Miyagi JET alum sets up travel concierge service based in Georgia
Career, Notable JET Alums, Travel/Tourism 
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In the interesting-things-JETs-do-after-JET department, Aiyana Appling (Miyagi-ken, 2007-10) who lives in Atlanta, GA and has started a travel concierge service company called Gardner-Mathews Travel Concierge, LLC which specializes in world festivals and custom packages.
In addition to having lived in Japan, Aiyana speaks 5 languages and has traveled to 23 countries. She also does horseback riding, loves cooking and making kokeshi dolls and is proud that she learned how to snowboard in Japan.
Here’s contact info below for anyone who wants to get in touch with Aiyana:
Aiyana, Festival Concierge
Gardner-Mathews Travel Concierge
Showing you the World—One Festival at a Time.
www.gardner-mathews.com
aiyana [at] gardner-mathews.com
アイヤナ・アプリング
ガードナー・マシューズ・トラベル・コンシェルジェ
JET Alumni cited in U.S. Deputy Secretary of State’s Speech at Todai
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Thanks a bunch to JETAA Music City Treasurer Jennifer Butler (who also works at the Consulate in Nashville) for passing this along:
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns recently gave a speech at Tokyo University titled, “The Enduring Value of the U.S.-Japan Alliance“ in which he cited the value and contributions of the JET alumni and the JET Programme.
Here are the key excerpts:
“More than 35,000 people have now taken part in exchange programs sponsored by our governments — programs like the Fulbright Scholarship, the Mansfield Fellowship, and the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, or JET. Exchanges between our government officials also play a key role in fostering mutual understanding. ”
“We are reaching out to ensure that younger Japanese business leaders understand the value of employees who know both of our cultures. We are calling on our own American JET alumni network to convince more students to study in America.”
Note: I know what you U.S. JET alumni are thinking. You have not yet received your call from the State Department personally asking you to get out there and convince more Japanese students to study in the U.S. All I can say is hang tight. And in the meanwhile, I guess we’re all now aware of one Return on JET-vestment thing we can do to help with the future existence of JET.
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Here’s the full text of the speech:
Remarks
Deputy Secretary
Thank you for the generous introduction, Professor Kitaoka and your warm welcome. It is truly an honor to be here today at Tokyo University. Read More
Miyagi JET alums organize Hong Kong fundraiser
Article/Journalism, Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on Miyagi JET alums organize Hong Kong fundraiser
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Thanks to Osaka JET Cailin Arena for letting us know about this:
From Miyagi JET alum Monique Moloney: “Here is the press release (and photos) for the fundraiser in Hong Kong on April 16. It was a great way to connect with the Japanese community in Hong Kong and to put our energy towards a positive outcome for Miyagi.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Former Miyagi Residents Raise Funds Through Hong Kong Event
Hong Kong – 25th April, 2011
Two former residents of Miyagi Prefecture have pooled the creative expertise of five photographers in a silent photographic auction in Hong Kong to raise money for the March 11 earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.
The event entitled “Kampai for Sendai” was held on Saturday, April 16 at Shore Restaurant and Bar and was attended by approximately 180 people. The silent auction of distinctly Japanese photographs including 13 original mounts and three canvassed photographs, was the main focus of the evening. Additional funds were raised through the live auction of Simone Legno autographed Tokidoki merchandise and the sale of raffle tickets.
The total amount raised from the event was HK$30697 (US$3950). 100% of these funds were be donated to Peace Winds Japan andShine Humanity, two non-government organisations that have been highly visible in Miyagi Prefecture and are committed to using all designated funds for the Japan relief effort.
The event organizers, Monique Moloney and Matt Jones, both Australian nationals living in Hong Kong, were Assistant Language Teachers on the JET Programme in Miyagi Prefecture between 2003-2006. Having maintained strong connections with their former home, they were deeply affected by the devastation and suffering in communities where they’d often visited and fondly remembered. Their reaction was to organise an event that could raise awareness and funds in a meaningful way.
Through online groups, Monique found photographers who were willing to contribute their work to the cause. She also connected with other former JET participants who were living in Hong Kong. These people helped promote the event and attended to show their support.
“We may have moved on but we haven’t forgotten our friends in Miyagi Prefecture. It was our turn to give back for the kindness and good will we were shown during our time there.”
For more information, please contact Monique Moloney at mnqmlny@gmail.com or phone +852 90300243
Job: Japanese Associate (MD)
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Via JET alum Laura Symborski (Osaka 2010-2011). Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika has recently moved back to London but is interested in hearing about any Japan-related opportunities across the globe.
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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***
Job Position: Japanese Associate
Job Details:
Company: Pacific Bridge Medical
Location: Bethesda, MD 20814
Job Type: Full-time
Career Level: Entry to Mid Level
PBM (www.pacificbridgemedical.com) is a leading Asia medical consulting firm dedicated to assisting international medical companies succeed in Asia. PBM is looking for a full-time college graduate to help with our medical projects in Japan.
Responsibilities:
Requirements:
Associate will work in a fast paced environment with abundant room to grow and perform. Compensation will be commensurate with experience.
How to apply:
Please send your resume and a detailed cover letter explaining what skills you can bring to our company and an explanation of your interest in this position, to Shawna Lepage (slepage@pacificbridge.com). Resumes received without cover letters referencing this specific position will not be considered. No phone calls please.
2011 Tokyo Truck Show
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Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91), coauthor of The Sushi Lover’s Cookbook and Tokyo Chic and contributor to Time Out Tokyo and Time Out Shortlist Tokyo. He blogs as “Tokyo Tom Baker.”
The three-day 2011 Tokyo Truck Show is currently under way (Oct 27-29), and I went to the first day of it to cover it for my blog. In addition to dozens of trucks, there were also all sorts of truck-related merchandise. The more unusual items included a gigantic ink jet printer that you can drive your truck into to have some quick artwork applied, and an air-conditioned sleeping bag for hot summer nights in the back of the cab.
You can find more details, photos and a couple of videos at this link.
JET alum collaborates on documentary about photographers of Tohoku Disaster
Earthquake Tsunami, Film, Notable JET Alums, Photography, Return on JET-vestment, Video Comments Off on JET alum collaborates on documentary about photographers of Tohoku Disaster
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Here’s a unique and compelling short documentary–an academic non-profit venture–by JET alum Janak Bhimani (who has been studying at the Keio Graduate School of Media Design after hosting an online Japanese TV show in New York a few years ago) made with some of his Keio classmates. The film is about Tohoku post 3.11 from the point of view of the people who took photographs and was shown at a special session of the 2011 Tokyo International Film Festival. It was originally shown in 4K (which was part of Janak’s research).
Here’s the link: http://vimeo.com/31093347
lenses + landscapes from KMD 4KNarrative on Vimeo.
Janak says feel free to share with others as they’d like to get it shown in more places in Japan and elsewhere.
LAST CHANCE – “Fall Flowers of Japan” @ NY Botanical Garden until 10/30/2011
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Carolyn Brooks (Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa, 2006-11) is co-author of the blog MadSilence–a cross-cultural blog written with her father–and a current culture/education related job-seeker in the NY area available for full-time or consulting work.
Feeling a bit homesick for the full moon, momiji and manju that are signs of fall in Japan? Despair not, for 4 days remain of the wonderful “Fall Flowers of Japan” display at the New York Botanical Garden. It will continue until Sunday, October 30th, 10AM to 6PM, and costs (a completely worthwhile) $20 to see. The main focus of the display is kiku, chrysanthemums. They have dozens of varieties to see, including traditional shapes and colors from Japan trained into waterfalls or bridges, and new strains bred in American which look like bird’s nests and exploding stars.
These mums were bigger than a grapefruit, and were so glossy and translucent that they should be made of spun sugar!
I’ll Make It Myself – Travel Checklist: Local Foods in Hida-Takayama, Part 1
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and translator for The Art of Japan: Kanazawa and Discover Kanazawa, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan.
Travel Checklist: Local Foods in Hida-Takayama, Part 1
In September, a friend and I traveled to Takayama, about 3 hours from Kanazawa. Located in Gifu near the border of Nagano, the old towns of Hida (飛騨） and Takayama (高山）are a food tourist’s paradise. Since the town is quite small, most of these foods can be found in stands or restaurants near Takayama Station and nearby morning markets.
Hôba Yaki Miso （朴葉味噌）
CLICK HERE to read the full post.
Sushi and Sake Magazine seeks JET writing
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Via JET alum Audrey Shiomi (CIR Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi, 1999-2001):
“Are you a former/current JET with a story to tell a greater audience? Here’s your opportunity! Sushi & Sake is a monthly publication which circulates throughout Southern California. Space in the magazine is reserved each month for an article written by a JET (past or present) about his/her experiences in Japan.
The article should be 450-500 words on any topic you choose. Ideally, it’s best to focus on a particular topic as opposed to doing one big summary of your life in Japan. If you’re interested, email Audrey at pirikara [at] gmail.com Thanks!”
New LinkedIn group for JET Alum International Education and Exchange Careers
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JET alum Carolyn Brooks has set up a new Linkedin group for JETs, alums and Friends of JET working in or interested in the field of international education and exchange (a popular career path for many JET alumni).
Here’s the link to join: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?homeNewMember=&gid=4145299&trk=&ut=1tt3q-WQ4vCkY1
Also here’s a link to the full list of JET Alum professional and prefecture LinkedIn groups out there. And a reminder that if you don’t see one that fits, start your own and we’ll post it here on JETwit.
WIT Life #184: NYT mag Haruki Murakami profile and yaeba
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
This weekend’s NYT featured two interesting Japan articles in the magazine and Sunday Styles section. The former features the country’s living cultural treasure novelist Haruki Murakami, whom the article’s author spends time with in Tokyo to dissect his newest book 1Q84 as well as his older works.
The latter article discusses the popularity of 八重歯 (yaeba), or double teeth that look that fangs (aka “snaggleteeth”). Apparently this fashion calls not for perfect smiles, but unstraight teeth. Women are asking dentists to affix plastic fronts to their real teeth to create artificial yaeba, as shown here in the picture.
Upon asking two young Japanese women who were visiting the city about yaeba, they said it was the first they had heard of it. I’ll see what further informal surveys reveal about whether this is a real trend, or just something being sensationalized by the media.
JQ Magazine Is Looking for Writers for Fall 2011!
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As the year winds down, JETAA New York’s JQ magazine continues to provide weekly content with an ever-expanding array of articles, interviews and features (for our recent stories, click here). Following our quarterly meeting in Manhattan this week, we’re now looking for new writers from all JETAA chapters worldwide to write and share more material that we can post online to the widest JET readership on the web through our hosts at the global JET alumni resource site JETwit.com.
Below are story ideas grouped by JET participants and alumni (JET World) and those more on Japanese culture (Japan World). If you’re a JET or JETWit contributor from anywhere in the world, we welcome your interest or extra story ideas! Contact JQ’s editor Justin Tedaldi (magazine [at] jetaany [dot] org) to sign up.
***JET WORLD***
JETAANY CAREER FORUM/WELCOME BACK RECEPTION (11/12)
We would like coverage of upcoming events in New York for any writers planning to attend.
JETs ‘RETURN TO TOHOKU’ SERIES
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Tourism Agency jointly organized an Invitation Program for JET Alums who worked as a JET in Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima or Sendai-shi for 2 or more years to return to Japan as an ambassador. The goal of the program is to help promote the affected areas and do PR work on their behalf. From around the world, 14 JET alums were selected to return to Japan. Of those, eight were US JET alums. Visit the provided link to see their stories if you would be interested in doing a Q&A with one of them. Also, if you or other JETs are planning to return to help out in the wake of the devastation, we’d love to run an article so you can share your thoughts with other JETs around the world. www.jetaausa.com/tohoku-recovery/jet-alums-return-to-tohoku
‘ALONE IN THE KITCHEN WITH A RICE COOKER’ SERIES
We are running a new series on JETwit about solo cooking experiences while on JET (check out “Nattode,” the first piece in the series). Did you discover a new favorite comfort food in Japan, learn to cook a mouthwatering meal that you still serve today or accidentally buy something really weird only to discover (and reluctantly) eat it in your mansion? We want to hear about it!
HOLIDAYS IN JAPAN ANECDOTES WANTED!
This year, we’re bringing back seasonal holiday (from November through New Year’s) anecdotes from JET alumni around the world! If you have a strange, delightful (or both—we all do) short story to share about your holiday seasons past in Japan, we’d love to publish it.
Job: Bilingual Japanese Client Relations Associate (Bergen County, New Jersey)
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Via Salem Executive Search. Please make sure to mention JETwit if you apply for this position:
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Custody Administration Supervisor (translation involved) salary depending on experience. Candidate should have Custody experience and experience with translating the Business digest.
Business Planning & Promotion officer (bilingual Japanese) Salary depending on experience. Candidate should have business and banking knowledge to support the VP of BPP, ability to work on projects and have planning, promotional, analytical, operational and relational aspects of custody (including and not limited to its related FX services) experience and securities lending business experience.
There is also an FX administrator position open, also bilingual Japanese. Candidates must have Foreign Exchange back office experience. (Salary depends on experience.)
TO APPLY, CONTACT:
Lisa Miceli at lmiceli@salemsearch.com
Articles by JET journalist Patrick St Michel featured in The Atlantic
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Current Mie JET Patrick St. Michel has two articles currently featured in The Atlantic online.
- “The 48 Japanese Schoolgirls Aiming to Take Over the World” – The global ambitions of J-Pop group AKB48
- “How Korean Pop Conquered Japan”
Click here to read other writings by Patrick featured on JETwit.
Return to Tohoku: Update 10.24.11
Article/Journalism, Blogs, Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Local, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism, Writers Comments Off on Return to Tohoku: Update 10.24.11
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Here are updates from a few more of the 20 Tohoku region JET alumni selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to return to their town to both engage in volunteer efforts and also help document and share what’s going on there.
- “Back to Iwate“ by Alan Mockridge (Iwate-ken, Ohtsuchi, 1992) – http://alanmockridge.com/ (Lots of excellent photos.)
- Here’s a schedule of Alan’s trip:
Visit schedule
19 Sep (Mon) Depart San Francisco
20 Sep (Tue) Arrive Tokyo
21 Sep (Wed) Briefing at Min. Foreign Affairs. Bullet train to Iwate
22 Sep (Thur) Hiraizumi (UNESCO World Heritage Site) & Morioka
23 Sep (Fri) To Kamaishi via Miyako, Yamada & coast road
24 Sep (Sat) Kamaishi
25 Sep (Sun) Ohtsuchi
26 Sep (Mon) Ohtsuchi High School (cultural exchange)
27 Sep (Tue) Kamaishi to Narita. Depart Japan
