JETwit goes to London!
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I’ll be visiting London this week (with daughter Helen in tow) Wednesday through the following Tuesday, staying with a good friend I originally met studying at Waseda. And while in London I plan to:
- Attend a talk by Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, at The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London on Thursday, April 14, 4pm on “Pop culture from a Multipolar Japan.”
- Meet up with JETAA International Chair and former JETAA NY Vice-President Shree Kurlekar who now lives in London as well as JapaneseLondon.com‘s Vanessa Villalobos (who is also a JETAA UK officer).
- Jointhe Japanese Conversation Group’s Hanami Picnicon Saturday, April 16 (which I believe will include a number of JET alums).
If you’d like to meet in person just come to one of the events, or feel free to get in touch at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Toronto Fukushima JET alum fundraising
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Just noticed on Brent Stirling’s (Fukushima) blog ForYourBrentertainment an item about some Toronto JET alums (Jason Ishida and Eric Chan) who worked in Fukushima who have organized a Japan fundraising event for this coming Saturday, April 9 at Orville’s Pub as well as an additional fundraiser on Sunday, April 10 at the Toronto Buddhist Church Social Hall.
Asahi article about JETAA NY Fundraiser
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Thanks to Kyushu-based professional translator Joel Dechant for alerting JEtwit to this article in Japanese on Asahi.com about Tuesday night’s JETAA NY Japan Fundraiser. My Japanese reading ability has weakened over the years, but it looks like I’m quoted at the end of the article. I think the other JET alum quoted is Ayelet Fogel (Sendai City, Miyagi-ken) who is in the photo. (And yes, that’s me in the background of the photo wearing my “JETAANY Nihongo wakaru yo!” t-shirt.)
If anyone would like to translate or summarize in English, please post as a comment or e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
English translation below by Lee-Sean Huang, webmaster of JETAANY and JETwit.
〈世界から被災地へ〉第二の故郷「ガンバ！」 元英語教師奔走
2011年4月7日10時25分
日本の高校や中学に派遣された米国の元英語教師が東日本大震災の被災者支援に奔走している。ニューヨークでは５日夜、義援金集めのパーティーがあり、多くの参加者が「第二の故郷」に思いを寄せた。
ニューヨーク州ロングアイランド出身のアイェレット・フォーゲルさん（３１）は「３・１１」の当日、仙台市の自宅にいた。家具が崩れ落ち外に飛び出した。
日本政府が英語指導の助手として招くＪＥＴプログラムで２００３年８月から宮城県に滞在。３年の任期が終わっても宮城に残り、８年間で県内の七つの学校で教えた。現在は仙台育英学園の講師として働く。
最初の２年を過ごした南三陸町や気仙沼市では津波で家を流された友人も少なくない。釣りやサーフィンをし、親友と何度も通った美しい海岸は、がれきの山になった。宮城県石巻市では、ＪＥＴのテイラー・アンダーソンさん（２４）が犠牲になった。
仲間が大変なときに宮城を離れたくはなかったが、家族の懇願もあり先月１８日に帰国。「米国でも出来ることがあるはず」と、義援金集めに走り回る。４月２０日に学校が始まるのに合わせ、仙台に戻る予定だ。
１９８７年に始まったＪＥＴプログラムは、経験者が５万人を超える。
ニューヨークのパーティーには約３００人が駆けつけ、約９０万円が集まった。９０年代に愛知県刈谷市に滞在したスティーブン・ホロウィッツさんによる と、米国各地で同様の動きがある。「私たちはどこにいても心の中では日本人。日本で過ごした日々への恩返しをしたいのです」（ニューヨーク＝田中光）
<International responses to the Tohoku Earthquake>
Former English Teachers support their 2nd hometowns
April 12, 2011, 10:25
Former American English teachers who worked in Japanese junior high and high schools are organizing to support the victims of the recent eastern Japan earthquake. There was a fundraiser party in New York on the evening of April 5, where many participants came out in support of their “second hometowns.”
Ayelet Fogel (31 yrs/old), from New York’s Long Island, was at her home in Sendai City on the day of the “3/11” quake. She ran outside to safety as items in her home came crashing down.
Fogel has lived in Miyagi Prefecture since August 2003 when she was invited by the Japanese government to serve as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) on the JET Programme. After finishing her 3 year term, she remained in Miyagi and taught for 8 years at 7 schools in the prefecture. She is currently employed as an instructor at the Sendai Ikuei Gakuen.
In Minamisanriku Village and Kesennuma City, where Fogel spent her first 2 years in Japan, she has many friends whose houses were washed away by the tsunami. The beautiful coastline where she went fishing and surfing many times in the past with her friends has been turned into a mountain of rubble. JET participant Taylor Anderson, who was based in Miyagi Prefecture’s Ishinomaki City, died in the disaster.
Fogel did not want to leave her friends in Miyagi in a time of distress, but upon the request of her family, she returned to the US on March 18th. “I should be able to do something to help from the US as well,” she thought, and so began to collect donations for the disaster relief effort. She plans to return to Sendai in time for the beginning of the new school year on April 20th.
Founded in 1987, the JET Programme now has over 50,000 alumni.
The fundraiser party in New York attracted about 300 guests and raised over 10,000 dollars (~90,000 yen). According to Steven Horowitz, who lived in Aichi Prefecture’s Kariya City in the 1990s, similar fundraising events are taking place across the United States. “Wherever we are, we are all Japanese in our hearts. We want to do something to give back for the time we spent in Japan,” Horowitz said.
Tanaka Akira, New York
NHK video of JETAA NY Fundraiser
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Thanks to Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) for sharing the link to this NHK video on Tuesday night’s JETAANY Japan Fundraiser:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/jishin0311/movie/chapter_66.html
Roland Kelts helps launch debut issue of “MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan” with April/May events in NYC
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Via Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica and the contributing editor for MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan:
A Letter from A Public Space (Brooklyn-based literary publication):
A Public Space Literary Projects announces the debut issue of MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan, with April/May launch events in New York City.
New York City, New York, April 4, 2011—A Public Space (APS) announces publication of the first annual English language edition of Monkey Business: New Voices from Japan (MB), supported by a generous grant from the Nippon Foundation. Three launch programs in New York City in late April and early May will bring together authors, translators and editors from Japan and the US for this first-of-its-kind trans-cultural literary event. Twenty-five percent of all MB sales will go toward the Nippon Foundation/CANPAN Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
Monkey Business is a Tokyo-based Japanese literary magazine founded in 2008 by award-winning translator, scholar, editor and author Motoyuki Shibata. One of Japan’s best known and most highly regarded translators of American fiction, Shibata has won numerous accolades, most recently the 2010 Japan Translation Cultural Prize for his translation of Thomas Pynchon’s Mason & Dixon, and has introduced to Japanese readers works by Paul Auster, Steven Millhauser, Rebecca Brown, Stuart Dybek and Steve Erickson, among others.
Shibata, who was interviewed in the first issue of APS, modeled MB in part on the Brooklyn literary journal. Founded in 2006 by editor Brigid Hughes, A Public Space is devoted to cutting-edge literature—not just from American contributors, but by writers and artists spanning the globe. Each issue presents a portfolio that explores an international literary scene. The debut issue of APS featured a portfolio from Japan, curated and edited by author Roland Kelts (Japanamerica) and MB founder Shibata, and featuring contributions from Haruki Murakami, Yoko Ogawa, Kazushige Abe and others. Issue 1 was praised by readers in the US and Japan and has long been sold out.”
Read More
Update: Here’s a clip from NHK TV about the JETAANY Fundraiser including some interviews with JET alums.
JETAA NY’s Fundraiser for Japan was held last night at Slate (50 W. 21st St) and drew over 300 people while raising over $10,000 for the JETAA USA Fund. The event also drew significant Japanese media coverage and included a table run by NY-based Japanese volunteer organization NY de Volunteer to give people an opportunity to write messages of support back to Japan.
Photos to come.
Did your JETAA chapter hold a fundraiser or engage in earthquake/tsunami relief activities? Email jetwit [at] jetwit.com with details and photos.
Event: JET alum author Roland Kelts to speak in London April 14
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Attention JETAA UK! Join Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, at The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London on Thursday, April 14 for a talk on “Pop culture from a Multipolar Japan.” Talk is 4-5 pm followed by drinks reception to 6pm.
Note: If you plan on attending, please register for the event at http://www.dajf.org.uk/events/booking-form
Anthony Bianchi back in Brooklyn for “Xaverian High School Japan Benefit Concert” tonight
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Just heard from JET alum, Brooklyn native and current Inuyama City Councilman Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi) that he’s back in New York for a very short stay in order to attend his alma mater Xaverian High School‘s “Japan Benefit Concert” tonight (Thursday, March 31).
Anthony notes that any JET alums around are welcome to come. [Ed. Note: Sorry for the short notice. I wasn’t able to post this until 4:21 pm and it starts at 7:00 pm.]
Start time: 7:00 pm
Location: Xaverian High School, 71st St & Shore Road in Brooklyn
Cost: $10
WITLife 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.
Japan’s recovery efforts continue to take place, and while it is easy to feel helpless in the face of the disaster’s aftermath we can each help out in our own small way. I would like to highlight some upcoming events that will enable you to contribute to the cause 
while enjoying good food and music.
First up is Dine Out for Japan Relief, a week-long event in which the 70+ participating restaurants are donating 5% of their proceeds to Japan’s tsunami recovery and relief efforts. There are many familiar Manhattan Japanese favorites like Read More
NYCaresForJapan.com
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Mitsuhiro Inada of the Japan Foundation in New York has put together this helpful website to keep New Yorkers up to date on Japan-related fundraising activities there:
WIT Life #157: Bye Bye Kitty!!!
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WITLife 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.
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the opening for the Japan Society’s newest exhibit, Bye Bye Kitty!!! The title refers to opposition towards the domination of Japan’s kawaii-ness, the idea of cuteness that has become Japan’s major export as represented by Hello Kitty. It features 16 artists, many of them quite young and not household names, and their interpretation of this concept. I was particularly drawn in by the intricacy of the works of 38-year old Manabu Ikeda, whose pen and ink masterpieces were incredibly detailed and required several minutes of close examination to take in all of their elements.
Equally interesting was the large-scale Read More
JapaneseLondon.com Round-up 03.17.11
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Thanks to JETAA UK’s Vanessa Villalobos for sharing this:
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN JAPANESE LONDON?
It feels like the world is a different place, post March 11th. The massive tremor has actually shifted earth on its axis. Now, all we can do is come together as friends of Japan to send our love and donations towards the recovery effort.
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief in London
There is a book of condolence for the victims of the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake, now open at the Embassy of Japan. You can call in between 9.30am and 5.30pm until the 23rd March (including Saturday and Sunday) to sign the book. Don’t forget to take a form of photo ID (driving licence or passport) for the security on the door.
The popular violinist Taro Hakase has been holding charity concerts in venues around London since Monday, and will continue with an appearance at Fortnum and Mason, 5pm, Thursday 17th March, and a concert at Cadogan Hall this Friday 18th March.
The Japan Society has now set up its Tohoku Earthquake Relief fund, and will be channelling donations specifically to grassroots organisations in the Sendai area.
Also, visit the Play for Japan website to get the latest about fundraising events, or to let them know about yours – it’s ‘an interactive portal set up to give the maximum publicity to your efforts’. Read More
Event: Japan and the World After the Quake @ Japan Society, New York – Mar 23
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Ambassador Hiroki and other experts look at the immediate and long term impacts on Japan’s economy, society, and international relations after the March 11 earthquake, the strongest earthquake ever to hit Japan.
Date: March 23, 12 pm – 2pm
More information here: http://www.japansociety.org/event_detail?eid=4f23936d
Upcoming Events to Support Japan
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I know a lot of donation information has already been made available on this site, but for those who want to be involved with events actively supporting the cause here are two coming up in NYC that I would like to pass along:
- Run for Japan: Sunday, March 20 from 8:30-1 @ 72nd St. & 5th Ave. (Central Park): http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=203082156369673
- SUPPORT JAPAN: Moms Get Together in Union Square to Raise Funds and Awareness: Welcome to anyone who wants to help Japan (not just moms)! Please join us in supporting the victims of Japan’s 3.11 earthquake. This event will raise funds, awareness, and show our support for the victims of the disaster. The worst earthquake in the history of Japan, followed by a tragic tsunami and shocking nuclear plant disasters, is more than the Japanese can handle on their own. You can imagine how scary and horrible the past week has been for millions of Japanese people. Thousands of people are dead, tens of thousands are still missing, and more than 120,000 are displaced from their homes. Yet there is still time to help reduce the pain and suffering caused by the disaster. Please gather in Union Square across from Whole Foods this Thursday, March 17 between 3pm and 6pm dressed in RED and WHITE, and bring handwritten signs or anything else to personally send a message of encouragement to the Japanese people. New Yorkers are incredibly generous. We hope to encourage passers-by to donate directly to charities supporting victims of the crisis in Japan. We prefer checks written directly to charities, but accept small cash donations on their behalf as well. 100% of your generous tax-deductible contributions will go to charities. We are currently performing due diligence on which ones are the most efficient ways to support the relief effort. We are considering charities which transmit 100% of donations to Japanese relief efforts. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact: Naoko Fitzgerald @ 917-783-7013, naoko.tf@gmail.com.
WIT Life #156: 4th Annual Peace Festival
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WITLife 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.
Like most of you, I have spent the last couple of days glued to the coverage of the earthquake/tsunami/radioactive fallout news from Japan. I left Tokyo the day before the quake and was shocked to come home to the awful news. The feelings of helplessness and immense sadness can be overwhelming at times, so I was happy to be able to help out as a volunteer interpreter at the 4th Annual Peace Festival this weekend. It just felt like the right place to be in the midst of all that is happening.
On Saturday night I attended the world premiere of Twice Bombed: The Legacy of Tsutomu Yamaguchi, which told the amazing tale of
this first officially recognized double atomic bomb survivor (二重被爆者 or nijuu hibakusha) who passed away last year at the age of 93. Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th and 9th respectively and was a truly inspiring figure, beginning his speaking out about his experience just five years before he died. Up until that point, his wife and daughter had encouraged him to stay silent as they were scared that Read More
