CLAIR Magazine “JET Plaza” series: Jordan Patrick Lincez (Aichi)
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Each month, current and former JET participants are featured in the “JET Plaza” section of the CLAIR Forum magazine. The May 2013 edition includes an article by JET alumn Jordan Patrick Lincez. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
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“Through the people I meet, I feel as though I have a responsibility to share my love and experiences of Japan to strengthen and sustain the bonds that were tied in fellowship and goodwill.”
Jordan Patrick Lincez (Aichi-ken, Toyone-mura, 2009-11) is from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He has been playing various instruments from a young age, first learning the guitar from his father Marc Victor, and eventually making an album with him before joining the JET Programme. Jordan spent two years in one of the smallest villages of Japan and his contributions to the community include recording a collaborative album with local musicians and organizing a charity music festival. He is now studying in Vancouver, BC, to become a French teacher in elementary schools in rural Canada.
After JET – Rural Reflections
Steve Jobs once talked about connecting the dots only after you go through something. Coming to and leaving Toyone was like that. My memories of there are vivid: wet mornings with mists floating above green mountains around Tsugawa Heights; straining to keep my eyes open and my body moving to the drum on Hana Matsuri; watching the evening sun burst in orange and red leaves during the autumn foliage season on my drive to Toyama; listening to my students practice Kendo in the dojo while watching the snow gently falls outside; joining my friends in celebrating our charity festival’s success with the most bountiful yakiniku feast I have ever seen. I have left Japan with a wealth of memories and friendships that I will carry with me forever, and it was only in connecting the dots looking back that am I able to see the impact my experiences there have had on my life and current endeavors.
What brought me to Japan? I wanted a new challenge, and, one day, I met a wonderful teacher in Ottawa who taught me Japanese, but also taught me about Japanese culture—and I was fascinated with it. I had to go experience it. I had to get out of Ottawa, out of Canada, and learn about myself through experiencing life in a different world. JET brought me to Japan and placed me as an ALT in two of the smallest villages in Japan: Toyone and Toyama in Aichi Prefecture. Read More
Job: TKP New York, Inc. – Group Sales Manager – Conference Center/Event Sales (New York, NY)
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Thanks to JET alum Lana Kitcher of Bridges to Japan for sharing this job listing. Posted by 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: Group Sales Manager – Conference Center/Event Sales
Posted by: TKP New York, Inc.
Type: Full-time
Location: New York, NY
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Job Summary
TKP Corporation, Japan’s premiere Conference Center and Event Planning space, is coming to the US. We need key Sales Staff to help grow our unique business concept in this country!
The Group Sales Manager is responsible for building TKP New York, Inc.’s (“TKP”) brand in the New York City area. This includes, but is not limited to, actively prospecting and calling on new business, preparing proposals, making sales, managing a sales group, improving internal processes, and ensuring all events/conferences are delivered according to client expectations. The most important task of this position is to reach individual and team monthly US revenue targets for our Conference Center sales. This is the one of the key managerial positions for the Company in the US. Read More
WIT Life #230: Spring has sprung! (桜祭り)
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
After spending the last week in New Orleans on business, I was happy to come home to lovely spring weather here in NY. The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, not least of all the sakura! Around these parts the 桜祭り (sakura matsuri) at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is famous for celebrating the cherry blossoms and Japanese culture, but over in Queens there is another festival which has grown over the last three years. As you can probably tell from this shot of the 59th Street Bridge shrouded in sakura, I’m referring to Roosevelt Island’s very own 桜祭り.
After getting off the F train or alighting from the tram, a short walk along the East River leads you to the stars of the show, the sakura. Although they weren’t quite at their peak, they were Read More
JET alum seeks to create “Japan Town” in Sydney
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I saw a post about this on the JETAA New South Wales Facebook page and thought this was worth sharing with the JET alum community since it’s a JET alum seeking to literally spread Japanese culture. Here’s the full description of the project being pursued by JET alum Joshua Flannery at http://www.pozible.com/project/21447:
Sydney already has a China Town, a “little Italy” (Leichardt/Haberfield), a Korea Town (Eastwood/City) and many more pockets of ethnic-flavoured deliciousness.
This pozible project aims to create a permanent “Little Japan” somewhere in Sydney (actually I prefer the name “Little Kyoto as it is less common than Little Tokyo or Little Osaka a la San Francisco).
Sure, we have the Japanese supermarket and a bit of a community in Northbridge but its not exactly an equivalent to China Town. We also have a little pocket of restaurants and a Japanese bookshop in Artarmon but to be honest, you could walk right through it and not realise it was there.
More than just a collection of restaurants in the same area, this will include an onsen (Japanese traditional baths), a geisha house, quaint little Japanese bars, street vendors/markets selling chicken kara age (Japanese fried chicken) and takoyaki (fried octopus ball) stands.
There would be a manga cafe and maybe even a maid cafe.
Japanese art and craft would be on display and on sale with J-Pop, Enka and Japanese hip-hop heard throughout the area.
There would be regular events and performances and busking in the area would be permitted for Japanese and Japan related artists.
A Business with Japan zone would also be created with an area to network with local business people with Japanese products and services or business visitors from Japan. To see a Japanese salary man roaming from the zone to a restaurant to a bar just like the backstreets of Tokyo would not be unusual.
For those wanting to study Japanese or keep up their language skills, there will be “Japanese language zones” where only Japanese language will be spoken. The will also give an effect as if one were over in Japan. Further to the language learning, there will be classes to make Japanese food, art and martial arts training available in a dojo space.
Sydney’s Little Japan will be an experiential, educational and delicious zone of Japan flavored food, art, culture and people.
Outside of Japan, this space will be the most extensive Japan flavored space in the world and people will actually visit it as a tourist attraction too.
What do I have and why me?
· Japanese food and culture addict
* 6 years living and working in Japan
· A network of Japanese business community
· A network of Japanese people living in Sydney (including my Japanese wife)
· Experience as the only non-Japanese staff in Sydney’s first sushi train restaurant
· Strong links into Japans business and hospitality industry (I’m a Certified Sake Professional)
– My day job now is working with start-ups, entrepreneurs, investors and everyone else in the innovation ecosystem. I know what it takes to plan and execute a project :
What do I need?
In order to do this properly, I need some funding to do the research for the project. I’d like to conduct interviews with current players in Sydney (read Japanese restaurant owners, importers, dojo managers, the Japan Foundation, the Japan External Trade Organisation, Japanese schools and the Japanese expat community).
Depending on how much is pledged, I would also look at 1 trip to Japan to meet with potential partners based in Japan who may support the project (read government officials, businesses and others with interested in spreading “Japan” further into Sydney). It would be cool to bring something new that doesn’t exist in Australia over.
The goal will be to create a detailed report, which will give a clearer idea of:
1) who wants to be a part of this
2) what the real size of this Japan Town will be (a multilevel building or an area around a train station in the suburbs or?)
3) how much money it will cost to make this happen
Upon the completion of the project, I will send those who donate a copy so they can see what this project has found.
The document will also act as the basis to start the second, much larger project of beginning to actually make this Japan Town become a reality – and another reason for people to love Sydney.
Here’s the link to pledge to the cause: https://www.pozible.com/fund/support/21447/0/-1
JETAA Chapter Beat 12th April 2013
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Welcome to JETAA Chapter Beat. Theodore Genba Bigby (Yamagata 2008-12) walks you through some of the highlights from JET alumni associations across the globe. Genba currently serves as the JETAA UK Webmaster and on the JETAA Midlands committee.
It’s only the second time I’m doing this, but sometimes, I look at the events and where they’re going to be held and I wish I could attend! In fact, this month’s “headline” event, so to speak, is by JETAA New York. I’ll try to behave like the googlebot and return to chapters that keep producing events. That doesn’t mean I won’t be looking at all chapters as I have taken a look at as many as possible. What I’ve noticed is that some are more active than others. Hopefully, doing the JETAA Chapter Beat on a more regular basis will give all chapters ideas and encourage those chapters who are less active to become more active (or maybe publicise their activity). For me, the ability to exchange feelings and ideas between people who share similar experiences is the greatest benefit of JETwit. Let’s see what’s going on around the world of JETAA over the next few weeks.
Hanami Picnic
20th April 2013
Central Park, New York
http://jetaany.org/2013/04/11/hanami-picnic/
What could be better than a Hanami party in Japan? I’d say a Hanami party in New York City has got to come pretty close to trumping it, especially when the venue is Central Park. Meet at the park’s Great Lawn (near The MET Museum~ 84th Street and 5th Avenue). To get there on the Subway, you need to take the 4/5/6 train to 86th Street or B/C train to 81st Street. I have no idea what all of that means, but one day I hope to find out by visiting NYC and perhaps even attending an event myself. There’s also a map to the location of the party that can be found by visiting the link above. “We will be picnicking on the east side of the Great Lawn between fields #2 and #4…We will have RED balloons and the JETAANY banner. Contact Pam/Monica if you can’t find [the group].” Please take a look at their website for a map and contact details, though an RSVP is not mandatory
Japan vs MCC
28 April 2013
Lord’s Cricket Ground, London
http://www.jetaa.org.uk/events/japan-v-mcc-cricket-match-at-lords-cricket-ground-on-sunday-28-april/
From New York, the home of Hip-Hop, to the greatest MCC battle of the decade. Actually, it has nothing to do with music, as MCC actually stands for Marylebone Cricket Club, one of the world’s most historical cricket clubs. Their main purpose is to promote cricket to young people. For this event, they’re having a one day 50-50 game against Japan. Simply put, this means the game will only last for one day and shouldn’t end in a draw. Although not a JETAA event, it is free! The event starts at 9:45 in the morning and finishes at 6:15, but there’s lots of traditional British food available all day.
South San Francisco & Kishiwada Sister City Association – Talk With Students
16th April 2013
TBA
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6209453643/eorg#
There were just 4 tickets left for this event at the time of publication.
“Frank McAuley, president of the South San Francisco & Kishiwara Sister City Association, would like to have a JET alum talk to his group of 16-20 high school students about life in Japan and on JET at their next Sister City meeting. The talk does not need to be longer than 20 minutes and will be a good chance for the students to hear from someone who has recently lived in Japan and to ask questions about Japan.”
Oakland Ramen Nite
18th April 2013
Sobo Ramen, 988 Franklin Street, Oakland
http://oaklandramennite1-eorg.eventbrite.com/#
Come out for a friendly networking event over a bowl of ramen in Oakland. Apparently, “Sobo has one of the best tonkotsu pork broths in the Bay Area”, so I’d say you had better not miss out! The venue is 2 blocks from 12th Street BART station with an on-site car park.
Book Club: The Salaryman’s Wife by Sujata Massey
7th May 2013
Peter’s Cafe 10 El Camino Real, Millbrae, California
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6112162643/eorg#
Discussing The Salaryman’s Wife, a tale of power, murder, sex and deception that takes place in one of Tokyo’s seediest neighbourhoods. The club will meet at 6:30.
Haru Matsuri
19th May 2013
Hakone Gardens 21000 Big Basin Way Saratoga, California
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5652408506/eorg#
Spring festivals are always fun! Although this event is not organised by JETAA Northern California, they encourage alumni to participate. There will be a “Japanese Calligraphy demonstration on a large canvas, Mochi pounding performance, Tea Ceremony, Tsugaru shamisen and Koto performance, Flower Arrangement, Japanese Kimono Show, Silent Auction, and much more. Foods served include: Yakitori, Ramen, Gyoza, Kagami Biraki, and Sake.” Almost like being back in Japan! Over 2,000 people are expected to attend; make sure you’re one of them.
I’ll Make It Myself!: Sakura Matcha Muffins
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer, web administrator, and translator, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan; 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 in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
One hell of a storm blew through Saturday night and Sunday, ruining the weekend for hanami. Luckily, we’d had decent weather all week, including Friday night, when I went to Rojô Park in Komatsu for nighttime cherry-blossom viewing.
Of course, hanami wouldn’t be hanami without food and drink, and what better to bring than two Japanese classics together in a super portable form?
Job: Translator/Interpreter At Denso Manufacturing In Athens, TN
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Thanks to JET alum Victoria White for sharing this posting. Posted by 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: Translator/Interpreter
Posted by: Denso Manufacturing
Type: N/A
Location: Athens, TN
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Job Summary:
Provide translation and interpretation of Japanese to English, and vice versa, to various departments.
Essential Functions:
1. Document translation of drawings related to machinery.
2.Interpretation for business between Japanese visitors/Expatriates and local associates regarding machine build.
3.Support in creation of presentation materials including data, graphs, and drawings. Read More
Job: Reporter / Researcher – Yomiuri NY
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Thanks to JET alum and journalist Olivia Nilsson for sharing this excellent JET-relevant opportunity. Posted by 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: Reporter /Researcher
Posted by: The Yomiuri Shimbun
Type: Full-time
Location: NY
Salary: Approximate $40,000 with health insurance
Start Date: Immediately
Qualifications:
Applicants should have a background in international relations, foreign policy or journalism. Attention to accuracy and the faculty to multitask effectively under daily deadline pressure is required. Ability to develop and maintain good sources, a strong work ethic and ability to take direction well and work collaboratively with others is essential. Japanese language skills are preferred but not necessary. Read More
Job: Guest Relations & Membership Associate at the Morikami Museum (Delray Beach, FL)
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Thanks to JETAA Florida Wendy Lo. Posted by 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: Guest Relations & Membership Associate
Posted by: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Type: Full-time
Location: Delray Beach, Fl
Salary: $10.00 – $12.50/hour
Start Date: N/A
Position Description
Under the guidance of the Development Manager, the Guest Relations/Membership Associate is responsible for providing excellent customer service to museum members and visitors by answering general inquiries and having extensive knowledge of the facility and its services.
Responsibilities And Duties
- Serves as the membership expert knowing all information pertaining to the museum’s membership program.
- Provides courteous and professional service to museum visitors that want to become a member, and functions as the point of contact for members who have questions about their existing membership. Read More
Job: Atlas Corps TOMODACHI Fellows Program
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Thanks to jet alum Rachel Olanoff for forwarding this opportunity. Posted by 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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Overview
Atlas Corps seeks nonprofit leaders from around the world to apply for the newly launched Atlas Corps TOMODACHI Fellows Program in the United States. The new initiative, a collaboration between the TOMODACHI Initiative and Atlas Corps, seeks to engage leaders from Japan committed to the nonprofit sector in 12-18 month, professional fellowships at organizations in the United States to learn best practices, build organizational capacity, and return home to create a network of global leaders. The TOMODACHI Fellows join the greater Atlas Corps community of of more than 150 Fellows from throughout the world. Profiled as a “best practice” in international exchange by the Brookings Institution and featured in the Washington Post as a model social entrepreneurship program, Atlas Corps Fellows serve full-time at Host Organizations such as Ashoka, CARE, Grameen Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, GlobalGiving Foundation, and the UN Foundation. In addition, Fellows supplement daily knowledge with theoretical topics presented in the Atlas Corps Global Leadership Lab and networking with leaders from around the world. This prestigious fellowship includes a living stipend to cover basic expenses (food, local transportation, and shared housing) and health insurance. Read More
I’ll Make It Myself!: What I Ate in Nagano, Day 2: Yamanouchi
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan; 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 in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Day 1: On the Road to Yudanaka Onsen (長野の名産を食べる旅：第一日)
On our second day in Nagano, we headed to Yamanouchi to see the snow monkeys at the Jigokudani Monkey Park. We kind of took the long way around, but eventually we got on the right path.
Posted by Benjamin Martin, a 5th year JET on Kume Island in Okinawa, publisher of the blog MoreThingsJapanese.com and author of the YA fantasy series Samurai Awakening (Tuttle).
By far my most popular post on More Things Japanese is my easy recipe for Chahan. This time around, I wanted to share a slightly more time-consuming, but even tastier recipe for those of you who love Chahan. As with my advanced recipe for miso soup, it is all made from scratch, including the dashi. This take on Fried Rice is a mix of the local flavors I’ve learned on small Okinawan islands, and a bit of flair from me as well. I hope you enjoy.
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 1 piece conbu
- 1 cup packed bonito flakes
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion
- 170g sausage
- 1 pack mushrooms
- 1tsp salt
- 1 carrot
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 package nirai
- 1 cob fresh corn
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped nira (a scallion-like leaf)
- 5 eggs
- 1tbsp sake
- 6 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 2tbsp mustard
- 2tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Directions
For detailed directions visit MoreThingsJapanese.com
Job: Project Coordinator – Intralink (Tokyo)
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Thanks to JET alum Alan Mockridge (Iwate-ken, 1992-94) who is President of Intralink. Posted by 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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**Note: If you apply, please mention JETwit and of course mention that you’re a JET/alum.**
Position: Sales Representative
Posted by: Intralink
Type: N/A
Location: Tokyo
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview
Intralink is seeking an enthusiastic and energetic candidate with excellent oral presentation, analytical and written skills for the position of Project Coordinator, (Business Development). Candidates must be native English speakers with fluent spoken and written Japanese (JLPT level 1, 2 or equivalent) and should have studied and/or worked in Japan for a minimum of two years. Experience and/or qualifications in business or a relevant technology sector, such as engineering, software, consumer electronics, telecommunications or semiconductors is an advantage but not essential. Read More
Job: Japanese Speaking Sales Representative (Brentwood, TN)
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Thanks to JET alum Jennifer Butler, who works for the Consulate in Nashville, for sharing this JET-relevant listing shared with her by the Japan-America Society of Tennessee. Posted by 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: Sales Representative I
Posted by: CareHere!
Type: N/A
Location: Brentwood, TN
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview
The Sales Representative I under the direction of the Vice President of Sales responsibilities include selling and servicing new accounts; create new ideas to increase sales and perform basic office functions as needed.
REPORTS TO:
Vice President of Sales Read More
Job: Actus – Account Representative/Manager (Midtown, NY)
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Via Actus Consulting. Posted by 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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**Note: If you apply, please indicate that you learned of the listing via JETwit.**
Position: Account Representative/Manager at a Japanese company
Posted by: Actus Consulting
Type: Full-time
Location: Midtown, NY
Salary: $41K～$49K(DOE)
Start Date: N/A
Company Information:
Japanese company seeks an Account Representative or Account Manager for immediate hire. Sales experience a big plus, but entry level is welcome.
Must have good communication skills both in English. Monday through Friday 9:00am～5:45pm. Read More
