Hashi.org Announces Korean Scholarship 2008 Winner

11/01/08 - Hashi.org is proud to announce the winner of the 2nd annual Travel Scholarship to a Korean citizen! The number of applications received far exceeded previous application periods, and we received many, fine applications, with essays describing a variety of backgrounds – International Studies, Translation, Engineering, Mathematics, etc. – and cultural exchange interests – Student exchange, Language studies, Grad studies and research, etc. But our winner is a Korean Grad Student who is presently studying Japanese art and architecture at USC in California. As part of her dissertation, she will be traveling to Japan later this year to do research. After graduation, she plans on teaching in both South Korea and the US, in an effort to bring about greater cultural understanding between the three countries.
Our judges of the applications found this scholarship decision the hardest one yet. With so many worthy applicants, with admirable accomplishments and aspirations, it was extremely difficult to choose just one. But the winner’s application proved to be the finest example of the ideals and goals of hashi.org. While there were many worthy submissions, Hashi.org is proud to award a $1,000 travel scholarship to Hyunjung Cho! Congratulations!

매년 Hashi.org에서 주최하는 여행장학생모집에서, 올해 2차 여행장학생으로 한국인에게 수여됨을 알립니다.
신청서접수기간동안 수많은 신청서와 함께 다양한전공과 배경(국제학, 통역,공학, 수학, 문화교류에 대한 관심, 교환학생, 언어전공, 대학원등)을 서술한 에세이가 접수되어졌습니다.
이 중, 선발된 장학생은 현재 캘리포니아, USC(University of Southern California: 남가주대학교)에서 일본예술/건축을 전공하는 대학원생입니다.올해 논문차 일본을 여행할 계획이라고 하며, 졸업후 세국가간의 문화적이해에 대한 노력을 위해, 한국과 미국에서학생들을 가르칠 계획을 가지고 있다고 합니다.

이번 장학생선발심사가 가장 어려웠습니다. 뛰어난 재능과 포부를 가진 지원자들이 많았기 때문에, 한명의 장학생을 선발하는다는 것이 무척 어려웠지만, Hashi.org의 이상과 목표에 가장 근접한 에세이를 서술한 지원자를 장학생으로 선발했습니다.
수많은 뛰어난 지원자들중, Hashi.org에서 조현정양에게 1000불의 여행장학금을 지불하게 된것을 영광으로 생각합니다. 축하합니다!

Hashi.org 第2回旅行奨学金の韓国人受賞者を発表します。今回、たくさんの素晴らしい願書を頂きました。申込者のエッセイも、国際関係、翻訳、エンジニアリング、数学、文化交流（交換留学、語学留学、大学院、リサーチ）などバラエティに富んでいました。今回の受賞者は、韓国人大学院生、USC大学院で日本美術と建築学を学ぶ学生に決まりました。彼女は論文研究の為、今年日本を訪問する予定です。卒業後は韓国とアメリカで教える予定です。韓国、アメリカ、そして日本、三国間の文化の相互理解に貢献されるでしょう。たくさんの素晴らしい実績や業績を前に、たった一人の受賞者を選考するのは大変困難ですが、今回は特に困難を極めました。多くの素晴らしい願書の中から、Hashi.orgの理想と目的を最も体現するものとして、今回選ばれたのは、Hyunjung Cho　さんです。おめでとうございます。

Japanese Scholarship Winner Returns From America

Our 2008 Japanese Scholarship winner - Kaumasa Honda - has just returned to Japan after his trip to America. He went with a group from his college for a 2-week intensive language workshop in New York, and was able to make inroads here that he will use in his upcoming studies. We were gratified to receive this letter from him recently.

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Dear Hashi,org;

I hope is everything well with you.
I appreciate your support for 2008 Hofstra University Summer ESL Program by Tokyo Future University. It was my first trip abroad and I was a little nervous when I left Japan. The kind support and help enabled me to complete the two-week stay in America without any problems.
I have gained lots of knowledge and experience, which would have been unobtainable in Japan.
I will certainly apply what I have learned in America when I go to abroad again in the future, as well as put it to good use in my daily life.

I greatly appreciate the invaluable experience.

Sincerely, Kazumasa Honda

拝啓,

皆さまにおかれましては、お変わりなくお過ごしのことと拝察致します。 この度、東京未来大学短期語学留学では、大変お世話になり、誠にありがとうございました。 初めての海外ということもあり、些か緊張して日本を発ったのですが、皆さまの温かい御支援と御協力により、無事に二週間の海外生活を終えることができました。 この留学において日本では学ぶことのできない沢山の知識と経験を得ることができたと思います。この経験を将来海外で生活をする際に活かすのはもちろんのことですが、日本の日々の生活にも活かしていきたいと思います。貴重な経験ができたこと、誠に感謝しております。まずは御礼まで。

敬具

本田和正

Hashi.org Announces American Scholarship Winner!

09/01/08 - Hashi.org is proud to announce the winner of the 2nd annual Travel Scholarship to an American! The number of applications received far exceeded previous application periods, and we received many, fine applications, with essays describing a variety of backgrounds – International Studies, Translation, Music, etc. – and cultural exchange interests – Student exchange, Language studies, Grad studies and research, Volunteer work, etc. But our winner is an American Anthropology Grad Student who once taught English in Japan through the JET program, and now has a Master’s degree in Korean Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures (with a focus on Modern Chinese literature).

Our judges of the applications found this scholarship decision the hardest one yet. With so many worthy applicants, with admirable accomplishments and aspirations, it was extremely difficult to choose just one. But the winner’s application proved to be the finest example of the ideals and goals of hashi.org. While there were many worthy submissions, Hashi.org is proud to award a $1,000 travel scholarship to Bonnie Tilland !

Congratulations!We notified Ms. Tilland earlier this week, and were gratified by her response, part of which follows:

As I wrote when I first inquired about the scholarship, I am actually in Korea now. I was participating in a cultural program near Seoul from late July-mid August, and the costs of the program were covered by the program's institution. However, I am now in Jeonju, Korea doing pilot research for my dissertation and will be here a little over two more weeks (returning to the U.S. on Sept. 15th). I signed up on Homestay Korea, a link I found on your website, and the homestay is going great! I paid about $650 to the family for the month (includes most meals), and then also need to cover other living expenses and expenses associated with fieldwork (mostly transportation costs). So the $1000 will go a long way in helping with my project!

And of her research plans:

This summer I have spent two months in Korea to begin preliminary research that will lay the groundwork for my PhD dissertation research, which is scheduled to begin in late 2009. In July and August I am participating in a cultural program in a Seoul suburb at the Academy of Korean Studies, which has given me the chance to learn more about Korean traditional arts and also to refresh my spoken Korean. In August and September I will travel to Jeonju, a smaller city in Korea's southwest with a long Confucian history and a reputation for both strong educational facilities and film culture (because of an annual international film festival). During my research this summer I will be conducting interviews with Jeonju residents, observing local television and film fan clubs, and making contacts with local faculty and members of the Jeonju International Film Festival commission.

I am currently working on my Anthropology M.A. thesis on Korean television dramas that combine themes of workplace, family and relationships, and am analyzing conversations on online TV drama fan site message boards. I am interested both in the conversations happening among Koreans about the representations of family, work and love on television, and in conversations between fans around Asia who are hooked on the "Korean Wave" (Hanryu) of cultural products such as film, television and music. In particular, I am exploring connections between discussions of "family values" (as portrayed in television media) and national and regional identity. I first became interested in my research topic through friendships with Japanese classmates in my intensive Korean language program at Sogang University in Seoul in the summers of 2005 and 2007. I found that the themes and images in Korean TV dramas opened up discussions about cultural exchange and pan-Asian values between people from countries with complicated historical tensions.

Once again, congratulations Bonnie Tilland! And our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to all of the applicants for their good work and high aspirations to reach out to other cultures, and be part of this “bridge building” in our world today.

Scholarship Winner Returns from Japan

Jeanne Vosecky White, Ed.D., our 2007 American scholarship winner, has just returned from her trip to Japan. The following is the story of her experience there.

I have returned from my third trip to Japan. This time I had a purpose, and that was to meet with my old friends and ask them questions about their experiences in going abroad in their graduate student years. I was initially concentrating on their experiences with language problems, but the more I spoke with my friends, the more I saw that going abroad had a much more profound affect on their lives and the lives of their families.
The first home I visited was a friend who had asked me to stay with his wife while he went to Europe one summer when we were in grad school in the early 1970’s. His wife and I became good friends, despite the fact that she had very little English proficiency. It helped me use the Japanese I was learning from another friend. When I interviewed them, I found that she had little use for English except for when she met her former American friends or when she was at important parties that are associated with her husband’s business. However, her view of the world changed when she was transported to a Midwestern university and left to find her way around a strange place. She made new friends and learned how to make new recipes. There were many other countries represented at the university. She learned the differences between not only American culture and Japanese culture, but also the differences and similarities of other people groups and the Japanese. She said it made her appreciate her own culture even more. When I asked her if her experience changed the way she did anything in her life, at first she said no, but then she began talking about her son, who was only three when he was in the United States, it became obvious that she was a bit influenced b y the way she raised her son. Her first son did not follow his father in business. He is in the medical field. He speaks better English than his brother, even though he does not remember his stay in the United States. Her second son, who was born after their return, is in business. He does not speak English very well, but he is good at what he does, and seems satisfied with his life.
Her husband was very specific on what he had learned going abroad. He had learned many new ways of doing business, how different people in different cultures do business, and he also appreciated the new ideas that helped him make more independent decisions in his work. He admired American business practices and the freedom business people seemed to have as opposed to Japanese business’s ties to tradition and government. Yet he appreciated the relationships of Japanese business. His experience helped him capitalize on all the business cultures he explored. His business is international and he is always looking for more opportunities in other countries.

After the wonderful hospitality of my friends in Tokyo, I visited another couple in Osaka with whom I had become close in our grad school years. It had been a long time, but they remembered our experiences at the school. The wife had been the one who taught me Japanese before I started taking classes. She was very proficient in English, as was her husband. He had been dissatisfied with company life and decided to accept the challenge of going to school in America. He attended two universities. When he returned to Japan, he went into a different career, but in the same major area. While he was not totally satisfied with his new job, he felt that it was better than the company job he had before. His wife, on the other hand, did not change her job right away. She stayed in the same field, but was able to move up in her career. Since they had no children, she felt free to pursue her career. While they did not change much in their private lives, they did change their perspectives on the rest of the world. They took vacations to various places around the world. They could look at their own country with a critical eye, yet an affectionate one. They saw the strengths and weaknesses of all the places they had been.
I was able to visit with many others who represented families who came to the United States to study or to teach at an American university. One of the families came to the university where my husband and I were attending because the head of the family knew of the outstanding professors in his field that were there. This man had chosen to put his career on hold so he could study with these professors. He made a choice to bring his family to America for this adventure.
Another of our friends came to the university to study education. He and his wife and daughter came with little money and lots of faith. He received his Ph.D. the same time as my husband, so we became very close. They lived on what his wife could bring by looking after other people’s children or what their families could provide. He went back to Japan as a professor at a university and became a pastor at a church and even helped create a very good preschool program that uses the buildings of the church. The fact that they were Christian did not make it any easier to adjust to American life. They were Japanese, and, as was common with most of the other Japanese with whom I spoke, they were ill the first few weeks they were in the United States.
I wish I could tell you all of the stories of my friends in Japan. My first visit in 2004 was hard for me as well. The people I knew in the states were still my friends, but they were in their own country. I made so many mistakes, but they were very careful in helping me to understand how to behave in Japan. I know that sounds a bit odd, but Americans can really make big mistakes in dealing with Japanese people. While they are in America or in another country, the Japanese watch carefully how others behave. Americans, as well as others from English speaking countries, seem to assume their behavior is acceptable. One example I observed was on the Shinkansen, the Bullet Train.

There are some cars that have reserved seating and some cars are for just boarding. Some trains are all reserved. I had a Japan Rail Pass, and that meant that if I went to the ticket office, I could get a reserved seat. There were some Australian young men on the reserved Shinkansen who did not seem to know that if a seat is vacant when they come aboard, it does not mean they can sit anywhere they like. As we made one stop, a woman came to her seat, which was occupied by a young man talking to his friend in the other seat. She hesitated, probably because she did not speak English, and also because she was Japanese, but she brought an officer of the train to her seat to tell the young men to move. The men were not apologetic at all, but they did move. It was embarrassing to me because my face looked like theirs. I felt that their behavior reflected on all English-speaking Caucasians.

The last place I visited was Iwate, where I actually was able to teach a few lessons of English to some 4- and 5-year old children and talk to the parents as well. I was so glad to be able to observe some of what Japanese kindergarten children did during their days in school.

If only we had a way to communicate the different customs before people travel or immigrate (emigrate) to another country. We need to have better ways of communicating with others of a different culture. Even though I had studied Japanese culture, I still made mistakes. I did know about how polite and law-abiding and careful of others the Japanese were. I knew that one kept one’s promise, one was polite to everyone, and one always would pick up something someone dropped and return it to him or her. I saw this many times and was the beneficiary of this last one. Most children in America are not taught anything about other cultures in a way that would really make a difference when they meet someone who is different. It is important to reach people while they are young, so they can learn and understand others. If I had the chance, this is what I would try to introduce to school children. As the world becomes more interconnected, people will need to know the people with whom they do business, call on the telephone, or email. The reason we have trouble in the world is because of lack of communication. If each individual had a knowledge, a real understanding, of others, there would be less violence between countries.

Jeanne Vosecky White, Ed.D.

Hashi.org Announces Japanese Scholarship Winner!

07/01/08 - Hashi.org is proud to announce the winner of the 2nd annual Travel Scholarship! We received many, fine applications, with essays describing a variety of backgrounds – International Studies, Medical, etc. – and cultural exchange interests – Student exchange, Language studies, Volunteer work, etc. But our winner is a Japanese Student who wants to earn a degree in America, studying Psychology, in order to help people in other countries. While there were many worthy submissions, Hashi.org is proud to award a $1,000 travel scholarship to Honda Kazumasa! Congratulations!

hashi.org Goes To Japan - May/June 2008

In an effort to promote the hashi.org scholarship program, I'll be in Japan from 5/29 to 6/4/08. The trip will begin in Tokyo, where I'll be for 3 days.

During that time, I'll be meeting with members of the media, with friends, and doing a live show in Asaga ya. Truly, with music as the medium, I've been blessed with many opportunities to "spread the word" and extend the hand of friendship in a way that's fun, authentic, and (happily) well-received.

From Tokyo, I'll go up to Kyoto for a couple of days, and again, do my best to spread the word about hashi.org scholarships, and also enjoy the warm hospitality of friends in my favorite city in the world...

I'm also looking forward to mid-June, when we'll review the applications for the Japanese scholarship, and make the award on July 1st. Last year's winner has made us proud - Yoneda Sachiko - has been doing an intership in Seoul, South Korea as an architect student, and used our scholarship money to study the similarites between Japanese and Korean architecture and to draw parallels with cultural similarities and differences.

Stay tuned as we reach out in our little way, at a time when our world can use all the 'reaching out' it can get...

hashi.orgの旅行奨学金実施のお知らせ

Hashi.orgは、毎年、日本、韓国、アメリカ国籍の方各1名を対象に、旅行奨学金（各1000ドル）を実施しています。日本国籍を所有する方で、韓国またはアメリカ合衆国との文化交流に興味を持つ方が対象です。今年度の後ほどには、韓国国籍とアメリカ国籍の方を対象とした奨学金が発表される予定です。 奨学金受給者は選考によって決められます。奨学金の必要性と使用目的が考慮に入れられます。奨学金は、ホームステイや留学、ボランティアなどの様々な目的に支給されます。 http://www.hashi.org/scholarshipjp.html

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支給対象者は以下の条件を満たしていなければなりません。 日本国籍を所有。 16歳以上。未成年の方は保護者の了解を得てください。 Hashi.orgが推奨する韓国またはアメリカ合衆国の国際プログラムに参加する意思のあること。 異文化に対応、調和するチャレンジ精神があり、またその能力があること。 費用が奨学金支給額を超えた場合、自身でその超えた分の費用を負担すること。 募集用紙の必要事項を全て記入すること。 募集期間：2008年5月１日から2008年６月15日まで。 支給対象者は2008年7月１日に発表。 HP:http://www.hashi.org/indexjp.html

07/01/08 - hashi.org American scholarships are HERE!

hashi.org 2008 Scholarships are here! Each year, hashi.org awards three $1000 scholarships - one to a Japanese, one to a Korean, and one to an American. The application period for Americans starts today - 07/01/08! The schedule is as follows:

July 1st - August 15th - Application period for American scholarship
September 1st - American scholarship winner announced


Travel scholarships are offered on a competitive basis. They are awarded on the basis of need and overall intent for usage as expressed in the application essay. The scholarships could be used for a variety of overseas programs, including but not limited to: home stays, student exchange, volunteering, work, etc.

To be eligible to apply, applicants must:

Be 16 years of age or older.

Be interested in participating in the type of international programs
that hashi.org promotes between South Korea, Japan, and America.

Be able to cope with the challenges of adjusting to different cultures.
Be able to fund the remainder of travel costs not covered by the
scholarship

Complete the application form.

Be able to use the scholarship within one year of receiving it.

Agree to allow hashi.org to use your photograph and selected portions of your bio to encourage others to participate in our scholarship program.

For information and application: http://www.hashi.org/scholarshiphp.html

"BRIDGE" Video at Hollywood Film Festival

It’s good to be back in the neighborhood again

The "Bridge of No Return" video was chosen as an Official Selection at its 4th film festival, and last night it screened at the 2008 International DV Film Festival in Hollywood. What a great opportunity to see some of the cast, crew, and friends of the "Bridge" video, and to tell the story to a big audience.

Since these days it’s cheaper to fly from SF to LA given the price of gas, I got in to Burbank mid-afternoon and checked into my usual hotel in Universal City. The recording studio where we recorded America and Bridge is just about 1/4 mile away from here. Took a cab into Hollywood and hooked up with friends at a restaurant just a block away from the film festival. Chao Krung

was the perfect meeting spot on Fairfax, and the food was awesome.

After dinner, we made it over to the Fairfax Theater, where the festival was happening: They show films in 2-3 hour "blocks," and then have a Q& A with the filmmakers. This evening started out with a feature-length, post-apolcalyptic, sci-fi film called "Like Moles, Like Rats." This was so good, I wouldn’t be surpised if it’s picked up and gets a distribution deal. After that, a brilliant and fun spoof on the crime-fighting genre called "Asian Task Force" (ATF). Then one more short, and finally our "Bridge" video.

Before going up for the Q&A session, I was thinking how many Asian people there were in the crowd, and how much more they knew about Korean history than I did, but my fears were unfounded, and the Q&A session was by far the best one I’ve done. The promoter was totally enthusiastic and pro-active, and the questions were really good, and gave the other filmmakers and I a great opportunity to talk about our films. I got to tell the story of Panmunjeom, where, at the end of the Korean war, officials gave people a few days to make the decision to stay on the side they were, or cross this bridge to the other side, but if they did, they could never return. And someone asked about the song itself, and I shared about the difficulty of writing Korean lyrics for part of the song (there was a Korean Dry Cleaners across the street where I lived, and would write a line, and run across the street and ask my friend there about it, and she’d say like "uuuh, we don’t really say it like that. It would be better to say it like this..." But I’m thinking "...that doesn’t rhyme!") It was an honor to have been chosen to be in this festival, and an honor to share the stage with these talented filmmakers.

It’s a balmy day in LA, and I’ll soon head out to go exploring my old stomping grounds, then meeting a friend for lunch. And I’m thinking how fortunate I’ve been to have met the right people at the right time to make something like this happen. Life is like that, one step this way or that way, and it would come out different. But as it is, I couldn’t be happier...

Finding a Job in Japan

Last year, in 2007, I made a vested effort in finding a job in Tokyo, Japan. My work in California (I am a Project Manger/Construction Company Owner) was fluxuating due to the waning economy, and I decided to actually try some of the links we provide here at Hashi.org, enlist the services of friends and acquaintences, and first-hand, see what it's like. The following article, from Daijob. com, sums up perfectly the challenges facing the job-seeker.

(reprinted from Daijob.com)

Ideally, you want to have a job lined up before coming to Japan. There are some practices that can make things tricky for anyone that tries to find a job after their arrival. Part of the problem is that most employers will require you to have a valid visa and residence in the country before application. Unfortunately, without employment or another type of visa sponsor, it is impossible to stay in the country. It is also next to impossible to find a place to live without a company or other type of guarantor.This Catch 22 can result in many foreigners living in Japan at the expense of their careers. Japan is an excellent place to live, but because of the labor laws and practices you will want to make sure that it is the right career move. The English teaching business and other industries like sales are currently the best options for foreigners who are non-expatriates and are interested in Japan. People with Japanese ability have more opportunities in industries like IT and technologies, but most companies are looking for workers with Ikkyu (JLPT1) proficiency or higher. Whatever field of work you chose, make sure that the experience will count towards a future career to avoid this common pitfall of working in Japan.That means that people interested in staying in Japan longer than the period of time allotted by their tourist visa will need to consider finding work, assuming they are not a student or involved in another program that takes care of these issues. For motivated individuals, there is always a way to find work or a visa sponsor, but as a general rule, you will want to do all of your planning before you arrive. You should know where you will stay, where you will work and how long you will be there.You can start by registering your resume with http://www.workinjapan.com/ and finding the best job available.
ExpatsIf you already work for a company with a branch in Japan and are considering transferring to their branch here then you can probably avoid many of these issues. As an expatriate you can rely on the community of your company to sort out most of your daily life issues too. This is probably the best option for people interested in working in Japan without sacrificing their career.
NetworkingContacts are very important in finding employment. So much so that it is even a requirement to get some jobs. You will want to know someone who works at the company before you apply and probably even get an introduction to any staff that could be involved in your interview process. You do not want to appear as an “outsider,” so never turn down the opportunity to make new contacts, even if it is only someone you meet briefly.In Japan, business etiquette is extremely scripted and important in making a positive impression compared with other countries. The Japanese business meeting is an example of this; the meeting is often little more than a ceremony to congratulate everyone on decisions they have agreed on before the meeting. It is not the place to negotiate or present new ideas. Japan is becoming more accepting and familiar with Western business practices, but it is always best to know these social customs so you can avoid losing business over uncomfortable situations.http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e622.html
EntrepreneursIt is slowly becoming a viable option to start your own business in Japan, but there is still a lot of red tape and cost involved. The regulations regarding entrepreneurship and starting a business can be found at the Japan External Trade Organization’s website, http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/setting_up/. For advice beyond the rules and regulations, Venture Japan (http://www.venturejapan.com/index.htm) is a site that is dedicated to explaining some of the ins and outs of how to do business here.
PensionLike the medical treatment insurance system, Japan also has a pension system. Every citizen must enroll in the pension system. The National Pension Plan covers all people between the ages of 20 and 60 living in Japan (including students) and provides equal basic pension benefits. Foreigners living in Japan must also subscribe to this plan. http://web-jpn.org/links/society/welfare/social1.htmlThe Employees' Pension Plan applies to workers under the age of 70 who are working full-time. The premiums begin around ￥13,500 for the National plan, but are adjusted each year. Under the Employees’ Pension Plan the subscriber and the employer each pay half of the amount calculated by multiplying the subscriber's standard monthly income by the premium rate, or that of your employer.
TaxesYou will have to pay some taxes in Japan, likely Income Tax, Resident Tax and Consumption Tax. Only money that is paid to you from an abroad source to an abroad account is non-taxable. But, once you transfer that money to Japan, it is subject to tax. For information on taxes in Japan, visit http://www.jref.com/practical/tax.shtml.
Trouble at WorkIf for some reason you encounter discrimination or other issues in the workplace, you can contact the Department of Labor Standards Inspection, http://www.tfemploy.go.jp/en/coun/cont_4.html. No one ever expects to have these kinds of issues, but things can get pretty tricky as a foreigner in Japan. It is not uncommon for English schools to try and force foreign workers to work longer then their visa permits, violating their visa status, so that employers can exercise control over the worker by threatening to report them to the Immigration Bureau. If such a situation ever arises, make it clear that you understand the law and if necessary contact the proper authorities. Contact the authorities before you yourself have broken any laws.
Day CareDay Care is a booming business in Japan. This is especially true in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area where many women are working as well as their husbands. However, trying to find an appropriate Day Care can be daunting.Obviously, your company should be your first stop for questions and information about how to proceed. You are probably going to want someone who can translate for you when you contact the schools.If you need an option besides going through a company, you can consult the Yellow Pages. Try searching under Nursery School, Baby Hotel, Hoikuen and Takujishou as well. Otherwise, you will want to contact your local Ward Office (Kuyakushou) or City Hall (Shiyakushou). Most areas have publicly run Day Cares that aren’t listed in the Yellow pages.
Yellow Page Linkshttp://www.yellowpage-jp.com/
http://english.itp.ne.jp/
http://www.ypj.com/en/

Hashi.org in 2008

Hello!　 안녕하세요! こんにちは！
The world is not the same place that it was 2 years ago when Hashi.org was formed. Tension has increased, economies plummetted, and tolerance is in short supply. We watch with sadness and yet a renewed resolve to do our small part to reach out in the world, and help others to reach out too.
In 2007, we:

• Re-designed our website and added new listings to our database of cultural exchange opportunties
• Gave away scholarships to three talented, ambitious, and wonderful people. 1. A Japanese studying architecture in South Korea, 2. An American professor studying and teaching Japanese, and 3. A Korean singer wanting to tour America

And our plans for 2008:

• Increase our efforts at providing up-to-date diverse listings in out databese of cultural exchange opportunities
• Give away at least 3 scholarships again this year - One each to an American, Japanese, and Korean.
• Start a daily RSS feed to our website with news that's pertinent to Japan, Korea, and America.
• Continued support of the Japan Society of Northern California
• Our Japanese contributor - Atusko Irisa - is still with us and doing a great job of translation, consulting, and research
• Our Korean contributor - Jeanne Jung - has moved on to start a family and we wish her all the best! In the meantime, we are looking for a new Korean contributor to help with translation, consulting, and research

So, thanks for your interest in and support of Hashi.org! Stay tuned and feel free to contribute to our blogs, and send any suggestions/ideas to us. Here's to healing in 2008.

Michael Downey

CEO/Founder - hashi.org