Today’s AMICUS covers G3 visiting the “Showa Seishi” paper factory in Uruma-shi (field trip, for social studies). Students toured the facility, learning how much toilet paper–sold in Okinawa–is actually made there. As they observed, students learned about the manufacturing process… starting with pulp, from recycled paper, making and cutting rolls of it, and packaging the finished product before getting shipped out to retail stores and supermarkets. They gained a lot of knowledge about a local company… which will surely and significantly contribute to their education.

G3 also visited a chrysanthemum farm, as well as fields growing ‘soft rush’ in Uruma-shi. Soft rush is a particular kind of grass used to make “tatami” mats. Students gained the opportunity to hear Mr. Agena–the farmer in charge of the farm–talk about it, and to ask questions about the beautiful flowers. The students are learning about local Okinawan industries, as a part of their social studies class. They learned a lot, and had a great time!