All ABROAD!

Media coverage 1

2009-07-01T14:33:00.004-04:00

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

From the Issue No. 752 of the Tamkang News:

From Flint News

SA Itinerary: Day 5 and 6 in Japan

2009-05-25T10:53:00.001-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 4 in Japan

2009-05-25T10:12:00.005-04:00

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.

SA Itinerary: Day 3 in Japan

2009-05-20T08:52:00.002-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 2 in Japan

2009-05-20T00:20:00.002-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 1 in Japan

2009-05-18T08:17:00.002-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 7 in Taiwan

2009-05-18T07:59:00.003-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 6 in Taiwan

2009-05-18T07:35:00.003-04:00

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

9 AM: Bunun Tribe

2 PM: Lu-Ye Height

SA Itinerary: Day 5 in Taiwan

2009-05-18T07:28:00.004-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 4 in Taiwan

2009-05-18T06:54:00.005-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 3 in Taiwan

2009-05-18T06:46:00.003-04:00

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

SA Itinerary: Day 2 in Taiwan - National Taipei University and Hsinchu Science Park

2009-05-18T06:35:00.003-04:00

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)

SA Itinerary: Day 1 photo show

2009-05-18T06:33:00.000-04:00

SA Itinerary: Day 1 in Taiwan - Taipei city tour

2009-05-16T02:01:00.003-04:00

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.

Orientation 2 - Japan

2009-04-30T22:11:00.005-04:00

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.

Orientation 1 - Taiwan

2009-04-01T15:48:00.003-04:00

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!

Second orientation - Japan

2009-03-27T15:04:00.003-04:00

The second pre-trip orientation is on Tuesday 4/7 - Yummy Japanese cuisine will be prepared! In addition to delicious food, two speakers from Japan Center for Michigan Universities and Michigan-Shiga Sister State Program will visit our campus and give us a presentation about Japanese culture. See you there on 4/7!

Japan Taiwan study abroad orientation series 1

2009-03-16T14:14:00.004-04:00

The first orientation is coming! On Tuesday 3/31 from from 6 to 9 pm in WSW 3159 is the first orientation class for the Japan Taiwan Study Abroad - a movie night! We will watch a movie "Cape No. 7" which has a flavor of Japanese and Taiwanese culture - Mandarin, Japanese, as well as English are languages spoken in the movie. Read more about the movie on Wikipedia: ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_No._7 )

All abroad in the news

2009-03-09T13:54:00.004-04:00

The Michigan Times interviewed me about the study abroad in Japan and Taiwan program the other day. The story appeared on 2/17/2009. Good job MI Times!

Read more here: Abroad studying broadens horizons - Student Life

It reminds me that my visit to Japan last summer was appeared in the Shiga University Monthly:

Tentative itinerary

2009-02-23T17:21:00.000-05:00

Tentative itinerary when we go abroad in Japan and Taiwan are now posted. If you are interested, please click "Itinerary" on your left to see it. Note that the key word is "TENTATIVE". There are a lot of unknowns at this time - airfare, instructor availability, classrooms, etc. I will keep the up-to-date information here.

JCMU 20th Anniversary

2009-02-23T16:51:00.000-05:00

I just got out of the phone with Kate at Japan Center for Michigan Universities. Participants in our study abroad program are invited to attend JCMU's 20th Anniversary! I am thrilled to be part of this celebration in Hikone, Japan!