Kyodo News “Rural JET alumni” series: Khalid Birdsong (Osaka)
Cartoon/Illustration, Japan Local, JETs in the News, LifeAfterJET, Return on JET-vestment 
Comments Off on Kyodo News “Rural JET alumni” series: Khalid Birdsong (Osaka)
News agency Kyodo News has recently been publishing monthly articles written by JET alumni who were appointed in rural areas of Japan, as part of promotion for the JET Programme. Below is the English version of the column from January 2013. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
***********
Khalid Birdsong (Osaka-fu, 2003-05) attended Howard University, in Washington D.C. from 1993-1997. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design. He is currently an Art teacher at a private school in Palo Alto, CA for grades Kindergarten through 4th. He is also a freelance cartoonist and webcomic artist. His comic about living in Japan can be found at www.friedchickenandsushi.com .
I couldn’t speak their language!
I moved to Japan in the summer of 2003 to work as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in Junior High School for the JET Programme. I was placed in a small town called Shimamoto near the mountains in-between the cities of Osaka and Kyoto. I ended up living there for two years. Two years full of wonderful experiences and pleasant surprises. As an African-American man from Atlanta, Georgia, living in Japan also had its challenges! One of the most difficult was learning the Japanese language.
Support Fukushima through JET Social Media Activities
Blogs, Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Local, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism, Website Comments Off on Support Fukushima through JET Social Media Activities
A request from Lachlan Tranter (Fukushima-ken, 2011-present), CIR-PA at the Fukushima Prefecture Office. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
***********
It is approaching 2 years since the 3.11 disaster and the prefecture has moved forward in many ways, but still faces a number of challenges. Many JETs around the country and JET alumni 
from all around the world assisted in the immediate recovery of the three prefectures most affected by the disaster, and I know many of you want to help more. Today I am offering a chance to do so and it is as easier as clicking you mouse!
In fact it is, we in Fukushima want your help spreading the word and interest in the prefecture and its strong and “genki” citizens. We want the world to know about a side of Fukushima people in our prefecture all know about, a Fukushima of beauty, of produce, of nature, of fun, of shy but brave and warmhearted people; not just a power plant.
We want people to learn that life continues on here and to set each person a challenge to learn something new about Fukushima. So here is how to help support Fukushima Prefecture, you don’t even have to get up out of your chair or Kotatsu!
Like our Facebook page and read the Japanese or English translations about Fukushima!
Head to the Prefectural YouTube channel and watch short videos about the revitalization from the disaster!
Head to our English blog and read about events, food and life in Fukushima including stories from fellow JETs!
Share these resources with friends and family back home and show that the world is still thinking about and supporting people in Fukushima!
Thank you so much for your time and support! 心より感謝申し上げます。
2013 Tokamachi Snow Festival
Travel/Tourism Comments Off on 2013 Tokamachi Snow Festival
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).
With its tall mountains and island geography, Japan has areas with heavy rain throughout the year and snowfall in the winter. Over the years, in many areas the snow has been changed from a hardship to benefit. The first place in Japan to create a snow festival is Tokamachi in Niigata prefecture.
Tokamachi (十日町市) City is located in eastern Niigata prefecture. The names of that area are interesting in that they refer to the days it used to take to travel to them by foot. When we went there from the Echigo-Yuzawa station we passed several towns with these similar names such as Muikamachi (six-day town). The area has many small towns and is primarily full of rice farms. Niigata is famous for the delicious rice that the large amounts of snowfall help create.
This year’s snow festival took place between February 15 and 17th with the main stage events taking place on the 16th at the local Tokamachi Elementary School sports ground. As with all the nearby farms, the fields were topped with over two and a half meters of snow. While the snow is difficult to live with, the locals have found some ingenious ways to not only make it work for them, but to enjoy it as well.
One of the major attractions of the Tokamachi snow festival are the snow sculptures. From small igloos to towering designs the sculptures turn all the excess snow into art. Local artists and teams transform piles of snow into everything from popular manga characters to full size replicas of buildings and ships. These are so popular that they have spread to other snow festivals such as the more famous one in Hokkaido.
Every year the main stage for the event is constructed of snow. This year the design was a towering ship and compass. The portals were lighted and throughout the main event fireworks were lighted around it. It was a surprisingly long and steep walk from the lower town to the event but as guests of the local town government we had great tickets that put me 5 people back from the stage and only three from the walkway.
Originally, the focus of the festival was to highlight the beautiful kimonos created in Niigata. The main event after the opening speeches is still a fashion show of kimonos which are especially striking against the pure white of the snowy stage. Following the show were performances by artists Junichi Inagaki, Becky, and LG Monkees. As well as appearances by the local school children singing along with Tetsu and Tomo who helped to MC.
Despite the cold weather and snow falling throughout much of the show, huge numbers of people came out to see the show and it was well worth a few cold toes. The entire event was well-organized with crowd control built into the area with snow dividers. While we weren’t allowed to take photos or video of the performers, we were allowed to take pictures of the stage and fashion show. We didn’t have time to see every sculpture but I did catch a few on our way out. I hope you enjoy a little look at a wonderful town and event. I’ll share more on the trip soon.
For more photos from the event visit MoreThingsJapanese.com
**Don’t forget to enter the TWO free giveaways for signed copies of my book plus extras. Enter on morethingswriting.com and/or Goodreads!**
Job: Administrative Assistant at NYU Law School (NY)
Jobs, Uncategorized Comments Off on Job: Administrative Assistant at NYU Law School (NY)
Thanks to JETAANY Board Member Clara Solomon. 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.
————————————————————————————————————
Position: Administrative Assistant
Posted by: New York University
Type: Full-time
Location: New York, NY
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
Clara Solomon is the Career Services Director at NYU Law School and shared this job listing, which reports directly to her. If you apply, by all means let her know you’re a JET alum!
Position Summary:
Perform a broad range of clerical, secretarial, and general office duties including those of a confidential nature. Respond to inquiries displaying a comprehensive knowledge of the department’s activities, policies and programs. Schedule on-campus recruitment interviews; register and monitor responses of participants; prepare and post information regarding job openings; and prepare employer lists and informational packets for off-campus interviews. Assist with the prioritization of office activities and delegate to and monitor work of student and/or casual employees. Compose letters and correspondence. Perform general word processing, spreadsheet and data entry duties utilizing intermediate-level functions. Monitor moderately complex budgets and/or grants. Read More
The Growth of MAT-TESOL and USC Rossier Online
Career, Graduate School, Language Study Comments Off on The Growth of MAT-TESOL and USC Rossier Online
If any JETs or JET alumni are thinking of doing a Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), this is definitely worth a read. I also encourage any JETs interested in teaching to join the JETAA Educational Professionals LinkedIn group:
THE GROWTH OF MAT-TESOL
This blog post was originally published at USC Rossier Online and written by Dr. Rob Filback and Dr. Christian Chun. Dr. Filback is Associate Professor of Clinical Education and Co-Chair of the Global Executive Doctor of Education program. He serves as a coordinator for the MAT-TESOL. Dr. Chun is Assistant Professor of Clinical Education for the MAT-TESOL program.
Origins of the MAT TESOL
Our MAT-TESOL degree that launched in 2010 is the product of a multi-year, collaborative redesign process. The MAT-TESOL program (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) boasts a rich heritage at USC and has featured prominent scholars over the decades such as David Eskey, Fraida Dubin, and Stephen Krashen. In 2008 we decided to build on this foundation by redesigning the TESOL program in order to create a new, innovative and forward-looking degree that could better prepare graduates for the new challenges and new opportunities now facing English language teachers around the world.
We began by inviting an external review by a team of experts: Donna Brinton, Maureen Andrade and Lia Kamhi-Stein. Then, using this team’s recommendations, the faculty worked together to overhaul the USC TESOL program. The existing degrees were closed and one entirely new degree, the MAT-TESOL, was created. This included designing all new courses focused on current problems of practice , expanding the role of clinical field experiences, restructuring the capstone and practicum experiences to be more professionally relevant, and integrating technology including offering the degree online through 2SC.
About the Degree
The resulting MAT-TESOL degree directly addresses prevailing challenges being faced by TESOL educators in classrooms around the world. The new degree is also more dynamic and nimble, designed to give faculty the ability to make ongoing changes and to develop new units and modules as new needs are identified. The degree consists of four terms of coursework requiring approximately 14-15 months to complete. The online degree and the on-campus degree utilize the exact same curriculum, faculty, and requirements. The target audience for the MAT-TESOL includes current or prospective teachers who wish to enter or advance in the field of TESOL. Roughly a third of program participants are pre-service or novice teachers, while the remaining students have a range of teaching experiences that include teaching young learners or K12 students, university students, and or adults. About half of the students in the program are situated domestically in the U.S. and about half complete the degree while residing in another country. The majority of participants who complete the MAT-TESOL are U.S. citizens.
Growth of the Program
Since the launch in 2010, the number of enrolled graduate students has increased dramatically, from a 12-member on-campus cohort in the Fall 2010 to 39-member on-campus cohort for Fall 2012. The online cohort students have increased as well in the last two years, bringing the total number of both on-campus and online students in the Fall 2012 cohort group to 71 students! They have come from a variety of countries including Spain, Italy, Japan, South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, and of course, the USA. In addition, the Trojan TESOL society has been reactivated with numerous students planning activities and events for the coming academic year. Several of our MAT-TESOL students have presented on their work at professional conferences including the regional TESOL conferences. Our graduates are currently teaching across the United States and abroad in a variety of educational settings.
To learn more about the MAT-TESOL program, request more information or check out the USC Rossier Online TESOL page!
JQ Magazine: Life After JET on YouTube
Article/Journalism, JQ Magazine, LifeAfterJET Comments Off on JQ Magazine: Life After JET on YouTube
JET alum Eliot Honda: “With my year coming to a close, I wanted to create a set of videos that would not only explain what to expect as an ALT, but also what to expect as an Uwajima ALT. I had truly come to love this city, and I wanted to show off some of its beauty and history.”
By Eliot Honda (Ehime-ken, 2009-2012) for JQ magazine. Born and raised in Honolulu, Eliot was an ALT placed in Uwajima City of Ehime Prefecture. Prior to JET, Eliot worked as a freelance video editor mainly in the commercial and corporate world in San Francisco. Following JET, he returned to Honolulu and joined his mother in real estate. He currently has made a JET Introduction video, and has a YouTube series in the works called Sister City Ties, showing the beauty of the friendship between Honolulu and Uwajima.
My father always preached that “everything happens for a reason.” My being placed in Uwajima was no exception. Uwajima, as I would come to find out, had strong ties to my home of Hawaii. King Kalakaua of Hawaii and Date Munenari of Uwajima had met in 1881, becoming Japan’s first contact with a head of state. Uwajima and Hawaii would meet again in 2001 when the Ehime Maru, a high school fishing vessel, would be struck by a U.S. submarine. Nine lives would be tragically lost, including four high school students.
News of the tragedy spread quickly through Hawaii, causing the people to do everything they could to help the Uwajima families. Whole those families could have shown hate and anger toward the people of Hawaii, they instead embraced the people of the Aloha State with open arms. Through this tragedy, a friendship between Honolulu and Uwajima was born, giving way to the creation of a sister city relationship. To help strengthen the ties between the two cities, the mayor of Uwajima requested ALTs who were born in Hawaii. I found myself to be one of the lucky few chosen to represent Hawaii there as my time on the JET Program began.
I came to Uwajima with all these grand ideas of using video in my lessons. A month into my first year as an Uwajima ALT, I came to the realization that utilizing video in the classroom or in school for that matter would be an impossible task. If finding students willing to speak English in front of the class was difficult, finding students to speak English in front of a camera would be like moving the Hawaiian Islands with a fish hook. (I think only Hawaii people will get that reference.)
Feeling a bit defeated, I sat in my apartment and contemplated how I could put everything I’d learned in the multimedia world to good use. As fate would have, it I was asked by one of the Ehime Maru family members to join the Ehime Maru memorial service, and create a documentary not about the tragedy, but about the friendship between Honolulu and Uwajima. The documentary was for the schools in Ehime, and upon completion, DVDs were given to a large number of schools. This single video became the start of several videos for both the sister city exchange and the promotion of Uwajima.
Washington Post: JET teacher under fire from right-wing for lessons on Japan’s history of discrimination
JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums, Uncategorized Comments Off on Washington Post: JET teacher under fire from right-wing for lessons on Japan’s history of discrimination
This Washington Post article about Okinawa JET Miki Dezaki (“American teacher in Japan under fire for lessons on Japan’s history of discrimination“) describes how a lesson he taught his students about discrimination that was appreciated by his students and his school has turned into a major controversy and drawn attacks from a right-wing Japanese group called netouyo after Miki posted a video of his lesson online to share with others.
Miki was also the creator of the “Shit Japanese Students Say” video that was posted to JETwit last year along with a JQ interview with him. However, we removed those posts from JETwit last week upon his request as the controversy grew into something much larger than he could have imagined. According to The Japan Daily Press (“American teacher faces controversy, harassment over video teaching Japanese racism“), Dezaki also “gained a modest following over past videos he’s posted like ‘Hitchhiking Okinawa’, ‘What Americans Think of Japan’, and an in-depth look at what it’s like being gay in Japan.”
Here’s the video Miki made about racism which he’s modified slightly to address the criticisms of him:
JQ Magazine Seeks Writers for Spring 2013!
Article/Journalism, Events, JQ Magazine Comments Off on JQ Magazine Seeks Writers for Spring 2013!
Visit JQ magazine online at http://jetaany.org/magazine
As we slide into spring, JETAA New York’s JQ magazine continues to provide content with an ever-expanding array of articles, interviews and features (see our recent stories here). We’re now looking for new writers, including recent returnees and JET vets, from all JETAA chapters worldwide for posting stories via our host at the global JET alumni resource site JETwit.com. (Scribes are also encouraged to join the JET Alumni Writers group on LinkedIn.)
Below are story ideas grouped by JET participants and alumni (JET World) and those more on Japanese culture (Japan World). And if you’re a JET or JETWit contributor from anywhere in the world with a story idea of your own, let us know!
Click “Read More” below for our spring 2013 ideas pitch package, and contact JQ editor Justin Tedaldi (magazine [at] jetaany [dot] org) to sign up for stories.
Jobs: AppleCare Agreement Admin At-Home Advisor (Japanese speaking)
At-Home, Jobs, Uncategorized Comments Off on Jobs: AppleCare Agreement Admin At-Home Advisor (Japanese speaking)
Via Apple. 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.
————————————————————————————————————
Position: Admin At-Home Advisor (Japanese speaking)
Posted by: Apple
Type: N/A
Location: Various locations (see below listings)
Salary: N/A
Start Date: N/A
Overview:
Apple currently has opportunities for Japanese Speakers to support our AppleCare division providing phone support to our Japanese customers. Specifically we are looking for folks located in Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington. Candidates can apply to any requisition.
Hawaii:
https://jobs.apple.com/us/search?#&ss=Agreement%20Admin%20At-Home%20Advisor%20&t=0&so=&lo=0*USA&pN=0&openJobId=25931940 Read More
JapanLocal: Japanese city mascots dance to “Call Me Maybe”
Japan Local, Video Comments Off on JapanLocal: Japanese city mascots dance to “Call Me Maybe”
Hey, I just met you and…. this is crazy…. but here’s a video of Japanese city mascots dancing to “Call Me Maybe” ….. and I was wondering if any JETs were involved in making this video or if there are any JETs and JET alums who work(ed) in the cities that appear in the video.
JET and the Rotary Peace Fellow connection: William Nealy, Jr.
Academic, Graduate School, LifeAfterJET Comments Off on JET and the Rotary Peace Fellow connection: William Nealy, Jr.
By Mark Flanigan (Nagasaki, 2000-04), Program Director at the Japan ICU Foundation in New York City and former Rotary Peace Fellow in Tokyo.
As a Business Development Manager at Impact Japan, William Nealy, Jr. (Oita, 1994-97) works with mainly ‘gaishikei’ (non-Japanese) companies in Japan to understand their leadership and team development needs. William works in partnership with these companies to design effective solutions to “future-proof” their operations in Japan. He’s passionate about finding ways to help Japanese and foreign clients to align their people development strategies with their overall business strategy, and he loves the rush and satisfaction of helping clients achieve their goals. He is also multilingual- speaking English, Japanese and Spanish. In the Q&A below, William explains more about his own JET and Rotary Peace Fellow experiences in Japan, and how they have literally changed his life.
1) Thanks for answering our questions, William! Where and when were you a JET?
Sure thing! I was in Oita City from 1994-97.
2) What was your role? (ALT, CIR, SEA)
I was a Ken ALT, mainly based at Oginodai High School, with regular visits to a few junior high schools.
3) Did you have any previous background in Asian languages and cultures?
I had studied Japanese at university for four years, so I had a decent head start. But realized pretty quickly when I actually got to Japan that I had a lot of room for improvement in my Japanese skills. But living in Oita, as opposed to a place like Osaka or Tokyo, I was relatively immersed in the culture and language.
4) What did you do following your JET service?
Although I had traveled within the US before JET, my time on the JET Program was my first time abroad. It really opened up a whole world for me, and was the catalyst for me wanting to live, breathe and experience more of the world. Living in Japan, in relatively rural Oita, triggered my curiosity for seeing the world. I also felt deeply that I wanted to continue to develop a career with a global scope and somehow contribute to developing people. So after JET, I set out Read More
Job: Postings from Idealist.org 2.19.13
Jobs Comments Off on Job: Postings from Idealist.org 2.19.13
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: Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, & Charlotte, NC
Salary: Salary is commission based
Application Deadline: Not Specified
PAX is seeking an independent education contractors to work in community service field. Currently there are openings in Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, & the Charlotte, NC area. 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/35FXwDNptKsCp/
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/StzWNsnFS2fP/
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/CxMbg7DCdn2D/
Fundraising Database Assistant
Posted by: The Asia Foundation
Type: Temporary/Contract
Location: San Francisco, CA
Salary: $18 p/h
Application Deadline: Not Specified
The Asia Foundation is seeking a Fundraising Database Assistant to work in its San Francisco, CA office. This is a temporary, non-benefited, non exempt, contract position of 30 hours per week for approximately fourteen weeks. Work needs to be conducted on site during normal business hours 8:30 – 5:00 (this is not a remote or after-hours opportunity) four days a week. Close office setting; must have ability to work at computer for extended periods of time. A minimum of a high school diploma or GED. A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is preferred.
http://www.idealist.org/view/job/7w7Z4h33nzh4/
JET alum’s martial arts non-profit seeks to connect with Tohoku dojos for volunteering
Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Local, Notable JET Alums, Volunteer Comments Off on JET alum’s martial arts non-profit seeks to connect with Tohoku dojos for volunteering
Posted by JET alum Jennifer Leigh-Gould (Miyagi-ken, Shibata-machi, 2001-04) to the Sendai Earthquake Friends and Family Facebook group:
Out of the Dojo, Into the World™ is a newly formed non-profit community of martial artists who are very interested in helping with disaster relief and community re-building in Tohoku. I wonder if anyone can connect us with local dojos in the area and/or service projects in need of volunteers. In the meantime, please visit and like our page. We’re just starting out and eager to connect with the international community in any way that we can. (I am a former JET 2001-2004 – in Shibata Machi, Miyagi Ken).
https://www.facebook.com/outofthedojointotheworld
AJET sets up “Education and Professional Development” page on its site
AJET Comments Off on AJET sets up “Education and Professional Development” page on its site
I just noticed that AJET has created a very helpful Education & Professional Development page on its site. See below.
AJET Education and Professional Development supports AJET Members as education professionals. Whether you have many years of experience and are planning on continuing a career in education after JET, or have never heard of ESL, we’re here to help throughout your entire tenure in Japan.
- Education News & Events
Educations news makes it easy to stay on top of the latest headlines and special offers from AJET.
- Outstanding Educators Program
An AJET initiative to support JET teachers through unique opportunities.
- Japanese Language Study
Courses, JLPT information, and tools for studying Japanese.
- Professional Development
Professional development organizations, certifications, courses, and ideas.
- Teaching Resources
Education articles, lesson materials, and classroom techniques.
If you have anything you would like to see added to our Education and Professional Development pages, comments or questions, please send an email to the Education and Professional development coordinator here.
I’ll Make It Myself: Happy Valentine’s Day, Herbivores
Blogs, Food & Drink, Writers Comments Off on I’ll Make It Myself: Happy Valentine’s Day, Herbivores
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.
I first saw this image on a friend’s facebook page, and tracked it down this article on the Japanese MSN Lifestyle page. In the course of writing this piece, I actually found the original press release, which I discuss after the MSN article.
Perfect for Herbivore-Types? The Zebra Roll Cake
