Vietnam in summer of 2014.

For the first time in last 4 years, I visited Hanoi.

I faced lots of surprise there.

First, I didn’t need to fill out the immigration paper when I arrived.

As soon as I arrived at the airport, I saw the big signboard of Taisei-construction for the extension construction there. The road from the airport to Hanoi city became much better than 4 years ago.

We had three purposes of this visit. The observation of ITM company, a Hanoi local company (attended by NC Vietnam) and an industry of Japanese small and medium enterprises.

ITM provides Japanese language education to Vietnamese staff who are going to be dispatched to companies in Japan.

I would like to introduce one of the most interesting ITM’s projects.

It is to accept Japanese volunteers to their company as the teachers of Japanese language. The trainees are those who already decided their jobs in Japan and are learning Japanese for their future jobs. The volunteering period is three months, and what they are provided are lodges, meals (lunch and dinner) and traveling expenses to Hanoi from Japan. Their task is mainly to support Vietnamese teachers teaching Japanese to the trainees.

There is no age limit, and most of applicants are who already retired.

The Qualification for Japanese teacher is not necessary.

The school principle is a Japanese man named Mr. Yamada. He has interviews with applicants on skype and makes a final decision. That is similar to what I’d like to achieve non government diplomacy which many retired people who still have enough ability to make great efforts for younger generation.

On the second day, I visited the Japanese school at ITM company, the lodging house and saw how the trainees are living in there and joined the Japanese class. I found how eagerly the trainees learned.

After that, a Japanese volunteer showed me her room. She told me that the Vietnamese teachers care Japanese volunteers a lot all the time and she enjoys the fulfilled life everyday with the trainees who learns very hard. She said that many volunteers apply for the same volunteer work after their three months period.

<Translation of what the photo shows.>

[Greeting]

To get used to Japanese custom, greet like Japanese to teachers, guests, between trainees.

-Men should stay with a straight back, put hands side of thigh. Women should hold the hands front.

-When you bow, lean your upper half of body 45 degrees forward.

-When you greet, greet with louder voice and politely.

It is very detailed information principal Yamada gives to volunteer applicants.

Information for volunteer teachers (except the application requirements)