Mar 3

Middlebury Institute Virtual Preview Days, March 22-26


Meet the students, staff, and faculty from all over the world that make up our community, and find out how a degree from the Institute can give your career plans a meaningful boost. Attend program meetings, sit in on a class and participate in panel discussions. Learn more and sign up today!


Mar 3

Footprints and Footsteps: 3.11 and the Future of Tohoku Online Tribute Event

10 years have passed since the March 11. 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake. CLAIR NY will be hosting online screenings of documentary films about this disaster, along with panel discussions and other events. Many of these films are by or about JET Program participants, and all deal with various aspects of JET and other foreign support for Japan, sister city and exchange relationships, and recovery efforts in Tohoku.

Date
March 5, through March 11, 2021
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) each day

There are real-time live-streamed film screenings and Live Q&A sessions with the directors each night. We have three panel discussions about “Sister City Relationships”, “Japanese Food Culture and Health” and “The Future of Tohoku”. You can also access each film anytime from March 5th at 7 PM to March 14th at 9 PM (EST).

*Panel discussions will be held in English. It’s open to the public. Feel free to join with your friends.

Register here (Free):
https://watch.eventive.org/ff311tohoku

We will keep you updated through our FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/Footprints-Footsteps-311-and-the-Future-of-Tohoku-103744258354561/


Mar 2

Job: Various Positions – National Peace Corps Association (Various Locations)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email


Position: Various Positions
Posted by:
National Peace Corps Association
Location: Various Locations
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job passed along to us by a JET alum who wishes to remain anonymous:

The National Peace Corps Association is hiring for the following positions among many: Director of Development (new position); Associate Editor (new position); Finance Director (new position); Digital Content Manager (vacant). 

Application Process: More details here – https://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/jobs?current_page=1&sort_type=featured_recent&filter=%

 
 

Mar 1

Online Community Writing Workshops

Passing along info about short-term, low-cost creative workshops for adults of any age, sponsored by Wilkes University, a low-residency MFA program:

Enjoy inexpensive non-credit 5-6 week creative writing workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting. Workshops are open to adults of any age or education level and are conveniently held online via Zoom.

A highlight of the series is a weekend session on screenwriting, presented by Wilkes creative writing faculty member and screenwriter of Tigerland Ross Klavan.

https://wilkes.edu/writingworkshops


Feb 27

WIT Life #351: Loneliness in the time of Corona

Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) presents WIT Life, a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as art, film, food and language. Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she offers some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.

The ongoing coronavirus is taking its toll on each of us in different ways. The rise in 自殺 (jisatsu or suicide) and other 絶望死 (zetsuboushi or deaths of despair) that we are seeing here in the U.S. is also being seen in Japan. To combat its own 孤独という伝染病 (kodoku to iu densenbyou or loneliness epidemic), the Japanese government appointed its first Minister of Loneliness, Tetsushi Sakamoto. He was already in government as the minister in charge of raising Japan’s low birthrate and revitalizing regional economies.

Japan recently appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto as its first Minister of Loneliness

Despite only recently taking on the additional role, Sakamoto has already introduced an emergency national forum to discuss the issue and share the testimony of lonely individuals. The hope is that via knowledge gained from this and other efforts, he will be able to implement policies designed to fight isolation and lower suicide rates. The government also set up a task force spanning various ministries that seeks to address the problem of loneliness, coordinated by Sakamoto.

Read More
Feb 25

Job: Multimedia Producer and Digital Outreach Manager – Asia Society Policy Institute (New York, NY, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email


Position: Multimedia Producer and Digital Outreach Manager
Posted by: Asia Society Policy Institute
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s a job passed along to us by a JET alum who wishes to remain anonymous.

About the job:

With a problem-solving mandate, the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) is a think- and do- tank that tackles major policy challenges confronting the AsiaPacific in security, prosperity, sustainability, and the development of common norms and values for the region. ASPI seeks a Multimedia Producer and Digital Outreach Manager to leverage ASPI’s projects, initiatives, and expert commentary to create dynamic and accessible multimedia content, including videos, podcasts, and infographics; as well as manage the ASPI website and social media.

Responsibilities:

Under the guidance of the Managing Director, the Multimedia Producer and Digital Outreach Manager will:

  • Leverage ASPI’s initiatives and expert commentary to create dynamic multimedia content such as podcasts, videos, graphics, gifs, and infographics used primarily on ASPI’s website and social media.
  • Collaborate with ASPI experts and staff to identify high-impact opportunities to increase the visibility of ASPI initiatives and activities; develop and execute a dissemination strategy. Develop and implement a content management and distribution schedule.
  • Optimize video and other multimedia content for social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
  • In tandem with the development of ASPI’s initiatives, provide guidance on the development of supplementary digital content that aids in marketing, fundraising and audience building, coordinating with internal colleagues in other Asia Society departments and with outside contractors as needed.

Read More


Feb 22

JETwit’s JET Alum Movers & Shakers: Emmalee Manes, Toyama-ken (2016-2019)

************
JETwit’s JET Alum Movers & Shakers is produced by Ryan Hata (Tottori-ken, 2014-2017), Margie Banin (Kochi-ken, 2005-2007), and Jim Walsh (Fukushima-ken, 2018-2020). Want to be featured next? Submit your information here.

Emmalee Manes, Toyama-ken (2016-2019)

Accomplishment:
New Eikaiwa Podcast for Japanese English-learners

More Information:
After returning from her 3 years as a high school ALT in Toyama, Emmalee returned to Nashville, Tennessee where she currently works at the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville sharing Japanese culture through social media. After struggling to keep growing her Japanese-language learning while in the U.S., Emmalee discovered the power of Japanese conversation podcasts in keeping her immersed in the language. Seeing the need for similar resources for Japanese English-learners, Emmalee decided to put her teaching experience and connections to use by creating a podcast that focuses on casual English conversation.

Public Information:
Podcast: https://yoppareikaiwa.buzzsprout.com
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoppareikaiwa/
Consulate Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japaninnashville/
Email: emmaleemanes@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaleemanes/


Feb 19

Japan Insights—Practice of storytelling in post-disaster Japan

************By Makoto Shirai, secretary, Japan-Insights Research Institute (Non-profit organization in Tokyo)

Reconstruction in the Shizugawa area; view from the yard of Shizugawa Junior High School, February 2017 ©Roberto Grillo

Dear Friends,

Have you heard the lives of Tohoku?

Let me introduce an essay from Japan-Insights archives.

The ninth one is on Kataribe: A keyword to Recovery by Dr. Flavia Fulco.

https://topics.japan-insights.jp/Public/pdf/japan-insights_jp/topics/JIN_Kataribe.pdf

Please share this expert’s experience!

Japan-Insights is a nonprofit open database compiled by leading experts in Japanese studies. The posts present a broad range of historical and contemporary topics that encourage visitors to engage with the real Japan through immersive experiences. Follow the Facebook page and website to learn about and share these insights from around the country!”

#japan #japaneseculture #Tohoku


Feb 19

Job: CBTC Systems Engineer I – Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email


Position: CBTC Systems Engineer I
Posted by: Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (MEEPI)
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to Susan Garvan, Staffing Specialist with Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (MEEPI) for passing along the below job opening with her company.

Are you a recent or soon to graduate Electrical Engineer or Computer Science Engineer who is “business fluent” in Japanese?   If so, we have an opportunity to use your degree and Japanese language skills while learning the newest technology in the rail transportation industry for the USA. 

In this newly created role the Engineer will learn Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) technology provided to you by Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (MEPPI).   You will have the opportunity to visit our parent company, Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO) in Japan for up to a year, gaining valuable training on the CBTC Systems.   Upon completion of your training you would return to the USA and will be based at our Pittsburgh, PA headquarters in the CBTC Systems Engineer I role with MEPPI’s Transportation Systems Division.   As the CBTC Systems Engineer I you will:

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Feb 19

Kaguya-sama: Love is War. A Rom-com that’s Actually Funny.

By Jack McDonough, 2021 prospective JET

Love is war: if you confess, you lose! Art by Grace McDonough. You can find Grace’s art here!

Rom-coms: the classic “will they or won’t they” story that has been done to death. Think Ross and Rachel from Friends or Harry and Sally from When Harry Met Sally and you’ve got perfect examples of this trope. You’ll binge an entire show on Netflix just to see whether your two favorite characters finally get together, and once it’s over, you’ll probably forget about the chase and only remember the finale. I bet you didn’t even laugh along the way. Kaguya-sama: Love is War is the remedy to the classic rom-com letdown:  it’s a show that’s actually funny and makes the pursuit the thing worth watching.

Kaguya-sama is an anime based on the manga Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai – Tensai-tachi no Ren’ai Zunōsen: “Kaguya Wants to Make Them Confess: The Geniuses’ War of Hearts and Minds.” The show features an epic, romantic “game of chess” wagered by Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane. Kaguya is the heir to the Shinomiya Group, a business conglomerate that holds enormous power over Japan: she flips between being a naive, love-sick girl and an imperturbable master of deception. Miyuki is the broke genius who earned a scholarship to join Kaguya as a student at the prestigious Shuchiin Academy. While they serve as the heads of the student council, they rarely concentrate on school matters:  all of their time is spent trying to get the other to confess their love. Neither can back down; the stakes are too high.

To Miyuki and Kaguya, confessing is tantamount to losing and becoming subservient to the object of your affection: Miyuki won’t confess as he believes he would appear like a poor peasant, while the Shinomiya idea of “winning no matter what” keeps Kaguya silent. Since neither can confess, a hilarious war of schemes and ploys ensues as these teenage geniuses try to catch the other slipping; their daily battles are bolstered by a narrator who informs the audience of exactly what Kaguya and Miyuki are thinking when their machinations blow up in their faces. The proverbial “wrench” in their plans is their classmate Chika Fujiwara, the happy-go-lucky secretary of the student council who is always down for mischief. They are also joined by Yu Ishigami, a dower boy who would rather stay home and play video games; he is often the only character to see Kaguya’s “ice-queen” nature and promptly runs from her sight when he can. There’s a great chemistry in this group of four that keeps the antics from getting stale and provides Kaguya and Miyuki outlets for their frustration.

The genius (get it?) of the show is its premise: people are geniuses in life and dumb in love. Equal parts are devoted to the romance and to the comedy that creates a real romantic-comedy. The story develops as Kaguya and Miyuki try their best to trick the other; all the while missing out on a great relationship because of their inhibitions. In fact, Miyuki only became the president of the student council and the number one student at Schuchiin just to be worthy of Kaguya’s affection.  Both of these characters are so worried about social appearances and losing face that they’d rather spend all their time trying to checkmate the other than just say “I love you.” In a way, it’s actually pretty sad: Kaguya and Miyuki only have a limited time together as they’ll eventually graduate from high school. The juxtaposition between the side-bursting shenanigans and the saddening thought that they might actually never confess leaves the viewer with a mix of elation and despair. What’s even better, is that Kaguya, Miyuki, Chika, and Ishigami quickly go from one-note characters to having deep emotions and fulfilling motivations for their actions and fears. While their circumstances are certainly unrealistic, their emotions are relatable and you’ll find yourself compelled to keep watching for both the laughs and the attachments you make with the cast.

I first watched Kaguya-sama by accident when searching Hulu for a new show to watch; I was hooked by the show before I even realized my mistake. Kaguya-sama does have a lesson buried beneath the escapades: go for it. Do the thing that’s embarrassing; you might lose face or be laughed at, but it’s better to go for it and miss than to never take a chance at all. Kaguya and Miyuki might run out of time before they realize that it’s better to take the leap of faith: don’t be like Kaguya and Miyuki. You’ll find yourself outsmarting these geniuses by just listening to your heart.


Feb 18

Job: Gender and Sexual Diversity Intern – USAID (Washington, DC)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email


Position: Gender and Sexual Diversity Intern
Posted by:
USAID
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s another job passed along to us from a JET alumnus who wishes to remain anonymous:

This is a paid internship for graduate school students to work with USAID on gender and sexual diversity issues in global health:

Application Process: https://recruitment.ghstar.org/positionDetail.html?pid=278

 
 

Feb 11

Job: Gender, Age, and Social Inclusion Team Lead – USAID (Washington, DC)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email


Position: Gender, Age, and Social Inclusion Team Lead
Posted by:
USAID
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Here’s an opportunity passed along to us by a JET alum who wishes to remain anonymous:

USAID is seeking a Gender, Age, and Social Inclusion Team Lead (USPSC GS-14 equivalent) to supervise BHA’s Gender, Age, and Social Inclusion Team and coordinate the team’s work on gender, age, diversity, and social inclusion. Apply with your resume and supplemental documents by Tuesday, February 23 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

APPLICATION PROCESS: https://www.bhajobs.net/portal/files/postings/720fda20b00085_solgasiteamleadergs14720fda20b00085final.pdf?utm_source=IGWG&utm_campaign=303a13db84-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_02_09_04_26&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a24996ea0a-303a13db84-54846857&mc_cid=303a13db84&mc_eid=a224508dab

 

 

Feb 9

WeRepresent Conference: March 10-12, 2021, FREE Registration

Please share this FREE conference with any potential study abroad students, especially underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, students in the LGBTQI+ community, and students from low-income backgrounds. The conference helps to bolster their participation in applying for study abroad scholarships as the Gilman, Critical Language, Fulbright, and Boren programs. This is a great opportunity and it is free!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/we-represent-2021-virtual-international-exchange-conference-tickets-136340830093https://werepresentconference.com/conference

This is a FREE conference to bolster participation in Gilman, Critical Language, Fulbright, and Boren programs for students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, students in the LGBTQI+ community, and students from low-income backgrounds. 

WeRepresent is led by:
1. Pandora White, PhD, MPH – former Fulbright and Gilman Alumni Ambassador
2. Vanessa Diaz – former Fulbright alumni ambassador, co-founder of Fulbright Latinx
3. Ashleigh Brown-Grier – founder of Fulbright HBCU, Fulbright alumni ambassador
4. Sean Funcheon – Gilman Alum

They are supported by a grant from the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund for U.S. alumni of Department of State exchange programs.


Feb 9

Job: Associate Program Officer – Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Washington, DC)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email


Position: Associate Program Officer
Posted by:
Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA (Sasakawa USA)
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

Sasakawa USA is hiring! They are looking for a full-time Associate Program Officer who is a team player and is ready to jump in and work with us to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance. Check out the link below for further details!

Application Process: https://www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit-job/baee421928454bdbbe047a214e5904f8-associate-program-officer-sasakawa-peace-foundation-usa-washington


Feb 8

Job: Political Assistant – Consulate General of Japan (Boston, MA, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email


Position: Political Assistant
Posted by:
Consulate General of Japan in Boston
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Thanks to JET alum, Jonathan Dao (Toyama-ken) for passing along the following job opening at the Consulate General of Japan in Boston where he currently works:
 
The Consulate General of Japan in Boston is seeking a highly motivated, team-oriented individual for the position of Political Assistant. This individual is primarily responsible for conducting research analysis on U.S. political affairs. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in U.S.-Japan relations and International Affairs. 
 
Application Process: Please click here to learn more about the position and to apply. Deadline to apply is February 28, 2021.

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