Templish (May 28th 2023)

 "Templish", coined from "Temple" and "English", is a program where local children experience Japanese and other cultures in English. NAIST international students and volunteers often participate in Templish, interacting with the children to help them getting accustomed to English as a tool. Every month our students participate in Templish activities, and for May's event the organizer's approached CISS about holding the event on-campus followed by a barbeque. Mr. Robert King (UEA, Center for International Students and Scholars) cooperated with them and proposed possible activities while making arrangements on campus for the event.

 The May Templish event was held at NAIST on May 28th and included a sticker scavenger hunt and a BBQ. There were 32 adult and children who are regular Templish attendees, 8 international students from NAIST, 2 faculty members and their families and a total of seven elementary school children who live on campus who participated.

 In the first part of the event, the children were divided into 6 groups with one child living on campus in each group, and 1 international student that acted as a guide. The guides read off hints about where each sticker was placed and the children took off running towards where they thought the stickers may be. After one hour all the teams were able to collect all 6 stickers and return to the center of the NAIST campus.

 As the children were chasing after the stickers, the adults began getting the BBQ grills ready to cook. One grill was set aside for Halal cooking, as there were many participants from our Muslim community. The Japanese prepared many kinds of meats that are often found in BBQs, along with hot dogs, fried noodles, etc. With the help of a NAIST faculty member, many different types of Halal meats and dishes were prepared for all participants to try. The Muslim students also prepared an Indonesian dish similar yakitori, but dipped in a peanut sauce. Many of the Japanese participants were unfamiliar with what Halal meant and this BBQ was a great chance for them to learn about it and the foods of other countries.

 Children from the NAIST community enjoyed meeting and playing with the Templish participants and the adults attending were able to gain insight into the lives of our international students and faculty. The type of event was the first of tits kind on campus and we look forward to similar cooperation to build ties with the surrounding community. A special thanks to the international students, faculty and their families that not only prepared for the event but also worked hard cooking while explaining their cultures, etc.