JET Alumni Freelancers Career Panel (NYC)
Career, Networking 
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Originally posted to the JETAANY website:
http://jetaany.org/2012/02/22/35-jet-alumni-freelancers-career-panel/
Are you freelancing? Thinking about freelancing? Want to meet and hear from other JET alum freelancers? Then join us for the first ever JET Alum Freelancers Career Panel! We know it’s a tough economy out there, and many of us are now freelancing, whether by design or involuntarily. It’s high time to get together, talk about it, learn from each other and help each other out.
When: Monday, March 5, 6:30pm – 8:00 pm
Where: Japan Local Government Center (aka CLAIR NY) – 3 Park Avenue, 20th Floor (34th & Park, entrance on southeast corner)
RSVP to: Steven Horowitz – stevenwaseda [at] jetwit.com (Please feel free to tell me a little more about yourself, your situation, and what you might be looking for.)
Note: Drinks and light snacks will be provided. (But feel free to bring your own food and to eat during the panel)
The Panel:
Moderator: Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) – Steven is the founder of the Writers Interpreters Translators (WIT) Group that evolved in JETwit. In addition to being a full-time grant writer, he is also does freelance writing for law firms, has done work for the Ford Foundation, and is the creator of the Bankruptcy Bill cartoon series. (http://stevenwaseda.
Looking forward to seeing everyone there!
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Pretty amazing and I assume extremely unusual tale captured by the Japan Times (and forwarded to me by former JETAANY President and current JETAA USA Country Rep Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken). On one hand, it sounds like a combination of cultural differences plus some people with bad ethical judgment. On the other hand, perhaps it’s indicative of some of the financial pressures affecting small (or relatively small) towns in the current economy in Japan.
Teacher outfoxes board, exposes bid to fleece JETs
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120228a1.html
By PATRICK BUDMAR
English teachers on the JET program are often faced with the bittersweet moment when they realize their contract is ending and they will soon be returning to their home country.
However, for one former JET teacher, that moment turned out to be a poisonously sour one as he became embroiled in a conflict with the board of education (BOE) that employed him. Read More
JETAA Chapter Beat 2.27.12
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Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community for another edition of JETAA Chapter Beat.
This week’s Chapter-Beat segment is highlighting JETAA and other Japan-related events remembering the March 11, 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami in Tohoku.
- 3/11 Great East Japan Earthquake Memorial at Seattle Center – Sunday, March 11th, 10:00 to 3:00 at the Seattle Center. SeattleJapanRelief.org and the Consulate General of Japan in Seattle will hold a special community event on the one-year anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, with a focus on the themes of remembrance, preparedness, and rebuilding. More information can be found here and here.
- A Shinto Response to the March 2011 Disasters in Japan – Wednesday, February 20th, 11:00 at the Berkley Center. A panel discussion will be held at Georgetown University to talk about Shinto in Japanese history and the Shinto response to the 2011 disasters, and will also include a Shinto ritual in remembrance of the victims of March 2011.
- Tohoku: Rebuilding for a Better Tomorrow Photo Exhibit – Running March 8th through April 29th, the Consulate General of Japan in Sydney is holding a photo exhibit that highlights the strength of the people of Tohoku as they work to rebuild Japan. The exhibit will be held at Customs House, Circular Quay, weekdays from 10:00 to 7:00, weekends 11:00 to 4:00.
- Big Bento Lunch – To commemorate the disaster and raise much-needed funds for UNICEF’s ongoing recovery work in the affected regions of Tohoku, the Big Bento Lunch encourages people to get together for a Japanese-style lunch and collect donations. For more information about how you can get involved, visit the website.
- Presentation: Eco-tourism and the Ancient Kumano Pilgrimage Routes – Thursday, March 15th, 5:30 at the Japan Information Center. Directors from the Kumano Kodo Ancient Road UNESCO World Cultural Heritage area are giving a talk about eco-tourism in an effort to promote tourism in Japan after the devastation of the Tohoku earthquake. Come out and learn more about this little known region and support Japan.
- Remembering Tohoku: Looking Toward a Brighter Future – Sunday, March 11th, 2:00 to 4:00 at the Portland Japanese Garden Pavilion and Grounds. Members and visitors to the Portland Japanese Garden will gather in the Pavilion on the first anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami to remember the victims of this terrible disaster. The event includes Koto music, a memorial book, and a community building project led by textile artist Hiroshi Sato.
- Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Photography Exhibit: Chicago Sister Cities International is current developing an exhibit of photographs chronicling the devastation and recovery efforts from The Nikkei, the leading Japanese business newspaper. These photos will be on display March 12th through 16th at the Illinois Thompson Center and March 21st through 31st at Block 37.
Letters from Japanese school children in Fukushima
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Shared originally by Sydney-based JET alum Eden Law and subsequently on JETAA Sydney Facebook Group by JETAA Sydney President Sharon Van Etten:
“In October 2011, we invited the people of Sydney to write messages of support, which we then sent on to my schools in Japan. In a very pleasant surprise, the teacher I worked with at one of the schools, Kimura-sensei, collected responses from her students and sent them back. Thanks very much to you all who contributed, no matter how small.”
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150696938927889.456662.675007888&type=3
Wendy enjoying the snow (safely) at World Heritage Site Shirakawa-go, Gifu.
By Wendy Ikemoto (Ehime-ken, 2006-2011). Wendy taught at six crazy but lovable high schools and served as a Prefectural Advisor on JET. Now based in the equally crazy New York City, she is looking for her next challenging career opportunity. Wendy is a fan of reading, writing, and cooking as a form of socialization. Visit her LinkedIn profile here.
I learned the hard way that bicycles and snow don’t mix.
It wasn’t that I didn’t have my suspicions about this, but I: a) Needed to get to the train station, and b) was inexperienced with the fluffy stuff (it was only the second time in years that snow in my country town hadn’t immediately melted away, and as a Hawaii girl, the snow seemed more novelty than threat).
So on a January morning in Ehime, I left my apartment to catch a train into town. I followed the same route to the station that I used hundreds of times. I rode past a small temple on the hill. I enjoyed watching the animals in the river along the road. I took the turn by the bridge and in slow motion, my tire slipped out from under me and I crashed. SMACK–I fell on the back of my head.
I couldn’t move for a moment.
Before I could regain composure, I started to get dragged off. A kind Japanese couple had seen the whole thing and sensibly moved me out of the road. I was very grateful, but hugely mortified. After about a minute, I thanked them profusely, assuring them that I was OK, and managed to get back on my bicycle. Slowly and wobbly, I made it to the station.
I met my friend, we bought our train tickets, and through the gate we went to wait for our train. This was my first moment to relax since the accident. Although I felt fine, I decided to inspect the back on my head. Lightly, my fingers caressed where I crashed until they came upon a bump. Not the hard kind that happens when you knock your head against a shelf, but the soft kind that happens when you have a blister. Crap. Well, maybe I can go to the doctor tomorrow, I thought.
When I brought my hand down into my lap, however, I noticed that it looked funny…there was blood all over it.
Submissions sought for JET-organized Toyama Film Festival
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Jonathan Dao, the current ALT PA for Toyama Prefecture, is organizing a fundraiser for Make a Wish Japan, Hokuriku and shared the below information and rather entertaining video:
Love movies? Well, we are pleased to announce the first-ever Toyama Film Festival— and in consequence, the CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS. You’ll have three categories to choose from (or maybe you’ll even submit an entry for each):
Movie Trailers/Commercials (1 minute)
Keep it short and sweet. Spoof an existing product or showcase your own!
Karaoke/Music Videos (5 minutes)
We’re all aware of those unforgettable videos that play along when you’re belting out your favorite tune. Think you can do better? Think you can do worse?
Any musicians looking to self-promote are free to submit a little something-something of their own as well.
Short Films (5 minutes)
Give yourself the ultimate challenge of churning out a five minute flick. You’ll just have to watch your pacing. Then again, you could always submit a scene from a longer piece of work. Let the audience watch your ending first? You could be the next Tarantino!
RULES:
There is no submission fee
Anyone and everyone is free to participate
Entries must be in either English or Japanese (subtitles are appreciated, but not necessary)
Participants may submit as many entries as they like*
Entries are DUE APRIL 14TH for review
We’re in the process of securing the venue, but the tentative date for viewing said entries will be Saturday, May 19th. Ticket prices will be only 500 yen, with all proceeds going to Make a Wish Japan, Hokuriku.
For any questions, comments, or troubleshooting concerns, feel free to contact Jonathan Dao at johnnys.second.opinion@gmail.com
Stay tuned right here at facebook.com/ToyamaFilmFest for more!
WIT Life #192: New York Boom in Japan
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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.
I am heading home after spending two glorious weeks in Japan enjoying delicious food, soakin
g in multiple onsens, meeting up with natsukashii friends and running two marathons! Needless to say I feel a bit sabishii about leaving, but I am already looking forward to my annual visit next year.
One thing I noticed more than before was an increase in advertising that utilizes the concept of “New York” to appeal to customers. In many cases this seemed to be a very loose correlation, but nonetheless effective. I first spotted the “Big America” burger being advertised at McDonalds. Pictured here, you can see that in katakana it says “Broadway Burger.” I’m not sure what qualifi
es it as such, but the size is definitely larger than your standard Japanese burger.
My next sighting was at Burger King, which is offering the NY Sundae (BK New York Style Sweets). This sundae, which comes in regular and raspberry, features crunchy French toast with ice cream on top. I don’t know what about this sundae makes it “New York Style” and didn’t have a chance to sample it, but I could see that being a delicious combination. I love how they put a mini Statue of Liberty in the middle of the product name to enhance its authenticity. 
However, I will take Japanese style sweets over New York ones any day, and certainly enjoyed my share of wagashi on a daily basis during this trip. I am always sure to leave Japan with some of its various KitKat flavors, and this time I found both green tea and cherry blossom green tea (limited edition for sakura season) at the airport. I also searched for azuki which is one of my favorites, but didn’t have any luck. I saw wasabi but opted to pass on that one…
AJET Survey for JETs and JET alumni
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Via JETAA USA (via AJET):
JETwit says: JETs and JET alumni, please take the Survey!
Re-posted: 25 Feb 2012 12 PM EST
AJET allows you to voice the changes you want. We compile reports based on these surveys and present them to the Japanese ministries who run the JET Programme.
The focus of the spring 2012 survey is “The Acquisition of Japanese Culture and Language by JET Programme Participants”. AJET is requesting input from both JETs and JET alums. for the JET alum survey, see below:
Through this survey and subsequent report, AJET will examine the development of Japanese cultural and linguistic understanding by JET participants during their time on the Programme and how this knowledge impacted their experiences following their time on JET. For just a few minutes of your time, you can help give meaningful feedback about your experiences on the JET Programme that will be relayed to CLAIR and the three ministries that oversee JET at the Opinion Exchange in May. As an exchange programme, JET is reciprocal. Tell us if/how your Japanese has improved or how you have become involved in your community. What have you learned on JET?
Launch of Tomo anthology to benefit teens in Tohoku
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Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima 1988-90), Publicity Assistant for SCBWI-Tokyo shares this:
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Tomo Anthology Launch:
An Evening of Readings, Discussion and Reflection
Time: Saturday, March 10, 2012, 6:30–8:00 p.m.
Place: Tokyo Women’s Plaza, Conference Room 1
5-53-67 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
(by the Children’s Castle and United Nations University).
For a map see www.scbwi.jp/map.htm
Fee: Attendance only: 500 yen SCBWI members; 800 yen nonmembers
Attendance and Tomo book: 1,200 yen SCBWI members; 1,500 yen nonmembers
Reservations: RSVP contact (at) scbwi (dot) jp by Friday, March 9
This event will be in English.
March 10, 2012, is publication day for Tomo: Friendship Through Fiction—An Anthology of Japan Teen Stories (Stone Bridge Press). One year after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, this collection of short fiction brings teens worldwide closer to Japan and contributes to long-term relief efforts in Tohoku. Join us for this Tokyo Tomo launch event, which will feature readings by various Tomo authors, as well as panel discussion and reflection on this project.
Tomo (meaning “friend” in Japanese) is an anthology of young adult short fiction in prose, verse and graphic art set in or related to Japan. Edited and with a foreword by Holly Thompson, this collection for readers age 12 and up features thirty-six stories—including ten in translation—contributed by authors and artists from around the world, all of whom share a connection to Japan. Tomo includes a wide variety of unique stories, including tales of friendship, mystery, fantasy, science fiction and history. By sharing “friendship through fiction,” Tomo aims to bring Japan stories to readers worldwide, and in so doing, to help support young people affected or displaced by the March 11, 2011, Japan earthquake and tsunami disasters. Proceeds from the sales of this book will go toward long-term relief efforts for teens in Tohoku. To begin with, Tomo fund donations will go to the Japan-based NPO Hope for Tomorrow (hope-tomorrow.jp), which in addition to providing educational expenses (including university entrance exam fees, travel costs to exam centers, etc.) also provides mentoring, tutoring, and foreign language support to high school students in hard-hit areas of Tohoku. Visit the Tomo Blog at http://tomoanthology.blogspot.com for interviews with contributors and more information about Tomo.
www.scbwi.jp
Kameoka Diaries #6 by Lars Martinson
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Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two andTonoharu: Part 1, has just just published the latest edition of his new cartoon series called“Kameoka Diaries“ about his return to teaching English, this time in Kameoka, Kyoto.
Click here to read the Kameoka Diaries #6.
http://larsmartinson.com/kameoka-diaries-6/
Japan Fix London: Hyper Japan is back!
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Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika lives in London but is interested in hearing about any Japan-related opportunities across the globe.
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Last year I spoke to former JET Mary Moreton about her experiences in Japan and her current role working for one of the largest Japan-related events in the UK, HYPER JAPAN! After a hugely successful run last summer, HYPER JAPAN is back this week for more culture, cuisine and cool!
Starting tomorrow (Friday 24th February) and running till Sunday 26th, HYPER JAPAN promises to chase away all those winter blues!
Highlights this year include:
Sushi Awards 2012: UK Sushi Roll Championship
Eat-Japan SAKE AWARDS: Top Brewery Taste-Off
Natsuko Aso Live
Olympic Judo Champion Maki Tsukada
Cosplay, Street fashion, UK Kawaii star of the year and much much more!
For more details please check out the official website at http://hyperjapan.co.uk/
Job: Temporary Olympic games coverage support, Yomiuri Shimbun (London, UK)
Jobs Comments Off on Job: Temporary Olympic games coverage support, Yomiuri Shimbun (London, UK)
Via JETAAUK. 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: Temporary Olympic games coverage support, Yomiuri Shimbun (London, UK)
Job Details:
Japanese daily newspaper, looks for a person with English and Japanese language fluency with excellent communication skills who can work with us during the summer Olympic Games in London.
Read More
Tohoku – The Meme
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The below was created by Jamie El-Banna (Design), Dean Newcombe (Photos), and Sabine Taras Thompson (Photos) (all ex-pats who have been volunteering in Tohoku) and shared with me by JET alum Colin Rennie (founder of Tohoku relief effort The MUD Project) who is in the midst of a six-month volunteer stay in Tohoku.
Job: English Language Instructors at Toyo University/University of Montana (Tokyo)
Jobs Comments Off on Job: English Language Instructors at Toyo University/University of Montana (Tokyo)
Via JET alum Yvonne Rock (Okayama-ken, 2005-2007). 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: English Language Instructors at Toyo University/University of Montana (Tokyo)
Job Details:
English Language Instructor working as University ofMontana employee assigned to teach for the 2012-13 academic year at Toyo University in Tokyo, Japan (September 1, 2012-August 31, 2013).
Instructor will teach eight classes a week on the Japanese system (90-minute classes) in an experimental Special English Project designed to prepare a small percentage of Toyo students for study in English-speaking universities in the subsequent year. Short-course (2-3 week) TESOL-Prep Course and English Camp in February and/orMarch. The Special English Program is now in its sixth year.
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Job: Director of Global Programs – Japan Society (New York)
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Via the Foundation Center. 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: Director of Global Programs – Japan Society (New York)
Job Details:
Reporting to the President, the Director of Global Programs is responsible for programming and fundraising for the Corporate Program, comprising business-related programs and networking events for corporate members. He/she will also oversee the integration and manage the results of a consolidated unit comprising Corporate Program, Policy Projects, which focuses on problem-solving exchanges and the administration of the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, and Lectures, which hosts talks on a range of topics, including cultural issues of interest to individual and corporate members as well as the general public.
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