Hello everyone!
Before the Nihongo o Hanasukai officially ended in July 2018, I have mentioned to some of you about reinventing the meetings
for the Japanese-speaking community who wish to continue socializing and practicing Japanese. Online meeting is the idea that I had.
I invite those who are still interested in practicing Japanese interactively (on a monthly-basis) as a group using "Google Hangouts," which is a web application
that offers video conferencing (similar to Microsoft Skype). If you have Google Chrome, there is nothing else to install.
This way, you can join The Hanasukai from anywhere as long as you have Internet connection, an Internet-enabled device, and a quiet place.
Android and iPhone/iPad devices should be able to connect you but to avoid data costs, it is recommended to be in a "wifi hot spot" which most
homes usually have available.
In short, these new public meetings that succeed the Nihongo o Hanasukai will be online-based and will be called "The Hanasukai."
House rules:
- You must be at least 18 years old to participate.
- Do your best in speaking only in Japanese.
- Respectfully allow each person in the meeting to engage in the conversation, so plan breaks in any one-to-one conversation and ask
questions to others participating in the meeting if they want to change or continue the topic of discussion.
- If you need to communicate something in English, please use the chat window to communicate in English so others
can focus on their Japanese conversation listening skills.
- No business solicitation is allowed.
- Please exercise good judgment in rules of social engagement that express your commitment to self-discipline, respect, and integrity.
- Rules above are subject to change based on YOUR feedback and complaints. We aim for a positive learning experience in ALL of our meetings.
With regards to computer/internet requirements, please see below.
Thank you and I hope you can make it to each meeting of The Hanasukai!
Kim Nguyen
The Hanasukai Organizer
Next Meeting
Date: {{meetingTimeLocalDateDisplay}}
Time: {{meetingTimeLocalTimeDisplay}} (Local)
Where: You go online. (You can stay home and enjoy your own food and drinks.)
Fill out the following to retrieve the Google Hangout URL:
Items you will need:
- Google account.
- If you do not have a Google account, you create one for free even with a non-Gmail account. Visit google.com and follow the directions to create a new Google account.
Quiet location (like your home office, bedroom, etc. or if you don't have a quiet place, you can use a mic-enabled headset but
please use the mute button as needed to help others listen to whomever is speaking.)
Internet connection
Google Chrome browser (recommended but other browsers like Firefox may work, but plug-ins are needed. For iPad and iPhone devices, you must use the Google Hangouts application. Google Hangouts was developed by Google, so Chrome would be the natural browser of choice.)
Computer device (pc, laptop, tablet) that includes
- Microphone (required)
- Speakers (required)
- Camera (optional - if you want to show your face or maintain the privacy of your home)
Note: Most modern laptops come with all 3 items built in. For the best possible experience, it is recommended to get a good quality USB headset with a built-in microphone.
Here is a google link to start your search if you need to buy a headset.
https://www.google.com/search?q=headset+usb&oq=headset+usb