Jan 13

Life As and After JET: Building Bridges

LifeAfterJET, Return on JET-vestment cir, jetaansw, jetprogramme Comments Off on Life As and After JET: Building Bridges

Recently posted on JETAA NSW site by  Eden Law (Fukushima-ken, 2010-11):

The JET Programme has lead to many opportunities and careers, sometimes rather unexpectedly. Our Life After JET articles by former JETs gives an insight about their lives after the programme, and how it has shaped their careers and paths. We hope that it will prove useful as an insight for potential applicants into what we as ex-JETs got from our experience, and maybe provide some nostalgic memories for others. Please feel free to contact us if you want to write about your own experience!

Nathan Poore was an Oita CIR from 2004 – 2007, after which he used his JET experience working as an Events Coordinator and Translator for Waseda University in Tokyo until returning to Australia in 2010. He gives us a fascinating insight into what CIR does, as opposed to the life of an ALT.

In July this year, it will be ten years since I first arrived in Japan as a participant on the JET Programme. Looking back at my JET experience, my fondest memories are of the wonderful people that I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know personally during my placement. Apart from being an unforgettable experience on a personal level, JET also became a fantastic professional opportunity. I learnt and developed a wide range of transferrable skills, even though I often did not realise this at the time.

As an undergraduate student, early on I had decided that I wanted to apply to the JET Programme. The grassroots exchange opportunity on offer to live and work in Japan, whilst utilising and improving my Japanese language skills was exactly what I wanted to do after graduation. A number of friends had also successfully participated in the programme, and highly recommended the experience. With the support and encouragement of my Japanese lecturers, I submitted my application. After an interview, I was fortunate to be accepted to the programme in the role of Coordinator for International Relations (CIR). My placement was in a small town called Ume*, located deep in the mountains of southern Oita Prefecture, Kyushu.

I arrived in Japan in July of 2004. My new supervisor and a few other colleagues made the two hour journey north from Ume to greet me at Oita Airport. Nearly ten years later, I still remember how friendly and welcoming my new colleagues were at the airport that day. I soon realised this sense of openness and warm hospitality were characteristics shared throughout the town. I spent the first few nights in Ume with my supervisor and his lovely family. It was summer, and those first days were spent in a haze of introductions to colleagues and neighbours, trying out the delicious local cuisine and attempts at getting used to the southern Oita dialect. I remember feeling at the time that my textbook Japanese was too formal, and I was eager to learn as much of the local language as possible.

My role as a CIR was to facilitate grassroots cross-cultural exchange activities in my area. In reality, this meant organising cultural events for the local community, visiting schools and other facilities, attending local events and basically getting out amongst the community and interacting with as many people as possible. Working together with my Japanese colleagues and other CIRs placed nearby, I planned various cultural events from proposal stage to running the event on the day. This involved gaining the support of my direct supervisor and section chief for each project, starting with a written proposal. With often limited or no budget allocated for these kinds of activities, it was important for me to consider the resources already available to receive the green light. I had many ideas (not all of them practicable) and after each project I sought feedback to try and make the next one more successful. During my time as a CIR, some of my particularly memorable events and activities included teaching Australian-style bush dancing to senior citizens, accompanying a group of locals on an official trip to Queensland as an interpreter, and publishing a commemorative collection of essays from all of the previous CIRs placed in Ume, to name a few. I could not have achieved what I did without the support and guidance of those around me, both inside and outside of the office.

My local CIR network was an incredibly diverse, talented group of people from across the globe, always happy to offer their support and share their skills and expertise. As many JET participants will have experienced, my role as a CIR extended further than the usual nine to five. Whether I was buying groceries at the supermarket or attending a local festival, I was always meeting new people and having conversations about life in Australia and Ume. These kinds of interactions were some of the most enjoyable and memorable for me personally. After living in Ume for three years, I was fortunate to have made many close friends, and feel truly grateful for the kindness extended to me. On a professional level, participating in the JET Programme taught me to be flexible in my thinking, and how to communicate and work successfully with different kinds of people. I learnt how to be resourceful, resilient, and proactive in order to achieve my work goals. I improved both my written and spoken business Japanese, in addition to public speaking in both English and Japanese. I gained experience in event planning, translation and interpreting, and teaching children and adults. These types of skills and experiences that JET participants gain are highly transferable across various roles, and personally speaking I have greatly benefited from my JET experience in my professional life since completing the program.

For new JET participants, I highly recommend getting involved with your local community as much as possible to make the most of your experience. For those who are returning home, I encourage you to stay in touch with your friends and colleagues from Japan, and get involved with your local JET alumni chapter, which is a great way to network and maintain your connection with Japan.

*Ume amalgamated with Saiki City in March of 2005, together with seven other nearby towns and villages.

Jan 12

Job: Assistant Director of Student Services at Showa Boston

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Assistant Director of Student Services at Showa Boston

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Position: Assistant Director of Student Services
Type: Full-time

Overview:

Showa Boston Institute has an immediate opening for a full-time Assistant Director, in the Student Services Department. This new position works in collaboration with the Director and the Assistant Director to design, implement, and assess intercultural services and programs designed to help achieve the Showa Boston Mission.

This position will supervise the following areas or initiatives within Student Services: Health Services, Resident Services, university outreach, data management, coordination of short-term programs, student orientation, and assessment. Read More

Jan 11

JQ Magazine: Film Review—Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘Like Father, Like Son’

Article/Journalism, Film, JQ Magazine, Reviews Comments Off on JQ Magazine: Film Review—Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘Like Father, Like Son’

“As in his other films, Kore-eda’s action unfolds in minute detail and slowly evolving scenes. His static camera and well-balanced visual frame reference Ozu, another director concerned with Japan’s modernization and the traditional family.” (© 2013 FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC.AMUSE INC.GAGA CORPORATION. All rights reserved.)

By Lyle Sylvander (Yokohama-shi, 2001-02) for JQ magazine. Lyle has completed a master’s program at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and has been writing for the JET Alumni Association of New York since 2004. He is also the goalkeeper for FC Japan, a New York City-based soccer team. 

The winner of the Jury Prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s newest film, Like Father, Like Son, features a stronger narrative arc and story than his previous films, which include the metaphysically philosophical After Life and the naturalistic Ozu-like Nobody Knows. In fact, the film’s plot reads like a Hollywood high-concept pitch: two families discover that their children are not their own due to a switch at birth.  Developing a “nature vs. nurture”-type approach to the subject, Kore-eda gives the families different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Ryota Nonomiya (Masaharu Fukuyama) is a high-achieving architect who lives in a modern Tokyo high-rise apartment with his wife Midori and their six-year-old son Keita (Keita Ninomiya).  The other father, Yudai Saiki (Lily Franky), is a working class shopkeeper who lives on the outskirts of the city in a nondescript housing block with his wife Yukari (Yoko Maki) and the young Ryusei (Hwang Sho-gen). By presenting these two disparate backgrounds, Kore-eda examines the nature of father-son relationships and familial influence in modern Japan.

Much of the film’s action concerns the responses to the shocking new information. Do the families try and “switch” the children again so that the original wrong can be corrected? Now that they are inseparably involved in each others’ lives, do they try and raise the children together? Or do they simply carry on as before, complicit in their knowledge that neither child is living with his biological parents? Kore-eda examines each of these scenarios as the characters try to confront a situation that life has not prepared them for.

Read More

Jan 10

Job: IT Positions at Eureka Co. (Tokyo & Nagano)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: IT Positions at Eureka Co. (Tokyo & Nagano)

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Position: Associate Engineer
Type: Full-time
Salary: Compensation will be calculated on a per article basis plus incentive.

Overview:

For over 30 years in the Nagano and Tokyo regions of Japan, Eureka Co. LTD has offered clients superior hands-on support in a number of IT related fields including systems engineering, database management, programming development, and IT consulting. Our competitive advantage is fitting the exact needs of our clients with the highest possible quality.
We are currently seeking new team members who are passionate about IT, and have a strong desire to learn more about the industry. For associate engineers, we expect you to complete a wide range of on the job training assignments in team projects to contribute value to our company while developing necessary IT skills. This training will allow you to lead projects of your own in the future. Read More

Jan 10

I’ll Make It Myself!: The Rosette of Versailles: Apple Custard Tart with Walnut Crust

Blogs, Food & Drink, I'll Make It Myself, Writers apricot, custard, dessert, dinner party, Fall, French, From Scratch, Fruit, geeky food, Gluten-Free, I'll Make It Myself, maple, pastry, rosette, stove-top custard, tart, tarte bouquet de roses, Thanksgiving, The Rose of Versailles, Vegetarianapples, walnuts Comments Off on I’ll Make It Myself!: The Rosette of Versailles: Apple Custard Tart with Walnut Crust

L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. Ze works in international student exchange; writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan and the US; curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan; and admins The JET Alumni Culinary Group on LinkedIn.

I’m a huge fan of Ikeda Riyoko’sThe Rose of Versailles (Beru Bara) fan, so how could I pass up a version of tarte bouquet de roses? You’ll need a lot of walnuts, some maple syrup, and some elbow grease, but this elegant tart can be made in your Japanese kitchen, too!

Click HERE to read more.

Jan 9

Job: Writing for RocketNews24 English

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Writing for RocketNews24 English

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Position: Writer
Type: Freelance
Salary: Compensation will be calculated on a per article basis plus incentive.

Overview:

RocketNews24 English is looking to hire a few talented writers to help us grow!

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, RocketNews24 is a Japanese-language news blog. Since our humble launch in 2008, we’ve built a massive fan base by reporting the interesting, strange and random—much of it brought over from the English-speaking world.

We are happy to announce that, thanks to a lot of hard work and our awesome readers, we are currently making plans to expand our website and increase our daily output. To this end, we are looking for a couple of talented writers to join our team.

If you’re interested in helping us out, check out the requirements below! Read More

Jan 9

Job: Marketing Associate – Teach Abroad & Intern Abroad Sections – Go Overseas (Berkeley, CA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Marketing Associate – Teach Abroad & Intern Abroad Sections – Go Overseas (Berkeley, CA)

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: Marketing Associate – Teach Abroad & Intern Abroad Sections
Posted by: Go Overseas
Location: Berkeley, CA
Type: full-time

Job Duties:

• You will handle all Marketing aspects of the Teach & Intern Abroad section of Go Overseas.
• This includes working with current clients, client development, promoting Go Overseas initiatives, marketing our original content, and more.
• SEO & Online Marketing: You will handle all efforts in these areas as they relate to the Teach & Intern Abroad section of Go Overseas.
• You will work closely with the rest of the management team to monitor these efforts and to come up with new projects that capitalize on the creativity and nimbleness of our team.
• You will be given responsibility over your projects, with constant feedback and support from our management team. You will be encouraged to identify goals and skills you would like to improve. The management team will help you reach these goals, improve your knowledge base, and explore new interests.

Read More

Jan 9

Job: Study Abroad Advisor- St. Norbert College (WI)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Study Abroad Advisor- St. Norbert College (WI)

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: St. Norbert College
Location: De Pere, WI
Type: full-time

Overview:

St. Norbert College has an opening for a full-time Study Abroad Advisor responsible for working closely with students in all phases of the study abroad process, including promotion and outreach, advising and selection, on-going orientation, and credit transfer.  Position will prepare students for a successful immersion experience; develop opportunities for returning students, and assist in program administration, assessment, and development. Occasional evenings and weekends.

In addition, position will produce print and electronic promotional/marketing materials, perform administrative tasks (monitor e-mail, maintain databases, website, social media outlets and online application system), assist with design and implementation of pre-departure and re-entry programming initiatives, and compile data from pre-departure and re-entry surveys and additional data for program reporting.

Read More

Jan 8

Job: Institutional Relations Associate – Danish Institute for Study Abroad, University of Minnesota

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Institutional Relations Associate – Danish Institute for Study Abroad, University of Minnesota

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: Institutional Relations Associate
Posted by: University of Minnesota
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Type: full-time

Overview:

The Danish Institute for Study Abroad North American Office is affiliated with the Learning Abroad Center. The DIS North American Office is responsible for recruiting, advising, and processing applications for study abroad programs at DIS. The Institutional Relations team builds and maintains partnerships with US colleges and universities, manages DIS visibility on campuses and at conferences, and collaborates with partner institutions on faculty and program development.

Read More

Jan 8

Job: Student Affairs Program Manager – University of Michigan College of Engineering

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Student Affairs Program Manager – University of Michigan College of Engineering

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: Student Affairs Program Manager
Posted by: University of Michigan College of Engineering 
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Type: full-time

Overview:

The University of Michigan College of Engineering is committed to increasing the number of students who gain international experience during their U-M careers. During the 2012-2013 academic year, over 500 engineering students participated in education abroad programs that yield academic credit; international internships; or overseas travel through volunteer groups and student project teams. The International Programs in Engineering (IPE) Office is seeking an energetic and creative individual to oversee our marketing, advising and administrative support efforts. More information about IPE is available on-line: www.ipe.engin.umich.edu.

Read More

Jan 8

Job: Higher Education Assistant – Office of International Education & Study Abroad Programs, Bronx Community College (NYC)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Higher Education Assistant – Office of International Education & Study Abroad Programs, Bronx Community College (NYC)

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: Higher Education Assistant
Posted by: Office of International Education & Study Abroad Programs, Bronx Community College 
Location: New York City, NY
Type: full-time

Job Duties:

• Provides support to a Campus or University Executive, organizing and supervising unit activities.
• Creates appointment and meeting schedules, arranges meetings, and prepares for a variety of special events.  Maintains an ongoing calendar of reports, deadlines, and key dates and incorporates these into a schedule.
• Coordinates Executive communications, including those requiring a high degree of sensitivity.  May respond to public inquiries as well as requests from within the Campus/University community.
• Organizes, creates, and distributes key, complex management reports with a high degree of accuracy.
• Organizes, manages, and tracks written and email correspondence, maintaining logs and records of follow-up activities.
• Procures required internal and external resources and services and manages their utilization.
• May supervise office staff, performing basic Human Resources functions such as recruiting and interviewing.
• May perform related duties as assigned; may participate in special projects and efforts to improve unit effectiveness.

Read More

Jan 8

【RocketNews24】Yes, Mountain Dew flavoured corn chips are a thing in Japan – and they taste…

Article/Journalism, Writers Food, Mountain Dew, weird Comments Off on 【RocketNews24】Yes, Mountain Dew flavoured corn chips are a thing in Japan – and they taste…

Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Shimane-ken, Chibu-mura, 2010–13), editor and writer for RocketNews24. The following article was written by Philip Kendall (Fukushima-ken, Shirakawa-shi, 2006–11), senior editor and writer for RocketNews24, a Japan-based site dedicated to bringing fun and quirky news from Asia to English speaking audiences.

We see a lot of weird stuff on the internet, but corn snacks made to taste – and fizz, no less – like the carbonated soft drink Mountain Dew are undoubtedly the oddest thing to happen since millions of adults across the globe simultaneously lied to their children about a bearded man sneaking into their home and leaving gifts for having refrained from murdering anyone or punching an otter since the previous December.

Nevertheless, as the internet chatter suggests, Mountain Dew corn snacks really do exist here in Japan, and so despite imagining that they’d taste about as good as minty orange juice, we tracked some down and, along with a can of actual Mountain Dew (or “Mtn Dew” as it’s now being branded in the US, because who has time fr vwls?) for comparison, conducted a little taste test of our own.

Full impressions after the jump.

Read More

Jan 7

Job: Travel Help Desk at Art of Travel (Tokyo)

Jobs Art of Travel, japan, tokyo Comments Off on Job: Travel Help Desk at Art of Travel (Tokyo)

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Position: Program Manager, Operations
Location: Azabudai, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Type: Part-time
Salary: ¥1,800/hr

Overview:

This job entails working part time at the travel help desk at Tokyo American Club. This includes a variety of responsibilities, but most importantly the position will focus on making domestic and international arrangements for the members (accommodation, transportation, guides, etc.) Read More

Jan 6

Let’s Talk Japan Podcast, Episode 19 – Japanese Translation & Interpretation

Audio, Career, Interview/Profile, Jobs, Language Study, LifeAfterJET, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Translating/Interpreting, Uncategorized, WIT Life Comments Off on Let’s Talk Japan Podcast, Episode 19 – Japanese Translation & Interpretation

Let’s Talk Japan is a monthly, interview format podcast covering a wide range of Japan-related topics.  Host Nick Harling (Mie-ken, 2001-03) lived in Japan from 2001 until 2005, including two great years as a JET Program participant in Mie-Ken.  He practices law in Washington, D.C., and lives with his wife who patiently listens to him talk about Japan . . . a lot.

In this episode, Nick speaks with Stacy Smith about the joys and challenges of working as a professional Japanese translator and interpreter.  Stacy worked as a Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) for the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program in Kumamoto prefecture before eventually returning to the United States and turning her love of Japanese into a career.  When not on the road with work, Stacy lives in New York City.

Together they discuss how Stacy became interested in the Japanese language; how she went about deciding to become a professional translator & interpreter; the impact of technology; and tips for improving your own Japanese study habits

To learn more about Stacy,  check out her website as well as her blog posts for JETwit.  Also, here’s a great article about Japanese translation and interpretation.

If you have not already done so, be sure to “Like” the podcast on Facebook, and follow the podcast on Twitter @letstalkjapan.  Additionally, please consider leaving a positive rating and/or review in iTunes.

Jan 4

JETAA Ottawa Newsletter – December 2013

Anecdote Article, Article/Journalism, Events, Interview/Profile, JETAA Chapters, Notable JET Alums, Writers Comments Off on JETAA Ottawa Newsletter – December 2013

Via JETAA Ottawa. Posted by Gemma Villanueva (Fukushima 2008-11), the past editor for the JETAA Ottawa Newsletter.

The latest digital issue of the JETAA Ottawa Newsletter can be viewed here: http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=4d0d4aa436ad87ff44921adec&id=80f9a73363

What’s in this issue?

AMBASSADOR OKUDA | AGM AND BOUNENKAI | JAPANESE LANGUAGE TRAINING | AN ALUMNA’S RETURN TO JAPAN | MUSIC AS AN INTERCULTURAL EXPERIENCE | FUKUSHIMA STUDY TOUR

Download past issues here:
http://us4.campaignarchive2.com/home/?u=4d0d4aa436ad87ff4492
1adec&id=13d4251245