Jun 11

Essay: JET alum volunteers for Tsunami Relief in Northeastern Japan

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Posted by JET alum Mark Flanigan to the JETwit Facebook wall:

Hello from Tokyo! I wrote this article (see pages 14-15) for the Japan Commerce Association of Washington, DC. I focused on my recent volunteer experiences as a former JET (Nagasaki 2000-04) working on Tsunami Relief in Northeastern Japan. Please consider sharing this article with your JET friends and colleagues!

http://jcaw.org/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/NewsLetter_0611_secured_revised.pdf

Jun 9

JETAA NY joint event with Kyushu association

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Last night JETAA New York joined with New York Battenkai, a New York-based association for Japanese ex-pats from Kyushu, for a unique happy hour at Nightengales (2nd Ave & 13th St) and another example of JETAA chapters supporting prefecture and local government efforts.  (Translation Note:  “Batten,” it was explained, is connecting phrase unique to Kyushu dialect.)

As New York is home to many other similar prefecture associations, perhaps this could end up serving as a model for future JETAA Chapter-Prefectural Association events.

Jun 8

New LinkedIn group: JET Alum IT/Tech/Science

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There’s now a new LinkedIn group called JET Alum IT/Tech/Science for JET alums, current JETs and Friends of JET who are working in, interested in or have some sort of connection to IT, tech, science, engineering, medical fields, etc.

Here’s the link:  http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3949084&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

And a reminder to go to JET Alum Groups on the JETwit site for a list of all professional/career oriented LinkedIn and other groups for JETs.

Jun 6

Monkey Majik JET alum rocker and Ambassador Fried deliver Canadian beef to Tagajo, Miyagi

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Thanks to JETAA Ottawa President Lisa Malin for sharing this:

Brief English summary of Japanese article below:

Canada’s Ambassador to Japan Jonathan T. Fried delivered a load of Canadian beef to Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture along with Maynard Plant (Aomori-ken, 1997-2000) and one other member of Monkey Majik (a four-person Canadian-Japanese band based in Sendai and Tagajo). The beef  was served atop locally grown Hitomebore rice to make steeki-don for 1,000 people living in shelters in Tagajo.  The Ambassador’s aim was to help residents get their strength back after everything they’ve been through, and it appears to have been the first meat many had enjoyed for quite awhile.

***********

(Japanese article)

宮城〕

Jun 6

Japan Local: Hokkaido e-newsletter

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Via AJET June 2011 Newsletter:

The Red Brick Bulletin

For anyone interested in learning about Japan’s northernmost prefecture, HOKKAIDO! The Red Brick Bulletin is an electronic newsletter published by the Hokkaido Government and prepared by the prefectural English language CIR (i.e., JET). Topics range from nature to history, cuisine to tourist attractions, and much much more!

http://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tsk/akarenga_eng.htm

Jun 6

AJET June 2011 Newsletter Highlights

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Message from the Out-going Chair

Hi Everyone,

My term as AJET Chair is coming to an end on June 15th. This year National AJET has made great strides in improving the JET Programme. In December 2010 a report was given about the Tokyo Orientations, and in light of the discussions, some Tokyo Orientation workshops will be revamped to meet the ongoing needs of JETs. On May 23rd and 24th we had an opinion exchange meeting with CLAIR, MOFA, MEXT and MIC, where we presented reports about Mental Health in the JET Programme and The 2012 Teaching English in English in SHS policy. Both of the conversations were very fruitful and we are looking forward to what will come out of the conversations.
I am confident that the 2011-2012 council will do a great job and will fairly represent all of the JETs. If you have any questions or comments you can always contact the 2011-2012 Chair, Matt Cook, at chair@….
Regards,

Caroline Ideus
2010-2011 National AJET Chair

Message from the In-Coming Chair

Hello, JETs!

I’m Matthew Cook and I’m very happy to introduce myself as the Chair of AJET for the new year!
This year, we plan on helping you improve your JET experience by offering you brand new resources, such as lesson plans, more opportunities for events and networking, and promoting what JET is to Japanese communities. This year, I want to show the entire country who we are, what we do, and the differences JETs can make. How can we do this? By putting a face on JET. Let’s show them who we are. Who you are.
Looking forward to this great year with all of you!

Matthew Cook
National AJET Chair 2011-2012

What’s AJET been up to?

Wondering what National AJET’s been up to recently? We’ve been…

Having a productive dialogue with CLAIR, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications about the 2013 MEXT English Policy, the mental health resources available to JETs and AJET’s goals for the future. Watch ajet.net for more the full reports and a summary of the Opinion Exchange Meeting.
Getting ready for the new 2011-2012 National AJET Council to take over.

Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson JET Community Tribute

AJET are collecting letters/postcards from the community for an online tribute to two devoted and sorely missed JETs – Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson. Please visithttp://najettribute.blogspot.com/ to read the current post cards received.

Letters/cards can be anonymous or signed, and messages will be uploaded without editing. If you would be interested in sending messages, hopes, thoughts or wishes to either Taylor or Monty, their friends, family or the JET community at large, please send your cards or letters to Apt. 111, Haitsu Poronia, Katase 44-28-1, Katsuyama-shi, Fukui-ken, 911-0811.

Tohoku Disaster Relief

How Have You Contributed to the Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Efforts?
Send pictures with English descriptions/stories to webmaster@… and it will be published on AJET Press. Pictures can be submitted anonymously or be attributed, according to the author’s preference.

Hope Letters: Sharing hope from overseas to Japan
Hope Letters has received more than 3,000 letters of hope and support from people around the world since March 11th, 2011.

Hope Letters invites you to be a spokesperson of hope by bringing these letters, written by students for students, into your classrooms, staff rooms or common areas. You can also organize a language lesson or activity around the letters. Visit http://www.hopeletters.org
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119256111482369

The Crane Campaign
The Crane Campaign was created immediately following the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan on 11 March 2011 by two British ex-ALTs from the JET Programme (1993-1995 Shizuoka-ken) and a web designer who wanted to involve local school children in the UK in raising awareness for the plight of the Japanese victims.

All the details about what to do and how to join The Crane Campaign are provided on the website, www.theCraneCampaign.com. There is also a Facebook site for providing feedback and photos and we invite you all to come and follow us on twitter (@cranecampaign).

PEPY (Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself) Tours: Adventurous Living, Responsible Giving

Want the challenge and excitement of crossing a country using your own power? The annual PEPY Ride is entering its 7th year and it promises to be as exciting as ever! This cycling adventure offers participants the opportunity to traverse Cambodia on two wheels, all the while learning about and supporting community development projects and locally run non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Each year the ride provides unparalleled opportunities to build a mobile community that will inspire its participants to learn about themselves and the role they play in the world, while raising funds and awareness to fight global poverty.

Jun 6

Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (June 2011)

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The June 2011 issue of the Sake World e-newsletter by JET alum and the leading non-Japanese sake expert in the world, John Gauntner (a.k.a. “The Sake Guy”), is now available online.

Go to John’s Sake World website for more information as well:  www.sake-world.com

Jun 5

Japan Local: JET blog on Aomori sightseeing

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Here’s a really nice JET blog on sight seeing in the Tsugaru region of Aomori by Aomori JETs Emma Sayers, Mike Moses and Kelly Isom: 

Let’s Go Tsugaru:  http://letsgotsugaru.blogspot.com.

*If you’re aware of any other JET blogs about sightseeing and tourism in Japan, please let us know at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.  Yoroshiku.

Jun 2

Local Japan: Prefecture Tourism Links

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Here are the results of the “Local Japan Prefecture Tourism Websites Project.”

Reminder: One of the purposes of the project is to help increase the “Return on JET-vestment” for Japan by helping to promote tourism to Japan, especially to more local and regional areas.  JETwit also intends to use this list so it can hyperlink to prefectures when mentioned in future JETwit posts.  (e.g., “Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94)”)

How you can help further:

• Build the list: If you’re aware of any additional links that might be helpful–e.g., a blog (especially by JETs) or sites for a region or a city or a town–feel free to post in the comments section or e-mail to jetwit [at] jetwit.com and I’ll add them to the appropriate section.
• Tell readers one reason why someone should visit your (former) region/prefecture/city

*Note:  Where prefectures didn’t have their own tourism website or English language info guide, I’ve used the Japan National Tourist Organization’s (JNTO) reference page for that prefecture.

Regional  Tourism Sites:

• Tohoku: Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organization http://www.tohokukanko.jp/english/
• Shikoku:  TOURISM SHIKOKU  http://www.tourismshikoku.org/
• Kyushu: http://www.kyushu-tourist.com

Prefecture Tourism Sites

Aichi

• http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/aichi/index.html
  • Kariya City – http://www.city.kariya.lg.jp/wwwe_data/index.html (Steven Horowitz, Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94)

Akita

• http://www.pref.akita.jp/koho/foreign/en/index.html
• http://www.akitafan.com/en/index.html

Aomori

• http://www.pref.aomori.lg.jp/foreigners/sightseeing.html
• http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/aomori/index.html
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Aomori
• JET blog about sight seeing in the Tsugaru region of Aomori by Aomori JETs Emma Sayers, Mike Moses and Kelly Isom:  http://letsgotsugaru.blogspot.com.
• Towada and Beyond http://towada-city.blogspot.com – Thanks to JET alum Mel Tee (Aomori-ken, Towada-shi), who still works for Towada, for sharing this.
• http://www.en-aomori.com/ is another good Aomori sightseeing website in English (also has Japanese, Chinese, and Korean versions) – Thanks to Mel Tee for sharing this one as well.
• http://melt-in-japan.blogspot.com/ – And this is a blog by Mel about life in Aomori!

Chiba

Read More

Jun 2

Job: CSI seeks bilingual location support professional (Nagoya)

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Via JET alum Roy Harrison of the JETAA Bluegrass subchapter:

Another job listing from CSI, a JET alum-run company based in Kentucky. (See previousJETwit post about CSI.)

Bilingual Location Support Professional

We’re looking for a full-time bilingual location service professional with a great attitude, in-depth knowledge of office procedures, dogged persistence, expert communication skills, and the utmost discretion. From Japanese language instruction to supporting ex-pats living in the Nagoya/Toyota area, our ideal candidate will be committed to doing whatever it takes to make sure clients are successful abroad. As a facilitator of efficient and productive communication, you should be able to work both independently and as part of a team.

You’ll need a hands-on understanding of Nagoya/Toyota in order to provide the highest quality assistance.  Some experience in negotiating real estate terms in Japan is beneficial.  You need to be proficient in typical office software packages, have proven strong organizational skills, and be enthusiastic about working across cultural boundaries. The successful candidate will be working in a fast-paced environment with a varied workload, so we need a quick learner and great communicator who works well under pressure while being able to discern the forest from the trees.

If you’re a consummate professional with a passion for communication and a love of challenges, come join our successful team. Send a cover letter and résumé to hr@csi-ky.com.

Consultant Solutions, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will provide training and a support network. We will also consider relocation and/or visa support for the right candidate.

Jun 2

JETAA USA seeks Web Content Editor (volunteer)

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Via JETAA USA:

JETAA USA is looking for an enthusiastic volunteer web content editor to help on some short and long term-projects.

With the roll-out of the new JETAA USA website at last year’s National Conference, our goal is to improve the website so that it becomes a central hub and resource which will serve all US Chapters.

Our wish list is:

●      Migrate any information from other online platforms we have previously used, organize it, and make it available on the US website; in a sense- creating a virtual file cabinet for storing resources and documents.

●      Create ideas for installing new resource sections, and improvements on what we’ve currently got established (such as a current national projects section and conference section).

We expect the bulk of the workload to be in the next 3 months as we jump start this, upload content, push forward with the JETAA USA Earthquake Fund and bracket the National Conference. After that time period, we anticipate the workload to decrease to ongoing maintenance, occasional projects and helping Country Representatives (CRs) to trouble shoot any potential issues with the website on an “as needed” basis. We would like this position to be an integrated part of the JETAA USA national team.

The workload of this position will vary depending on the time of year and the level of experience of the web editor. Although this is a volunteer position we would like someone who is willing to dedicate their time and be accountable for project completion. The US CRs will work with the web editor at a pace that is comfortable and reasonable, but also impactful.

We are looking for an applicant who:

●      Has experience troubleshooting and responding to organizational needs and has previously managed content.

●      Knowledge of WordPress, HTML, CSS, and/ or Java is a plus!

●      Has a proven track record and experience with web related projects.

●      Experience working with JET affiliated organizations (i.e. JETAA, AJET) is beneficial.

●      Is a JET Program alumnus.

If you’re interested, please contact any (or all) of us with a brief description of your experience and desire to be a part of the team. Thank you!

• us1.jetaausa@gmail.com (Mike Shu)
• us2.jetaausa@gmail.com (Megan Miller-Yoo)
• us3.jetaausa@gmail.com (Jessyca Wilcox)

Jun 1

Shimane JETs Raise Over $21,000 USD for Tohoku Disaster Relief

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From the JETAA USA website originally posted by JETAA USA Country Rep Jessyca Wilcox:

Shimane JETs Raise Over $21,000 USD for Tohoku Disaster Relief

Shimane AJET gathered their local ALTs, CIRs and Japanese community members to join together for a charity hike. On May 15th over 60 ALTs and CIRs and 50 Japanese people took part in a sponsored “Charity Hike.”

The hike took place on Shimane’s highest mountain: Mt. Sanbe in Oda City, Shimane. It was attended by people from 14 countries: America, Ireland, France, England, Jamaica, Canada, Scotland, Kenya, China, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

In the weeks leading up the event particpants raised $21,023 USD (¥1,715,338) from local and international donations (via the internet). At the summit of Mt. Sanbe, the participants held a photo opportunity and called out a strong message of support for the people of Tohoku and Japan from the international community. Please see the photograph below.

In the week after the event, the money was transferred to the Japanese Red Cross (70%) and “SMILE and Dreams: Tohoku Kids Project” (30%).

Lauren Hale, a Shimane JET from Denver, CO said, “Japan has been such a great home to us all and we were so glad that we could be a part of the relief effort.  We raised over twice the amount that we had originally hoped for!”

Check out the project website for video coverage and photos: www.sanbehike.com

*Shimane JET alums (and anyone else), please don’t hesitate to post words of support for the terrific work of Shimane AJET and all involved in the comments section below.

Jun 1

Japan Times: U.S. students invited in memory of JET victims

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Via Japan Times/Kyodo News Service, June 1, 2011:

U.S. students invited in memory of JET victims

Kyodo

Japan will invite 32 U.S. high school students who are studying Japanese to take part in a program in July to study the language and culture in memory of two American teachers killed in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto, during a speech at a symposium in Tokyo on Monday, referred to the program intended to nurture people who will serve as a bridge between Japan and the United States in the future.

The program is in commemoration of Taylor Anderson, 24, and Montgomery Dickson, 26, who were taking part in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.

Anderson of Virginia was found dead in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, and Dickson of Alaska was found dead in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture.

According to the government-linked Japan Foundation, the organizer of the program, the 32 students selected from about 250 applicants in the United States will attend Japanese-language lessons, take part in cultural events, including a drum performance and wearing kimono, and have exchanges with high school students in Osaka.

They will stay at the homes of the Osaka high school students during the two-week program. It will run for five years starting this year, the Japan Foundation said.

May 31

New LinkedIn group: Monbusho English Fellows (MEFs) and other forerunners to JET

Networking Add Comment (1)

UPDATE 9/27/11:  It turns out an MEF Group on LinkedIn was previously created by Thomas Schalow.  To join, go to this link:  http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=3757582

I’m going to delete the group that I created and would like to encourage MEFs, BETs and other pre-JETs to join the version of the group set up by Thomas.

Yoroshiku!

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

Every now and then I hear from a Monbusho English Fellow (MEF) or other person who was part of a pre-JET program in Japan.  I know there are plenty more MEFs out there, and you are very much JET alums from the perspective of the JET alumni community.  So I thought it would make sense to create a LinkedIn group for MEFs and others who participated in programs.  (I think there was also a British English Teachers program?)

Monbusho English Fellows (MEFs) LinkedIn Group

May 31

MEF Bruce Rutledge’s Chin Music Press launches innovative “BooksRX”

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MEF Bruce Rutledge, founder of Seattle-based independent book publisher Chin Music Press and editor of Ibuki magazine, has launched an innovative new approach to independent book publishing:

Mail-Order Medicine For Your Mind!

Announcing BooksRX In 2010, small independent publisher Bellevue Literary Press won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction with Paul Harding’s Tinkers – the first time a small press had won the award since 1981! In 2011, the media bombards us with tales of Amazon’s digital books gobbling up demand for the printed page, and yet small presses continue to pop up all over the US and Canada.

With the book business in a state of flux, we here at Chin Music Press believe that independent publishers are poised to carry the banner of the publishing world far into the 21st century. We are fortunate to find ourselves in a literal consortium of visionary presses who refuse to believe the media’s Doomsday prophecies foretelling the slow demise of the printed book. In fact, we’re convinced that our fellow indie publishers offer the perfect elixirs for eager readers and despairing booksellers alike.

Beginning June 1, Chin Music Press will offer BooksRX, a quarterly curated collection of the best that North American independent publishers have to offer. We’re excited to prescribe publishers, writers and artists whom we think should be a part of any literary medicine cabinet. BooksRX ensures that you’re getting your recommended dose of vitamin READ.

“BooksRX is undoubtedly the gateway drug for unsuspecting readers into the world of independent book publishing!”

Dr. R. Max Sneezeworthy, Literary Division, US Department of Health and Human Services

Available as a single dosage (one issue) or as a full regimen (annual subscription), each installment of BooksRX is a limited edition of 100 and arranged around a loose theme. Our first issue is inspired by our passion for finding new ways to tell stories from and about Japan.

• Monkey Business: New Voices From Japan A bold new collection including short stories, poems, an interview with author Haruki Murakami and more curated by Motoyuki Shibata and Ted Goossen, and presented by A Public Space
• An exclusive hand-numbered, signed and limited edition giclee print from L.J.C. Shimoda, fine artist and illustrator of OH! a mystery of mono no aware
• Kuhaku and Other Accounts From Japan Our first book (and manifesto to holistic book design) featuring essays and art by Roland Kelts, Craig Mod, kozyndan, Sumie Kawakami and an irreverent but highly informative glossary of Japanese terms.

BooksRX is available exclusively through the Chin Music Press online store:

• Single dose (one issue): $40 including shipping to US and Canada ($10 extra for shipping to international destinations)
• Full prescription (four quarterly issues, save $20): $140 including shipping to US and Canada, ($35 extra for shipping to international destinations)