Kirk here with some news and a little commentary about what I think makes a good translation and what makes a bad one.
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English immersion event volunteer
Fiona here, with a recommendation for anyone wanting to try water sports in Kumamoto city. I used to live very close to Ezu-ko and always enjoyed it as an area for walking, and for my children to paddle, practice cycling, go fishing etc. Yesterday was the first time for me to get out on the lake in a kayak to enjoy the sunset and see the surroundings of the lake from a different angle. I didn't know it was possible to rent kayaks here but a friend visiting from Tokyo set it all up. The company we used (Go Nature) offers kayaking and SUP experiences and also operates at Midorikawa dam. They can cater for groups of up to six people and children over the age of three are able to participate. Since the lake is very calm it's an easy place for beginners to kayak, and it's a great way to show our beautiful city to visiting friends and family.
News about a fire in the residence of 6 interns from Indonesia. Fortunately, they were out when the fire occurred. -- Kirk
Kirk here with a little report about something happening at my workplace, Kumamoto Gakuen university. It's about a program for students from the U.S. and India who are interested in studying manga at Coamix, a Japanese manga and anime production company with an office in Kumamoto. Here's a ChatGPT translation from the report:
More "Kumamoto as semiconductor hub" news, this time as related to Yatsushiro. -- Kirk
Another article on a topic we've discussed before. -- Kirk
熊本大学教育学部附属小学校 外国人児童入学者選抜 情報説明会
Surely a temporary setback, probably due to some sort of glitch in Instagram's algorithm. ;) -- Kirk
Kirk here. This video of Starlink satellites (Space X, Elon Musk) was recorded in California last year (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8OxL4twwrU) but I'm prompted to post it today because a similar sight has been reported here in Kumamoto:
Kirk here. The photo you see is of a clean room at Kumadai.
I'm not a big fan of the horses-for-meat industry but, nonetheless, I'm very sorry to hear about this incident. -- Kirk
Kirk here. Kumamoto and Miyagi Prefectures will be the first in Japan to get special treatment that will allow them to bring in foreign workers more quickly. The headline refers to "semiconductor-related personnel" (半導体関連の人材), but I suspect that they are really talking about bringing in foreign construction workers (folks willing to take jobs Japanese people tend to avoid); TSMC has had plenty of time to screen and prepare to bring in highly-trained engineers.
Here's something about an educational innovation in Yamaga. -- Kirk
Here's the first in a series, done by local high school students, on historical figures in Kumamoto. -- Kirk
Kirk here. Kumamoto Castle has been (temporarily?) overtaken. But the numbers are still close. This shall not stand!! :)
Kirk here. Michaela posted about this the other day. (Thanks Michaela!)
Kirk here. This came to me via a Google news feed for "Kumamoto" because of the following sentence:
William Sawako died (if you need advice on Japanese funerals, contact me), and I broke me knee, so I don't get out much. But my two kids are headed home, one from Tokyo and one from Baltimore, at the same time!
