However, this time we could not avoid being affected by the earthquake and nuclear plant accidents.
In Hokkaido we are free from the effects of radioactivity, though, this truth was hardly conveyed to overseas, especially neighboring Asian countries therefore many studfents unwillingly gave up to take part in this program.
We strongly hope those people will try to join again in winter or next year in summer. This is the program which Sapporo Gakuin University can be proud of to the world--you will never regret the participation.
Now, here's the report of the summer program, 2011.
July 19
After Japanese classes in the morning, they went to visit Ainu Museum (Porotokotan) in Shiraoi in the afternoon. Although it is called "a museum" it is rather like a "folk village." With Ainu houses built and exhibited in open air, it was a very nice day to take a good look since the weather was so fine.
The summer in Porotokotan was full of green and the silver lake was shining.
First they listend to the Ainu music and watched Ainu dance. It seemed that the sound onf "mukkuri", an Ainu musical instrument was so impressive; later when the students heard the sound in other place, their faces beamed like "oh, yes! I know this!"
Some people were lucky enough to wear Ainu costumes.
They had had a lecture on Ainu culture a week before but their understanding must have been deepened as they actually experienced like this. Or maybe digged up new interests.
July 20
In this kind of international programs we usually had "sushi making experience." This time, however, there were some affects of food poisoning in some parts of Japan and we avoided to handle raw food in summer（it also requires time for preparation for sushi making) --so we decided to cook "okonomiyaki."
We got the friendly cooperation of a small okonomiyaki restaunt near SGU. They were devided into two groups to cook.
Stir, stir. Hot but so good! Too much? I'll eat the rest.
Some students have had okonomiyaki before and they were cooking well, though, for most of people it was the first experience and Japanese students helped them a lot. The difficult part was to flip it to the other side when the surface was baked... I heard some grieving voices when it lost the shape they had just made. Good smell of okonomiyaki spread in the air when they were done and everyone enjoyed eating ( loud voices stopped and it got so quiet once they started to eat).
More stir, stir. Grilling----------------->this heart. Thank you!
It was just lunch time when the first group made okonomiyaki and it turned out to be great lunch for hungry people. But the second group had already been stuffed when they started because it was past lunch time, so it seemed a little too much for them. The restaurant owner kindly offered them plastic cases to take their leftovers home.
Since this was our first try for having an okonomiyaki cooking event, we were wondering how it would go but were relieved to see the students' happy faces. Most of all, the food of his/her own making is always delicious, isn't it?
July 21
Now take a little look at the classes. As I have told you, Japanese teachers are working so hard to make attractive classes. Even after the end of a day they remain in their office, do more studies or researches and prepare for the next day. Looks like their efforts are surely bearing fruits--at this stage I feel that students' Japanese is becoming so good as I talk with them.
On the left is Ms. Yabe's A class（beginner）. You see a hand on the screen; students write diaries in A class and see them having corrected by Yabe Sensei.
On the right is Ms. Matsuo's B class（intermediate）. In fact the abilities vary so widely that it is difficult to weigh if the students evenly understand.
Ms. Sasayama's C class (advanced) on the left side.
Most of advance class students are already fluent in Japanese, so their goal in the class would be more natural Japanese. But everyone has weak points and it is our mission to change them to strong points. Many foreign students say that learning Chinese characters(kanji) is the most difficult. We understand it because it is difficult even for Japanese people.
In the 3rd period of this day was a special lecture by Prof. Funatsu in preparation for an overnight trip to Hakodate the following day.
The history of Hakodate is interesting because it is a little different from other parts of Hokkaido. Some people might have felt it a bit difficult, though, he showed them video, which could be a good help for understanding. With some background information, it may remind you like "ah, this is..." when you visit any historical sites in Hakodate.
And here comes the last long trip to Hakodate!
July 22
In the 1st period they had Japanese classes as usual, they got together and left school. The first thing in the schedule is a factory tour in Kirin Beer Park in Chitose but lunch time comes before that, so they had light lunch at a service area.
A staff member gave us a factory tour to understand about how to make beer, and beer tasting followed that.
There are 3 kind of beef for tasting and up to 3 glasses. Soft drinks are also available for people under age and who cannot drink beer.
But don't drink too much here, for it's still a long way to Hakodate: it's a problem if you have an urge to rest rooms on a highway.
Still, someone had a big problem....
In fact we were on the bus all the time after Kirin Beer Park except a few rest stops at service areas. Fortunately the weather was so fine and the view outside the windows were wonderful especially when the blue ocean started to appear. It looked like that it was promising us to show us a great night view that night in Hakodate, our final destination.
We made sure about that as we saw the beautiful sunset in the sky by the time we arrived in Hakodate. It was really a long trip but students were in high spirits on the bus, especially a students whose hometown is Hakodate--he was entertaining everyone with his local stories.
Finally, we arrived in a hotel in Hakodate! It was already past seven in the evening and a roar of "I'm hungry!" was heard from everywhere. Anyway, they put their luggages in their rooms and got together at the lobby to go to dinner. It was buffet style (alcohol was also all-you-can-drink) , so you could eat what you like as much as you wanted. On the menu were "somen noodles", buckwheat noodles, spicy keema curry, Hakodate's speciality "ikameshi (rice in a squid) etc. etc. and desserts.
Right after dinner we left for Mt. Hakodate to see the night view. Our silent bus driver said, "you can see clearly on the 2nd and 7th stations of the mountain." Our expectations raised. In fact we all wowed on the 2nd station, but the climax awaits.
Then more "wow" on the 7th station. And, arrived on the top. There's a bus regulation that they can stay for only 30 minutes, so the time is very limited. Therefore students rushed out as soon as the bus door opened.
On such a fine night spread the night view like diamonds. Squid fishing boats on the sea were casting bright lights.
I'm so sorry but all the night view picture I took failed and I can't put any here...
But I believe it is deeply engraved on everyone's memory without any doubt.
July 23
The second day in Hakodate. The weather was also very fine. Some woke up early to enjoy onsen and some walked on the seashore. On the other hand, some students had a party all night until the morning and one was found asleep on the floor right before we left the hotel...
Anyway, we all left the hotel and headed for Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses first.
Kanemori Warehouses are facing to a port and fashionable shops, cafes and restaurants are crammed inside. We had some free time here. We enjoyed shopping (window shopping as well) or having some coffee.
After breathing in the port atmosphere well, we went to Goryokaku. Here, we were supposed to take a picture all together inside Goryokaku Tower first of all. The picture taken here would be handed to everyone on the last day with a certification.
From Goryokaku Tower, we could see the star-shaped park right below and faraway towns as well. The park was all covered with green now but it must be gorgeous in spring when cherry blossoms are full in bloom
The famous Lucky Pierrot hamburgers
After the photo session in Goryokaku Tower, students were free to go eat lunch, buying souvenirs or taking a walk in the park. I suppose they had time long enough to enjoy the last moment in Hakodate.
I'm sure they have lots of memories there!
On the bus again. Before we got on our way back, we stopped by a geyser park in Shikabe. It is said that the geyser shoots boiling water up to a height of 15 meters almost every 10 minutes, but this day there was a presser cover not to shoot up too high because it was very windy (otherwise the water would splash all over the street and people and cars get soaking wet）.
Honestly saying, I wanted to see more dynamic splashing of the water. But after all we don't have much opportunities to see geysers and everyone was watching interestingly.
There was a footbath in the geyser park. Although the weather was fine the wind from the sea was a little chilly, so it felt good to soak our feet and legs in the hot water. They all seemed to like the footbath--they did not move once they sat ( to other tourists, please excuse us).
July 25 to 27
It's about the time the students are getting so tired... some people caught cold and could not attend classes. You need to take care especially because the temperature difference between daytime and night/morning. On the other hand, I heard some voices that some members had hangovers from the previous night... Please don't drink too much on weekdays: it will affect the classes for the next day.
However, those days will be over soon. Here are some class pictures.
Ms. Yabe's A Class.
A few students started Japanese from zero but now they can already say greetings in Japanese, read and write in easy words.
Other students who had had some basic skills have made a progress to the points that they can say what they want to say, although they were not exactly fluent at the beginning of this program.
Great progress!
Ms. Matsuo's B Class.
It was an international class with Korean, Chinese and British students all
mixed. As I wrote before, it must have been hard for Matsuo seisei with the
varieties of Japanese levels in the class.
But thanks to her effort, many students are almost like advanced level now.
If they continue studying, they will move up the ladders.
Please keep going and let us show your results!
Ms. Sasayama's C class. She joined the program for the first time.
It was "the Few and the Proud" but it looked like the class was homelike atmosphere and they enjoyed happy harmony.
Their levels were all high from the beginning and some already had 1st level of JLPT, so Ms. Sasayama might have tried a lot for those people to have them keep having motivations.
I hope they can use in Japanese in many situations in the future.
And…there came a day for certification ceremony.
We had messeages first from SGU President Okuya then from Ms. Ieda the Chairman of International Excahnge Committee. Although they were always busy, they contributed a lot for the program. Their speeches in Japanese might have been a bit difficult to unnderstand to some students, though, I suppose they could feel their warm hearts.
Next, students got a certificate one by one from Prof. Ieda (for your information, the program certificate became gorgeous with a cover outside and a picuture inside.
Ms. Sasayama's speech followed on behalf of all Japanese teachers. She said she also had a good experience teachning after a long interval.
And Shun Niwata, junior of Human Science, gave a good speech on behalf of support SGU students.
また、サポートとして協力をしてくれたSGU学生の代表として、人間科学科3年生の庭田くんもしっかりスピーチをしてくれました。
The schedule is all over now!! You all did a good job, everyone!! 
And now it's time for a farewell party at Sapporo Beer Garden. We were afraid that some people would not want to eat lamb but it turned out to be all right. Before the party, we got a guided tour in Sapporo Beer Museum, thanks to the director of the museum who is a friend of Ms. Sasayama. After the tour by the director, we had beer tasting. We told the students, "don't drink too much now, the party is not yet started!" ... but the beer here was extremely good and they all liked it so much!
Cheers！
Then the party started. President Okuya, the three Japanese teachers, retired Prof. Sasaki and other staff member attended. Boy, the students were so starving! The meat and vegetables first set on the tables were gone in a second and refills were carried one after another. So were beer and soft drinks--the beer garden staff were running around, being as busy as bees.
Eat, drink, laugh and relieve all the tiredness of this one month.
When you got full and happy, forget about all the troubles and let's just keep in mind the happy memories!
Maybe it's automatically working that way.
Most of peope are going to leave Japan tomorrow to go home but, don't think about it for the moment and just enjoy this moment.
Even after the farewell party was over, they went to drink in other places and talked all night in apartment rooms. It's good that they could spent the last night with their friends.
July 28
Thursday. The three Chinese students from Beijin University of Agriculture took a very early flight and left Hokkaido. Wang Yiyao, who was called "Yiyao Yiyao" from his friends said he would like to participate in the winter Japanese Program as well. We look forward to seeing him again.
Then in the afternoon, 12 students from Dong-a University and two students from University of Exeter went to the airport. At the check-in counter, a few students were having troubles because their suitcases were over-weight. Still, during a free time after check-in, some people even added souvenirs.
We can easily communicate with each other using mobile phones and computers even if we are far apart. But communi- catinge through machines and seeing every day is different.
They were exchanging addresses, taking pictures, shaking hands...
I just could not believe that we would not be able to see them in SGU after today.
Then on Thursday. 3rd period was a special lecture by Prof. Okuya, President of SGU. He started with greeting in three languages--"Hello! 
