By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe–shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.

The Japan-centric events of the month ahead promise to be as rich and full as autumn itself—brisk and colorful, with a dash of unpredictability.

This month’s highlights include:

Thursday, Oct. 3, 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Zac Zinger Fulfillment Release Concert

Jazz at Kitano, 66 Park Avenue

$18 cover, call (212) 885-7119 for reservations

A four-time recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, Zac Zinger is a composer and musician (whose credits includes Final Fantasy XV: Assassin’s Festival and Street Fighter V) ready to unleash his debut album. Fulfillment is a compilation of Zinger’s best compositions for small jazz ensemble over the last decade, performed on shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) and saxophone with his progressive jazz quartet featuring Sharik Hasan on piano, Adam Neely on bass, and Luke Markham on drums.

Sunday, Oct. 6, 2:00 p.m.

Wind of Tsugaru in New York: Bunta Satoh, Tsugarubue

Carnegie Hall (Weill Recital Hall), 881 Seventh Avenue

$25-$45 (click here for 20% discount for orchestra seats)

Flautist Bunta Satoh introduces the history and culture of Tsugarubue, a Japanese bamboo flute from the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture. In addition to performing this one-of-a-kind music, he composes for the instrument and organizes workshops to inspire a new generation to uphold its tradition. He released his third album, The Wind of Tsugaru, in January 2017. Joining him for this performance are Hiro Hayashida and Sota Asano (taiko drums), Chihiro Shibayama (percussion), Stephanie Matthews (violin), Reenat Pinchas (cello), and Hsin-Ni Liu (piano).

Oct. 11-17, various times

Tora-san, Our Lovable Tramp (It’s Tough Being a Man)

Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street

$15, $9 members

New 50th anniversary 4K restoration! The longest-running film series starring the same actor (48 features over 27 years), with all but two directed by Yoji Yamada and every one starring Kiyoshi Atsumi as the itinerant, rough around the edges peddler Torajiro Kuruma (nicknamed Tora-san, literally “Mr. Tiger”), a comic figure as iconic in Japan as Chaplin while capable of cutting through pretentious piffle and providing serene counsel to the troubled and the lovelorn—if not always to himself. In his debut appearance, Tora-san hilariously botches the arranged marriage of his kid sister Sakura (Chieko Baisho), but later reverse-psychologizes two timid lovers into a real romance.

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email

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Job Title: Director of Study Abroad
Posted by: George Washington University
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job passed along to us:

The George Washington University Office for Study Abroad in Washington, D.C. is now searching for a full-time Supervisor, Study Abroad Advising.

Reporting to the Director of Study Abroad, the Supervisor of Study Abroad Advising oversees the administrative operations related to advising and assessment within OSA. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Providing direction and feedback to the advising staff to ensure efficiency, consistency, and ongoing improvement of the student experience.
• Coordinating advising across Global Bachelors and GW Programs Abroad with other team members.
• Resolving complex advising issues requiring research or potential escalation to the director.
• Designing and implementing pre-departure orientation for students.
• Managing study abroad program provider relations.
• Organizing study abroad week and the study abroad fair.
• Administering the program petition process.
• Overseeing use of the databases and platforms that capture data for OSA transactions.
• Assisting the Applications Administrator in reporting data to national organizations such as IIE Open Doors.
• Providing regular data updates to the OSA director and university leadership for management decisions and forecasting.
• Collecting data on regulations, news, reports related to international/global education and higher education in the US and abroad.
• Supporting OAS teams to collect and analyze study abroad data, trends, competitive data and developments as requested/needed.
• Hiring, training, coaching, and supervising three professionals and multiple student employees. To include, goal setting and conducting performance reviews.

The position is based at GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus in Washington, DC. The incumbent may perform other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Application Process: For more information, please see the link on our Jobs at GW website: https://www.gwu.jobs/postings/71108

Read More

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email

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Job Title: Finance Specialist
Posted by: North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC)
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contract: Temporary

Thanks to JET alum, Mervin Salazar (Nagano-ken) for the following job opening:

The North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC) invites applications for a temporary consulting position of Finance Specialist. The appointment will be for an eleven (11)-month period, with a possibility of extension.

NPFC is an international organization established on 19 July 2015 in Tokyo, Japan with the objective of ensuring the sustainability of fisheries resources and the marine ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean.

Under the overall supervision of the Executive Secretary of the NPFC, the Finance Specialist assists the Executive Secretary regarding finance matters of the Commission.

Finance Specialist’s primary functions and duties:

• Assist the Executive Secretary in implementing all finance matters of the Commission
• Assist Executive Secretary in payment, disbursement procedures and travel arrangements of the Secretariat staff and invited experts
• Liaise with service providers for all infrastructure, equipment, and making a contract
• Annually arrange and support independent auditors for the Commission
• Assists the Executive Secretary in the preparation of budgets for the regular functioning of the Secretariat and associated special projects
• Others required by the Executive Secretary

Read More

 

 

On August 13, 2019, US JETAA hosted a webinar for JET alumni interested in going to law school or pursuing a career in the legal field. Four JET alums: Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-1994), Andy McCarthy (Akita-ken, 2005-2008), Jonathan Carll (Niigata-shi, 2008-2011), and Sarah H. Lee (Kumamoto-ken, 2004-2006) shared their experiences in law school, what they’ve done after they finished, and gave some pointers for those considering a career in law. Feel free to check out the full webinar here.

More information about the speakers can be read below. Thanks to US JETAA for their biographies and hosting a wonderful webinar!

SPEAKERS

Steven Horowitz (Aichi, 1992-1994) is the Director of Legal English Programs at St. John’s University School of Law where he has the good fortune to work with two other JET alumni! He has a JD from Duke Law School, an MA TESOL from CUNY-Hunter College, a CELTA Certificate, and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. He has also studied law at Waseda University and interned for Japanese law firms.

Andy McCarthy (Akita, 2005-2008) works for a boutique law firm focusing specifically on oil and gas transactions in various oil and gas plays throughout the United States. After JET, Andy returned to the United States and studied at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, graduating in June, 2011. Shortly after graduation, Andy worked as a field landman in eastern Ohio for nine months, before joining a large oil and gas law firm in Houston, Texas in May, 2012. Andy is licensed to practice law in Texas, Ohio, and Nebraska.

Jonathan Carll, (Niigata City, 2008 – 2011) Graduated from law school in 2015. Licensed in Texas. He worked mostly as a Japanese document review attorney since that time. Prior to law school he worked for a year as a translator on similar Japanese document review projects.

Sarah H. Lee (Kumamoto, 2004-2006) is a legal aid attorney in Boston, MA with the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association. She currently practices housing and family law; her past practice also includes child welfare law, immigration, consumer law, and foreclosures. Sarah earned her B.A. from Wellesley College and her J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where she was a member of The Ohio State Law Journal and a law clerk with the Legal Aid Society of Columbus.

 

Emily Frank (Hokkaido, 1993-1996) is a professional career counselor and coach who has worked with and helped JET alumni all over the world. Her website is www.DenverCareerCatalyst.com.

Job Burnout Worksheet

Are you struggling with a decision about whether it’s time to leave your job or not?  This worksheet will help you decide if you’re really burning out or if you can make some changes at your current job that make it worth sticking out.  Write your answers in as much detail as possible.

1. Control: Do you feel you lack autonomy at work? What causes you to think that?  For instance, is your work an always-on-call culture, with expectations that you will respond to emails and phone calls even at night or on weekends?  Do you have enough staff to accomplish what needs accomplishing? If not, are there any steps you can take so mitigate these?

2. Workload: Can you feasibly accomplish your work and still do things like eat lunch and leave work on time?  Have you successfully prioritized your tasks and figured out ways to delegate things? Are you letting perfect be the enemy of good?  Would learning effective time management strategies make your workload manageable?

3. Reward: Are you getting enough from your job?  Remember that rewards are both intrinsic (the intangible things that make the job itself satisfying, like being acknowledged by colleagues and clients, feeling like you’re growing, etc.) and extrinsic (the things you get from the job like pay and benefits) and that we each need some of both in order to be happy.  What do you need to be getting from your job in order to feel happy with it? Would getting a raise or promotion be enough? (If so, absolutely seek one!)

4. Fairness: Does praise get spread fairly evenly across all areas of your team, or are certain people given more for doing the same amount of praise-worthy work as others?  Are there racial, gender, age, or gender identity biases? If so, you may want to start by pointing these imbalances out—people are often unaware of their own biases, but tread carefully so as to avoid hurting feelings!  You may even enlist the help of a sympathetic colleague who can say something like, “I noticed that Janet contributed a lot to this program but wasn’t one of the people who got a thank-you gift card for it. Can you please help me understand why that is?”
   
   
5. Culture: Who do you work with?  Are there people who regularly ask how your day is going?  Are people supportive and trustworthy? Is water cooler talk discouraged?  Sometimes you can mitigate some of these relationship challenges by simply getting to know the others you work with a little better, but sometimes those behaviors are frowned on, or your colleagues are simply not people you can trust.  We humans need a sense of community, so the culture of your workplace can have a huge impact on the sustainability of your job.
   
   
6. Values: If you’ve followed any of my social media, you’ll know that this is one of my key talking points.  A mismatch in your values and those of your workplace will burn you out in a job faster than just about anything I know.  Did your workplace once have values that aligned with yours but those have shifted? If so, in what ways has that become apparent?  Are the decision-makers open to suggestions and willing to make small changes? What are the current underlying motivations for decisions, and how do those feel to you?

 

Deciding whether or not to leave a job can feel like a heavy burden, but be thoughtful and honest about these questions and you will have a better understanding of whether to stay or go.

© 2019

Research from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911781/

Photo from: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kiradane/horimono?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=horimono

JET alum, David Caprara (Nara-ken, 2012-2014) has been working as a journalist post-JET. He credits his time on the JET Programme to help his career. For three years, he worked in New York City for two Japanese media outlets, NHK, and the Tokyo Shimbun. Before that, he was a freelancer for a wide array of international outlets around the world. Today, he’s currently working on a new documentary, Horimono, which follows a group of tattoed pilgrims to the holy mountain of Oyama in Japan.

For more information about the documentary, which includes the trailer, the project outline, and the list of the crew, please click here.

Janice, who’s an editor for an RV Road Trip blog sent this link to us and we thought it would be interesting to share. Do you agree with her? Let us know in the comments if she’s missing one of your best things to do in Japan.

Chapter Beats June, 2019

 

JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by AJET‘s Director of Alumni Relations Megan Buhagiar (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2017- Present)

 

 

• JETAA UK

Visit the UK’s First Sake Brewery

In 2017 Tom and Lucy Wilson started a sake revolution in Peckham – bringing Kanpai to life: the UK’s very first brewery championing Japan’s national drink.

We have space for up to 20 people to come along and learn about how they’ve bought this amazing part of Japan to London. We’ve reserved a private space for JETAA (plus friends), but head to the link and sign up as spaces are limited and fill quickly!

Date: 8th June 2019
Time: 14:00 – 17:00
Location:      Kanpai London Sake Brewery &

Taproom, Unit 2A-2, 133 Copeland

Rd, Peckham, London SE15 3SN

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jetaa-london-visits-kanpai-brewery-tickets-61893110961

Want to learn more beforehand? https://www.jetaa.org.uk/news/the-uks-first-sake-brewery/

 

 

 

 

• JETAA Ottowa

Hanami

Our hanami flower-viewing picnic has moved to June 1 due to the unfortunate forecast this weekend. On the plus side, that means extra time to let us know you’re coming through Eventbrite and/or order a Sushi Fresh bento lunchbox.

Eventbrite

Join us in this long-term Japanese tradition of having a picnic under the beautiful blossoming trees during spring! Everyone is welcome, including friends and family of JET alumnus.
Date And Time

Saturday, 1 June 2019

12:30 PM – 5:00 PM EDT

 

Location

Dunton Tower

917 Sherwood Drive

Ottawa, ON K2C 3R6

View Map

Since Carleton University is close to the Arboretum, we will be meeting at the university campus at Dunton Tower and then walk over to the area we’ll be using for our hanami and bento picnic.

For those of you who don’t know, the Arboretum is a large 26 hector park, located between Prince of Wales Drive and the Rideau Canal, with a lot of open space. It has over 1,700 of different kinds of shrubs and trees from all over the world – including the famous Japanese cherry blossom trees!

 

 

 

 

• US JETAA

Clean Up For Sarah

This event was created to honour Sarah Auffret, who was tragically taken from this world she so loved on March 10, 2019.

Since Sarah has left an impression on people across the globe, let us remember and honour her together.

Sarah was passionate about her job and keeping this wonderful world free from our own rubbish that has affected the environment. Please join us in a big clean up that will happen annually on her Birthday 16th June. It doesn’t matter what part of the world you’re from let’s clean it together!

Please share and invite your friends that knew Sarah. Comment where you’re from, as we all know Sarah has touched so many lives across the globe.

 

Date:      June 16th

Time:      09:00 – 12:00 UTC+08

 

 

 

 

 

• JETAA Queensland

Seminar: Cycle Around Japan – Brisbane

Date: Monday, June 17th

Time:     14:00 – 16:30

Venue:   Dexus Place, L31, Waterfront Place,

1 Eagle Street, Brisbane

 

Join us at the ‘Cycle Around Japan’ seminar in Brisbane, where NHK World-Japan television presenter and cyclist Michael Rice will recount his cycle touring experiences in Japan and offer advice on the opportunities available and waiting for the intrepid explorer—where all roads lead to the heart and soul, to the essence of Japan.

From winding coast to snow covered mountains, from the boundless horizons of Hokkaido to the ancient forests of mythology in Miyazaki prefecture, from well-loved destinations to the next new discovery awaiting around each bend of road, cycling in Japan offers a total immersion into the atmosphere of Japan – a unique way of experiencing the natural and cultural wonders of this country in a way like no other.

Register your interest by clicking “Going” on this page or by contacting the Consulate-General of Japan, Brisbane –
phone: (07) 3221-5188
email: culture@bb.mofa.go.jp

*The seminar will be followed by networking with refreshments.

*You can view Michael’s NHK World programmes on demand at:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/program/video/cycle/?type=tvEpisode&

 

 

 

 

• JETAA ABC

Pre-Departure Meeting

Date:     June 22nd

Time:     15:30 PDT

Venue:   Downtown Vancouver

 

The newest group of JET participants are preparing for life in Japan! We are looking for energetic and committed JET alumni to facilitate the passing of the torch. Consider sharing your expertise and enthusiasm with the next generation.

Below you will find details on Pre-Departure Orientation and a full description for each volunteer position. Most volunteers are not required to attend the full day but you may sign up for multiple positions. We want to provide new JETs with the best possible head start so there will be some preparation required for workshop presenters.

Register for your desired position(s) at https://forms.gle/bnrYo7xoFCA6LEX46
by Sunday, May 26th.

SCHEDULE

Pre-Departure Orientation – Day 1 (Saturday, June 22nd)

BCIT Downtown Campus, 555 Seymour St, Vancouver

Reception Dinner & Social Event, Free for JETAABC Members (details TBA)

Pre-Departure Orientation – Day 2 (Sunday, June 23rd)

Wosk Centre for Dialogue, 580 W Hastings St, Vancouver

 

 

 

 

• JETAA NY
  1. Rock Climbing Night!

Date:     Tuesday, 4^th June

Time:     18:00 – 21:30

Venue:   Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge

23 – 10 41^st Avenue,

Long Island City 11101

Join Princeton in Asia and JETAANY for our first ever Rock Climbing Night! Experienced and first time climbers welcome! We’ll be meeting up at Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge at the registration dest at 18:00 to climb, mix and mingle. Or, drop by anytime and look for folks wearing “Princeton in Asia” t-shirts. If you’re new to climbing there’s a free orientation and those who want pizza, bring or Venmo $5 for pizza to be delivered to the climbing gym at 19:30.

RSVP by June 2^nd here

https://form.gle/TV3JYcKAAmnpsbXQ7

 

 

 

 

• JETAA FL

1. SWFL Area Meet Up for Ramen

Date:     Saturday, June 15^th

Time:     18:00 EDT

Venue:   NAMBA Ramen and Sushi

8847 Tamiami Trail North,

Naples, Florida, 34108

 

If you are in the SWFL area and are available – please join us for a get together for some excellent ramen. Get ready to experience a little 懐かしい for Izakaya dining!

 

 

 

 

• JETAA Heartland

1. KC JET Q&A

Date:     Saturday, June 8^th

Time:     09:00 – 17:00 CDT

Venue:   Kansas City Art Institue

4415 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City,

Missouri 64111

 

The new JETs are about to ship out to Japan! Let’s send them off as prepared as possible. It will still be at the Batty House across the street from Nelson Atkins Art Museum.

 

JET Alumni are welcome to attend the Q&A to help support or watch the sessions. We will also be streaming the sessions to the Heartland JETAA Facebook Group if you want to watch there.

 

Dress-code:    Business Casual

Schedule is being finalized.

 

 

 

 

 

• JETAA Rocky Mountain

1. JLPT Study Group

Date:     Sunday, 9^th June

Time:     12:00 – 14:30 MDT

Venue:   Stellas Coffee

              1476 S Pearl Street,

Denver, Colorado, 80210

Friendly reminder that December’s JLPT is only 6 months and some days away! Let’s start studying hard so we can all 合格する!

 

I am starting a study group in June for anyone who is interested in studying for the JLPT together. The first meeting will be sometime during the first week of June.

 

All levels are welcome!

 

If you are interested in joining please comment.

 

UPDATE: Let’s meet June 9^th since Denver Pop Culture Con is the first weekend in June and the 8^th is the Q&A session for departing JETs.

 

I’ll be at Tokyo Premium Bakery around 11:30 then head over to Stellas around 12:00 to grab a couple of tables. Feel free to drop in and out at anytime!

 

 

 

• JETAA Music City

1. 6^th Annual JETAA Yakiniku BBQ

Date:     Sunday, 2^nd June

Time:     12:00 – 15:00 CDT

Venue:   Shelby Park, Shelby Ave & S 20^th St,

              Nashville, TN 37206

 

Your favorite summertime event is back!

 

Meet us at Mission Shelter in Shelby Park for our Yakiniku grill-out. Tickets can be pre-purchased online (portal will be posted closer to the date) and pricing is as follows:

 

JET Alumni, departing JETs, and children: $5/person

Everyone else: $10/person

 

Tickets are available for purchase at:

https://www.eventbrite.com/6th-annual-jetaa-yakiniku-bbq-tickets-62084528496

 

We ask that you buy your tickets no later than Friday, May 31^st, so we know how much meat and vegetables to purchase. Any last-minute guests will need to bring exact change to participate. Food, soft drinks, plates and plastic-ware will be included, so please come hungry!

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below. Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

• JETAA MN

1. Nihongo Dake Dinner

Date:     Wednesday, 5^th June

Time:     17:30 – 19:30 CDT

Venue:   Saji Ya,

695 Grand Ave, Saint Paul,

Minnesota 55105

Come join us for food, drinks and some conversation in Japanese!

 

This is a great way to meet new people, practice your Japanese skills and just have fun!

 

Hope to see you there!

Check out AJET’s Connect Alumni Spotlight featuring JETwit’s own, Steven Horowitz: http://connect.ajet.net/2019/05/30/alumni-spotlight-steven-horowitz/

 

Hendrix College record of six seniors have been accepted as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program:

• Alex Berner, a psychology major from Keller, Texas
• Jazmin Calixto, a psychology major/studio art minor from Dallas, Texas
• Adrienne McGooden, a psychology major from Siloam Springs, Ark.
• John Tran, a religious studies/neuroscience double major from Little Rock, Ark.
• Katherine Verdaris, an economics major from Little Rock, Ark.
• Hueseng Xiong, a biochemistry and molecular biology major/Chinese minor from Subiaco, Ark.

“I think this year’s success is largely the result of these students’ active participation in a broad range of Japanese cultural activities on campus and in the community,” Gwen Stockwell, director of ESOL and International Student Services for Hendrix, said.

“It has been great to see Japanese language and culture contribute to diversity on our campus and in our community. As a JET alumna myself—I served in Miyazaki, Japan, from 1998 to 2001—I’m delighted to see our graduates now be able to benefit from cultural exchange programs like this.”

Read more about the new ALTs and their experiences here!

Please give a warm welcome to the new staff at CLAIR New York

Takahiro Ando — Deputy Director, JLGC

Hello, everyone! I am Takahiro Ando, the new Deputy Executive Director of Japan Local Government Center. Like ex-Deputy Executive Director, Fukutomi, I am originally an officer at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, specializing in local government administration. In addition to my work in Tokyo, I have worked for two prefectural offices: Fukushima and Tochigi. Also, I was born in Kagawa, and raised in Chiba.

Although I have some “hometowns” in Japan, I have had almost no chance to visit foreign countries, so far. Therefore, I am so happy to have this opportunity to live and work in New York, which is full of energy and enthusiasm.
Concerning JET, my mother is an English teacher in Chiba, and I heard about ALT members she worked with. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to meet them in Japan. So, I am looking forward to getting in touch with you!

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CLAIR Staff Responsible for JETAA USA

Sugawara san and Fujiwara san will be responsible for JETAA activities in the U.S.  The same as last year, chapters will have a designated contact in CLAIR, separated into Eastern and Western Chapters. Shinori Nagasawa is still in New York and will be supporting JETAA Canada.

Aki Sugawara
sugawara@jlgc.org

Chicago, Heartland, Texoma, Rocky Mountain, Pacific Northwest, Portland, Northern California, Southern California, Hawaii, Minneapolis

I’m in charge of the western JETAA chapters this year. I’m originally from Yamagata Prefecture, which is located in northern Japan. Yamagata is famous for hot springs and ski resorts. Also, cherries and pears are so delicious. I’ve never been to America before, so this is my first trip. Everything about American life is new and it makes me excited. My hobby is playing instruments. But usually, I like to do things like walking and listening to music. I also like traveling. I’m looking forward to seeing many people and our getting to know each other. I’m so glad to be working with you. Let’s keep building a good relationship. Thank you!

 

Tomoko Fujiwara
fujiwara@jlgc.org

Washington DC, New York, New England, Southeast, Mid-South, Florida, Alaska, Great Lakes, and Music City

I’m in charge of the eastern JETAA USA chapters this fiscal year. I’m from Nagano Prefecture. Originally, however, I was born in Hiroshima and then moved to Tokyo. I also lived in Kyoto too. After that, I started working at the Nagano Prefectural Office from 2016. I had been to the US three time before I came to New York in April. My first visit to the US was to Guam with my family. The second time was Indiana State through a study abroad program to learn about agriculture in the US. After the program, I went to Washington, D.C., and New York. When I was a graduate student, I visited Philadelphia and Boston. As you can see, I like traveling abroad. I’ve been to Kenya, Spain, Germany, Mexico, and so on. I would like to visit the places I’ve never been to in the US as much as I can. Also I love music, including singing karaoke. I’m looking forward to working with you all and hope I have the chance to get to know each of you!

 

 

 

 

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Farewell to Kotaro and Shigeru!

Thank you to all the chapters that submitted farewell messages to Kotaro (Tony) Kashiwai and Shigeru Fukutomi.  They absolutely loved the messages and photos you included in their personalized books.

To stay in touch with Kotaro (Tony) Kashiwai please reach out to him on Facebook https://www.facebook. com/kotaro.kashiwai. To contact Shigeru please email him at s.fukutomi1974@gmail.com

 

 

JET Alum Releases a Parody of Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” Dubbed “Small Charcoal Grill / Shichirin”
As you may or may not know, in January 2019 Ariana Grande found her new tattoo the center of controversy when what she thought said “7 Rings” in Japanese actually said shichirin which means “small charcoal grill.”

A recent JET alum, Andy Shartzer (Shizuoka, 2014-2016), and his sketch group Overstep Comedy, made a tribute to the art of Japanese BBQ, “Small Charcoal Grill / Shichirin” — written by and starring Andy Shartzer, directed by Jatin Chhugani, and produced by Otter Lee and Helen Shih. In the original song, Ariana shows her love and appreciation for her friends by buying them expensive gifts. In this parody, “Andiana Grande” shows his love for his boys with expensive, delicious morsels of meat. While the video is a parody of Ari’s tattoo fail, it is also an homage to her aesthetic of the original “7 Rings” and a tribute to the art of Japanese BBQ.

Overstep Comedy is an Asian-American comedy group in NYC dedicated to increasing representation and kicking ass!

Full Video: https://youtu.be/r7UDE3TVUiU

Connect
Facebook.com/OverstepComedy
Instagram: @OverstepComedy
Twitter: @Overstep_Comedy

Congratulations to JET alumnus Tim Harms, member of JETAASC, who won an Oscar for best Short Film (Live Action). “Skin,” directed by Guy Nattiv and produced by Andrew Carlberg, Tim Harms, and Jaime Ray Newman, is about how at a small supermarket in a blue-collar town, a black man smiling at a 10 year old white boy sends two gangs into a ruthless war. The trailer is available on YouTube. You can learn more about the film here. 

Photo from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7332306/mediaviewer/rm3387127040

Chapter Beats March

JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by AJET‘s Director of Alumni Relations Megan Buhagiar (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2017- Present)

 

 

1. JETAA DC
   1. Career Workshop
      Yvonne Thurman-Dogruer
      March 5th, Time TBD
      1156 15th St. NW, Suite 1105
   2. Still looking for a job? Want to learn how to get to next stage in your career? Join us on March 5^th for a workshop featuring Yvonne Thurman-Dogruer, Director of Administration at Brookings Institutuion. Ms. Thurman-Dogruer, a former JET, has years of experience in mentoring and guiding applicants. The workshop (located at 1156 15^th Street, Suite 1105) will include tips on resume-writing, applying to jobs, networking, and information on careers availiable at Brookings. Follow our Facebook page for more information on the event and RSVP information.

 

 

2. JETAA NY
   1. Meishi Exchange and Networking Event
   2. DATE: Thursday, 7 March 2019
   3. TIME: 18:30 – 21:30 EST
   4. VENUE: Legends Bar

6 W 33^rd St, New York, New York 10001

1. TICKETS: cognitoforms.com
2. Details
   • Join us for our largest networking event of the year! We get 100+ attendees every year so make sure to get your spot!

     When: Thursday, March 7th, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

     Where: Legends Bar, 6 West 33rd Street @ 5th Ave, New York, NY 10001 (Private space downstairs)

     Cost: $15 prepay (Wednesday, March 6th at noon/ $20 (Thursday, March 7th Cash at the door)

     What you get: We’ll be serving “hearty hors d’oeuvres” included in the entry price. There will be a ***special extended happy hour*** for attendees! And of course, you’ll get the opportunity to connect and meet INCREDIBLE people!

     Questions: Contact Ryan (membership@jetaany.org)

3. JETAA SG
   1. AGM 2019
   2. DATE: Saturday, 19^th March
   3. TIME: 13:00 – 17:00
   4. VENUE: CLAIR Singapore

6 Battery Road #26-01/02 Singapore

1. Details
   • 2018 was exciting, and we’re looking forward to what else 2019 can bring for us! Come join us as we create our personalised art pieces, decide on our favourite haiku writer, take a trip down memory lane, and choose our next board representatives!

     (And yes, if you would like to be JETAA SG’s favourite Haiku writer, submit your Haiku by 28th Feb! Stand to win a pair of Kiriko glasses and a voucher!)
     ~~~~~~~

     Resin Origami Art
     Haiku Writing Contest
     Recap past activities
     Election of new board
     Refreshments

2. JETAA UK
   1. Kobe International Club London Branch Opening Party
   2. DATE: Friday, 15^th March
   3. TIME: 19:00 UTC
   4. VENUE: City Miyama Restaurant

17 Godliman Street, EC4V 5BD London, UK

1. Details
   • 日本語は下に続きます。)
     We are pleased to announce that the London Branch of the Kobe International Club will soon be established! The Club acts as the international network of the Kobe City Government, where people with links to Kobe can come together and engage in a wide range of activities, such as promoting the many things that make Kobe a wonderful city, and providing useful information for Kobe’s development.
     Come and celebrate at the inauguration party: join us and meet people based in London and further afield who have a special relationship with Kobe City, in a casual environment.
     About the Kobe International Club:
     http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/foreign/english/media/kobeinternationalclub/index.html

     Fee for food and drink: £50 (service charge included)
     * Due to restrictions on room capacity, the number of spaces available is limited.
     * Please register by Friday 22nd February by clicking “Going” on this Facebook event.

     この度神戸のファンクラブのようなものとして、英国における神戸市の海外ネットワーク拠点コウベインターナショナルクラブロンドン支部設立の運びとなりました。
     （コウベインターナショナルクラブについては下記ご参照下さい）
     http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/culture/international/oshirase/Kobe-International-Club.html

     つきましては、同クラブ支部発足イベントを開催致したく、ご案内を申し上げます。

     飲食代：£50（サービスチャージ込）
     ※英国に留学中の大学生も参加予定で、多めに払ってもいいよという社会人の方がいらっしゃいましたら£60お支払いいただけますと幸いです。
     定員50名
     ※会場の都合により定員を設けさせていただくことをご了承ください。Facebook以外にも周知しているため、合計で50名に達した場合には、参加を締め切りとさせていただきます。
     ※人数を把握させていただきたいため2月28日（木）までに参加可否のご登録にご協力ください。

2. JETAA ABC
   1. Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre
   2. DATE: March 9^th
   3. TIME: All Day
   4. DETAILS: TBA
3. JETAA Southern Alberta
   1. JETAA Cooking Lesson #3: Temaki Zushi and Onigirazu
      • DATE: Saturday, 9^th March
      • TIME: 13:00 – 15:00 UTC-07
      • VENUE: Kerby Centre

1133 7 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, Alberta T2P 1B2

• Details
  1. Exciting news! We have our third cooking lesson coming up! In this lesson you will learn how to make temaki-zushi and onigirazu! Everyone is welcome, JET Alumni, or not. Cost is only $10. Parking is available. Register quickly because seating is limited! Please email sajetaa@gmail.com to reserve your place!

7. JETAA NZ3 South Island
   1. Sake Tasting with JETAA South Island
   2. DATE: Friday, March 15^th
   3. TIME: 19:00 – 22:00 UTC+13
   4. VENUE: Tomi Japanese Restaurant

Edgeware Mall

76 Edgeware Rd

Christchurch, New Zealand

1. Details
   • Join JETAA for an evening of fine Japanese food and drink.

     Enjoy a multi-course Japanese meal accompanied by samplings of five premium sake varieties.

     This event is limited to 20 participants, so please RSVP either by selecting “Going” on this event page or emailing info@jetaasi.org.

     This event is priced at $30 per person; payment may be made on the night or paid via bank deposit into account number 11-7892-0469438-00. For those paying via bank deposit, please put your name in the payment reference.

     NB: Those who drive are to follow their own alcohol standards and drive safely at your own risk.

2. JETAA Auckland
   1. AGM 2019
   2. DATE: Sunday, March 10^th
   3. TIME: 15:00 – 17:00 UTC+13
   4. VENUE: Q1/240 Broadway

Newmarket (Station Square, Newmarket)

1. Details
   • It’s time to get together to plan out the year ahead for JETAA Auckland…

     …So come along and join us in Newmarket for our AGM ^_^

     We’ve already started brainstorming lots of fun activities Japan, JET, and social-related for you all for the coming year, but we’d love further input from everyone who is a member of JETAA.

     You’re all welcome to come along, even if you’ve recently “returned” to NZ, are looking to reconnect with JETAA, or simply want to reminisce about your time in Japan ^_^

     Also, our treasurer committee position is up for election, so if that sounds like something right up you alley, put your hand up for it!

     Snacks and drinks are provided by JETAA :)

2. JETAA Chicago
   1. Soup and Rice
   2. DATE: March 8^th
   3. TIME: 18:00 – 20:00 CST
   4. VENUE: JASC – Japanese American Service Committee

4427 N Clark St, Chicago, Illinois 60640

1. Details
   • Based on the idea of Soup & bread community meals, we wanted to host our own community meal and gathering during the cold winter months.
     How does it work?
     Volunteer soup makers bring a crock pot of their favorite soup to share, we provide rice, bowls and spoons. Soup eaters make a donation which will be donated to the Lakeview Food Pantry.
     Call or e-mail to with any questions or to sign up to bring soup:
     Joan Ambo – (773) 275-0097 x228| jambo@jasc-chicago.org
2. JETAA PNW
   1. 2019 PNW Shinnenkai
      • DATE: Saturday, March 16^th
      • TIME: 16:00 – 19:00
      • VENUE: Japanese Cultural and Community Center of WA

1414 S Weller St, Seattle, Washington 98144

• Details
  1. 明けましておめでとうございます！
     今年もよろしくお願いします！

     Save the date! Join the Pacific Northwest JET Alumni Association on snow-free March 16 (Saturday) as we celebrate another year! Meet new friends and reconnect with old ones as we reflect on 2018 and look ahead to 2019, the year of the boar.

     — REGISTRATION & FOOD INFORMATION —
     The event will be potluck-style and free -so there will be no tickets or fees! Please register using the Google Form listed below, and specify what kind of food item you are able and willing to bring.

     Drink (alcoholic beverage) tickets will be available day-of for $5.00 (2 drinks).

     [[ Register Here – https://goo.gl/forms/vvhdiZFaySNgcFbm1 ]]

     — ALLERGIES/DITARY RESTRICTION CONSIDERATIONS —
     Please consider allergies to and common dietary restrictions towards ingredients such as nuts, gluten, meat/fish, dairy, mushrooms, etc. If you will be bringing an item with any of the aforementioned ingredients, we will ask you to indicate so on a large index card at the event (PNWJETAA will provide index cards).

     — QUESTIONS/CONCERNS —
     Contact: officers@pnwjetaa.org

Want to test your luck and see if you can save big on this trip? We’ve added 2 Raffle Ticket options for rooms! Here are the details:

1) Private King Room Raffle Ticket – $800 value, sleeps 2. $8 Ticket

2) Sofa Bed Raffle Ticket – $300 value, sleeps 1. $3 Ticket

Each ticket bought counts as one entrance to the raffle, so you ABSOLUTELY CAN buy multiple tickets to increase your odds of winning! The drawing will be on Saturday 3/9.

The raffle tickets are on our Eventbrite page in the link below. Best of luck!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jetaa-all-chapter-ski-trip-tickets-52974617507?fbclid=IwAR0IbucWLJt8_jwiYpvP1574p_pCnBqwT5A8qp3Z7rg1STnGZmiR9ZMoTD4