Mar 6

“Japan One Year Later” video by JET alum Owen Rojek

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A short video by JET alum Owen Rojek:

Mar 6

JET News Roundup 3.6.2012

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By Filmore Ha (Ibaraki-ken, 2006-08).  Filmore continues to live and work in the Greater Tokyo Area as an FAE and is also webmaster for JETAA Tokyo.  He is actively seeking new opportunities in the U.S. or Canada.

• Akita Global Network Newsletter Vol. 5
  Akita Prefecture released their latest news letter on 2/27.  The AGN itself serves as a bridge to keep foreigners who have associated with Akita Prefecture up to date on the latest developments in the prefecture.  The above link will take you two a page with two PDFs, one Eng. and one Jpn.  If you prefer to receive the newsletter directly you will also find instructions to do so on this page.
• JLGC Newsletter #72
  The Japan Local Government Center in NY also released it’s 72nd newsletter last month.  Of note are comments from participants on the 2011 Clair Fellowship Exchange Program, and a report about the JETAA International Meeting and their volunteer trip to Rikuzentakata.
• Japaninfo Flash
  The Consulate of Japan in NY published an issue of it’s Japaninfo Flash newsletter with information on Japan Society events commemorating the 1 year anniversary of the 3.11 Earthquake come up next week.
• Doshinsha MBA Program
  From Terry Vo, JET Program and MEXT Coordinator in Nashville, Doshinsha University in Kyoto is seeking former JETs to join it’s MBA Program.  There are several former JETs on the program already, one is graduating soon, and several more will start in quarter 4 of this year.  In addition there are also scholarship opportunities for those interested in the program.  For more information, check out the link.
• Sake World Newsletter #142
  Are you a Sake lover?  If so, checkout the Sake World Newsletter and be sure to subscribe.  It’s choc full of interesting tidbits about Sake and brewing!
• Win a pair of tickets to Japan via ANA
  This has made the rounds on the net recently, so you may have already seen it.  All Nippon Airways is running a campaign through March 31st where they will award a pair of tickets to Japan by lottery.  To register you simply need to fill out a form so go check it out!
• Texoma JETAA Trivia Night
  The Texas/Oklahoma chapter of JETAA is having their first ever Trivia night at a local Houston pub for anyone in the area who is  interested.  The event is on Wednesday, March 7th from 7pm to 9pm.  For more details check out the link.

Feb 21

volunteerAKITA Scholarship Fund Update 02.21.12

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JET Paul Yoo, founder of volunteerAKITA, recently shared this update about fundraising for the volunteerAKITA Scholarship Fund which aims to send a boy from one of the orphanages they work with to university (the first boy from the orphanage to ever express interest in going to college):

“Hey everyone! A BIG THANKS for all the support! With all the donations that came in this week we have ￥695,461 left to raise for our scholarship fund. Please help us continue to spread the word and for more information regarding the scholarship fund please check out our website at www.volunteerakita.org or feel free to contact me anytime! (volunteerakita [at] gmail.com).”

Click here to read the previous JETwit post about Paul Yoo and the volunteerAKITA Scholarship Fund.

Feb 9

The Best Prefectures: By JET Alum LinkedIn Groups – Update 02.09.12

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You may recall last year (02.21.11 to be exact), JETwit revealed the “Best Prefectures” based on how many members each LinkedIn JET Alum prefecture group had.  With a little help from JETwit’s friends, we’ve updated the  numbers, and they now total 787 total members.

Shimane-ken continues to kick prefectural oshiri in a big way.  Not sure what’s holding back JET and JET alums from other prefectures.  But all you have to do to join your prefecture LinkedIn group is to click here and find your prefecture.  A great way to not only stay connected with your community, but also to provide Return On JET-vestment at the local level.  (Click here for more explanation about why this helps “save” JET.  And click here for a list of JET alum LinkedIn groups by profession.)

The Top JET LinkedIn Prefecture Groups
(last year’s numbers in parentheses)

1.  Shimane – 69 (44)

2.  Fukushima JET Alumni – 38 (14)

2.  Hokkaido – 38 (16)

4.  Fukui JET Alumni – 32 (11)

4.  Hyogo JET Alumni – 32 (12)

4.  Niigata JET Alumni – 32 (16)

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Overall Ranking of JET Alum LinkedIn Groups by Prefecture

(in alphabetical order; last year’s numbers in parentheses) Read More

Feb 9

JET News Roundup 2.9.2012

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By Filmore Ha (Ibaraki-ken, 2006-08).  Filmore continues to live and work in the Greater Tokyo Area as an FAE and is also webmaster for JETAA Tokyo.  He is actively seeking new opportunities in the U.S. or Canada.

Back today with another roundup of JET related news after a brief hiatus.  This roundup will include items from last month as well so bear with me.

• Paper artist Gannon cut his own niche
  On Jan. 10th the Japan Times posted an article about paper artist Patrick Gannon who’s interest in Japan began when he visited his brother JET alum Jim Gannon who was a JET in Ehime at the time.  This is an awesome example of connections that JETs help create.
• Yiddish to Japanese Dictionary
  Not exactly JET related, however there are many translators in the JET alumni community who could benefit from this great resource.
• NYT Mourning in the age of Facebook
  On Jan. 13th the New York Times posted an article written by JET alum Bruce Feiler (Tottori-ken, 1989-90) where he discusses grieving in a progressively secular world.
• Panel Discussion Disaster Recovery and Human Connections
  From the Sydney JETAA Facebook Group, the Japan Foundation Sydney will be hosting a panel discussion about disaster recovery in Melborne and Sydney on Thursday Feb. 23, 2012 and Friday Feb. 24, 2012 respectively.
• JETAA Singapore
  If you live in or are planning to move to Singapore, check out their chapter of JETAA.  Their latest event is their upcoming Oshaberi Cafe to be held on Feb. 12, 2012.  The deadline was Feb. 6, but maybe they’ll make an exception if you’re really nice!
• Reuters English crisis in Japan
  Posted to Facebook by JET alum Byron Nagy.  The article discusses the relationship between English language skill and jobs in Japan.  Byron is a JETAA Tokyo co-founder and currently serves as it’s Community Committee Rep.

Feb 8

Miyagi AJET to host Feb 17 “Cultures United” event to promote multiculturalism in Miyagi

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Thanks to Andy Anderson for sharing this information originally sent by Miyagi AJET Co-President Cameron Peek regarding an upcoming Miyagi AJET event:

Feb 7

Hope for Tomorrow launches English language website

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Hope for Tomorrow, a JETAA USA Fund grant recipient, just launched the English language version of its website:   http://hope-tomorrow.jp/index-e.html

Hope for Tomorrow has provided subsidies to cover travel and other exam-related costs for a 70 students from Takata High School in Rikuzentakata and is funding 244 students from 5 schools for this year’s exams.

Click here for more JETwit posts about Hope for Tomorrow.

Feb 5

JETAA USA Fund Update 02.04.12

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Thanks to Jim Gannon for passing on the following update about the JETAA USA Fund:

The JETAA USA donation of $26,700 to Hope for Tomorrow has apparently been extremely effective, allowing Hope for Tomorrow to provide subsidies to cover travel and other exam-related costs for a full 70 students from Takata High School in Rikuzentakata. Altogether, Hope for Tomorrow is funding 244 students from 5 schools for this year’s exams .

Separate from the JETAA funds, they have selected 2 students from Takata High School (and 2 from elsewhere) to take part in a March homestay at the Harvey School in Westchester NY, courtesy of a donation from the Harvey School. In preparation for this, they have arranged online English tutoring for the students and also provided computers to the schools for this purpose.

Click here for more JETwit information and background about Hope for Tomorrow.

Click here for a summary of the JETAA USA Fund disbursements and recipients.

Jan 31

How to Pass Your Love of Japan onto Your Kids – by Jessica Cork

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How to Pass Your Love of Japan onto Your Kids

By Jessica Kennett Cork (CIR, 1997-2000, Hiroshima-ken)

(Note:  Click here to join the JET Alumni Parents Facebook group.)

My kids (7, 5, 2 and 4 months) are the only blond-haired kids in their school.  My two oldest know the names of all the Pokémon characters in both English and Japanese. My toddler can sing the Totoro and Anpanman theme songs in Japanese.

No, we don’t live in Japan. We live in a suburb of Atlanta.  But I knew that even though we live in the United States, I wanted to share my love of Japan with my kids.  I don’t want to “force” Japan on them, and it is fine with me if their future careers have nothing to do with Japan. But at the same time, I want for them to appreciate our family’s adopted culture, and to understand that since I met their dad in a Japanese class in college, they wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Japan.

And so I decided to enroll them in Japanese/English bilingual immersion school. We’re lucky to have several here in Atlanta: two daycare centers and one elementary school. Almost all the other kids in the school are full Japanese or half Japanese, so it is not always easy on my blondies.  The elementary school is Japanese Ministry of Education approved, which means homework every day, even during summer vacation, and lots of parental involvement expected from the PTA.  Not to mention the pressure to come up with a decent o-bento for lunch. My seven year old often wonder why his o-bento doesn’t have cute rabbits made out of apples and carrot flowers. But at the same time, he got to pound rice for New Year’s, grow tomatoes and morning glories as part of his life skills class, has mandatory music and art class, and can use chopsticks better than I can.

But what I love most about the school Read More

Jan 24

Former Kesennuma JET to spend honeymoon in Japan supporting relief efforts, seeks fundraising and other support

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A request from Andrew Berne (Miyagi-ken, Kesennuma-shi, 1999-2000), reprinted with his permission:

I participated in the JET Programme as an ALT in 1999 and 2000. During that time, I lived and taught in Kesennuma-shi in Miyagi Prefecture. It was a very formative time in my life, and over the years I have remained close with many people in the community. As you are well aware, Kesennuma was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.

My wife Kathleen and I recently got married, and for our honeymoon we are traveling to Japan in April to assist in the tsunami relief efforts and contribute what we can to the town’s recovery. It may not be the most conventional honeymoon, but this is a cause that is near and dear to our hearts. Kathleen and I met while working for the same Japanese company here in the US, and although we are no longer with that organization we still have deep connections to many people in Japan.

We hope to be able to get to Kesennuma for part of the trip, and we are coordinating several fundraising efforts involving family, friends, and colleagues. We are trying to garner as much support as possible from our contacts here as well as in Japan, and we would be very interested in speaking with anyone willing to discuss ways in which we can make this trip have as much impact and meaning as possible. We are also seeking some guidance and advice about lodging & travel options in Kesennuma.

I can be reached at andrewberne [at] gmail.com. If you have the ability to Skype, my username is berneandrew.

Our schedule is as follows:

– April 13-15: Sendai

– April 15-19: Kesennuma

– April 19-22: Tokyo

We’ve planned the trip around the beginning of the school year and sakura season. I’ve also been folding paper cranes like mad, hoping to reach 1,000 by the time we leave for Japan.

Jan 24

JETAA USA Receives Message of Thanks from Hope for Tomorrow

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Originally posted on the JETAA USA website by JETAA USA Country Rep Jessyca Wilcox:

JETAA USA Receives Message of Thanks from Hope for Tomorrow

JETAA USA donated part of their Earthquake Relief Fund to the Japanese NPO, Hope for Tomorrow. The main focus of Hope for Tomorrow is to provide financial support for the incurred travel costs associated with university entrance examinations for high school students.

The JETAA USA grant allowed Hope for Tomorrow to open a program in Rikuzentakata. Hope for Tomorrow also provides English language tutoring to students as a thoughtful acknowledgment to the town’s beloved JET ALT, Monty Dickson, whose life was lost in the tsunami of 3.11.

JETAA USA received a letter of thanks for our financial support, which made this effort a possibility for the students of Rikuzentakata. This project would not have been possible without the unification of our JETAA USA community and the hard work of all chapters to raise the funds.

Click here to read the letter from Hope for Tomorrow:  http://www.jetaausa.com/2012/01/23/thanks-from-hft/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thanks-from-hft

Jan 19

JET Paul Yoo seeks donations to help Sendai orphan attend college

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See below request from Akita Prefecture JET Paul Yoo, founder of volunteerAKITA.  

JETwit note for context:  Paul has been going above and beyond the call of duty in terms of volunteering and organizing volunteers in Tohoku.  JETAA USA recognized his efforts in providing him funding to help defray costs associated with organizing volunteers to go and help with clean-up in affected areas in Tohoku.

Hi my name is Paul Yoo, a 3rd year JET in Akita-ken and Co-founder of volunteerAKITA and The Fruit Tree Project (www.volunteerakita.org).  Along with our on-going activities, we are also involved in the “Smiles & Dreams:Tohoku Kids Project” led by Living Dreams/SmileKidsJapan (www.livingdreams.jp and www.smilekidsjapan.org).

Right now, we are working as Home Communication Managers (HCMs) to two orphanages in the Sendai area.  Our role is to act as contacts for the orphanages, and relay any needs they may have.

Jan 12

Rikuzentakata, Iwate: 9 months after the tsunami by Alison Brown

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Thanks to Vancouver-based JET alum Alison Dacia Brown (Iwate-ken, Rikuzentakata-shi, 2005-08) for sharing this article she wrote with JETwit, which also appears (with photos) on page 8 of the latest issue of the JETAA British Columbia Newsletter.  It is a follow-up to a previous article she wrote titled “Rikuzentakata.”

Rikuzentakata, Iwate:  9 months after the tsunami 

The last article I wrote for JETAABC was just a few weeks after the tragedy happened.  I lived in Rikuzentakata, a small city in Iwate prefecture on the coast, whose location and landscape could not have been worse on March 11th.   Over nine months has passed, and even though Rikuzentakata, or Takata for short, is far from being fully healed, it’s unbelievable what has been accomplished to make the city liveable again in such a short period of time.

Temporary housing has been built. Grass has begun to grow again.  Debris has been cleared.  The Tanabata festival has been celebrated.  A Lawson has been opened. Possessions have been returned to their owners.  Possessions thought to have been lost forever.  As an example of this, could you imagine losing your home and possessions and barely escaping with your child and a few clothes?  Could you imagine the happiness you would feel when a volunteer is able to give you a memory card with pictures on it you thought were lost forever?  There was one volunteer department responsible for this ‘Photo Recovery Project’.  In an online video, I smiled when I saw those blue laundry hangers with the clips holding photos that had been recovered and carefully cleaned.

I was devastated when I saw the images of the destruction in the days that followed the tragedy.  What was worse was seeing a video taken of the city from a helicopter.  It wasn’t just destruction; it looked apocalyptic.  I recognized about three buildings which were some of the biggest:  The Capital Hotel, City Hall and the building that housed Daiso and the town supermarket, Maiya.  Even though they were spared from the waves which swept mostly everything away, they seemed to stand there like ruins, completely gutted from the inside.  In the days that followed, a closer look at these buildings showed trapped trees, cars, and probably people which were swept into their paths.  Boats on top of buildings seemed commonplace.

I keep in regular contact with my friends in Rikuzentakata and Ofunato, the city next door.  In addition, I do some volunteer editing on the Save Takata website.  I feel like doing all these things is keeping my spirits up.  What also keeps my spirits up is hearing all the stories about my town from volunteers and friends.  The day-to-day activities that show that life really does go on are amazing.  One of humankind’s best qualities is the ability to adapt, and the residents of Rikuzentakata have certainly adapted and carried on.  Enzo Caffarelli, a good friend and former ALT from Takata, has since returned with the volunteer group All Hands.  I remember messaging him back and forth on Facebook after he arrived and he told me was doing some work at a rice harvest cooperative, and being managed by a dirty old Japanese man who loved women and sexual innuendos.  Awesome. Read More

Jan 11

The MEF and JET Programs in US-Japan Relations by Michael Green

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Here’s an article titled “The MEF and JET Programs in US-Japan Relations” (PDF) recently published in the CLAIR Newsletter (in both English and Japanese) and written by  Michael Green, former Director of Asian Affairs for the National Security Council during the Bush Administration and currently a Japan policy expert in D.C.  Michael was a Monbusho English Fellow (MEF), the forerunner to the JET Programme.

Article link:  http://www.clair.or.jp/j/forum/forum/pdf_267/10_jet02.pdf

Here’s an excerpt:

“I was authorized to chair a special committee of the top Japan experts from the State, Defense, Treasury, the CIA, Commerce and USTR. Each agency would designate its own representative. When we first gathered in the Old Executive Office Building and introduced ourselves, we came to an intriguing realization. Every official around the room but one had either been an MEF, a JET or a Mansfield Fellow. We had lived in small towns and cities all across Japan. We could have conducted the entire meeting in Japanese.”

Jan 8

JET News Roundup 1.8.2012

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By Filmore Ha (Ibaraki-ken, 2006-08).  Filmore continues to live and work in the Greater Tokyo Area and is webmaster for JETAA Tokyo, however he is looking for new opportunities in the U.S. or Canada.

Happy New Year!  After a very nice albeit busy Oshougatsu here in Japan, I’m back with the first round up of JET related news for 2012.

• JETAASC Newsletter 12/29/2011
  JETAA Southern California released it’s last newsletter of 2011 on the 29th of December with a summary of the chapter’s annual Bonenkai, info about their upcoming Shinnenkai for anyone who missed out previously, as well as several job listings.
• JETAA Portland Shinnenkai 2012
  Come out and hang with JETAA Portland at their Shinnenkai on January 14th.  Space is limited and the last day to RSVP is Wednesday January 12th so hop to it!
• Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival Songwriting Contest
  2012 marks 100 years since the Mayor of Tokyo presented 3000 cherry blossom trees to Washington D.C., and in celebration this year the city of Nashville, TN is holding a song writing contest in conjunction with their fourth annual Cherry Blossom Festival.  If you’re in the area on March the 24th then definitely go check it out!
• JETAA Tokyo Shinnenkai 2012
  Come out and hang with JETAA Tokyo as we host our 2012 Shinnenkai on January 27th at one of the most loved Mexican restaurants in central Tokyo!