Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Miyazaki, Godzilla, Tribeca Film Festival, Sakura Matsuri
Art, Article/Journalism, Events, Film, Justin's Japan, Music 
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New York’s 33rd annual Sakura Matsuri will be held at Brooklyn Botanic Garden April 26-27. (Mike Ratliff)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Spring has sprung in the Big Apple, and that means one thing: a new season of sounds, colors, and spectacular performing arts to match the blossoming sakura trees throughout the city.
This month’s highlights include:
Tuesday, April 8
Turning Point: 1997-2008 by Hayao Miyazaki
MSRP $29.99, $34.99
The companion second volume to the earlier chronicleStarting Point: 1979-1996 (also new in paperback),Turning Point is an insightful collection of essays, interviews, memoirs, and illustrations from legendary animation director Hayao Miyazaki. The new title covers the critical stage in the legendary director’s career when his animated films for Studio Ghibli such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Ponyo began to garner a significant international audience. Turning Point follows Miyazaki as his grand vision continued to mature, cinema-lovers worldwide discovered and embraced his creations, and prominent film critics such as Roger Ebert delivered tremendous acclaim for the director’s films. Bringing us up to the present is The Art of The Wind Rises, which captures the art of the film from conception to production, featuring in-depth interviews with the creative team from Miyazaki’s latest—and supposedly final—Academy Award-nominated epic.
April 8-13, 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Gary Burton & Makoto Ozone Duets
Blue Note Jazz Club, 131 West Third Street
$20, $35
Born in Kobe to a jazz organist father, Makoto Ozone came to Boston in 1980 to study at the Berklee College of Music, where multi-Grammy Award-winning vibraphonist Gary Burton was a composition and percussion instructor. After graduation he made his first American solo appearance in 1983 with a recital at Carnegie Hall. The incredibly talented young man struck a record deal with CBS, making his international debut in 1984 with the album OZONE. Burton and Ozone have been collaborators in the duet format for over two decades and recorded the Grammy-nominated Virtuosi in 2002. The versatile Ozone has hosted a TV series in Japan, ventured into electronics, and composed for and played with classical orchestras in addition to working with his own jazz trio from his home in New York.
Wednesday, April 9, 8:00 p.m.
Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue
$22.50-$140
Praised by the New York Times when she last appeared at Carnegie Hall as “among the most respected artists of our time” for her “probing and magisterial performances” of Schubert’s last three sonatas, pianist Mitsuko Uchida returns to perform his “Reliquie” Sonata, once mistakenly thought to be the composer’s final work. Also on the program is Beethoven’s all-encompassing and transcendent Thirty-Three Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli.
For the complete story, click here.
Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), job poster for JETwit and organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai, seeking work opportunities in NYC starting in August 2014!
I recently returned to Kyoto after spending a week in New York City. Before my trip, I worried that I would experience what is called reverse culture shock, but shortly after returning to American soil, I realized the mistake in my worries. What I experienced wasn’t the culture shock of returning to a home that feels strangely between familiar and foreign. It was the culture shock of a completely novel experience.
It really didn’t take long after landing for this culture shock to set in. My boyfriend, Jeff, and I, both half-Japanese, born and raised in America, were riding an escalator up from JFK’s international arrivals lobby to the Airtram terminal. We were caught up in each other presence, having been apart for months, when suddenly, the lady on the downward escalator turned to us with a larger-than-life smile and enthusiastically called out, “Chinese“, waving her hand in our direction. We locked eyes with her, stunned, as she gradually disappeared down the escalator. Jeff and I stared each other up and down, searching for something that would have brought on the lady’s quick judgement. The man behind us rhetorically remarked, “What the hell was that about?”
The act itself wasn’t offensive or hurtful, but I could’t quite shake it from my thoughts. Granted a large international airport may be an easy place to act on an assumption that someone is foreign, but wouldn’t a simple hello suffice? Or Welcome to America if you must.
For months, I had been telling the people I met in Japan about America’s diversity – about how easy it is to blend in in the bigger cities, about how it is impossible to make judgements on whether or not someone is American. I’ve always claimed that on the subway in America, you can’t guess who is foreign on the basis of their race, appearance, language, or actions. But there we were in what’s said to be one of America’s most diverse cities, being incorrectly called out for our… ethnicity? nationality? identity?
Job: Program Director, Special International Programs – Florida State Univ (Tallahassee, FL)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai, seeking work opportunities in NYC starting in August 2014.
Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Program Director, Special International Programs
Posted by: Florida State University
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Type: full-time
Salary Range: $50,000 – $58,000 depending on qualifications and experience
Job Duties:
Oversee the management of the CGE Special Programs auxiliary unit offering intensive short-term summer programs to students from international partner institutions followed by six month internships at Walt Disney World, and the on campus support for students in the Special Academic Year programs. Teach up to four courses per year.
Provide overall management for both the curricular and co-curricular components of intensive summer program sessions for international students from partner institutions. Establish year round timelines for cyclical process beginning with MOUs and marketing materials, work with international partners to pre-screen students, support both the WDW and FSU application process and plan for the arrival and orientation of each group. Prepare the master calendar for intensive summer sessions to include required classroom contact hours, orientation, and social and cultural events and ensure overall program meets requirements of State Department regulations for J-1 academic program followed by academic training (internship) at Walt Disney World. Provide oversight for purchasing, including bid process, to ensure FSU policies and procedures are followed for health insurance, on campus housing, meal plans, charters, textbooks, etc. included as part of student program fee.
Read More
Job: Assistant Director & Advisor (Combined Position) – Kalamazoo College (MI)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai, seeking work opportunities in NYC starting in August 2014.
Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Assistant Director of the Center for International Programs (Latin America)/International Students and Scholars Adviser
Posted by: Kalamazoo College
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Type: full-time
Overview:
Kyodo News “JET Alumni” Series: Dominic Abordo (Akita)
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News agency Kyodo News has recently been publishing monthly articles written by JET alumni who were appointed in rural areas of Japan, as part of promotion for the JET Programme. Below is the English version of the column from February 2014. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
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Originally from San Francisco, CA, Dominic Abordo (Akita-ken, Kosaka-machi, 2008-11) holds a Bachelors Degree in English Literature with a minor in East Asian Languages from Berkeley University. He spent three years working as a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) in rural Akita before enrolling in a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University, NY. He currently works as a Freelance Consultant in Social Work in New York.
A “Big City Boy” in Snow Country
“The one thing that I will continue to share with my friends and family is that the people of the small town of Kosaka-machi have some of the biggest hearts in the world.”
Akita (əˈkiːtə), noun: 1. one of the northernmost prefectures on the Japanese island of Honshu; 2. the prefecture that I, Dominic Abordo, called “home” for three years.
If you ask the average American about Japan, it is highly unlikely that Akita Prefecture – a gem of the Tohoku Region famous for heavy snowfall, rice, kiritanpo, and sinister mountain demons called namahage – will be included in his or her response. Despite living in Japan for three years prior to the JET Programme, I, too, knew very little about my future home. Thus, I was admittedly nervous when I first arrived in Kosaka-machi, a small town of approximately 6,500 people located in the northeastern corner of Akita. I assumed that my time as a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) would be full of new adventures, challenges, and opportunities, but I had no idea that the experience would have such a positive and lasting impact on my future.
Although it took almost one year to master the local dialect, Kosaka-machi soon became a second home to me. The natives were eager to introduce me to the natural beauty and hidden treasures of their hometown, including landmarks such as Nanataki Waterfall, Lake Towada, and the Korakukan kabuki theater. They often accompanied me to the best restaurants, bars, and izakaya in the area, sharing personal stories about their families, jobs, and travel experiences over a meal or a few drinks. Elementary school students and adults alike offered warm greetings when we ran into each other around town. Perhaps most importantly, they did everything they could to make sure that I was happy, healthy, and an active part of the community. Little did I know that my love for dance, music, and performing arts would enable me to form lasting connections with so many of them. Read More
Japan Times features JET alum Matthew Cook and his work with Osaka’s English Reformation Project Team
Career, Interview/Profile, Japan Local, JETs in the News, LifeAfterJET, Local Government, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on Japan Times features JET alum Matthew Cook and his work with Osaka’s English Reformation Project Team
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Very nice article on JET alum and former AJET Chair Matthew Cook (Osaka-fu, 2007-12) about his path from JET to becoming an agent of change for the Japanese English education system through is unique role with Osaka Prefecture’s Board of Education. Matt is also the founder of the Kansai JET Alumni group. FYI, you can also click here for a recent JQ profile of Matthew Cook by JETAA New South Wales‘ Eden Law (Fukushima-ken, 2010-11) .
Changing the system starts by challenging it
BY TERU CLAVEL
Just seven years after first participating in the JET program in Osaka, Matthew Cook from Danville, Virginia, is making great strides as a pioneer of English-language education reform in Japan. Having never previously been to an Asian country, Cook is now one of seven members of Osaka’s groundbreaking English Reformation Project Team, having been appointed by Osaka superintendent Toru Nakahara in 2013. With an unswerving commitment to English-language education and a little luck, Cook’s efforts may pave the path for Japan’s next generation of global leaders.
Cook applied to the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program because it was “the most lucrative, stable and safe way to get to Japan.” Having run his own karate dojo in the United States, he felt the need to gain a deeper understanding of the Japanese culture behind it. However, Cook was waitlisted and needed to make a snap decision when he was offered a position within a month of the JET start date. “I had totally assumed that I wasn’t going to get in,” he says.
Cook’s initial placement was less than ideal, though. He was forewarned that the Osaka junior high school to which he was assigned might be challenging, but he was not prepared for the “few students who were stopping class altogether, violence in the classroom or kids getting up and leaving.” Read More
Job: Graduate Alumni Outreach Coordinator- American University (DC)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Graduate Alumni Outreach Coordinator
Posted by: Washington College of Law, American University
Location: Washington D.C.
Type: 35 hours per week
Salary Range: $45,000 – $48,000
Overview:
Assist in supporting the LLM programs by planning events, developing and maintaining relationships with alumni, and data management. Work directly with all LLM programs at WCL and collaborate with the Office of Development & Alumni Relations, Office of Marketing & Public Relations and the Office of Global Opportunities. Maintain the alumni website and social media accounts. Responsible for entering and updating biographical information for alumni. Report to the Director, International Legal Studies Program. Requires initiative and self-direction
Educational Requirements:
Bachelor’s Degree required. Communications degree preferred.
Minimum Requirements:
- At least 3-5 years of communications or outreach experience preferred.
- Experience with data management systems such as datatel or colleague and proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially excel, required.
- Experience living abroad or working with international students required.
- Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills and be willing to be a team player.
- Ability to multitask and prioritize duties.
Additional Information:
American University is an Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status. American University campus is tobacco and smoke free.
TO APPLY PLEASE VISIT: https://jobs.american.edu
Job: Study Abroad Advisor, Santa Clara University (CA)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Study Abroad Advisor
Posted by: Santa Clara University
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Type: full-time
Overview:
The Study Abroad Advisor joins a team which consists of a Director of Study Abroad, and Assistant Director of Study Abroad. S/he supports the Director in implementing a nationally excellent Study Abroad Program. S/he is responsible for engaging in all aspects of the education abroad process including: I. outreach; II. advising; III. application/selection; IV. orientation and participation; V. support while students are abroad; VI. re-entry and assessment with an emphasis on the first three stages in this process. S/he supports the Director in implementing a data-driven approach to managing the study abroad and exchange program portfolio. The Study Abroad Advisor engages proactively in the essential front-line advising and administrative processes of SCU Study Abroad, as well as student outreach and advising beyond the Office including coordination of the annual study abroad fair.
The Study Abroad Advisor will become an expert on the range of education abroad opportunities available to SCU students within the strategic portfolio of programs and must know the details of academic programs including application procedures, policies and deadlines. The Study Abroad Advisor will be aware of international and intercultural issues and health and safety issues. The Study Abroad Advisor will liaise with administrative offices such as the Registrar, Bursar, Financial Aid, Drahmann Advising Center, and Student Affairs as needed. The Study Abroad Advisor works closely with the Director to design and implement an outreach and support strategy for diversity and inclusion. Finally, the Study Abroad Advisor leads initiatives to connect and support students through social media and other online structures.
Job: Communications Manager- Princeton University (NJ)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Communications Manager
Posted by: Princeton University
Location: Princeton, NJ
Type: full-time
Overview:
The communications manager will oversee the ongoing development of the PIIRS website, social media sites, and, in particular, an organization-wide events calendar, in cooperation with the PIIRS web developer.
Additionally, the communications manager may be asked to participate in a comprehensive and inclusive communications strategy for “International Princeton,” which may include the development of a portal that encompasses university-wide internationalization efforts.
Job: ESL Language Lecturer – American Language Institute (ALI) at NYU
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: ESL Language Lecturer
Posted by: American Language Institute (ALI) at NYU
Location: New York, NY
Overview:
American Language Institute (ALI) at NYU-SCPS is seeking to add one full-time Language Lecturer to its faculty. ALI Language Lecturers are responsible for teaching, student advising, participating in level assessment, and exit testing, as well participating in ALIs program development. Contracts are for eleven months and are renewable annually based on an evaluation of performance. Language Lecturers teach English as a Second Language in ALIs Comprehensive English Program, academic English courses for conditionally accepted and matriculating NYU students, both graduate and undergraduate, in our Academic English Program, ESL and communication strategies in an adult, professional continuing education setting in our Professional English Program and/or customized content-based courses in our Special Programs.
Starting date: September 1, 2014.
Qualifications: Advanced degree in TESOL/Applied Linguistics or a related field, at least 3 years ESL experience teaching in higher education. Experience teaching abroad preferred.
To apply, please go to: www.nyuopsearch.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=52028
NYU appreciates all applications but can only respond to qualified candidates.
NYU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Job: Onsite Director – London Study Abroad Experience (London)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Onsite Director
Posted by: London Study Abroad Experience (LSAE)
Location: London
Type: full-time
Overview:
London Study Abroad Experience (LSAE) has an opening for an Onsite Director in our London Office. The LSAE Director position is responsible all programming and operations. Among the primary responsibilities for the Director are program development, partner/university relations, and student support services. A secondary focus will be to assist in marketing and promotion of LSAE programs. This position is perfect for an entrepreneurial, driven, energetic professional interested in a rewarding career in the field of international education.
The London Study Abroad Experience (LSAE) Director position is responsible all LSAE programming and operations. Among the primary responsibilities for the Director are program development, partner/university relations, and student support services. A secondary focus will be to assist in marketing and promotion of LSAE programs. This position is perfect for an entrepreneurial, driven, energetic professional interested in a rewarding career in the field of international education.
Job: International Student Services Coordinator – Spelman College (Atlanta, GA)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: International Student Services Coordinator
Posted by: Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education, Spelman College
Location: Atlanta, GA
Type: full-time
Duties:
- Serves as Principal Designated School Officer in SEVIS to maintain federal regulatory compliance and prepares paperwork necessary for international students to obtain F-1 visa, extension of visa, change of visa status, on-campus work approvals, and optional practical training;
- Maintains accurate records and tracking information for each student which includes forms I-20, I-539, I-94, and other pertinent information required by the Department of Homeland Security;
- Advises international students on tax compliance, procedures for obtaining social security card; provides educational sessions/or updates on immigration procedures/laws pertaining to international student population;
- Organizes and coordinates orientation for incoming international and exchange students;
- Develops new programs and/or enhances the effectiveness of the existing programs (Host Family Program, International Education Week and Faculty Mentoring Program for international students) while collaborating with external agencies to enrich students’ experiences and their cross-cultural integration on campus and in the broader Atlanta Community;
- Serves as liaison to the Office of Enrollment Management, Registrar’s Office, Office of Student Affairs, Office of Undergraduate Studies, Office of Alumni Relations, and the WISDOM Center to plan the New Student Orientation (NSO) and to provide services needed for the success of international student population;
Job: Study Abroad Coordinator – Loyola University Chicago (IL)
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Via JET alum Carleen Ben. Posted by Jayme Tsutsuse (Kyoto-fu, 2013-Present), organizer of Cross-Cultural Kansai. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Study Abroad Coordinator
Posted by: Loyola University Chicago
Location: Chicago, IL
Type: full-time
Overview:
Job Duties:
- Advises Loyola students about study, research, intern, volunteer, and teach abroad opportunities. Assists students in identifying the appropriate program of study and sources of funding, as well as academic planning.
- Provides administrative support for study abroad programs at Loyola and acts as a point of contact for students, parents, faculty and staff with respect to study abroad issues. In collaboration with the Assistant Director and/or Director, resolves unique situations as they arise.
- Promotes study abroad on campus; develops and implements study abroad marketing plan utilizing a variety of tools including classroom presentations, special events, and social media; develops printed and web based materials as needed.
- Conducts workshops and presentations on financial aid, scholarship opportunities, and overseas program options; pre-departure orientation; and reentry programming for study abroad students.
- Assumes responsibility for providing study abroad recruitment and administrative support for special populations and programs as assigned, including faculty-led, exchange, and third-party programs.
- Responsible for assessment initiatives related to recruitment and enrollment, program quality, and learning outcomes.
Job: Coordinator for Enterprise Europe Network Japan at EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation (Tokyo)
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Saw this JET-relevant listing posted by JETAA UK Chair Sarah Parsons to the JETAA UK LinkedIn group. An EU job based in Tokyo. Posted by blogger and podcaster Jon Dao (Toyama-ken, 2009-12). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: Coordinator for Enterprise Europe Network Japan
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications
Overview:
The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation is recruiting a Coordinator for Enterprise Europe Network Japan in Tokyo, Japan (refer to this link for more details). Read More
[Google Japan] Recruiting Seminars in NYC – April 7 & 9
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Thanks to JET alum Anne Koller, who used to work for Google, for passing this on. Note that the deadline to register is March 30. Posted by blogger and podcaster Jon Dao (Toyama-ken, 2009-12). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Overview:
Google Japan is looking for fabulous bilingual potential Japan Googlers who can help grow one of the top 5 markets globally in the fields of online advertising and partnerships, enterprise and marketing. We are trying to tap into global talent pools to achieve this goal. Read More
