メリークリスマス Merīkurisumasu!

メリークリスマス

Merīkurisumasu (Merry Christmas)!

Congratulations Frank Ishizaki!

Congratulations to one of our founders, Frank Ishizaki, for being appointed as the new Director for the Department of Corrections!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Domo Arigato for all that you do to make a difference! 🦃🍁🍂

GNA Pope Visit Snapshots - Nov. 26

GNA members will see Pope Francis in Japan

Click here to view the full article.

40th Japan Autumn Festival Snapshots - Nov. 16

GNA Meeting - Nov. 14

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING:

November 14, 2019

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Tamuning Senior Citizens Center

Agenda:

*Planning for 2020 6th Annual Lantern Floating Ceremony
*2020 JALD candidate nomination
*60th Convention of the Nikkei and Japanese Abroad in Tokyo
*November 16th JCoG 40th Annual Autumn Festival

Guam Nikkei Association (GNA) donates to the Japan Club of Guam

(Tamuning, Guam) The Guam Nikkei Association donates to the Japan Club of Guam for their 40th Japan Autumn Festival to be held on November 16th, 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Governor Joseph Flores Memorial Beach Park (Ypao Beach).

The Guam Nikkei Association is proud to support the Japan Club of Guam as they celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Japan Autumn Festival. The Festival is the longest-running festival in Guam and celebrates cultural exchange for children and the people of Guam. 

“Many members of the Guam Nikkei Association have grown up attending the Autumn Festival through the years and it is a fitting tribute to celebrate our Japanese ancestry through this donation. Through the Japan Club of Guam and their hosting of this Annual Festival, the people of Guam have enjoyed cultural exchange and exposure to our Japanese heritage,” stated Monte Mesa, President of the GNA.

Pictured above is Yuichiro Hirano, Japan Club of Guam, Monte Mesa, President, Guam Nikkei Association, Mike Sato, President, Japan Club of Guam, Lucky Sakamoto and Karl Sotto, Guam Nikkei Association. Second Row: Cathy Castro, Gloria Cruz and Monica Guzman, Guam Nikkei Association.

Pope Visit to Japan

The GNA is fortunate to have an opportunity for a limited number of its membership to attend the Papal Mass to be held in Japan this November 24 and 25 in Nagasaki and Tokyo, Japan. Those interested in attending this self-funded trip should contact Monica Guzman at 727-1879 or Mr. Karl Sotto at 688-5720 for more information. Due to limited seats and shortened timeframe, this will be on a first-come first serve basis.

This is a self-funded trip and deadline for interest will be Friday, October 18th.

GNA Meeting - Oct. 10

The Guam Nikkei Association is pleased to announce that their regular monthly membership meeting is set for 6 pm, Thursday, October 10, 2019 at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. We look forward to seeing you there!

Matson Navigation Guam presents grant award to Guam Nikkei Association

(Agana Heights, Guam) The Guam Nikkei Association (GNA) received a $500 grant award from Matson Navigation in support of the environmental clean-up by the Guam Okayama Homestay Exchange Program on July 21. 8 students from Okayama, Japan were hosted by members of the Association during a 6-day tour included participating in the 75^th Liberation activities parade and concluded with a farewell dinner at Government House and meeting Maga’Haga Lou Leon Guerrero and First Gentleman Jeff Cook.

In its 3^rd year, the Guam Okayama Homestay program is organized by the municipal government of Okayama Prefecture and students alternate travel. As many as 10 Guam students will have the opportunity to travel to Japan in 2020 for a weeklong cultural exchange.

Front row L-R: Guam Nikkei Association Chairman Frank S.N. Shimizu accepts the grant from Matson Navigation’s Gloria Perez along with Governor Lou Leon Guerrero on July 25. Also pictured are the 8 exchange students along with their chaperones and First Gentleman Jeff Cook.

GNA Meeting - Aug. 15

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING:

August 15, 2019

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Tamuning Senior Citizens Center

Topics:

*Okayama Homestay Program Wrap Up

*Pro Lantern Ceremony

GNA Application Renewal Form

Save the Date! GNA 5th Annual Lantern Floating Ceremony - Sept. 7

SAVE THE DATE
Guam Nikkei Association Presents the
5th Annual
Lantern Floating Ceremony  

When: Saturday, September, 7, 2019 

Where: Governor Joseph Flores Memorial Beach Park, Ypao Beach

Registration & Design: 1PM to 5PM
Ceremony: 5:30PM

5th Annual Lantern Floating Ceremony - Sept. 7

SAVE THE DATE
Guam Nikkei Association Presents the
5th Annual
Lantern Floating Ceremony  

When: Saturday, September, 7, 2019 

Where: Governor Joseph Flores Memorial Beach Park, Ypao Beach

Registration & Design: 1PM to 5PM
Ceremony: 5:30PM

GNA Meeting - July 11

TIME:       6:00 PM

WHEN:    THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019  
  
WHERE:  TAMUNING SENIOR CENTER 

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

GNA Meeting - July 11

TIME:       6:00 PM

WHEN:    THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019  
  
WHERE:  TAMUNING SENIOR CENTER 

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

INAFA' MAOLEK and the GUAM NIKKEI ASSOCIATION

Hafa Adai! You're probably wondering how does this phrase relate to us... First, for those who are not familiar with the phrase, according to our online sources (Guampedia), "the phrase  inafa’ maolek (pronounced e-na-fah mao-lek) describes the Chamorro concept of restoring harmony and order. The literal translation is ‘to make’ (inafa’) ‘good’ ( maolek)." And that's what the GNA is trying to do. As many of you know, Guam has a long standing, sister city relationship with Okayama, Japan.  I can go on and on about this relationship but I'll save you the trouble (google it) and get to the point. The GNA supports the Okayama city's International Exchange Student Program that offers our youth an "EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME" that is, honestly,  priceless! I spoke about this a few emails back.  We are trying to finalize arrangements for the program as I write this. BUT.... We are looking for two (2) more host families to welcome a student into their home July 20th through the 26th. The GNA will arrange a welcome and farewell acitivity for the students and host families. Details are in the works. I will keep you posted on our plans. As a host, you will show the student our island hospitality and possibly create a lifelong relationship just like the 2018 Guam kids did when they visited Okayama. Host families with school aged children are preferred but not required. As long as you have a cousin, neice, nephew or relative with school aged kids that the student can relate to, you'll be OK. Hosting a student has advantages, too! Host families will receive ADVANCE notice of the next Guam Okayama International Exchange Student Program (our kids will visit).  That means, if you host a student, you will be first to know when the program opens to accept applications for the next program year! The 2018 students from Guam had a full itinerary in Okayama. They enjoyed visiting Okayama University and Science Center and going out to pick peaches, to name a few. Did you know that Okayama is famous for their peaches? The city takes great pride in their peaches with some farmers placing paper bags over the peaches to "protect" them from the sun. Some sell for as much as $50.00 for just one. One! That's a pricey peach! Anyway, if you are interested in hosting a student this summer, from July 20th through the 26th, I'd like to hear from you! If you have questions before you commit, I'd like to hear from you. If there's something you'd like to share with the GNA, I'd like to hear from you. I'd be happy to share all the fun and interesting things the GNA has planned. We talk about these plans during our monthly meetings on the second Thursday of the month, 6pm at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. WE ALL WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN US! To send me an email, click the button below. If you're not sure about pressing the button, email me by clicking here. If you're driving, you shouldn't be reading this email while driving. DANGER!!! If it's easier, give me a call or send me a text at 929-8823.  Your support of this goodwill project is sincerely appreciated. Domo Arigato Gozaimasu Si Yu'os ma'åse, Pauline Okada  2019 Okayama Guam International Exchange Student Program Coordinator Secretary, GUAM NIKKEI ASSOCIATION

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GNA Meeting - May 9

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING:

May 9, 2019

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Tamuning Senior Citizen Center

AGENDA ITEMS:

*Message from the Consulate General of Japan

*Okayama Homestay Program 2019

*Proa Lantern Ceremony

*Other

GNA Application Renewal Form

GNA Meeting - April 25

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING:

April 25, 2019

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location:  
Tamuning Senior Citizens Center

GNA Meeting - April 11

The Guam Nikkei Association is pleased to announce that their regular monthly membership meeting is set for 6 pm, Thursday, April 11, 2019 at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. We look forward to seeing you there!

CALLING ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF THE GUAM NIKKEI ASSOCIATION

Hafa Adai!
I hope this email finds you well this Easter season. We are happy to report that the GNA has been meeting regularly on every second Thursday at 6 pm at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. I hope that you've been getting our reminder emails. Nonetheless, we have a few events coming up and are hoping to garner a some support from our friends.  
One project in particular has us needing to reach out to you is the upcoming Okayama City International Exchange student program. We hope that you will consider supporting this project. 

In 2017, the Okayama City Inernational Exchange Program reached out to the Guam Nikkei Association seeking support of it summer exchange program. In an effort to promote goodwill, members of the GNA agreed to host six (6) Okayama city exchange students for one (1) week to learn about Guam, its culture and daily life. The students report that this once in a lifetime experience gave them the drive to study harder to improve their English so that they may return to Guam in hopes of furthering their international studies.  

In 2018,  the GNA helped to send six (6) local students to visit Okayama to experience the same. Our Guam team visited Okayama University, the Museum of Natural Science and went peach picking, just to name a few. They all agree the experience was amazing and are greatful for the rare opportunity to interact with students from other countries such as China, Korea, and Bulgaria. This exchange program continues to help build our sister city relationship with Okayama City and create far-reaching connections with our global neighbors.    

In 2019, we are hosting eight (8) echange students from Okayama from July 20 to 26. Their visit aligns perfectly with our Liberation festivities as we celebrate 75 years of liberation and the end of WWII. We are sure to show them how we celebrate things here on Guam! 

We are seeking families with high school aged children to host these students and show them our CHamoru/island hospitality. The GNA will host a welcome dinner for the host families and students and also arrange some other activities that showcase our culture, island and hospitality 

If this  project is one that you can get behind, we'd like to hear from you. Come to our next meeting scheduled for April 11, at 6pm at the Tamuning Senior Citizens Center. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please respond by clicking the button below. Your support of this project is sincerely appreciated. 

Domo Arigato Gozaimasu 
Si Yu'os ma'åse, 

GUAM NIKKEI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

Thank you for hosting Tokon painters

Thank you for the warm welcome you provided to the Tokon painters on 

February 26, 2019.  Enjoy the following snapshots!