All ABROAD!

Here is a collection of media coverage about our program so far:

From the Issue No. 752 of the Tamkang News:






From Flint News

Day 5 in Japan - visit to Toyota's Monomachi plant near Nagoya, Japan.
Day 6 in Japan - Hikone Castle tour and farewell lunch.

Day 4 in Japan: Originally we are scheduled to conduct the Osaka field trip that includes a visit to American Chamber of Commerce in Japan - Kansai Chapter, attend business presentation by two prominent executives (through AmCham's arrangement), and attend a lecture about Japanese-style management by Professor Maeda. However, we were told that the outbreak of H1N1 flu in Kobe and Osaka area had canceled most of public activities in Osaka - including many schools and colleges are closed for at least a week.

I am disappointed that our program does not work at the last minute - but we have to accept it and find an alternative. Fortunately the Shiga Prefecture government helped us out by preparing a one-day program to visit Hikone Chamber of Commerce and visit Hikone old down shopping area to see how people in Hikone had revitalized the downtown. Also we were impressed with Hikone's recent campaign on "Ii Naosuke - Gateway to the Future", which commemorates 150th anniversary of Naosuke's efforts to open up Japan to the world. See http://www.hikone-150th.jp/ for more information. Details and pictures to come later.

Day 3 in Japan: JCMU (Japan Center for Michigan Universities)'s 20th Anniversary Celebration: Japanese culture class, tree-planting ceremony, anniversary ceremony

Morning: cultural class


Afternoon: tree-planting ceremony


Evening: Anniversary ceremony

Day 2: Kyoto field trip - Nijojo (Nijo Castle), Kinkaguji (Golden Pavillion), Kyoto JR station, Gion Corner

1 PM: Nijojo


3 PM: Kinkaguji


7 PM: Traditional Japanese performance at Gion Corner

Day 1 in Japan: Welcome ceremony at JCMU (Japan Center for Michigan Universities), Hikone bike tour, welcome concert, and welcome reception

8 AM: Orientation


9:30 AM: Welcome ceremony


12 PM: Survival Japanese class
1 PM: Hikone bike tour


4 PM: Welcome concert and reception

Day 7 in Taiwan: Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (a.k.a. Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall), then to the airport to fly to Osaka, JAPAN

Day 6 in Taiwan: Bunun Tribe, Lu-ye, Kuan-fu sugar refinerary, Ames Museum

9 AM: Bunun Tribe


2 PM: Lu-Ye Height

Day 5 in Taiwan: Team-building activities, Kuanshan Park

8 AM: Team-building activities - how to work as a team and survive the rapids


3 PM: Kuanshan Park bike trail

Day 4 in Taiwan: Taroko National Park, Seven Star Lake, Hualien city

8 AM: Train ride to Hualien


1 PM: At the entrance of "Central Cross-Island Highway" (which was destroyed during the earthquake in 1999)


1:30 PM: Shakadang trail


2 PM: Tunnel of Nine Turns trail


2: 30 PM: Swallow Grotto


3 PM: Eternal Spring Shrine


4 PM: Seven Star Lake

Day 3 in Taiwan: Lecture in National Taipei University, Visit American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, Visit Tamkang University

9 AM: NTPU lecture on Taiwan's economy


10 AM: Visit American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei


1 PM: Visit Tamkang University


2 PM: Participate in TKU's class


4 PM: TKU campus tour and Tansui tour

Day 2 in Taiwan: National Taipei University, Hsinchu Science Park, and Elite Semiconductor Company

9 AM: Welcome by Dean Fang:


10 AM: Chinese culture class -Chinese calligraphy


11 AM: Lecture on Taiwan's high tech industry:


2 PM: Visit Hsinchu Science Park Administration:


3 PM: Visit Elite Semiconductor (ESMT)

In the morning we started the first day with MRT ride to Taipei 101 - the tallest building in the world so far. Then we visited National Palace Museum where the best imperial China's collections from Beijing's forbidden city were housed.




In the evening we visited one of the most crowded night markets in Taipei - Shilin night market. You find all kinds of foods and a little bit of everything for everybody.

Before the end of the winter 2009 semester, we welcomed visitors from the Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU) and the Michigan SHIGA Sister State Program on Tuesday, April 7. Saeko Miyamura, Visiting Official of the SHIGA program , and Kate Simon, Program Coordinator of JCMU, spoke with students faculty and staff about Japanese culture and dining manner. Attendees enjoyed exquisite cuisine, Japanese Bento. Miyamura and Simon also introduced the SHIGA program, JCMU and discussed the long history and friendship of SHIGA and Michigan universities. Thirty SOM students attended the event, many in preparation for a study abroad trip to Japan next month.

Asinda Gadazama , Global Studies Coordinator and SOM Professors, Jacob Peng and Seyed Mehdian were there and presented gifts to our guests.

It was a very successful orientation night for Japan/Taiwan study abroad trip! Thanks to everyone who showed up in this meeting. Special thanks go to Dean Helmuth and Associate Dean Kandogan who showed their support to our program to enrich students' educational experiences here at UM-Flint. After the movie "Cape No. 7" we also had two very special guests: Dr. George White and Dr. Ku-Jun Lin who shared their Taiwan experiences with us. This is truely a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to explore two unique countries in spring 2009! We look forward to the start of this program!