Hiroshima JET Alum LinkedIn Group
Japan Local 
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Reminder to Hiroshima JET alumni that there’s a LinkedIn group specifically for you! Click here to join: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3753534&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr
Video: JETAA NY featured in Fujisankei TV story on Japan Day Central Park
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Click the link below to see the Fujisankei TV video (in Japanese) about JETAA NY’s preparation for Japan Day Central Park. The video includes quotes from JETAA NY President Monica Yuki and Vice-President Kendall Murano among others.
http://www.fujisankei.com/video_library/local-news/japan-day2.php
JETAA Chicago’s Bingo Nights with Japanese Senior Living Facility
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JETAA Chicago’s Bingo Nights with Japanese Senior Living Facility
By JETAA Chicago Treasurer Thomas Osugi (Hokkaido, 2005-07)
I believe that one of the missions of JETAA is to volunteer and to help out the community at large. As much as I love eating sushi and singing karaoke, it’s always great when JETAA Chicago can give back to the community, and I just wanted to say that our alumni here in Chicago have been doing a great job!
Every month, we regularly help out at a local retirement home called Heiwa Terrace on the north side of Chicago. This place was created by a group called JASC (Japanese American Service Committee) whose mission is to help out the Japanese and Japanese-American communities. (I should mention that Heiwa Terrace is HUD-certified and abides by the rules of equal housing opportunity.)
About the event: Bingo is on the third Thursday of every month, and usually a few of us come in and help call out numbers. It’s very regular and short – in a very Japanese fashion, it promptly starts at 7 and ends at 8. When I first started, I was surprised to see so many residents – 20 or so mainly Japanese, Koreans and others, and how passionate they were about the game. There are always prizes to be won, usually very small things such as a cans of green beans, soap, shampoo, picture frames, but the most popular item is toilet paper! During the game, extra volunteers usually chit-chat, walk around and help out those who are hard of hearing. At the end a few minutes before 8, we play for a grand prize which we call “super” bingo. In order to win “super” bingo, players have to match both top and bottom row. If you can imagine, there is a fair amount of tension in the room to see who is the winner.
Volunteering at Heiwa is great because we get a chance to practice our Japanese, and for us working professionals, it’s right after work and very low stress – unless we miscall numbers (then all bets are off). Afterwards, we usually go out for dinner and catch up.
Although small, I think having this kind of regular volunteer event is great for alumni and the community and a gives a sense of reason for JETAA. I’m not sure if something like this is available in other cities, but I think it is a good model for local chapters everywhere.
JET to EPIK: One JET’s ESL journey from Japan to Korea
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By JET alum Kyle Timmermeyer (Ibaraki-ken), currently teaching English in Korea on the EPIK program. Note: For the past three years I’ve been trying to find a JET alum who also taught English on the EPIK program in Korea to write about some of the similarities and differences of the two programs. So thanks to Kyle for his contribution.
After teaching mostly elementary school English in Japan for 4 years, I decided I needed a slight change of pace. I got JLPT N2 certification, but my idealized vision of translation and transitioning into business or “international relations” had hit a wall in terms of motivation. I was desperately bored, and extremely restless. So, I decided that doing the same (rather easy) job in a different country was the sweet spot. Korea seemed like the obvious choice from the first, and after plenty of additional research and reflection, it won out.
After getting into JET, I figured that acceptance into the Korean equivalent, EPIK would be just as easy. As a bonus, unlike JET which doesn’t cover Tokyo at all, EPIK has a specific subdivision responsible for recruiting teachers into Seoul called SMOE. The names–EPIK/SMOE–tend to turn into consonant salad in my brain, in part because of politics and some corruption in a former iteration of the Seoul division. Naturally, the vague, seedy story made me wary, but piqued my interest at the same time. After total immersion in a rather stagnant Japanese position, I could see the silver lining on a Korean cloud that seemed to be ready to purge itself of the acid rain of corruption. And, regardless of the politics of the situation, I was craving some of that big city excitement. And so, after living in Nagasaki and Ibaraki for 2 years each, this native Kansan set his sights on the big city. Read More
Lars Martinson’s “Kameoka Diaries” e-comic now available on iTunes
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Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two andTonoharu: Part 1, has just announced the “Kameoka Diaries“, Lars’ e-comic about his return to teaching English, this time in Kameoka, Kyoto, is now available on iTunes.
More info here and below: http://larsmartinson.com/my-first-two-e-comics-now-available/
The Kameoka Diaries: Volume One [ Direct iBookstore Link ]
The Kameoka Diaries: Volume One is a humorous (?) account of my experiences living and working in Central Japan, told over eight chapters. It includes an exclusive chapter not available anywhere else!
JETwit Note: I just downloaded a copy onto my iPhone. 250 pages for only $0.99, and I always love Lars’ work. Plus, it’s my first time using iBook which it turns out is pretty nifty. :-)
Prime Minister Noda meets with Taylor Anderson’s parents
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JapanToday has a “Picture of the Day” (plus explanation text) of Prime Minister Noda meeting with Jeanne and Andy Anderson, parents of Taylor Anderson.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/view/thank-you
New academic research published: “Promoting Japan: One JET at a time”
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JET alum Professor Emily Metzgar (Courtesy of Indiana University)
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A little over a year ago, we posted a request to the JET alumni community by JET alum Emily Metzgar, Assistant Professor at Indiana University’s School of Journalism, to take part in a survey as part of her research on the impact of the JET Program. (See the original post on JETwit.) Here are the results of Emily’s survey in her paper titled:
“Promoting Japan: One JET at a time” (PDF)
The paper is about trying to measure Return On JET-vestment. In its own words, it “attempts to identify various ways in which participation in JET has affected the lives of alumni and the ways in which this influence may be of benefit to Japan in the medium- to long-term.”
Also, for those interested, there’s a review of Emily’s paper by Dr. Robert Banks on the University of Southern California’s Center on Public Diplomacy website.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and helped in other ways. For anyone who reads the paper, please feel free to share thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Here’s the URL for the paper: http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/publications/perspectives/CPD_Perspectives_Paper_3_2012.pdf
JET alum creates “Help Japan: Donate Now” video after return trip to Iwate
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JETAA Minnesota member Ann Hershberger (Iwate-ken) recently returned to Iwate where she had previously worked as a JET. Following her trip, she created a video to support earthquake/tsunami relief efforts titled “Help Japan: Donate Now“.
To donate, go to http://donate-japan.com.
Documentary maker Regge Life seeks to speak with JETs and others who knew Monty Dickson in Japan
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A request from documentary maker Regge Life:
“Filmmaker Regge Life is seeking anyone who can speak personally and sincerely about Monty Dickson’s activities and interactions with the people of Rikuzentakata. Ideally, teachers, neighbors, or friends who lived or worked in the city with him. He will include Monty in the film “Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story” but has not been able to interview anyone from Rikuzentakata. If you know of someone Regge can speak with, or have any suggestions, please contact him at regge.life@gmail.com. Thank you for your support.”
Japanese Education Ministry OK’s textbook written by American
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Thanks to JET alums Melissa Chan and Eroll Packard for alerting me to this via Facebook posts:
Ministry OK’s textbook written by American
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120423003701.htm
Sachiko Asakuno / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
An English textbook written by an American teacher in Japan has passed a screening by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry.
Although it is rare to see the publication of a school textbook that was authored by an individual in a core subject, the textbook “Atlantis” is the third such volume Steven Mitchell, 40, has authored since his first was published three years ago.
His previous two textbooks have been adopted by 34 high schools in Miyagi Prefecture. Read More
JETAA Portland: Iron Chef 2012!
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JETAA Portland has been doing this event for 10 years now. They extended an open invite to the Pacific Northwest JETAA folks, so there’s no reason why Texoma, Chicago, and other alums can’t “jet” in for the event, deshou? And if you can’t make it, well then just start your own JETAA chapter Iron Chef event. (Make sure to let JETwit know about it, too.)
(From the JETAA Portland website)
JETAA Portland’s 10th Annual Iron Chef Competition
It’s time to sharpen those knives and dig up your best recipes as contestants, judges, and other hungry mouths gather for one of our most popular (and delicious) events of the year!
Headline from the 2010 Iron Chef event. (Click image to read the article.)
When: Saturday, May 12th
(Judging begins at Noon, prizes awarded at 1:00pm)
Where: Demaree Raveaux’s House
RSVP for directions to Gloria Jung: glo888 [at] hotmail.com
(Please respond by May 2nd and include what you plan to bring)
There are three categories for Iron Chef entries:
- Side Dish
- Main Dish
- Dessert
There will be prizes awarded to the 1st and 2nd place winners of each of the categories.
This year, we will be adding a special event. Marcus Pakiser, sake sommolier, will talk about pairing sake with food and there will be sake to sample.
We are inviting our sister chapter, Pacific Northwest JETAA to join us in this event. This is a great opportunity to meet the members from the PNW chapter of JETAA. They will be traveling from northwest locations such as Seattle to attend our Iron Chef event and using the “Tatami Timeshare” program to stay with Portland-area members. Please e-mail any questions you have.
This is a BYOB event.
Australian JET alum Pepi Ronalds (Miyagi-ken, Sendai Shi, 2010-11) recently published an essay on Amazon titled “After Shock: Experiencing the 2011 Japanese Earthquake.” Below is a bit of context from Ronalds along with an extract from the essay:
About Pepi
Pepi is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and researcher based in Melbourne, Australia. On any given day she is found writing, researching and craving sakuranbo soft-cream from the Omiyage shop below Yamadera. While working as an ALT in Sendai Shi, Miyagi prefecture she experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake first hand. She writes about the experience in her long-form article After Shock: Experiencing the 2011 Japanese Earthquake, which can be downloaded via Amazon or Pepi’s website http://www.pepironalds.com.
“After finishing JET I returned to the freelance writing career that I had begun in late 2009. As a writer of non-fiction, I was keen to write about my experience of the triple disaster in Sendai. I knew that many people outside of Japan had a limited understanding of what had happened. – Yes, I was caught up in a natural disaster as a foreigner, and yes it was scary. But there was (and continues to be) so much more to my experience (and those of my fellow JETs and gaijins). I was astounded by the incredible generosity of my Japanese friends and colleagues, and the work they’ve done (and are doing) to rebuild.”
As publishing paradigms change, I there are fewer venues for long-form articles like mine. So in publishing this article I made my first foray into ‘entrepreneurial journalism’. That is, I am selling direct to readers. Below is an extract. If you want to read the whole thing (6,500 words) you can either download the article via Amazon, or buy direct from me using Paypal.”
Extract from After Shock: Experiencing the 2011 Japanese Earthquake
“We started the heaters,” my friend Yuriko writes, “but we are trying not to use them often to save them in case of an emergency.” I know the school in Sendai to which she refers. Winter is marked by a meter of snow on the baseball field. It’s sustained by snowflakes the size of marshmallows that seem to fall horizontally. The winds wheeze and rattle at loose windows. When I was there last year, I was constantly dabbing my nose with a tissue. And when my friend writes this from Sendai eight months after the earthquake, winter in Japan has barely begun.
I read her email and think back to that frigid Friday, March 11, 2011. My students and I were decorating the walls of the school with a mosaic of origami-paper blossoms. It was so cold in the unheated hallway that my fingers seemed to move in slow motion. We worked with a feeling of purpose and excitement. Then there was a long, deep, foreboding yawp. An announcement from the earth beneath us that everything was about to change. Read More
AJET launches iConnect app!
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AJET has launched its new iConnect app! In its own words:
This app was made to make your life in Japan easier and less stressful, whether you’re a JET Programme participant or just an English speaking foreign national living in Japan!
You’ll be reaching for your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch all the time, knowing that this convenient app has all the information you’ll need for useful resource information, ways to Connect to AJET for their magazine, news and peer support, as well as a variety of handy Japanese language tools and phrases that you’ll need on-the-go! You’ll also appreciate the retina graphics on iPhone, iPod Touch and the new iPad!
More info here: http://ajet.net/ios-app/
JET alum wins “Japan Day @Central Park” poster contest
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Congratulations to Aaron Porter (ALT Kyoto-fu, Yawata-shi, 1998-2001), who is the 2012 winner of New York’s “Japan Day @Central Park“ poster contest!
From the JapanDayNYC.org website:
“Japan Day – Cherry Blossom Art Contest”
Contest Results
WINNER
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Japan’s gift of cherry trees to the New York City, Japan Day invited visual artists to submit artwork that featured the beautiful of both cherry trees and Central Park.
Thanks to all of your support, the art contest received total of 45 submissions. All Jurors will agree that, there were a number of impressive entries that made the selection process a challenge. In fact, the Judges also awarded 5 honorable mentions, in addition to choosing a winner.
We are delighted that we can now reveal the winner of the Japan Day Cherry Blossom Art Contest — Aaron Porter and his art work!
【Japan Day 2012 Official Poster Visual using Mr. Porter’s Art Work】
From Aaron’s profile on the Japan Day NYC website:
Aaron is originally from Chicago and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Scientific Illustration from Northern Illinois University. He began his career as a newspaper artist in South Florida in 1988 in a pre-digital world. Aaron first worked for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, then the Miami Herald. While in South Florida, Aaron earned a MFA in painting at the University of Miami.
Shortly after finishing his course work, he was accepted into the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program the summer of 1998. He taught English in four junior high schools in Yawata City (Kyoto Prefecture) and still to this day considers it the most exciting three years of his life. While in Japan, he spent his spare time getting to know Japanese culture and painting. His paintings during this period were most often about Japanese culture. During his time in Japan, he had a painting exhibition at the Kyoto International Center in Kyoto Station as well as a number of other small shows in coffee houses and wherever he could get his work shown.
Aaron returned to the States the summer of 2001 and began his new career in newspapers at The Journal News in White Plains, New York. Presently, Aaron is a part-time digital art instructor at the Bronx Community College as well as a freelance graphic artist and illustrator.
Aaron is married to a Japanese woman from Fukuoka whom he met in New York City after he returned from Japan. They live in Up State New York, visit NYC often and travel to Japan each year to visit her family. Much to his wife’s disappointment he speaks very little Japanese.
An interesting article about how there really is no such thing as Kobe beef in the U.S., despite what restaurants and food shows tell you.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/04/12/foods-biggest-scam-the-great-kobe-beef-lie/
