RACCOON ASSOCIATION NEWS

December 11: 96 Year Party

The Place of 96 Old Year Party has been determined as follows,

Date: 19, Dec. 1996
Time: From 6:00 pm
Place: Tanuki
Tel: 2254-4869
Map is available

October 18: Computer now available for use.

The Raccoon Association's computer has been set-up at the AISF office. RA members are very much encouraged to make full use of the computer. It is equipped with access to the internet, a scanner, and a printer. The following softwares have been installed: Microsoft Word (word-processing), Microsoft Excel (spreadsheet calculations), PageMaker (desktop publishing), Adobe Photoshop (graphic works), and Netscape (WWW browser). Thanks go to Junko Imanishi, Malcolm Parent, Weijun Gao, and Max Maquito who spent hours and beer cans on setting up the system. The generous assistance of all RA members is kindly requested. Please get in touch with anyone of the above.

Sept. 23: Yamagata Aritomo Museum

Skillfully avoiding the typhoon, 4 raccoons (Xi Jin, Weijun Gao and his brood, Lingna Gao, and Max Maquito), together with the rest of the growing AISF family, went off to Tochigi Prefecture for a one-day break from urban life. There we were given a glimpse of a past, in which a whole society was undergoing structural changes, and were reminded of a similar present. There we had a chance to be close to nature and were reminded of its simple beauty and fragility. (The trip was kindly organized by AISF upon the gracious invitation of Mrs. Yamagata, the Executive Director of the Museum and one of the trustees of AISF.)

Sept. 4: Raccoon Association (RA) Regular Get-together and Change of Raccoon-in-Charge (RIC)

A RA regular get-together cum drinks, organized by RIC Chul-Ju Park, was held last Sept. 4 (Wed.) at the Paranse Korean Restaurant in Kabukicho. One of the decisions reached in the course of the discussions was the appointment of officers needed for a more productive organization. The officers are as follows: Xi Jin as Chairman, Max Maquito as Treasurer, Weijun Gao as Business Officer. The proposal is to form a network of people that can handle translation jobs, production of homepages, and other businesses with the possibility of creating an profitable venture in the future. Libin Wang was also elected as the new RIC to replace Chul-Ju Park, with Weijun Gao assisting. We certainly would like to hear of comments and suggestions from the rest of the Raccoons.

August 6: Impromptu get-together

Chul-Ju Park and Max Maquito thought of meeting up with fellow raccoons for a get-together at the Suntory Beer Garden at Akasaka Mitsuke. Topics ranged from the sales of the Raccoon Association official polo-shirt, the trip to Karuizawa and other summer activities.

Aug. 2, 1996: Polo Shirt Accounting Report

1) Cost 1.1 Order marking (Order made to: Shohi Seikatsu Cooperative of the University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus) Actual expenses were shouldered by the Atsumi Foundation.

Sub-total......................................�211,060

Consumption Tax............................�6,331

Total..............................................�217,391 1.2. Other costs incurred between ordering and sales: Considered as paid for out of the kindness of the hearts of Junko Imanishi, Xi Jin, Weijun Gao, and Max Maquito. 2) Cost per polo shirt

Orders made: 42 shirts

Cost per shirt: �5,176 3) Sales

Unit price: at an unbelievable �3,000 per shirt

Number of shirts sold: 34 pieces

Current Inventory Stock: 5 pieces

Unpaid for sales: 2 pieces

Missing-In-Action: 1 piece

The following persons made a �1,000 donation each: Namiki, AISF

Directress; Junko Imanishi.

Sales (including donations): �105,000 4) Safe-keeping of Funds: The RA's are under the safe-keeping of Junko Imanishi and is deposited at the following account (We welcome any donation through this account) Sakura Bank (ordinary account)

Branch Number: 299

Account Number: 6382031

Account Name: Raccoon Association

July 30: Change of RIC

Dear Raccoon Association Members: We had an enjoyable time in Karuizawa where we met a lot of VIPs and the new scholarship recipients and their families. The Raccoon Association successfully held two activities. One is a mini-Olympics at the Waseda Seminar House, consisting of only one event: ping-pong. The result: China suffered a crushing defeat; the Philippines, represented by Max Maquito, emerged as champion; and the Korean representative, Chul-Ju Park, received the silver medal. Another activity was the sale of the Raccoon Association official polo shirt at the Atsumi summer house. Max Maquito will make a report on the sale (lest he usurp the revenues, in which case, we shall never forgive him). We also had a delicious party at the Imanishi summer house where the husband of Qing Zao feted us to hand-made Chinese Lobin. We each have our good memories about this summer vacation at the Atsumi summer house. We look forward to the next one. Sincerely yours, Weijun Gao P.S. I have finished my term as Raccoon-in-Charge (RIC). Chul-ju Park has gladly accepted to continue as the next RIC. Please keep in close contact with him and AISF as well. I would like to thank all the members who have given me their help and cooperation in organizing the RAs activities. Please continue your support to Chul-ju Park. Thank you.

July 1: Homepage On-line

The Raccoon Associations Homepage was tentatively put on-line on the first of July. It is divided into three parts. The first part consists of four categories of information that would be useful to the daily life of a foreign student in Japan: scholarships, accommodation, foreign student counseling services, and life in Japan. The second part consists of general-purpose sites which would allow users access to the WWW: libraries, bookstores, museums, multi-media, and others. The last part contains information regarding the Raccoon Association and includes categories such as activities, personalities, and related news. The homepage is located at: http://www.ojima.arch.waseda.ac.jp/~weijun/raccoon/index.html Your comments and suggestions are very much welcomed.

July 1: Let's go to Karuizawa! Let's have a ping-pong tournament!

The Foundation Directress has kindly invited the members of the Raccoon Association to a barbecue party to be held at her vacation house on the 28th of July. A large turnout is being expected for the party. Moreover, a ping-pong tournament is being planned at the Oiwake Seminar House of Waseda University. The Seminar House is about 20 minutes from the Directress` vacation house, and is a sports paradise equipped with tennis courts, a baseball field, volleyball courts, and other facilities. Accomodation for 10 people has been reserved. Family participation is very much welcomed. If possible, please come by car. Car drivers are requested to volunteer. Let us go out to the wild and do some exercise! Please come and join us! As we have to make final arrangements for accomodations, please contact Weijun Gao by the 5th of July. Time: July 27, from 1:30 P.M. Place: Waseda University's Oiwake Seminar House Accomodation fee: 3000 yen (overnight stay with supper and breakfast) Schedule: July 27 1:30-4:30 Ping-pong tournament 4:30-6:00 Supper and free-time 6:00 down Chatting about interesting and/or horror stories July 28 7:30 Breakfast 8:00-10:00 Your choice of sports 10:30 To the Directress' vacation house 12:00 Barbecue party 17:00 Pizza and beer party at the Imanishi vacation house 18:00 To Tokyo

May 24: Formation of Raccoon Association

The alumni association of the Atsumi International Scholarship Foundation was formally created at the Ebisu Beer Station, and aims to promote the continued interaction among the scholarship recipients as well as to support foreign students.