Alan (far right) with 1992-94 Kamaishi JETs (L to R: Kevin McCallum, Yves Lacasse, Kathryn Morris,) on top of Mt. Shiroyama, Ohtsuchi, 1992.
By Alan Mockridge (UK JET, Iwate-ken, 1992-94) for JQ magazine. Alan was one of 14 JET alums selected for the Tohoku Invitational Program sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Tourism Agency. He is a co-owner of Intralink, which provides business development services for U.S./European companies wishing to do business in/with Japan, China, Korea and Taiwan. Post-JET, he lived in Japan for 13 years before moving to Santa Clara, California in 2008. Intralink employs half a dozen fluent Japanese speaking JET alums in its Tokyo office.
Until a friend at university who I was studying German with suggested we apply for the JET Program as a year out after graduation, I could not even have located Japan on the map. On my application form I answered the question, “Do you have a placement request?” as “Somewhere rural.”
I got my wish. I was placed in Ohtsuchi, a fishing town of less than 15,000 people on Japan’s northeast Pacific coast, where I taught English as an assistant language teacher in three senior high schools: Ohtsuchi, Kamaishi Kita and Yamada. The experience changed my life but although I have remained intimately connected with Japan over the past 17 years, my direct links to these schools have naturally faded over time. That changed in the early hours of March 12, 2011 (PST).
When I saw the first earthquake and tsunami news reports coming out of Iwate my memories came racing back. I realized that I had lost contact with most of the teachers and townsfolk who had befriended me. There had been no e-mail or cell phones when I left in 1994, and gradually my New Year’s cards started to go undelivered from around 2008 as teachers were moved to different posts further and further from the coast. I decided I had to find them all again, just to tell them that I had not forgotten their kindness. Read More
Happy (American) Thanksgiving from JETwit
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Just want to wish everyone out there a Happy (American) Thanksgiving.
This has been a challenging year for JET and JETAA. We lost two of our own, many of us lost friends and we al perhaps l lost part of some familiar notion of Japan that existed before the earthquake and tsunami.
This year’s Thanksgiving may feel like an acute reminder to take stock and be thankful for all that we have and all that we still have to look forward to.
Ganbare Nippon and Ganbare JET Alumni.
Wishing everyone a safe and healthy Thanksgiving.
Miyagi AJET launches Micro Grant Program in honor of Taylor Anderson
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Miyagi AJET has launched a Micro Grant Program in honor of Taylor Anderson intended to “empower JETs with financial support in their efforts to fulfill the goals of the JET Programme in and outside of school.” Read below for full details:
To all Miyagi/Sendai JETs:
Employed directly through Boards of Education and embedded in communities, we JETs have a lot of potential to do great things here in Japan. Many of us invest our personal time, and sometimes our own money, to craft interactive lessons that engage students, to motivate students and spark their interest in English and foreign cultures, to produce quality events educating the people in our communities about our home countries, and more. As the AJET branch for Miyagi and Sendai, MAJET is here to support you in your activities as a JET, and to this end, we would like to announce the “Miyagi-Sendai JET Micro-Grant Program.”
Attached please find a detailed description of the program, outlining it’s goals and how to apply. To put it simply, as Miyagi starts to take it’s formative steps towards recovery from the March 11th disaster, the purpose of this program is to empower JETs with financial support in their efforts to fulfill the goals of the JET Programme in and outside of school.
All too often JETs have great ideas to create language/culture boards at their school, to put on fun events for eikaiwa groups, to put on culture days at the local community center, but find themselves encumbered for lack of even a minimal working budget. There’s only so much that can come out of our own pockets, which is where this program comes in. Whatever idea you may have for doing something that you feel helps meet the goals of the JET Programme (internationalization, cultural interaction, language education, etc.), we want you to tell us about it. If your idea does indeed further the cause of JET, we’ll provide you with money to make it a reality! Initially we have set the range of possible grants to between 2,000 and 10,000 yen, but if you have a particularly good idea, let us know and we will consider going beyond this range.
If you are interested in applying for a grant, please fill out an application here:
https://docs.google.com/a/ajet.net/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDNPaFdVSFUxUDBzb1pZcGttZEdoSHc6MQ
Even if you are currently engaged in an activity that you already pay for out of pocket, let us know and we may be able to provide you with funding to take this activity to the next level. Please keep in mind that once funds run out, this program will be discontinued, so if you have an idea for things you want to do next spring/summer, let us know sooner rather than later.
In announcing this program, we would like to give special thanks to the family of Taylor Anderson, an Ishinomaki JET who was sadly loston March 11th. During what was undoubtedly a trying time for the Andersons, they decided to honor Taylor’s memory as best they could in supporting the recovery of the community in which Taylor lived, and which she loved. Knowing Taylor’s activities as a JET, the Andersons recognize the importance of the JET Programme towards internationalization and language education at the grassroots/community level in Japan, and see the potential for the JETs of Miyagi and Sendai to be active parts of recovery. It is a result of the Andersons commitment to helping Ishinomaki and Miyagi that the idea for this program was formed, and it is from donations raised by the Anderson’s that the seed money for this program will come.
If you have any questions about this program, or if you would like to brainstorm with us and discuss in more detail the possibility of receiving a grant, please contact us at miyagi@ajet.net
Wishing you the best,
The MAJET Team
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Miyagi Association of JET 2011-12
www.ajetmiyagi.net
Claudine Bennent (President)
Cameron Peek (President)
Brian Garvey (Vice-President)
Marissa Godwin (Treasurer)
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Read on for official Micro Grant Program guidelines: Read More
Japan Foundation new project to promote exchanges with alma maters of Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson
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Here’s an article from Asahi.com about a new Japan Foundation project to promote exchanges and closer ties between Japan and the alma matters of Taylor Anderson (Randolph Macon College) and Monty Dickson (University of Alaska at Anchorage), including student and teacher exchange programs with Japan and providing Japan-related books and materials for the schools.
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1120/TKY201111200276.html
震災で犠牲のアンダーソンさんらを記念 日米で交流事業
国際交流基金は、東日本大震災で犠牲になった米国人の英語指導助手、テイラー・アンダーソンさん（当時２４歳）とモンゴメリー・ディクソンさん（同２６歳）を記念し、両氏の出身校と同基金が中心になって日米理解の促進に関する事業を行う、と発表した。
アンダーソンさんはランドルフ・メーコン・カレッジ（米バージニア州）、ディクソンさんはアラスカ大学アンカレジ校（米アラスカ州）の出身。日米の学生・教員の交流、出身校への日本関連の図書寄贈や講座の充実、日本文化に関する講演会の開催などが計画されている。（ワシントン＝伊藤宏）
JET Alum Calculates American Law Graduate Debt Grew $475 Million from 2008 to 2010
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Matt Leichter (matt [dot] leichter [at] gmail [dot] com) (Saitama-ken 2003-05) is a renegade attorney who plays by his own rules. He operates a think tank of one, The Law School Tuition Bubble, where he archives, chronicles, and analyzes the rising cost and declining value of legal education in the United States.
On November 22, the American Lawyer (aka the AmLaw Daily) published Leichter’s most recent article, “Law School Debt Bubble: Aggregate Law School Grad Debt Grew $475 Million Between 2008 and 2010,” in which he uses U.S. News and World Report and American Bar Association data to illustrate the ever-increasing growth in law school debt graduates have taken on even though law jobs have been disappearing for decades.
Links to Leichter’s previous AmLaw articles can be found here.
Job: Tour Planning and Arrangement Specialist (NY)
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Via H.I.S. International Tours (NY) Inc. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika has recently moved back to London but is interested in hearing about any Japan-related opportunities across the globe.
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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***
Job Position: Tour Planning and Arrangement Specialist (NY)
Job Details:
Company: H.I.S. International Tours, Inc.
Location: New York, NY 10017
Industries: Japanese Travel Agency
Job Type: Full Time
Job Title: Tour Planning and Arrangement Specialist
Hibari-sensei: Interview with Mio Soul for Purple SKY
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Jen Wang (Miyagi, 2008-09) is a lab tech in Dallas and a staff writer for the Japanese music website Purple SKY. Her love of cosplay and her junior high school students inspired the name for her own Japanese pop culture blog, Hibari-sensei’s Classroom.
Tokyo-born songwriter Mio Soul makes her debut with In My Skin. The EP contains the heavy drum beats and smooth melodies of contemporary R&B with flavors of pop, dance, and jazz. Simple yet candid, the lyrics are in English, except for the rap in “Let’s Party” where Mio effortlessly flows in and out of her native language. “Promise” chronicles Mio’s pursuit of her dreams in New York City and features sensual vocals complemented by airy piano trills. The final track, “Out of My Life”, takes a complete 180 from the sweetness of “I Wish” in the beginning. Mio engages an ex-lover in a showdown with passionate vocals and sexy Spanish guitars. Even though she sings that her “story’s ended” for that person, it has only just begun in the music world.
I had the opportunity to ask my fellow biologist via email about her career change, the “I Wish” PV, and her involvement with music-related charities.
What made you change from being a biologist to a musician?
When it comes to biology, I had a huge influence from my father. My mom, however, is a pianist, so music was always around me as a child. In college I was so curious about the connection of brain function and soul (heart)…I enjoyed all of the field work. I did, however, want to do music more than anything else. I started performing more and attending singer and dancer showcases, and these live performances just really fueled me to continue pursuing music.
Science is a real academic thing. You use instruments and theories to find the truth. When it comes to music, singing or making beats is the art of using your own instrument (your body and soul) to express your truth.
Did you have any formal vocal training?
Yes, I had two amazing vocal coaches since moving to NYC: Stacey Penson and Jamelle Jones. The best vocal training was…wait, should I mention this secret? I can give a hint: it has to do with going to church on Sunday.
Click here to read the rest of the interview
I’ll Make It Myself– ベーガル革命: Whole-Wheat Bagels
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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 translator for The Art of Japan: Kanazawa and Discover Kanazawa, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan.
もちもち (mochimochi): springy (texture)
Back in my language-school days at Midd, a New-Yorker foodie friend got on my case for eating the dining-hall bagels, telling me, “That’s not a bagel. That’s a piece of bread shaped like a bagel.” It’s probably for the best that he doesn’t find out what sort of things pass for “bagels” in Japan–it’s more like “cake shaped like a bagel.” Sometimes you can get passable bagels in the chain bakeries of Kanazawa, and Kaldi Coffee sometimes has imported frozen bagels, but they’re a bit pricey. Either way, it’s not just like popping over to Espresso Royale for a fresh Barry’s Bagel during an intense paper-writing session.
Bagels are one of those foods that seem very intimidating in part because of the multi-step process of making them: using yeast, letting the dough rise, shaping, boiling, and then finally baking; and in part because you really never need to make them in the US when they’re so widely available.
CLICK HERE to read the full post.
JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Author/JET Alum David Namisato on ‘Life After the B.O.E. the Book’
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"The JET Programme mantra is “Every Situation is Different,” but so much of the frustrations and the joys that we encounter are very similar. I wanted a vehicle for us to laugh together." (Illustration courtesy of David Namisato)
By Rick Ambrosio (Ibaraki-ken, 2006-08) for JQ magazine. Rick manages the JET Alumni Association of New York (JETAANY)’s Twitter page and is the creator of the JETwit column Tadaima!
It’s probably happened to you over the last few years; you’re sitting at work, or maybe at home and an old buddy of yours from JET forwards you a link. You open it, and it’s a hilarious comic about life as a JET skillfully drawn with a mix of humor and nostalgia that pretty much makes your day. Life After the B.O.E. by David Namisato (Aomori-ken CIR, 2002-04) has given many a JET Alum a good laugh. If you’re anything like me, you’ve thought, “If this was a book, it would be a perfect Christmas present for those guys I still keep in contact with.” Well, David is happy to oblige.
David has now published a book of those comics, and we were lucky enough to catch up with him and pick his brain about it. With his comics popping up on other sites, it seems even a wider audience is getting into David’s work. In this exclusive interview, we ask him about his time on JET, his inspirations, and what he’s looking to do in the future.
What made you decide to publish this book?
I wasn’t planning to do a book initially, but a conversation with Lynn Miyauchi, JET Program Coordinator at the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle, about the benefits of having a printed book (having something to read in your hands, something you can give as a gift) changed my mind.
So how did you get into art? Were you inspired at all by Japanese art/manga/etc.?
I drew a lot throughout childhood and dreamt of being a comic book artist. I grew up on a healthy diet of manga.
What brought you to Japan?
I was in the process of dropping out of animation school, and didn’t want to do anything art-related. I thought of some of the other skills I had, and I thought that the JET Programme would be an excellent way to transition myself in to a completely different career path.
Justin’s Japan: L’Arc~en~Ciel Marks 20 Years in Rock with Special Film Screening
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'The Best of L'Arc~en~Ciel 2 Days Live at Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium' premieres Nov. 29 in New York. (Courtesy of Live Viewing Japan)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his page here for related stories.
After 20 years, 13 million albums and 16 million singles sold, famed J-rock group L’Arc~en~Ciel is ready for its next career highlight: New York City.
On Nov. 29, movie theaters in Times Square and Union Square will unveil a special one-night-only music event for the band, which will be simulcast in eight other major American cities. The screening comes months ahead of their hotly anticipated live debut at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in March 2012.
Entitled The Best of L’Arc~en~Ciel 2 Days Live at Tokyo Ajinomoto Stadium, the concert film celebrates the group’s 20th Anniversary, traces their colorful history, and captures them in action at a gig last year that drew over 100,000 fans. The screening is presented by Live Viewing Japan in partnership with Maverick DC Group.
Live Viewing Japan is a distribution company focused on bringing Japanese entertainment media to an international audience. In New York earlier this month, they screened a concert showcase by superstar virtual idol Hatsune Miku (read this Examiner’s review here), and L’Arc~en~Ciel’s film has already made the rounds in São Paulo, Jakarta, Singapore, and will beam its way to London next month.
For the complete story, click here.
JET Prefecture Round-up 11.19.11
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Emily Lemmon, (Hyogo-ken, Shiso-shi, 2009-present), PSG volunteer, organizer of Hyogo-ken’s PEPY Ride, student of Shorinji Kempo, and editor of the Hyogo Times, gives a little taste of what JETs are doing around Japan. To submit items for future JET Prefecture Round-up posts, e-mail Emily at jetinfogather [at] gmail.com.
Events by Region
- AJET’s Thanksgiving Cabin Party is November 26th-27th!
Kantou Region
- Chiba JETs are prepping for the Tokyo Yamathon 2011.
- Chiba JETs 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Dinner is November 23rd!
Chubu Region
- Shizuoka JET Christmas party is December 9th!
- November 26th is the Nagano AJET Thanksgiving Dinner and Charity Auction in Ina!
- Lots of International Festivals in Toyama this season! Next up is the December 10th Namerikawa International Day.
Kansai Region
- The Christmas Smile Kids Japan visit will be on Saturday, December 10 from 1-4pm.
- Hyogo will host the Awaji ALT Football Tournament on Awajishima Friday 18th – Sunday 20th November.
- Hyogonians get their “JETs on Jitenshas” on in the Fall PEPY Ride in Himeji November 20th.
- The Shiso Sale is happening until December 10th, to benefit PEPY and Cambodia!
- Thanksgiving Dinner in Kobe, November 23rd!
- A Very Shiso Thanksgiving will be held in Shiso on November 26th.
- Osaka JETs are re-visiting Shinodoyama Orphanage in Izumi-shi on November 23rd.
- Moustache Bash is December 2nd in Osaka!
- Path of Prayer (Kumano Kodo) takes its next walk on November 20th in Shingu!
- Shikoku Field Day will be held in Shikoku Saburo no Sato, in Mima City, Tokushima on November 26th and 27th.
- All JETs and their JTEs are invited to the Skills Development Conference Enkai at Hadaka no Osama in Matsuyama on December 1st!
- Jam for Japan is scheduled for December 10th to raise money for donation to Tohoku.
- Ehime JETs are doing a Christmas Party and Secret Santa orphanage visit in Matsuyama on December 17th
- Kochi JETs are invited to Tea Ceremony on November 23rd in Takajo-machi.
- Kochi JETs are invited to a free tour of Tengu Highlands on November 26th!
- Oita International Fair is November 23rd!
- The Annual Oita AJET Sumo Trip is coming up on Saturday, November 26th!
- KumAJET will climb the 3,333 steps on November 19th!
- The 2011 SDC Reception Party is November 24th in Kagoshima City!
- 2011 Annual Sata Misaki Marathon & Walk is December 4th!
- Kagoshima JETs will sing at Hark the Herald ALTs and Friends Sing on December 10th at AmuPlaza.
Xmas cards for Tohoku kids
Earthquake Tsunami, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on Xmas cards for Tohoku kids
Via JETAA USA:
Xmas Cards for Tohoku Kids
http://www.jetaausa.com/?p=1952&preview=true
A Professor Emeritus of Chuo University has started a project called “Xmas Cards from Friends Around the World”. This is a campaign to gather Christmas cards from around the world to bring to the children in Tohoku. If you’d like to participate, please send your card(s) to the following address:
c/o Mrs. Mayumi Hoshi
Shichigahama-cho Saigai-Volunteer Center
Noyama 5-9, Yoshidahama
Shichigahama-cho, Miyagi
JAPAN 985-0802
ATTN: Boys and Girls
For more information (Japanese only) please see the PDF.
“Hope For Tomorrow” expands activities to 5 cities including Ishinomaki thanks to JETAA USA Funds
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JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund Update:
Hope for Tomorrow, one of the grantees of the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund, has been successful enough to expand to 5 cities, including Ishinomaki in addition to Rikuzentakata. They mention the JET contribution as a reason for focusing on these cities front and center on their home page.
Also, since the original posting, JETAA USA upped its grant to a total of $26,700 which comes out to an even 2,000,000 yen.
Click here for a re-cap of disbursements by the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund.
Job: Communications and Events Officer, The Japan Society (London, UK)
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Via JETAA UK. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika has recently moved back to London but is interested in hearing about any Japan-related opportunities across the globe.
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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***
Job Position: Communications and Events Officer, The Japan Society (London, UK)
Job Details:
We are seeking an adaptable, creative, computer literate male or female to join our team as Communications and Events Officer. As such, you will be involved in event planning as well as the promotion and marketing of the Society’s activities as a whole through the website, email, print media and social networking sites. You will report to the Head of Communications and Events, and assist her in the development of our ongoing communications strategy and with the creation of the Society’s forward events programme.
Read More
Job: Education Officer, The Japan Society (London, UK)
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Via JETAA UK. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika has recently moved back to London but is interested in hearing about any Japan-related opportunities across the globe.
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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***
Job Position: Education Officer, The Japan Society (London, UK)
Job Details:
We are seeking an adaptable, creative, computer literate male or female to join our team as Education Officer. A flexible approach is essential as you will be involved in all aspects of our schools programme from day to day administration through to development, planning and implementation of projects. The successful candidate will be comfortable working closely with colleagues in a small team, reporting to the Head of Education and liaising with others working remotely on the school links website.
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