May in Seattle

May in Seattle this year has been hit-or-miss weather-wise; a good mix of bright sunny days and cloudy, drizzly days. But it has been just a little cooler than usual. Nevertheless, the students have been actively joining outdoor activities, such as “skim-boarding” with the Rock Talk conversation club, tennis, and jogging. Three HTC students entered the 8 km “Beat the Bridge” run near the University of Washington, to support diabetes research.
At the beginning of the month, the Shoreline students went to see the Mariners play against the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field (the Mariners lost again!), and the next day they went on a tour of Safeco Field as a class field trip. (The Edmonds students went to a ballgame and stadium tour last month.)

A special event this month was the wedding of one of our former students – Yoko Arai (TTJC) – who had studied at HTC Shoreline in 2006. She had worked at the Nikko Restaurant in Dusseldorf , Germany for two years, visiting Seattle occasionally. At some time during those visits, she got engaged to Dave, the leader of Rock Talk, and they had a lovely wedding on May 15. Most of the HTC staff attended, and several of our current students helped at the reception, serving drinks and cake. Several of Yoko’s former classmates came from Japan just for the wedding to serve as Yoko’s bridesmaids. It was great to see them all again. Yoko and Dave will be living in Seattle. Let’s wish good luck to the newlyweds.
Another special visitor who arrived in May is Yuki Okutsu, from Hotel Century Southern Tower in Tokyo. She has come through the Trajal Internship Program to work at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Seattle for a few months.

Some students have been acting a bit moody lately. In Japan you would probably call it “go-gatsu byo”, but in America we don’t have an expression like “May sickness”. I guess we would call it “adjustment issues” – a combination of homesickness, relationship problems with old friends and new friends, and just being a teenager. (Actually, we have something called “Spring Fever”, but that means feeling lazy and losing concentration when the spring weather gets warm and sunny.) We have a 3-day holiday weekend coming up for Memorial Day. The holiday is to remember soldiers who died in wars, but most Americans celebrate the holiday with picnics and barbecues. Many of our students will attempt their first independent travel, going to Vancouver, Canada or Portland, Oregon. I hope they don’t have any trouble or lose anything. And I hope that the change of pace helps them overcome their moodiness. For students who stay around Seattle, there is a huge international culture festival at Seattle Center – the Northwest Folklife Festival. We can see music and dance performances from all over the world, and try many kinds of food. I am looking forward to it.

Neal Colodner
HTC Seattle
May 26, 2010

Koala Blog

I would like to introduce member of us! we will renew this weblog at least once in 1week. so please check this site ! Incidentally,Haruka(M) takes in charge of this week. we went to city,camp and lots of places. I will renew lots of pictures together! So please look forward to seeing!All of parents and friends ,put your mind ease! we enjoy Australian life and school!

http://www.trajal.com.au/koalablog/p/4709

Harumi (Melbourne)

Students arrived in Seattle on March 27th

Since our students arrived in Seattle on March 27th, one month has already passed. This week I heard some student comment amazedly, “Wow! A whole month already. So fast!”, but considering all the activities they have had, I can’t believe it has been only one month: Orientation, Seattle downtown tour, elementary school visit (Edmonds), tulip fields tour, Mariners game and Safeco Field stadium tour, hiking in the forest around campus (Shoreline), conversation clubs at local churches, gospel choir practices, parties with college clubs, and of course classes, classes, classes every weekday. Some students have already been selected for internships and will begin working at the Mariners Team Store, Executive Hotel Pacific, and Tillicum Village (Northwest Indian Cultural Facility) in May.

The students have been adjusting well to American life – learning the bus system, making new friends at school and in their communities, and adapting to homestay life. At orientation we emphasized “Be active!”, and most students seem to be following that advice. About 35 students have signed up for the scuba diving course this summer, and several students work out in the school gym or do sports in the local park every day after school, trying to shape up more fun activities this spring and summer.

Tomorrow we will have our bowling tournament with all HTC students from Edmonds and Shoreline, as well as teachers and some international and local students from the two colleges. No doubt, the students will be excited to see school mates from the same school in Japan who are now studying at the other school (Edmonds or Shoreline) whom they have not seen since arriving in Seattle.

Neal Colodner
Seattle
4/29/2010

Our facilities have been renovated!

Hello everyone!!

This is to let you know about training facilities which have been newly renovated in April.

This is the customer service desk.


This training room is used for a practical training such as selling tours, basic training of sales by using brochures of actual travel products.

This is a practical room for care-helper classes.


This is the first certified practical facility in Japan.
The floor was renewed.
We should study harder to acquire this qualification.

Please come to see us!!

Admission Counseling Office
Trajal Hospitality & Tourism College

A graduate of Trajal Hospitality & Tourism College Osaka appeared in a newspaper article

An international student, Wu E-Ting from Taiwan who is a graduate of Trajal Hospitality & Tourism College appeared in a newspaper article recently.

She has been offered a position at the KAGAYA PEITOU hot spring facility which will be opening in Taiwan at the end of this year.

The KAGAYA is located at the WAKURA hot spring resort in Ishikawa Prefecture is a long-established ryokan(Japanese-Style inn) which has won the first prize for thirty consecutive years since 1981 at "The Japanese Hotel & Ryokan competition".

The KAGAYA plans to open the KAGAYA PEITOU which is the first Japanese style inn to be established overseas.

Wu E-Ting is studying Japanese culture and ryokan to become one of the opening staff at the KAGAYA PEITOU every day now, and she is learning flower arrangement and tea ceremony as well.
She has to learn many things, but she is trying her best to do everything with a smile.

KAGAYA web site: http://www.kagaya.co.jp/index.php

Kumiko Yamamoto
Trajal Hospitality & Tourism College Osaka

＊♪＊ TOU-NICHI-BUN (vol.22) ＊♪＊

A new course, called the “LS course” (TOU-NICHI-BUN Language Studio) started on the 8th of April. This course is intended for the students who have Working Holiday visas, Short-term visas, or Family visas, and focus mainly on conversation skills.

This special course lasts only 3 months, but already the teacher and the students are communicating actively in the class.
I can’t wait to see how much they are able to improve their conversation skills.

※ This LS course will be held every 3 months.
Also if you are interested, you can join the class that is already in progress.

Junko Fujisaki
Tokyo Japanese Language & Culture College

“Omikoshi” in Melbourne

Our 11 students who stayed in Melbourne for 2 months joined people from “Japan Club of Victoria” and took part in Parade at “Moomba Festival”
We were worried about the weather because we had wild weather the day before and quite heavy storms and rain in the morning.
But luckily when the parade started at 11:00, the rain stopped! Even blue sky and the sun came out for us!
We worn HAPPI (Japanese Festival Jacket) and carried OMIKOSHI (Portable shrine) on the main street of Melbourne City.
Moomba Festival is one of the biggest cultural festivals in Melbourne.
Despite the weather, there are so many people came to see the parade. We were on TV on that day too!

Ryoko Yoshiura