Email from Naomi

The following email from Naomi referring back to Terry’s early days in Niimi.   Also a copy of the blog from the Niimi International Exchange Association about the banquet (with photos of food!)

From: “杉 尚美” <naomi-sugi@city.niimi.okayama.jp>
Date: 6 September, 2013 2:21:29 AM PDT
To: “Robert McLure” <rmclure1@gmail.com>
Cc: “Terry Patten” <tpatten26@gmail.com>
Subject: Updates

Dear Bob-san,

My sincere apologies for taking such a long time to contact you again. But the busy days have past and now I’m getting more relaxed recently. We have had much rain recently, but today is very beautiful sunny day! I hope you enjoyed summer a lot.

Some updates after Terry’s arrival.
On 22nd of August, he visited mayor and deputy mayor of Niimi at Niimi City Office. Some local media reported this, and he appeared on the local news paper and local TV news. Terry got a DVD of the recorded news report and I’m sure he will send it to you in the future to share it with you! He gave Mayor Ishigaki the personal letter from Mayor Cross and Ms. Nicolls (and of course, I gave the translation to them).

After that, on 29th of August, Niimi International Exchange Association had a welcome party for Terry. We enjoyed nice Niimian dinner with a little bit( or much) of alcohol. Many of those who attended the party have been to Sidney, and we had a lot of fun. Here is the link to blog that one of the members wrote.
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kiyoyama_2005/e/f75baec27f6588a50ebf84a7de01a596
Also, I will send the phote taken at the party in a separate emial later.

From August 29th, Terry started working at Niimi Daiichi Junior High School which is one of the biggest JHS in Niimi and Niimi minami Junior High School which Akihiro-san works at as a principal. Although there are no classes due to Sports Day practice, I hope Terry is getting used to the new environment (new workplace, new coworkers and new students)!

Best wishes,
Naomi

Niimi City has ALTs(assistant language teachers) to support teaching of English language in junior (and senior) high schools, and foreign language activities in elementary schools and kindergartens.

Terry Patten is the first ALT dispatched to Niimi through Sidney-Niimi Sister Cities Exchanges.

On August 29, we had a welcome party for him at Hakubi Japanese Restaurant.

Directors of Niimi International Exchange Association(NIEA), officials of Niimi City Office and members of Niimi Board of Education attended the party.

I was there as Vice Chairman of General Affairs Committee of NIEA.

We enjoyed meeting and getting to know Terry at the occasion.I was acting one of the interpreters at the party, but I was able to talk with him personally too. We had our pictures taken.

At the party we welcomed Terry san with local foods in Niimi. Sturgeon and caviar are relatively new products in Niimi. aviar sturgeon sashimi sturgeon tempura

We enjoyed sweet fish ayu and Chiya beef too.

We hope that Terry’s stay in Niimi will be a very fruitful one, and that he will be able to influence many students positively in Niimi.

 

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