Okayama Trip '09

Sanyo Shimbun  山陽新聞 3/28/2009

The news about my travel is in the letter to the parents that will be mailed with the 4th quarter progress report. It says

"Amy Huang, Librarian will be traveling to Okayama, Japan as part of the San jose sister ity Citizen Exchange Program on March 23. Along with visiting local schools and libraries, Amy will visit Notr Dame Seishin Junior and Senior High school, founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1886, to investigate possibilities of developing a student exchange program. Sayonara Amy!"

In this week's ND Around the Block Employee News section, my trip to Japan is announced:

Notre Dame’s Amy Huang will visit Japan! The city of San Jose has a sister city, Okayama, in Japan that is about 460 miles west of Tokyo. In early January, a Notre Dame parent, Mr. Gill (Rebecca ’11), brought a message to Mary Beth Riley that the San Jose - Okayama sister city committee has a Citizen Exchange Program, and that they were looking for someone involved with the community in San Jose to visit Japan by the end of March. Mary Beth encouraged Amy Huang to develop a travel proposal based on her interest in Japanese culture. Also Notre Dame San Jose is interested in developing a relationship with Notre Dame Seishin Junior and High school, founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1886, which is near by.

Amy submitted a proposal to the sister city committee expressing interest in present day media use in libraries in Japan and it was approved. Her main goal of this visit is to build relationship with the libraries and schools in Okayama. She will be leaving for Japan on March 23, and coming back on April 6. She will visit some secondary schools (including Notre Dame Seishin High School), the Notre Dame Seishin University, and several public libraries and will seek opportunities for a short-term exchange program for our students to experience a culture other than their own. She will also build a pen pal program for our Japan Club.

Upon return, Amy will make a presentation at the sister city group meeting. And of course, share her experience with the ND community as well.

The picture was uploaded to the sister city website (People to People) on February 25, 2009.
This picture includes Kazuko Green, our principal Mary Beth Riley, and myself.

On Friday February 20, Mr. and Mrs. Green came to Notre Dame to give me the reimbursement check for the airfare. They also took some pictures that will be posted on the sister city website (People to People). When they arrived, I took them to meet Mrs. Riley. The pictures were taken in the library in front of the fireplace. Mrs. Green, Mrs. Riley, and myself are in the pictures.

On Tuesday January 27, I told Principal Mrs. Riley that the trip to Okayama is confirmed. I will be leaving on Monday March 23 and coming back on Monday April 6. The business part will be over on March 31, followed by 6 days of personal travel at my own expense.