Culture Spreaders is a new feature intended to shine a spotlight on JET alums involved in spreading and sharing Japanese culture in their home countries. If you know of a good JET alum for a future post, just e-mail jetwit [at] jetwit.com tell us why you think that alum is a Culture Spreader. (Self-nominations welcome too.)
Seattle-based Bruce Rutledge (MEF Program Chiba-ken, 1985-87) is the Editor-in-Chief of Ibuki, the “Japanese Inspired Food and Lifestyle Magazine” for the Seattle/Bellevue/Portland area. (www.ibukimagazine.com)
I was in Seattle this past weekend and (thanks to JETAA Pacific Northwest President Sandra Sakai) was able to pick up a copy of the “I Love Kawaii” issue, which featured “6%Dokidoki Brings Happy Anarchy,” “Your Slice of Japan on the Eastside,” a recipe for green tea sweets, a travel article titled “Kanpai in Tokyo” and a sake article titled “Food pairing hints.” The magazine also includes an extensive Japan-related business directory for the area, including restaurants, galleries, grocery stores, etc.
In addition to his work with Ibuki, Bruce is also the founder of Chin Music Press, which has put out a number of Japan-related books and takes pride in book design.
For all his work with Ibuki and Chin Music Press, Bruce is undoubtedly a major JET alum “Culture Spreader.”
Call for Volunteers: JET Ambassadors for School Visits


From Mauric Maloney, President of JETAA DC:
We’d like to thank those members who responded to our earlier call for volunteers for the JET Ambassadors Program. This is a second call for volunteers before we begin our orientation and school visits in the fall.
The JET Ambassadors program wishes to establish a network of volunteers who can visit local schools and discuss their experiences in Japan through photos, videos, games, and other props.
The main focus of these presentations will be life at a Japanese school, but they will vary from person to person.
The goal is to begin presentations in the Fall of 2010 and include all interested schools in the JETAADC area, including the Baltimore Region, Annapolis and the Eastern Shore, Richmond and other points South, and even West Virginia. So regardless of your distance from D.C., please respond if you are interested.
Each presenter will receive be reimbursed for his or her time and travel.
If you are interested, please respond to this e-mail with the following information.
Name:
Current Location:
Preferred E-mail address:
Phone:
Years on JET:
Prefecture:
Grade Levels Taught in Japan:
Current Profession:
Access to Metro/Public Transport:
Access to Car:
There will be an orientation on September 14 at the Embassy of Japan. More details will follow. Please respond by Friday August 27 if you are interested. If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact me.
Maurice Maloney
President, JETAADC
president.dc@jetalumni.org
PS – If you know of or work at a school that might be interested in receiving visitors, please let us know with the name of the school, its location, and the best person to contact.