We're writing this from our bedroom in Aya's parent's house in Nagoya, Japan. We have been well fed and welcomed, have just unpacked a little, and will be off to sleep very soon!

We're here for two reasons:

• to catch up with our new Research Associates (and much-missed employees and friends) Aya Takeuchi and Mino Yoshioka, who moved back to Japan recently after three years in the UK and two years working with us. We're looking forward to hearing more about their plans, seeing each of their home towns, and learning about the opportunities and challenges for doing community bridge-building and intercultural dialogue work in Nagoya.
• to attend, and talk about FolesHillfields at, a Symposium funded by the Japan Foundation on comparative approaches to Community Cohesion in Japan and Europe - more about that when we attend it next week.

Our flights were fine, if long, and at this point everything about Japan is interestingly different and intriguing. We showed Mino and Aya the videos Heather made last week of volunteers and staff, and they were really happy to see you all and miss everyone lots!

- Heather and Mark