TAIRA Server Down
The TAIRA server has been down for a few days. Do you feel quite disconnected? Tadashi -- the man who has kindly maintained and managed the server for us over the years -- is working on the problem and hopes to get it fixed soon. In the meantime, let me give you some options if you feel like you need to chat with people, get some advice, or buy and sell things.
Where to go for Advice about Living in Tsukuba
For students: Tsukuba International Students mailing list
For women: International Women's Network
For everyone: Tsukuba Insight Forum mailng list
Where to go for Information about Tsukuba
Alien Times
Tsukuba Wiki
TsukuBlog
Buying and Selling Stuff
Tell and Sell Japan mailing list
Freecycle mailing list (only for free things)
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JALT Meeting: Joe Tomei
Japan Association for Language Teaching (Ibaraki Chapter) February Event
Sunday, February 17th, 09:30 – 17:00
at
Tsukuba Gakuin Daigaku
Azuma 3-1, Tsukuba
Doors open at 9:30 – No pre-registration necessary!
JALT Members: Free One-day Members: 500 yen
Featured Speaker:
Joe Tomei
Kumamoto Gakuen University
Morning presentation (09:45 - 11:45):
How Did We Get Here? Understanding the Current Situation of Japanese Higher Education by Examining its History
Afternoon presentation (14:00 - 15:30):
Teaching Phonetics for Multiple Purposes: One Approach
JALT Ibaraki chapter meetings are open to all interested in learning and teaching languages. Abstracts for the presentations and access information for the venue, as well further information for future events are available on the chapter home page.
Support the Chapter Book Fair!
Donate your unwanted books or educational materials – and get used ones for 50 yen!
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YMCA Day Care Accepting Kids
The YMCA recently contacted Alien Times to ask us to let foreign parents know that they are accepting children into their day care program.
Eligibility: Children who are three years old as of April 1, 2008 (limited to 28 children)
Location: Ibaraki YMCA (24-7 Higashi Arai, Tsukuba), their sister organization "YMCA Child Care Home" is located next door
Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Time: 9:30am to 12 noon (From October, they eventually start to bring lunches and can stay until after 1pm.)
Fees: 25,000 yen entrance fee (one time), 30,000 yen activity fee (one time), 24,000 yen monthly fees (except August). Total yearly cost: 264,000 yen
If the child takes a holiday from the day care, the parents will still be expected to pay a portion of the fees. Also, there are some programs that siblings may attend, but parents will be expected to cover the costs for the sibling.
There are three terms and the program runs for a total of 39 weeks. There are special activities on Saturdays during the terms.
The program includes two qualified child care workers, a physical education instructor, assistants, and student volunteers. There are always at least three adults taking care of the children. The day care also organizes interviews with the guardians of the children.
It is possible to communicate with some of the day care staff in English. They also have activities for elementary school students, including an after school program, camping, day camp, etc.
Please see the Ibaraki YMCA website for more information and feel free to call them or email them in English if you have any questions.
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Cello and Piano Recitals at Nova Hall
=============================
CELLO RECITAL
Saturday, February 2, 2008
3pm
Nova Hall
Cello: Pieter Wispelwey
Piano: Alexander Melnikov
A seats: 3000 yen
B seats: 2500 yen
C seats: 1500 yen
Program includes:
B. Britten: Cello Sonata in C major, Op.65
L.v. Beethoven: Cello Sonata No.3 in A major, Op. 69
B. Martinu: Variation on a Slovac Folksong
S. Prokofiev: Cello Sonata in C major, Op. 119
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PIANO RECITAL
Sunday, March 9, 2008
3pm
Nova Hall
Piano: Boris Berezovsky
A seats: 3500 yen
B seats: 2500 yen
C seats: 1500 yen
Program includes:
L.V Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, Appasionata
N. Medtner: from Fairy Tales
R. Schumann: Davidsbundlertanze, Op. 6
=============================
Discount!
You can get a discount if you buy tickets for both concerts at the same time.
A seat: 5500 yen
B seat: 4500 yen
=============================
Tickets
Nova Hall: 029-852-5881
Yamaha Tsukuba Branch: 029-850-0518
Ticket Pia: 0570-02-9990
Internet: http://www.tins.ne.jp/~tsukuba-concert
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Pollen Count for 2008
Many people suffer from pollen allergies (花粉症, kafunshou) in Japan, so the Ministry of the Environment announces its predictions for the coming year so people can prepare themselves.
The Ministry of the Environment has made a prediction of the total diffusion of Japanese cedar and cypress pollen for the coming spring. The amount of airborne pollen varies depending on the area. From Tokai to Kanto and Tohoku regions the amount is expected to be more than that of this year, and from Hokuriku to Kyushu regions levels will remain unchanged or slightly less. The onset of Japanese cedar pollen diffusion is expected to be approximately the same time as, or a little earlier than that of the average year.
Source: Ministry of the Environment: Prediction of Pollen Diffusion for the Coming Spring
There is a Japanese website that follows the progress of pollen from about early spring (February) to early summer (June). It will start showing regular updates from February 1 this year.
When you start seeing a lot of people wearing masks, especially when they are outside, you can be pretty sure that the pollen has arrived.
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