Dinner out, everyone!

To celebrate the end of January... or whatever, "Dinner Out" was held.
Kumadai participants (M1 and M2), 09IEC(B) participants and MTEC staffs went to "Daikon no Hana", where we had dinner about a year ago.

Presentation of the field research

Today, the Kumadai master 2 are having a presentation to Prof. Suzuki and Assistant Prof. Nemoto on their field researches.


Mr. Widianto Fanina Nur (Indonesia), Mr. Musopole Sakayi Musango, Mr. Miamba Paul Ungilamwagha Mwasikakata and Mr. Kwerengwe Stanley Daniel Adamson (Malawi) are finishing their research sooner and hopefully obtain Master's degree from Kumamoto University.

MTEC gathering

Well, should we call it "party", not "gathering"??
Whatever.
The three new courses are here with MTEC, why don't we offer an occasion like this?
We went to "RIO" in downtown Naha last night.
I hope everyone got to know each other, especially with those in other courses.

Who is asking "When is the next occation?" :)

Visitor from the Malawi Embassy

Cousellor Efrem Z. Chilima visited his fellow Malawians in MTEC.
I hope he had a great time with our Kumadai participants.From left: Paul, Uramoto, Cousellor, Sakayi, and Maekawa

Malawi Independence Day

July 6 is the Independence Day of "Dziko la Malaŵi", or Republic of Malawi in English since 1964.

In MTEC, we have Mr. Musopole Sakayi Musango, Mr. Miamba Paul Ungilamwagha Mwasikakata, and Mr. Kwerengwe Stanley Daniel Adamson in Kumadai course.


As the tradition in our institute, the meal of the counrty if served. It was beed stewed with tomato, shima, and sauteed spinich. Here, Paul is enjoying his meal.


Paul(left) and Stanley(right). We miss Sakayi due to his wound.

Take Good Care, otherwise.....

Well, we have encouraged our participants to go to gym for physical exercise & fitness. Now at the sight of this, we may need to add one phrase "Take good care when you play".
Musopole Sakayi Musango (Sakayi san) got injured in the gym when he was playing basketball last night.
At this very moment, he is undergoing an exam at orthopedics. He is accomppanied by his fellow classmate Stanley and our caring med-coordinator Michie san. I hope he will recover sooner, and join every activity he wants to join.

Party! Party!

Well, our dear PARTY GUYS, or Party Masters, organized the very first outing of this fiscal year yesterday, May 22. Acturally, it was a 'surprise' birthday party for Lesly(Honduras-May 14), Davis(Panama-May 17) and Nong(Thailand-May 24).

They had a good time at "Rio", one of MTEC popular places in downtown Naha.

Of course, Kumadai Inseis, other MTEC family, joined.


All photos were contributed by Chiho. Arigato!

Stress Buster 2

It's Friday.
Yes, TGIF!!!

This week, the participants worked so hard, even harder than previous weeks.
Thinking, typing, thinking, thinking, having consulation, modifying, bla, bla...
So much staying in front of computer.

Why not having outing tonight??
We are going to "kaiten zushi - rotating sushi" place as the stress buster 2.

OK, show up at front B at 6pm.
There are no pre- and post-tests.

"Culture of Africa through Health Education"

An International symposium titled "Culture of Africa through Health Education" was held at Meio University located in Nago City.
The participants of IEC(B)2008 were requested to conduct a workshop there.

Due to the day (Saturday), some participants could not join, but they did assisted the others in preparation. Apart from IEC(B) participants, three of Kumadai participants and other two joined us.

Unfortunately, it was rainy all day. But thanks to the training coordinator Miyagi san, the participants had a nice tour because they could stop at a beer factory in Nago city on the way to Meio University.

Upon arriving, we were welcomed and introduced to the audience.

Workshop 1: West Africa (Namibia and Niger)

Workshop 2: East Africa (Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya)

After the session, we made a photo with the kites we prepared.

We would like to appreciate you for your cooperation and the wonderful workshops.

Still in the joy :)

The Kumadai "Insei -graduate school students" came to MTEC office to meet Maekasa san, our chief instructor and big brother.

He was out to Ishigaki Island to arrange the training for China, so they could not meet on the day they had passed the exam.


They brought a box of cake to show their appreciation. Well, they learned a Japanese custom while they stayed in Okinawa. Not only the knowledge of instructional design, but also Japanese customs they learned.


The cake they brought to MTEC, from Jimmy's. Thanks and Arigato.

Now you are "INSEI"... Congratulations!

WOW!
They passed the exam!

Our Kumadai participants are now really Kumadai "insei".
Insei means "graduate school student".


We congratulate on your effort. Yet another congratultions go to Tokumura san, who ceaselessly guided them all the time.

I may have to write that it is just a start. You need to learn more and more in Kumadai Master's course. But you can stop just a while to feel the joy :)

Experiencing Japanese buffet dinner

As a welcome dinner out, 08IEC(B), Kumadai participants and MTEC staffs went to Daikon no Hana, a buffet restaurant in Urasoe City. It is a popular restaurant for local people for its healthy Japanese meals using a lot of fresh vegetables.


Some foods were totally new to the participants, so they had to ask "What's this?" before they became courageous to try something new.



Thank you for joining this event tonight! I hope you could touch the atmosphere of healthy foods of Okinawa and japan so that you also appreciate longevity!

Happy (lunar) New Year!

It is a new year's day in lunar calendar.Our training institute hosts an event to introduce a Japanese culture "Mochi Tsuki" - rice cake making.

The event was introduced in a local evening news on TV.


The participants were interviewed like this. How did feel to be interviewed?
Well, I hope our "Mochi" was yummy for you.
Other performance were there. "Shishi mai" or Lion dance is played to wish everyone luck.
Some staff also danced "Eisa", a traditional dance of Okinawa.

263. As a husband and daddy

In a long history of MTEC (and AVT), it can be a very rare news.
We welcomed the wife and a son of Miamba Paul Ungilamwagha Mwasikakata (Paul san) in our office.
Well, we have known Paul as our participant, but today he showed us his other face as a husband and daddy.

We hope the family will have a memorable stay and reunion here in Okinawa.

253. Happy to have all in MTEC

Media Stragety (08ms) group has returned from the observation tour.
Tali and Ketemash said "We are happy to be back in home". It made me happy to know if the participants consider OIC as their "home away from home".

So, now in MTEC, all three groups, namely 08iec-a, 08ms, 08Kumamoto University courses are with us. Good.

08iec-a and 08ms are in the final stage of the training.
Take good care of yourselves both physically and mentally, since it has been getting cooler in the climate and you are going to be busier with your subject and farewell parties :)

239. New challenge for MTEC

This fiscal year, MTEC starts its challenge - the collaboration with a university in Japan to assist a master's course program. The name of the course is "Educational Technology-based Instructional Systems (Master's degree: Instructional Systems)". The course leader is, no doubt, Dr. Tomoaki Tokumura (Toku san)!
The participants first are the candidates to the master's course until they pass the entrance exam scheduled in next February.

First year has four participants, three from Malawi and one from Indonesia. In the photo above, from left, Mr. Kwerengwe Stanley Daniel Adamson (Stanley-Malawi), Mr. Miamba Paul Ungilamwagha Mwasikakata (Paul-Malawi), Mr. Musopole Sakayi Musango (Sakayi-Malawi), and Mr. Widianto Fanina Nur (Fanina-Indonesi) with Ms. Yoko Iha as their coordinator.
The photo was taken at the Briefing session.


During the Briefing, the participants visited MTEC office, as you may remember, to meet Tokumura san.


Can you find Nishimura san, Uramoto san, and Maekawa san?


On September 9, there was a course orientaion held in MTEC Studio.


At the ceremony, we were honored to have faculties from Kumamoto University.


After the ceremony, the participants were introduced other MTEC participants. In the photo the participants were meeting Media Strategy course participants.


The room 204 (opposite of MMLab) is their classroom. Good Luck for you All!