time.
Students continue to amaze us - so engaged in the exchange and so excited
about learning and trying new things. Tomorrow is a big day where we
prepare for and participate in the Neputa festival / parade. Anticipation
is running very high!

So - thanks for your concerns - but, again, we are just fine. I will talk
with you tomorrow night.

Steve MacDougall

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Honshu Island, Japan

Honshu Island, Japan, showing the location of Aomori to the North and Niigata, about 230 miles away.  Nigata is near the epicenter of the earthquake that occured July 16, 2007.

More information can be found here: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/

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Santa House

During a wonderfully sunny day with warmer temperatures, our students
first visited the Santa House that is living quarters for senior citizens.
What we have found over the past few years was that HDHS students are much
more receptive, willing, and comfortable in interacting with the elderly
than are their counterparts in Japan (a surprise given the tradition of
respect afforded grandparents and great grandparents in Japanese society).
And we showed that today quite dramatically as our kids willingly and
enthusiastically wheeled obay-san (old ladies) and ojin-san (old men) to
lunch and entertainment.  How proud I was of their caring
attitudes!
We then returned to the high school for closing ceremony of the cultural
fair. Sorry to say our dance did not win the competition (you tried very
hard Kobayashi-sensei - maybe next time!). But our students actively took
part in the energetic and entertaining closing group folk dance.
Tomorrow is an entire day with host families - and Kobayashi-sensei and I
are off to do laundry and some shopping (so no email tomorrow!)
All is well and I’ll keep you informed!

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Cultural Festival

Today we attended the Cultural Festival at Chuouh High School. Our
students were in awe of the organization, the level of student
involvement, the degree of school spirit, and the willingness of our host
students to actively include HDHS students in the many activities. We were
kept very busy - but the excitement was contagious and warded off any hope
for getting or staying tired until the day ended. In the attached photos,
you can capture to some extent the impact this event had on our students.
Also, our students gave their presentations.This aspect of the program
probably caused the most anxiety for HDHS students as they prepared and
rehearsed, but let it be known that each student did a fine job!  We all
know it is not easy to speak in front of an audience, but they handled it
with class, poise, and purpose!
Tomorrow it is off to a senior citizen home so we can share some of the
same presentations with Japanese elders.
All is well!
(The photo with many students seated on the gym floor is the welcoming
ceremony at Hirosaki Chuouh High School - and that is 1/2 the students!.
The one with all HDHS students and Kobayashi-sensei is our entry into the
dance contest - the Tiger Dance; and the other is Bri, Sarah, and Emily
taking part in their homeroom dance). 

Steve MacDougall

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Hirosaki Chuouh High School

Just want to let parents know that we are experiencing difficulties accessing the internet at Hirosaki Chuouh High School - thus your children have not had the chance to send you personal emails or to access those you wrote to them and sent via me. But I am having their IT staff work on that. I apologize for that.
Students are actively involved in the school’s cultural festival. We purposely did not tell them what to expect so they could go into it with an open mind. Our Chuouh High Schools students do an exceptional job staging a 3 hour opening gala event (all student produced, run, directed, etc.) So we hear our students say, “That puts our winter carnival to shame!” or “Talk about school spirit!” It was a long day but an entertaining and informative one.
More photos to come and hopefully some direct contact with your children. Lastly, some are also experiencing problems make phone card calls because calling cards purchased were for calls made from the US to other locations. We are trying to help kids through that as well. But rest assured your child is well and fully involved in this exchange!

Steve MacDougall

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Meeting host families

Well the day of meeting the host families has come. We left cloudy, rainy, and tropically humid Tokyo en route to Aomori - cloudy and rainy but less humid and tropical!. We were given a rousing and heart felt reception arranged by our students’ host brothers and sisters. It was wonderful! After the “meet and greet” the ice was certainly broken and I think our kids are settling in to very welcoming families who are anxious to learn more about Maine and Hall-Dale. I will check personally with each student tomorrow to recap the first night stay in Aomori.
Thursday (tomorrow morning - this is being written at 10:10 Wed. night) we go to Hirosaki Chuouh where our students will be treated like royalty (Sarah said she felt like that already after the welcome reception where she was wished a very happy birthday by all!).

Your children continue to shine throughout this exchange - 8 of us treated ourselves to “rotating sushi” in Tokyo and they were so receptive to “try it you’ll like it.”
All were advised to get a good night’s sleep tonight and they tire of hearing me say “drink plenty of water.”
Stay tuned!

The photo attached is taken at the Emperor’s Palace and shows a Japanese garden. Look at the happy faces.

Steve MacDougall

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We made it!

Well folks, we made it safely and soundly to Tokyo and our students are checking into the New Takanawa Prince Hotel as we speak. We encountered delays in Boaston and Chicago, but because we were a group of 17, we held up other flights!

Our students (your children!) are wonderful! They are polite, courteous, attentive, and very excited and interested. The flight over was long (as it always is) but very smooth and all handled the flight very well. They will have some freedom tonight to go to a downtown area just several blocks from the hotel for dinner and some sightseeing, then in their rooms and lights out by 11:00. We start tomorrow at 7:00 with breakfast then off to Aomori after a 1/2 day sightseeing in Tokyo.
So rest assured - all is very well and the kids are having a wonderful time and being wonderful!
See you all tomorrow!

Steve MacDougall

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Useful sites for trip to Aomori

Airports, Airlines
1. General information for baggage
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/baggage/generalInfo.jsp&anchorEvent=false
2. Check-in Baggage information
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/baggage/baggageAllowance.jsp&anchorEvent=false
3. Carry-on baggage information
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/baggage/carryOnAllowance.jsp&anchorEvent=false
4. Up-dates to carry-on baggage information
http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm
http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/9-25_updated_passenger_guidance.shtm
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/baggage/newCarryOnRegulation.jsp
5. Restricted items information
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/baggage/restrictedArticles.jsp&anchorEvent=false
6. Boston Logan Airport
http://www.massport.com/logan/default.aspx
7. About Japan
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/
8. Narita Airport (Tokyo New International Airport)
http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/index.html
9. Haneda Airport (Domestic air port)
http://www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp/fl/english/
10. Aomori Airport (Only in Japanese)
http://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/kowankuko/airport/index.html
11. Aoimori Arena (Only in Japanese)
http://www.sport-aoimori.jp/
12. Hirosaki Chuoh High School (Only in Japanese)
http://www.chunan-w.asn.ed.jp/~chuo/
13. New Takanawa Prince Hotel
http://www.princejapan.com/NewTakanawaPrinceHotel/index.asp
Address: 13-1 Takanawa, 3-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 011-81-3-3442-1111 Fax: 011-81-3-3444-1234

Telephones
1.http://www.usa.att.com/traveler/access_numbers/country/index.jsp?iso2=JP&&lid=Go_Button_Index_Page.x=14&&lid=Go_Button_Index_Page.y=6

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Signup for Aomori Presentations

Here is a link to the signup calendar for student presentations in Aomori

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Kobayashi Sensei Audio DropBox

To submit Japanese language audio files, click on the following link within the school network, and copy your mp3 audio file. Make sure you have named your file with your name and submission date.

Kobayashi-Senesi DropBox (Mac)
login as “jstudent”
Password: “jstudent”

To download the Dartmouth DLRecorder application:
dlxrecorder.zip

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