*************

Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two andTonoharu:  Part 1, has  just announced the “Kameoka Diaries“, Lars’ e-comic about his return to teaching English, this time in Kameoka, Kyoto, is now available on iTunes.

More info here and below:  http://larsmartinson.com/my-first-two-e-comics-now-available/

The Kameoka Diaries: Volume One [ Direct iBookstore Link ]
The Kameoka Diaries: Volume One is a humorous (?) account of my experiences living and working in Central Japan, told over eight chapters. It includes an exclusive chapter not available anywhere else!

JETwit Note:  I just downloaded a copy onto my iPhone. 250 pages for only $0.99, and I always love Lars’ work.  Plus, it’s my first time using iBook which it turns out is pretty nifty. :-)

 

 

By Paul Benson (Fukui-ken, 2006-2008) for JQ magazine. Paul is a freelance Japanese-English translator and writer in New York City. Paul enjoys reading, writing, brewing beer, and e-sports.

Mikine Dezaki is a second generation Japanese American raised in South Florida. After studying in Hiroshima for a year and graduating from the University of Minnesota, Mikine joined the JET Program as an ALT in Yamanashi Prefecture from 2007-2010. He then transferred to Okinawa and is currently serving his fifth year for 2010-2012. He looks forward to meditating on life as a monk in Thailand for a year after JET. You can check out “Sh*t Japanese Students Say” and more on his YouTube channel and follow him on Twitter.

When did you become interested in the JET Program?

It’s kind of interesting, because growing up I actually had no interest in Japan. My brothers and I are really Americanized. Growing up in Florida, there aren’t that many Japanese Americans. So, I didn’t have much interest in it, but I met some great Japanese friends in college and decided to give it a shot. I have two older brothers, but they don’t speak Japanese. I thought it’d be good if one of us was able to speak Japanese. We have relatives in Japan, and I also wanted to be a bridge for them.

You’ve definitely received some popularity with your video. As of today, YouTube shows over 100,000 views! What do you think about that?

It’s very surprising. On the second or third day, I was on Facebook and my friends were telling me that their friends were telling them about my video! “This is your 15 minutes of fame, Miki!” one told me. I guess; I hope not.

Actually, I made the video for Japanese people. It caught on with JETs, but I didn’t make it for them. If you look at the other videos on my YouTube channel, you can see they’re for Japanese people [Dezaki has produced a hearing test for Japanese on the English “l” and “r” sounds and videos reflecting on English education in Japan—Ed.]. I mean, all Japanese people have gone to school, so I thought they’d find it interesting. The older generation can see how the younger generation acts now, and younger generation viewers can see themselves or friends in the characters I made.

I’ve also noticed a couple things about the Japanese audience—they don’t share like Americans do. They don’t share much or use Twitter. They mainly use their mobile phones instead of a laptop or desktop. Also, the Facebook app on smartphones doesn’t have a share button. I asked some friends to share the video (if they liked it), and they told me they couldn’t because they don’t have that button. They’d actually have to copy and paste the link. I think that’s why it hasn’t spread in Japan like it has with the JETs.

Still, I am getting a lot of Japanese viewers. YouTube shows me the sources and a lot of them are “mobile devices.” I just wish they’d share it more! It’s funny—I went to school today and a coworker told me I’m on the front page of the mobile YouTube site in Japan. “You’re number one!” he said.

Read More

Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two andTonoharu:  Part 1, has just just published the latest edition of his new cartoon series called“Kameoka Diaries“ about his return to teaching English, this time in Kameoka, Kyoto.

Click here to read the Kameoka Diaries #7.

http://larsmartinson.com/kameoka-diaries-7/

 

By Preston Hatfield (Kofu-shi, 2009-10) for JQ magazine. Preston moved to New York in January 2012 from San Francisco and works for Skyhorse Publishing. In addition to fantastic manuscripts, Preston is now accepting submissions from people who want to be his friend. Abduct him from his house in the middle of the night, or find him on Facebook and ask about his JET blog in which he details his exploits and misadventures in that crazy Land of the Rising Sun we all love.

On JET it may be true that everyone’s situation is different, but I’d bet my left dango that each of us, for whatever extenuating circumstance, suffered a few restless nights without heat in our rooms. My bone-chilling tale of refrigery and woe took place when 2010 was newly born, in the sweeping valleys of Yamanashi Prefecture. I lived in Kofu’s International Exchange Center, a westernized building converted from an old motel with all the comforts of home: shower, central heating, high speed Internet, furnished everything—which is to say I’d gotten used to a very comfortable lifestyle. I was overdue for a slice of humble sashimi.

I should mention that Kofu is not a cold place. It usually gets one storm where the snow sticks, and even that only lasts a few days. But that means nothing to a California boy. The moment my room dropped below its usual 72 degrees of moderation I knew I was in for it and got my building supervisor on the phone. He showed up a few minutes later, a shrunken old man who’d apparently won the battle against time, for indeed time had already done its worst and still the man was up and (very gradually) at ’em.

“A couple of days,” he told me after examining the fuses. “You’ll have to hang in there until then.” I looked out my window where the sky was semi-busy dropping the one good bit of snowfall we’d have that year. By now I imagined the temperature inside had dipped into the upper 60s and the first stages of hypothermia couldn’t be far off. Neither could the epic hissy fit I was about to throw.

Read More

Thanks to Okinawa JET Mikine Dezaki for making and sharing this video, “Shit Japanese Students Say.” I thought it was in response to the previous JETwit request for a “Shit JETs Say” video. But it turns out he was already working on this project.  Enjoy!

 

 

By Wendy Ikemoto (Ehime-ken, 2006-2011). Wendy taught at six crazy but lovable high schools and served as a Prefectural Advisor on JET. Now based in the equally crazy New York City, she is looking for her next challenging career opportunity. Wendy is a fan of reading, writing, and cooking as a form of socialization. Visit her LinkedIn profile here.

I learned the hard way that bicycles and snow don’t mix.

It wasn’t that I didn’t have my suspicions about this, but I: a) Needed to get to the train station, and b) was inexperienced with the fluffy stuff (it was only the second time in years that snow in my country town hadn’t immediately melted away, and as a Hawaii girl, the snow seemed more novelty than threat).

So on a January morning in Ehime, I left my apartment to catch a train into town. I followed the same route to the station that I used hundreds of times. I rode past a small temple on the hill. I enjoyed watching the animals in the river along the road. I took the turn by the bridge and in slow motion, my tire slipped out from under me and I crashed. SMACK–I fell on the back of my head.

I couldn’t move for a moment.

Before I could regain composure, I started to get dragged off. A kind Japanese couple had seen the whole thing and sensibly moved me out of the road. I was very grateful, but hugely mortified. After about a minute, I thanked them profusely, assuring them that I was OK, and managed to get back on my bicycle. Slowly and wobbly, I made it to the station.

I met my friend, we bought our train tickets, and through the gate we went to wait for our train. This was my first moment to relax since the accident. Although I felt fine, I decided to inspect the back on my head. Lightly, my fingers caressed where I crashed until they came upon a bump. Not the hard kind that happens when you knock your head against a shelf, but the soft kind that happens when you have a blister. Crap. Well, maybe I can go to the doctor tomorrow, I thought.

When I brought my hand down into my lap, however, I noticed that it looked funny…there was blood all over it.

Read More

Most of you have probably seen these two things going around on Facebook and elsewhere.  But just in case you haven’t….

1.  The 101 Signs You’ve Been in Japan Too Long

2.  ALT in Japan

Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two andTonoharu:  Part 1, has just just published the latest edition of his new cartoon series called“Kameoka Diaries“ about his return to teaching English, this time in Kameoka, Kyoto.

Click here to read the Kameoka Diaries #5.

http://larsmartinson.com/kameoka-diaries-5/

****************

Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two and Tonoharu:  Part 1, has put together a rather unique video that “explains” the Tonoharu series in a marvelously tongue-in-cheek way.  (BTW, does anyone know if there’s a Japanese term for “tongue-in-cheek”?)

Anyway, have a look at the video.  I think it’s fair to say that no one has captured the JET/living in Japan experience in as intricate a way as Lars has:

 

There’s a nice interview with JET alum Lars Martinson in Hero Magazine.  Lars recently published Tonoharu:  Part 2, a graphic novel about teaching English in Japan that follows up on the success of Tonoharu:  Part 1.

Here’s the link to the article:  http://heromagazine.org/?p=189

Thanks to JET alum Jennifer Wang for forwarding the link to “English Teachers:  The Series,” an original web-based comedy series about teaching English in Japan.  (Kind of like Scrubs if it took place in a private English school.)

http://englishteachersseries.com

Here’s the first episode.  Click the above link to see more episodes:

Courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald.

As Japan hosts a Asia-Pacific summit this week, a women’s underwear maker on Wednesday unveiled a bra that is meant to lift spirits as well as bust lines and support the country’s tourism sector.

Triumph Japan showcased its bustier-style “Welcome to Japan! Bra” that it said was inspired by a tour guide’s uniform, features a display for images of sightseeing spots and can greet visitors in three languages.

A row of three electronic push buttons running down the centre of the garment triggers audio greetings in English, Chinese and Korean.

“Furthermore, tour guide flags are inserted on each side of the bra,” the company said. “When not used to guide tourists, the flags act as side stays, providing good support and creating an attractive bust line.”

Read the complete story (with video!!) here.

Instant Noodle Comics is a new cartoon by Shun Endo (Ibaraki Prefecture, 1998-2001), who also served as Treasurer and Webmaster for JETAA Pacific Northwest.  He works as a Game Artist at Real Networks( Gamehouse Studios).  To see more of his cartoons go to instantnoodlescomics.com.

Click the image to see the full comic!

Read More

I found this JET-made parody video (which I’ve since found out was made by Lena Franco (Okayama-ken, 2008-10)) after seeing it posted on a fellow JET alum’s Facebook status:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQrfiJ2WFeQ

And one more cute and fun video by Lena titled “Souljia Boy” which is a compilation of video clips where she taught students the dance that goes with the tune:

http://www.youtube.com/user/francol86

This past weekend at the JETAA USA Conference hosted by the JETAA New York chapter, there were several references in speeches (including by Ambassador Fujisaki) to the possibility of a JET alum someday becoming President of the United States.  Fortunately, this issue was already addressed in the Spring 2004 issue of the JETAA NY Quarterly Newsletter so we’ll all know exactly what to expect:

Spring 2004 – THE “POLITICS” ISSUE TOP 14!

It could happen.  One of these days one of our very own from the JET Alumni community could become President of the United States.  What would that be like, ka na…?

THE TOP 14 THINGS THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF A JET ALUM WERE PRESIDENT

14. Fifty-minute self-introduction on first day in office.
13. Press conference with Japanese media to promote internationalization and clear up confusion over ability to use chopsticks.
12. Presidential toilet seat warmer.
11. Future school history books include section on famous “I Have a Pen!” speech.
10. Vending machines with hot corn soup installed throughout White House
9.  Pre-Departure Orientation in the Rose Garden
8.  Curry rice included in public school lunch menus across the U.S.
7.  All Foreign Service language training outsourced to AEON.
6.  Inauguration Karaoke!
5.  All JETAA Chapter Reps appointed to ambassadorships.
4.  President works half days, then goes on vacation.  (Wait a second…)
3.  Spin control involves slapping Vice President on the back of the head to evoke laughter from audience and divert controversy.
2.  All policies explained very clearly, slowly and loudly.
1.  Oval Office Happy Hour!

*(Click here for more Top Ten lists from past Newsletter issues.)