Hullo, I’m Ian Stevenson, an English teacher here at ICT.

 Like the jack-o-lanterns , the tie-dye t-shirts have become an annual event at ICT. Unlike the jack-o-lanterns, the tie-dye t-shirts don’t happen at a fixed time. In the past tie-dye t-shirts have been made during Golden Week and September. This year it happened on Monday the 17th of February and Thursday the 20th February, 2025, when 13 students and 3 teachers came together at the Project Booth to make tie-dye t-shirts.

Once people began to arrive at the Project Booth, they chose what size t-shirt they wanted (S, M, L or XXL), made an apron from a garbage bag, got a pair of gloves and got ready to make their tie-dye t-shirt. Before beginning their t-shirt, a few different styles of tie-dye were explained (dot, stripe, spiral, tape and crumple) in case they wanted include them in their own design. After that it was time to tie-dye the t-shirt.

 Different people took different amounts of time to finish their t-shirt. As they finished, people hung their t-shirts up to dry and in one case, a student went off to wash their foot since they had accidentally dyed their toes green. By Wednesday, the t-shirts were dry and I washed out the excess dye from the t-shirts. If you don’t do this, then when you wash the t-shirt it will make all your white clothes multi-colored.

 On Thursday, people came back to the Project Booth to pick up their t-shirts. At this point, they had the option of further customizing and personalizing their and others’ t-shirts with fabric markers. Some people were happy with the t-shirt as it was and took their t-shirt back. Some people wanted to add more to their t-shirt and either drew characters or emphasized patterns on their t-shirt, or asked someone else to do so.

 It was a very messy, colorful and enjoyable time.

@ictkanazawa

2025年2月17日（月）、イアン先生主催の「タイダイ染めTシャツ作り」が開催されました！学生たちはTシャツをねじったり、くしゃくしゃにしたり、結んだりして、様々な模様に染めました。カラフルで個性的なデザインに仕上がりました🎨👕💫💕 #国際高専

♬ I WANT YOU BACK - TWICE

Ian Stevenson

  Hello, this is Kasumi Ozawa from the Study Abroad Section. I would like to share with you about the recent orientations for students studying at Otago Polytechnic in the 2025 academic year.

  We held several orientations for students who will be participating in the Otago Polytechnic program next year. In February, we conducted three separate face-to-face sessions for students, and an online meeting including parents was held on Friday, February 14, 2025. The Otago Polytechnic study abroad program is for 3rd year students, with 20 students studying on-site for one year in the 2025 academic year. Our school is committed to ensuring that students are well-prepared for a safe and fulfilling experience abroad.

  During the student orientation sessions, detailed explanations were provided about the curriculum at Otago Polytechnic, living rules, and key aspects of living with host families. Additionally, the importance of cultural adjustment and communication in the New Zealand lifestyle was emphasized. Living in a different culture will present unique challenges for students, but overcoming these challenges leads to significant growth and new perspectives. Teachers provided specific advice on understanding different cultures and the support system available locally. Students were reassured with the message, "While there may be more hardships than moments of happiness, the growth and joy that await after overcoming these challenges will be invaluable experiences in your life." This gave students the opportunity to reflect on how they can make the most of their new learning environment and lifestyle, fostering a sense of anticipation for their upcoming study abroad experience.

2nd year students listened attentively熱心に耳を傾ける２年生

  As part of these orientations, students practiced songs, and Kentaro Takano, representing the group, practiced his speech for welcome ceremony. With each practice session, their singing and speeches gradually improved, reflecting their unity. The welcome ceremony will include traditional Maori greetings, and we look forward to the heartfelt speech and beautiful singing from our students.

  The orientation session for parents covered detailed information about preparations for departure, life in New Zealand, and travel precautions. Despite the nearly two-hour-long session, parents listened attentively and asked a variety of questions. Vice President Mamoru Mukai emphasized the importance of "understanding," "accepting," and "implementing" differences when encountering different cultures. These words captured the essence of cultural exchange and deeply resonated with all participants.

  With the comprehensive information provided during the orientations, students seem ready to confidently dive into their new environment. Parents also renewed their resolve to support their children's growth and were eager to assist with their study abroad experience. We can easily imagine parents and children working together to prepare for this new challenge in a foreign land during spring break.

  The Otago Polytechnic study abroad orientations were highly meaningful for both students and parents. After spending two years at the beautiful Hakusanroku Campus, students will relocate to New Zealand in April to begin their new journey. We sincerely hope that they will grow significantly through various experiences and make discoveries that will shape their future. Furthermore, we believe that the challenges they face in this new environment will develop into a bright and promising path ahead.

Kasumi Ozawa

Rehearsing a song for the welcome celemony歓迎会で披露する歌の練習風景

Hello, this is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku Office. This time, I would like to talk about the 1st and 2nd year Health and Physical Education classes held outside in the snow. In Ishikawa Prefecture starting from Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, the weather was a very harsh and it snowed intermittently from the 7th to around the 11th, accumulating as much as 1 meter of snow around the Hakusanroku campus.

On Thursday, January 23rd, 2nd Year Students

 The weather had been mild winter since mid-January in Hokuriku region, and although this is the time of year when it usually snows heavily, it had been raining on and off during the day. When the 2nd year Health and Physical Education class started, the sky was cloudy, and the snowball fight began immediately.
 The students were divided into two teams and they started attacking the other team's position after the signal to begin. It was difficult to move forward because their feet sunk deeply into the snow with every step they took, some students used sleds to move forward paddling like surfers!
 Next, a snowball fight took place with one team of three faculty members (Health and Physical Education teacher Philip Cadzow sensei and Learning Mentors Apirak Sang-ngenchai sensei and Domyson Abuan sensei) versus 20 2nd year students. After the signal to begin, the faculty team charged toward the 2nd year students' positions. However, the 2nd year students threw snowballs at them all at once from various directions, hitting them before they had time to avoid them, and the three faculty members ran back to their positions, gasping for breath to recover and try again. After this happened multiple times and the faculty were exhausted, their strategy was changed. They loaded a sled with a large amount of snow and headed once again toward the 2nd year students territory. By throwing snowballs one after another, they managed to pepper the students with snowballs.
 Towards the end of the class, a heavy rain began to fall, forcing the snowball fight to be canceled. However, it was impressive to see the 2nd year students enjoying the fight until the very last moment.

On Tuesday, January 28th, 1st Year Students

The snow had begun to melt due to mild temperatures and rain, but the weather turned colder and it started to snow on the 28th.
 First, as a warm-up, a free snowball fight took place. Since there were no rules, snowballs flew from various directions with students, laughing and enjoying themselves whenever they hit each other. After that, the students were divided into two teams and played capture the cone where each team had to capture the other teams’ cone and bring it back to their side to win. . After the signal, both teams began throwing snowballs at each other. According to the rules, anyone hit by a snowball had to return to their own territory and restart. The students desperately dodged the snowballs while continuing to attack their opponent's territory. In the midst of all this, Philip sensei sneaked into the opposing team’s territory, managed to grab the cone, and attempted to bring it back. However, the opposing team saw what Philip sensei was doing and pelted him with snowballs, and unfortunately Philip sensei had start again. The match lasted over 30 minutes, with both teams trying their best. Although there was no winner, each team showed great teamwork and gave the impression that they were enjoying the snowball fight.

Yuri Makada

Happy New Year everyone! I am Krishia Atillo, one of the learning mentors here at Hakusanroku Campus. I am delighted to share our Christmas Gift Exchanges from last year.

 To celebrate the essence of Christmas, we had a Christmas Gift Exchange for faculty, staff, and students last Tuesday, December 24th. We first had a White Elephant Christmas Gift Exchange for the faculty and staff who wished to participate. Since this type of gift exchange didn’t have a specific receiver, each person had to buy one generic gift that could be given to either male or female, young or old. All participating faculty and staff had to choose a number that corresponded to the gift they got. Once everyone got their numbers, we started to open the presents. The presents that each faculty and staff received were all useful and wonderful gifts, especially this winter season!

 During the learning session on the 24th, we held a Christmas Party Gift Exchange for the students. To make the party more fun and exciting, the Learning Mentors decided to hide the Christmas presents so students would have to find them. Once the students were able to find their Christmas gifts, each of them had to go to the center to open their presents. All of them were excited to open their presents! They were all delighted to receive their Christmas gifts!

 After the Christmas gift exchange, the Learning Mentors also prepared snacks for students to enjoy. They were able to enjoy drinking hot cocoa in cold weather, and ate cookies, chocolates, popcorn, and many more! Overall, the students had fun and were able to enjoy the Christmas Party Gift Exchange.

Krishia Atillo

  Hello, This is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku Office.
 The 32nd MILE (Mobile Intensive Learning Experience) Program was held from Tuesday, December 17th, 2024, to Monday, December 23rd, 2024, for 6 nights and 7 days. The MILE Program, which began in 1989, is an exchange program with Singapore Polytechnic (SP), and this year marked its 32nd iteration. When ICT was Kanazawa Technical College (KTC), KTC students would visit Singapore as a school trip and then SP students would also visit Japan. SP students were hosted in homestays in Kanazawa, which fostered mutual friendships. There was a period of time when exchanges could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program resumed last year, and this year, 10 SP students and 2 chaperones visited our school.
 For the first half of the program, the participants stayed at the KIT International Community House, where they mainly interacted with KIT students. In the latter half, they moved to the Hakusanroku Campus where they lived with ICT students. The main activities of the program at Hakusanroku Campus are listed below:

Friday, December 20th: Arrival at Hakusanroku Campus

 On December 20th, SP students spent the morning at KIT before arriving at Hakusanroku Campus in the evening. Then they were given an introduction lecture about our school and a tour of the Hakusanroku campus. After that, they had dinner at the cafeteria, then ice breaking activities were held with 1st and 2nd year students.
 During the ice breaking activities, 2 games were played. The first game was called Mingo. In this game, there are 25 squares with various questions, and you ask your partner one question, and if you get an answer, you fill in the name of your partner in that square and then find a new partner. Questions included “Do you like spicy food?” “Can you sleep sitting up?” and “Do you like Japanese manga?” The students were able to get to know each other by asking each other questions.
 Next was a game called Building a Paper Cup Tower, in which each student was given a chopstick and had to work with their teammates to transport and stack cups. SP students and ICT students formed mixed teams. When the start signal was given, the students struggled to pick up the cups and dropped them several times, but they gradually got the hang of it and succeeded in building up the cups by cooperating and supporting each other.

Saturday, December 21st: Group Tour of Kanazawa City

 In 2 groups, SP students explored Kanazawa City with 12 ICT students. They enjoyed shopping and dining while conversing in English. They learned about the preferences of Japanese students and deepened their friendships through shared experiences. This cultural exchange provided new and valuable time to foster friendships.

Sunday, December 22nd: Hinoki Craft Experience and Farewell Party

 Under the guidance of an instructor, the SP students made hinoki woodcraft coasters, a traditional craft of Ishikawa Prefecture. Working together with ICT students, translating Japanese into English, they created their pieces, and the students cherished their completed works. In the afternoon, a farewell party was held. Students presented about their countries, cultures, histories, and schools, deepening mutual understanding. Traditional games were introduced and enjoyed by all, further strengthening friendships.

 The SP students were impacted by their experience in Japan. They were deeply moved by their exposure to Japanese history, culture, and daily life, gaining new perspectives and understanding. Through interactions with Japanese students of the same age, they experienced moments of connection beyond language barriers, realizing the importance of intercultural communication. They cherished their experiences in Japan and were motivated to pursue their future goals with renewed enthusiasm.
 Similarly, our students deepened their understanding of foreign cultures and customs through exchanges with SP students, broadening their global perspectives. Making new friends expanded their international networks and provided wonderful opportunities to build friendships.
 The MILE Program offers students valuable experiences that lead to new discoveries and growth by exposing them to different cultures, significantly impacting their futures. The sight of students interacting with bright smiles remains vivid in our memories. We hope to continue cherishing such exchange programs, providing students with wonderful memories and experiences that will benefit their futures.

@ictkanazawa

2024年12月20日（金）〜23日（月）、シンガポール理工学院の学生が国際高専白山麓キャンパスに滞在し、国際交流を目的とした「マイルプログラム」が実施されました🇸🇬🇯🇵日本文化体験や金沢市内•白川郷での観光、学生同士の交流を通じて親睦を深めました🤝🌟 #singaporepolytechnic #ict

♬ Lilac - Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Yuri Makada