Japan Exchange and Teaching Alumni Association of British Columbia
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Volume 6• Number 3
IN THIS ISSUE
A Month in the Life of a JET Coordinator.......................1 Editor’s Rant.....................2 SPEAKERS NEEDED!..... 2 Tatami Timeshare.............3 Web Site - Help!................3 The Island Report......... ...3 Japan Suitcase..................4 Webmasters Needed........4 Mentor Program ............... 4 Steering Committee.........5 Japanese Computing Seminar.............................5 News from Japan.............6 Events, Events, Events... 7 Alumni News....................7 Powell Street Festival......8 What is JETAABC?........ 8 Important Information......8
May 2000
www.jetaabc.bc.ca
A Month in the Life of a JET Coordinator
by Adele Pransky - JETAABC Director at Large - Programs To my delight and great fortune, I find myself in the envious position once again to assist in this year’s JET interview process as the Japanese Consulate’s JET Coordinator. A job made in heaven for those of us who enjoy copious amounts of organizing and reorganizing, and working with a wonderful staff, in particular Ms. Ellie Nakano and Mr. Kazufumi Ikeshita.
To see its workings from an administrative point of view brings it all full circle for me, and I have enjoyed talking with applicants about their concerns and questions about the Programme before and after their interviews. The three days of interviews this year went off with out a hitch at the Renaissance Hotel on February 16th, 17th, and 18th, due in no small part to the large number of JETAABC volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules. A large Thank MONTHLY STEERING You from the Consulate General of Japan goes out to Matthew Fedoruk and COMMITTEE MEETING Angela Tan who helped at the Reception Desk, and to the many JETAABC interviewers: Alida Abbott, Paul Donovan, Dieter Forst, Tanya Hill, Patricia Kho, June 13th @ 6:30PM 4 - 1839 W. 5th Avenue John Kibblewhite, Elizabeth Marty, Marisa Norona, Barbara Onstad, Catherine ALL JETAABC Members Price, and Chris Savva. Your time and efforts help to ensure that the quality of WELCOME! participants on the JET Programme is maintained, and I think we can all agree that this is a very worthwhile cause. Thanks to all for your concerted efforts this year and in the past.
Next Issue Deadline: Canada Day July 1st, 2000
To those of you who enjoy a healthy dose of statistics … The number of total applicants across Canada was up quite markedly from 800 last year to 1088 applicants for 2000-2001. Of those, roughly 950 were interviewed across Canada, 263 of whom were interviewed in BC (15 for CIR and 248 for ALT positions), which is up over 50% from last year’s numbers. 132 ALTs (66 Alternates) and 10 CIRs (1 Alternate) were chosen to represent BC in this, the 13th year of the JET Programme. I wish them all Ganbatte and look forward to helping them on their way at this year’s Preparation Seminar on June 3rd and 4th (contact Krista Watson to volunteer). With a larger group than Vancouver has ever seen, we need our JETAA members to help these new JETs prepare for their exciting adventure. Sharing your knowledge about life as a JET with those who are about to go on the Programme is one of the most rewarding ways to use your JET experience.
Editor’s Rant We had a few weeks of summer and now the rains are back. Zannen da! As for myself the past two stress-filled months of school are now over! Now comes the daunting task of research and writing a thesis. Joy! At the end of March I headed back to Japan for my best friend’s wedding. A traditional Japanese wedding in a small town in the middle of Hyogo-ken. It was a beautiful event, and a wonderful weekend to catch up with old friends and revisit schools. I also must have gained about 10 pounds in sushi, sashimi, ebi fry, sukiyaki and shabu-shabu! I was happy I haven’t forgotten my Japanese too badly, and I look forward to going back again sometime soon! In this newsletter there are lots of requests for help and assistance for the various events JETAABC has organized for the next few months. If you have some free time, please volunteer or attend any event! Your Steering Committee is working hard to organize excellent events, and we can’t do it without your help! Onegai shimasu! Have a wonderful Spring and keep those contributions coming for the next newsletter, or any help with the content of the new Returnee Guide would be greatly appreciated! Ogenki de,
Matt
SPEAKERS WANTED No, not the kind that stand in your living room gathering dust but the kind that stand in front of a group of people giving wisdom and advice. Or maybe just advice. The 2000 Jet Preparation Seminar Needs You. Saturday, June 3rd, we need people to talk about the following: - From Tokyo Orientation ‘til September - Money and Taxes - Being A Female JET - Eating in Japan - Being an Asian JET - Health in Japan - Travel in Japan - Travel Outside of Japan - Japanese for Further Study - Japanese for Beginners - Leisure in Japan - Packing and Shipping Sunday, June 4th, we need people to talk about the following: - The Japanese Education System - Team Teaching - Doing a Jikoshokai (self-introduction) - Giving Speeches in Japanese - Cultural Etiquette for the First Timer - Cultural Etiquette for the Experienced If you are interested in being A SPEAKER, it is highly important, although not exactly mandatory, that you attend a very informative and useful SPEAKER MEETING on Saturday, May 13th, from 10-12. The place TBA. If you have any concerns, questions or comments about the above information, or if you want to sign up as A SPEAKER, contact me, Jacqueline, at jacquelinemolinaro@usa.net or call at 736-9544. Krista also knows a bit of stuff, so you can contact her as well at kwatson@sfu.ca or call at 299-9127.
Tatami Time Share Tatami Time Share has arrived in Western Canada. Get yourself on the list and start making plans for the spring and summer!! We’re still working on an easy on-line registration with utmost confidentiality. But for now, you can contact the TTS Coordinator at tatamitimeshare@jetaabc.bc.ca to receive a Registration Form so that we can start the process. The Coordinator will match up your request then will have the host contact you. After your visit, come back to the site (now under construction) and let us know how it worked out. For now, we are trying the TTS Exchange in Western Canada. Should this prove successful, it may be expand nationally. As we get a healthy database, we may be expanding it to the US. If all goes well, we can open this up to all JETAA worldwide. The Tatami Time Share Exchange is a service to JETAA members ONLY. We are not responsible for the accuracy, validity or outcome of this exchange.
Your Web Site Needs You!!! ONEGAI SHIMASU!!! Our web site has been described as the 'Mercedes' amongst the JETAA chapter web sites. We love this honour and hope to see it improve to the Ferrari or even Rolls Royce of sites. To do this we need you. If you are Web Design/Graphic Design friendly please contact Paul Donovan <pauld@ppw.net> and let him know you’re interested. And if you are a writer with material for the site, well we want your assistance too. We want to make it possible to get our message out to more JET Alumni in BC and to those Alumni-in-training in Japan at this time getting ready to return here.
Island Report by Ali Abbott Hi everyone! Well, a few weeks ago it really felt like spring, almost summer, people wearing shorts and t-shirts, tevas and birkenstocks, and then BOOM!! Down came the rain and then the cold came back, and well, just goes to show that when you live on the island ANYTHING is possible!! So, nothing super exciting to report about the ongoings of the island. I have organized a premixer type party that is to occur on April 29 at my lovely residence in Oak for new JET recruits and alumni members. I will also be organize the real Mixer party, date TBA, if there are any keen people out there who want to help out I would appreciate it! Hope everyone is doing well, working hard, and enjoying life! Genkide ne! Ali on the island!
YOU DON’T NEED ALL YOUR JAPANESE PARAPHERNALIA? So you've been back from Japan for a while now and you still have a lot of cute, little Japanese items, which you couldn't bear to part with or couldn't give away as "omiyage" to your friends. They're lying around your place, cluttering up your place and basically collecting dust. Well...here is the answer to your problem! You can donate these wonderful items to JETAABC to go into the "JAPAN SUITCASE". What is this, you ask? Well, the JAPAN SUITCASE is a new program which we hope to be starting soon. It is basically a suitcase full of Japanese items and information about Japan which could be used to educate children in elementary schools in the Lower Mainland. If you would like to get involved, or like to donate a few items, please email us at "angelkeik@hotmail.com". Thanks!
I am working on the handbook for the JET Preparation Seminar on June 3-4 and I would like to include some snippets of advice from our BC members. If you feel like answering any of the following (*briefly*, please) I'm sure the newbies will appreciate it. Please send back to me at hillt@direct.ca. (I won't include names for these short answers.) We also generally include a short essay or two on being a JET. You can see samples from previous years' handbooks at www.jetaabc.bc.ca. If you are interested in writing something similar, please contact me by e-mail: hillt@direct.ca or phone 736-7102. Thank You to this Thanks for your input!! month’s contributors! Tanya 1. The most useful thing I took with me to Japan was: 2. The least useful thing I took with me to Japan was: 3. Best tip for learning Japanese: 4. While in Japan, you should absolutely see/do: 5. Most recommended travel spot for first winter vacation: 6. Best tip for beating the summer heat: 7. Most embarrassing etiquette mistake that I recommend not to make: 8. Best teaching tool I took with me: 9. Best omiyage from BC/Canada:
Returnee Guide Help Wanted Work has begun on a Returnee Guide website for JETAABC. I hope to have a first draft available this spring in time to make changes and get your input before the new Alumni start returning in the summer. To get started, I really need submissions! I am looking for such things as advice on looking for a job, educational programs, ways to be involved with Japan, etc. all specific to BC/Vancouver as there is already a lot of general returnee information out there. Basically anything you think might have helped you on your return. If you would like to help please contact me,
Tanya Hill, at 736-7102 or e-mail hillt@direct.ca
Japanese food yum! But natto is evil, ne. My haiku sucks bad. Matto no osusume wa..... Try the new restaurant WABI SABI!! I haven’t been there myself but it looks good from the outside! I see an excellent opportunity to enjoy some Japanese grub and then write a review for the next newsletter! 4422 West 10th Ave (at Trimble)
Ali Abbott Glen Allen Paul Donovan Suzanne Doyle-Ingram Tanya Hill Jacqueline Molinaro Wendy McAvoy Adele Pransky Boleyn Relova Angela Tan Krista Watson Stonebridge Press Tokyo Q Magazine
Mentor Program for/by JETAABC We need you!! Yes, you!! Have you been back for a few months? Would you like to share with a new Returnee how you got your ‘perfect’ job or how you got into Education or how you got your out-of-BC Teacher’s Licence to work for you in BC??? Returnees will start coming back in July and they’ll have a lot of questions. The goal of the Mentor Program is to match up JET Alumni so that they can help one another. A website is under construction at this time but you can contact Boleyn at 522.8761 or mentor@jetaabc.bc.ca to get on the list of Mentors or Mentees. The following is a service to JETAABC members Do you have any exciting news to share with JETAABC? Are you getting married? Moving? Please let us know! Send an email to: angelkeik@hotmail.com and we'll announce it in the JETAABC newsletter and JETAA members ONLY. We are not responsible for the outcome of this exchange. JETAABC Mentors are not licensed career counsellors.
WHAT!! ANOTHER REQUEST!?! I’m interested in putting the newsletter on-line for those who wish not to receive a paper version via snail mail. If you would NOT like to receive a paper version in the future, e-mail me at: <mfedoruk@interchange.ubc.ca> and I will arrange it beginning with the July newsletter. Thanks!
Who are these people?
Your New Steering Committee At the Annual General Meeting held on January 21st our new 2000 Steering Committee was elected into office. Commitee Members are (left to right): Angela Tan, Paul Donovan, Matt Fedoruk, Elizabeth Stephen, Jacqueline Molinaro, Boleyn Roleva, Ali Abbott, Helen Carmichael, and Albert Ngai (Krista Watson, and Adele Pransky not present) Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu!
Japanese Computing Seminar for NEW JETs and Alumni and Friends Wednesday, June 28th, 2000 7pm - 9pm (if registration overwhelms space we will hold a 2nd event the next evening, Thursday, June 29th) Have you wondered about how to do Japanese on your English computer? Have you ever received an email that looks like someone was swearing at you? Are you looking to buy a computer and wondered about getting Japanese or English computer? How about Macs, and OS9's new built in language kits? How about creating those weird characters on your computer? Buying computers for Japan? In Japan? Computer services in Japan ...... We'll look at all these things and more. We are limited to 32 people (2 people per computer). Participation fee is $15 per person. To register please go to <www.jetaabc.bc.ca/computerseminar> for more details, registration form and payment details. RSVP is mandatory by June 25th. Contact: Paul Donovan Business: 604-608-6330 Home: 604-608-4345 Fax: 604-608-6331 Email: pauld@ww-ink.com Web: www.jetaabc.bc.ca/computerseminar Event Location: Pan Pacific Web 705-1155 Robson Street Vancouver, BC Event Telephone: 608-6330 Entrance to the building ring #0705 (don't forget the #)
News from Japan Prime Minister Mori told the Diet he would carry on with former prime minister Obuchi's policies and was immediately attacked for having no new ideas. Obuchi remained in a coma. To be able to respond quickly to failing prime ministers in the future, a doctor and an ambulance were permanently stationed at the prime minister's official residence. A woman was elected governor of Kumamoto. The governor of Tokyo apologized for using a discriminatory term to describe foreigners resident in Japan and suggesting they would riot if there is a major earthquake. Sixty percent of the people surveyed said they thought the Constitution should be revised, the most ever. Oji Paper Company announced the development of acid-free paper they say will last for 1,000 years and so will be suitable for theses. The International Trade and Industry Ministry expressed concern that Japan's old craftsmen are dying out and proposed developing a series of precision robots to take over their jobs. The Mechanical Engineering Laboratory in Tsukuba unveiled their new robot that can push a shopping cart and can be programmed to pick a can of coffee from the shelf of a supermarket. Princess Sayako, 31 and single, said she is concerned that young women who go to tanning salons will damage their skins and those who wear shoes with 10-cm-thick soles will stumble and hurt themselves. The Ministry of Education said parents these days don't seem to know how to teach their children how to behave. It was reported that sales of condoms have slipped 10 percent in the last ten years in some measure due to the increasing number of sexless marriages. A bill was submitted to the Diet proposing that men be allowed to be midwives. Police said they will begin arresting anyone riding on the pillion seat of a motorcycle being driven recklessly, as well as arresting the driver. This is to thwart members of motorcycle gangs who switch positions when spotted by police, so police have difficulty positively identifying who was the reckless driver. A recent survey found that 60 percent of those queried don't trust the police. A 36-year-old Nara man was arrested for having over the years made nuisance calls to an estimated 20,000 women associated with Nara Women's University. In court, he said he was jealous of them for being accepted at a national university. Police unwittingly misidentified a severely disfigured victim of a traffic accident and turned the body over to those they thought were the family. The man thought to be dead returned home in the evening to find preparations for his funeral well under way. (Taken from Tokyo Q)
Asia Pacific News Submitted by Wendy McAvoy
ASEAN “RETREAT” On May 1, 2000, Southeast Asian ministers from ASEAN’s 10 member states—Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines and Indonesia, will meet in Yangon, Myanmar to discuss trade issues and economic relations with Japan, China, and South Korea. This meeting has been referred to as a ‘retreat’ to emphasize its informal nature. The presence of Mr. Takashi Fukaya, Japan’s international trade and industry minister, marks the first visit by a Japanese cabinet minister to Myanmar since the ruling military junta took power in 1988. While the West has expressed its discontent for Myanmar’s human rights abuses by imposing sanctions against this country previously known as Burma, Japan has taken a “Japanesey” stance—that is, hesitant to cause a ripple in the ocean of international politics by criticizing or discouraging private trade and investment. Tin Oo, a close associate of Nobel Prize winning dissident Aung San Suu Kyi, told Reuters the meeting ...was “likely to worsen the repression of dissidents in the country.” He said ASEAN’s “policy of ‘constructive engagement’ of Myanmar has failed to bring positive change, and aid given by countries such as Japan had been misused by the authorities and prolonged their rule.” Mr. Oo included a cautionary note for other nations as well stating that: “So long as they are democratic countries, they have to think, if they are to attend this sort of a meeting, what sort of effect—bad effect—it will have on those struggling very much for democracy and human rights in Burma.” (Sources: Reuters, “Opposition: Myanmar ASEAN Meeting Boosts Military”, May 1, 2000; Associated Press, “ASEAN Economic Ministers Meet”, May 1, 2000; ASEAN Website-www.aseansec.org/economic/aem_har.htm).
Events, Events, Events May Victoria-Morioka Sister City Relationship 15 year Anniversary May RichmondWakayama Sister City Relationship 25 year Anniversary
Monthly Mokuyokai Hike Destination TBA. Meet at the YWCA on Burrard St. near Dunsmuir. 4th Sunday in May and June. $3 for members, $4 for nonmembers. Please let me know if you are coming and if you will be driving. If you have any suggestions for future hikes (the 4th Sunday of the month), please let me know. Cheers, Raymond the Hike Guy Raymond Nakamura 208-3020 Quebec St. Vancouver BC V5T 3B1 (604) 321-4109 rnak@direct.ca www.jet.org
JET PREPARATION SEMINAR - June 3 & 4, 2000 - UBC Contact Krista or Jacqueline to volunteer or for more details. kwatson@sfu.ca or jacquelinemolinaro@usa.net MONTHLY STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING - June 13th, 2000 6:30pm at Liz Stephen’s Residence. #4 - 1839 W 5th Avenue JAPANESE COMPUTING SEMINAR - June 28, 2000 - 7-9 pm See page 5 for details! POWELL STREET JAPANESE FESTIVAL - August 5-6, 2000 See page 8 for details! WELCOME BACK BARB-Q - September 23rd, 2000 Details to follow in July Newsletter
STONEBRIDGE BOOKS Stone Bridge Press in California offers Alumni a 20% discount when they buy books from them. Check out their web side for details. Also check out <www.jet.org> for more on this discount. The following comes from a post card I got from them. "Anime Trivia Quizbook" Episode 1: From Easy to Otaku Obscure, by Ryan Omega ISBN 1-880656-44-2 US$14.95 176 pages with 36 pages of b/w anime images Anime with attitude! The first in a series of entertaining anime trivia challenge books. This collection of fun - and just a little bit naughty - puzzlers will keep fans guessing and groaning for hours and hours. Some 500 brain-popping questions and answers cover all the major genres - from giant robots and space aliens to silent samurai and giggly girls, from popular shows to great cult classics. With sidebars and tons of the cool stuff that anime fans can't get enough of, the Anime Trivia Quizbook is great for clubs and contests, and the perfect gift for any would-be expert.
Always check out the JETAABC WEBSITE at www.jetaabc.bc.ca for the updated schedule of upcoming events! Alumni News Not an article, but just I thought I'd send a quick note to let you all know that I am currently in Kuala Lumpur doing a 6-week workterm for a Malaysian firm as part of my MBA program. Also, I have been accepted to do my final semester as an exchange student at City University of Hong Kong from September through December 2000. So much for attending any JET functions in the near future... Cheers, Glen Allen Do you have any exciting news to share with JETAABC? Are you getting married? New job? Moving? Please let us know! Send an email to: angelkeik@hotmail.com and we'll announce it in the JETAABC newsletter!
Stone Bridge Press P.O. Box 8208 Berkley, CA 94707 USA Tel: 1-800-947-7271 www.stonebridge.com sbp@stonebridge.com
POWELL STREET JAPANESE FESTIVAL August 5 and 6, 2000 The Powell Street Festival is a Japanese-Canadian festival held annually on Powell Street, thus the name. Last year was my first time participating in the festival and it was fantastic! It was held in a park and they had lots of booths selling Japanese food, art, and all sorts of things. They even had a sumo competition. I felt like I was back in Japan again while I sat there eating yakisoba and speaking Japanese to the person beside me. There were lots of people there (some in yukata!) and it was like a real matsuri. This year there have been some significant changes made to the festival. Everything will still be included but the main difference is that it will be held inside at the Japanese Language School due to budgetary constraints and lack of volunteers. The board recently got a grant to hire a consultant to do some long-term planning so in the future, it will hopefully be held in the park again. In the meantime, the organizers are taking advantage of being inside by sponsoring special evening concerts and activities. This festival is run almost completely by volunteers and is therefore only as strong as its volunteers. There is a lot of work to be done between now and August so if you would like to get involved, you can volunteer for a little or a lot. It's up to you. Please contact Ms. Miko Hoffman at the Powell Street Festival office at 739-9388 for information on what volunteer positions and/or duties are available. See you at the festival!
2000 Steering Committee Contact Information President - Elizabeth Stephen Home: 738-3360 Work: 684-5868 ext.230 Fax: 684-6939 E-mail: yaliz@ultranet.ca Past President - Paul Donovan Home: 608-4345 Work: 608-6330 Fax: 608-6331 E-mail: pauld@ppw.net Secretary - Jacqueline Molinaro E-mail : jacquelinemolinaro@usa.net Treasurer - Helen Carmichael E-mail: hcarmich@yahoo.com Newsletter Editor - Matthew Fedoruk Box 174, 6335 Thunderbird Crescent, Vancouver, BC, V8S 2V5 Home: 228-2160 Work: 875-5555 ext.63227 E-mail: mfedoruk@interchange.ubc.ca Director at Large - Newsletter - Angela Tan E-mail: angelkeik@hotmail.com Programs and Events Director - Krista Watson E-mail: kwatson@sfu.ca Director at Large - Programs and Events - Adele Pransky E-mail: adelesky@hotmail.com Membership - Albert Ngai E-mail: albngai@home.com Island Representative - Alida Abbott E-mail: genkiali@yahoo.com Chapter Representative - Boleyn Relova Home: 522-8761 Work: 522-8761 Fax: 522-2937 E-mail: boleyn@vcn.bc.ca Consulate General of Japan Contacts 900 - 1177 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2K9 Tel: 684-5868 Fax: 684:6939 Mr. Kazufumi Ikeshita - telephone ext. 242 E-mail: ikeshita@intergate.bc.ca Ms. Ellie Nakano - telephone ext. 240 E-mail: programs@consuljpnvan.com
What is this organization called JETAABC? So, you’ve signed up for JETAABC, now what? Luckily, you’ve signed on with one of the most active and organized JET Alumni associations in Canada. This is a rough list of what we do: • Produce a newsletter every two months. • Sponsor a pub night each month. • Join the Mokuyokai on a hike each month. • Organize an orientation seminar for new JETs in May. • Organize a re-entry and career prep seminar in November. • Sponsor two roundtable discussions a year. • Hold major gatherings in September, January, and June. • Send a delegate to the JETAA international conference. • Help produce the Cross Canada newsletter once per year. • Keep a website up to date (for which we could use someone to help!!!!!!). We do a lot, but we can always stand to improve. What are your ideas? What else would you like to see JETAABC do? One thing I’d like to see is more contact with other alumni chapters. Does anyone have contacts they could use or ideas on how we can interact more? Let me know! Contact Krista at (OK, you’ve seen my info enough in one newsletter!)
JETAABC CONTACT INFO: JETAABC Bentall Centre PO BOX 48121 Vancouver, BC V7X 1N8
WEB ADDRESS www.jetaabc.bc.ca Editor’s Telephone: (604) 228-2160