The Foreign Language Club’s annual English Camp returned for its second annual incarnation. Held in Hiwasa on July 31- August 1, students and teachers enjoyed the seaside town with beautiful sunshine and hot weather occasionally tempered by ocean breeze. The camp brought together students determined to improve their English, and surprisingly, their fitness levels.

To encourage full immersion, the camp had one rule: English only! Anyone caught slipping into japanese had to drop and give the group squats or push-ups. By the end of the weekend, everyone got a tiny bit stronger; teachers and ALT’s included.

The first day kicked off with a beach scavenger hunt, where students raced in teams to find items and take pictures of the beautiful oceanside. Pictures with the teachers came at the price of answering English riddles, which the students took in stride. The competition quickly turned into laughter and teamwork, followed by a sweet reward of ice cream and some relaxed bonding time in the sun.

Later that evening, the group tuned into some classic summer tunes and gathered in the kitchen to prepare a veritable feast. On the menu: Spanish paella, Italian minestrone, and Tex-Mex tacos. Each dish was prepared together, with (mostly) english instructions. The night ended peacefully with stargazing.

The following morning, campers were treated to a cozy breakfast of oatmeal and French toast before heading off to the Hiwasa Sea Turtle Museum Caretta. There, students learned about Hiwasa’s local history and its dedication to sea turtle conservation. The foreign language club then welcomed a new mascot: a loggerhead sea turtle named Carmen.

Before heading home, everyone enjoyed a final meal together, classic burgers and fries, and shared their favorite memories from the weekend. As the train pulled away with sleepy but smiling students aboard, one thing was clear: this year’s English Camp was a success.

With improved English skills, stronger friendships, and maybe a bit more muscle, everyone is already looking forward to next year’s adventure!

Italian cooking

The Foreign Language Club was fortunate enough to welcome a very special guest recently, Camilla, our exchange student from Italy! On June 28, Camilla graciously led a fun cultural session, giving us a glimpse into the festive spirit of Carnevale, one of Italy’s traditions.

 In Italy, Carnevale takes place in the weeks leading up to Lent. It’s a time marked by celebration, costumes, parades, and indulgent foods! Before the fasting season begins, families often prepare sweet treats that have become staples of the holiday.

 Under Camilla’s guidance, the club tied up their aprons and got to work preparing two classic Carnevale desserts:

First, Castagnole! These are small, golden dough balls enriched with butter and eggs, sweetened, and perfumed with lemon zest. Crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and paired with custard, they were popular!

 Second, Frittelle di Mele! Apple rings are dipped in a light batter and fried to a perfect golden brown. The kitchen smelled amazing, and the taste was even better!

 It was a fantastic way to learn about Italian culture through hands-on experience, and everyone left with their sweet tooth satisfied, and happy hearts. Grazie mille, Camilla, for sharing a piece of your home with us!

6月28日、外国語部では特別な文化体験イベントが行われました。今回の講師は、イタリアからの交換留学生Camillaさん。イタリアの伝統的なお祭り「Carnevale」の紹介とともに、代表的なお菓子作りを体験しました。

Carnevaleは、イタリアで四旬節の前に行われる華やかなお祭りで、仮装やパレード、そして甘いお菓子が楽しみのひとつです。

イベントでは、2種類の伝統菓子を調理しました。ひとつ目は「Castagnole」。レモンの香りがふんわり広がる、小さな揚げドーナツです。外はカリッと、中はふんわりの食感で、カスタードクリームとの相性も抜群でした。

ふたつ目は「Frittelle di Mele」。リンゴの輪切りに衣をつけて揚げたお菓子で、香ばしい香りが教室いっぱいに広がりました。

調理を通してイタリアの文化に触れ、楽しく学べた貴重なひとときとなりました。カミッラさん、素敵な時間をありがとうございました！

6月15日（日）外語部3名は、第１４回高校生英語パーラメンタリーディベート連盟新緑杯　西日本大会（オンライン開催）に参加しました。上記3名の公式戦参加は２回目です。

初心者ながら練習を重ね、試合出場にまでいたることができました。難しく、考えたことのないトピックには苦戦しながらも、練習の成果をしっかりと発揮することができました。

今大会では、西日本各地から集まった実力のあるチームと対戦することができ、大きな刺激を受けました。英語で論理的に意見を述べ合う中で、自分たちの力を試す貴重な機会となりました。

試合後には、ジャッジの方から丁寧で具体的なアドバイスをいただき、今後生かせる多くの学びを得ました。今回の経験を糧に、さらなるスキルの向上を目指して活動を続けていきます。

＜結果＞

Round 1　VS　東海高校　（WIN）

[論題] THW make voting mandatory.

Round 2　VS　鶴丸高校　（WIN）

[論題] THW require doctors to report all cases of suspected domestic violence.

Round 3   VS   藤島高校　（LOSE）

[論題] THBT the narrative "experience of hardship and agony is necessary for success" does more harm than good.

Round 4  VS 　藤島高校　（LOSE）

[論題] THBT developing countries should require their citizens to work for a minimum period of time in their country of origin after graduating from university.

To mark the beginning of a new school year, the Foreign Language Club has started offering monthly French lessons open to all interested students. The first session took place in May and introduced participants to basic greetings, common expressions, and cultural insights about life in France. Like ‘la bise’ a french greeting where people greet each other cheek to cheek and make a kissing noise!

With an emphasis on communication, the lessons aim to spark curiosity and build confidence in using French. Each month, students can look forward to a new theme and vocabulary, ranging from food to everyday conversation and travel (and a little bit of grammar!). Whether you're a beginner, a french speaker, or just curious about French culture, all are welcome to join!

希望する生徒を対象に、毎月フランス語レッスンを開催しています。第1回は5月28日に行われ、参加者はフランスの基本的なあいさつやよく使われる表現、そして文化について学びました。たとえば「la bise」という、頬と頬を寄せてキスの音を立てるフランス独特のあいさつも紹介されました！

フランス語への興味をもってもらい、フランス文化に触れることを目指しています。

毎月テーマが変わり、「食べ物」「日常会話」「旅行」などにまつわる語彙（時にはちょっとした文法も！）を学ぶ予定です。

初心者の方も、フランス語経験者の方も、あるいはフランス文化にちょっと興味があるという方も、ぜひ気軽に参加してください！

This spring, on April 3, the foreign language club held a hanami picnic under the blooming cherry trees in the city park. Students brought snacks, got to know each other, and enjoyed the warm weather together. Petals drifted through the air as everyone sat on picnic sheets, laughing and chatting in Japanese, English, French, Italian, and Indonesian.

Joto is happy to welcome a new Italian exchange student this year, and the hanami was a perfect chance for students to practice their language skills and make new friends beneath the cherry blossoms.

As the petals began to fall, the scene captured a quiet appreciation for the fleeting beauty of the moment. The blooms will soon disappear, just as students continue to grow and change with each passing season.

It was a simple and meaningful event. Students opened up, shared cultures, and celebrated the season of change, beautiful while it lasted.

今年の春、4月3日に外語部は市内の公園で満開の桜の下、お花見ピクニックを開催しました。
生徒たちはお菓子を持ち寄り、暖かい陽気の中で交流を深めました。レジャーシートの上では、日本語、英語、フランス語、イタリア語、インドネシア語、ドイツ語が飛び交い、桜の花びらが舞う中、生徒たちは笑い合い、会話を楽しんでいました。

今年度、城東高校にはイタリアからの交換留学生が新たに加わり、 お花見は言語を練習したり、新しい友達をつくったりする絶好の機会となりました。

Red bean paste seems to be a decisive ingredient.

Since October 18th, Joto High School has been thrilled to host 21 exchange students from Saint-Joseph High School in Le Havre, France. Joto and Saint-Joseph are celebrating 25 years of partnership, and this year marks the first in-person reunion in six years due to the pandemic.

To welcome the French students and foster new friendships, the Foreign Language Club organized a mochi-making event on Thursday, October 24th. Of the many cultural connections between Japan and France, a shared love for sweets and of meticulous cuisine stands out. 

In the kitchen, students and teachers alike dove into preparing traditional Japanese sweets: Muscat Daifuku, Chestnut Daifuku, and Sanshoku Dango. Red bean paste, a central ingredient, sparked mixed reactions from the French students. Instructions and laughter filled the room as students measured, mixed, and microwaved, transforming the kitchen into a lively and joyful place.

Finally, with steaming cups of green tea, the students enjoyed their handmade creations together, savoring their hard work and the connections made in the process.

10月18日から、城東高校はフランスのル・アーヴルにあるサン・ジョセフ高校から21名の交換留学生を受け入れている。城東とサン・ジョゼフは提携25周年を迎え、今年はパンデミックの影響で6年ぶりの直接の再会となった。

フランス人学生を歓迎し、新たな友情を育むため、外語部は10月24日（木）にクッキングイベントを開催した。日本とフランスの間には多くの文化的なつながりがあるが、中でもお菓子と丁寧な料理に対する共通の愛情は際立っている。

厨房では、生徒も教師も伝統的な和菓子の調理に没頭した： マスカット大福、栗大福、三色だんご。中心的な材料である餡は、フランス人学生から様々な反応を得た。生徒たちが計量し、混ぜ合わせ、電子レンジで加熱するたびに、指示と笑い声が部屋中に響き渡り、厨房は賑やかで楽しい場所に変貌した。

最後に、湯気の立つ緑茶を飲みながら、生徒たちは一緒に手作りの作品を楽しみ、その苦労と、その過程でできたつながりを味わった。

Have you ever tried Canadian food?

On Thursday, June 20th, members of the Foreign Language Club participated in a cooking event at school where Julie, Joto's current ALT, taught them how to prepare some traditional dishes from her culture. Julie comes from a small town located near Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Province of Quebec is found in the Eastern part of Canada. It has its own unique traditional culture influenced by its French roots.

 For the event, the students were split in two groups; one worked on the main dish, while the other prepared the dessert.

The main dish is called "tourtière". It is a kind of meat pie that is often eaten during the colder months. It is especially popular to eat on Christmas and New's Year Eve, as well as at the sugar shack (where maple syrup is made) during early Spring. Some students rolled the dough into flat circles while the others prepared the ground meat filling that would go into the pies.

As for the dessert, this time the students prepared some "pouding chômeurs". "Pouding" is the French spelling of the English word "pudding", while "chômeur" means "unemployed person". It is a cake topped with thick, sugary sauce. While that event's recipe only called for brown sugar, many people in Quebec usually add maple syrup to the mix. Here too, the students were split into two teams: one taking care of making the cake, while the other prepared the brown sugar sauce.

While the dishes were in the oven, Julie used the leftover dough to prepare some "pets de soeurs" (which literally means "nuns' farts"), rolled pastries made with a mix of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Once every was ready, the students sat together to enjoy the fruit of their labour.

If you have the time, we encourage you to try to make these recipes at home. Please enjoy a taste of Quebec!

 

6月20日（木）、外語部のメンバーはForeign Cookingイベントを開催しました。

ALTであるジュリーが、彼女の地元であるカナダのケベック州の伝統的な料理を教えてくれました。ケベック州はカナダの東部に位置し、フランスの影響を受けた独自の伝統文化を持っている地域です。

 

メインディッシュ"tourtière"と、デザート"pouding chômeurs"を作りました。

メインディッシュ"tourtière（トッチャァ）"はミートパイのようなもので、特にクリスマスや大晦日によく食べられるそうです。

デザートの"pouding chômeurs（プディン ショマー）"は、砂糖たっぷりの濃厚なソースをかけたケーキです。今回のレシピでは黒砂糖だけを使用しましたが、ケベックでは多くの人がメープルシロップを加えるそうです。

２つのグループにわかれてそれぞれがパイとケーキを作りました。慣れないレシピの料理でしたが、みんなで協力して楽しみながら作ることができました。

オーブンでパイを焼いている間、ジュリーは残った生地を使って、バター、ブラウンシュガー、シナモンを混ぜたロールケーキ "pets de soeurs"を作ってくれました。

すべての準備が整ったところで、生徒たちは一緒みんなで異国の料理を楽しみました。

時間があれば、ぜひご家庭でも作ってみてください。ケベックの味をお楽しみください！