Notable JET alums: Rob Cornilles – U.S. Congressional candidate
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JET alum Rob Cornilles
JET alum Robert Cornilles won the Republican primary for Congress in Oregon’s 1st District and will be running against incumbent Democrat David Wu this November 2010.
Rob is also the founder and CEO of Game Face, a successful sports marketing company with a client list that includes the Chicago Bulls, Miami Dolphins, Boston Celtics, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers.
For more information about Rob and his campaign, you can visit his website at www.cornillesforcongress.com.
JetWit is seeking a volunteer to help post jobs on the JetWit site. If interested, please contact Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
The role primarily involves taking jobs that have been sent to the JetWit Jobs Google Group and making sure they also get posted to the JetWit site in a timely manner. You’re also welcome to find additional job listings that might be of interest to JET alums and post them on the site as well.
Knowledge of WordPress is helpful. (If you don’t know how to use it, then I’ll explain it to you–a good chance to learn a new skill.)
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
New “JET Alumni Policy & Government Group” on LinkedIn
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A new LinkedIn group called “JET Alumni Policy & Government” has been set up by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) for JETs and JET alumni who work in any field related to policy or government, aspire to work in related fields or have an interest in the topic.
CLICK HERE to see the group and join.
WIT LIfe #119: 小東京
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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.
My current travels bring me to Los Angeles, so a trip to Little Tokyo (aka 小東京 or sho Tokyo) was in order. My first stop was Mikawaya, a (cash-only) sweets shop located in the Japanese village. As you can see in the picture on the right, they have a colorful selection of mochi. The top row features fruity and exotic flavors ranging from strawberry, orange, pineapple, melon and blueberry to coconut and chocolate. They offer bite-sized samples (and let you try as many as you want!), and I enjoyed the coconut and the strawberry.
However, 
when it came to buying some mochi to take home I decided Read More
JETAA Chapter Beat 8.27.10
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Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community for another edition of JETAA Chapter Beat.
- Bowling in Aiea – Saturday, August 28th, 4:45 to 7:00 at Aiea Bowl. Set em up and knock em down with JETAA Hawaii this month.
- London Pub Night – Thursday, September 2nd, 6:30 at the Crane and Tortoise. Practice your Japanese, see old friends and have some authentic Japanese cuisine at this month’s Pub Night in London.
- O-Shaberikai – Wednesday, September 1st, 6:00 at Coo Izakaya in Civic. Join in and meet Japanese people living in Canberra and other locals interested in Japan.
- Nara Candle Festival Volunteers Needed – As planning for the annual Nara Candle Festival continues, the search for volunteers is on for people to help before and after the festival, as well as people to work the gyoza stand. This year’s festival is happening on the 18th of September, so keep your calendars open.
- KaiWA – Thursday September 9th and 23rd, 5:30 at 43 Below. Practice Japanese with old friends and some tasty snacks.
- Reel Anime – Sunday, September 19th Luna Leederville is playing host to this year’s edition of Reel Anime, a mini-festival celebrating Japanese Anime. This year’s feature is entitled Summer Wars. More details to come, so stay tuned.
- Returnee’s Party – Saturday, September 25th, 6:30 at Fuji Restaurant in Vic Park. Join the official welcome of the returning JETs to JETAAWA as a longtime member or a fresh off the boat returner.
- Mokuyokai Hike to Joffre Lakes – Saturday, August 28th, 8:15 A.M to 8:00 P.M. at Joffre Lake. Mokuyokai is heading into the woods for a challenging hike to the emerald green alpine Joffre Lakes. Transportation is included and the trail is a sometimes steep and rocky 11km, so come prepared for a workout.
- Bonsai Class – Saturday, September 25th, 10:00 to 3:30(with a half hour break for lunch) at the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Center. Learn how to develop, transform and care for your bonsai at this informative class.
- Anime Costume Contest – Saturday, August 28th, 6:00 to 11:00 at the Chinatown-ID Night Market. Dress in your Cartoon finest or just come out for some delicious night market treats.
- Aki Matsuri Volunteers Needed! – PNWJETAA is looking for volunteers to help with this year’s Aki Matsuri on September 11th and 12th. Do your part in helping to preserve the JET Program by helping to inform people about JET and your own experiences working and living in Japan.
- General Meeting – Wednesday, September 1st, 6:30 to 8:00 PNWJETAA is holding its September General Meeting. Topics such as event planning, volunteer opportunities and much more will be discussed, so come out and lend your voice to the future of your chapter.
- Happy Hour – Friday, September 3rd, 6:00 at Kushibar. Old alums and new are invited to share a laugh or two over a drink at this month’s Happy Hour event.
- Samurai Sword Fighting Class – Saturday, September 11th, 2:00 to 4:00 at 440 Studios 4A. Samurai performer Yoshi Amao will be leading a special class on Samurai Sword Fighting, going over a variety of basic techniques with the class. Don’t miss this one of a kind experience.
- 2010 Annual JETAANY Softball Tournament – Saturday, September 18th, 9:00 at Red Hook Brooklyn. Sign up for the team or just come out as a spectator to this year’s slow pitch softball tournament.
- Book Club Meeting – Thursday, September 9th, 7:00 in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. This month’s selection is Natuso Kirino’s “Out.” Start reading now so you can contribute to the discussion.
- Clash of the Baseball Titans – Ichiro vs. Matsui – Friday, September 10th, at Angels Stadium in Anaheim. Come out for a day at the ballpark to see the Angels take on the Seattle Mariners, followed by fireworks after the game.
- JETAA Golf Classic – Saturday, September 11th, 1:00 at Monterey Park Golf Course. Dust off the clubs and show your skills on the links for a friendly JETAA golf get together.
What happened at your chapter’s event? If you attend(ed) any of these exciting events, JetWit would love to hear about them. Just contact Jonathan Trace with any info, stories or comments.
Jobs: 2 Openings at Global Career Partners Inc (Seattle/Tokyo)
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Via the PNWJETAA Listserv:
Position in Seattle:
- Sales/Purchase
- Industry: Trading
- Salary 35K-50K, full benefits
Duties:
- Purchases agricultural products from suppliers in the US and sells to vendors in Japan, China and Taiwan
- Develop new markets and customers
Qualifications: Read More
Jobs: Relocation Consultant and Car Lease Coordinator (Nagoya and Tokyo)
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Via the JETAA Job Listserv:
H&R Consultants K.K. and Relo Japan K.K. are currently looking to fill two positions: Relocation Consultant (Nagoya Office) and Car Lease Coordinator (Tokyo Office), and welcome applications from ex-Jets. If you are interested in applying for either of these positions, please follow the instructions on their webpage: http://www.morethanrelo.com/relocation-consultant.asp
These two companies were founded to provide comprehensive support in Japan for international assignees, their families, and their employers. Applications for the Car Lease Coordinator (Tokyo Office) are due to close on September 6th, and for the Relocation Consultant (Nagoya Office) on September 15th.
Job: Japanese Language Teaching Position (Independence, OR)
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Via the JETAA Portland LinkedIn group:
Central High School in Independence, Oregon is looking for a Japanese teacher. The position is currently listed on the district website. Independence is 20 minutes West of Salem. If you have any questions please e-mail the principal Sylvia Warren as soon as possible at swarren@central.k12.or.us.
Job (Repost): English Language Teacher Needed Now for Private School (Hokkaido)
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Via the JETAA Portland LinkedIn group:
Are you looking for an opportunity to help build an English program from the ground up for elementary school age children?
A new, private school located in Hokkaido will open in September 2011. The school is dedicated to providing a place for young children to experience an international atmosphere. The goal for the English program is to have a well-structured, yet flexible curriculum that isn’t based on conventional textbook teaching. Students will have the opportunity to learn while playing and experiencing activities held in the English-speaking environment.
We are seeking an experienced, creative and dynamic teacher to lead the English program for elementary school age children. Previous teaching experience and a desire to work with young children is a must. Experience in Japan is helpful, but not required. The position will commence in September 2010 or March 2011.
Please send brief history and reason for interest in the position to Courtneyadodson@ gmail.com, by *August 31*.
Job: ALT position in Hokkaido
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**** Position has been filled ****
Via the Hokkaido JETs listserv:
An ALT position has become available in Horokanai-cho and Wassamu-cho. Their ALT has fallen ill and has returned to Australia for treatment, so they are looking to fill this ALT position ASAP. It can be either a full-time or part-time position.
Here are the details:
Starting date: They would like the ALT to start September 6th and stay until the end of the term in December.
Location: Horokanai-cho and Wassamu-cho, both about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes north of Takikawa. Monday and Tuesday will be in Wassamu, and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will be in Horokanai.
Working hours: Full-time is 8:30-4:00, Monday through Friday
Part-time is 4 hours a day, usually Monday through Friday but depends on school’s schedule. They would ideally like the ALT to work full-time and participate in club activities.
Pay: Full-time is 210,000 yen per month, after taxes. Part-time is 2000 yen per hour. A car is necessary for this position. Transportation fees will be covered. Native English speakers are preferred.
Housing: An apartment is available in Horokanai for 20,000 yen a month.
The company hiring is JES Network. Interested applicants can contact them directly via their webpage:
https://shcgi.ftw.jp/master/100611/10061100258/f7245.html
JET ROI: More extensive Kyodo News article on JETAA USA Conference
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Kyodo News has published a more extensive article on the JETAA USA National Conference (“US JET alums rally to save group’s funding from chopping block”) held in New York City August 12-15. Quotes from JETAA NY President Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken, 2000-02) feature prominently and help make the case for the value of JETAA to Japan while building on existing momentum. Such as:
“We now have a unified goal and position, which enables us to send a strong and consistent message to the Japanese government and to our local communities that JET and JETAA are not only worthwhile but essential to U.S.-Japan relations.”
Here’s the link to the full article in The Mainichi Daily: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/news/20100826p2g00m0fe075000c.html
And here’s a scan of the first page of the original Kyodo article which includes a photo of Megan. (The Kyodo version is only available via subscription.)
Click here for more JetWit posts about this topic and related media coverage.
New York Mets Tap JETs for Inaugural Japanese Heritage Night
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Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field, Friday, Aug. 27.
By JQ Magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories.
Move over, Matsui.
The New York Mets will hold its first-ever Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field on Friday, Aug. 27 against the Houston Astros, with discounted ticket rates available for all family and friends of the Japanese community.
Pre-game entertainment includes taiko drumming by acclaimed troupe Soh Daiko; a traditional Obon dance led by the Japanese Folk Institute of New York featuring dance participants from the Japanese heritage community and friends; the Spirit Award ceremony honoring those in baseball, the military and community service; and the national anthem sung by Japanese Hispanic American Kurt Sanchez Kanazawa.
Donna Tsufura, cofounder of Japanese Americans and Japanese in America (JAJA) and one of the organizers of Friday’s event, has contacted groups like the JET Alumni Association of New York to recruit volunteers to help publicize, assist with and participate in this special night, including the ancestor-honoring Tanko Bushi dance itself in center field. Tsufura said that this helps to fulfill JETAA NY’s mission to increase the understanding and appreciation of Japan and its people in the U.S.
Read the complete story here.
Notable JET alums: Tim Harms
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Tim Harms (1994-95) is film producer for the indie film The Vicious Kind among other films. Tim was also the line producer for The Harimya Bridge, a film written and directed by fellow JET alum Aaron Woolfolk.
Notable JET Alums: Maynard Plant and Monkey Majik
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Members of Monkey Majik with Deputy Minister Len Edwards
Maynard Plant (Aomori-ken, 1997-2000) is the founder of the well-known Japan-based band Monkey Majik (www.monkeymajik.com), which consists of two Canadian members (Maynard and his brother Blaise) and two Japanese members-tax and DICK.
For more information you can check out their:
- Website: www.monkeymajik.com
- Wikipedia entry (where you’ll learn about the origins of the band as well as how Maynard is fluent in Aomori-ben): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_Majik
- Embassy of Japan in Canada press release: “Goodwill Ambassadors, Monkey Majik, arrive in Ottawa to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Japan-Canada Diplomatic Relations”
Here is their song Change with the Yoshida Brothers (a video all JET alums will appreciate):
Do you know of any notable JET alums? Let us know at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Call for Volunteers: JET Ambassadors for School Visits
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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.
