Joel Dechant (CIR Fukuoka-ken, 2001-04), freelance translator based in Fukuoka, has been exploring the “co-working” trend. If interested in discussing with him, click on his name to contact him via LinkedIn or post a comment below to share your thoughts or perspectives.
After 3 years on JET I worked at a private Japanese university as a translator for 3 years. It was essentially a JET-type job: translate, interpret, assist foreign students and/or plan programs for 3 years and then you’re out. After their stints were up, some of my other colleagues went home or elsewhere in Japan to work in universities, government agencies or in the private sector, but I-on the other hand-decided to stay.
“What about my contract?” you ask. Well, my employer and I struck a deal. They needed someone who knew the university and who could translate and interpret well, and I wanted to stay in the area. By virtue of being placed in the position that bore the biggest share of translation and interpreting work, I was able to hone my skills well enough to confidently say, “Hey, I can do this!” So we wrote a new contract in which they would outsource their work to me. With the stroke of a pen, I was self-employed.
It was like a dream come true. How many times had I Read More
JETAA Chicago Newsletter – Spring 2009
Writers 
Comments Off on JETAA Chicago Newsletter – Spring 2009
Elizabeth Friedman (Shimane-ken, 2003-04) just put out her first issue as new editor of the JETAA Chicago Spring 2009 Newsletter (PDF). Have a look-and-see at what’s going on in Chicago’s JET-world:
- Letter from the Editor
- Photos from Shinnenkai and Ski Trip
- Guide to buying Japanese food in Chicago
- Spotlight on local JET alum writer: James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of The Order of Odd-fish
- Poet and JET alum James Shea Book Event
- Japan America Society of Chicago Spring Events
Bankruptcy Bill #14 – Online Dating
Cartoon/Illustration, Humor, Writers Comments Off on Bankruptcy Bill #14 – Online Dating
Bankruptcy Bill is a cartoon created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. To see more strips as well as original bankruptcy haiku, go to bankruptcybill.wordpress.com.
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Another good post from my brother Greg on TheDigitalists.com, this one on Kindle and the future of book publishing. Definitely worth a read by JET alums authors and those working in publishing, especially on the heels of the JET Alumni Author Showcase.
Much of the chatter surrounding Mark Bowden’s Vanity Fair piece on the New York Times has focused on the anonymous quotes slagging publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. But what I found the most fascinating was the passage dissecting Sulzberger’s invocation of the phrase “platform agnostic”:
When the motion-picture camera was invented, many early filmmakers simply recorded stage plays, as if the camera’s value was just to preserve the theatrical performance and enlarge its audience. To be sure, this alone was a significant change. But the true pioneers realized that the camera was more revolutionary than that. It freed them from the confines of a theater. Audiences could be transported anywhere. To tell stories with pictures, and then with sound, directors developed a whole new language, using lighting and camera angles, close-ups and panoramas, to heighten drama and suspense. They could make an audience laugh by speeding up the action, or make it cry or quake by slowing it down. In short, the motion-picture camera was an entirely new tool for storytelling. To be platform agnostic is the equivalent of recording stage plays.
I had a similar thought last week when, after months of reading about it and stealing envious glances at it on the subway, I had a chance to play around with the Amazon Kindle. It’s a pretty cool product, though it’s clearly still early in the product life cycle; I’d guess it’s roughly analogous to where the iPod was six or seven years ago. But I also realized that in terms of societal impact, we’re even earlier in the process. So far, the Kindle has made the tiniest dent in terms of how books are distributed. In the coming years, it will change how they’re promoted. And one day in the not-too-distant future, it will begin to transform our entire notion of what a book is.
Read the rest of this entry »
Thanks to JET alum and professional translator Joel Dechant (CIR Kagoshima-ken, 2001-04) for sharing this link to the jobs page for the International Association of Business Communicators, which can also be found on the Job Site Links page in the Job Searching section on JetWit.
Bonus link: On a somewhat related note, Joel also shared a useful link to the Social Science Japan forum of U of Tokyo: http://forum.iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp/
Job: News Assistant/Staff Reporter at The Asahi Shimbun – Washington, DC
Jobs Comments Off on Job: News Assistant/Staff Reporter at The Asahi Shimbun – Washington, DC
Via the JETAADC jobs yahoo group:
News Assistant/Staff Reporter
Organization: The Asahi Shimbun
Location: United States (Washington, DC)
Contact Information: Hiring Manager
Email: asahidc at nationalpress dot com
Description:
Duties include assisting our Washington-based political correspondent with articles by conducting thorough background research, attending press briefings, gathering news and views, arranging interviews, and closely following developments in the area of U.S. domestic politics. Some administrative support, such as transcribing interviews and other assignments, is also required.
This is a reporting position with no article-writing or byline opportunities. Salary is $32,000 to $35,000. Compensation includes overtime pay, excellent medical/dental benefits, and 401(k).
Please email cover letter and resume. No clips or phone calls, please.
Qualifications:
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferable). Background in U.S. politics is highly desirable. Japanese language is helpful but not required. U.S. citizenship is required.
2010 Japanese Government Scholarships
Academic, Graduate School, Uncategorized Comments Off on 2010 Japanese Government Scholarships
Via JETAA Pacific Northwest:
Subject: 2010 Japanese Government Scholarships
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2010 Japanese Government Scholarships
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The Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle is now accepting applications for the following 2010 Japanese Government Scholarships for studying in Japan.
U.S. citizens living in the states of Washington, Montana, and Northern Idaho are eligible to apply at our office.
The application forms are available on our website at: http://www.seattle.us.emb-japan.go.jp
Japan Local Government Center (JLGC) Newsletter – #65
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The Japan Local Government Center (JLGC) Newsletter (Vol. 65) is now available online (PDF). Make sure to check out the page-3 feature on the always ganbatte-ing JETAA USA Liaison Taichi Hanzawa entitled appropriately enough: “A Year in My Life as the Liaison for JETAA America.”
FYI, The JLGC (also known as CLAIR New York) is essentially JETAA’s headquarters and also where JETAA NY holds most of its meetings.
A JET alum translator e-mailed with the below questions. Feel free to share your response in the comments section of this post, or e-mail to jetwit at jetwit dot com if you’d prefer your comment to remain anonymous.
1) At the moment, the Japanese economy is doing just terribly. Has anyone seen declines or reductions in the amount of work they are receiving?
2) In the longer term, as well, the economy doesn’t look like it is going to improve much, either. How do they feel about the prospects for making a business out of translating, are they feeling pessimistic for the future?
“Bankruptcy Lover” – by Bankruptcy Bill and The Fresh Starts
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Bankruptcy Bill is a cartoon created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. To see more strips as well as original bankruptcy haiku, go to bankruptcybill.wordpress.com.
Ladies and gentlemen, debtors and creditors, we are pleased to share the debut single by Bankruptcy Bill & The Fresh Starts….
“Bankruptcy Lover“
http://bankruptcybill.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/bankruptcylovermp3.mp3
(Click either the link above or the image below to listen.)
Bankruptcy Bill & The Fresh Starts groupies can get their…
Click here for the lyrics and explanatory notes as well as a note on copyright and use restrictions. Read More
JET alum Michael Auslin to moderate panel on North Korea missile launching
Academic, Events, Japan Trends, Writers Comments Off on JET alum Michael Auslin to moderate panel on North Korea missile launching
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Testing the Obama Administration: Implications of a North Korean Missile Launch
Event Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2008
At this event, JET alum and AEI’s Director of Japan Studies Michael Auslin will moderate a panel that will discuss the implications of a North Korean missile launch, including how the launch will affect U.S. relations with other countries in the region, and the future of the six-party …
Happy Fun Smile, will play at Columbia on April 10.
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/japansociety/matsuri.html
Date: Friday, April 10, 2009
Raindate: Friday, April 17, 2009
Time: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: Low Plaza
Even more video from the JET Alumni Author Showcase
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Thanks to Lawrence Brenner (www.lawrencebrenner.com), an online video and content specialist who covers a lot of Roland Kelts’ events, we have even more video from the JET Alumni Author Showcase laid out in nice YouTube video clips:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E204A157B05C1AEC
Seattle-based Kevin Kajitani (Kyogo-ken, 2006-07) just let us know about his blog, iSpeakJapanese.net, which features current events as well as videos and other tools for learning or improving your Japanese. Kevin, who was featured in the Winter 2009 issue of JQ (JETAA NY Quarterly) Magazine, is the co-founder of Speakit LLC along with his partner Aaron.
As you’ll notice, Kevin and Aaron have a rather unique and creative approach to Japanese language and culture learning.
Zorgamazoo wins 3rd prize at New York Book Show
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Good news to report from Rob Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04), author of the rhyming novel Zorgamazoo:
One reason I travelled to NYC last week was because my book was up for a design award from the Bookbinder’s Guild of New York, presented at the New York Book Show.
…I’m very pleased to announce that Zorgamazoo won 3rd prize in the Young Adult Hardcover category! The book was beaten out by two other impressive entries, Moribito by Nahoko Uehashi, which took 2nd prize, and Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley, which claimed the category.
(Click here to read the rest of Rob’s post)
(Click here to watch a video clip of Rob reading reading a selection from Zorgamazoo at the recent JET Alumni Author Showcase.)
