Chinese Conversation Club:
Chat-ba🐼 Season 2
Have a fun time using Chinese. Let’s talk about Shoppings!
**From this session, we recommend that you be able to speak some Chinese. It may be difficult to take part if you come with zero experience.**
■Date: Nov 1 (Sat) 10:00~11:30
■Place: AWIA Office (Sakae-machi 2-14)
■Sign-up: by Oct 31 (Fri), contact AWIA.
ChAT-ba :
‘Ch’: Chinese,
‘A’: Aizu,
‘T’: Together, and
‘吧/-ba’: ‘Let’s!’ in Chinese.
Japanese Conversation Club: AtsuHana🌼
Speak Japanese in a casual way with many people and have fun with Japanese culture.
AtsuHana: Atsumatte, Hanasou! Come together and chat! Speak Japanese casually with a variety of people. Join us for an activity, followed by free talk time. Check out November’s Newsletter for more information!
■Date/Time: Nov 8th (Sat) 10:00~11:30
■Place: City Learning Center (Keikodo) 3F Rm 1
■Cost: Free
■Sign-up:Contact AWIA by Nov 7th (Fri)
English Conversation Club MEET
Introducing MEET (My English Exchange Time) our English convo club. The name may be new and we may try new things, but we’ll always have fun. Come and speak English with people from all walks of life. Everyone is welcome, no matter your English level.
■Date/Time: Nov 15 (Sat) 10:00~12:00
■Place: City Learning Center (Keikodo) 3F Rm 1
■Cost: FREE!
■Sign Up: Contact AWIA by Nov 14(Fri)
**Next Chat-ba will be on December 6th!
Newsletter Prep and Refreshments
Help us to prepare our newsletters for mailing! On the last Saturday of every month, from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM,
AWIA members gather at the AWIA to fold and mail next month’s edition of the newsletter.
Come enjoy talking with other members while you help out the association. It’s also an excellent chance to put your Japanese to use!
■Date: Nov 29 (Sat)
■Time: from 1:30 pm
■Place: Aizu Wakamatsu International Association Office
Parents’ Salon: Christmas
Date: Dec 7th (Sun) 10:00-11:30
Place: City Learning Centre (Keikodo) Rm 1
Limit: Up to 15 families with children aged 0 - 12
Cost: Members: Free! Non-members: ¥500
Sign-up Deadline: Dec 5th (Fri)
Sign-up: tell us your name, and number of participants at: aizukokusai@awia.jp
Satellite JICA Fukushima Desk
JICA Desk will be starting up again! Come speak to the new person in charge of reaching out to people in Aizu about the efforts of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Association) KIDA Maki-san spent some time in Tunisia, a country in the North of Africa that shares a maritime border with Italy. Come say hello if you’d like to learn more about her, JICA, and/or Tunisia.
■Date: Nov 15 (Sat) 10:00~
■Place: AWIA Office (Sakae-machi 2-14)
Here is a message from KIDA-san:
Nice to meet you! My name is KIDA Maki, and I am in charge of the Satellite JICA Fukushima Desk. I taught children piano in Tunisia as a JICA Volunteer until January of this year. I want to work hard while experiencing everyone’s passion for cultural exchange and understanding and learn more charms of Aizu.
Nihongo de Hanasou!
Join us for our Japanese Speech event! Come and support others in the community that have been working hard and studying Japanese with us at AWIA. It’s not a competition, just a good chance to try giving a speech in Japanese. There will be activities after the speeches, so come have fun!
■Date: Nov 22 (Sat)10:00~12:00
■Time: 10:00~12:00
■Place: City Learning Center (Keikodo) Rm1
Online Japanese Class!
The Aizu Wakamatsu International Association is now offering online Japanese language classes!
Study from home at the time that works best for you! Our volunteer teachers will work with you to match your language level and study goals.
【Time】：
Choose your preferred 1-hour time slot between 10:00 and 20:30 any day of the week.
*There may be cases where a student’s first choice time slot is unavailable.
【Number of Classes】：
12 Sessions / 1hr per session
【Place】：Online via Zoom or Skype
【Fee】：
4,000 JPY for 12 Sessions (Annual AWIA membership of 2,000JPY is required to register.)
【How to Register】：
Contact the AWIA by phone or email with your three preferred time slots.
EMAIL: mail@awia.jp TEL: 0242-27-3703
WEB: http://awia.jp
*Most classes are 1 on 1, but there may be cases where 2 or more students share the same time slot.
[pdf]
Children Nihongo Hiroba
Does your child struggle with Japanese in school? Does he or she always feel one step behind everyone else in class? Let us help! Going to school in a foreign language is challenging, but your child is not alone. At Children Nihongo Hiroba, your child can meet, speak and study with other people just like them! We offer a space to address any questions your child may have about school work or Japanese, and give them the opportunity to use their native language.
[When]:
The 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month,
15：00 ～17：00 (depending on child’s age and needs)
[Where]:
Aizu-Wakamatsu International Association
(5th floor of the Lion D’or Garden on Shinmei Dori)
[Price]: ￥2,000
(in addition to the AWIA annual membership fee of ￥2,000)
[For]:
Non-native speakers of Japanese ages 6-18.
[Inquiries & Registration]:
Aizu-Wakamatsu International Association
mail@awia.jp or 0242-27-3704
Important Notice!
Due to low foot traffic, the Aizuwakamatsu International Association Office will be CLOSED on Sundays starting in July.
We will continue holding events on Sundays but our office will be closed to visitors. Stop by anytime from Tuesday to Saturday~ We would love to see you.
New Open Hours &
New Email Address
**Office now open from 9:30-17:30**
(old hours: 9:00-17:45)
We are changing our office hours to better serve you. Our office will now open from 9:30am and close at 17:30. But don’t worry!! If you cannot make it to our open hours, please contact us through email or telephone ahead of time, and we will do our best to help you.
**NEW EMAIL : aizukokusai[@]awia.jp**
Our original email address, mail@awia.jp has been in use since AWIA transitioned to email. Due to this, we get an enormous amount of SPAM. In an attempt to reduce time spent sorting through to find real correspondence, we are transitioning to a new address. Please update your address books, safe lists, and records to stay in touch!
Multilingual Information
Yorisoi Hotline
Are you having a problem with your visa, nationality, family, work, everyday living, discrimination, domestic violence, confinement, or human trafficking?Please call us about any problem you may have. Your privacy will be protected. This is a toll-free number.
Yorisoi Hotline English よりそいホットライン(Free telephone consultation): 0120-279-226
Website: Free Telephone consultation service for foreign languages and foreign people
Telephone Consultation for medical matters
（AMDA国際医療情報センター AMDA Medical Information Center）
Help you to find medical institutions for you and provide information on healthcare and welfare system in Japan.
Website: Telephone Consultation for medical matters (AMDA Medical Information Center / AMDA国際医療情報センター)
Beware of Bears🐻
This year has had a record number of bear sightings/ encounters. Protect yourself against a bear attack! With winter on the way, and a hard year for beech nut and other wild fruits, there is a high chance bears will be coming into town for food. Fukushima Pref. has announced a Bear Warning to be in place from Sept 11th (Thu)-Dec 15th (Mon).
Doing activities like hiking,mushroom picking, spending time in mountains or near rivers will increase the risk of a bear encounter. Please take care to protect yourself this fall when you are out in nature.
🐻⚠️How to Avoid Encountering Bears, etc.
・Carry items that emit sounds when you head into or near forested areas and do not go alone.
・Avoid walking, hiking, or farming at dawn/dusk when bears are active.
・Check bear activity information online.
・Clean up potential food sources around your home
・Take trash out on the day of collection
You can get notifications for wildlife sightings (in Japanese) from the Disaster Prevention Alert System ‘AIBEAR’ Sign-up for an account here: AIBEAR Website