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Next big news – Tateyama is joining us for the Bellingham Bay Marathon

Bellingham to host the State-wide Sister Cities Annual Meeting!

Miyori in the Sacred Forest 

(Miyori no mori（ミヨリの森）)

Color animation / 2007 / 116 min / Fuji Television Network, Nippon Animation

Director: Yamamoto Nizo

Script: Okudera Satoko

Based on the manga by: Oda Hideji

Setting: Present-day rural Japan

Notes: Based on a manga by Oda Hideji, this is one of a number of recent anime films to touch on issues of environmental destruction in Japan, along with Princess Mononoke (“Mononoke hime,” 1997), directed by Miyazaki Hayao, and Summer Days with Coo (“ Kappa no Coo to Natsuyasumi,” 2007), directed by Hara Keiichi.  The style of the house that Miyori’s grandparents live in is called a gassho-zukuri, or “praying hands” house; once popular in the northern part of the country, its steep roof is designed to prevent snow from accumulating in winter. 

Kuro is the Japanese equivalent of the common dog name “Blackie,” ironic after the dog turns powder-white. The voice casts, Sasaki Kyoko, Takashima Aya, Matsuo Midori, Ito Toshihiro, and Yoshizaki Noriko are all announcers for Fuji Television.

Story: Miyori is an 11 year-old girl, who has a closed heart as she grows up under her parents’ discord. Due to her mother leaving, she is forced to stay at her grandparents’ house in a very rural village for a while. Though her father thinks it will be better for her to stay in the natural surrounding rather than her urban home, Miyori becomes even more obstinate, thinking that she has been abandoned. One day, Miyori enters nearby woods and experiences mysterious phenomena by encountering the spirits of forest. The spirits tell her that she is chosen to become the guardian of village forest. Though unconfident in the beginning, Miyori gradually opens her mind and grows up to be a strong and responsible girl. She learns to get along with her schoolmates and the spirits to fight against people who plan to destroy the forest, constructing a dam.

Welcoming events and special activities will be happening between July 26th and August 13th. Please contact the BSCA intern, Lindsey Evans for more information: evans120@students.wwu.edu.

First of all, the BSCA advisory board would like to pass on a wonderful note of thank-you sent to board member, Ross Grier (who spear-headed the organization of the visit from our friends from Cheongju, South Korea last monht).

Our friends from Cheongju with Bellingham citizens

Dear Ross Grier,

We’re so curious about how you are doing after we have left.

It has only been about a week since we have left Bellingham, but we already miss your wonderful smile.

 Do you miss us too?

We will never forget what you have done for us! If it wasn’t for your help in this event we wouldn’t have felt as satisfied and successful as we do now. Also we wouldn’t have even thought about gaining so much experience and pleasure from the Ski to Sea festival, if it wasn’t for your help and consideration. We would really like to thank you again for such an amazing experience.

 We would also like to thank the BSCA and its members. Especially the interns, Leslie Barber and Rachel Palmer, and the home-stay hosts, Denis and Tim Binderup, Craig Ambrose, Jim Rich and Rick Bluman, and Mrs. Lee. We appreciate everyone for helping us during our stay in Bellingham. Also we would like to thank Jesse Kase and Bryce Barber for helping out and leading the athletes before the big game. In addition, we would like to thank Andrew Harvilla and Linda Polverari for sailing with us. Once again we thank everyone who has helped us go through the event have made us feel at home.

 With our unforgettable memories, we are hoping to let people all around Cheongju know about the Ski to Sea festival in Bellingham.

 Like you have helped us in Bellingham, Cheongju will try everything to help Bellingham as much as possible. That way we believe Cheongju and Bellingham will maintain a firm cooperative relationship.

 If Bellingham invites us again next year, we would be delighted to see everyone again and feel the comfort you have given us.

 Until we meet again, we hope that everything goes well in Bellingham

 We will never forget you, Ross Grier.

 The athletes and members from Cheongju.

Bellingham citizens visit Nakhodka Russia

A small group of Bellingham citizens recently visited our Russian sister city, Nakhodka. See the before and after story as reported in the Bellingham Herald.

Part 1: Before the visit! http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/05/05/1418236/bellingham-experts-on-start-up.html

Part 2: One month later. http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/06/06/1463247/bellinghams-relationship-with.html

Hello all!

Also, thank you to all our friends from South Korea for making the long flight over to be a part of Ski to Sea and experience Bellingham. We can say we are so amazed by each and every person we met from Cheongju, South Korea, and will not forget the friendships we made this weekend. We genuinely hope some of us from Bellingham can make our way over to Cheongju someday soon. And you know we will always welcome you anytime in the future!

-Leslie and Rachel

PacRim Races starting soon!

Meet Your PacRim 2010 Team

 The Pacific Rim Challenge 2010 is being held in Victoria, BC, Canada this year.  Your selection committee proudly announces your “Team Bellingham” members.  Racing for the Bellingham Yacht Club, Bellingham Sister Cities and the USA are: Joe Bartlett, Brian Lawernce, Terry Tavelli, Alex Marr, Jonathan Knowles, Vance Edwards, and Steve Racich.  Ambassadors include: Ken and Char Malseed, Dick and MaryJane Vetter, Dawn Durand and Al and Karen Callery.

The event spans June 5th – 13^th   and participants are hosted in local homes and presented with a delightful, friendship forming experiences.  Check out “PacRim” at byc.org for more information.  Bellingham will host this event again in 2014.

Bellingham Sister Cities Association

Annual Meeting

 Please Join Us!

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Location:  Squalicum Boathouse

Time:  6:00 p.m.

Sister Cities themed Gift Basket Raffle

Come meet our Sister Cities Ski to Sea Team from

Choengju, South Korea

Punta Arenas, Chile   Port Stephens, Australia   Nakhodka, Russia

Tateyama, Japan                                                           Vaasa, Finland

In the meantime, we have a number of reminders and upcoming events we’d like everyone to be aware of.

Visitors coming from Cheongju, South Korea to participate in Ski to Sea!

Yes, we have eight (8) people joining us from our sister city in South Korea for the Ski to Sea race this year.  Four of our visitors will participate as atheletes, and the others will be joining us in helping the teams they are on with cheering and moral support. We are excited to host these friends and to show them a good time while they are here. 

We are in need HOST FAMILIES for our visitors.

We are also still looking for teams for one or two of our Cheongju athletes.

 If you are interested in hosting one or more individuals, or if you know of a Ski to Sea team who is looking for members, please contact Ross Grier at sistercityross@comcast.net or Leslie and Rachel (our interns!) at bscainterns@gmail.com.

Reminder: Renew your BSCA membership!

Every year, the BSCA membership needs to be renewed. Follow the link under “Membership” on this website to find the form you can fill out. Soon we will have PayPal and you will have the opportunity to renew membership right online. Until then, contact Sheri Emerson (burgleremerson@comcast.net), our membership representative, to make a payment.

Annual Bellingham Sister Cities Association Membership Meeting/Party!

Each year we have a membership meeting and celebration. This year will be especially fun! There will be a raffle for baskets from all of Bellingham Sister Cities as well as good food and a welcoming ceremony for our 8 visitors from Cheongju. Come meet our South Korean athletes and get updates on Sister Cities activities. Bring a friend.

Save the date: Friday, May 28.

Location: Squalicum Boathouse

Time and program to be announced.  

Language Learning Opportunities

Japanese Conversation: Check out this article from the Bellingham Herald regarding a terrific opportunity to practice your Japanese!

Korean Language Class: Instructor Yong-Taek Kim will be teaching Elementary Korean beginning June 22 through July 20, from 1pm to 2:50pm (Monday – Friday. If you are interested, call WWU for details: 360.650.3918