Jan 31

How to Pass Your Love of Japan onto Your Kids – by Jessica Cork

Article/Journalism, Cultural Outreach, Language Study, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Add Comment (2)

*******************

How to Pass Your Love of Japan onto Your Kids

By Jessica Kennett Cork (CIR, 1997-2000, Hiroshima-ken)

(Note:  Click here to join the JET Alumni Parents Facebook group.)

My kids (7, 5, 2 and 4 months) are the only blond-haired kids in their school.  My two oldest know the names of all the Pokémon characters in both English and Japanese. My toddler can sing the Totoro and Anpanman theme songs in Japanese.

No, we don’t live in Japan. We live in a suburb of Atlanta.  But I knew that even though we live in the United States, I wanted to share my love of Japan with my kids.  I don’t want to “force” Japan on them, and it is fine with me if their future careers have nothing to do with Japan. But at the same time, I want for them to appreciate our family’s adopted culture, and to understand that since I met their dad in a Japanese class in college, they wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Japan.

And so I decided to enroll them in Japanese/English bilingual immersion school. We’re lucky to have several here in Atlanta: two daycare centers and one elementary school. Almost all the other kids in the school are full Japanese or half Japanese, so it is not always easy on my blondies.  The elementary school is Japanese Ministry of Education approved, which means homework every day, even during summer vacation, and lots of parental involvement expected from the PTA.  Not to mention the pressure to come up with a decent o-bento for lunch. My seven year old often wonder why his o-bento doesn’t have cute rabbits made out of apples and carrot flowers. But at the same time, he got to pound rice for New Year’s, grow tomatoes and morning glories as part of his life skills class, has mandatory music and art class, and can use chopsticks better than I can.

But what I love most about the school Read More

Jan 31

JNTO contest offers free trips to Japan

Travel/Tourism Comments Off on JNTO contest offers free trips to Japan

Via the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) website:

“Spring 2012 will be a special season as it marks the centennial anniversary of Japan’s Gift of Trees to the U.S. To celebrate this anniversary, we’re giving you and a guest the chance to explore Japan inside and out. Read through all 6 itineraries, pick your favorite, and enterfor your chance to win your dream vacation!”

Jan 31

JET alum anti-robocall activist calls out Newt in Florida

JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums Comments Off on JET alum anti-robocall activist calls out Newt in Florida

JET alum Shaun Dakin, anti-robocall activist

JET alum Shaun Dakin (Shimane-ken, 1989-91), founder of StopPoliticalCalls.org which seeks to stop the use of robocalls in political campaigns, was quoted recently in several articles about the Republican primary battle, including one today on Huffington Post (“Newt Gingrich Robocall: Mitt Romney Forced Holocaust Survivors To Eat Non-Kosher Food“).

The Republican primary and upcoming national election will likely be busy times for Shaun.  But whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat, or some other category, Shaun seems to have found an issue that most everyone who owns a phone can likely support.  And, hey, maybe after the 2012 elections Shaun can head back to Japan and team up with Inuyama City Council Member Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi, 1988-89) to fight back against the political campaign trucks with the obnoxious loudspeakers.

Ganbatte Shaun-san!

*Read the Fall 2008 JETAANY Newsletter interview with Shaun by Stacy Smith(CIR Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03).

Jan 31

Call for Artists!! Announcing the “Japan Day – Cherry Blossom Art Contest”

Cultural Outreach Comments Off on Call for Artists!! Announcing the “Japan Day – Cherry Blossom Art Contest”

Via the Consulate General of Japan in New York:

http://www.japandaynyc.org/news

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of gift of cherry trees given to the U.S. by Japan, Japan Day 2012 invites visual artists to submit their artwork to the “Japan Day – Cherry Blossom Art Contest”. The chosen artwork will become the official image of Japan Day @ Central Park 2012, and will be used for the Official Poster, Program and Flyer. The winner’s award, and up to four honorable mentions, will be presented the day of the event. Please see below for details.

DEADLINE

Friday, February 24th, 2012

CONTEST RULES Read More

Jan 29

Rocky Mountain High

JETAA Chapters Add Comment (2)

Thanks to Rocky Mountain JETAA for hosting a wonderful and extremely productive Regional Tech Conference.

Honto ni otsukare sama deshita.

Jan 27

Shit JETs Say – The collaborative project

Uncategorized Add Comment (14)

1.  Suggest lines for a “Shit JETs Say” video by posting them in the comments section of this post or e-mailing them to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.

2.  Once we have enough here, someone in the JET/JET alum world can make the “Shit JETs Say” video using the below suggestions as source material.

Let’s see if this works.  Gambarimashou!

Jan 27

Greetings from the JETAA Regional Tech Conference in Colorado

JETAA Chapters Comments Off on Greetings from the JETAA Regional Tech Conference in Colorado

Just a quick post to say hi from the JETAA Regional Tech Conference being hosted by Rocky Mountain JETAA in Estes Park, Colorado.

-Steven

Jan 24

Former Kesennuma JET to spend honeymoon in Japan supporting relief efforts, seeks fundraising and other support

Earthquake Tsunami, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on Former Kesennuma JET to spend honeymoon in Japan supporting relief efforts, seeks fundraising and other support

A request from Andrew Berne (Miyagi-ken, Kesennuma-shi, 1999-2000), reprinted with his permission:

I participated in the JET Programme as an ALT in 1999 and 2000. During that time, I lived and taught in Kesennuma-shi in Miyagi Prefecture. It was a very formative time in my life, and over the years I have remained close with many people in the community. As you are well aware, Kesennuma was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.

My wife Kathleen and I recently got married, and for our honeymoon we are traveling to Japan in April to assist in the tsunami relief efforts and contribute what we can to the town’s recovery. It may not be the most conventional honeymoon, but this is a cause that is near and dear to our hearts. Kathleen and I met while working for the same Japanese company here in the US, and although we are no longer with that organization we still have deep connections to many people in Japan.

We hope to be able to get to Kesennuma for part of the trip, and we are coordinating several fundraising efforts involving family, friends, and colleagues. We are trying to garner as much support as possible from our contacts here as well as in Japan, and we would be very interested in speaking with anyone willing to discuss ways in which we can make this trip have as much impact and meaning as possible. We are also seeking some guidance and advice about lodging & travel options in Kesennuma.

I can be reached at andrewberne [at] gmail.com. If you have the ability to Skype, my username is berneandrew.

Our schedule is as follows:

– April 13-15: Sendai

– April 15-19: Kesennuma

– April 19-22: Tokyo

We’ve planned the trip around the beginning of the school year and sakura season. I’ve also been folding paper cranes like mad, hoping to reach 1,000 by the time we leave for Japan.

Jan 24

JETAA USA Receives Message of Thanks from Hope for Tomorrow

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on JETAA USA Receives Message of Thanks from Hope for Tomorrow

Originally posted on the JETAA USA website by JETAA USA Country Rep Jessyca Wilcox:

JETAA USA Receives Message of Thanks from Hope for Tomorrow

JETAA USA donated part of their Earthquake Relief Fund to the Japanese NPO, Hope for Tomorrow. The main focus of Hope for Tomorrow is to provide financial support for the incurred travel costs associated with university entrance examinations for high school students.

The JETAA USA grant allowed Hope for Tomorrow to open a program in Rikuzentakata. Hope for Tomorrow also provides English language tutoring to students as a thoughtful acknowledgment to the town’s beloved JET ALT, Monty Dickson, whose life was lost in the tsunami of 3.11.

JETAA USA received a letter of thanks for our financial support, which made this effort a possibility for the students of Rikuzentakata. This project would not have been possible without the unification of our JETAA USA community and the hard work of all chapters to raise the funds.

Click here to read the letter from Hope for Tomorrow:  http://www.jetaausa.com/2012/01/23/thanks-from-hft/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thanks-from-hft

Jan 23

Youth For Understanding scholarships extended for US high school students

Academic, Cultural Outreach Comments Off on Youth For Understanding scholarships extended for US high school students

Shared by JET alum and YFU alum Jessica Cork who currently works for the Japanese Consulate in Atlanta:

Did you know that scholarships for American students to go abroad have been extended? There is still a chance for students in your area to apply for our 300+ scholarships to have the exchange experience of a lifetime!

Deadlines for Japan summer scholarships have been extended to February 1, 2012 and deadlines for Germany year and semester scholarships have been extended to February 7, 2012. Please spread the word in your area that YFU is actively seeking American teenagers with a sense of adventure to go on scholarship abroad!

Scholarships available include:

• Kikkoman National Scholarship
• Mazda/Nationwide Community Scholarship
• Japan-America Friendship Scholars
• Japan-U.S. Senate Youth Exchange
• Okinawa Peace Scholarship
• Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange
• Stipendium and Stiftung Scholarships
• And more!

All of our scholarship information can be found online at www.yfuusa.org. Please let students know that they can call 1.800.TEENAGE or email admissions@yfu.org if they have any questions.

We’re also always looking for insightful scholarship evaluators – if you would like to help determine who goes on scholarship with YFU, please contact Carla James at cjames@yfu.org.

Thank you for your help in telling students in your area about YFU’s scholarship opportunities!

Mike Finnell

President

Jan 23

New JETAA Minnesota Facebook page

JETAA Chapters Comments Off on New JETAA Minnesota Facebook page

New JETAA Minnesota Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/JETAAMN

And accompanying message from JETAA MN’s Liz Brailford:

Hi all!

Some exciting news is going on for JETAA Minnesota early this 2012 – we’ve got a new Facebook page! The link for it is: https://www.facebook.com/JETAAMN ……COME JOIN US!

We will be closing our previous JETAAMN Facebook group page in a few weeks, so be sure to join the new page to get all the latest and greatest news, job listings, event links, and all other things JETAAMN.

Also, please look out for the JETAAMN February 1 Newsletter…..we’ve had some reorganization and are pumped up and meeting 2012 with a POW! All the exciting details to come soon……

See you on the new Facebook page!

Warm regards,

Liz Brailsford

Jan 20

Article: Students in Rikuzentakata Take the Eiken in Memory of Monty

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, JETs in the News Comments Off on Article: Students in Rikuzentakata Take the Eiken in Memory of Monty

This is a summary of an article originally appearing in the Kahoku Shimpo (Tohoku News) on January 19, 2012.

Students in Rikuzentakata Take the Eiken in Memory of Monty

http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2012/01/20120119t33008.htm

Roughly 80% of all middle school students, about 500 altogether, in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, will take the English Language Proficiency Exam (Eiken), in part thanks to support from JETAA USA, whose donation will help to cover the cost of the test. This is one way to bring to life the wish of Montgomery Dickson, who taught English here as an ALT, and who told his students, “I want you to love English.”

Monty worked for the Rikuzentakata Board of Education since 2009 and was an assistant English language teacher at the city’s elementary and middle schools. Immediately after the earthquake on March 11 last year, he evacuated to a park near the board of education offices, but was lost to the tsunami shortly after.

Everyone knew him as “Monty-sensei”, and admired the way he diligently studied Chinese characters (kanji) and performed Japanese folk songs (enka) and comedy skits (manzai) at the board’s social functions.   He dedicated himself to improving his students’ English ability, even holding classes for free over the winter break.  He was very popular with his colleagues and students.

Despite the fact that the learning environment is still in disarray for middle school students in the city, the number of students registered for the exam on the 20^th is about three times higher than this time last year. There have been three prep sessions this month, with many students working through problems from past tests and studying to get ready.

Dickson came to Japan on the JET Program, and after the disaster JET alumni from across the US* collected money and created a fund to support recovery efforts in Tohoku, focusing their attention on Rikuzentakata and on Ishinomaki, in Miyagi, where the other American victim, Taylor Anderson, worked. This aid to the students is one expression of their warm wishes.

Rikuzentakata would also like to establish an exchange with Dickson’s home state of Alaska. Their hope is that in return for receiving so much support from around the world, they will become more outward looking themselves, and that their children become able to go to Alaska and speak in English about their memories of Monty and their own experiences in the disaster.

*JETwit Note:  While the article specifically references money raised by US JET alumni for the JETAA USA Fund, it’s worth noting that current JETs, JET alumni and JET Alumni chapters all around the world donated and helped raise money in myriad other ways through various channels and organizations.

***********************

津波犠牲ＡＬＴの思い忘れず　陸前高田の中学生、英検挑戦へ

東日本大震災で甚大な被害を受けた岩手県陸前高田市で２０日、市内全中学生の８割に当たる約５００人が英語検定（英検）を受験する。市教委が支援団体の協力を得、受験料を全額補助することにした。異国の日本を愛し、日本語教師を夢見ながら、津波で犠牲になった同市の米国人男性英語指導助手（ＡＬＴ）の「英語を好きになってほしい」との願いが生かされた。

ＡＬＴはモントゴメリー・ディクソンさん＝当時（２６）＝。２００９年から陸前高田市教委に勤務し、小中学校で英語の授業を補助していた。昨年３月１１日の地震発生直後、市民会館内にある市教委からいったん近くの公園に避難したが、その後津波に襲われた。
「モンティ先生」の愛称で親しまれた。漢字の勉強にも人一倍努力し、職場の宴会で演歌や漫才を披露するなど周囲に溶け込んでいた。日本人の婚約者もいたという。
堪能な日本語で児童生徒や教員らとも積極的に交流、冬休み中には無償で子ども向けの英語教室を開催、英語力向上に尽力した。
同僚の熊谷卓さん（２５）は「校外で芸術鑑賞中、こっそり入ってきたモンティさんに気付いた子どもたちが大騒ぎし、鑑賞どころでなくなった」とその人気ぶりを振り返る。
同市では被災で中学生たちの学習環境が整わないにもかかわらず、２０日の英検申込者数が昨年同時期と比べ、約３倍に増えた。今月、受験対策講座が計３回開かれ、多くの生徒が過去の問題などに取り組んだ。広田中２年の臼井春香さん（１３）は「もっと英語を好きになり、理解できるようになりたい」と話す。
ディクソンさんは、国のＪＥＴプログラム（外国青年招致事業）で来日した。震災後、事業に参加した米国人ＯＢたちが全米で募金活動などを行い、復興支援基金を設立。現役ＡＬＴが犠牲になった陸前高田市と石巻市で重点的に教育支援しようと、支援団体などに寄付した。今回の補助にはこの善意が充てられる。
市教委は、ディクソンさんの出身地アラスカ州との交流も視野に入れる。学校教育課は「世界から支援を受ける今だからこそ、世界に目を向けてほしい。教え子たちがアラスカ州で、彼との思い出や震災の経験を英語で話せたらいい」と期待している。

2012年01月19日木曜日

Jan 19

JET Paul Yoo seeks donations to help Sendai orphan attend college

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on JET Paul Yoo seeks donations to help Sendai orphan attend college

See below request from Akita Prefecture JET Paul Yoo, founder of volunteerAKITA.  

JETwit note for context:  Paul has been going above and beyond the call of duty in terms of volunteering and organizing volunteers in Tohoku.  JETAA USA recognized his efforts in providing him funding to help defray costs associated with organizing volunteers to go and help with clean-up in affected areas in Tohoku.

Hi my name is Paul Yoo, a 3rd year JET in Akita-ken and Co-founder of volunteerAKITA and The Fruit Tree Project (www.volunteerakita.org).  Along with our on-going activities, we are also involved in the “Smiles & Dreams:Tohoku Kids Project” led by Living Dreams/SmileKidsJapan (www.livingdreams.jp and www.smilekidsjapan.org).

Right now, we are working as Home Communication Managers (HCMs) to two orphanages in the Sendai area.  Our role is to act as contacts for the orphanages, and relay any needs they may have.

Jan 18

2012 JET Memorial Invitation Program (JET MIP) for US High School Students

Earthquake Tsunami Comments Off on 2012 JET Memorial Invitation Program (JET MIP) for US High School Students

Via the Japan Foundation Los Angeles website.  This program is for any high school students interested in Japan. The program was created by the Japan Foundation to honor the memories of JETs Taylor Anderson (Miyagi-ken, Ishinomaki-shi) & Monty Dickson (Iwate-ken, Rikuzentakata-shi) who were lost in the tragic events of March 11th 2011.

2012 JET MEMORIAL INVITATION PROGRAM (JET MIP) FOR U.S. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS   

http://www.jflalc.org/jle-12-jet-mip.html

The 2012 JET-MIP program will provide 32 high school students with the opportunity to go to Japan for two weeks as a group to meet Japanese students, experience Japanese culture, and study the language. It was created in 2011 in memory of the two beloved American teachers of English who lost their lives in the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011: Taylor Anderson (Ishinomaki, Miyagi) and Montgomery Dickson (Rikuzen-Takata, Iwate). The program is open to 11^thand 12^thgraders who are currently learning Japanese, and it seeks to honor the principles which Taylor and Monty valued during their lives.

The trip is an educational visit throughout Japan including Miyagi or Iwate. It lasts 18 nights and 19 days, including pre-visit orientation and post visit wrap up in Los Angeles. A total of 14 nights and 15 days are in Japan. Its purpose is to:

1. Encourage American high school students to study Japanese
2. Encourage youth exchanges such as the JET program as an option for students
3. Create a network of students for the future

Download 2012 JET-MIP PDF

To be eligible, participant must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be learning Japanese as a foreign language
• Be an 11th or 12th grade student during the 2011/2012 school year
• Have completed at least two years of Japanese-language courses at a U.S. high school

Note: Students whose high school does not offer Japanese-language course and are currently taking Japanese classes at an accredited educational institution (such as at a community college) may still apply to the program. However they must be endorsed by his/her Japanese teacher.

• Intend to continue Japanese-language education in future
• Be a member of the Japanese National Honor Society (JNHS) or have equivalent academic scores (Japanese GPA: 3.5 or higher; overall GPA: 3.0 or higher)
• Have not visited Japan for more than seven consecutive days in the past three years
• Be able to take part in the entire itinerary, including the pre-visit orientation, the post-visit wrap-up in Los Angeles, the group airplane trips, and the group hotel visits.
• Be in good physical and mental health
• Have taken the National Japanese Exam (information can be found on the NCJLT website, athttp://www.ncjlt.net/).

Note: You must register for the 2012 exam by January 31, 2012.

• Have the consent of a parent or guardian.

Itinerary (tentative):

July 8 through July 26, 2012

Activities: Japanese language lessons, Introductions to Japanese culture and society such as geography, kimono, taiko drums, teen slang, anime, manga, high school visits, field trips to Kyoto, Osaka and Tohoku area (Miyagi or Iwate) and a homestay in Osaka

Costs:

The Japan Foundation will pay for accommodation, airfare, food, and admission fees in Japan and during orientation in Los Angeles.

Participants Requirements:

• Participants will not be allowed to deviate from the arranged events and locations, nor have non-participants accompany them.
• Participants are required to write an essay in Japanese within one month of the program’s conclusion.

Application Procedure:

• Application forms will be available on our website (www.jflalc.org) in February. Tentative application deadline is April 13, 2012 (Friday).
• NJE registration and application materials must be submitted by the applicant’s Japanese-language teacher.
• Each school can only submit ONE Application.

The above information may be changed without prior notice.

Download Sample Application

Jan 17

JETwit supports the protest against SOPA/PIPA

Uncategorized Comments Off on JETwit supports the protest against SOPA/PIPA

On January 18, 2012, sites all over the internet will be blacking out to protest and try to mobilize more people to speak out against this bill coming up in the Senate next week — S. 968: the Protect IP Act (PIPA) — in an attempt to let U.S. lawmakers know how much opposition there is.

If the bill passes in the U.S. Senate, it will put publishing freedom severely at risk, and could shut down entire sites at the whim of media companies. Fight for the Future created this nifty video to sum it up better than I can.

http://vimeo.com/31100268

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Also, please take a few minutes to visit americancensorship.org and take action. It only takes a few moments of your time to be an agent of change!