Update and next meeting.

We met again on May 3rd to discuss our future plans for fundraising and what still needs to be done for our return trip. Students have made $550.00 deposits so far and the balance will be due in two weeks time (cheques made out to Globetrotter Travel, visa and MC accepted as well).
Next meeting: MONDAY May 16th at 7pm @MHHS cafeteria to work on the cultural exchange night presentation mostly. Please make sure that your forms have been returned, you have submitted a picture and a photocopy of your passport as well.

Cultural Evening and Swimming.

The students from Yamate Gakuin High School put on a spectacular performance. We have definitely got a lot of work ahead of us to prepare for our own performance in July. I thought it would be wise to communicate with the other delegations that are going in order to coordinate our performances in order to make sure they are unique and well organized. We will discuss that at our meeting in May.

If you are going swimming or bowling, could you please contact Keri Crewson at 527-3371 ext. 7707 to let us know how many in your party will be attending. Thank you!

HOSTING UPDATE AND REMINDER
Hello Everyone,

For tomorrow April 20th the following will occur. Students will be taking part in an Aboriginal Cultural Awareness activity at MHHS from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. lunch will be provided.

Due to tomorrow being early dismissal for staff meetings, we have arranged for buses to pick up our guests and transport them to the Medicine Hat Mall for two hours of free time. At 3:00 p.m. the students will return by bus to MHHS to start setting up for the cultural exchange and supper will be provided.

Host families and the community are welcome to take part in the cultural evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Students can be taken home after the cultural evening has been cleaned up after 8:00 p.m.

For the 21st Students will leave from MHHS for Eagles Nest Ranch at 9:00 a.m. and return for around 3:30 p.m. Lunch is provided for this day.

For our students at CHHS and McCoy that are being bussed over to MHHS a reminder that the morning pick up time is 8:30 a.m. and the return from MHHS is at 2:40 p.m.

Thanks for the great pot luck everyone and we hope that everyone is having a great time.

The Medicine Hat Coordinators.

Newpaper Article

Japanese students set to travel to Hat in cultural exchange
Matthew Grant
Medicine Hat News
Students from the world's largest urban area are coming to the city to experience some Medicine Hat hospitality.
As part of a cultural exchange from April 15 to 29, 76 Japanese students from Yamate Jr. and Sr. high school in Yokohama will be taking part in activities with students from Medicine Hat, Crescent Heights and McCoy high schools.
A Hat High teacher who's helping to organize the event, Keri Crewson, said the students will be staying with local families and are coming to learn about the Albertan way of life.
"I think what they'll enjoy here is the western way of life and our countryside."
The Japanese students will also be spending a day at a local high school, attending a potluck supper, going horseback riding and going to a cultural evening. The event is scheduled to take place on April 20 at Crescent Heights high school.
Crewson said the exchange also involves about 25 students from Medicine Hat who will be going to Yokohama to live with Japanese families later this year.
"It will definitely give (our students) an understanding of the world's diversity."
Yamate is a private school in Yokohama, a city with 3.5 million people and a population density of just over 8,000 people per square kilometre.
The city is part of the greater Tokyo area, a 3,000 square kilometre continuous urban sprawl which encompasses the cities of Yokohama, Tokyo and Kawasaki and has a population of over 33 million people.
In contrast, Medicine Hat has a population of just over 50,000, is 111.9 kilometres squared and has a population density of 457.6 people per square kilometre.
Crewson said, while she is excited the students are coming, the work is far from over as she is still looking for five more families to play host to the Asian visitors.
"We're looking for some people who hopefully have a connection with the schools," she said.
Crewson can be contacted at Medicine Hat high school.

Next Meeting.

Tuesday March 12th at MHHS. 7pm in the cafeteria
Please bring your $400 deposit if you haven't paid already (total remittance to date is $550)

Schedule of events

SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15 Students from Yamate Gakuin School Arrive 8-9 P.M.	16 FYI: Jr. B Cubs Western Canadian Hockey Championships this weekend see MH News for game times.
17 Potluck Supper for Yamate students and host families at Crescent Heights High School. Meal provided by the organizing committee for all. Please R.S.V.P. with your family numbers.	18 MH students invite Yamate students to spend a school day with them. Dignitary Evening for Chaperones 6-9 p.m. at the Zucchini Blossom	19 City Hall tour at 2 p.m. Medalta Museum tour and Tee-pee. Bag lunch needed. Yamate students.	20 Deb Lloyd’s Native Education Program. Cultural Evening at MHHS cafeteria for Yamate students (supper provided) 3-10pm. All welcome.	21 Field Trip to Eagle’s Nest Ranch 9-3p.m. Lunch provided. Yamate Students. -Horseback riding, zip-line, archery, and other activities.	22 Aquatic Day – At Leisure Center in Crescent Heights 1-3 p.m. (Yamate student’s fee covered.) All welcome.	23 Families plan their own activities for the weekend.
24 Chaperone BBQ at Dalton’s 5-?	25 Bowling at Panarama Lanes 7-9 (pay per user/~$8 shoe rental included.	26 Yamate Drumheller Tyrell Museum tour 8:30-6pm. Bag lunch required. A headset with a Japanese language tour will be provided.	27 Evening Barbecue and Dance Supper provided for Yamate students and host student. 5-10pm Dance 7-10 for host families.	28 Perhaps this is a day for Yamate students to take advantage of cheap Canadian shopping and a quiet evening with their host families.	29 Yamate Departs Students must be at MHHS by 5A.M. to leave by 6A.M.	30
		Bowling Fishing Billiards

Other things to do in Medicine Hat.

Other happenings in Medicine Hat of interest.

There is a local Musical Theatre Production going on that would be of interest."Anne of Green Gables" (very popular in Japan right now)
April 25 to 30th at the College Theatre
7:30 pm nightly
Tickets $18 (on sale in City Hall foyer from 12pm to 6pm daily)
Contact person: Evan Tonin (527-3621).
I spoke to her and tickets could be blocked (no discount).
Mon April 25th or Thurs Apr 28th are possible dates that would work although both dates have some disadvantages. The 25th would mean missing the (optional) bowling and the 28th is the last night of the visit (and the next morning will be early).
Paul D'Agostino

Weekend Getaway in Calgary?

The Sheraton Eau Claire Suites has available a number of rooms under its SAVOR SPRING rate. This rate is for two nights with the second night being FREE and with the hotel providing a $40 lunch/supper credit for its Barclay's Restaurant. Valet parking is about $22/night or guests may park in one of the nearby outdoor lots for less.The hotel is in my opinion the best of the downtown hotels offering all suite accommodation, a pool/hot tub/dry sauna/short fast waterslide/exercise area.
The hotel is on the Plus 15 walkway (inside walkway that connects the whole of the Calgary downtown together), across from Eau Claire market and nearby many restaurants/coffee shops etc... Driving is only required if you wish to leave the downtown area (like shopping at Chinook Centre).The 1 bedroom suite (2 queen beds in the bedroom and a pullout couch in the living room) is $199 + taxes for the 2 nights.The 2 bedroom suite (2 queen beds in one bedroom, a king bed in the other bedroom and a pullout couch in the living room) is $299 + taxes for the two nights. There are very few 2 bedrooms in the hotel and I think only two more are available for the nights of April 22/23.The link below is to the offered rate and will allow interested people to explore the hotel offerings. Other packages from $149 + taxes are also available for 1 night as well. For example there is a Zoo Rate for $159 that includes 1 night and 2 adult/2 child zoo passes (I don't think its on the website but was in a flyer sent in the Medicine Hat News that I have).http://www.sheratonsuites.com/savor.htm
If it works out it would be nice to have several families in the hotel for the students to be with during a Calgary visit.I have booked in already and would be happy to answer any questions on the hotel.
Paul D'Agostino529-2214 (home)544-4670 (work)

More information on Yamate Gakuin High School

Check out this website:
http://www1.neweb.ne.jp/wb/yamate/Two-week.htm

March 16th

The next meeting for the exchange will be March 22nd at 7p.m. in the MHHS cafeteria for those students who are going to Japan in July. Please bring your $400 deposit to the meeting.

We are hosting the Yamate Gakuin High School from Yokohama, Japan from April 15-29th. This is an excellent chance to show off some Canadian hospitality. We are hosting a total of 76 students are in need of 15 more host families to take in these students. If at all possible, we are looking for families that can take two students into their home. The students are here to learn about Canadian culture and to learn English. We have arranged for a variety of field trips for these students during the days they are here. There will also be a variety of activities that host families will be able to participate in as well during the evenings.
Please forward this information to your staff.
If you think you may be able to help us out, or would like more information, please contact:
Connie Atkison MHHS 527-3371 ext. 7262
Jill Eastly MHHS 527-3371 ext. 7123

Preference for families who can take in two students. Two separate rooms are not necessary, but certainly two separate beds/pullouts/cots are. Host families would be responsible for getting the students to Medicine Hat High School in the mornings for their field trips and getting them back at night. There are some days that a supper or a lunch may be provided for these students, but most of the time meals are the responsibility of the host families. A calendar of events will be posted on this site soon.

February 7th

Hi everyone, I just want to let you know what the criteria are for the contest which will determine the logo on the exchange's tshirts.

- it must include "Yamate Exchange" as well as the names or initials of the 3 involved high schools
- the logo itself may be 2 colours and the tshirt can only be 1 colour
- the year, 2005, must also be included somewhere

- the actual design is up to the students. For my japanese class, I simply brainstormed with the students what the exchange is all about (learning, experiencing new cultures, working together, etc.) and they came up lots of good ideas.
- the deadline will be Feb 28 and bring the entries to the meeting on March 1st.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me. Thanks.
Gen Handley