May 19th, 2023
MUSC Report (4) Lilacs, the flower of the city of Spokane, are in full bloom. The spring semester will soon be coming to an end.
The purple lilac, the city flower of Spokane, is in full bloom on the campus of the Mukogawa U.S Campus (MUSC), which is the equivalent of 12 Koshien stadiums. The campus is now in full bloom to celebrate the students who will finish their spring semester on the 19th (20th JST).
MUSC consists of a U-shaped complex of dormitory and office buildings, with blocks of classrooms to the south of the main campus. In February, when students began their spring semester studies, the campus was still covered with snow, but now, among the green pine and fir trees, the campus is the most colorful of the year, with purple lilacs and pink, white, and yellow flowers. The lilacs, nestled against the "Mukogawa U.S. Campus" monument at the entrance to the campus, are also full of flowers. Squirrels and deers occasionally appear on the lush green lawns, and the blue sky is filled with the call of the robin. The Spokane River along the north side of the campus is abundant with a large quantity of water from the snow.
The spring semester curriculum is in its final stages. At the campus, final classes will continue until the last day of classes (the 19th). Students will give their final presentations, and teachers will prepare snacks and drinks to celebrate the students' hard work. On the 18th (19th in Japan time), a rehearsal for the Award Ceremony was held at Tsutakawa Hall to confirm standing positions and the progress of the ceremony. The students are now in the midst of organizing their luggage for their return home.
Looking back on their four-month study abroad experience, one student, Ms. Hinata Sanai commented, "I was often amazed by the cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan, and it broadened my horizons. After returning to my home country, I'd like to continue using English to visit and experience a variety of countries and cultures." Another student, . Ms. Risa Kishimoto stated, "I think my ability to express my own opinions has significantly strengthened through the numerous opportunities to do group work. Through living in the dormitory, I have learned to be considerate of others and act accordingly, and I think I have matured a lot" Lastlly, Ms. Yui Ikeuchi added, "It was both difficult and fun in equal measure, but it will definitely be an unforgettable four months of my life".
May 18th, 2023
Mukogawa Women's University Kindergarten students picked "Naruo Strawberries" on the roof of the School Education Building.
On May 15, kindergarten students from Mukogawa Women's University picked Naruo strawberries grown by students of the Sakai Seminar (Prof. Tatsuya Sakai) of the Department of Education on the roof of the university Education Building.
Naruo strawberries are characterized by their rich aroma, sweetness, and tartness, and are now at their peak of harvest.
Sixty-nine 5-year-old and 4-year-old students from the kindergarten participated in the event. In the "strawberry field" with its sweet and sour aroma, the children listened to the explanation of the student staff on how to pick strawberries, and then they enjoyed picking them.
After picking the strawberries, they washed them and tasted them. “I got such a big one," said one of the students. “It’s delicious!!", “They are so sweet!“, the children cheered.
For the past 10 years, the Sakai Seminar has been growing strawberries on the roof of the University Education Center, where the Department of Education is located, as part of their educational exercises and graduation research. With the aim of using Naruo strawberries as a source of educational material that were cultivated in the Naruo area nearby the university is located from the Meiji period to the beginning of the Showa period, In addition to picking strawberries, students visit local elementary schools to give classes on the theme of "Naruo Strawberries" and present seedlings as a part of community cooperation activities. To date, approximately 1,500 Naruo strawberry seedlings have been provided to local schools.
May 17th, 2023
The International Exchange Professorship Program with Eastern Washington University (EWU) has resumed, and Associate Professor Kevin Bartlett has joined the program.
The Kusaka-Fosseen Distinguished Professorship Exchange program, which was suspended from FY2020 due to the pandemic, has resumed after a four-year hiatus, and Associate Professor Kevin Bartlett of the Department of English and Global Studies taught at Eastern Washington University (EWU) from May 8 to 16 at state university located in Cheyney. The program utilizes the Kusaka-Fosseen International Exchange Professorship Fund, established in 1995, under which the two universities send one faculty member from each other to give lectures and conduct joint research.
Associate Professor Bartlett specialty is translanguaging. His research focuses on the possibility of unraveling language-linked identities and facilitating the understanding and communication of diverse content by viewing native and second languages as a single language system.
During this dispatch, Associate Professor Bartlett taught Japanese to Japanese majors, explained translanguaging with EWU faculty members, and gave about 10 classes to students in various departments.
On the 16th, the last class day, Associate Professor Bartlett taught two classes, one with EWU's Spanish faculty and the other with EWU's Spanish faculty on the significance of learning two languages. He also showed the positive effects of integrating the two languages into a single language system, rather than separating them.
In the other class, he discussed foreign language teaching methods based on translanguaging with students. The students were third- and fourth-year students studying Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, and other languages with the aim of becoming foreign language teaching professionals. Since the class started just in time for lunch, a lively discussion continued as they shared pizza.
A participating student commented, "It was very interesting because it was an approach from a different angle from the foreign language learning that I know. Understanding this method will be useful for American students" and "Since language and content are linked, I thought that translanguaging could lead to new understanding and improved knowledge beyond language."
Associate Professor Bartlett concluded the series of programs with a presentation of his research findings in front of EWU faculty members on the 17th. He will participate in the spring semester completion ceremony to be held on the 19th at the U.S. campus.
May 17th, 2023
MUSC Report (3): Last Weekend of Study Abroad Program
On the 13th (14th in JST), the last weekend of the spring semester study abroad program at the Mukogawa U.S Campus, students took the bus to go shopping, enjoyed a leisurely brunch, and spent the weekend as they pleased. Some students visited their host families and spent time with their American "families".
The two students who visited their host families were Ms. Haruko Sano and Ms. Akari Yamada. They stayed at the Cowles' home for three days and two nights in March, spending time with two girls of the same age, who are like sisters to them. This was their second visit after the homestay. After meeting their host family for the first time in a long time, Ms. Sano and Ms. Yamada ran up to them with smiles on their faces, talked about their recent activities in the living room, and enjoyed a barbecue party in the garden.
At MUSC, homestays are incorporated into the curriculum, with two or three students staying with one family each weekend during their study abroad program. Since the school opened, a total of more than 5,000 families have hosted Mukogawa Women's University students. This is an important opportunity for students to experience firsthand cross-cultural understanding. The warm hospitality of a home stay is truly a memorable experience for them.
The Cowles family, who hosted Ms. Sano, are both big fans of Japan. They have been hosting students of Mukogawa Women's University for homestays in the spring and fall semesters for 20 years since 2003. The Cowles have been to Japan seven times, and their home is filled with Japanese goods, including a tapestry of Mt. Fuji given to them by previous students, a Japanese doll they purchased in Kobe, and DVDs of Japanese TV dramas.
For Cowles, the host-daughters are "like family." They keep in touch with their former hosts and even attended a wedding in Japan. Of Ms.Sano and Ms.Yamada, Cowles said, "They both laugh a lot and are energetic. I enjoyed talking with them about various things," he said. "I hope that Japanese students will come to the U.S. to broaden their experiences and promote understanding of different cultures."
During the award ceremony on the 19th, more than 50 host families who have hosted students this semester will be invited to MUSC to observe the closing ceremony.
The exchange between the students and host families will be introduced in the October broadcast of "Mukojo TV#16"!
May 15th, 2023
Tea Tasting Event where you can interact with international students is now being held.
A "Tea Tasting Event" was held on May 15 at the Main Campus, where international students at MWU were the hosts and offered a tasting session where attendees were able to compare teas from different countries.
At this event, participants compared English tea from England and jasmine tea from Taiwan.
More than 20 students, faculty, and staff participated in the event, enjoying the tea and interacting with seven international students.
The "Tea Tasting Event" was planned by the International Center and Club IEO, which supports international students in their studies and daily lives.
Asuka Morisawa, a fourth-year student in the Department of English Language and Culture, Faculty of Letters, who belongs to Club IEO and serves as a Japanese language partner, said, "It was a good opportunity for me to interact with other international students whom I am not in charge of. It would make me really happy if the international students could experience how warm and welcoming the students of MWU students are through casual interactions, and particularly with those who they would not normally have the opportunity to interact with."
International student Huang Pin-Xi commented, "I was very nervous, but I enjoyed the opportunity to deepen exchanges with students and faculty members with whom I would not normally have the chance to interact. I was very happy that some of them spoke to me in my native language."
May 15th, 2023
MUSC Report (2) Students interacted with local neighborhood children at the Japanese Culture Museum.
Seventy-two first-graders and 30 parents from Farwell Elementary in Spokane visited the Japanese Culture Center (JCC) at Mukogawa Women's University of America Campus (MUSC) on May 12 (May 13, JST) to interact with students.
Children dressed in colorful yukata got to have their pictures taken. They chased paper balloons and looked with great interest at the okon (Japanese harp) and Japanese dolls. At a section displaying popular Japanese anime such as Pokemon and Kimestu no Yaiba, the children shouted with joy, "I know Pokemon!"
A mother who was watching her daughter put on a yukata said, "My daughter is very excited. My mother also loves Japanese culture, so I will tell her about this when I get back home."
The JCC is a Japanese culture center established on the campus to introduce Japanese culture to the people of Spokane, where the campus is located, and to deepen mutual understanding. The JCC has Japanese dolls, kimonos, toys, and a display that introduces Nishinomiya City and Mukogawa Women's University, and is frequently visited by elementary and junior high school students from the area.
On this day, as part of a conversation class, students were divided into groups to entertain elementary school students and their parents who visited the JCC. The students took the children one by one to each area, dressing them in yukata and teaching them how to play with the toys. When the children were challenged to sing the "Frog Song" in a circle, they burst into laughter and applause. Afterwards, they spread out sheets on the lawn and enjoyed lunch together.
For the students, this was a great opportunity to use their English skills to interact with different cultures. Ms. Momoe Ueda said, "It was so much fun to meet American children. They asked me if they could hug me. They were very reactive and easy to interact with." Ms. Shizuku Fukuda said, "It was an experience that I would not have had if I had not participated in the study abroad program. I was able to have nice conversations with the children in English."
There is only one week left until the completion of the 4-month study abroad program. On the evening of the event, a barbecue party, campfire, and dance party were held on campus, with many students participating.