AOTS Journal 2019 SPRING No.14 (ENGLISH)

12/18

JOURNAL10 NEWSAOTS Hosts Seventh ‘Japanese Speech Contest for Foreigners Engaged in Nursing or Long-term Care’AOTS, with co-organizer Japan Foundation, has been holding the ‘Japanese Speech Contest for Foreigners Engaged in Nursing or Long-term Care’ since 2012 to provide them with opportunities to express their opinions on the state of medical and caring services in Japan from the viewpoints of non-Japanese professionals in nursing and caring living in various parts of Japan. The Journal is pleased to report to you that our previous six contests were held successfully to serve as not only a motivating event for those contestants themselves in job performance and self-development, but also as a good learning opportunity for their Japanese counterparts, both medical/welfare services professionals and patients/care receivers alike.The seventh contest was held in September 2018 and its contestants, a total of ten, from various parts of the country made excellent speeches. This year’s contest was reported by NHK news and showed some scenes of the contest and an interview with AOTS President Shinya Kuwayama who said, ‘We would like to strengthen our support in their continued learning of the Japanese language as well as professional knowledge even after they start working.Winners First Prize ‘Fun with a Panda’ by Mr. Tardo Luardri Advincula (Philippines)*(Gist of the speech)In my rst days at the caring facility, I made my care receivers angry due to my poor communication. Then, I began looking like a panda as dark circles appeared around my eyes as I worked and studied so hard causing a lack of sleep as I didn’t like to lose. Later, I tried to say jokes to care receivers even when my Japanese did not help, I found a formation of trust with them little by little. Even though we spoke different languages, I found it was a mental connection, after all, that mattered. Sacrice, including becoming to look like a panda, had its value, I believe. I want to keep getting smiling faces from my care receivers.Second Prize ‘My Experience on Terminal Care in Japan’ by Ms. Garcia Jillian Aguilar (Philippines)*Third Prize ‘What Japanese Nurses Taught Me’ by Ms. Shi Xi (China) Special prizes‘Why Do I Work in Caring?’ by Ms. Arellano Phoebe Shaine Garcia (Philippines)*‘What Caring Means to Me’ by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hieu (Vietnam)‘Let us Work Wholeheartedly’ by Ms. Siahaan Lastiur Juniartha (Indonesia)*‘What I Learned from Caring Experience’ by Mr. Muhamada Fatah Hudin (Indonesia)*‘Mental Cures’ by Mr. Hardiyanto (Indonesia)*‘Technology and Affection’ by Mr. Priyo Kusumo (Indonesia)*‘Human-to-Human Interface’ by Ms. Dorothy Villar Kurasumi (Philippines)The seventh speech contest speakersWinners with * also received EPA Prizes.EPA Prize: A prize to encourage EPA candidates. All seven ex-participants of the EPA program among the contestants this time were awarded this prize, including a former EPA candidate who passed the national examination.Visit the AOTS website to watch video clips of those speeches.https://www.aots.jp/jp/project/nihongo/sp2018/index.html