2017 Activity Report

March Activity Report

2 April 2018
Global Japan Office Coordinator
MORITA Mitsuaki

I transferred to this job on the 12th of February, and already a month has passed. I received a warm welcoming from the students, and was able to start classes without a problem.

In March, a memorial event for the Great East Japan Earthquake was held on the 8th by the Japanese Embassy. A group of first and second year students from Cairo University volunteered to perform at the event, and practiced the song, ‘Tsubasa o Kudasai’, for around one month. This event was also attended by students and faculty from Aswan University and other universities, making it a good opportunity to network.

From the 10th, some students and faculty from Yokohama National University visited Cairo University, during which they met with our second and third year students. For this visit, the third year students voluntarily researched and prepared presentations on various tourist attractions in Egypt, and seeing them work hard presenting these in Japanese was very memorable.

From this week the midterm examination period begins, and I can already see how this is affecting the students’ sleep patterns. However, if all the students put effort into their classes and homework all the time, then they wouldn’t have so much trouble with exams, and so I think I have to be stricter with the students and push them to level up more. After exams, I intend to make more opportunities for students here to meet with Japanese exchange students, starting with exchange students from TUFS.

January Activity Report

8 February 2018
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

Final examinations ended in the middle of this month, and the university entered into a three week vacation. Since the summer vacation is so long, the winter vacation is rather short. The new semester begins before students can forget what they’ve learnt, so I think this vacation is better for both the students and the teachers.

On a personal note, I have decided to return to Japan, and so this was my final semester at Cairo University, where I have been working for the past three years. The students and staff held a farewell party for me, for which I am very grateful. Everyone brought food along, and I received enough homemade Egyptian dishes, sweets and cakes to make my stomach burst.

The GJO will be taken over by my successor next month. I hope they too will enjoy Cairo University as I have. I look forward to reading about their activities in Cairo from Japan. Thank you for the past three years.

December Activity Report

8 January 2018
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

Japanese people find themselves very busy in December, referred to as shiwasu, as they prepare for end of the year, but December is also a very hectic time in Cairo.

The JLPT was held on the 4th. In Cairo the exam is only held once a year. This is an important day for the students, especially because Egyptians attach so much importance to qualifications. The students had mixed feelings after the test, but I hope that each of them will aim for even higher standards by reflecting on their performance.

On the 12th, as in the previous year, a study abroad fair was conducted by the University of Kyushu and the Japanese Embassy in Egypt. At this fair, in which students of various disciplines gathered together, we introduced TUFS. As in the past, we prevailed upon Yasmeen Zakaria to translate, as well as to describe her own experiences as an exchange student at TUFS. Yasmeen’s Japanese is at a very high level, and I have also heard that she speaks Standard Arabic very well. While most of the presentations were in English, it was a great help for me to be able to directly convey my thoughts in Arabic.

On the 16th the annual speech competition was held. This year, there were not only presenters from seven Japanese language education institutions, but also two participants from the University of Khartoum; in total there were 29 presenters. The presentation theme for the beginner level was “My Role Model,” for the intermediate level it was “The Future,” and for the advanced level it was “My Kanji.” The presenters expressed their thoughts and experiences to the audience. TUFS also provided prizes for contest participants, and awarded items such as notepads to the second best in each level. There were students who felt satisfied with their performance, and there were students who regretted mistakes they had made, but I hope that this was a motivating experience for all the participants, as well as the students who came to watch.

This month marked the end of the first semester, and final exams started from the end of the month. With the JLPT and the speech competition and the finals, students have been busily preparing all month without rest, but after the finals (which will end in mid-January), vacation awaits them. I would like students to give one last push for the term.

November Activity Report

5 December 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

At the end of November it rained (probably for the first time in ten months), and the temperature is Cairo has been getting lower. In Cairo, rainfall signals the arrival of winter, and it will probably get a lot colder from now on. There were many events taking place in November, the month of the coming of winter.

On the 10th, The Japanese Society held annual Autumn Festival. This year students were allowed to participate as volunteers. T festival featured not only Yakisoba and Okonomiyaki stalls, but also games such as quoits, yo-yo fishing, and stage performances, including the Bon festival dance. During the festival, one could feel as if one was really in Japan. During this day, the students who participated as volunteers were able to get a taste of what it feels like to participate in a Japanese festival, and to experience working with Japanese people. Not only did all the students say that they had fun, the Japanese staff also expressed their appreciation; it was a very meaningful day.

An alumnus of TUFS came to Cairo on the 20th for a business trip, and this provided an opportunity for TUFS alumni, as well as alumni from Osaka University’s College of Foreign Studies, and 14 current students, to gather together for a meal, and to talk about their school life. The alumni told the students how their experience at TUFS came to be useful after graduation, and I think it was a very stimulating session for students currently studying abroad. I hope that we could have more get-togethers at the Cairo Branch of the Gaigokai (the TUFS alumni association), and other such opportunities, in the future.

From the 22nd to the 25th, Mr. Wataru Takahashi, who is currently a PhD student at TUFS, visit us in conjunction with the Young Researcher Overseas program. On the 22nd, an audition was held at the university in which students competed for the opportunity to participate in the speech contest scheduled for the 16th of December. Mr. Takahashi was kind enough to serve as one of the judges. On the 23rd, Mr. Takashi gave a lecture on Extensive Reading (tadoku), which is his field of research, to the graduate students and the younger staff members. Following that, Mr. Takashi engaged in Extensive Reading sessions with the undergraduate students. The reason we had Mr. Takahashi over is that we felt that extensive reading would help the Egyptian students overcome their difficulties with Japanese. I was also looking forward to the introduction of this activity, because it is so closely related to autonomous learning. Students also found this activity entertaining, because Extensive Reading afforded them the opportunity to read books they wanted to read. They commented that they had a lot of fun. Graduate students and the younger staff members were also interested in this activity, so I expect that this will be carried out for a prolonged period of time. Although he only stayed for a short while, we were grateful to Mr. Takahashi for having sown the seed of Extensive Reading at Cairo University.

The 30th was the holiday marking the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, so we went to Alexandria on a one-day trip with freshman students and international students from TUFS, Osaka University and Kyushu University. It was a city by the ocean, a little cooler than in Cairo, and we visited the world famous Alexandria Library and ate seafood. It was a refreshing day.

This month we received copies of the original Japanese version of Captain Tsubasa and the Arabic version (translated by Syrian students currently at TUFS), and made them available for students to borrow. Many of the staff and students were shocked to find that there was an Arabic version of “Captain maged”, as it is known in the Arabic-speaking World. I would like them to enjoy it while comparing it with the Japanese version.

October Activity Report

5 November 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

After mid-October, Cairo has finally cooled down, and the mornings and evenings have become colder. Compared to the disorganized start of the semester, the university seems to have settled down considerably.

On the 13th, the yearly Japanese Club Sports Festival was held, and the students from Cairo University were invited to participate. Just like previous years, the students had a great time participating in foot races, tug of war, and ball-toss games. The new first-year students also participated, and were able to say ‘ichi, ni, san…’ when counting the ball-toss points, which is something they had only just learnt recently. It seems like a small thing, but I think that them being able to be in an environment where they have to use Japanese was a very fortunate opportunity.

There will be a speech competition in December, so the students who plan to compete are currently writing their drafts. Only two students can participate per department, so there will be an official selection within Cairo University in November, but I have no idea what kind of speeches the students will write, so I am looking forward to it.

September Activity Report

8 October 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

The long summer vacation has come to an end, and the new academic year has begun. The first years have entered the university, and are studying hiragana and katakana from scratch. I always think about this around this time of year, but it is truly amazing how the students start with zero Japanese, learning ‘aiueo,’ and are then able to read fairly long texts, mixed with kanji, by the end of the year. Nonetheless, there are always students saying ‘I forgot Japanese in the vacation,’ so I’ve come to think that I must encourage them to study without spoiling them.

As a new experiment this year, I am getting the second-year students to film themselves peroforming the skits from the first-year’s ‘minna no nihongo’ textbook. I will then show these videos to the first-year students when they are studying the corresponding sections, so the first-year students can enjoy seeing their senpai and the skit in a familiar Egyptian context, and thus grasp a better understanding of it. It also becomes basic grammar revision and pronunciation practice for the second-year students. The students appear to be working hard thinking of how to make their skits amusing, and filming them. Also, for the students that wished to study more Japanese outside of class, I’ve been having them watch Japanese commercials and attempt kanji puzzles to polish their Japanese ability. From the commercial we watched the other day (http://www.kappasushi.jp/CM/) the students gained insight into the interesting nature of the Japanese language as they realized that, just as the commercial said, some misunderstandings ‘only happen in Japanese,’ which was a new discovery for some students. I hope to keep running this extracurricular activity.

The heat has settled down little by little, and the mornings and nights have become cool. I hope the students study hard, but also look after their health and well-being.

August Activity Report

4 September 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

This month is the summer vacation, and the students seem to be enjoying themselves. The third year students that were on exchange in Japan seem to be returning home one after the other, holding many experiences in their hearts. I want them to teach their kouhai about their lifestyles in Japan once the new semester begins in September.

This month was the application period for the December Japanese Language Proficiency Examination. Due to the depreciation of the Egyptian Pound, the entry fee was much higher than last year. Furthermore, since the examination is only held once a year in Egypt, students often worry about whether they should challenge a slightly more difficult higher level, or take a lower level they are guaranteed to pass. It is also difficult for me to give advice on this. If only more students would study Japanese, then they could hold the examination twice a year… There are three months until the examination, so I hope the students will study hard towards their goals.

Next month the new academic year begins. I am looking forward to seeing the students after they’ve refreshed over the summer, but I am also worried whether they’ve forgotten all their Japanese over the long vacation. I am in a strange excited-yet-nervous state, so I intend to prepare well and start the new academic year with a smile.

July Activity Report

31 July 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

This month, on the 15th and 16th, the ‘International Japan Research Symposium’ was held at Cairo University. This symposium was held in commemoration of the opening of the ‘Japan Research Center’ last month, and many scholars from Middle Eastern countries, such as Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, as well as researchers from Japanese universities, participated. At the opening ceremony, a video message from the governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, was played, giving blessing to the birth of a place in which professional Japan-based research can be conducted in the Middle East.

From TUFS, part-time Arabic lecturer Hiroyuki Suzuki participated in the symposium, and aside from holding a presentation on his research, was also seen asking questions concerning other participants’ research, and contributing to deeper discussion. Professor Suzuki did presentations in both English and Arabic, and many were impressed that he chose to present in languages other than his native tongue.

Also, Mai Masuda, a TUFS student currently on exchange at Cairo University, worked as the symposium’s simultaneous interpreter. There was a little trouble due to technical difficulties with the interpreting equipment, but this only demonstrated the amount of effort she had put into studying the presentation scripts beforehand.

On the night of the 15th, in celebration of the creation of the research center and the opening of the symposium, a get-together was held at the ambassador’s residence. Professor Suzuki and Miss Masuda were in attendance, strengthening their ties with many researchers while enjoying the delicious food. TUFS graduates working at the Japanese Embassy in Egypt were also in attendance, making the event somewhat of a reunion. It made me realize how many TUFS alumni there actually are working in various jobs in Cairo.

While we do not know what kind of developments the Japan Research Center will bring to the Middle Eastern Japanese research field, the possibilities are endless. I wish to help the center continue to grow by cooperating with other research and educational institutions. I also wish to actively support the Japan Research Center as a representative of GJO. (I worked together with a professional to make a cute logo featuring the pyramids and Mt. Fuji, so please check that out).

Also, the students of the Japanese Language and Literature department acted as staff on the day, at reception or on the floor, and really contributed to the overall management of this symposium. They did things such as going to pick up Japanese guests at the airport, which gave them the chance to speak in Japanese, be in a role of responsibility, and come in contact with natural Japanese, which seemed to give them a lot of confidence. In the next semester, the first years will become the senpai. I hope that they will take this experience and pass some knowledge on to their kouhai.

It is a long summer break, but I intend to introduce a Japanese language app/website, advised to me by TUFS, to students so they can come in contact with Japanese, even if only a little bit.

June Activity Report

3 July 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

The examination period ended partway through this month, and summer vacation began for all students. While the exam results have not been released yet, the students seem to be much more relaxed than usual. There are about three months before classes start again in September, but I hope the students are still studying bit by bit at their own paces so they don’t come back saying ‘I forgot everything!’ I would like to contribute to this by introducing them to a few websites and applications for studying Japanese.

Even though the exams are over and summer vacation has begun, Ramadan continued until the end of this month. After the exams I had iftar with the first year students. Iftar means ‘breakfast’ in arabic, but also means ‘the first meal of the day,’ so even if you do not eat until the evening, it is still called iftar. So we waited patiently for the sunset announcement with our stomachs empty and throats dry. After sunset we ate dates, and then began our meal. With everyone feeling liberation from the end of exams, and hunger from fasting, we had a very enjoyable meal. When I asked students how their exams went, the only answer I received was ‘sir, is the food delicious?’ It seems they would not let me ruin their fun with talk of exams. We also managed to send off a teacher who is leaving this semester, and had a very enjoyable time.

A few days ago the creation of the ‘Japan Research Centre’ was approved, and will open next month with a commemorative symposium, that will not only focus on Japanese education, but also on Japanese research. Here at GJO we intend to support this new research centre.

May Activity Report

4 June 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

In the first week of this month, lessons ended and the exam period began. In the second year students’ oral exams, they had to give their opinions with reasons on subjects such as “does the improvement of technology really make people’s lives happier?” and “should Egypt have hierarchical relationships like in Japan?”. They also had to respond to questions and counter-arguments form the teachers, so there were some difficult parts, but the students all tried their best to logically state their opinions. A number of these students are to study in Japan from autumn. I hope that they will be able to exchange opinions on many different topics with other overseas students and Japanese students and to broaden their outlook while in Japan too.

The exam period lasts until the middle of June, and stretches over one month. That is hard enough, but the problem of the past few years has been that the exam period overlaps with Ramadan (the month of fasting). During Ramadan, followers of Islam cannot eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. For Ramadan in summer, the time between sunrise and sunset (the time of fasting) is longer, and compared to winter the environment makes it more likely for you to get thirsty, so working in the daytime without drinking even water seems to be quite tough. This year, Ramadan began in the end of May. Most of the students are Muslim, and say “my brain won’t work properly, it’s so hard!” when studying while fasting. Because of this, I worry about them becoming unwell, but even so the students have a good time once the sun sets, and in the end of course they seem to enjoy Ramadan. I hope that they take care of their health, enjoy Ramadan and do their best in their exams.

April Activity Report

2 May 2017
Global Japan Office Coordinator
Kato Yousuke

It was already getting warmer last month, but in Cairo hot days are not uncommon in April, and there were even days above 35℃. Since Egypt is a hot country, Egyptian people are strong against the heat, or at least so I thought, but in fact there are surprisingly many people who are sensitive to hot weather. The AC in the classroom gets used so much that, for me, it’s cold enough to need another layer.

Lessons finished on the week starting on 30th April, and exams started in May. For fourth years, this is the last week of their student life. Although, since the exams hadn’t finished yet and they still need to write their dissertations, this isn’t strictly true, but I get lonely thinking that they won’t be taking any more lessons. On the 30th, a debate was held in one of the lessons of Prof. Salwa, who previously taught Arabic at TUFS, and I took part as a judge. After a long period of preparation, the fourth year students split into affirming and opposing sides and took part in a fierce debate on their chosen theme of ‘Japanese people are kinder then Egyptian people. Do you agree or disagree?’.

In addition, outside of lessons, mainly with third year students, we have been doing things such as watching Japanese films and playing kanji games.

This time, the film we watched together was ‘My Darling is a Foreigner’, a live action version of a manga on the theme of international marriages, which is well-known in Japan. Without using subtitles, we watched while stopping in the middle to confirm the contents of the film, and while laughing and crying, it seems that they had plenty of fun. Also, I heard satisfied comments saying that it was a chance to learn about cultural aspects as well as the language.

With the kanji game, we played a game of ‘using the 30 parts in the photo, how many kanji can you write?’. The time limit was 15 minutes. The Cairo students split into pairs and competed against international students from TUFS, and somehow the Cairo students won!! The TUFS students made 30 kanji, while the many pairs wrote close to 50 kanji. In the next game the TUFS students regained the Japanese people’s dignity and won, but the experience of competing against Japanese people in a game of Kanji must have been a stimulating experience for both sides.

Next week are the exams, during which is the beginning of Ramadan (the month of fasting). I hope that the students take care of their health and study hard.