On Tuesday, January 23rd at 2:15 pm PST we started our conference with Matsuyama. It was 7:15 am in Japan on Wednesday, a fact that boggles the mind.
Due to unfortunate technical difficulties in Japan they were unable to send us their "visual" part of the performance. We could hear them just fine, and they could both hear and see us. Yahoo Instant Messenger was giving them problems. (We have been struggling with it too!)
Koji Toyama's class of SELHi girls presented the monthly holidays of Japan. Later students from our Advanced Placement English class shared their hobbies and farm activities with the Japanese class. The A.P. teacher suggested we all read a common book and discuss it when they arrive for the study tour. Unless we come up with a better idea, we decided to all read Natsume Soseki's novel, Botchan. It is set in Matsuyama and references to it are all over the city.
Kavitha came up to speak in Japanese with our Japanese friendsi. We walked our laptop and camera outside to show off our progress on the construction af a large pond. It's part of our Pair Project.
John Hervey, who I teach woodshop with attended as did my community volunteer, George Sage.
It was a successful conference and we are all looking forward to our reunion in St. Louis.
Oh, we also discussed the 2007 Pair Project and have some good ideas regarding Marine studies. I am presently arranging for our study tour to visit some agencies that do ocean studies and are located near our Tomales Campus.
Cheers, Jim McElroy

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  can you see us yet.jpg (221.45 KB)


  Kavitha chats in Japanese.jpg (300.51 KB)


  looking to Matsuyama from Tomales.jpg (379.47 KB)


  students at January 2007 video conference.jpg (357.35 KB)


  Trish talks about cattle and sheep.jpg (235.07 KB)


  what happens without the flash.jpg (372.64 KB)


  Zack talks about the family hot rods.jpg (224.47 KB)