The English Language Fellow Program – The Department of State
Academic, Cultural Outreach, Uncategorized 
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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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English Language Fellow Program is currently accepting new applications for teaching in 120 countries…
Overview:
The EL Fellow Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of English Language Programs, and is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development (CIED) at Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
The English Language (EL) Fellow Program promotes English language learning around the world and fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries. It places talented, highly qualified U.S. educators with Master’s degrees with a focus in TEFL/TESL or Applied Linguistics in all regions of the world. Through U.S. embassy projects, EL Fellows share their expertise, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn other cultures. Upon returning to the United States, they share their experiences and acquired knowledge with their communities and professional colleagues. Today, the EL Fellow Program is more vital than ever. As a premier, competitive opportunity to work on TESL/TEFL projects in developing countries, the EL Fellow Program has an impact not only on the institutions that host EL Fellows, but also within the wider academic community. Teachers at the host institution receive professional tools from the EL Fellow that promote educational effectiveness and expand their ability to provide English instruction for a wider variety of student populations in a larger number of educational Read More
Job: Postings from Idealist.org 2.12.13
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Via Idealist.org. Posted by Geneva Marie (Niigata-ken 2008-09) Geneva is a contributor to both JETwit and JETAANY. Geneva is on a continuous (epic) search for Japanese-related jobs in the United States. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
International Exchange Student Coordinator
Posted by: PAX- Program of Academic Exchange
Type: Part-Time
Location: Gaylord, MI
Salary: Salary is commission based
Application Deadline: April 6, 2013
PAX is seeking an independent education contractor to work in community service field. Ideal candidates should enjoy working with teens, possess excellent communication and sales skills, and bring an internationally-minded perspective to what they do. The position boasts part-time, flexible scheduling, modest compensation on a commission basis, annual international travel perks and is managed from home.
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/86txPwF9J874/
I’ll Make It Myself: “Deeply Ingrained Advantages”: American Media Discovers Kyûshoku
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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, and 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 The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Can Japan solve America’s food identity crisis? Japan’s relatively low rates of obesity have caught the eye of the American news media, particularly in light of our own new government controls on junk food and measures intended to prevent childhood obesity. In January, The Washington Post ran the article “On Japan’s school lunch menu: A healthy meal, made from scratch” by Chico Harlan; NPR followed up article/radio segment on bento called “In Japan, Food Can Be Almost Too Cute To Eat” by Audrey Carlsen and Daniel N.M. Turner, featuring a radio interview for All Things Considered with host Audie Cornish and author Debra Samuels.
While it is true that the content and presentation of Japanese school lunches (kyûshoku, 給食) and boxed lunches (bento) are quite different from their stereotypical American counterparts, both articles oversimplified the topics. I’d like to focus on each article separately as my criticism for each deals with distinct rather than overlapping issues. First, I’d like to discuss The Washington Post piece’s failure to address some of the negative aspects of the Japanese diet, and, in a separate post, how the NPR piece misses the mark on the “cute” issue and ignores the gendered social issues behind the bento.
JETAA Northern California Pacific Bridge Summer/Fall 2012
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The new issue of the official JETAANC magazine, Pacific Bridge, is now available. Read it online here.
In this issue you will:
-Read about the 2012 JETAA USA National Conference.
-Learn about various art events in the Bay Area community.
-Read about recent events in the JETAANC chapter.
And more!
JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Bruce Feiler on ‘The Secrets of Happy Families’
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“One big idea in my book is that families should adapt all the time. The single best thing we’ve done is to add a weekly family meeting. We ask three questions, based on a popular program called ‘agile families.’ And no surprise: that idea was born in Japan in the culture of real-time change.” (Courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers)
By Sharona Moskowitz (Fukuoka-ken, 2000-01) for JQ magazine. Sharona is interested in fresh, new voices in fiction and creative nonfiction.
New York Times bestselling author and columnist Bruce Feiler (Tochigi-ken, 1987-88) has written a range of books dealing with topics as varied as life in Japan (depicted in 1991’s Learning to Bow), religion, and his own diagnosis with cancer.
His latest book, The Secrets of Happy Families, is a playbook for today’s family with tips and advice for increasing overall happiness and strengthening the family unit. Unlike other family-related books, Feiler does not advocate one particular method or philosophy over another; rather, he has done a thorough investigation of what happy families have in common and offers readers a slice of the pie.
In this exclusive interview, Feiler shares how his experience in Japan has given him insight into family life across cultures, as well as his take on the modern family’s trials and tribulations.
It seems the book market is already glutted with all sorts of self-help books about families. What sets your book apart and why do you feel that it is particularly timely?
In many ways, I was motivated by the deluge of self-help books. They’re boring, tried, and out of fresh ideas. As a parent, I was completely frustrated and had tons of questions about how to make my family function more effectively, and the only books out there were from “family experts.” Meanwhile, in every other arena of contemporary life—from Silicon Valley to elite peace negotiators, from championship sports teams to the Green Berets—there are proven new ways to make teams and groups run more smoothly. I wanted to know what those people were doing with their own families, then test their ideas with mine. Not every idea worked. That’s why I put over 200 new ones in the book, because what clicks with your family may be different from what clicked with mine. But my hope is that if you take three ideas, you’ll have a happier family in a week.
In the chapter about the agile manifesto, you talk about the importance of “being part of the family team.” In writing about the importance of teamwork within the family, were you inspired at all by your experience in Japan, a culture which valorizes the group above all else?
I think it may be more the other way around, in that I was attracted to Japan because I’ve always been interested in tight groups and well-run teams. At the time I lived in Japan, in the late 1980s, Americans still believed that the individual mattered above all else. But one thing we’ve learned from the Internet is that we all have a natural inclination toward groups, social networks, and other gatherings of people. The first generation of happiness research has shown us that relationships matter above all else. Happiness is other people. And the people who matter most to us are our family. Yet there have been almost no books that tell us how to do that.
Are there other cultural practices you observed in your time in Japan which you believe could benefit American families?
One I learned while in Japan is that being part of a group doesn’t just happen. Japanese schools, in particular, work on it. I remember a school trip I went on where classes were divided into small groups. The number one rule was, don’t be late. The number two rule was, only one person in each group was allowed to have a watch. Guess what! You better stick together. Having a close family doesn’t just happen, either—you have to work on it. Fortunately, there are lots of new ideas out there to do that, which I’ve tried to gather.
WIT Life #226: Rise of the Robots
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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.
Last night I had the chance to see my first plays starring both humans and robots, created by the teamwork of two greats minds at Osaka University. One is Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro, a robotic scientist who directs the university’s Intelligent Robotics Library, which strives to create robots that can successfully co-exist with humans. The other is the playwright and director Oriza Hirata, who works as a professor at the University’s Center for the Study of Communication-Design and who founded the Seinendan Theater Company behind these plays. Both were in attendance at this event held at Japan Society, and stayed after to mingle with fans at the post-performance reception.
The first play “Sayonara” (which debuted in 2010) features a female human actress and a anatomically-correct female android (made to look like the person it was modeled after) called Geminoid F. The girl has a terminal illness and Geminoid F has been hired to comfort her by sharing her encyclopedic knowledge of poems. Flash forward to later in the short play when the android has completed this job and is being sent to the affected area of Fukushima. She is told by the man shipping her that Read More
Gemma Vidal (Okayama-ken, 2010-12) is a recently returned JET seeking work in licensing/merchandising (if it’s within the publishing industry, even better!). You can usually find her in her little web spaces Gem in the Rough and Peachy Keen (about her JET adventures) or training with San Jose Taiko. If you know of any authors/aspiring writers you’d like to see featured in JET Alum Author Beat, just contact Gemma at gem.vidal [at] gmail.com.
Thanks to Michael Gervais (2000-03) for notifying The Author Beat!
The Author Beat would like to introduce R. Michael Burns (Saitama-ken, 2000-03) to the stable of JET alumni authors! Michael was an ALT in Fukaya, Saitama and worked for the American Language School in Moriya, Ibaraki for a year and a half after his time on JET. He is currently a high school English teacher in Florida where he sponsors a creative writing workshop and a Japanese Pop Culture Club.
“Hokage and Mountain” by Kayla Greenberg
Interested in mythical stories set in medieval Japan? Michael’s Hokage series — “Shadows from Firelight”, “Demon-Fang”, and the newly published “Shadows and Hellfire” are available at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. The series follows Hokage, a samurai and his kitsune companion, Sasa. I read “Shadows from Firelight”, the first in the series and I enjoyed it a lot! Although it’s short, it’s packed with magic and action that made me want to read more. I’ll definitely be checking out the rest.
If horror is more up your alley (alas not for me), “The River Child” is one of the stories compiled in the anthology Horror Library III. The tale follows a schizophrenic homeless man who thinks a kappa is killing people around him. Another short story, “The Door, the Lock, the Key” was recently re-published in the anthology An Uncommon Collection. Windwalkers is Michael’s first full-length published novel and it is a horror tale set in a fictional town in Minnesota. Here’s a summary:
When a nightmarish blizzard drives college students Nick Bookman and Robin Kelley to take shelter in a small-town Minnesota church, they are forced to confront the intimate secret that is tearing their friendship apart. The appearance of another storm refugee, Alicia Morgan, an attractive high school senior and self-described witch, arouses Nick’s interest and threatens to strain the old friends’ relationship past the shattering point.
Then one of the men trapped in the church disappears in the deep of the night, and his young daughter stumbles in from the storm babbling about monsters. Only Alicia recognizes the creature from the child’s tale for what it must be — a wendigo, an ancient spirit that embodies the hunger for human flesh.
Soon there’s no doubt — the windwalkers are on the hunt again, and the refugees discover that they must fight not only the menace that haunts the storm, but their own darkest desires. If they cannot control their hungers, their hungers will consume them — and they shall become wendigoes themselves. Only the strongest hearts among the strange band of storm refugees have any hope of surviving the long blizzard night…
You can purchase the book on Amazon.
If you would like more information on Michael’s works, drop by his website www.rmichaelburns.com. Welcome to the Author Beat Michael!
2013 JETAA Tokyo Mentor Program
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A request from Christian Tsuji (Miyazaki-ken, 2004-08), current JETAA Tokyo Career Chair. Originally posted on the JETAA Tokyo Facebook group. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken 2006-11).
Hi everyone,
I am proud to announce the kick-off of the 2013 Mentor Program.
The purpose of the program is to provide current JETs from all parts of Japan and new alumni with a resource for developing their careers in Tokyo. We are looking for mentors from all walks of life with (in principle) five years work experience post-JET and two years in Tokyo. This is a chance for you to build your own resume and leadership skills while giving back to the JET community. As a mentor, we would expect the following contributions:
– Monthly contact with your mentee through face-to-face meetings, telephone, Skype, Facebook or email
– Advice and suggestions on researching career opportunities in the Tokyo area
– Feedback on job search materials (resume, rirekisho, letters of recommendation, etc.)
– If possible, attendance to the JETAA Tokyo Mentor Program Kick-off in February/March (TBD) and the Program Finale in June/July (TBA)
If you think other resources would benefit your mentee, we encourage you to offer those as you see fit. Please note that you will NOT be expected to offer internships to your mentee. The deadline for mentor sign-ups is February 28th, 2013. We plan to assign mentors and mentees within two weeks of that date. This year we are turning the tables and advertising this to ALL current JETs nationally. Thus we are expecting quite an interest. If you know anyone who like to be a Mentor, please pass this information along. Thank you for your attention and support.
To sign up, please go here!
Job: Curator of Education at the Morikami Museum & Gardens (Del Ray Beach, FL)
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Thanks to JET alum (and Miami Consulate JET Coordinator) Abby McBain for passing this on.. 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: Curator of Education
Posted by: Morikami Museum
Type: N/A
Location:
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Company Overview:
The Curator of Education will report to the Museum Director and be primarily responsible for the creation and implementation of educational programming at the Morikami Museum. This includes working closely with curatorial and exhibitions staff, developing and maintaining school and group tours, programs and activities, evaluating and developing potential educational programs, and assisting in the sponsorship and marketing of educational programs. The Curator of Education will also be responsible for training and scheduling docents. Read More
Job: Wine Educator/Retail Clerk (Napa, CA)
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Via JETAA PNW. 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: Wine Educator/Retail Clerk
Posted by: The Napa Valley Wine Train
Type: Full-time/ Part-time
Location: Napa, CA
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
The Napa Valley Wine Train is looking for an outgoing Japanese speaking individual to work in our Wine Shop, located in the train station, and in our Tasting Car on board the train. This is a full time position which includes medical benefits and 401K. Part-time non-benefited position may also be available. This is an hourly position – must be able to work days, weekends and an occasional evening. Flexibility is a must! Read More
Job: New Consulate position – Visa Section (Houston, TX)
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Via JETAA PNW. 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: Consular Service Clerk
Posted by: Consulate General of Japan
Type: N/A
Location: Houston, TX
Salary: Commensurate with abilities and experience
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
The Consulate General of Japan in Houston is looking for a new Consular Service Clerk (Visa). Candidates must have strong written and verbal Japanese ability.
Traditionally, this position has been offered only to local Japanese natives, but has now been extended to the JET community.
If you want to strengthen your language skills and spend time learning more about Japanese legal culture and researching interesting requests. Candidates who enjoy researching and helping others in addition to language and cultural ability will be considered. For a full summary of the position, please email Ryan Pauley at jetcoord@ho.mofa.go.jp
Job: Cultural Affairs/Public Relations section Consulate General of Japan (Atlanta)
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Via JETAA Southeast. 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: Cultural Affairs/Public Relations Staff
Posted by: Consulate General of Japan
Type: Full-time
Location: Atlanta, GA
Salary: Commensurate with abilities and experience
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
The ideal candidate would be a team-player who works well with Japanese people; a recent college graduate or someone with 2-3 years work experience; flexible and motivated, with the ability to handle a wide variety of tasks; educational background in Japanese, English, Journalism, or Communications preferred; posses a strong interest in Japan, preferably with work experience in Japan through the JET Program or other organization or business; Japanese language ability (reading, writing, speaking) and excellent English language skills; and basic IT skills necessary for website updates. Read More
2013 Sakura Festival in Kumejima
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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).
January 26th marked the beginning of the 2013 Kumejima Sakura Festival. Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) are an important symbol marking the change of seasons in Japan. As the weather begins to warm, cherry trees sprout beautiful flowers in a range of colors from white to red. Since Okinawa is so far south, cherry blossoms begin to arrive in January. They work their way north through April. During this time, people flock to areas with cherry trees to picnic, drive, and see the beautiful flowers and wildlife.You might have noticed the new header, a compilation of 3 shots taken of a Mejiro (Japanese white-eye) in cherry trees I caught the Friday before the festival along the Ara Forest path.
The Festival
As part of the sakura season, many locals often have festivals to support tourism, create entertainment for locals, and to simply celebrate the beautiful surroundings. This year the Kumejima Sakura Festival took place on January 26th, a day of sun and generally great weather (I got sunburned in January. It was also a little windy.)
On Kume Island, the festival takes place at Daruma Mountain Park in the western/central part of the island. The festival was set up in a clearing surrounded by cherry trees. After an opening ceremony, new cherry trees were planted for the future. Arrayed around the clearing were many tents with local restaurants serving specialty foods. This year, the restaurants competed in a competition to see which one had brought the most popular item.
There were several live performances from local groups including Nankuru Sanshin and the “Super Bridal Band,” as well as karate demonstrations and other entertainment. The band I play with (Super Bridal Band started up a few years ago to play at my boss’s wedding, I joined a bit after moving here) just after the opening ceremony. There’s a compilation video below of our set.
After we finished our set, I quickly jumped over to the 89.7 FM Kumejima radio booth to do my weekly Haisai English! show live from the event. It was a lot of fun despite a few technical snafus from going on location.
For more on Sakura and this year’s Festival, visit MoreThingsJapanese.com
Job: Grants Officer, Institute of International Education (NY)
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Via Philanthropy News Digest. 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: Grants Officer
Posted by: Institute of International Education
Type: N/A
Location: New York, New York
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Purpose of Position:
Manages various Foundation-funded Travel and Learning funds and provides management to other grant initiatives in the division. Work is carried out independently under general supervision.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. IIE may add, change, or remove essential and other duties at any time.
•Responsible for complying with applicable contract and sponsor requirements and following all IIE policies and procedures
•Manage multi-million dollar grant, which enables individuals from all over the world to travel internationally to conferences, seminars, and short courses. Primary responsibilities include preparing grants and contracts, conducting due diligence, and monitoring grant/contract progress and payment.
•Assure compliance with IRS regulations, other U.S. government regulations and foundation-specific guidelines for all grants, identifying potential issues
•Ensure grant files meet legal and auditing requirements; coordinate creation, and maintenance of all grant files
•Manage the logistics of travel for consultants and grantees including heavy interaction with the travel agency to arrange for domestic and international travel and hotel reservations worldwide Read More
Job: Oakland Asian Cultural Center Seeks Executive Director (CA)
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Thanks to JETAA Northern California VP Mark Frey who has worked closely with OACC for the past two years. 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: Executive Director
Posted by: The Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC)
Type: Full-time
Location: Oakland, CA
Salary: Salary $55-$60k depending on experience and skills
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
The Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) was founded in 1984 by a coalition of volunteers who recognized the need for a strong artistic and cultural force in the Chinatown area. Since opening its own facility in 1996 in the heart of Oakland’s Chinatown district, the OACC has presented countless high quality cultural programs including performances, workshops, festivals, school tours, classes, and exhibitions. OACC builds vibrant communities through Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) arts and culture programs that foster intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue, cultural identity, collaborations, and social justice. Read More
