Day 1: Arrival in Bodh Gaya Volunteering at Surya Bharti: An Enlightening Experience

Volunteering at Surya Bharti: An Enlightening Experience

Day 1: Arrival in Bodh Gaya

We had arrived. Over 24 hours after taking off from U.S. soil, we had finally made it to Bodh Gaya, the holy land where Lord Buddha was enlightened. We learned from several travelers that this was a special pilgrimage time, when there were Buddhist celebrations and ceremonies in Bodh Gaya that only occur once a year. But for us, this trip was not about making a pilgrimage to the Mahabodhi Temple or witnessing the Dalai Lama (though the significance of these events was not lost on us). To us, Bodh Gaya was where we were to finally meet the students of Surya Bharti school.

Yuki-san and several of the Surya Bharti alumni greeted us at baggage claim with cheerful smiles and kind eyes. It was a sunny, warm day despite the winter season. Our greeters’ faces were framed by this sunshine, set against a backdrop of desert-like dirt and a subtle, yet distinct smell of smoke that pervaded in every direction. It was surreal to meet the flesh-and-blood versions of the faces we had encountered several times over Skype: Yuki-san, Niraj K., Vikram, Sushant, Amane-chan. I’ll admit that it was initially difficult to put names to the right faces – blurry Skype sessions do not suffice for a general lack of knowledge of Indian names. Luckily, names and Hindi words became ever-so-slightly easier to remember over the duration of the trip.

A short car ride later, we arrived at Mahamaya Palace, Yuki-san’s family hotel and our residence for the next five days. We met Niraj Singh, one of the first Surya Bharti alumni we met on Skype over two years ago. After more cheerful introductions, we ate a hearty Indian lunch and quickly fell into a jetlag-induced sleep in our comfortable new room.

NGO CSW62 Forum New York, "Rural Women's Empowerment, Leadership and Success"

Hi, friends!

I've got a great opportunity to give a speech at NGO CSW62 forum of UN!

I'm going to give a speech about the situation of girls in rural area in India.

"Challenge in India to overcome poverty and encourage girls~ through charity for education"

NGO CSW62 Forum New York

"Rural Women's Empowerment, Leadership and Success"

Discover Your True Potential

New Educations and Opportunities

The NGO Commission on the Status of Women, NY CSW62

Join us for our Parallel Event

Rev. Nicole Sakurai President El Cantare Foundation

Yuki Inoue Bodhgaya Children Aid Charitable Trust

Thursday, March 22, 2018

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Church Center for the United Nations 10th floor

(CCUN) 777 United Nations Plaza, East 44th St, First Ave, New York, NY 10017

All re welcome, RSVP call 1-808-635-7127 or

elcantarefoundation.org 

Japanese taught students at Surya Bharti school (No.2) - Angel Aid Study Tour

On 13th August, people who participated in the study tour of Angel Aid Association taught our students again.

Students learnt how to wrap in Japanese way, the historical relation between India and Japan, designing hand fan, fun games, and a teacher who teaches 6th grade in Japan had a class in 6th grade in our school.

She showed Japanese letters written by Indian ink on a Japanese paper, and she asked students "Is there anybody who can read this?"

Then, one of the students replied "shi ta i no!"

(It means "I want to do".)

It was very close!!!

The correct answer was "ta no shi i".

(It means "It is fun".)

In Japanese way, especially writing with ink , we read vertically and start reading from the right hand of the upper side.

The student had read it horizontally and had started reading from the left hand of the upper side. 

She taught students about the importance of efforts to achieve their dreams with a song "Moshi Moshi Kameyo", from a story of race by a rabbit and a turtle.

She also taught making flowers by folding colorful papers called Origami in Japanese, and made students to write their dream on the flowers, so that they can see their dreams always by hanging them on the wall of their house.

In the class of historical relation between India and Japan, the teacher (who teaches History in Japan) was surprised that 8th grade students have known the history very much than 10th grade students who took the same class last time by him.

About the history of world second war, a student answered "He was the man who joined Subhash Chandra Bose in fighting against England!" when he saw a photo of Hideki Tojo.

He said that he recognized his face because he saw his face on a book of history before. 

People in India respect Subhash Chandra Bose very much who was a leader of Indian National Army.

He is evaluated as high as Mahatma Gandhi or more for his contribution to India's independence.

Most Indians gratitude to Japan that Japan helped INA to fight against British army to get freedom from colonization.  

I have some friends who come from Imphal in Manipur where the battle held between British army and Japanese army with INA.

And they told me that they respect Japanese army very much still now.

The teacher of history asked "Where can you find the model of this building near here?" while showing a photo of "Goju no tou"(Buddhist stupa) in Nara.

Then, most students answered "It's Thai temple!".

Maybe it looks like Thai temple because of the design of its roof.

In fact, he revealed that the model of "Goju no tou" was Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya.

The teacher said that there were many monks who wanted to visit Bodhgaya where Buddha attained great enlightenment in ancient time but they couldn't do, so they built the temples in their countries by making them in similar design with their earnest wish for the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya which was located very far away from where they lived in the world.

Buddhism was conveyed to many countries from India and the design of the temples has been transformed into the local design in each country.

I learnt many things from this class while I was interpreting. 

Ms.T and Ms.M  were interviewed by a reporter from ANI. 

You can understand how the students enjoyed each class with Japanese when you see the photos!

I thank all members of Angel Aid study tour very much for having the classes to our students!

2 students pass N4, 1 student pass N5 of JLPT(Japanese language test)

I have a good news for you!!!

2 of my students C and N passed N4, and 1 student V passed N5 in the Japanese language proficiency test (JLPT) held in Delhi in July.

Next JLPT test will be at the beginning of December. We only have 3 months till the next test!

 I have already made the study schedule for September, October, and November.

For about 3 months, we will concentrate and study Japanese everyday. 

We've already started our study. I teach them by using text books for N3 like Nihongo Sou Matome (Kanji, Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading, Listening), and Nihongo Kanzen Master (Kanji, Grammar, Reading, Listening).

We have to study at least 12 pages of the text books everyday.

I hold sample tests every Sunday.

I hold Japanese class for students for N5 and beginners on every Sunday morning, so while I am teaching them, the students of N3 and N4 can take a test. I would then check their answers and explain to them in the afternoon.

We played a game in the class on Sunday in August.

Ms.T and Ms.N participated in our class as volunteer teachers from Angel Aid Association. 

We played a game in which two groups of the students competed to get Hiragana cards and make Japanese words with the cards.

We explained how to play the game to them, but they weren't used to play such games, so they broke the rules many times, and we had to explain again and again.

It was unexpectedly fun!

From now, the students who are aiming to get N3, N4, and N5 have started to study seriously. 

If you support our activity and cheer them up, it will help us a lot. Thank you!

We held a study tour of Angel Aid Association which is supporting our ex-students from Surya Bharti school to study in colleges, in this August 2016.

www.angelaidassociation.org

11 people participated in this tour from Japan. 

"Study tour" means a tour to see, research and learn about the situation of local area where there has been the children supported by a group.

Most of the members of the tour are in medical jobs or educational jobs, and they had classes in Surya Bharti school for the students by using their special knowledge.

We had 2 days of the classes to teach students because some people arrived few days later.

In the first day of the classes, we had

folding Furoshiki (handkerchief) in Japanese way, how to brush tooth (by dental hygienist), games by making round shape (by a student who is a teacher to be), designing and making Uchiwa (Japanese hand fan) (by an artist), about hospitals in Japan and hospice care (by a nurse), about Japanese history, relation between India and Japan, and Samurai culture (by a history teacher). 

Some of the members who can speak English, they taught the students in English.  I interpreted in Hindi in the class about history.

Three of ex-students helped the classes as interpreters or assistants.

Our students learned lots of things by learning Japanese culture with Japanese people.

They departed from Japan on the 9th August, and they arrived in Japan on the 18th August.  They seemed like they were enjoying whatever happened in the tour...!!!

Next time, I am going to tell you about visiting a hospital, NGO, a college, an institution, a private school, and about sightseeing, and shopping etc.