I don’t know how other JET alumni chapters deal with this issue, but in JETAA NY we refer to members of our community who are not officially JET alums as “Friends of JET” or “FOJs” (pronounced fahjz).
Additionally, the term “WOJ” (i.e., “Wife of JET”) occasionally comes up.
And lastly, while it hasn’t caught on yet, I propose increased use of the term “SOJ” (i.e., “Significant Other of JET”) for those vague and undefined relationships that require a category in the JET context. (Though I suppose FOJ could also apply to “Fiancee of JET” as well.)
How you do deal with this issue in your chapter or JET-vironment? Share comments on this post, or send JetWit an email.
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Miguel Gervais (Saitama-ken, Fukaya City, 2000-03) founded and runs the M.L.C.英会話 (eikaiwa) school in Fukaya City, Saitama-ken which currently teaches approximately 45-50 students. He is originally from Canada and was kind enough to write this article in response to a JetWit request to share his career experience.
Any other JET alums interested in sharing their own career advice, experience and perspectives are encouraged to e-mail your article idea to Steven at jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com.
Having a Job is Irresponsible
My friend Jack is a fine, upstanding person and a great teacher. He’s been in Japan for untold years, had a job that he liked well enough and is blessed with a wonderful family. Unfortunately, the college that had hired him for the past 10 years or so suddenly refused to renew his yearly contract. In their magnanimity, they told him this one month before he was due to start the new school year. Obviously, this was much too late to find another job.
Jack is a great teacher. He is a valuable asset… and yet he is now unemployed and in rather desperate straits. But things could have been even worse… he could have been forced to leave Japan, just like untold numbers of other teachers after the NOVA debacle. Luckily, he is on a spousal visa and was spared this final humiliation.
Don’t let this happen to you! Life-time employment has never been in the cards for foreign teachers in Japan. Unless you are Read More
JETSites: JET Prefectural Websites and Newsletters?
Blogs, JETAA Chapters, Website 
Comments Off on JETSites: JET Prefectural Websites and Newsletters?
JetWit has just created a new page in the JETLinks section of this site called “JET Prefectural Websites and Newsletters.”
So far, the only ones listed are Hiroshima-ken and Akita-ken. There are, of course, many more out there. So please send an e-mail to jetwit [at] jetwit [dot] com to share links for your prefecture’s:
- Website
- Blog
- Yahoo or Google group
- Wiki-site
- Facebook page
- Twitter feed
- LinkedIn group
- Any other crazy new form of media the kids have come up with recently
Thanks and yoroshiku.
Sushi and Sake: JET alum columns
Article/Journalism, Food & Drink, Writers Comments Off on Sushi and Sake: JET alum columns
Elizabeth White (Toyama-ken, 1995-98), the Media Coordinator for JETAA Southern California, has been helping Sushi & Sake magazine collect writing from JET alums for the last few years.
Here’s a link to the JET alum writing on their site, including the latest column by Devon Brown (Tokyo-ken, 2002-04) titled “Taking One for the Team.”
And here are links to columns from past issues:
BACK ISSUES – JET Alumni Association
2008 Issues: December • June • May • April • March • February • January
2007 Issues: December • November • October • September • August • July • June • May • April • March
For anyone interested in contributing to future issues of Sushi & Sake, please feel free to contact Elizabeth via e-mail.
Jobs: International Education Programs (Chronicle of Higher Ed.)
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Via the Chronicle of Higher Education’s international education programs job listing:
6/22/2009
- Ball State University (Indiana) : Director of International Student Recruitment and Admissions, Rinker Center for International Programs
- Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge (Louisiana) : Coordinator 2 (Grants), Office of International Programs
- St. John’s University (N.Y.) (New York) : Associate Director of International Admission (R2758); Office of Admission (Undergraduate)
- Stephen F. Austin State University (Texas) : Director, Office of International Programs
- U.S. Department of State () : Deputy Director of Fulbright Program, Turkey
- University of Maryland University College () : Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
- University of Maryland University College () : Regional Managers
JETSites: Frugalista Japan
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Just came across this interesting blog called Frugalista Japan (http://www.frugalistajapan.com): Money saving tips and ideas for foreigners in Japan! They have a post on something I’d never even considered before but which sounds pretty useful: How to Check Your Credit Score in Japan.
Has anyone else come across this blog before? I know there are a number of similar kinds of useful sites in the U.S. such as Bargain Babe. But this is the first I’ve heard of an English-language one in Japan. Are there others out there?
Job: On-Site Translator (Frankfurt, Germany)
Career, Jobs, Translating/Interpreting Comments Off on Job: On-Site Translator (Frankfurt, Germany)
JetWit job poster Stephen Palanik (Fukushima Ken, 2004-08) learned of the following employment opportunity through the Honyaku E <> J Mailing List and thought it might be of interest to former JETs in Europe in general and Germany in particular. Stephen is a translator based in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Ken, and he periodically posts job listings and event information for JET alumni.
Aerotek (click here for the Aerotek USA Web site), one of the world’s largest recruitment companies, is looking to recruit Japanese to English Translators for a global household name in Frankfurt. The client has an unrivaled reputation and is known throughout the world as an employer of choice. Click here to view the original thread on the Honyaku E <> J Mailing List.
The Role:
Working for a global household name who is a true global leader in the entertainment industry.
You will be responsible for the translation of a wide range of texts from Japanese to English. These texts will vary in complexity and subject matter.
You will be responsible for proof-reading translations provided by 3rd parties, checking the texts for errors and checking the content and grammar.
Read More
J-News Mini-Roundup: “Talent” Governor, Candidate for Congressman?
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PLEASE CLICK THE DOCTOR for Japanese Lesson Signup
J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com).
Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese language learning options. Their main service is private one on one Japanese language lessons in the NYC area, where the student chooses where and when to have lessons. They’ve also recently expanded to include the Korean and Chinese languages.
Today’s Article:
Background: One of the most amusing parts of Japanese politics is the willingness for politicians to get involved in comedy shows. Although this might sound familiar in terms of American politicians joining Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, or Obama at Jay Leno, the Japanese air tons of comedy and game shows everyday, most of which do not have the star quality of a light night talk show. It is here where the “Talent” Governor, Hideo Higashikokubaru, appears so much that the average viewer wouldn’t recognize him as a governor.
A former comedian turned politician, Higashikokubaru-san uses the television to increase his popularity and discuss his political life. Today he was encouraged to be a candidate for the Diet by Koga-san, the head of the electoral commission. Each newspaper reported a different take on the event…
Asahi “Higashikokubaru: If I were a candidate…” The Asahi reported more detailed commentary…
(CLICK HERE for the rest of the article, that includes Japanese News Summaries)
Dan Dooher, an Akita-ken ALT and who also serves as the Prefectural Advisor, recently let JetWit know about their English-language guide to Akita-ken for JETs.
http://www.akitajet.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
Not sure if other prefectures have done something similar or if this is standard, but Akita-ken has put together a fantastic wiki-style site. When you first arrive you see a map of Akita divided into cities. Clicking on a city leads to a whole wealth of useful information for any JET (or any English-speaker for that matter) who’s planning on going there.
The left sidebar includes links to topics such as Entering JET, Financing, Travel, Health, Driving, Computers and Phones, Entertainment, Volunteer Opportunities and other extremely helpful topics. On the right are feeds for “Latest Discussion” and “Events/Updates.” And scrolling down leads to a Calendar as well as an Article Spotlight featuring “What is the Akita International Sumo Taikai?” (Note: How come my prefecture didn’t have a sumo taikia?) (Additional note: How come the internet didn’t exist when I was on JET?)
Do other prefectures have JET sites like this? (We know, for example, that Hiroshima-ken has The Wide Island View, a terrific e-zine for the JET community there, published by Gail Cetnar Meadows and Josh Zimmer.)
If so, please send the link to JetWit along with any other info and we’ll be more than happy to post it on the site for the benefit of readers.
Job: Japanese teacher (Seattle, WA)
Jobs Comments Off on Job: Japanese teacher (Seattle, WA)
Via JETAA Pacific Northwest:
Please forward this email if you know of an experienced Japanese teacher looking for a position:
The Issaquah School District (20 minutes east of Seattle) is currently interviewing for Japanese teachers. Washington State teaching certificate and endorsement in Japanese preferred, but experienced teachers without these credentials may also apply.
Submit your application online at:
https://web. issaquah. wednet.edu/ jobs/jobs. aspx?id=746&type=1&int=External
JETAA NY Webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) is settling into his summer internship at Creative Commons in San Francisco and is working on a site called OpenEd that will act as a kind of portal for the open education community.
Lee-Sean suggested that the JET community, which already does a lot to share their lesson plans and ESL games, might be a good group to engage on OpenEd site.
Lee-Sean has started a a preliminary Wiki page and says he would welcome any input as well as more links to relevant resources. Since the site is a wiki, anyone can create an account and edit the site.
http://opened.creativecommons.org/OER_for_JET_Programme_Participants
Pre-Departure Orientation: The Documents!
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Thanks to JETAA NY Webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) and JETAA NY President Megan Miller (Hyogo-ken, 2000-02), below is a link to all of the PowerPoints and PDFs of presentations at the JETAA NY Predeparture Orientation which was held this past weekend on Saturday, June 20, 2009.
http://jetaany.org/2009/06/21/2009-jet-pre-departure-documents/
- Asian-American JETS (Powerpoint)
- Travel In and Out of Japan (PDF)
- Japanese Etiquette (Powerpoint)
- Life as a JET (.ppt)
- Vegetarian in Japan – Vocabulary Sheet (Word Document)
- Vegetarian in Japan – Wallet Card (Word .doc)
- Vegetarian in Japan – Wallet Card (Word .docx)
- Women’s Issues Seminar (.pptx)
If you have documents, or links to documents, from the Pre-Departure Orientation in your chapter, please feel free to e-mail them to jetwit [at] jetwit [dotc] com and we’ll post them here for the benefit of JETs as well as for the benefit of JET alums who will organize future Pre-D Orientations. Also, please feel free to e-mail a write-up about your chapter’s Pre-D Orientation and how it went. Other chapters would love to hear about it.
Event: SWET Summer Party
Events, Networking, Translating/Interpreting, Writers Comments Off on Event: SWET Summer Party
The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators presents:
The SWET Summer Party!
Event: SWET Summer Party
What: Club Party
Host: Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators (SWET)
Start Time: Sunday, July 26 at 1:00pm
End Time: Sunday, July 26 at 4:00pm
Where: Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, Kantokutei Hiroma
Click here to see more details and to RSVP.
Japan America Society Roundup 6.22.09
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, co-editor of the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming activities of various Japan America societies…
- After the Crisis: Corporate Governance in Japan — Experts from Japan and the U.S. will shed light on critical issues and future directions in corporate governance in Japan and abroad. The luncheon keynote address will be given by Anne Sheehan, Director of Corporate Governance for the California State Teachers’ Retirement System. The cost is $100 for JSNC members who register before July 15.
- Date: Friday, August 7
- Time: 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Place: Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St., San Francisco
- For more information, click here.
JAS of the State of Washington
Tanabata Festival — Tanabata is a Japanese festival celebrated on July 7 every year. The festival represents the meeting of Orihime and Hikoboshi. The Milky Way separates these lovers except on July 7, when they are allowed to meet only once a year on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. At this informal event, you can hear the story of Tanabata, write your wish on a piece of paper and hang it on bamboo. Advanced registration is required with a deadline of July 6. To register, click here.
- Date: Tuesday, July 7
- Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Place: Japan-America Society of the State of Washington Office/Waterfront Balcony, World Trade Center West, 2200 Alaskan Way, Suite 400, Seattle
- For more information, click here.
- Career Fair — Network, establish connections and be interviewed by Japanese companies who are hiring for a variety of levels of experience and backgrounds. Attendance is free and open to JASP members and friends. To register, click here.
- Date: Friday, July 17
- Time: 9 a.m. to noon
- Place: USX Tower, Room 1080,
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/jasp/events.html
Down Home Japanese Cooking & Sake Tasting — Sample premium sake from various parts of Japan and find out how to enjoy sake using sight, smell and taste. You will also learn how to match the beverages with a selection of Japanese summer cuisine. The cost is $40 for JASG members. Register online by July 13.
- Date: Thursday, July 16
- Time: 7 to 10 p.m.
- Place: Taka Sushi & Passion, 375 Pharr Road, Atlanta, Georgia
- For more information: http://www.jasgeorgia.org/
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She now works as a media planner in Chelsea and sorely misses all her favorite midtown ramen joints.
BlogBeat recently spoke with JET alum Janice Momoko Chow (Saitama, 2005-2006), a New York based-brand consultant and strategist about her blog.
A brand new addition to our blogroll, Janice describes Momoko Mashups as a place for her “thoughts and musings on fashion & style, art & design, technology & innovation, sustainability, New York City, and how everything transcends into culture and our everyday perceptions.” The site was created a year ago and continues to evolve as she adds new bits and pieces from her continuous quest for fun and fresh things to explore around the world.
Hailing from sunny Temple City in Southern California, Janice studied Brand Development and Psychology at the University of California-San Diego. While living and working in Tokyo, she fell in love with a life immersed in fashion, contemporary art, and design while working as a brand consultant for a range of clients, including Levi Strauss.
“It was an incredible experience,” she says. “I explored and tasted many different things that I wouldn’t normally be interested in. I sought after the latest sho chu spirits, sustainable electronic batteries, talked to the boys and girls who notoriously hang out in Harajuku, chatted with art students, and visited the denim mills south of Osaka.
Janice is now working on developing a communications and brand strategy for artist Suzy Taekyung Kim, while also working on ongoing projects from The Lambesis Agency as a brand consultant. You can find more about her work here.
