Japan Lunch Table

Friendship, cultural and language exchange

The MIT-Japan Program hosted Japan lunch table is devoted to cultural exchange between MIT students and members of MIT's Japanese community and their families. Bring your lunch and enjoy it in a relaxed, multinational atmosphere. Throughout the academic year we will arrange several events and lectures to introduce aspects of the Japanese culture. Members of the Japanese community at MIT are welcome to present their research activities to the lunch table members. We will celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and the end of the academic year together with potluck parties. Kids are welcome!

The lunch table meets every Wednesday during the semester in building E38 (next to Kendall T stop), 7th floor conference room, from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. The 2007 fall lunch table sessions will start from 19 September.

Please join our lunch table kick off party on Wednesday, 19 September, in E38-7th floor conference room, from 12:30 - 2:00pm. Free lunch will be provided!

'This is my second semester taking Japanese language classes. I started coming to the Lunch Table recently, where I met Ryoko-san and we have become friends and language partners. Althought there are times I don't understand everything, my listening comprehension and speaking skills have improved considerably.
I believe the LunchTable is very helpful and would reccommend it to students to try, even if they are not in Japanese language class.'

Annie Phuong Vo, Department of Biology,'07

英会話の上達には Language Exchange が一番、とのアドバイスを受けて気軽な気持ちでのぞいて見たランチテーブルでしたが、良いパートナーに恵まれたお陰もあり毎回楽しいおしゃべりのひと時を過ごしています。基本的には日本語で会話し、日本語だと難しい部分は英語を交えて話すという形で進めていますが、英語が堪能でない私にはそのくらいがちょうど良い英語量となっています。 Annie と話していると、現役学生らしい言い回しに出会ってなるほどと思わされたり、日本のポップカルチャーについての興味や関心など、話題が色々な方面に及ぶので会話の勉強だけにとどまらない面白さがあります。英語が流暢でない者にとって”気軽に話す”事ほど難しい事はないのですが、ランチテーブルを通じて英語で会話するのに以前ほどのためらいを感じなくなりました。まずは気軽に、おしゃべりを楽しむつもりで参加されてはいかがでしょうか？

長浜涼子 Ryoko Nagahama

「よく『語学習得の早道はネイティブの友人を作ること』と言われますが、意外に難しいこの早道は、 Conversation Exchange で実現できます。話題は日常の些細なことでも、『へぇ〜』と思うアメリカ文化に触れることもできます。学生達は勉強熱心で、ランチテーブルもアットホームな雰囲気です。『英語を話したいけど知り合いもいないし』と悩んでいる人には、是非、お勧めします。」

Nobuyuki IGATA, Visiting Scientist, Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Lab

"I started taking Japanese classes at MIT in hopes that I would one day travel to Japan. Having never studied Japanese, I was intimidated, so I started attending the Lunch Table and meeting with Igata-san. Since then, I've not only become much more comfortable with the language, but I've learned all about Japanese culture directly from the source. Whether its about how much a movie costs in Tokyo, or what the weather is like in Hokkaido, I can always find the answer at the Lunch Table. Aside from going to Japan, there is no better way to learn the language. Two years ago I'd never spoken a word of Japanese, and already I feel confident about my internship in Shizuoka this summer."

Bryan Gortikov, Materials Science and Engineering, '08

Lunch table memer Joyce Wu, recently graduated from MIT with a Ph.D. in Electical Engineering, and member of the Massachusetts Byakko Kyudo Jo, giving a kyudo demonstration for lunch table members in October 2006.

For further information and to join the lunch table mailing list please contact the lunch table administrators Daniela Reichert (dreichert@mit.edu) or Ayumi Nagatomi (ayumi@mit.edu).

Japan Lunch Table

Friendship, cultural and language exchange

MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives