AIS stands for Akita Interpreting Service. It is the name of a group in Akita interested in learning and improving interpretation skills (between English and Japanese).
Naoto Sato in Noshiro heads the group. Mr. Sato is an excellent interpreter.
AIS Interpreting training session started in the summer of 2000. At the beginning it was called "WG" or "World Games" group, not "AIS" group. The participants attended
the session to prepare for interpreting for the Akita World Games, which was held in the summer of 2001. After the World Games, we renamed the WG group into AIS
group because we wanted to continue to brush up our skill even after the Akita World Games.
We hold a meeting on the first Sunday of every month. There are two sessions on the day -- morning session (10:00AM to noon) and afternoon session (1:00PM to 3:00PM).
The venue is Joinus, which is right in front of Senshu Park in Akita City. We will have a monthly meeting at Joinus until May in 2018, when it will be closed. After June, it will be
held at a different venue. Joinus in Akita City time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM (morning session) 1:00PM - 3:00PM (afternoon session)
This website will be updated only by the end of 2019.
December meeting
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Morning session:
1) current English words in November 2019
2) shadowing: Learning Revolution
3) translation from Japanese to English using a movie "The Sting"
6 people attended.
Afternoon session:
Guest: Kim Carlson
Topic: a road trip in Japan
5 people attended.
November meeting
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Morning session:
1) current English words in October 2019
2) shadowing: Learning Revolution
3) translation from Japanese to English using a movie "The Sting"
5 people attended.
Afternoon session:
Guest: Tim Ernst
Topic: Are you prepared to pass away?
6 people attended.
No October meeting 2019
Sunday, September 1st, 2019
Morning session:
1) current English words in August 2019
2) shadowing: Learning Revolution
3) translation from Japanese to English using a movie "The Sting"
6 people attended.
Afternoon session:
Guest Speaker: Kim Carlson
Topic: Zen and Calligraphy
9 people attended.
Sunday, August 4th, 2019
Morning session:
1) current English words in July 2019
2) shadowing: Learning Revolution
3) translation from Japanese to English using a movie "The Sting"
5 people attended.
Afternoon session:
Guest Speaker: Kunaeva Elena
Topic: What I discovered about pets
8 people attended.
Sunday, July 14th, 2019
Morning session:
1) current English words in June 2019
2) shadowing: Learning Revolution
3) translation from Japanese to English using a movie "The Sting"
6 people attended.
Afternoon session:
Guest Speaker: Ron Adcock
Topic: Tokyo memories
Summary:
My presentation topic was Tokyo Memories. I lived in Machida, Tokyo for three years. First I talked about my journey to prepare myself
before coming to Japan. I went back to college to study linguistics, education and Japanese language, history and literature. I was very
serious. Besides college Japanese language class five times a week I also went to a private Japanese language school once a week.
Through that school I could see many Japanese films. Once a month they rented an old theater and two films from Shochiku Los Angeles.
I had already seen many Kurosawa Akira films and other old classics, but through the language school I could see new modern-day films
like Otoko wa Tsurai Yo series. I received the Japanese movie posters for helping the school. I put the posters on the walls of my bedroom.
I first learned reading kanji by reading the posters, especially actor's names.
My first month in Japan was something like a homestay. The school I was working for had decided an apartment for me, but it wouldn't be
available for one month. A friend of the school's owner had an empty room I could sleep in for one month. My first Sunday in Japan my
"host family" took me to Kamakura to see the Daibutsu. They didn't know it but one of my strongest images of Japan before coming here
was, in fact, the Kamakura Daibutsu! It appeared in the movie "Around the World in Eighty Days" starring David Niven. Standing in front of
the real Daibutsu in Japan was like a dream come true. It was very spiritual!
My first summer in Japan I slept for two nights on Mt Fuji. One of my adult student's parents owned the first rest stop on Mt. Fuji from
the parking lot. The second floor had futon so I could spend two nights there. The first night I was standing outside looking at the view down
below illuminated by city lights. It was really an amazing view. The next day I had to do something to spend my time. I didn't want to walk
to the top of Mt. Fuji. So I walked around to the other side of the mountain to see what was there. I discovered something beyond my imagination.
It was a castle. It was the location set for Kurosawa's new movie "Ran" that would be released the following year. In the finale of the movie
Nakadai Tatsuya comes walking out of the burning castle with his enemies waiting. They couldn't burn a real castle so they built one on
Mt. Fuji. Another dream come true. My love of Kurosawa Akira movies was one of my greatest influences and inspirations in my journey to
Japan. It was destiny!
7 people attended.
Sunday, June 9th, 2019
Morning session:
1) current English words in May 2019
2) shadowing: Learning Revolution
3) translation from Japanese to English using a movie "The Sting"
5 people attended.
Afternoon session:
Guest Speaker: Kim Carlson
Topic: Ships, Trains, Boats, Buses, and Bikes in China
8 people attended.
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