New book by JET alum Suzanne Kamata
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Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) has a new book out called Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering, a collection of essays from 20 mothers around the world.
And even better, writer Liz Sheffield (Hokkaio-ken, Sapporo-shi, 1993-95) has an interview with Suzanne about the book on her blog motherlogue.wordpress.com.
Jobs: International Education Programs (Chronicle of Higher Ed)
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Via the Chronicle of Higher Education’s international education programs job listings:
5/4/2009
- Kaplan (China) : Dean of First-Year Students (Shanghai, China)
- Otterbein College (Ohio) : Director, Center for International Education and Global Engagement
- University of Minnesota Law School (Minnesota) : Director of International and Graduate Programs
- University of Nevada at Las Vegas (Nevada) : Assistant Director of International Students & Scholars
4/28/2009
- University of Toronto at Scarborough (Canada) : Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences
JETAA NY Learning to Blog Workshop: Part 2
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Update:
I ran the second “JETAA NY Learning to Blog Workshop” last Wednesday evening, April 29 in the back of Cosi on 31st & Park, not knowing quite what to expect. It turned out to be a lot of fun and everyone found it helpful and productive. (Click here to read about the first one.)
- We covered the basics of blogs (what they’re good for; advantages and disadvantages of WordPress, Blogspot, Blogger, etc.; posts vs. pages; using RSS feeds) as well as some more advanced topics (driving traffic; creative strategies; adding users). By the time we were done, everyone had set up their own blog and was ready to go.
- The attendees included two translators and three people who had started their own businesses. One of the translators wanted to create a forum for his writing. The other translator was inspired by the discussion of blogs at the JET Alumni Author Showcase (where Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) and Rob Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04) all discussed how they resisted at first but now are glad they followed their publishers’ suggestions to start blogs.)
- One of the JET alum entrepreneurs, Adrienne Smith (CIR Tochigi-ken, 1997-99), founder of Harlem Hip-Hop Tours (www.h3tours.com), said she had been thinking of starting a blog to help promote her tour business but had been holding herself back and appreciated the workshop because it lifted the “technology fog” for her.
- Frank Luo (Fukuoka-ken, 1997-99), a Chinese-English translator, said afterwards, “It was really helpful… An efficient walk through on the mechanics of how to start a blog and why do it on WordPress, plus a few other useful bits of information. We also floated a few ideas on how to expand the scope of the workshops to make them more helpful to aspiring writers as well as those who are trying to promote their business through blogs.” (Frank, by the way, brought a nifty little netbook, which we all sat around and marveled at for 5 minutes.)
- Additionally, Friend of JET (FOJ) Jon Hills, a more experienced blogger who writes the J-News Mini-Roundup column for JetWit and also writes a blog for Hills Learning, a NY-based Japanese language learning services company he started, came to help out and also share a few new tricks (like adding blog functionality to a WindowsLive-based website). He said afterwards he really appreciated having a chance to meet other people running businesses in a setting where everyone was working together towards a common goal.
Going forward
I’ll likely do one or two more blog workshops at Cosi or, if the weather’s nice, perhaps in Bryant Park after work one day. If you’d like to be notified of future workshops, please feel free to contact me at professional [at] jetaany [dot] org.
Looking ahead, it would be nice for the “workshop” to evolve into a monthly “meetup” for JET alums and FOJs at beginner, advanced and in-between levels to spend some time working together, sharing experiences and tips and, of course, helping beginners learn to get started and have an opportunity to ask all the same “dumb” questions that I’ve asked along the way.
Additionally, for readers outside the NYC area, it would be great for people to get JET alum blog workshops going in other areas. It’s a useful career tool and also a nice way to bring people together.
Writing Opportunity: YouMaga
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JETAA Pacific Northwest Treasurer and Webmaster Shun Endo found the below writing opportunity for JET alums in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere:
I met with the owner of YouMaga (www.youmaga.com) a while back, and she was interested in starting a new column for her magazine in the next month or two. The monthly article would be a short story written by a JET alumnus about a HUMOROUS experience they had in Japan. Something that would highlight cultural understanding, or misunderstanding! :P The great thing is that it will be a very short piece, only about two or three paragraphs in length. Very concise and simple and easy to write! The alumnus whose article is selected will have their photo and bio next to their story. It’s a fun way for PNW JETAA to be introduced to the Japanese speaking community. Maybe next time you go shopping at Uwajimaya, an obachan will ask you for an autograph?
If you are interested, first write me and tell me that you are interested, and then write a two or three paragraph story. The article will be printed in Japanese, but you can write it in English for them to translate. Or, if you want to practice your Japanese writing skills, feel free to do so, since the editor will fix any mistakes. I encourage all of you to share your funny experiences with the Seattle Japanese community! Hope to hear from you. We need one story for each month, so send many of them in! Also, send a pic and bio information:
Biography
Name:
JET Program (Years and Location):
Profession and/or interests:
Favorite japanese thing:
SWET Presents: Writing News on Japan: With Journalist Elaine Lies (Tokyo)
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The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents:
Writing News on Japan: With Journalist Elaine Lies
Time: Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Place: Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan
Fee: 5,000 yen (to include evening meal)
Reservations required by June 19; email SWET events, or fax 03-3430-1740
Whether geisha or anime, samurai or electronics, Japan still remains a fascinating place for much of the world, and papers will pay for stories. As a 20-year resident of Japan who has been writing about the country for most of that time, both freelance and as a reporter for Reuters news agency, Elaine Lies has a few ideas about what kinds of stories will work, as well as those that might not.
Elaine Lies studied Asian Studies at Cornell and UC Berkeley before coming to Japan, where she has lived in the rural north as well as in Tokyo. With experience as a general news reporter covering earthquakes, prime ministers, anime, whaling, and just about anything else you can imagine, she has stories to tell and perspectives to share.
See URL below for more details:
http://www.swet.jp/index.php/events/
Job: Outreach/Communications Coordinator for Asian/Pacific Studies (Duke U.)
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Great job listing via JETAA Pacific Northwest, somewhat ironically (they’re great with the job postings):
Job Title: Outreach and Communications Coordinator, Asian/Pacific Studies Institute at Duke University
The Asian/Pacific Studies Institute has an opening for the position of Outreach and Communications Coordinator. This will be a 30 hour/week
position with benefits, with the potential of upgrading to a 40 hour/week position. The position is classified as Program Coordinator, Level 10, Job Family 28 in the Duke system.
Job Responsibilities:
Serve as the outreach coordinator of APSI: Read More
Roland Kelts on Sakura-Con: Yomiuri column and podcast
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a recent Daily Yomiuri column on his experience at Sakura-Con in Seattle in April. You can also listen to a podcast about the event in which he’s interviewed.
Thanks to author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) for sharing this:
The 3rd Annual Japan Writer’s Conference will be held October 17-18, 2009 at Doshisha Women’s College, Imadegawa Campus, Kyoto, Japan. Organizers are now seeking proposals from poets and writers for presentations. First call deadline is May 15, 2009. For more information, see http://www.japanwritersconference.org.
Author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) contacted me to let me know that poet Craig Arnold is missing in Japan. There is an effort underway to draw more attention to Craig’s disappearance to help pressure Japanese and U.S. authorities to take action.
For more information about the effort, please visit http://findcraigarnold.blogspot.com/
For more information on Craig Arnold, you can see his Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Arnold
Latest update from findcraigarnold.blogspot.com:
News
4/30 at 2:00 am EST: According to Christopher Blasdel of The International House of Japan, two US helicopters have landed on the island to assist in the search. The prefectural police have added another helicopter to make a total of four helicopters. The island has deep vegetation which might make it difficult to see anything from the air, but we have our fingers crossed!
JETAA NY sake tasting with JET alum sake sommelier Chris Johnson
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SAKE TASTING AT BAO NOODLES
When: Monday, May 4 at 7pm Where: Bao Noodles http://www.baonoodles.com/ 391 2nd Ave. between 22nd and 23rd St. (map) Price: $25/person (Originally $35) Limited to 25 people!!
JET Alum and Owner of Bao Noodles Chris Johnson has agreed to host this year’s JETAANY sake tasting. Bring your favorite sake glass and enjoy wonderful varieties of sake while snacking on Bao’s delicious Vietnamese creations. It will be a family style dinner with tastings of 6 different sakes from Japan as well as from the United States including, the very rare Champion Daiginjo which was honored at the 2008 Nanbu Toji Annual Competition and was a Gold Medalist at the 2008 Japan National New Saké Competition. For more information contact secretary [at] jetaany [at] org.
Job: Admin/Sales Assistant for Japanese company
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Via Actus Consulting:
Our client, Japanese trading company seeks an Administrative/Sales Assistant. Job responsibility includes assistance in General Affairs and Office Operation(60-70%) and support for Sales Department-40%) such as customer service, shipping coordination, inventory control, data filing, etc. Must be able to communicate in native-level English and also conversation-level Japanese. Some reading and writing in Japanese is required to communicate with Japan but basic reading/writing skills are good enough. Basic PC skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) also required. Entry level welcome as long as you are very much willing to learn and be a part of the team. Read More
JetWit gathering in Tokyo May 15 for Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
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***************
Hi everybody! (especially if you live in Tokyo!)
On May 15, 2009, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is hosting a presentation by Laura Rennert, a senior agent of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, about the craft of writing. I plan on attending this event (which is in Shibuya) and would like to meet up with other JetWit-ers who are interested in going.
Please contact me at bokinaka [at] uclalumni [dot] net. The plan is to hit up an izakaya in Shibuya afterwards, so if you just want to show up for food and drinks (and great company) on a Friday night, then e-mail me!
domo!
Bobby Okinaka (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02)
www.fresh-off.blogspot.com
Note: See the post on JetWit about the event, shared previously by author Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) who serves as the Publicity Assistant for the Tokyo branch of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
JETAA DC Spring 2009 Newsletter
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The Spring 2009 Issue of the Sakura Times (JETAA DC’s quarterly newsletter) is now available in PDF format. A terrific effort by Abby McBain, though unfortunately it was both her first and last issue as editor since she has moved to Miami to work as the JET Coordinator at the Consulate General of Japan in Miami.
O-tsukare sama deshita, Abby-san, and ganbatte kudasai!
Job: Japanese teacher (and other teaching positions) (NYC)
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Via Krista Purnell, a friend of JETAA Country Representative (and former JETAA NY Vice-Prez) Shree Kurlekar (Shiga-ken):
New Heights Academy Charter School is a growing middle and high school serving students in upper Manhattan .
www.newheightsacademy.org
We are currently accepting applications for the 2009-10 school year for the following positions:
Middle School
- Algebra I Regents (grade 8)
- Earth Science Regents (grade 8)
High School
• Global Studies Regents (grade 10)
-
Japanese (grades 10-12)
- Living Environment Regents (grade 9)
- Special Education (team teacher, grades 9-12)
Bean There, Done That
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Professional translator Joel Dechant (CIR Fukuoka-ken, 2001-04) recently became a guest blogger for Fukuoka Now (http://fukuokanow.wordpress.com). Have a look at his first post on the site:
Bean paste, dumplings and beans...oh my!
Hi, my name is Joel. I’m from Pennsylvania in the US and have been living in Ropponmatsu since 2007. I majored in Japanese at university, spent a year abroad in Kyoto, and have been in Japan since graduating in 2000. I’ve lived in Osaka, Kirishima (Kagoshima), and Beppu, and after turning freelance, I decided to make Fukuoka my home base. I’m a translator by day, a bluesman by night and the Guest Blogger du jour. Today I’d like to talk about bean paste.
It’s been about 10 years since I first came to Japan and I fondly remember my maiden voyage as a study abroad student. My scholarship covered my airfare on a luxurious JAL flight complete with beautiful cabin attendants and a smoking section (I don’t smoke anymore, but back then I was in heaven). I don’t recall the food, however, because of traumatic desert experience. Something akin to a soft, delicious jelly donut was daintily laid on my plate, and after smoking who knows how many cigarettes, I was ready to tuck into that “donut”.
CHOMP!
WTF?!
ACK!!
Continue reading “Bean There, Done That”
