The latest issue of JQ (JETAA NY Quarterly) Magazine has hit the stands, and now Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2000-01) working on the next issue and seeking writers. Read on for more info. (It also actually stands on its own as a great list of JET-relevant things and interesting JET alums.)
Hi, Brainstorm Crew!
Hope everyone’s enjoying the start of the new year (a link to JQ’s current issue is here in case you haven’t seen it yet, thanks always for your contributions and ideas and feel to link the new issue to your own sites/blogs to promote us). Below are the story ideas needing takers for our March 2010 issue and beyond. De wa…
Deadlines are as follows:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5: Registering a story assignment with me at magazine@jetaany.org, or pitching an idea of your own for approval. All suggestions are welcome. We’ve been picking up more new writers with each issue, and I encourage all first-timers whether you consider yourself a seasoned writer or not. (Just mind the deadlines!)
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14: Deadline for submitting a final draft of your story. Extensions will be granted on a case-by-case basis, less so for new writers.
I would also greatly appreciate added assistance with the following:
AD SALES CALLS: More sales means more JETAANY-sponsored events. It takes under two minutes to get an answer in most cases. Write for more info.
COPY EDITING/PROOFREADING: For those of you who like reading this thing cover to cover. Multiple times.
YOUR OWN STORY IDEAS: Anything’s fair game! Some of our most interesting material comes from suggestions from our more dedicated readers.
Now the fun stuff. Below are the story ideas. Thanks for reading and providing your support, and e-mail at magazine@jetaany.org with any other questions/ideas.
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CONSULATE GENERAL JAPAN CARAVAN
This is a decade-plus program run by New York’s Consulate General of Japan that sends consulate staff (American and Japanese) to New York high schools and junior high schools to introduce students to Japanese culture. Earlier this month, I participated as a volunteer and enjoyed taking part in a Q&A with a very enthusiastic anime/manga club and faculty. The purpose of this article will be to increase awareness of the program so more JETAA members can get involved.
ASIA SOCIETY
Earlier this month NYC’s Asia Society held a concert called “Hogaku,” or Japanese folk instruments played with modern flair. We’ve never profiled Asia Society, so this would be a great time to find out more about how they select their Japanese attractions and exhibitions. www.asiasociety.org
TENRI CULTURAL INSTITUTE
Tenri Cultural Institute is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the study of Japanese language and the appreciation of international art forms. Based in Greenwich Village, it also houses the Tenrikyo Church, which has its own interesting history. http://www.tenri.org/
Japan Nite 2010 at Bowery Ballroom
Annual concert featuring indie acts from Japan. This year’s edition will be held Sunday, 3/21 at Bowery Ballroom. I’m looking for a preview piece con the history of the festival with quotes from either members of one of the groups or the promoters. (Info for all acts at ticket homepage below.
Lineup: Red Bacteria Vacuum / Omodaka / JinnnyOops! / Okamato’s
http://www.boweryballroom.com/event/4053
Japan Society’s Spring 2010 Performing Arts Schedule
This season features kyogen, live theater and music. Am open to profiles/reviews of any of the following listed at the page below.
http://www.japansociety.org/performingarts
Exhibit: Kuniyoshi Monster Prints at Japan Society – PREVIEW OR REVIEW
Graphic Heroes, Magic Monsters: Japanese Prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi from the Arthur R. Miller Collection, March 12-June 13, 2010, at Japan Society Gallery
Thrashing sea creatures, samurai warriors, and a giant, looming skeleton are among the distinguishing subjects of the brashest of Japan’s Ukiyo-e masters, Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), whose populist oeuvre is to be presented by Japan Society Gallery from March 12 to June 13, 2010.
Fresh from its spring 2009 showing at London’s Royal Academy of Arts, where it was the surprise smash hit of the season, Graphic Heroes, Magic Monsters: Japanese Prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi from the Arthur R. Miller Collection marks the first major exhibition of Kuniyoshi’s work in the United States in nearly 30 years. The exhibition has been organized by the Royal Academy in collaboration with Arthur R. Miller and The British Museum. The vast majority of the 150 color woodblock prints on display are from the Arthur R. Miller Collection, New York, generously loaned to Japan Society by the American Friends of the British Museum.
ISSHONI LONDON – JET Alum Vanessa Villalobos
London JET alum’s blog: events, news, review and interviews. I met her back in December and this would be a good Q&A piece for any JETs wanting to learn more about how our alumni groups operate overseas.
http://www.isshonilondon.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Isshoni-London/119415767689
http://twitter.com/IsshoniVanessa
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Laura Popp (Mie-ken, 2009-Present) is a current JET who writes fantasy and science fiction for children and young adults, and is an occasional playwright/film maker. Her short work includes a short story titled “In theShadow Realm” and a documentary she made in Malawi. To read about her amazing adventures all over Japan, go to her blog at laurajanepopp.blogspot.com. (And check out the Authors/Books section of the JetWit Library for a list of more writers in the JET-o-sphere.)
Hello again! This week I would like to report on the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) conference in Yokohama. It actually occurred on November 14th, but, alas, I have been ill with swine flu and other “opportunistic infections” so I was unable to report. But now you get to hear all about it!
For those of you who don`t know, SCBWI is a great group to get involved with if you write for kids. They have lots of events, critique groups, contests, and resources. Here is their website: http://www.scbwi.jp/
A note on transportation. There are many events for writers and translators in Japan, but most are confined to the big cities. For those of you who live in a small town like me, you may be wondering how you will ever get to this wonderful career-building opportunities and still stay within your tight school-teacher budget. Fear not!
There is a wonderful, often overlooked form of transportation in Japan called the night bus. It may seem like a pain, but the bus I took from my home in Nabari to Yokohama was very comfortable. The bus ride was about eight hours, so if I were more accustomed to sleeping on a bus, I probably could have been well rested when we arrived very early in the morning. The earliness gave me plenty of time for sightseeing before the conference, and since my bus home didn`t leave until 11:00pm. Plus it cost less than half than taking the shinkansen, and there`s no need to pay for a hotel!
That said, I was very tired when I arrived back in Nabari at 7:00am. Fortunately it was Sunday, but I would not recommend taking the night bus if you have to go to work the next day. Also, be warned, not all night buses are created equal. Check to see if the bus you want to ride has reclining seats or not, and if there is a bathroom on board or if they stop ever few hours, turn on the lights, and have people jostling past you trying to get in and out constantly. If you are interested in taking a night bus somewhere, I would recommend contacting the main bus station in your town. Most of them don’t speak English, but a Japanese friend helped me get the information and make reservations over the phone. You may be surprised how many places offer night buses to common destinations such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, etc.
(FYI, Yokohama is famous for its Read More
This just in from JETAA Pacific Northwest:
With the Holiday Season and the cold Northwest winter upon us, PNWJETAA is putting together our annual newsletter. Every year, we welcome any contribution our members can make, and would love to hear from you. From the tribulations of Climbing Mt. Fuji, to the observations of a friend-of-jet observing the dynamics of the JETAA crowd from afar, any and all submissions are welcome, and appreciated! This newsletter is a chance to showcase the talents of our diverse alumni, and it is only through contributions from members like you can we make it a success!
The Due Date for this year is Sunday, December 20th, as we plan on having these puppies in the mail by the start of the new year! Please send your articles, prose, photos, stories, haiku, art etc. to:
pnwjetaa.mediacoordinator [/at/] gmail.com
…and direct any questions you may have to the same address. We are looking forward to your work!
All the best, and Happy Holidays!
Ben Erickson- PNWJETAA Media Coordinator and the rest of your PNWJETAA Officers
Job opening received direct from DSG:
DSG, a Clinical Software and Services provider of technologies for the pharmaceutical industry, is seeking multiple Japanese Translators to assist with a large project.
This is a work from home position
Job Description: The selected candidates will work on translations from English to Japanese using Microsoft Excel.
Requirements
- Candidates should be Native Speakers/Writers in Japanese or should have equivalent skiils. Writing skills is a must.
- Candidates should be fluent in English at a Business level
- Candidates must be familiar with Microsoft Excel
- Candidates must be able to type in Japanese
- Knowledge/experience in the medical, pharmaceutical and IT industries a plus
Company Profile
Since 1992, Document Solutions Group’s goal has been to create intuitive software solutions that improve efficiencies and produce significant cost savings for over 200 life science clients while providing unparalleled customer service. We have created better, more reliable solutions dramatically changing the way our customers collect and manage clinical trial data. Our software and services not only expedite trials to bring drugs and devices to market faster, they achieve significant cost-savings and deliver enterprise-wide benefits.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ilisha Smith
Corporate Recruiter
DSG, Inc.
325 Technology Drive | Malvern, PA 19355
Office: +1 484-913-2148
Fax: +1 484-913-0238
JET alum Kirk Akahoshi, a Life Coach based in Los Angeles (www.QuarterlifeCrisisCoach.com), shared the following job listing from his friend Yan:
Paid Contract Gig Available: Looking for someone in Japan – or someone able to write very well in Japanese – to post ads on message board and follow up with email inquiries. If you or someone you know is interested – let me know!
To apply, contact: Yan <ybudman@hotmail.com> (If you apply, Kirk says feel free to mention his name. JetWit says to feel free to mention JetWit too.)
Popp, Laura (Mie-ken, 2008-Present) is a current JET who writes fantasy and science fiction for children and young adults, and is an occasional playwright/film maker. Her short work includes a short story titled “In theShadow Realm” and a documentary she made in Malawi. To read about her amazing adventures all over Japan, go to her blog at laurajanepopp.livejournal.com. (And check out the Authors/Books section of the JetWit Library for a list of more writers in the JET-o-sphere.)
Hello, everyone! I`m new to Japan and the JetWit blog, so allow me to introduce myself! I`m a sci-fi/fantasy young adult writer from Oklahoma in the U.S. I love to travel, as you can probably tell from my blog, so most of my posts will be about my wonderful adventures all over Asia and any writing news I learn about.
This week I`ll be reporting on two writers` events I attended last weekend, a critique meeting in Osaka and a conference in Kyoto! For those of you who don`t know, there is an excellent group called English Writers and Readers that meets every Saturday in Osaka from 2:30 to however long people want to stay. It’s not just for writers; if you love to read there is also a book club and various other discussion boards and events. But if you are a writer, of any genre or form, you can email your work to group members and have it critiqued the following Saturday. For me it was very productive. They tore apart (figuratively) my story “Tapestry of Time,” but now I know how to make it better. I will warn you that the turnout for meetings tends to be very low (there were only four of us), so if it`s quite a trek for you, I suggest getting a general idea of how many will be there before you go all that way.
One of the girls in the writers` club, Rianna, was really sweet and let me stay with her Saturday night. On Sunday morning, I headed off to the writers’ conference in Kyoto. I was a little disappointed. Good luck trying to publish an English fiction book in Japan, they said, because no publishers here accept them. There are English printers here, however, and a strong potential market of foreign readers. So if you have a book already published elsewhere and would like to promote it in Japan, there are several resources available to you, including Printed Matter Press. Here is their website: http://www.printedmatterpress.com/. And of course, if you want to go the self-publishing route, these guys can help with that too.
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Other than that, the “Revising Your Novel” seminar, presented by Holly Thompson, was most helpful. Her basic strategy was to systematically go through your novel and create a detailed spreadsheet of necessary revisions in character, setting, theme, etc. and mark these various “threads” wherever they appear with colored sticky notes. Then, read through the novel with only one of these threads in mind. That way you can stay focused and not get bogged down by the sheer size of the project. Here’s a picture of her session:
During lunch, I happened to run into the right people at the right time. I was looking for a place to eat my bento and sat with three ladies outside. We got to talking, and one of the three happened to be Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who I`d been trying to get a hold of for some time. She’s an American published young adult writer living in Japan who’s involved in the SCBWI (Society of Children`s Book Writers and Illustrators). She invited me to go to their major conference in Yokohama on November 28th that`s going to host Alvina Ling, a Senior Editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. What an amazing opportunity! For those who are interested, the registration deadline is November 4th. You can sign up at their website, http://www.scbwi.jp/.
To hear more about the Kyoto conference and my other adventures in Japan, visit my full blog at laurajanepopp.livejournal.com!
Via JETAA Florida:
Hello everyone. Here are two upcoming JETAA events I’d like you all to be aware of.
- This week Sunday, the 25th at 7:00 pm I will host our monthly meeting at Stardust Coffee in north Orlando. If this is too late for you please give me a shout as I am willing to start a little bit earlier if this would accommodate more people. The address of Stardust is: 842 E Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL
- On Sunday, November 8th from 12:00 to 5:00 pm the Orlando Japan Festival will take place in Hunters Creek village in south Orlando. This is a great festival, that attracts big crowds, and has a ton of stuff to see, as well as eat. I’d like to make this our o-kaeri-kai for the recent returnees. Afterwards I was thinking of renting out the karaoke room at Aki restaurant in Orlando. Please reply back if you are interested so I can look into making a reservation. http://www.orlandojapanfestival.com
- Finally, I’m requesting contributions for our chapter newsletter. I am going to write a couple of articles myself, but it would be great to have some more input from the rest of our members. If you would like to promote something Japan related here in Florida, or submit a Japan related article please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.
Thanks
Tom Gregorich
Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who also serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, shared the following:
TELL Exceptional Parenting Program: Educational Workshop for Families of Children with Learning Differences/Diverse Needs by Tokyo English Life Child and Family Services
We welcome you to our Writing workshop: Parenting kids with special needs presented by Suzanne Kamata, writer, poet, and mother.
Suzanne will give a presentation on Reading and Writing Our Special Children. She will discuss the importance of writing about children with special needs and share examples of literature current and past about parenting children with special needs. She will also conduct brief writing exercises, which may be used in journaling, or creative writing for pleasure or publication.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Registration: 2:30pm to 2:45pm; Workshop: 2:45pm to 4:15pm; Information sharing: 4:15pm to 5:00pm
Admission: Donations accepted
RSVP to tellparentgroup@hotmail.com
Location: Minami Aoyama Conference Room next to TELL office
Address: 5-4-22 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Phone: 03-3498-0231
Suzanne Kamata was born and raised in Grand Haven, Michigan. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in English, she came to Japan in 1988 on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. During her second year in Japan, she met the man who would become her husband and has lived in Tokushima Prefecture ever since. She now lives with her husband and ten-year old twins in Aizumi and teaches part-time at Naruto Educational University.
Suzanne is also the author of a novel, Losing Kei (Leapfrog Press, 2008), editor of several anthologies, among them Love You to Pieces: Creative Writers on Raising a Child with Special Needs (Beacon Press, 2008) and Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing, 2009), and fiction editor of literarymama.com.
If you would like to have more information on the Exceptional Parenting Program or would like to attend the workshops, please contact Birgit Zorb-Serizawa at tellparentgroup@hotmail.com.
Special message from JQ Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02):
Hope everyone’s enjoying the start of fall (a link to JQ’s current issue is below in case you haven’t seen it yet, thanks always for your contributions and ideas). I’ve added some new story ideas since our quarterly meeting in September, so in case you haven’t signed up or would like to see what else is out there, below are the story ideas I’ve rounded up from other JETs and contributors along with my own ideas that you can pick for the winter issue to be published in January. De wa…
Deadlines are as follows:
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5: Registering a story assignment with me at magazine@jetaany.org, or pitching an idea of your own for approval. All suggestions are welcome. We’ve been picking up more new writers with each issue, and I encourage all first-timers whether you consider yourself a seasoned writer or not.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3: Deadline for submitting a final draft of your story. It’s earlier than usual because I’m planning on doing some traveling and want to have a lot to work with before the holidays. Extensions will be granted on a case-by-case basis, less so for new writers.
I would also greatly appreciate added assistance for the following:
AD SALES CALLS: Although JQ has now switched to paid annual subscriptions for our hard copy mailing list, we’re still continuing to sell ad space. I’ve already blasted out our new issue and rates to everyone on my list, but I’ve since learned the hard way that they never get back to me this way, since it’s easier to delete an e-mail than to dodge a phone call. So, I’m asking for volunteers to help me make calls to those who have previously advertised with us in the past two years (about 30 names). If you’re really confident, I’ll give you some other accounts that I’m trying to hook. Know any businesses that you’d like to see in our pages or on the site? That works, too.
COPY EDITING/PROOFREADING: The trial run for this with our new issue was a huge success, so I’m bringing it back. This is for serious bookworms only! If you’re capable of spotting the teensiest, tiniest, itty-bittiest flubs in grammar, spelling, punctuation and design inconsistencies in print, you would be INVALUABLE to me in the layout process. Applicants will be provided with a test–I’m not kidding!
Below are the story ideas.
Thanks for reading and providing your support, and e-mail me with any other questions/comments. Read More
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JQ Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) has done it again. Another great issue of JQ:
Some Dreams Do Come True! JQ’s Fall 2009 Issue is Here!!
FALL 2009 ISSUE: click image below for our homepage
In our final issue of the year, we chat with the men of Anvil! The Story of Anvil, a film that may be on the road to the Oscars next year, and original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley about his memories of touring Nippon in three different decades. On the JETAANY front, read all about our end-of-summer softball tournament and the annual National Conference in Chicago, as well as a wedding announcement. Plus: the New York Anime Festival, Film reviews of Ponyo and The Cove, author interviews, theater, fab “translation tours”…all this and MORE in the new “Fall Classic Rock” issue of JQ!!
Page 3……..Letter From the Editor / Letter From the Treasurer
Page 4……..Nippon News Blotter / CJ’s Wedding
Page 5……..Comings & Goings / JETAA National Conference in Chicago
Page 6……..JETAANY Annual Softball Tournament
Page 7……..Working the Written Word by Alexei Esikoff
Page 8……..Nihonjin in New York – Featuring JETRO’s Maya Eiki-Law by Joe Marucheck
Page 8……..Actor Jun Kim Talks heavenly BENTO by Adren Hart
Page 9……..Americans on Fuji: Talking with Author Sara Backer by Veronika Ruff
Page 10……International Visitor Leadership Program Interpreting by Stacy Smith
Page 11……JQ&A with New York Anime Festival’s Peter Tatara by Justin Tedaldi
Page 13……Anvil with Sacha Gervasi: The JQ Interview: by Justin Tedaldi
Page 14……What We Did This Summer – Photos
Page 15……Theatre Review: A Recipe for heavenly BENTO by Adren Hart
Page 16……Film Review: Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo by Lyle Sylvander
Page 17……Book Corner: The China Lover by David Kowalsky
Page 18……Ace Frehley: Back in the New York Groove by Justin Tedaldi
Page 20……New York Anime Festival Photos
Page 21……Film Review: The Cove by Elizabeth Wanic
Page 21……Book Corner: Japanese Kitchen Knives / Food Carving by Yukari Sakamoto
Page 23……Top 12 List / Life After the B.O.E. / Sponsors Index
JETAA Chicago Newsletter Editor Elizabeth Friedman (Shimane-ken, 2003-04) has put out the the JETAA Chicago Fall 2009 Newsletter (PDF). Have a look-and-see at what’s going on in Chicago’s JET-world:
http://www.chicago.jetalumni.net/newsletter/2009_Fall_Newsletter.pdf
- Letter from the President
- JETAA National Conference (hosted by Chicago)
- Photos from the JETAA National Conference
- Green Teaist Tea Tasting
- Japan America Society of Chicago Events
- Volunteer Opportunity
Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who also serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, shared the following:
Do you wonder what’s the best way to get your ESL textbook into print and to market? Or how you can have your poem catch an editor’s attention? What’s the best way to get that rough draft novel smoothed out and readable? Why is an abstract such a big deal? How do different translators approach a Japanese text? Or more simply, where are the others who share your interest in the written word?
Possible answers to those and almost any other question one might have about writing, editing, translating, and publishing will be offered up at the Third Annual Japan Writers Conference. This year’s Conference will take place on the weekend of October 17th and 18 on the campus of Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts in Kyoto.
More than thirty writers, journalists, editors, translators, film makers and other wordsmiths will offer up their expertise in fifty-minute presentations, filling both days. And what is perhaps most remarkable is the event is completely free and open to all who want to attend. The Conference is a completely volunteer event.
Among those scheduled to present are novelist and children’s book author Holly Thompson, author/anthologist Hillel Wright, columnist Arudou Debito, literary translator Juliet Winters Carpenter, journalist Eric Johnston, article writer John Spiri, and poet Jane Joritz-Nakagawa. Novelist and diplomat Vikas Swarup has also agreed to appear. There are also plans for various writing groups and organizations to hold special meetings to introduce themselves to prospective members. And there will be a gathering for all attendees and presenters at a local restaurant on Saturday evening.
According to Juliet Carpenter, whose school is hosting this year’s conference, the Imadegawa campus of Doshisha Women’s College, across from the Gosho, is “a terrific location, easily accessible. We have a very nice campus that has a brand-new building with state-of-the- art ‘bells and whistles,’ and some beautiful Meiji-era Registered Cultural Property buildings, nicely preserved.”
Although the Conference takes place in Japan and has a decidedly Japanese focus, it will be a predominantly English-language event. It is also an international affair, with presenters from Canada, the US, China, India and other nations. While some of the presenters are Japan residents, others are short-term visitors and will provide a more global perspective on the writing life.
Complete information about the Third Annual Japan Writers Conference can be had at:
Via Mark Frey (Kumamoto-ken, 2002-06), Editor of Pacific Bridges, the JETAA Northern California quarterly newsletter.
The 2009 Summer Issue of the official JETAA NC newsletter, Pacific Bridge, is now available here! Get caught up on all of your local alumni happenings! Read it online here: http://www.jetaanc.org/newsletter.html or in the “Files” area of our Yahoo Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jetaanc/files/
This issue’s theme is “Tradition.” Read about how alumni like you are keeping up various traditions near you, as well as other goings-on in the JET alumni world, including:
- Upcoming events like the Shobu Cup Dodgeball Match!
- Stories about local super-star alumni
- Taboos broached in SF Japanese discussion group
- New website for JET writers, interpreters, translators and job-seekers: JetWit.com
- JETAANC Scholarship Winner, Lukas Bonick, Three Years Later
- Natsu Matsuri Picnic Report
- JETAA National Conference report
- Oyaji’s advice column
- Top 10 List
- …and much more!
Please send any comments to [newsletter(at)jetaanc(dot) org]. Share your talents and build your portfolio by volunteering for the next issue (we seriously need more help)! Thanks to everyone who helped to produce yet another great issue.
Mark Frey (Kumamoto-ken, 2002-06)
Editor, Pacific Bridge
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JetWit knows that a lot of JET alums are interested in working in the fields of international education programs and student services, so we asked future international ed expert Pam Kavalam (Shiga-ken, 2007-09) to talk to some JET alums in the field and share her conversation for the benefit of the JET alumni community:
Spotlight on University Administration
by Pam Kavalam (Shiga-ken, 2007-09)
Are you looking for a career that can utilize some of the skills you learned over in Japan- cross-cultural exchange, working with students, and (for the truly lucky) the offer to travel again? Think about working at a university- either in international exchange or student affairs. I sat down with Shannan Spisak (Kawasaki-shi, 96-98) to talk about her experience from the JET Program to higher education administration.
Tell me about your journey into the field of international education.
Shannan: After I came back from JET, I moved to New York City with a friend and worked at a private Japanese company for 2 years. I decided to switch careers to move into the international arena; the United Nations in particular interested me. I went on a number of informational interviews with fellow former JETs working in the field and they all recommended graduate school. I decided to study Peace Education and International Exchange at Teachers College, Columbia University. In order to finance my education, I took a job working as Assistant to the President of Barnard College while attending classes part-time. During the process of completing my M.A., I realized I had grown more interested in the education component of my degree than its relation to UN work. Consequently, my focus shifted towards seeking a career in international exchange in higher education.
What do you do now?
Shannan: I work at the Institute of International Education (IIE) in the Global Scholarships Division. The IIE is a 90 year-old non-profit organization that runs over 200 programs around the world, including the Fulbright. I manage three international scholarship programs through the GE Foundation and the Chubb Insurance Foundation. I organize the review and selection of applications, notify finalists, award grants, and manage special components of the scholarships such as Leadership Development Seminars and Career Workshops. I also coordinate Read More
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A nice update from JET alum Bruce Rutledge, the owner of Seattle-based publisher Chin Music Press via the JETAA Pacific Northwest yahoogroup:
Hi everyone, I wanted to let you all know about a new magazine about Japanese culture that was launched this summer. It’s called Ibuki.
You can find it on the Web here: http://ibukimagazine.com/
The publisher has hired me to edit the magazine and has said she would love to hear ideas for stories from former JETs in the Pacific Northwest. The magazine is beginning as a quarterly centered on Seattle, but, the economy willing, it will expand both its focus and its readership in 2010. If you’re coming to Aki Matsuri this weekend, you’ll find publisher Misa Cartier there at the Ibuki table (and you’ll find me at the Chin Music Press table).
Please stop either one of us and say hi if you’re interested in contributing.
Cheers,
Bruce
For more information about Bruce Rutledge and Chin Music Press just go to http://chinmusicpress.com
There’s a short article in the New York Times titled “Healthcare Abroad: Japan” which is part of a series that looks at healthcare systems in other countries. It briefly gets at what works well, what the weak points are and why it’s that way.
How do JETs and JET alums feel about Japanese healthcare and the points in this article? Share your thoughts by posting a comment.
See this recent post on JetWit (“JET alumni and healthcare“) for additional discussion of JET alumni and their experiences and concerns with healthcare.
Update: Turns out PBS’ Frontline did a documentary called “Sick Around the World“ which examined the healthcare systems in five countries, including Japan, which you can watch on their website here.
Via the JETAA British Columbia Yahoogroup:
Hello everyone,
Hope you’re all having an awesome summer! This is a call for submissions for the next JETAABC Fall 2009 Newsletter. We always welcome new contributors to submit an article. Any and all ideas (JET or Japan-related) would be great!
If you’re wondering what to write about, here are a few ideas to help you get started:
*life post-JET – personal anecdotes/experienc es
*JET Life / Life in Japan – personal anecdotes/experienc es
*upcoming events or a review of events that have taken place recently (ex. summer events, Powell Street Festival, etc).
*restaurant reviews of Japanese restaurants in Metro Vancouver and Victoria
*former JET personal profiles; profiling local and prominent former JETs
*profiles on a specific prefecture/area in Japan
*Japanese TV and movie reviews
*photos, art, poetry
***For current JETs who have subscribed to this list, we would love to hear from you, too! Tell us about your fantastic life in Japan as it’s happening right now (so those of us back in Canada can live vicariously through you ;p)
The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 4, 2009!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at at newsletter[at] jetaabc.ca.
I hope to hear from you soon! Thank you,
Dinah
JETAABC Newsletter Editor
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JetWit webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) comments after the jump on The Cove, a new documentary about dolphin hunting in Japan. Please feel free to share your own thoughts regarding this controversial film in the comments section of this post.
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(Originally posted on April 28, 2009.)
Here’s your chance to help JetWit. Just share a comment on this post saying what you like about JetWit. (Or email your comment to jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com and I’ll post it.)
Thanks for your help and yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Update: Thanks to everyone who has posted comments so far!
SUMMER 2009 ISSUE – click image below to download PDF
The leader of a band that’s sold over 20 million records and brought the words “At Budokan” to the big time, the new Japanese ambassador to New York, a tour of Philadelphia that’s uncannily Zen, and chats with award-winning writers, French pastry operations managers and even a maid-outfitted cosplay superstar complete with bunny ears. All this and more in the new summer issue of JETAANY’s JQ magazine.
THIS IS ALSO OUR LAST FREE PRINT ISSUE!
To preserve our budget for alumni events, and in an effort to be greener and save paper, JETAANY will begin charging for print copies of JQ Magazine. The cost is $12 for 4 issues and you will only have the opportunity to sign up once a year – annual subscriptions will occur each fall. Please note that the magazine, in its entirety, is also available online. If you would like to sign up to receive a paper copy by mail, please follow the PayPal link below (Add to Cart) or e-mail magazinesubscriptions@jetaany.org for more information. Remember you must put “JQ subscription” and your desired mailing address in the Paypal comments box.
Editor: Justin Tedaldi – magazine@jetaany.org
Page 3…Letter From the Editor / Professional Outreach & Development Rep
Page 4…Nippon News Blotter
Page 5…Comings & Goings
Page 6…An Interview with Ambassador Shinichi Nishimiya by Anne Koller
Page 7…JET Alum Author Cristy Burne Wins Award by Gregory Anderson
Page 8…Philadelphia Loves Japan! by Therese Stephen
Page 9…JETAA in the Big Apple and Beyond by Megan Miller
Page 10.Japan Day @ Central Park Recap by Stacy Smith
Page 10.JETlog featuring Yukari Sakamoto (Chiba-ken, 1989-1990)
Page 11.Nihonjin in NY – Featuring Beard Papa’s Masashi Wada by Janice Chow
Page 12.Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen: The JQ Interview by Justin Tedaldi
Page 13.U.S. FrontLine’s Ken Haraguchi on Japanese Newspapers by Junko Ishikawa
Page 14.JETAActivity Photos
Page 15.JET Farewell Reception at the Ambassador’s Residence
Page 16.Maid in America: Q&A with Cosplay Singer Reni by Adren Hart
Page 17.JETAANY Webmaster Lee-Sean Huang by Shree Kurlekar
Page 17.Understanding Japanese Women with David J. Radtke by Rick Ambrosio
Page 18.Theatre Review: Samurai Takamine Jokichi by Anne Koller
Page 19.Film Review: Tokyo! by David Kowalsky
Page 20.Book Corner: Sony: The Private Life by Lyle Sylvander
Page 21.KRAZY! Exhibition at Japan Society by Anton Phung
Page 22.Pop Rock: Q&A with Marshall Crenshaw by Justin Tedaldi
Page 23.Jy? Q! with JET Alum Poet James Shea by Liz Wanic
BAPCPA Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
Additionally, if anyone would like to take a stab at translating the cartoon into Japanese for JetWit’s Japanese fans out there, feel free to post in the comments section of this post. Some cultural explanation might be helpful as well, given that Japanese bankruptcy laws are very different than the U.S.
Via JETAA Pacific Northwest. Mark Smith, the Executive Director of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington, is seeking feedback from JET alums and Friends of JET who, when they were younger, may have participated in the organization’s education programs in schools throughout the state of Washington. Please contact Mark directly to offer feedback.
Dear JET Alumni and current JET Program Participants:
My name is Mark Smith and I am Executive Director of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington. As some of you may already know, one of our core programs here at the Society is our Japan in the Schools program. This is an educational program driven by volunteers who visit elementary schools and high schools.
In the elementary classroom, a day in the life of Kentaro is brought to life through a large format photo presentation that engages the students in exploring similarities and differences between American and Japanese children’s lives. Students are also taught some Japanese words and they have trying to pick up mini erasers (which they get to keep) with chopsticks. Read More
For those who don’t know him, Taichi Hanzawa (Miyagi-ken) works for CLAIR-NY (also known as the Japan Local Government Center or JLGC) and this past year served as the JETAA USA Liaison. That’s the position responsible for coordinating with all 19 JETAA USA chapters to help them with their funding. Takusan shigoto yo. Cantan de ha arimasen. Yet Hanzawa-san has worked very hard and served admirably.
Recently, he wrote a short article for the Miyagi Ken Prefectural Newsletter where he reflected on his life in New York. By way of context, Hanzawa-san and most of his colleagues at CLAIR-NY are part of a sort of inverse version of the JET Program. They are all local government workers in their city or prefectural governments. And they’ve all been selected to be part of a three-year program that starts with one year of training in Tokyo followed by a two-year assignment in a CLAIR office in the U.S., UK, Australia or elsewhere.
Below is the article by Hanzawa-san (along with a picture of him at a recent JETAA NY executive meeting held at the JLGC). If anyone would like to post an English summary in the comments section (assuming you can make out the print below), that would be more than welcome. (If you’d like a PDF version, e-mail jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com.)
Just heard an NPR interview with Wesley Gray, the fluent-in-Arabic author of Embedded: A Marine Corps Advisor in the Iraqi Army, and it struck me that it might be the Learning to Bow: Inside the Heart of Japan for current day Iraq. Learning to Bow by best-selling author Bruce Feiler (Tottori-ken, 1989-90) was the original “JET book,” describing the experience of living in Japan and making sense of the cultural differences.
I think it would be interesting to hear some JET perspectives on the book, perhaps contrasting Gray’s experience with their own cross-cultural experience in Japan. Please feel free to post your comments below. Also, if anyone wants to write a review of the book, just get in touch.
Here’s a summary of the book from Amazon:
From Publishers Weekly
In this illuminating memoir, Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Gray recounts his eight-month tour as part of a Military Transition Team, working as an advisor to the Iraqi Army on location. Gray was fluent in Arabic prior to deployment, giving him enormous insight into the culture and worldview of Iraqis as citizens and soldiers and obvious advantages over colleagues (and competing memoirists) relying on translantors On many occasions, Gray encounters an Insh’ Allah philosophy, a mantra of “If God wills it” or “God willing” can strike Americans as lazy or unmotivated. Among other startling lessons, Gray discovered that loyalty to tribe supersedes duty to the state; the Iraqi Army soldiers he was training were spending their monthly leave in the ranks of local tribal militias. Gray details the cultural nuances and interpersonal relationships of occupied Iraq with such care and clarity, it’s a must-read for anyone interested in the the reconstruction, especially those set to deploy.
With healthcare legislation front and center in the U.S. and many JETs set to leave the womb of JET life, not to mention the tough job market and high unemployment rate, I thought this might be a good time to ask the JET and JET alum community (and not just the U.S.):
How are you feeling about health insurance and healthcare these days?
Do you have it?
Are you worried about it?
What are your options?
What challenges or problems have you faced or do you expect to face?
Post your comments here for the benefit of the JET alumni and Friend of JET community.
Yoroshiku.
JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following freelance translation opportunity through the Honyaku E <> J Mailing List and thought it might be of interest to former JETs. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.
The contents of the second volume of the Kurodahan Press’ Speculative Japan series of anthologies has been finalized, and they are looking for good translators. If you would like to be considered for one of these stories, please contact either Mr. Edward Lipsett or Mr. Stephen Carter by e-mail.
See the list of available works for more information.
If you have never worked for the Kurodahan Press, you should probably take a look at their FAQ for prospective translators, because it is highly likely that you will be asked to demonstrate your ability as a translator and a writer before you are contracted to handle a story.
A recent question from a fellow JET alum:
“Does anyone know a truly informative, enjoyable way to get a TESL/TEFL/ or CELTA certification? Does anyone have any personal experience they can share.”
If you can help, please post your response in the comment section below, or e-mail jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com.
JETAA NY Webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) is settling into his summer internship at Creative Commons in San Francisco and is working on a site called OpenEd that will act as a kind of portal for the open education community.
Lee-Sean suggested that the JET community, which already does a lot to share their lesson plans and ESL games, might be a good group to engage on OpenEd site.
Lee-Sean has started a a preliminary Wiki page and says he would welcome any input as well as more links to relevant resources. Since the site is a wiki, anyone can create an account and edit the site.
http://opened.creativecommons.org/OER_for_JET_Programme_Participants
Is there anyone out there in the JETAA-sphere facing financial difficulties, considering bankruptcy, worrying about foreclosure?
If so, feel free to e-mail your questions to me at jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com.
I’m no longer a practicing bankruptcy lawyer, but I work in the bankruptcy world (see, e.g., the Bankruptcy Bill cartoon) and figured I could at least try to help out and get answers to any questions JET alums and Friends of JET out there might have. I might even be able to recommend a good lawyer for you, depending where you live.
I’ll keep all of your information confidential. However, if you give me permission, I would like to anonymously post your question and the eventual response on JetWit for the benefit of other readers.
Lastly, for your entertainment, here’s a post about an engaging blog titled “Love in the Time of Foreclosure” by a writer who is going through foreclosure with her husband. In a lot of ways, it’s more about love than about foreclosure, and kind of captures the zeitgeist of the times in which we’re living.
Note: This is the second in what JetWit hopes will grow into a series of “Japan Fix” articles. How do you get your Japan fix wherever you live? Write it down and send it to JetWit for the entertainment and benefit of the JET alum community.
Japan Fix: South Carolina
By Daniel J. Stone (Saitama-ken, 2004-07), JETAA South Carolina Subchapter Rep
After spending seven years In San Diego and Los Angeles followed by three years in the metro Tokyo area, the decision to return to my hometown of Greenville, South Carolina with my wife who hails from Tokyo was a bit naïve when I look back to when we first returned to “America’s Bible Belt” in 2007.
Despite the geographic location, demographics and the overall facts that South Carolina is a small and rural state, one can get their “Japan Fix”, if they know where to look.
CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
The International Center of the Upstate (ICU), located at the Greenville City Hall building, is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting cross-cultural understanding among local and international residents of Upstate South Carolina. It was here where my wife and I went to learn of where to go and what to do in the area’s international community. One of the first things I did was volunteer at ICU’s English conversation group where a group of Japanese spouses attended the weekly session.
Another group which was helpful was the Japan America Association of South Carolina based in Greenville. Through this group I was able to network with Japanese expatriates working at various companies in the area and like-minded Americans.
Lastly, there is the good ‘ol JETAA group based in Atlanta. It was through here that I met other JET alums in the area.
GROCERY & FOOD SHOPPING
The Tanpopo, aka “Dandelion”, located at the corner of Pelham Road and Highway 14 is a Read More
Via JETAA Chicago and it’s wonderful newsletter editor, Elizabeth Friedman (Shimane-ken, 2003-04):
Dear Chicago JET alums,
My name is Elizabeth Friedman and I am the editor of the Chicago JETAA Newsletter.
I would like to invite all JET alums to submit articles for the summer edition. I have listed some ideas for submissions, but feel free to send in whatever you feel would be appropriate to include in a JETAA newsletter.
- The deadline for submissions is June, 26th.
- Please send your articles to me at jetaachinewsletter@ gmail.com.
- Submissions can include:
–Comic strips
–Restaurant reviews
–Japanese cultural activities in Chicago (music, movies, theater, art exhibits, etc…) reviews or thoughts on
–Announcements about JET alumni (marriages, graduations, jobs, etc…)
–Short stories (maybe a series–one page per issue),poetry, visual art, etc… done by JET alums that was inspired by Japanese culture
–Reflections on returning home from your JET experience
Feel free to contact me at jetaachinewslette r@ gmail.com if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Friedman (Shimane-ken, 2003-04)
This is a call out to JET alumni in chapters everywhere about where you get your “Japan fix,” i.e., where you go in your town or region to feel connected with Japan, whether through food, karaoke, cultural activities or interacting with Japanese people.
The goal is to end up with a collection of “Japan fix” articles from different JET alumni chapters and from JET alumni in different cities and towns throughout the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and anywhere else. (Well, except in Japan, where you get your Japan fix pretty much every day.)
The purpose is to aid JET alums who live or are planning to move to a certain area. A great way to know where to go for things Japanese in your new home town. And a great way to use our collective JET alum brains to help each other out.
JETAA Montreal is already working on the first one. If you want to write one for your chapter, subchapter, town, state, province, etc., feel free to get in touch. Or just write it and email it to Steven at jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com and put “Japan Fix” in the subject heading.
Yoroshiku and gambarimashou!
Perhaps not directly JET-relevant, but this NYTimes article about Zach Brooks and his blog Midtown Lunch (http://midtownlunch.com/) is a great model for how to use a blog to create your own job.
He used to write reviews of restaurants in NY. Then he realized there was a different kind of need–shared by people in a concentrated area who tend to have disposable income–and he filled it, using just a camera and a blog.
JetWit is seeking a writer or two (or even three or four) to do occasional posts that have a UK/Euro focus.
Topics could be upcoming or recent JET alum events or gatherings, job search experiences or advice, keeping an eye out for appropriate job listings, sharing career perspectives, readjustment, where to get your Japan fix in various locales, restaurant or film reviews, or just post-JET life in general.
If you’re interested in working on the effort to make sure that JetWit is not so NorthAmerica-centric, please get in touch with Steven to chat over email or perhaps Skype.
Via JETAA DC:
According to former JETAA DC Newsletter Coordinator Abby McBain, who is now the JET Liaison at the Consulate General of Japan in Miami, the JETAA Newsletter Coordinator position is still open.
She notes that it’s a particularly great opportunity for anyone looking for a way to use or improve their desktop publishing skills. [Ed. note: As the former JETAA NY Newsletter Editor, I can vouch for this.] Abby mentions that she had a lot of fun designing and putting together the Spring issue of The Sakura Times, and it was very helpful to be able to show a mock-up fo the issue when she interviewed for her current position at the Consulate. She said she was told after getting the job as JET coordinator that the interviewers were particularly impressed with the newsletter and it was definitely a factor in her being chosen.
Tsumari, serving as a newsletter editor is a great way to build a portfolio of your work and demonstrate your skills.
The returnee newsletter issue for JETAA DC needs to be compiled soon. It would be great if someone can step up to to take on the full reins and keep the newsletter going.
If interested, please contact Abby at ASAP.
“Can’t find a full-time writing job? Join the swelling ranks of freelancers” – http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=130597
A good article from Medill Reports (a publication by students at the Medill School for Journalism at Northwestern University) that cites the somewhat involuntary trend of more and more writers going freelance (and also includes a quote from my brother Greg in his capacity as the Director of Membership Services at mediabistro).
The article’s perspective merges nicely with the JetWit theme of helping freelancers in the JET alum community and also conveying to everyone in the JET alum community that the era of full-time jobs (say nothing of lifetime employment) is changing–particularly in the writing field, but also increasingly in other fields–as more and more people essentially deconstruct their jobs and create new ones for themselves, whether out of necessity or foresight.
WRITER NEEDED FOR JLGC NEWSLETTER The Japanese Local Goverment Center (JLGC, aka CLAIR-NY) is looking for someone to write a one page, 600 word article with pictures about JETAANY events. If you are knowledgable about JETAANY events and have a penchant for writing, this is the opportunity for you! Contact secretary [at] jetaany [dot] org for more details.
JETAANY Tweeter JETAANY is looking for an official “Tweeter” on Twitter. It’s a great way to get your name out there, especially on this newest marketing medium. If you are interested, contact Megan Miller at president[at]jetaany[dot]org.
Just saw this posted on the Japan Intercultural Consulting group on LinkedIn:
Japan Now is currently seeking articles for publication. We would like brief articles about Japan, of around 600 words. We are particularly interested in cultural articles, but pieces about Japanese politics and economy (some specialized knowledge preferred) or Japan-US relations are welcome as well. If you have anything you would like to contribute, please contact us with your submissions–your article may be selected for publication in this nationwide online newsletter of the Embassy of Japan.
We are also looking for submissions about the Fulbright Memorial Fund (FMF) program or the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. If you are a participant within the last ten years in either of these programs and would like to write about your experiences, please contact us at the email address below.
Japan Now is a newsletter that serves anyone who is interested in Japan and its culture. Until 2005, we had been a printed nationwide newsletter of 10,000+ circulation, but we have recently converted to an online format, allowing quick access from readers all over the world. Our most recent issues, both printed and web-based, are online at: http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/JNindex.htm .
If you are interested in writing articles for any of the above categories, please contact the Japan Now staff at jnow[at]embjapan.org. Questions and requests for sample articles are welcome at this address, as well as direct submissions. If an article is selected for publication, we would like to pay a token honorarium (the amount will be decided according to the length and content of the piece). Creators retain copyright to their work.
Update:
I ran the second “JETAA NY Learning to Blog Workshop” last Wednesday evening, April 29 in the back of Cosi on 31st & Park, not knowing quite what to expect. It turned out to be a lot of fun and everyone found it helpful and productive. (Click here to read about the first one.)
- We covered the basics of blogs (what they’re good for; advantages and disadvantages of Wordpress, Blogspot, Blogger, etc.; posts vs. pages; using RSS feeds) as well as some more advanced topics (driving traffic; creative strategies; adding users). By the time we were done, everyone had set up their own blog and was ready to go.
- The attendees included two translators and three people who had started their own businesses. One of the translators wanted to create a forum for his writing. The other translator was inspired by the discussion of blogs at the JET Alumni Author Showcase (where Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) and Rob Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04) all discussed how they resisted at first but now are glad they followed their publishers’ suggestions to start blogs.)
- One of the JET alum entrepreneurs, Adrienne Smith (CIR Tochigi-ken, 1997-99), founder of Harlem Hip-Hop Tours (www.h3tours.com), said she had been thinking of starting a blog to help promote her tour business but had been holding herself back and appreciated the workshop because it lifted the “technology fog” for her.
- Frank Luo (Fukuoka-ken, 1997-99), a Chinese-English translator, said afterwards, “It was really helpful… An efficient walk through on the mechanics of how to start a blog and why do it on Wordpress, plus a few other useful bits of information. We also floated a few ideas on how to expand the scope of the workshops to make them more helpful to aspiring writers as well as those who are trying to promote their business through blogs.” (Frank, by the way, brought a nifty little netbook, which we all sat around and marveled at for 5 minutes.)
- Additionally, Friend of JET (FOJ) Jon Hills, a more experienced blogger who writes the J-News Mini-Roundup column for JetWit and also writes a blog for Hills Learning, a NY-based Japanese language learning services company he started, came to help out and also share a few new tricks (like adding blog functionality to a WindowsLive-based website). He said afterwards he really appreciated having a chance to meet other people running businesses in a setting where everyone was working together towards a common goal.
Going forward
I’ll likely do one or two more blog workshops at Cosi or, if the weather’s nice, perhaps in Bryant Park after work one day. If you’d like to be notified of future workshops, please feel free to contact me at professional [at] jetaany [dot] org.
Looking ahead, it would be nice for the “workshop” to evolve into a monthly “meetup” for JET alums and FOJs at beginner, advanced and in-between levels to spend some time working together, sharing experiences and tips and, of course, helping beginners learn to get started and have an opportunity to ask all the same “dumb” questions that I’ve asked along the way.
Additionally, for readers outside the NYC area, it would be great for people to get JET alum blog workshops going in other areas. It’s a useful career tool and also a nice way to bring people together.
JETAA Pacific Northwest Treasurer and Webmaster Shun Endo found the below writing opportunity for JET alums in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere:
I met with the owner of YouMaga (www.youmaga.com) a while back, and she was interested in starting a new column for her magazine in the next month or two. The monthly article would be a short story written by a JET alumnus about a HUMOROUS experience they had in Japan. Something that would highlight cultural understanding, or misunderstanding! :P The great thing is that it will be a very short piece, only about two or three paragraphs in length. Very concise and simple and easy to write! The alumnus whose article is selected will have their photo and bio next to their story. It’s a fun way for PNW JETAA to be introduced to the Japanese speaking community. Maybe next time you go shopping at Uwajimaya, an obachan will ask you for an autograph?
If you are interested, first write me and tell me that you are interested, and then write a two or three paragraph story. The article will be printed in Japanese, but you can write it in English for them to translate. Or, if you want to practice your Japanese writing skills, feel free to do so, since the editor will fix any mistakes. I encourage all of you to share your funny experiences with the Seattle Japanese community! Hope to hear from you. We need one story for each month, so send many of them in! Also, send a pic and bio information:
Biography
Name:
JET Program (Years and Location):
Profession and/or interests:
Favorite japanese thing:
Thanks to author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) for sharing this:
The 3rd Annual Japan Writer’s Conference will be held October 17-18, 2009 at Doshisha Women’s College, Imadegawa Campus, Kyoto, Japan. Organizers are now seeking proposals from poets and writers for presentations. First call deadline is May 15, 2009. For more information, see http://www.japanwritersconference.org.
JETAA British Columbia Call for Submissions – Spring & Summer 2009 Newsletter
We always welcome new contributors to submit an article. Any and all ideas (JET or Japan-related) would be wonderful! If you’re wondering what to write about, here are a few ideas to help you get started:
Deadline for submissions is Friday, May 22nd, 2009!
*life post-JET – personal anecdotes/experienc es
*JET Life / Life in Japan – personal anecdotes/experienc es
*upcoming events or a review of events that have taken place recently (ex. hanami 2009 with Mokuyokai, etc).
*restaurant reviews of Japanese restaurants in Metro Vancouver and Victoria
*former JET personal profiles; profiling local and prominent former JETs
*profiles on a specific prefecture/area in Japan
*articles touching on the JET 20-year anniversary – “JET Then & Now”
*topics on VirtualMuseum. ca – ex. Asahi baseball team
*Japanese TV and movie reviews
*photos, art, poetry
If you would like to share something with other JET alumni in the newsletter, please share your stories with us. You can contact me at newsletter [at] jetaabc [dot] ca
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I hope to hear from you soon!
Thank you,
Dinah
Elizabeth Friedman (Shimane-ken, 2003-04) just put out her first issue as new editor of the JETAA Chicago Spring 2009 Newsletter (PDF). Have a look-and-see at what’s going on in Chicago’s JET-world:
- Letter from the Editor
- Photos from Shinnenkai and Ski Trip
- Guide to buying Japanese food in Chicago
- Spotlight on local JET alum writer: James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of The Order of Odd-fish
- Poet and JET alum James Shea Book Event
- Japan America Society of Chicago Spring Events
SOCIETY FOR WRITERS EDITORS & TRANSLATORS (SWET) OPEN FORUM: Wordsmithing in Japan
April 21 (Tues), 2009; 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Fee: 1,000 yen for SWET members; 2,000 yen for non-members
Place: 5th Floor, Shoko Kaikan/Shohisha Senta, Shibuya
1-12-5 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku
Miyamae-zaka area; map at www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/est/shoko.html
Are you hoping to launch a career in writing, translating, copyediting, editing, English-language publishing or other work based in Japan? Where should you start? What qualifications do you need? Who can you collaborate with? How can SWET help you? What can you do for SWET?
Open to members and non-members alike, the SWET Open Forum offers an opportunity to address questions to established professionals in a variety of wordsmithing professions, as well as present requests and suggestions for SWET activities throughout the year. Take this opportunity to tap SWET resource persons on hand, sound off on questions and concerns, and enjoy a chance for informal networking and information-sharing.
The SWET members present will share their expertise in the following fields: J-E translation, editing, copyediting, proofreading, editing translations, writing, rewriting, technical writing, copywriting, design and layout.
For further information, contact SWET by email at events at swet dot jp.
What’s the connection between JET alumni and the NY art scene? It turns out that a JET alum, Matt Schlecht (Akita-ken, 1998-99), is the editor of NY Art Beat (www.nyartbeat.com), an online art review and listings site, which grew out of Tokyo Art Beat. Matt says they’re always looking for writers to contribute to the NY Art Beat blog, which features reviews, interviews, and photo reports. So if there are any JET alums out there looking to gain exposure for their writing or photography, please feel free to get in touch with him.
Meanwhile, at the JET Alumni Author Showcase earlier today, a JET alum named Alan (I didn’t get his last name) mentioned that he’s an artist in NYC and would be interested in organizing a JET Alumni Artist Showcase one of these days. He inquired about the best way to go about making this happen, and after additional thought my suggestion would be…
- Someone should start a JET Alumni Art group, either on GoogleGroups or Facebook or whatever medium you prefer.
- Let me know about it so I can post info about it on JetWit
- Let JETAA NY and other chapters know about it so they can mention it in their announcements to their members (I can help with this part too)
***************
JET alum John Ellis-Guardiola, a news producer for Tokyo Broadcasting System’s New York Bureau, is looking for a freelance news gatherer. He says there’s potential for a long term working relationship as well.
I wanted to reach out to the JETAANY Community for help on a search regarding Korean language help. Tokyo Broadcasting System’s New York Bureau is looking to establish a relationship with a Korean/English or Korean/English/Japanese speaker who could help us with our newsgathering for Korean issues on a freelance basis. If the person is interested in media, that’s also a plus, but not necessarily a requirement. If you would like to contact me regarding this position, feel free contact John Ellis at jelgua at tbsi-us dot com.
JetWit is looking for someone to be in charge of posting job listings to JetWit. If interested, contact Steven at jetwit at jetwit dot com.
Reasons to do it:
- Potentially a good opportunity to get a big picture view of what’s going on in the jobs marketplace and perhaps position yourself well for HR type positions.
- Good way to find a new job or freelance opportunities for yourself if you’re looking.
- A chance to help out the JET alum community in a tough economic climate.
There’s an organized and methodical way to do all of this that’s not as hard as it seems. I’m happy to explain my process, and you can innovate and improvise from there. This job can also be broken up among more than one person with different areas of focus.
Requirements: You must be a JET alum, and you must be willing to stay with this on a relatively consistent basis.
Bonus: Can be an platform to write posts about job searching and the job market that would be helpful to the JET alum community.
JQ (JETAANY Quarterly) Magazine editor Justin Tedaldi is seeking writers for the below assignments. If interested, contact Justin at magazine /atto/ jetaany /dotto/ org.
1. JETAA ALUMNI AUTHOR SHOWCASE – MARCH 22 @ 1:00 p.m.
On March 22, JETAA NY is pleased to present three great authors – Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) and Robert P. Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04) – who will discuss their books, the craft and business of writing and how their JET experience fits into the picture. Here’s a chance for you to write a story about this unique, first-time ever event!
Moderator: Randall David Cook (Fukui-ken, 1991-93) is the author of the acclaimed off-broadway plays Sake With the Haiku Geisha and Fate’s Imagination.
*Click http://jetwit.com/wordpress/library/authorsbooks/ to see a full list of JET alumni authors.
*Special guest appearance by Akira Sugiyama, Director of the Japan Information Center of the Consulate General of Japan in New York .
This event is being organized in cooperation with the Consulate General of Japan in New York.
2. JAPAN NITE ‘09 CONCERT – MARCH 22 @ 8:00 p.m.
Since 1996, BENTEN Tokyo & SXSW Asia Rep have held an yearly showcase called JAPAN NITE U.S. TOUR including SXSW appearance and has introduced countless Japanese Artists to the world. 2009 will mark its 13 year anniversary. The performer’s brilliant musical performances, unique character and variety of style has won the acclaim of many, and Japan Nite evolved each year to become one of the most popular showcases in SXSW. The event has featured over 60 bands, including the likes of LOVE PSYCHEDELICO, ORIGINAL LOVE,,Lolita No.18, Number Girl, Petty Booka,TsuShiMaMire, noodles, PE’Z, Stance Punks, ELLEGARDEN, HY,The 50 KAITENZ, ASAKUSA JINTA, PISTOL VALVE, THE EMERALDS, ORESKA BAND and GO!GO! 7188 and more. We have Two Japan Nite shows during this year SXSW and after that we travel 7 other cities as always. Please check out the schedule below and come to see awesome new bands! You know Asakusa Jinta and detroit7 are coming back again. I am sure they are going to be one of the highlights of the tour and I am so happy to introduce new all girl bands and also Japanese punk legend band, SA. You should check out indie band hero, SPARTA LOCALS also. It’s so nice and unbelievable that one of the best alternative band, GRAPEVINE also join the tour!
Concert is Sunday, March 22 at NY’s Bowery Ballroom with: detroit7/SA/SPARTA LOCALS/FLiP/Omodaka/GRAPEVINE/ ASAKUSA JINTA
Anyone interested in reviewing the show or interviewing the coordinators or talent?
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=1000416699
3. JET ALUM PUBLISHES BOOK OF POEMS
JETAA Chicago Newsletter editor Elizabeth Friedman told me about James Shea, a Chicago-based JET alum who has a new book of poetry recently out on Amazon. His info is posted on the Authors page in the JetWit Library, and an article about James would make a great story to share with JETAA Chicago for their next issue.
James Shea, a former ALT and Monbukagakusho research student, published his first book of poetry in November of last year. The book is entitled Star in the Eye and is available on amazon.com. Some of the poetry is inspired by his experiences in Japan as an ALT. The book has won the 2008 Fence Modern Poets Series Prize and was also named as one of the “Favorite Books of 2008″ by the Chicago Sun Times. For more information, please visit the following link: http://www.amazon. com/Star- Eye-James- Shea/dp/19342001 4X
4. JOKICHI TAKAMINE PLAY, APRIL. 10-11
JetWit contributor Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-Ken CIR, 2000-03) told us about a play running for two days in April (10-11) that we can we profile. It’s about Jokichi Takamine, the Japanese doctor who discovered adrenaline at the turn of the century. He married an American and after some time in Japan they moved back here and bought a Japanese estate called Shofuden that had been displayed at the 1904 World’s Fair. Stacy saw a DVD of a performance in Tokyo , and her company is a sponsor. Stacy will attend one of the performances and can possibly arrange tickets to anyone interested in writing an article.
5. NEW YORK-TOKYO.COM PROFILE
This is a group that frequently sponors exclusive films, music and multimedia events here in New York . We run a story about them and I’ll put you in touch with someone in charge to provide more info.
Started in 2001, NEW YORK – TOKYO (NYT) is a NYC – based event media production and marketing communications company that is uniquely positioned to tap into the creative cultural vibe between New York and Tokyo , media capitals of the world.
http://www.newyork-tokyo.com/wp/about/
6. JAPANESE CONSULATE FEATURE
The article “Nihonjin in New York ” in the current issue spotlighted the JLGC. For the next issue, I’m thinking of getting in touch with someone at the Consulate-General’s office. They publish an online newsletter of their own, and have at least one CLAIR representative we can speak with.
http://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp/en/html/index.html
7. JOB PROSPECTS FOR JETS, CIRCA 2009
I’m interested in a piece that talks about the challenges new returnee JETs face after coming home and looking for work in this economy, as well as other JET alums considering new jobs or just looking for work. This could be as simple as anecdotes (along the lines of our “How’s the Economy Treating You?” feature from fall 2008), but I’d like to turn this into an actual feature story, with at least three volunteers providing the details.
8. THE HISTORY OF JAPANESE NEWSPAPERS IN NEW YORK
There are close to a dozen newspapers and magazines in Japanese that are distributed for free at grocery stores and other select places in teh city. The question is, why are there so many, who runs them, what is there staff like, and how can they be more in touch with the JET community?
9. TOKA…
Justin is also looking for contributions for next issue’s Nippon News Blotter and East Meets West along with additional story ideas, and would also like to talk ad sales for anyone interested in making warm calls to follow up with contacts he’s e-mailed the new issue to. The more advertisers JQ gets next time, the more it can grow and evolve content- and style-wise.
Any questions, e-mail Justin at magazine /atto/ jetaany /dotto/ org.
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Otsukare sama deshita to Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02), the new editor of JQ, JETAA NY’s Quarterly Magazine, for putting out the first issue of the Magazine. And what an amazing issue it is.
Go to http://jetaany.org/magazine to see the issue online.
Here’s the table of contents:
WINTER 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Page 3…..Letter From the Editor
- Page 4…..Nippon News Blotter
- Page 5…..JETAAnnouncements
- Page 6…..East Meets West
- Page 7…..Nihonjin in New York Featuring the JLGC by Junko Ishikawa
- Page 8…..JETlog by Sean Sakamoto
- Page 9…..JetWit.com Q&A with Steven Horowitz
- Page 9…..Catching Up with Randall David Cook by Lyle Sylvander
- Page 10…Youth for Understanding by Sylvia Pertzborn
- Page 11…Theatre Review: Shogun Macbeth / John Briggs Q&A by Olivia Nilsson and Adren Hart
- Page 12…Speakit LLC: Kevin Kajitani Interview by Junko Ishikawa
- Page 13…Jero: The JQ Interview by Justin Tedaldi
- Page 14…Joost!: Japanese TV on Your PC by Rick Ambrosio
- Page 15…Film Review: Sukiyaki Western Django by Elizabeth Wanic
- Page 16…An Inside Look at Japan Airlines by Kelly Nixon
- Page 17…Japan Society’s Best of Tora-san Series by Matt Matysik
- Page 18…Chip Kidd Talks Bat-Manga! by Justin Tedaldi
- Page 19…Book Corner: Natsuo Kirino’s Real World by David Kowalsky
- Page 19…Restaurant Spotlight: Wajima by Allen Wan
- Page 20…Adventures in SwirlySwirlDates by Rick Ambrosio and Nicole Bongiorno
- Page 21…Yosakoi Dance Project by Kirsten Phillips
- Page 22…The Tale of Eric and Ozawa by Rick Ambrosio
- Page 23…Top 14 List / Next Issue / Sponsors Index
JetWit is seeking someone to write a new periodic feature called “Japan Society Round-up.” The feature will be similar to JETAA Chapter Beat in that it will give a listing of events going on at various Japan Societies around the U.S. (and even elsewhere).
Please send an e-mail to jetwit /atto/ jetwit /dotto/ com if interested.
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