Job: U.S. Dept of State’s English Language Fellow Program application


Thanks to JET Alum Tammy Wik, Recruitment Coordinator for this program. Posted by Kim ‘Kay’ Monroe (Miyazaki–shi, 1995 -97). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: English Language Fellow
Posted by: The U.S. Dept of State
Type: N/A
Location: N/A
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
The U.S. Dept of State’s English Language Fellow Program application for Academic Year 2014-2015 is now OPEN!
http://www.elfellowprogram.org/elf/
The U.S. Dept of State’s English Language Fellow Program application for Academic Year 2014-2015 is now open
Three Pieces of Exciting News:
– No minimum amount of language teaching required anymore! (Two years is still preferred, but this is great for recent grads.)
– Fellowship stipend has increased from $25,000 –> $30,000 (plus basic living and misc. expenses are still paid)
– $5,000 dependent allowance has been added!
Note: JET alum Tammy Wik, who is the Recruitment Coordinator for this program, posted this to the JETAA Northern California LinkedIn group, and also added: “My best advice is always to apply early — you can roll over your application to future years if something comes up more, but if you’re not in the pool early, you might miss out on being matched to a great project.”
Job: Recruiter at Morgan McKinley (Tokyo)


Posted by Kim ‘Kay’ Monroe (Miyazaki–shi, 1995 -97). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: Recruitment Researcher
Posted by: Morgan McKinley
Type: N/A
Location: Tokyo
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
Are you looking for a career in recruitment? Are you ambitious and target driven with an interest in the recruitment industry? If so, Morgan McKinley Tokyo currently has opportunities for graduate calibre individuals who would like to develop a long term career within recruitment.
We currently have open vacancies for 2013 but will also have opportunities in 2014 so are keen to speak to any interested candidates.
As a Global Professional Recruitment Consultancy, Morgan McKinley connects specialist talent with leading employers (primarily Fortune 500 companies) across multiple industries and disciplines. Since 1988, the company has enjoyed significant growth year-on-year and today employs over 500 people throughout its 19 offices in 10 countries. Read More
Registration Open: Transitions 2013


Posted by Kim ‘Kay’ Monroe (Miyazaki–shi, 1995 -97). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: N/A
Posted by: N/A
Type: N/A
Location: N/A
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR ALL JETAA AND NON JETAA MEMBERS
The Pacific Northwest Chapter of the JET Alumni Association will be hosting its annual fall event, “Transitions 2013: Opportunities Forum & Networking Expo”. While this event is primarily produced for our members, we welcome anyone from the community at large who are interested in joining the conversation. If you are new to the Northwest, curious about pursuing a graduate degree, looking to switch careers, or recently returned from Japan, Transitions is an event you won’t want to miss.
Transitions seeks to provide a place and space for people to exchange ideas and business cards. There will be keynote speeches on HR, the non-profit sector, and LinkedIn, round-table discussions on pursuing higher education and careers, and a special topics presentation on personal finance. There will also be a panel discussion session followed by a Networking Expo with a variety of local organizations, companies, and universities. Read More
Job: Consultant for Boyd & Moore Executive Search (Tokyo)


Originally posted on the JET Programme linkedin group. Posted by Kim ‘Kay’ Monroe (Miyazaki–shi, 1995 -97). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: Consultant
Posted by: Boyd & Moore Executive Search
Type: N/A
Location: Tokyo
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
So you’ve come to Japan via the JET program and you’re ready to move on from teaching, now what?
Your JET experience should have helped develop in you certain skills that are readily transferable to a variety of different careers. Your time management, cultural awareness, and communicative abilities (verbal and non-verbal) are only a few examples that immediately stand out. The main draw-back is that you have not been working in an office (business) environment and many employers are hesitant to take a chance on your cultural fit or ramp-up time at their organizations. This generally means that (1) they do not understand how your JET experience could benefit them and (2) they may not have an effective training program. When you consider a number of the organizations who are interested in hiring JET veterans, you will also notice that the pay is not all that great. Read More
Study: Rotary Scholarship – MA in Peace Studies


Thanks to JET Alum author Nic Klar for sharing this information. Posted by Kim ‘Kay’ Monroe (Miyazaki–shi, 1995 -97). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: N/A
Posted by: The Rotary Peace Fellowship
Type: Academic
Location: N/A
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
Looking to get back to Japan and earn a funded MA in Peace Studies? The Rotary Peace Fellowship might be for you! One of the partnering institutions is ICU in Tokyo. Click the link to learn more:
https://www.rotary.org/en/peace-fellowships
Job: Openings at the Social Science Research Council (Brooklyn, NY)


Thanks to JETAANY’s New Jersey Subchapter Rep Fernando Rojas for sharing these openings at the Social Science Research Council where he works. Posted by Kim ‘Kay’ Monroe (Miyazaki–shi, 1995 -97). Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
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Position: Several openings
Posted by: Social Science Research Council
Type: N/A
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) employs a diverse workforce in the United States at our headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, as well as internationally. Benefits include health, dental, vision, disability, life, and gym reimbursement; pension plan and tax savings programs; and generous vacation and sick leave. Student loan and tuition reimbursement are available for all full-time staff, and provisions are made for professional staff to continue their development as professional social scientists.
In addition, the Council offers a wide range of internship opportunities to current, recent, or returning students. Most internships are unpaid or carry small stipends.
We encourage you to apply for the specific openings that have been listed and summarized below. Be sure to follow the link to more detailed information on necessary qualifications, employment terms, and application procedures. Read More
Job: International Exchange Coordinator (Yokohama)


Thanks to Elizabeth Burris, a former CIR in Gifu (2003-2006), for sharing this JET-relevant listing. 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.
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Position: International Exchange Coordinator
Posted by:Toin International Exchange Student (US TIES) Program
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Starting Date:Spring 2014 (flexible)
Overview:
Established in 1964 as a secondary school for boys, Toin Gakuen has grown in thirty-eight short years into a coeducational, conglomerate institution that caters to the educational needs of about 9,000 students from kindergarten to graduate school. The centerpiece of Toin Gakuen, the high school, is nationally renowned for excellence in academics (we consistently send around 300 students to Waseda and Keio, and hundreds to other top universities in Japan) and athletics (Toin has sent its team on numerous occasions to the National High School Baseball Championships at Koshien Stadium, the National High School Rugby Championships at Hanazono and the National Championships in Judo and Kendo). Unlike many other elite Japanese secondary institutions, Toin Gakuen has made international exchange a major priority. We have ties with some of New England’s elite preparatory schools and two of New Zealand’s top high schools. We are committed to strengthening these relationships and hope that you will take an interest in assisting us with this endeavor.
JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Producer Jeron Moore on ‘The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses’



Producer Jeron Moore on Symphony of the Goddesses: “We cater to all ages. You’ve got to remember that Zelda is 27 years old now. We’re seeing fans spanning three generations buying tickets to the show.” (Andrew Craig)
By Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Vlad is an avid photographer.
F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said, “There are no second acts in American lives.”
Fortunately, there are Second Quests.
Over 25 years after the blockbuster Nintendo video game series first hit the scene bearing its namesake in honor of Fitzgerald’s wife, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses returns for an encore run in some of North America’s most distinguished theater halls (including, for the first time, a pair of dates in Mexico). Presented by Jason Michael Paul Productions, the show—currently on tour through December—presents the very best of Zelda’s lush symphonic scores paired with a live orchestra and visual effects.
In this JQ exclusive, producer and lead creative Jeron Moore sounds off what’s new about the show, the experience of working with Nintendo to bring the ultimate live experience to fans, and the evolution of Link throughout the saga’s rich history.
What was the inspiration for this installment of the show?
Well, if you’re a Zelda aficionado, you’ll recognize the term “Second Quest” from the New Game+ mode from the original 1986 entry, The Legend of Zelda, on the NES. It’s a mode you’d unlock once you defeated the game, and what it did was reorganize the game a little bit, made the dungeons a bit harder, made the items a bit more challenging to find, made the bosses a bit more difficult to defeat. We’ve taken the idea of visiting familiar places while encountering new challenges and applied that to the Second Quest, which has been revamped to include a half hour of new material while keeping all of the classics that make The Legend of Zelda what it is.
What surprises can we expect from the Second Quest?
They wouldn’t be surprises if I told you! But I will hint that we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of a particular, very special handheld title. We’ve also finally included some music from one of the most recent Zelda games, which we steered cleared of with the first season program. And at the request of Mr. Eiji Aonuma, you can also expect to see a fully revamped Wind Waker segment, featuring gorgeous visuals from the game’s recent HD release on the Wii U. The Wind Waker has never looked better.
How did the idea for format of the show come about? The large screen, the orchestra?
It’s simple. There’s just nothing classier than a large orchestra tuning up, then performing powerhouse symphonic interpretations of your favorite music, no matter the genre. For The Legend of Zelda, we wanted Symphony of the Goddesses to be as accessible as possible. There’s nothing worse than sitting in a room and feeling left behind because you didn’t walk in with a prerequisite knowledge of the material. The music undoubtedly stands on its own, but incorporating visuals opens it up and informs the entire audience of context, not just those who’ve played the games before. Of course, being the fans that we are, we’ve carefully edited the footage into an entertaining narrative that, we feel, makes sense. With that, we’re able to hit on many of the important moments universally adored by fans, so yeah—lots of inside jokes, but we try not to let anything fall flat.
JETAA Singapore’s Natsumatsuri!


Thanks to JETAA Singapore’s Eugene Neubronner (Hiroshima-ken, 2010-12) for sharing this great update:
“This is Eugene Neubronner from the JETAA Singapore Chapter committee. We recently had our own Natsu Matsuri and we’ve finally gotten around to posting up pics and a writeup. Would love it if you guys could feature it and link to it as we’re always looking for more people to come on down who are ex- and interested JETs!”
Natsu Matsuri 2013
Back in August, Singaporeans, Japanese and everyone else came together to enjoy one of Japan’s favorite events during summer, the Natsu Matsuri. While it is unfortunate that Singapore has a very controlled use of fireworks and firecrackers, that didn’t mean we couldn’t have any fun. JETAA Singapore members were out in force as well, with our own booth to drum up interest in the JET Programme.
JETAA Singapore’s booth was a collective grab bag of games and information on the JET Programme, and saw a surprisingly strong interest that threatened to overwhelm our members and committee staff on hand. Many clamored for the Japanese games we had – including a haiku contest, match-the-word and more – but others were also interested to find out more about the JET Programme, something our ex-JET members were more than happy to talk about. Here’s to hoping more people apply and discover the joys of living and teaching in Japan!
Held at the Japanese Primary School in Singapore’s Changi, the annual event sees thousands of people attending – many dressed in their own yukata. The 2013 Natsu Matsuri was the 26th to be organized by The Japanese Association of Singapore. It features dozens of stalls hawking traditional Natsu Matsuri food, games and a massive stage for performances throughout the evening culminating in a Bon Odori dance everyone’s invited to join in on.
If you happen to be living in Singapore and is an ex-JET (Singaporean or otherwise) who’s somehow not on our list, do reach out to us! We’d love to get to know more of you. JETAA Singapore holds regular events and meet-ups. Do email us at secretaryjetaasingapore [at] gmail [dot] com.
お疲れさまでした〜
Click here for the full post and to see more photos from the event: http://jetaasg.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/natsu-matsuri-2013/
Maccha Macadamia Cookie Recipe


Posted by Benjamin Martin, a JET from 2008-2013 in Okinawa, publisher of the blog MoreThingsJapanese.com and author of the award-winning YA fantasy series Samurai Awakening (Tuttle).
At this point I should probably get a lawyer, because I’m about to get a ton of hate-mail from dietitians. As promised, I’ve cooked up a recipe involving two of my favorite things. Maccha (aka Matcha) and white chocolate macadamia cookies. If you like maccha lattes or really any snack with that wonderfully powdered green tea in it, you’ll love these. While not a traditional Japanese food item, I hope you’ll give them a try. If you do share a photo!
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups (500ml) flour
- 1 tsp (small spoon) salt
- 1 tsp (small spoon) baking soda
- 1 cup (200ml) unsalted butter (or about 200 grams)
- .5 cup (100ml) white sugar
- .75 cup (150ml) brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tsp (small spoon) vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (200ml) maccha
- 1 cup (200ml) crushed macadamia nuts
- 1 cup (200ml) white chocolate chips (or chopped bars)
Recipe
Pre-heat oven to about 350 F (180C). For best results use a baking sheet.
Cream butter and sugar, add in vanilla and eggs. Stir until well mixed. Add maccha. Next stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until well mixed. Stir in chocolate and nuts. The mixture will be slightly sticky.
Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Form the dough into small balls about 1.5 inches in diameter and place them on the tray press them slightly to flatten. Ensure enough space so that they do not join after melting into circles.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Baking time will determine if they are chewy or crunchy. Remove from oven and let them cool completely before removing from the parchment paper.
Makes a whole lot of deliciousness.
Originally posted on MoreThingsJapanese.com
I’ll Make It Myself!: Mister Donut Halloween Donuts 2013


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.
Last year’s Halloween-themed pumpkin-flavored Mister Donuts doughnuts were delicious. This year, they’ve added a ghost and Hello Kitty shapes, and it appears that the batter is normal but the icing is kabocha-chocolate flavored.
Job: Program Coordinator – University of Texas at Austin


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.
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Position: Program Coordinator
Posted by: University of Texas at Austin
Location: Austin, TX
Salary: $41,000 non-negotiable (listed as negotiable only for UT internal candidates)
Overview:
The University of Texas at Austin is currently recruiting for the following position in the Study Abroad Office: Program Coordinator (#13-10-14-01-8105). We have one opening on the Advising Team. The Advising Team specializes in management of exchange and affiliated (provider) programs. The successful candidate will join a dynamic team of 20 professionals dedicated to providing access to international opportunities for a diverse student population. Learn more about UT study abroad at: http://www.utexas.edu/student/abroad/
Job Duties:
This position will report to Rhonda Waller, and will collaborate with campus departments and international partners to provide innovative, academically relevant programs and exceptional student services. This position will also manage a SAO portfolio, as well as serve as the primary liaison to designated campus departments to ensure that programs serve the academic goals of the institution.
Application Instructions:
Applications may be submitted on-line at: http://utdirect.utexas.edu/pnjobs/index.WBX
Please submit a cover letter, a resume, and contact information for three references through the on-line Human Resources system. Your cover letter should directly address how your relevant experience supports the functions of the position, and the pursuit of the Study Abroad vision and mission (http://world.utexas.edu/abroad/vision).
CLAIR Magazine “JET Plaza” series: Suzanne McMillan (Ehime)


Each month, current and former JET participants are featured in the “JET Plaza” section of the CLAIR Forum magazine. The October 2013 edition includes an article by JET alumn Suzanne McMillan. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
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“Working in the media and recruitment space requires a high level of networking ability and the confidence to quickly reach out and engage with new people. My time spent in Japan provided me with this skill set along with resilience and the ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.”
Originally from Northern Ireland, Suzanne McMillan (Ehime-ken, 1998-2001) holds an MA in History from Aberdeen University in Scotland. Her media career began in the UK when she joined the BBC initially as Researcher and later as an Assistant Producer. She has held the positions of Chairperson within the JETAA NI Chapter and NI Country Representative within JETAA International. Suzanne is currently a Project Manager and BDM Executive at Webpublication in Sydney, Australia where she coordinates digital publishing projects.
The Time of my Life
Nervously twiddling my thumbs, I sat before the interview panel and hoped that my answers would bring me a step closer to my long awaited place on the JET Programme. What had brought me to this point in my life? Well, as a child a favorite uncle had told me many tales of his exotic life in Japan and passed onto me the gift of a hand towel imprinted with a map of Shikoku. This tattered piece of history proudly hung on the wall of my university dorm room and later traveled with me on my flight to Tokyo Orientation; beginning my new life in Japan.
For the next three years, life as an ALT provided so many memorable experiences. I shared stories with teachers, students and fellow JET participants; discussing UK sports, changing political events in Northern Ireland and the different approaches to education and family life. Local neighbors became my friends and my knowledge of Japanese history grew with any tale they would tell of their past. The world seemed a smaller place and I realized the impact of JET; cultural exchange that reaches a deeper level and enables lifelong friendships that are priceless.
Even now memories of JET spring to mind during everyday tasks; the particularly cold winter when the supervisor at my BOE bought all JET participants a puffer jacket to keep warm, ensuring that we could all be spotted at a distance of 100 meters waddling with the extra bulk. Warmth feels my heart when I recall the kindly teacher who delivered boxes of mandarin oranges to your front door if you happened to be sick. I have never been able to hold a mandarin since without seeing his caring face. And yes, I hold myself fully responsible for many Japanese adults who I taught when they were kindergarten age and who now having an Irish lilt to their accent after repeating key English words after me several times over. Read More
Life After JET: It’s Hip to be Square


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!
Kenneth Pinyopusarerk, who hails from Canberra, Australia, was a 2003-2006 CIR who worked in Saigawa (now Miyako), Fukuoka-ken. A man with a lifelong passion for two things: Japanese culture and computer games, he managed to combine the both and land a dream job at Square Enix in Tokyo where he currently works today. The only downside to his job is having to turn down countless requests from friends for “A Realm Reborn”, the latest in the Final Fantasy franchise.
Twenty years ago, on a crisp Sunday morning in Canberra, I had a life-changing encounter. I was strolling through the local Trash & Treasure when I stumbled upon a pre-loved cartridge of Final Fantasy II*, lying upon a splintery foldout table. Drawn by some unknown force, I paid the $40 asking price—a small fortune for a 14-year-old in 1994—without so much as an attempt to haggle. Thus began my enduring love affair with the video game developer Squaresoft, now known as Square Enix. Had my pimply teenage self been told that he would one day work for this company, he would have scoffed and promptly resumed playing whatever game it was he was obsessed with at the time.
Since childhood, I’ve had an affinity with Japanese culture. I attribute this to Read More
Help a JET alumna fight for her life


Thanks to JETAA Northern California’s Mark Frey (Kumamoto-ken, 2002-06) for sharing this:
One of my close friends on JET, Tonisha Bell-Alston (Kikuyo-machi, Kumamoto-ken, 2003-05) was diagnosed with a very rare cancer earlier this year and is now fighting for her life.
If you’d like to join me in helping her, her friends have started a donation site to help with her medical costs: http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/-teamtbellalston/96899
Tonisha is a strong, cheerful, wonderful person (and loving mother of two), as those of you who know her know. She is exhibiting those same qualities as she fights this disease. Please pass this on to others who may be interested in helping.
Tonisha’s powerful blog of her experience: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tonishaalston Here’s an excerpt from the “My Story” section in the beginning:
“Welcome to my site. Join me in the fight of my life! Please send your prayers, thoughts, kind words, well-wishes, and jokes my way. On February 27th I was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a very rare soft tissue cancer. Now, I can honestly say I’m one in a million :) Since discovering the cancer in my left thigh, it has metastasized to areas of my lungs. At one point I was hoping to avoid chemotherapy with a lifestyle change, but now chemo is the best option. I’m ready to beat this thing and put this chapter of my life behind me….”
Thank you,
Mark Frey (Kumamoto, 2002-06)