SEISA Pegasus Club News (Vol.10)
- 2017/03/31 23:31
- カテゴリー:SUIC PEGASUS CLUB
Warm greetings from the SEISA Group!
In this volume, we would like to inform you of our two ongoing programs: the PAL (Participate and Learn) program in Saipan and the STAR (Study of Trust, Achievement-Respect) Program in Bhutan.
The 31st PAL Program - SAIPAN - February 27th to March 6th, 2017
This year, we were lucky to have 222 people join us for this exciting, stimulating trip to Saipan. During the Welcome Ceremony at the Marianas High School, despite being tormented by heavy rainfall rarely seen on the island, the Seisa high school students performed a karate demonstration.
Through communicating across language barriers, experiencing living in a new environment, furthering the local students' knowledge of Japanese culture, and challenging themselves to step outside of their comfort zones, the students were handed a chance to grow and become more flexible in their way of perceiving the surrounding world. Through cross-cultural interactions, they were also able to bring back memories of joy and laughter.
The program was concluded with a grand Thank You Party with 395 participants, a number that greatly exceeded the sum of those who joined last year's celebration. We sincerely appreciate the support of many who contributed to making this program possible, and hope that this PAL Program will continue to function as a bridge linking friends from other nations together.
The 6th STAR Program - BHUTAN - March 21st to 26th, 2017
This year, we welcomed 12 participants to become a member of this expanding community of exchange students from Japan to Bhutan. At the Welcome Party, they were warmly greeted by the Director and President, as well as the Royal Thimphu College (RTC) students who had come to Seisa this February.
During the trip, the Seisa delegates visited a secondary school that promotes inclusive education, a traditional arts school, a traditional medical school, a vocational training center for children with special needs, and a primary and secondary school that is pioneering in the implementation of classes in the arts, music, and physical education. Through these visits to various institutions, the Seisa students were given a glimpse into the Bhutanese education system and school curriculums.
A country now internationally acclaimed for evaluating its citizen's Gross National Happiness, Bhutan is an excellent example of a nation undergoing sustainable development. With the knowledge we have acquired from one another, the SEISA Group and the RTC students and staff are striving to create a society where we can all live in harmony.