Non-profit foundation, International Understanding Support Association provides a cross-cultural understanding education program “Guest teachers are foreign students!” to junior high and elementary school students. AIRA has supported this program for a long time as volunteer work by taking them from railway station to each school and vice versa. (No.16-27)

Date/Time: Dec 2 (Fri) 2016, 10:30a.m. – 11:30a.m.

Volunteer stuff: Mr. and Mrs. Sekiguchi, Ms. M. Arai

While we were waiting at Abiko station, I was amazed at foreign students’ cheerful and fluent chat in Japanese because their conversation was almost equal to the one between Japanese people. I guessed the foreign students from different countries have also deepened their contacts through these activities.

On that day 4 foreign students from Algeria, Kyrgys, Russia, and the United States visited Abiko Dai-yon elementary school. Each foreign student was in charge of a class of 6 graders. They introduced their countries, people’s life, culture, the reason to come to study in Japan and their future dream. They were very proud to give a class to elementary school children. Meanwhile, children raised hands livelily to the guest teacher’s funny questions and listened to their talk with fun and great interest.

According to the Association, they select guest teachers not only by specialist talent and skill, but also by peaceable character which should be loved by children. The elementary school children must have been much encouraged by the pleasant and energetic class of the foreign students who love and stay in Japan with their dream.         (No.16-27 Translated by R. Hama)