Dan Patton is the 2004-2005 Ketchikan-Kanayama exchange English teacher. Dan is currently teaching in Kanayama, Japan. Daniel Patton experiencealaska@yahoo.com

Ohayo Gozaimasu Ketchikan - As I write, fat snowflakes are gently wafting past the large windows of the Kanayama Middle School teacher's office. Outside on a gravel field the P.E. class is laughing and shouting as they practice soccer and plod through the occasional muck hole. In all directions steep, densely forested mountains rise quickly, their concealed peaks presumably accumulating quality snow while down here we must be content with the soggy dregs. Remind you of anywhere in particular?... More...
Tuesday - February 15, 2005

School Is A Serious Matter - Ohayoo Gozaimasu Citizens of Ketchikan! - More...
Thursday - December 02, 2004

Kanayama... Ketchikan's Sister City - In 1986, through the work of many forward-thinking politicians and educators on both sides of the Pacific, Ketchikan and Kanayama, Japan began a sister city relationship. Since then, over 500 middle school students, 36 teachers, several political delegations and cultural emissaries (Alaska Native dancers, Japanese Taiko drummers, Japanese flower arrangers) have made the 9,000 mile journey across the North Pacific to participate in cultural and educational enrichment. This remarkably successful sister city arrangement is one of the longest running Japanese-American exchange programs in either nation.
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Tuesday - November 02, 2004

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