03 December 2008

IPC Student Wins Second Prize in Japanese Speech Contest in Okayama, Japan

By Michiari Sasaki. Edited by Moira Blake.

Tim Bunting with his award for second place

Timothy Bunting, one of the three IPC students studying at International Pacific University in Okayama, Japan, came second in a Japanese speech contest on 30th November. The University website (Japanese) reported this success.

Nineteen non-Japanese students studying locally participated in this competition and each of them made a five-minute speech. Tim who represented IPU with Yeon Ji Oh and Emma Harris talked in a humorous manner about some differences between Japanese and Kiwi lifestyles and the importance of intercultural communication.

Tim said he is very pleased to have been placed high and will share this news with his parents soon.

Tim began studying at IPC in April 2007 and enrolled in the Bachelor of International Studies. He has been staying in Okayama since September this year and will be back for his final year at IPC next April.

Prizes for effort went to Yeon Ji and Emma.

The first place went to a Chinese graduate student of a local public university. A Cambodian high school student came second with Tim.

It was a requirement that participants in the competition were non-Japanese living in Okayama Prefecture who had never participated in this speech contest before and had lived in Japan for less than five years.

Tim giving his speech "Seikatsushukan ni Tsuite (=About Lifestyles)"	Yeon Ji Oh and Emma Harris amongst the prizewinners
The three very happy IPC students on winning the prizes	Tim having a conversation with the locals

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