NHK video of JETAA NY Fundraiser
Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters, JETs in the News, Networking, Roland Kelts, Video 
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Thanks to Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) for sharing the link to this NHK video on Tuesday night’s JETAANY Japan Fundraiser:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/jishin0311/movie/chapter_66.html
Roland Kelts helps launch debut issue of “MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan” with April/May events in NYC
Books, Celebrity, Cultural Outreach, Events, Fundraising, JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums, Roland Kelts, Translating/Interpreting, Writers Comments Off on Roland Kelts helps launch debut issue of “MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan” with April/May events in NYC
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Via Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica and the contributing editor for MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan:
A Letter from A Public Space (Brooklyn-based literary publication):
A Public Space Literary Projects announces the debut issue of MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan, with April/May launch events in New York City.
New York City, New York, April 4, 2011—A Public Space (APS) announces publication of the first annual English language edition of Monkey Business: New Voices from Japan (MB), supported by a generous grant from the Nippon Foundation. Three launch programs in New York City in late April and early May will bring together authors, translators and editors from Japan and the US for this first-of-its-kind trans-cultural literary event. Twenty-five percent of all MB sales will go toward the Nippon Foundation/CANPAN Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
Monkey Business is a Tokyo-based Japanese literary magazine founded in 2008 by award-winning translator, scholar, editor and author Motoyuki Shibata. One of Japan’s best known and most highly regarded translators of American fiction, Shibata has won numerous accolades, most recently the 2010 Japan Translation Cultural Prize for his translation of Thomas Pynchon’s Mason & Dixon, and has introduced to Japanese readers works by Paul Auster, Steven Millhauser, Rebecca Brown, Stuart Dybek and Steve Erickson, among others.
Shibata, who was interviewed in the first issue of APS, modeled MB in part on the Brooklyn literary journal. Founded in 2006 by editor Brigid Hughes, A Public Space is devoted to cutting-edge literature—not just from American contributors, but by writers and artists spanning the globe. Each issue presents a portfolio that explores an international literary scene. The debut issue of APS featured a portfolio from Japan, curated and edited by author Roland Kelts (Japanamerica) and MB founder Shibata, and featuring contributions from Haruki Murakami, Yoko Ogawa, Kazushige Abe and others. Issue 1 was praised by readers in the US and Japan and has long been sold out.”
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Update: Here’s a clip from NHK TV about the JETAANY Fundraiser including some interviews with JET alums.
JETAA NY’s Fundraiser for Japan was held last night at Slate (50 W. 21st St) and drew over 300 people while raising over $10,000 for the JETAA USA Fund. The event also drew significant Japanese media coverage and included a table run by NY-based Japanese volunteer organization NY de Volunteer to give people an opportunity to write messages of support back to Japan.
Photos to come.
Did your JETAA chapter hold a fundraiser or engage in earthquake/tsunami relief activities? Email jetwit [at] jetwit.com with details and photos.
The Anchorage Daily News has an article reporting that the body of Rikuzentakata JET Montgomery “Monty” Dickson has been found. This is very sad news but also not unexpected at this point. From the article, it sounds like Monty’s family is relieved to finally know.
Thoughts and prayers and lots of warmth to Monty’s family and friends from JETwit and the JET and JET alumni communities. You will be missed by many, including those of us who never had a chance to meet you.
MTV’s Act Blog: ‘Smile Kids Japan’ Turns Spotlight On Orphans Affected By Disaster
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Here’s a recent article on MTV’s Act Blog about collaboration amongst Smile Kids Japan (founded by Fukui JET Mike Maher-King), and Tokyo-based non-profit livingdreams.jp to form an effort called Smiles & Dreams: The Tohoku Kids Project aimed at providing “immediate and long-term support to orphanages in Tohoku and other areas that were affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami.”.
To learn more or to make a donation, go to their Global Giving page: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-orphans-in-japan-rebuild-lives-post-tsunami/
WIT Life #159: UN Messages of Solidarity with Japan
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Last week I had an interpreting assignment at the United Nations Department of Public Information, and while there I had the chance to learn about a new webcast series featuring UN Messengers of Peace showing their support of Japan during this time of crisis. Currently there are 8 of these public service announcements with the bilingual tagline “Japan we are standing by your side (みなさんを応援しています).” They are offered by prominent figures such as Ban Ki-moon and Michael Douglas, and I particularly like the one of Stevie Wonder which closes with him saying, “Japan, I love you!” to the tune of his famous song. All of the spots have Japanese translations at the bottom, and they are scheduled to be shown in Japan by NHK and other providers. They began at the end of March and are scheduled to continue throughout the year, so make sure to check them out as new messages are added!
Deadline Extended: Survey of American Alumni of the JET Program
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Just received word from JET alum Emily Metzgar, Assistant Professor at Indiana University’s School of Journalism that given everything going on with the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, the deadline for the Survey of American Alumni of the JET Program has been extended to April 8 up until midnight. (Here’s the original post for the full explanation.) If you haven’t completed it yet, it would be greatly appreciated if you could as this info will have an impact on the future of the JET Program.
AMERICAN JET ALUMNI SURVEY
(URL: http://iujournalism.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5hFAK01YxHtzqfO)
Hanami: JETAA Northern California
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Event: JET alum author Roland Kelts to speak in London April 14
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Attention JETAA UK! Join Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, at The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London on Thursday, April 14 for a talk on “Pop culture from a Multipolar Japan.” Talk is 4-5 pm followed by drinks reception to 6pm.
Note: If you plan on attending, please register for the event at http://www.dajf.org.uk/events/booking-form
Has your JETAA chapter had its hanami gathering yet? If so, please send a couple photos (or link to photos) to Gail Meadows at gail [at] jetwit.com so we can start sharing some of them with the alumni community on JETwit.
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
JET Prefecture Round-up 04.04.11: Volunteer information by prefecture
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AJET has posted a very helpful chart with links to “Volunteer,” “Donations” and “Events” info by prefecture.
http://ajet.net/lang/en/2011/04/04/volunteer-donation-information-by-prefecture/
Also, here’s a link to all AJET posts concerning earthquake/tsunami relief.
Surviving In Japan: How to Find Out How Fast Your Laundry Will Dry
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Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese"
Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.
You probably already know that most people in Japan hang out their laundry to dry. Drive or ride past apartment buildings on a sunny day and you’ll see clothes, towels, blankets and futons hanging from bars and draped over the rail. And what could be better than to have the sun dry and naturally remove odors and stains from your items? It’s a wonderful thing. Well, at least when you don’t have the strong winter wind like here in Shizuoka attempting to throw your stuff over the ledge (I’ve gotten quite clever at coming up with ways to keep things from blowing off the balcony).
And you probably also know that you wouldn’t hang clothes outside if it’s raining or looks like it’s going to rain.
But what if you could know how fast your clothes might dry on any given day?
There’s a neat tool on various weather websites that determines a “laundry index” or 洗濯指数 (せんたくしすう, sentaku shisuu) – essentially it tells you if it’s a good day for hanging out laundry or not and how quickly certain items will dry.
For this example I’m going to use tenki.jp, though you can find the laundry index on Yahoo and other sites as well (and they are all the same so I can’t say one is better than another).
First, go to tenki.jp, and then click on 指数情報 (しすうじょうほう, shisuu jouhou – sort of like “index information”), as in the picture below. (There’s actually a map of Japan in that blank gray box but it didn’t show up in my screenshot for some reason.)
Next, choose 洗濯 (せんたく, sentaku, laundry). — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
Justin’s Japan: In New York This Week, JET Fundraisers, Networkings, Sake, Arts, Monster Wrestling
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By JQ magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories.
Only in New York. As the JapanNYC festival’s slated performances wrap up this week, here’s a rundown of more Nippon-flavored events of note:
Tuesday, April 5, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Slate – 54 West 21st Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
$25 donation for entry, plus two raffle tickets. Additional tickets can be purchased both in advance and during the event.
The JET Alumni Association of New York, in partnership with NY de Volunteer, will be holding a fundraiser to benefit Japan. The night will include great drink specials, entertainment, and wonderful raffle prizes. Over 30 generous JET Alumni and local businesses have donated goods and services to the cause, such as cooking classes, bottles of sake, private dance lessons, handmade jewelry, and more!
All proceeds from this event will go to the JETAA USA Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. During the event, volunteers will be collecting messages for Send Hope to Japan from the World to further express solidarity during this difficult time. This open event will have a great crowd of JET alumni, members of the local Japanese community, and many other New Yorkers wanting to show their support. All are welcome to attend.
Tuesday, April 5, 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Solas – 232 East 9th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues)
Free with RSVP to events@hillslearning.com. $5 suggested donation at door.
Spring is here, and what better way to bring in the new season than to celebrate and network! Hills Learning and Two Rivers Associates will provide a raffle, snacks, and, of course, multiple opportunities to build your network. Come enjoy the fresh smells and sights of spring and build up your contacts in the season of new opportunities. The Solas bar will of course provide an extended happy hour for guests, and an exclusive second floor private bar service.
Saturday, April 9, 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Concert for Japan
Japan Society
333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
Tickets: $5/$100 for gala block for certain acts
Japan Society‘s is raising the roof (and funds to help Japan) with this ambitious 12-hour concert extravaganza, from which 100% of the proceeds will go to the Japan Society’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. John Zorn organized the GALA BLOCKS, which include Philip Glass and Hal Willner, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Bill Laswell with gigi band. New York-based Japanese bands Echostream, Hard Nips, and Me and Mars will also perform. Shakuhachi Grand Master James Nyoraku Schlefer assembled a group of traditional Japanese artists such as koto player Masayo Ishigure and gagaku flute player Sadahiro Kakitani. In addition to these musical delights, there will be special activities, from learning basic Japanese phrases to origami crane folding to learning the basics of shodo calligraphy.
Saturday, April 9, 7:00 p.m.
Kaiju Big Battel – “When Danger Comes to Town”
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
237 West 42nd Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues)
Tickets: $15.00 advance general admission/$18.00 day of show
In perhaps the ultimate American nod to Godzilla and Ultraman-styled smackdowns, Kaiju Big Battel is live wrestling of epic proportions. Planet Earth is under threat: scattered throughout the galaxy is a monstrous mob of maniacal villains, menacing alien beasts, and giant, city-crushing monsters that are waging war against one another. Currently, the Kaiju Universe maintains an active roster of approximately 30 monsters, including a blue alien-glutton named Sky Deviler, a factory-worker-turned-soup-can called Kung-Fu Chicken Noodle, and a despicable, square-headed mad scientist known as Dr. Cube. After a rapturous reception at Brooklyn’s Warsaw last October, Kaiju is taking Manhattan with no holds barred.
Click here for the rest of this week’s events.
The April 2011 issue of the Sake World e-newsletter by JET alum and the leading non-Japanese sake expert in the world, John Gauntner (a.k.a. “The Sake Guy”), is now available online.
In this issue:
- Greetings
- Good rice? Bad rice?
- The Current Situation in Japan
- Announcements and Events: Sake Professional Course in NYC
- Did you Know?
- Sake Basics
- Sake Education Central
via JETAA NY. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika currently works as an in-house translator for PFU (a Fujitsu company) in Kahoku-shi, Ishikawa-ken. She is also the vocalist for the Japanese hardcore punk band DEGRADE.
*Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JetWit. Thanks.
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Job Position: Secretary to Senior Diplomats at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN
Job Details:
The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations is seeking a Secretary to senior diplomats at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations.
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