Mar 18

Ways JET alums can help: Engage your grad school or college alumni offices

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JET alumni are helping in so many ways–fundraising, volunteering, translating, communicating, etc–that it’s hard to keep track of.  (Which makes me feel prouder than ever to have served as a JET.)

If you’re looking for ways to help, here’s one more:

  1. Get in touch with your grad school or college alumni office.
  2. Let them know you’re a JET alum (you might have to explain what that is).
  3. Offer to be a resource for helping them to support Japan in some way.  Or encourage them to do so.

Your school most likely has some form of connection with Japan.  But they may not be focused on the details of what’s going on.  Or how to engage their alumni in an appropriate way.

Be a resource for your school’s alumni organization.  Offer to write something, to share helpful links or information, to explain things, to translate, to be a point person for reaching out to other alumni.  Figure out whatever their needs (or obstacles) are in connection with supporting Japan and figure out a way to be helpful to them.

Many people who don’t have a connection to Japan want to help but may not know how.  Be the person that enables them to help.  And to do that, make sure you’re up to date and educated.  Reading JetWit is a good start.  Also check the websites of your nearest JET Alumni Association chapter as well as any other Japan-related organizations in your area.

This is a role all JET alumni can play.

 


Mar 18

Japanese Moms United – Union Square, NYC

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A group of Japanese moms in NYC held a fundraising event in Union Square on Thursday.  Here’s the article along with a video worth watching:

http://www.ny1.com/?ArID=135758


Mar 18

Pacific Northwest JETAA – Yoku ganbatta!

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Pacific Northwest JETAA was involved in a fundraising event at Uwajimaya (the big Japanese food store in Seattle).  Here’s a recap from PNW JETAA officer Shun Endo:

“I don’t have official numbers, but at the end of the day we had over $10,000 in donations! I was so moved at everybody’s concern and kindness. Even high school kids and junior high school kids were giving! People really do care, and are looking for an opportunity to give. It really moved me.”


Mar 18

Video: Escaping the tsunami

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Mar 18

Helpful info and links from the Japan Foundation (NY)

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Via Tatsuaki Kobayashi, Deputy Director General for the Japan Foundation in New York:


Mar 18

Unaccounted for JETs 03.18.11

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JET Taylor Anderson - still unaccounted for

Two U.S. JETs remain unaccounted for as of Monday, March 21 8:22 am NY time.  If you have any information, please email it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.

 

Montgomery "Monty" Dickson

Read More


Mar 18

Two more JETs located

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10:43 am NY time Friday Mar 18

Good JET news:  Got confirmation that Jessica Besecker and Edward Clemons have been located.  Here’s a Chicago Tribune article about Edward when he was still unaccounted for.

Edward Clemons in an earlier photo

 


Mar 18

JETAA Music City website launch and Bluegrass Subchapter Fundraising event

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters Comments Off on JETAA Music City website launch and Bluegrass Subchapter Fundraising event

Via JET alum Terry Vo who works at the Consulate in Nashville:

JETAA Music City (MC) is proud to announce the launching of their website www.jetaamc.org.

JETAA-MC is the newest chapter in the US that supports former JET participants in Kentucky and Tennessee.  We are so thankful that we can launch in time to add another means of communication to assist Japan through this difficult time.

Our sub-chapter, Bluegrass will be having a Japan Relief Event TONIGHT (Friday, March 18) at 9pm.  Please come out and support them if you can.

We hope that you will take a few moments and visit our website to see what we’re doing to educate our community about Japan and provide a place where our members can find useful information.  We really appreciate all the other JETAA chapters who assisted us and have great websites that we could view while building ours.

Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you all soon.  All feedback is welcome!


Mar 17

JETAA Southeast President Theresa Kanter on public radio interview in Atlanta

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Local groups raise money for Japan relief efforts

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1776789/Atlanta./Local.groups.raise.money.for.Japan.relief.efforts


Mar 17

Role of JET alumni community in this crisis

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There was an article in the NY Times earlier this week saying there has not been a large response from the Japanese community in NYC, because it’s not as big as other ethnic communities in NYC and because many members are here for short periods to work for their companies, etc.

But that article didn’t understand this important fact:  We–the JET alumni community of 55,000+ worldwide–we are part of the Japanese expat community.

So when the media talk about the Japanese community in the world, they need to factor in the JET alumni.  Because we all have a lifetime connection to Japan no matter what else we do in life, and in our minds we are all Japanese.  We are hurting like hell and we are also helping.

JET alumni are doing amazing things right now to organize and mobilize resources, funding, translations, information and volunteers.  Through the JET Alumni Association.  Through independent efforts.  And also through the roles established JET alumni already play in myriad organizations and companies that are supporting Japan.

In addition to these efforts, part of our role as JET alumni is to engage the people around us in our home country so that they understand and feel connected to Japan.  So that they understand and are aware of ways they can help.  Cultural outreach is one of the most important ways that JET alumni can help right now.

Minasan, ganbatte kudasai.


Mar 17

Japan’s Prime Minister Launches English-Language Twitter Account for Quake Updates

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http://mashable.com/2011/03/16/japan-prime-minister-english-twitter/


Mar 17

JapaneseLondon.com Round-up 03.17.11

Earthquake Tsunami, Events Comments Off on JapaneseLondon.com Round-up 03.17.11

Thanks to JETAA UK’s Vanessa Villalobos for sharing this:

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN JAPANESE LONDON?

It feels like the world is a different place, post March 11th.  The massive tremor has actually shifted earth on its axis.  Now, all we can do is come together as friends of Japan to send our love and donations towards the recovery effort.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief in London

There is a book of condolence for the victims of the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake, now open at the Embassy of Japan.  You can call in between 9.30am and 5.30pm until the 23rd March (including Saturday and Sunday) to sign the book.  Don’t forget to take a form of photo ID (driving licence or passport) for the security on the door.

The popular violinist Taro Hakase has been holding charity concerts in venues around London since Monday, and will continue with an appearance at Fortnum and Mason, 5pm, Thursday 17th March, and a concert at Cadogan Hall this Friday 18th March.

The Japan Society has now set up its Tohoku Earthquake Relief fund, and will be channelling donations specifically to grassroots organisations in the Sendai area.

Also, visit the Play for Japan website to get the latest about fundraising events, or to let them know about yours – it’s ‘an interactive portal set up to give the maximum publicity to your efforts’. Read More


Mar 17

Volunteers needed for “Multilingual Medical Terms Translation List” created by Okinawa JET

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Multilingual Medical Terms Translation List

This is a project that Stephanie Toriumi (CIR Okinawa-ken, Ishigaki-shi) is just getting off the ground.  She is  looking for volunteers to help check, add terms & other languages so that the list will keep growing.

https://spreadsheets0.google.com/ccc?pli=1&key=tOXlkY2K3JSEhLa5TCJEC0w#gid=0

 


Mar 17

JET Steve Mendoza (Minamisanriku) interviewed by NHK World

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I just woke up and pulled up NHK World on my computer to see JET Steven Mendoza of Minami Sanriku being interviewed on NHK World.  He was explaining how everyone went right to work helping out and taking care of each other, how the students were terrific and were put to work right away.  He was asked about future ALTs in the town to which he responded that the town is gone so the students will have to go to other schools in the area.  At the end of the interview, the announcer pointed out that Steve was scheduled to finish his contract this summer but that now he plans on stay on to continue to help.

I think this is likely typical of other JETs in affected areas.  JETs are part of the communities in which they’re working, feel a strong connection and are playing significant roles in their communities.

Keep up the good work.  You continue to instill great pride in all of us who serve or served on the JET Program.


Mar 16

Japan volunteers: Resource site for people who want to support earthquake/tsunami relief efforts in Japan

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Japan volunteers: Resource site for people who want to support earthquake/tsunami relief efforts in Japan

http://japanvolunteers.wordpress.com/action/


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