Memoirs of Japan – A new blog by Simon Gouldman (Niigata-ken, 1998-2000)
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JetWit is pleased to introduce a new blog just started by Simon Gouldman (Niigata-ken, Nagaoka-shi, 1998-2000) entitled Memoirs of Japan: The Story of a Young British Teacher Living in Japan. See a short excerpt below. To see more, go to memoirsofjapan.com, or grab the RSS feed.
Ten years have now passed since I first landed in Narita airport. I’ll never forget the strange smells, sounds and sights that confronted me on that Shinkansen (bullet train) journey to my new home. Although Japan is a world away from my life now it will always remain in my heart. Some memories are distant and some have faded, yet when I cast my mind back to that time it is as clear as the rising sun.
Translators Challenge – Fall 2008 “Politics” Issue (JETAA NY Newsletter)
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Welcome to the second-ever JETAA NY Quarterly Translators Challenge, from the Fall 2008 “Politics” issue.
We once again invited JET alums and Friends of JET (i.e., anyone who wants) to take their best shot at translating a selected text. Why? Well, mostly to entertain, but also to give the greater JET alum community a chance to show their stuff as well as give the rest of us a fun way to study up on our nihongo.
The selected text for this edition of the Translators Challenge is an excerpt from “Political Science,” the satirical 1972 song by Randy Newman.
Prize: $25 gift certificate to BOOK OFF, the discount Japanese boookstore on 41st St. between Madison & 5th Aves.
Asia’s crowded and Europe’s too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada’s too cold
And South America stole our name
Let’s drop the big one
There’ll be no one left to blame us
We’ll save Australia
Don’t wanna hurt no kangaroo
We’ll build an all-American
amusement park there
They got surfin’, too
Click here to see/hear “Political Science” on YouTube.
********************
THE WINNER!
Mia Simring
(CIR Aichi-ken, 2004-06)
Omedetou gozaimashita on
her second straight win!
********************
アジア込みすぎ、
ヨーロッパダサすぎ
アフリカなんて暑くて
カナダ － 寒すぎ
南アメリカ － 我が名を盗んだ
世界をぶっ潰そう
反対する人間を消しちまおう
カンガルー可愛いから
オーストラリアだけ助けよう
アメリカン遊園地
そこで作るぞ！
Ajia komisugi,
Yoroppa dasasugi
Afurika nante atsukute
Kanada – samusugi
Minami Amerika – wa ga na wo nusunda
Sekai wo buttsubusou
Hantai suru ningen wo keshichimaou
Kangaru – kawaii kara
Osutoraria dake tasukeyou
Amerikan yuenchi
Soko de tsukuru zo!
********************
COMMENTARY
Special thanks to professional translator Jamie Graves (Shizuoka-ken, 2002-03) for providing some commentary and insight.
Mia clearly put a lot of thought into changing the distinctly American rhythms and humor of a folk song into Japanese.
I was impressed at how Mia managed to avoid direct translation, instead finding uniquely Japanese ways of expressing the value judgements in the song. Instead of directly saying “old” in the line “Europe’s too old” she used ダサイ(dasai, “not with it, uncool”), which conveys the contempt a lot better.
She was also very good on keeping the translated text rhythmic and simple, replacing a potentially messy translation of “Don’t wanna hurt no kangaroo” with “カンガルー可愛いから” (kangaroo kawaii kara), which manages to keep the humor and simplicity of the original. She even managed to rhyme the last verse!
Editorial Pursuits #1 – Getting LinkedIn to Your Professional Profile on JetWit
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Julie Matysik (Yamanashi-ken, 2006-07) is a freelance copy editor and aspiring in-house editor who recently moved to NYC with her husband (also a JET alum). She is seeking an internship or entry level position in editing/publishing/writing. Editorial Pursuits will chronicle her job hunting efforts, experiences and lessons learned.
As a recent transplant to New York City from little ol’ Wisconsin, I’ve had a lot of new experiences thrown at me over the past two months.
I’ve learned to not take it personally when I smile at someone on the sidewalk and they give me a scowl; I’ve learned the exact speed to swipe the MetroCard so you don’t get bumped from behind when you have to re-swipe; I’ve learned that yes, New York pizza is super greasy but oh-so-alluring.
I’ve also learned that job searching in a city of millions of people is not a piece of cake and so, on the advice of a fellow JETAANY member, I decided to try my hand at creating a LinkedIn profile that I could link to in my JetWit Professional Profile.
I’m still getting comfortable with establishing an online presence for myself, but, to my pleasant surprise, Read More
JetWit on Facebook
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You can now join the JetWit.com group on Facebook! Just login to Facebook and search for “jetwit.”
How’s the Economy Treating You? JET Alums Share Their Perspectives
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Marc Carroll (Gifu-ken, 2001-03)
Senior localization engineer, translation company, New York, NY
As for the economy and me? Hmm, well, I was reassured, unofficially :-), that I am safe, but it could be a mixed blessing if my group was ever reduced in size. A ton more work for fewer people = longer hours. It’s really hard to say what’s going to happen.
And as for the economy and my company? I’d guess we may see a slight shift in our focus. While projects for domestic advertising and marketing materials my decrease, there could be opportunities for companies who are looking overseas to jump the USS Titanic. With all the fanfare, we’ve been contracted to translate a tsunami of internal memos and press releases. It’s not the meat and potatoes of our business, but it seems a bit ironic that some U.S. institutions are basically paying us tell to their foreign investors and constituencies it’s gonna be a’ight and not to panic about their financial situations.
All and all, we’re just following the money and providing a voice for businesses on whatever shores they choose to operate, foreign or domestic. It’d be naive to say we are recession-proof, but hey, we’ve roughed the dotcom bubble burst,Y2K and the cancellation of Baywatch.
**************
Anonymous
Finance, New York, NY
I work at a major financial institution that has suffered billions of dollars of losses over the past year. Thousands of employees at my company, including many friends of mine, have been laid off, and it seems Read More
It turns out there’s Beppu Hot Springs Master in the JET alumni community. Meet translator/interpreter Joel Dechant, currently a resident of Fukuoka but soon moving to Seattle, WA. Never heard of a Hot Springs Master? Watch this video of him from Japanese TV. (See all 4 clips with explanation on JapanProbe.com.)
Internet Explorer and the JetWit Sidebar
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If you’re looking at this site using Internet Explorer as your browser (as opposed to Mozilla Firefox, Safari or Chrome), then you most likely can’t see the interesting and helpful items along the sidebar. Not sure why this is happening but hopefully we’ll figure it out at some point.
To see the sidebar items you can
1) click on any post (such as this one),
2) scroll all the way down to the bottom of this homepage where the sidebars have been pushed for fushigi na reasons, or
3) Use a different browser to view JetWit.com. (Firefox, Safari and Chrome are much better browsers than anything created by Microsoft , in terms of speed, security and functionality. So a good long term move as well to download a new browser if you can.)
JETAA Chapter Beat – 11.11.08
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What’s going on in other JET Alumni chapters?
Korean BBQ & Karaoke Night – November 15- Happy Hour Tonight – Monday, Nov 10; 6 p.m. Ireland’s Four Courts, 2051 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201 (703) 525-3600
- JETAA DC Rally (i.e., a big annual scavenger hunt) – This past Sat, Nov 8 on the Mall (Someone from DC want to send in an update on how it went?)
JETAA Chapter 9 – Texoma – New Officers
President – Barbara (Chieko) Rothengass
Vice-President – Shaun Scott
Treasurer – Nicolas (NicK) Cristinziani [interim] & Yi Tan [advisory/counsel]
Secretary – Dennis Li
Chair, Dallas-Fort Worth Subchapter – Angela Beard
JETAA Canberra (Australia)
- Cherry Picking Field Trip – November 30
- Bonenkai – December 12
JETAA UK
- Speed Dating @ Lounge Bar Holborn, Wed, Nov 12, from 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
- Happy hour at Wann Izakaya, Friday, Nov 7
- Career Forum & Welcome Back Reception, Wed, Nov 12, 7-9pm
- J-Kaiwa, Friday, Nov 7
- Invited to be part of Bank of America Chicago Marathon International Mile, Sunday, Oct 12
New Bankruptcy Bill Cartoon
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Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) has posted a new Bankruptcy Bill cartoon at bankruptcybill.wordpress.com.
JETAA NY Quarterly: Fall 2008 “Politics” Issue
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JETAA NY has just published its Fall 2008 “Politics” Issue of its quarterly publications. Click the image below to read.
FALL 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Page 1…..JET Alumni Election Survey
- Page 2…..Letter from the President
- Page 3…..Comings & Goings
- Page 4…..Translators Challenge
- Page 5…..JETAANY Society Page by Yoku Shitteiru
- Page 6…..Interview with Inuyama City Councilman Anthony Bianchi by Michael Glazer
- Page 7…..Political Animals: Political Anecdotes from JET Alums
- Page 8…..Stopping Political Robocalls: Interview with Shaun Dakin by Stacy Smith
- Page 9…..How’s the Economy Treating You?
- Page 10…A Trip to Mitsuwa Marketplace by Kirsten Phillips
- Page 11…Interview with Novelist James Kennedy by Gina Anderson
- Pages 12-13…Photos from Softball Tournament and Career Forum/Welcome Back Reception
- Page 19…Concert Review: Akiko Wada at the Apollo Theater by Justin Tedaldi
- Page 20…Film Review: Passing Poston & Yasukuni by Justin Tedaldi
- Page 21…Book Review: Kenneth Pyle’s Japan Rising by Lyle Sylvander
- Page 22…Top 14 Ways JETAA Would be Different if Obama or McCain Were Your JETAA Chapter President
- Page 23…Index of Sponsors
Job: Rosetta Stone Japanese Creative Writer (Harrisonburg, VA)
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I just saw this interesting job posting on Craigslist:
We are looking for creative problem-solvers who can write and are native speakers of one of the languages listed below. We want people who understand narrative structure, know how to craft a well-polished piece of writing, are developing a voice and style and love languages. You won’t be writing greeting cards or City Council articles – instead, you’ll be part of a smart, vibrant software culture changing the way the world talks to each other. [cont’d] Read More
Blaine Harden on Japan’s Convenience Stores
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Blaine Harden has another interesting article in the Washington Post, this time on Japan’s convenience stores. He’s not a JET alum, but his articles are generally good reading, so we’ll continue to keep track of his writing and justify its inclusion on the basis that it’s a good model for aspiring writers and journalists in the JET alumni community.
And, if you’re feeling natsukashii for a good ol’ Japanese convenience store, here’s the video from the story:
Job opening: UPS Japan Public Affairs Manager
Via Daniel Lee (Hokkaido, 2000-03) of JETAA DC:
Understanding is that this is a local position based in Tokyo without the typical expat benefits package. If interested, please contact UPS directly at the email at the bottom of the announcement. Read More
JETAA NY Book Club Reborn!
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Note: While the JETAA NY Book Club is aimed at NYers, non-NYers are encouraged to read and get in touch as well, as there’s potential for virtual participation.
Dear JETAA Book Clubbers,
Hajimemashite! This is Jessica Langbein, co-organizer of JETAANY’s new book club, along with Michael Glazer. Apologies for being out of touch for so long. It’s been a busy fall so far.
I’m very excited to announce the first meeting of our book club. To kick off the fun, we will be reading Ryu Murakami’s Almost Transparent Blue.
Here’s a blurb:
“Almost Transparent Blue is a brutal tale of lost youth in a Japanese port town close to an American military base. Murakami’s image-intensive narrative paints a portrait of a group of friends locked in a destructive cycle of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. The novel is all but plotless, but the raw and often violent prose takes us on a rollercoaster ride through reality and hallucination, highs and lows, in which the characters and their experiences come vividly to life. Trapped in passivity, they gain neither passion nor pleasure from their adventures. Yet out of the alienation, boredom and underlying rage and grief emerges a strangely quiet and almost equally shocking beauty. Ryu Murakami’s first novel, Almost Transparent Blue won the coveted Akutagawa literary prize and became an instant bestseller. Representing a sharp and conscious turning away from the introspective trend of postwar Japanese literature, it polarized critics and public alike
and soon attracted international attention as an alternative view of modern Japan.”
The book can of course be ordered off of Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Almost-Transparent-Japans-Modern-Writers/dp/0870114697
We will be meeting on December 10, at 7:00 p.m. Katrina Barnas has very generously offered the use of the lounge in her apartment building in downtown Manhattan. Light refreshments will be served.
For those who can make it, please RSVP and I will provide you with the address of Katrina’s building and her phone number. Then, please buy or borrow the book and get reading! Michael Glazer will be in contact with the group in the near future, to get us started with a few discussion questions. If you have any questions or comments in the meantime, please feel free to e-mail me or share them with the group.
I look forward to hearing from you all!
Jessica
Roger Ebert – Alone in the Kitchen with a Rice Cooker?
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A reminder to contact me if you’re interested in writing an essay on the “Alone in the Kitchen with a Rice Cooker” theme about cooking for yourself (or eating by yourself) in Japan.
And an interesting (and unsolicited) take on the theme in a recent blog from, of all people, film critic Roger Ebert. (Includes a reference to Zojirushi, the current employer of Fukuoka-ken JET alum and previous “Translator’s Challenge” winner Sharon Tatro.)
