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Happy Holidays Everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read about the exciting 2014 that was enjoyed by JETAABC and our active members; it has been a busy year. I would like to extend a huge Arigato to all of our volunteers and board members for their hard work and commitment, what an amazing group of people. This year my kids asked Santa for a pen that would fix math mistakes, and a backpack that would remind you if you’re forgetting to pack something; must be those cool-tech Japan genes kicking in already. I recall my own Christmas wishes for technology while in Japan, like central heating, or an oven. One Christmas, I experienced the “How-do-I-fit-a-turkey-into-a-toaster-oven” conundrum. I was able to get a huge Turkey, and a timely invitation to a Nabe hot pot party at a co-workers house. An international culinary collision of a Winter Nabe hot pot and Christmas Turkey seemed like a great idea, and symbolic of the internationalization I was there to spread. The party moved to the kitchen as we began slicing the big raw bird into bite size pieces to fit it into the pot. Piles of raw turkey parts spread across the kitchen and the smell was not the savoury Christmassy aroma I had hoped to introduce that night. In the end, the Turkey soup that resulted was actually pretty good, and the Christmas spirit prevailed! Did you relive any of your JET experiences recently? Whether it has been 1 year or 10 years since your return, have you caught up with other JETs to share these stories, or just find

out what they are up to now? If not, consider the opportunity to make this your New Year’s resolution! JETAABC is a dynamic group of over 600 members (including you), with many common experiences. 2015 is gearing up to be a busy year with it being the 50th Anniversary of the Vancouver & Yokohama Sister City relationship, with many opportunities to become involved, such as joining our Dragon Boat Team heading to Yokohama! We will be holding our AGM on January 30th, 2015 at the YWCA Hotel on 733 Beatty Street. Come out to meet old friends and make some new ones as we bring in another exciting year of Japan & JET related activities! Wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday season,

Mike Dalley

JETAABC President

President’s Message

Happy Holidays from your 2014 Board of

Directors!

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Our AGM, Shinnenkai, and Board Elections will be held on January 30, 2015, starting at 6:00pm, at the YWCA Hotel, 733 Beatty St, in Vancouver. This is our largest gathering of the year, so please come and meet fellow JET alum! If you’d like to attend, your RSVP is kindly requested by Friday, January 23rd, 2015 at agm@jetaabc.ca. If you are interested in joining the board, look below:

2015 JETAABC Board of Director Positions

President Acts as official representative of JETAABC; Liaises with Japanese Consulate, CLAIR and JETAA Canada representative; Chairs board meetings; Advises and coordinates all JETAABC activities with the Board of Directors; Spearheads long-term planning and vision. Treasurer Maintains records of finances (eg. deposits, balancing cheque book); Reports on financial activities at board meetings; Prepares application for CLAIR grant-in-aid, and relatedly liaises with CLAIR. Secretary Prepares agenda for and takes minutes of meetings; Maintains the minutes, files, documents, and correspondence; Organizes meetings dates and locations; orders refreshments for meetings. Membership Coordinator Maintains and updates membership and contact information of all alumni in the JETAABC database; Updates and maintains email mailing list; Encourages alumni to join JETAABC. Communications Facilitates communication between the Board and JETAABC members; Maintains Facebook and Twitter pages; Coordinates with Board members to ensure events & information is communicated. External Liaison Brings members in touch with other JET alumni associations; Develops relationships with outside organizations; Sends out JETAABC emails to alumni on the email mailing list. Volunteer Coordinator Solicits and directs volunteers for events as needed; Serves as the primary contact for alumni interested in getting involved with JETAABC; Organizes the annual volunteer appreciation event. Newsletter Coordinator Collects and edits articles, prepares and digitally-distributes newsletter. Social and Cultural Coordinator Organizes events throughout the year or provides support for other board members organizing such activities. Career Development Coordinator Develops and organizes career-related and personal development events such as networking events and workshops; organizes the annual Re-Entry & Career Seminar for new returnees. Technical Support Helps maintain the JETAABC website and archives documents online. Senior Advisor Filled by someone who has previously served on the Board of Directors. Offers guidance and input on Board decisions and dialogue.

Interested in starting a new initiative at JETAABC? Join the Board and lead your project as a Member-At-Large (an active member with no specific role).

Annual General Meeting & Shinnenkai

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JETAA USA NATIONAL CONFERENCE!

Given the close proximity, two JETAABC representatives attended the JETAA USA national conference in Seattle. A great forum for information sharing and networking, a more detailed report can be found on page 13.

NAT BAILEY BASEBALL EVENT

JETAABC, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan in Vancouver, were a part of the 2014 Baseball, BBQ, and Fireworks Extravaganza in celebration of the Consulate’s 125th anniversary in British Columbia. Members joined at Scotiabank Field (Nat Bailey Stadium) to cheer on the Vancouver Canadians baseball club from a

private BBQ picnic section and watch an exciting post-game fireworks show! We also had the pleasure of watching Consul General Seiji Okada throw the ceremonial first pitch.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BOAT CRUISE

On September 13, 2014, the hard-working JETAABC set sail on the 2014 Volunteer Appreciation Boat Cruise. This year, an amazing 49 JET Programme alumni volunteered to make our numerous events a success. These events - ranging from advertising the JET Programme to preparing the next batch of JET Programme participants - could not have happened without the dedication and genki-ness of our amazing volunteers. We hope to see you back again in 2015!

The volunteers pose aboard the ship, feeling very appreciated!

Past Events in 2014

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WINTER JAPANESE CLASSES

A massive otsuakaresama to this term’s fabulous JETAABC Japanese Language Course students! The Fall 2014 course was an amazing time thanks to the hard work of Mika Sudo-Sensei and the enthusiasm of the alumni participants. This term's mix of grammar, reading, discussion, and presentation was great, and our students learned about each other, Japan, the Japanese language, and even got to sample some incredible home-made natto during our final presentations (a BIG thank you to Megumi's mom for that!). We hope to see students - old an new - during the FREE Winter 2015 Japanese Course, which is scheduled to start on January 8, 2015.

CHOCOLATE MAKING WORKSHOP

Sunday, September 28, 2014 saw the second instalment of the wildly popular

JETAABC Chocolate Making Workshop. The workshop took place at "La Chocolaterie" in Richmond, and participants learned about the history of chocolate, the chocolate making process, and tried their hand at grinding beans and tempering their own chocolate bars. A massive thank-you to Kayoko and the staff at "La Chocolaterie" for working with JETAABC to make the event fun and educational. See you next time!

SHAKUHACHI QUEST PERFORMANCE

On September 26, 2014, a group of JET Programme alumni enjoyed the enthusiastic and energetic musical storytelling of the "Shakuhachi Quest". The live performance by Jim Sands and his talented partner recounted the story of a musical journey to find a shakuhachi wind instrument, but was essentially about the transcendent power of music and friendship. Many thanks to

Look at all that Nihongo being benkyou’d!

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Joy Ong for suggesting and helping to organize this amazing event!

CONSUL GENERAL’S RETURNEES RECEPTION

Welcome back to all of our recent returnees from Japan! Once again, the Consul General of Japan hosted a warm reception for recent returnees at his Official Residence. There were representatives from a wide range of Japanese community organizations and businesses. Of note, it was encouraging to hear conversations about real job opportunities between guests and returnees, and watch them end in a meishi exchange - I hope some of those connections prove fruitful!

RETURNEES’ ALUMNI NETWORKING EVENT

The evening of the returnees’ reception, JETAABC hosted an informal event at the Elephant and Castle pub downtown to allow for some mingling among JET Alumni. The turnout was great, and it was good to see so many Alumni come out to greet our newest members. Some of our Alumni in attendance have been back for close to ten years, proving that the JET experience does not end when you return from Japan. As usual, it was followed by a Karaoke nijikai to bring us back to some of my favourite Japanese traditions, and as usual, those photos are not shared widely.

7-UP DINNER

Based on an idea shared at the USA national conference by the JETAA New

Some call it networking, others call it sharing a drink with interesting people.

The 7-up dinner participants. Disclaimer: event names in no way reflect the beverage

preferences of JETAABC.

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York Chapter, the 7-up Dinner was a great chance to enjoy each other’s company along with some fine dining, for those alumni who returned 7 or more years ago.

VICTORIA BONNENKAI

Alumni in Victoria had a great time celebrating the end of the year at their bonnenkai!

EMPEROR’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

The Emperor turns 81 years old! Every year, the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver hosts a celebration for the Emperors birthday. This year it was well attended by a diverse range of members of the Japanese community. It is great to see Japan doing so well on the economic front here in BC. The Consulate holds many events like this throughout the year to allow for networking among Japan related

businesses and organizations. It is rewarding to see JET Alumni involved in so many of them.

BOWLING WITH

MOKUYOKAI

The JET/Mokuyokai bowling event returns! Another great time was had by all! This year the event was held at Grandview Lanes on Commercial Drive. This is not a competitive event, but an opportunity to mingle with our Mokuyokai friends and share stories and ideas. Please watch for this, and other opportunities to collaborate with Mokuyokai in the coming year!

Bowling! Bowling! Bowling!

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The following is an interview with Sabine Sengmueller, a member of JETAABC who was an ALT in rural Hyogo prefecture from 2001-2004. However, this August, she has returned to both the JET programme and Hyogo prefecture to be an ALT once more. But this time she’s brought her 5-year-old daughter along! Last issue, we heard what was running through Sabine’s mind as she prepared to go back to Japan. We caught up with Sabine again after several months in Japan to see how things were going: Hi Sabine! You've been back in Hyogo-ken for a while now, and probably settling into your new life there once again. Was it just as you remembered? What's changed since you were there last?

Japan is a little different this time around. There is a lot of evidence of the recession – many of the old stores I remembered are closed down, and other major chains, at least in the countryside, are really struggling. Even the convenience stores save their most interesting Kit Kats, I mean wares, for the centres with larger populations. There are a lot of empty houses, but everything seems to have increased in price exponentially. I also notice that the kids in my rural area have learned a lot from the internet over the past decade. Before, I always felt like I was a bastion of information about “gaikokuland,” but now the kids can just Google. 10 years ago there was

Rebounding on JET Part II

Sabine’s daughter in Hyogo-ken

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no internet or cable TV in my area, and it has become huge since! They seem a bit more apathetic about most things. That being said, there have been interesting strides – previously, we had to eat all of our school lunch – now the kids put parts of their lunch back that they don’t like and it is no big deal to leave out parts that you don’t like. The girls no longer have to wear only knee socks with their uniform skirts – they get to wear tights. The heat comes on earlier and there are no kerosene stoves in my classrooms. There seems to be much, much less discipline in the classroom than there was a decade ago. There is a lot of bullying too – not just of the “odd” kids though, as it used to be. I often hear other kids saying “I’ll kill you!” to each other, but I don’t think they really mean it. It seems to be a time of change, at least in my chunk of countryside in Japan. For those who didn’t read the previous instalment, you may not know that I received the same placement that I had on JET from 2001-2004, so it is really interesting to compare. In my area, they reduced the number of JETs from before, so then the kids lost some of their communicative abilities, and the ALTs were stretched so thin that it became hard to incorporate them into the class – teachers have to guess which lesson we’ll be there for, as

we are all going to different schools now, which makes it really hard to plan anything meaningful. Now MEXT has initiated a special project in my area to try to increase elementary school English classes and exposure to English, but they are really only increasing it to the level it was at 10 years ago – but with fewer JETs. I can imagine after arriving, so many memories must have come rushing back! What was one of your biggest waves of nostalgia? My biggest wave of nostalgia was visiting a site that was little known 10 years ago called Takeda castle. We would go there often, and usually see no more than 5-10 other people there. It was on TV one day and was labelled “The Castle in the Sky.” Now it has 6000 visitors per day! I went back there and looked at all the changes, but it was also interesting that they were mostly cosmetic – it is still every bit as majestic and timeless as it once was. Other than that, I think participating in the fall festival was incredibly nostalgic. I welled up with pride to see my daughter participating in something that I held so dear during my time there! Little bits of nostalgia hit me all the time though! The beautiful mountainsides covered in momiji, a trip to Kyoto, a drive up to the

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sea of Japan – all of these and more will strike me at different times. It is also strange to drive places just from memory and notice that the route and often the place itself hasn’t really changed! My friends are all very much the same people too – but most have a few more grey hairs! Being a second-time JET, were you able to jump right back into the job? Have there been some challenges so far? It was actually odd how difficult it was to jump back into the job. It was like starting over, and I was welcomed as a brand new JET teacher would be. Just now in this journey am I beginning to convince them of my worth as more than a human tape recorder! It was very humbling! How's your little one adapting to Japan? What's life like as a parent in a foreign country? My little one is completely fluent now. It only took 3 months or so! She has adapted in small ways too – she hates bones in chicken and won’t eat spareribs with her fingers, for example. She used to show everyone her belly button and now she shrieks if so much as a millimetre of skin shows above her pants. It is quite cute and funny! I also have managed to integrate a bit into the mommy group on the playground –

we are going for a “mommy group shinenkai” in January! They are very helpful – translating things for me and laughing with me at all my many, many faux pas! I have a lot of sympathy for the parents of kids in the Japanese school system. Basically, the school says

“jump!” and the parents say “How high?” I have struggled to drop everything to volunteer (which is really mandatory) at the last minute or buy supplies that are

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needed for the next day, etc. It is difficult because I have two evening eikaiwa classes that I teach for my town too. It is hard to find balance – which is probably why Japanese kids tend to go to bed quite late (often 10pm, even in the younger elementary grades!). I am learning SO much though – and I am really feeling like more of a member of the community having a kid here. The other parents see my daughter’s presence as a value-added bonus for their kids, so that helps. And Japan is infinitely easier in some ways than Canada when you have kids – just take a look at the “Okosama lunch plates” at restaurants! There seems to be a lot more patience for kids here, and there are SO many theme parks and factory visits (we loved making chikuwa at the kamaboko factory and are looking forward to going to the cup noodles factory!) that are geared toward kids. It is a great country for kids! Living in Japan once again, what's something you're glad to have back in your life? Anything that you forgot you missed? I love onsen and yakiniku – it is so easy to access both here. I really love that sense of exploration that I had before in Japan – there is always some new place to explore, new experience to have, new restaurant to try. Sometimes we just go for a drive and turn

down a road that looks interesting to see where we end up. I used to love doing that before! In Vancouver, I’d need a 4-wheel drive to do that! Any messages for others considering JET for a second time? I think that it is a great experience the second time around! I am a different person in a different place with different things to offer. I know a bit more this time around and the rose-coloured glasses are off. My friendships are more real and authentic because many of these people have stayed in touch for 10 years or more. I think that it is very much key to remain humble though. In many ways I still feel very green, and I think I am still learning more each day than I am actually teaching. If anyone is considering a second time around (or bringing kids!) please don’t hesitate to contact me at randomgirl01@hotmail.com!

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Waking up early before the dawn. One hand holding a mug, The other packing my bag. Trying to remember the route, It is the first day. I shyly slide open the office door. Silence and awkward stares, I stood motionless at the entrance. The Principal approaches,“Ohayou gozaimasu!” Eyes glossed over, I nod with a slight smile. Door quickly opens, A boy sticks his head in. “Dare desu ka?” I smile at him And say “Hello.” Warm classroom filled with eagerness. A large smile comes across my face. Here is the beginning of it all. English and Japanese ring out in the classroom Followed by thunderous laughter. Itadakimasu! Trays filled with lunch. Smiles and jokes go around the desks. Empty plates and bowls piled neatly in a wire basket. A soccer ball flies overhead in the field As a swarm of students run around me. Small children hold my fingers As we walk down the hallway Side by side Towards the next classroom. Laughs echo through the school. I stumble back to my desk, Exhausted from the day. Door ajar behind me, Same boy sticks his head in; And he smiles at me. !

Hello By Bryan Chau

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eyes glistening as I grip the wheel. I pull into an empty space,

As little smiles and waves run past me. I slip on my inside shoes.

The smell of rubber on wood floors.

I slide open the office door, “Ohayou gozaimasu.” Friendly salutations echo back.

I inch towards my desk. The Principal approaches,“Kyou ha saigo da ne?”

Eye mildly red, I nod with a slight smile.

Door slides open as a boy beckons me. Last lesson.

Last day. They will move on,

And so will I.

Warm classroom filled with eagerness. A large smile comes across my face.

A day for fun and remembrance. English and Japanese ring out in the classroom

Followed by thunderous laughter.

Itadakimasu! Trays filled with lunch. Smiles and jokes go around the desks.

Empty plates and bowls piled neatly in a wire basket.

A soccer ball flies overhead in the field As a swarm of students run around me.

Small children hold my fingers As we walk down the hallway

Side by side Towards the next classroom.

Laughs echo through the school.

Handwritten letters of appreciation And a photo of memories.

Arm full of gifts, The other wiping the tears.

One final “Goodbye.”

Goodbye By Bryan Chau

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Everything seemed to be going well, as the 2014 JETAA USA National Conference kicked off on a sunny day in Seattle, but little did everyone know, two renegade Canadians had infiltrated the gathering.

The conference begins! In truth, the Pacific Northwest chapter of JETAA had kindly invited Greg (our senior advisor) and me to participate. Despite being in another country, JETAABC happens to be the closest JETAA chapter to Seattle, and being the kind, internationally-minded people that JETs are, it only made sense to get some cross-border collaboration going. Leaving early in the morning to avoid the border lines and arrive in time for lunch, we two Canadians were met with friendly faces, professional organization, and constant enthusiasm that set the tone for an incredibly positive, and energizing conference. It was an excellent forum for sharing ideas, and already our board has held a “7-up”

event, a dinner for Alumni from 7+ years ago, inspired by an idea shared by another chapter. Stay tuned next year for more new events inspired by successes from our fellow alumni in America! A large focus of the conference was the JETAA USA initiative to form a national board of directors to broaden the influence of JET alumni. It would focus on making ties with government, industry, and educational institutions on a national level. There’s a great interview here with more information: http://jetwit.com/wordpress/2014/12/06/jq-magazine-jqa-with-laurel-lukaszewski-jetaa-initiative-project-director/ Another highlight was a screening of a JET alumni-made documentary entitled “Tohoko Tomo”, capturing inspiring stories of foreigners’ response to the tragedies

Greg and I pose to support Tohoku Tomo.

JETAA USA National Conference ‘14 Written by Chris Moore

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of 3/11. More information can be found at http://tohokutomo.com/. One very interesting statistic released at the conference was that 50-60% of new JET applicants still list current or past JET participants as their primary introduction to the JET program. So, alumni like ourselves are truly keeping the program going and we have an important role to play to continue that. But the conference wasn’t all statistics and speeches. Our hosts from the Pacific Northwest chapter filled any gaps in our schedules with good food and even a private

room karaoke celebration. It was a busy weekend, with barely any downtime, and I think every participant greatly appreciated the effort put in to give all an excellent experience in Seattle. As for myself, at the time I had only been back from Japan about a year or so, and was newly involved with the JET alumni association. I left the conference with my eyes opened to the incredible talents and motivation of JET alumni in North America and the wealth of wonderful people who have participated in the JET programme. I came away inspired and optimistic about what the future holds for myself and other JET alum.

A year has come and gone, but it’s been an active one for JETAABC. Special thanks to all those who made our events possible, both the volunteers and the attendees. Personally, as this has been my first year as a JET alumnus, I’ve quickly come to realize how diverse and interesting a group exists here in BC, and I’m glad to be a part of it. Looking forward to the new year and many more great JETAABC events and experiences to come!v

Acknowledgements & Thanks