January 2001 Volume 7 Issue 1

➥ IN THIS ISSUE

JETAA International Conference 2000.............1 Editor’s Rant....................2 Newsletter Online @ jetaabc.bc.ca...................2 Annual General Meeting..2 Shinnenkai...................... 3 Whistler Ski Trip!............. 3 JET Mentor Network........3 Study Japanese!..............3 JETAA International Conference (continued)...3 Re-Entry and Career Seminar Reviews..........4-5 Get Involved in the Mokuyoukai Society.........6 Tatami Timeshare.............6 Consulate News...............6 Events, Events, Events....7 Hike hike hike!..................7 Japan Suitcase................7 Paul’s Nabe Party.............8 Alumni News... ................8 What is JETAABC?......... 8 Contact Information.........8

www.jet.org Next Issue Deadline: February 2001

JETAA International Conference 2000

by Boleyn Relova and Elizabeth Stephen Baba

The JET Programme started in 1987 with 878 participants from 4 countries. This year, there are 6,100 participants from 42 countries. It is the most successful and largest cultural program in the world. In total, there have been 30,000 participants in its 13 year reign. About one third are active with an Alumni chapter worldwide.

In November 2000, Elizabeth Stephen Baba and Boleyn Relova participated in the 6th Annual JETAA International Conference held in Tokyo. Over a three day period, 89 JETAA delegates discussed JETAA funding and budgetary issues, strengthening ties with Japan, JETAA information technology issues, volunteer & NGO activities, improving JET recruitment and selection, local activities & events.

We also had a brainstorming session on improving bilateral cooperation with AJET and improving the JET Programme. The main message was clear - communication between both organizations is much warranted. Here are some of the results of our discussions regarding AJET - JETAA Relations: *International Mentor Network Database to be launched in January 2001 *International Tatami Timeshare Database (spearheaded by JETAABC) *Co-ordination between JETAA and AJET regarding Pre-departure training *Solicitation of JETAA articles for AJET newsletters/listservers and vice-versa *Linking of websites The JET Programme has grown very quickly in the last decade. More and more communities in Japan are asking to hire more JETs and with the proposed start of English instruction in elementary schools in the year 2002, there may be an even greater demand for JETs in schools. As such, the JET Programme is facing many issues. We believe in the JET Programme's mission and goals of promoting international goodwill and mutual understanding through language instruction. The delegates compiled recommendations for improving the JET Programme which will be formally presented to CLAIR and the Ministries later this year. (continued on Page 3)

Editor’s Rant One week until Christmas!! A few years ago I spent Christmas in Hanoi, Vietnam, sitting in a little cafe on Christmas Eve watching the scores of families, 5 to a motorbike, riding around enjoying the Christmas spirit. It was a bit surreal considering the war-torn history and Communist repression Vietnam has endured. Ironically, it definitely seemed more like Christmas than in Japan, which surprised me. This year, I’m looking forward to experiencing my first Oshogatsu in Japan! My girlfriend and I will be enjoying time with her family and friends, mostly eating I imagine!

I’ve enjoyed editing the newsletter this year and when I took on the job I didn’t realize that it is actually a lot of work!! I’m happy I’ve been able to give it a “professional” look and get it onto the ‘Net. Thank you everyone who has contributed and given me a helping hand!

Please have a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Year’s holiday season! Don’t drink too much egg nog (or sake)! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the AGM and Shinnenkai in January!!

Akemashite Omedeto!

Ogenki de, Matt

NEWSLETTER ONLINE! You can now very the JETAABC Newsletter online in full colour at www.jetaabc.bc.ca!

Download as a PDF file. 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 March newsletter!

Saturday, January 27 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Medical Students’ Alumni Association Centre 2750 Heather Street, Vancouver All JET Alumni are encouraged to come to this meeting. The purpose is two fold.

First, we update all members on the budget and current affairs of the association. And second, we hold a general election for the Steering Committee.

All positions are open and any JET Alumni may run for a position. No experience is necessary. Your commitment involves one two hour meeting each month as well as supporting the various events throughout the year.

Please join us at the AGM and consider running for a position. All that is required is that you stand up and introduce yourself and tell everyone in two minutes or less why you’d like to be part of the JETAABC Steering Committee.

Positions available are (check out the website or call one of the present members for detailed information): • President – Chairs meetings, oversees events, makes presentations at various consulate events, represents JETAABC to JETAA International, CLAIR, the Japanese Consulate etc..

• Treasurer – Keeps financial records of the organization, controls funds at the JET preparation seminar, prepares the budget and submission for CLAIR funding in May and December.

• Programme Coordinator – Together with the member at large – events organizes the JET Preparation Seminar, the Re-entry and Career Seminar, the Shinnenkai, the Fall Welcome back Party, biannual roundtable seminars, and pub nights.

• Member at large – Events – assists or is the main organizer of the above events.

• Secretary – records meeting minutes, prepares meeting agendas, collects the mail.

• Membership – Keeps the membership list up to date, and generates labels for the newsletter. This person should have access to a database system, and be interested in encouraging JETs to register with JETAABC. • Newsletter Editor – collects newsletter submissions, prepares the bimonthly newsletter, mails it out and makes it available on the web.

• Member at large – Newsletter – assists the Editor with tasks and other JETAA projects .

There are also lots of ways to get involved without being on the Steering Committee such as coordinating Vancouver Island events; the Tatami Timeshare; the Japan Suitcase Programme; the Mentor Programme; etc.

We are also looking for people to join the new Events Committee to assist with the planning and implementation of events. Don't think that this will require you to commit to a year of grunt work and drudgery. We are looking for a group of genki people willing to be called when an event is coming up. You can take as little or as much initiative as you'd like. You don't have to help with each event, just with the events that you have time for or have an interest in.

The more people we have helping out, the more we can improve JETAABC.

After the meeting closes, JET Alumni and their friends are invited to our annual

7:30 pm at the Medical Students’ Alumni Association Centre - 2750 Heather Street. Delicious food and nonalcoholic drinks will be provided. Those of you over 19 may bring your own beverages. For JET Alumni tickets are $8 in advance (send a cheque to Matt) or $10 at the door. Non-JET Alumni tickets are $15. The favour of an RSVP is requested by January 15 to Matt Fedoruk. (604) 228-2160 or email at: mfedoruk@interchange.ubc.ca Address for cheques: Box 174, 6335 Thunderbird Crescent, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2G9 Kimono or Japanese dress is encouraged, but not required! Bring CDs for the stereo, too!!

On-street meter parking available around the hospital area, and there are parkades on Ash/10th and City Square Mall. (continued from Page 1) As far as post JET activities, there were a number of speakers who came and spoke about their projects relating to Japan and education.

PeaceBoat - an international educational & networking NGO developing new ways to tackle global challenges. www.peaceboat.org Ashta no Kai - a women's literacy and development project in India. Started by Armene Modi, ALT '87-'91, she has helped hundreds of women facilitate the empowerment of rural women in India by providing them support to become self-reliant and economically independent. Armene at armene@vsnl.com.

Ski Day at Whistler!!

Wax up them boards and prepare for a day of powder and sun at Whistler/Blackcomb! In conjunction with the Washington JETAA Chapter, we’re holding a ski day of maximum fun, minimum formality February 17th. Meeting location and time TBA. After skiing we all hope to compare stories of “how much air we really caught” in an apres ski location. Keep your eyes open for more info next newsletter. I’ll even give some free ski lessons for anyone who wants some pointers!

But just be prepared to by me a beer later on! Contact Krista Watson - kwatson@sfu.ca for more information.

Japanese Language Study Tour for JETAA Members What: An intensive Japanese language course designed for former JET Programme participants Dates: March 12 – 23, 2001 Location: Tokyo, Japan Eligibility: Applicants must: 1. be a former JET Programme Participant and a current JETAA member 2. be a teacher of Japanese as a foreign language OR 3. be studying the Japanese language in order to teach Japanese in the future OR 4. be currently employed in a profession that requires the daily use of the Japanese language The program will provide transportation (international and local between airport and accommodation) and accommodation.

To select candidates, a Japanese language exam will be conducted in January before Jan. 29. The date, time and place will be informed to applicants.

Application Deadline: Friday, January 19, 2001 If you have any questions regarding to this program, please do not hesitate to contact -Ellie Nakano at the Consulate General of Japan Tel: 604-684-5868 ext. 240 Fax: 604-684-6939 email: programs@consuljpnvan.com

e-PALS - the world's largest and fastest growing online classroom community. ePALS facilitates communication amongst students by making it possible for them to connect with their peers around the world in a fun, safe and educational environ- Developed by Dan McKelvey & Linda Kennedy ment. www.epals.com JMN, located on the Internet at: http://cheno.com/mentor, is Sony Foundation - supports the "Video Messages to the World" a network of present and past JET Programme participants Contest. These videos, 3-8 minutes long, cover a variety of interested in professional networking to gather career infortopics from daily life to school events to local history and cul- mation, find a foothold for future employment, or simply seek ture. If you'd like to borrow a copy of the 1999 award-winning a "senpai" for some advice. Free to all JETs, JMN offers registered users the opportunity to search a database of JET videos, please contact boleyn@vcn.bc.ca. mentors - JET Alumni who are users themselves - in order to Overall, it was a worthwhile conference because it facilitated network with people working in a preferred job function, incommunications between JETAA Chapters, CLAIR and the dustry, etc. Users can browse an entire list of mentors, or Ministries. As with any vibrant organization, the JET Programme they can limit their search based on their personal prefercan only continue with change. The existence of JETAA Chap- ences. A list of mentor matches is displayed after each search, ters can only be justified by the former's existence. Together, and the user can send a message to any mentor through the we hope to implement many of the ideas and initiatives we com- web site. MORE IN THE NEXT NEWSLETTER!! piled before the next JETAAi Conference.

The JET Mentor Network

Review by Sara Dakin One of the highlights of the re-entry seminar was an interactive presentation by Robin Pascoe. Though not a former JET herself, Robin has lived in various Asian cultures and has been through numerous “re-entries”. This self described “Tasmanian Devil” of energy left us charged with useful ideas and new hope for our own re-entry processes. For those of you who did not make it to the seminar, here’s a recap of what she said.

Coming Home So what exactly does it mean to come home? More importantly, what do we mean by home? Robin pointed out that “home” is an emotional location, a place where things are familiar and we feel like we belong. Perhaps our families, friends or belongings are here in Vancouver, and so it has been calling to us as “home”. But once we get here, it might not feel like home any more. Things we expect to be familiar aren’t. We don’t feel comfortable around those people we used to call friends. And so all of this leaves us feeling a bit homeless, at least in the emotional sense. Sometimes this is due to an unrealistic view of what we were coming back to. We often fall into thinking time has stood still here while we were away.

But in reality, people have changed. Perhaps friends have married and moved into the kids stage of life. Parents might seem older and more frail than we remember. And Canada has changed. And then to top it all off, we have changed.

Sometimes coming home can feel like trying to fit back into a square hole when now we have become a round peg.

The Shock Re-entry shock is real. Luckily it is not fatal! Robin says its kind of like having “contact lenses in the wrong eyes”. Little incidents, like not knowing any of the songs on the radio, or no longer knowing the correct fare for the bus, make our own country feel foreign. This leads to feelings of disorientation, alienation and isolation. Common symptoms include fatigue, depression, lack of motivation or energy, being overly sensitive and feeling marginalized. Or perhaps we feel like being away was just a dream; that’s a common re-entry feeling too. Another is get really judgemental of those who didn’t live in Japan. “What do you mean you can’t use chopsticks and don’t know what itadakimasu means?” we might feel like yelling. Robin stressed that how long we were away, whether we are coming home for good, or just as a stop over, and other factors, like what is going on in our family, all play a role in what type of re-entry we will face, as well as how long it takes to adjust.

Adele Pransky, Robin Pascoe, Liz Stephen-Baba, and Terry at the ReEntry and Career Seminar 2000

So how long is it going to last?

Robin uses the quote “culture shock is short -term, but re-entry shock is for life”. No, don’t panic! That doesn’t mean we will be lying around with no energy feeling alienated forever more. But we will never be the people we were before, either.

Luckily very few people want to go back to who they were before. For most of us, we are richer and more open minded people than we were before we left. Robin also reminded us that not all of this great big muddle of issues and feelings is due to coming home. If we are trying to sort out what to do with our lives or are dealing with money issues, family issues or relationship issues, we need to remember we would be facing these issues regardless of whether or not we went away.

We should take a look at the three biggest issues we are facing. Which ones are the direct result of going abroad?

Keeping in mind we would have faced many of these issues whether or not we travelled can help keep things in perspective.

Getting over it So how does one survive all of this? The key is building a support network and getting involved in our new lives here in Vancouver. It is great to link up with old friends, but we also need to make sure to connect with some people who will understand when we talk about Japan or re-entry shock. JETAA is a great way to meet such people, so get involved! We need to be patient with ourselves and to give ourselves credit for all that we are facing. Good luck with a successful transition!

Review by Carl Brodie I was fortunate enough to attend a seminar presented by Mr. John Powles entitled "The Pros and Cons of Government and Private Sector Work". Mr. Powles was able to shed enlightenment on the subject having had years experience representing both the Canadian government and Canadian industry in Japan. Though he talked briefly of the difference in working conditions between government and industry, the crux of his presentation was his insight on accessing both government and private sector organizations and particularly on the latter. Mr. Powles spoke well and was well informed. we were all thankful for his willingness to share with us.

Mr. Powles explained how to target areas of government or industry dealing with Japan. He indicated the Foreign Service as the obvious entry point for embarking on a Japan related career. It is a secure job and is more casual than industry.

However, the amount allotted for living expenses is not negotiable and dealing with such limited expense accounts may lend a degree of frustration to working in Japan. Exploring work in the Foreign Service is as easy as entering the office and taking the test.

Getting informed and networking seemed to be the general theme for the day and Mr. Powles' suggestions on finding work in Japan related industry were no exception. The Vancouver Board of Trade's directory and the magazine "Canadian Business in Japan" were suggested as indispensable resources for understanding the nature of business links between Vancouver and Japan. He promoted The Vancouver Board of Trade as a gaping portal into the world of trade with Japan, urging prospective candidates to take every opportunity possible to get involved in the organization. In terms of a specific company in Vancouver, Mr. Powles had some experience working for The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation posited it as an excellent entry point into a Japan related career. He added that when considering other options it would be best to determine the top exporters to Japan being mindful to discern which industries are growth industries and which are merely stagnant giants.

Thinking about IT? Review by Garner Webber Thip Homsayath debunked myths and outlined strategies for JET Alumni seeking work in IT (information technology).

Myth #1: Everyone is young and a ‘techie.’ In fact jobs in the hi tech industry are diverse and include all kinds of research, marketing, administrative and other non technical positions.

Myth #2: IT is all about hi tech products. Actually, many different fields are being affected by technological change including; medicine, environment, new media, manufacturing and others.

Myth #3: All the good jobs are down south. The truth is, IT is thriving in B.C. where companies such as PMC Sierra are valued at 28.5 billion dollars and compete globally.

Thip advises interested JETs to volunteer and network at industry events such as those offered by the BC Technology Industries Association (www.bctia.org) or the Vancouver Enterprise Forum (www.vef.org). She also suggests upgrading your skill set online at the TechBC corporate education and professional development website (www.techbc.com).

Some excellent tips for JET IT job seekers.

Teaching English as a Second Language Review by Patricia Kitsco Virginia Christopher, from the YMCA English Language Institute, held an informative discussion on ESL opportunities in Vancouver and elsewhere. She specifically focused on: required qualifications, TESL Certification Programs, and ESL institutions. In addition, she discussed some of the options available for individuals who wish to teach ESL abroad at the college level. Most TESL certification programs are 1.5 to 2 years in duration. There are correspondence programs available in addition to standard university programs. Virginia recommended Columbia University, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Manchester (England), and Cambridge University (England) for correspondence programs.

Within Vancouver, Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia offer TESL courses within their Education faculties. The correspondence courses provide a good option for individuals teaching ESL overseas who wish to improve their qualifications. There are many ESL institutions in Vancouver and elsewhere. Virginia provided a list of the following associations and institutions to contact for more information.

Overall, this workshop provided a lot of very valuable information on the possibilities of teaching ESL. If you are interested in teaching ESL in Vancouver, I would strongly recommend you contact Virginia Christopher at (604) 899-4161 for more information. She is well informed on the subject and can provide you with many leads.

A Welcome to All Returning JETs and an Invitation to All Current JET Alumni

by Elizabeth Stephen Baba, JETAABC President and Mokuyokai Board Member and David Wallace, Mokuyoukai President Returning JETs who come back to the Vancouver area are often looking for ways to continue their Japan connections and expand their horizons. The JET Alumni Association provides a good venue to readjust to Canada and reminisce with former colleagues. What is the next step?

The Vancouver Mokuyokai Society was formed twenty years ago by a group of Canadians who had lived and worked in Japan. Most spoke Japanese and wanted to attend business (as well as politics, economics, and culture) speaker lunches to keep themselves updated on events in Japan. Initially, these meetings were held on Thursdays, hence the name Mokuyokai.

Currently the organization has a wide range of activities, business speakers, social evenings, special cultural events, and an active hiking group, to name a few.

In the past several years a number of JET Alumni have joined the Mokuyokai and we are fortunate to have several JET Alumni currently on our Board of Directors.

Mokuyokai is offering JET Alumni a special discounted membership rate of $20 for the first membership year (a 50% discount!).

Membership gives you access to a wide range of activities and introduces you to many people, who have deep connections with Japan and an active ongoing interest in Canada-Japan relations. Also, admission to the monthly brown bag lunch speaker events and the monthly hikes is FREE for Mokuyokai members.

Please visit our web site at www.mokuyokai.bc.ca to get some current information on the organization. New members are actively encouraged to participate in the organizing of the Society's programs, and find their horizons continually broadened.

The third Thursday of every month, the Vancouver Mokuyokai Society has a pub night called the "Donwakai". Our pub night is the 3rd Thursday of every month at the Spotted Prawn Bistro from 5:30 p.m. This is a casual gathering for members and those who are interested in Mokuyokai. It is a great chance to come out and chat and relax and do a little networking in a fun, casual environment. The Mokuyokai membership is made up of both Japanese and Canadians with a wide variety of interests, careers and ages. The Donwakai is a great place for JETs to learn more about Mokuyokai and meet people with common interests.

For more info (about this party or other events) check out the Vancouver Mokuyokai Society's website at www.mokuyokai.bc.ca or contact Liz Stephen at 738-3360 or email us at info@mokuyokai.bc.ca

NEWS FROM THE CONSULATE Hello from the Consulate, I'm updating my JETAA mailing list. If you finished your contract this year and returned to Canada, please email me following information.

Also, if you are not on my mailing list (if you are not getting a bimonthly JETAABC newsletter and wish one), email me!

I need following information from you: full name, mailing address,tel/fax, email, years on JET (start year and end year, e.g.1999-2000) assignment place, ALT or CIR Thank you!

Ellie Nakano Consulate General of Japan Tel: 604-684-5868 ext. 240 Fax: 604-684-6939 email: programs@consuljpnvan.com

Consulate-General of Japan in Vancouver Launches New Website! www.japancg-vancouver.org

TATAMI TIME SHARE Tatami Time Share has arrived in Western Canada. Get yourself on the list and start making plans for the summer!!

Easy on-line registration with utmost confidentiality at Or send an e-mail to www.jetaabc.bc.ca. 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 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. We need you to help it run successfully.

1. We need Tatami Time Share Hosts. Contact us at tatamitimeshare@jetaa.bc.ca to get on the list.

2. We need a moderator to develop and upkeep the site.

Minimum commitment is 6 months.

Contact boleyn@vcn.bc.ca for more details.

3. You need a place to stay while you visit another city? Contact tatamitimeshare@jetaabc.bc.ca to get a Host.

Events, Events, Events December Mokuyokai Hike - Cancelled! But look for more great hikes coming up in the New Year! Any queries: call Ron Foster @ 433-7844 or e-mail me @ Ron_Foster@telus.net. See you the 3rd Sunday in January!

Monthly Steering Committee Meeting - January 9th (Tuesday) 7:00pm, 4-1839 W. 5th Ave. All Alumni are welcome.

Feel free to bring your supper.

Contact: Liz Stephen-Baba - ph. (604) 738-3360 or info@jetaabc.bc.ca Japanese Community Shinnenkai - January 13th (Saturday) - 5:00-8:30pm The Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens Association (JCCA) is holding a Japanese Canadian Community Shinnenkai on Saturday . JETAABC members and friends are invited to this event. The cost is $25 for a buffet dinner. It will be a great opportunity to meet people in the community. The Shinnenkai will be held directly after the Keirokai which is a luncheon to honour seniors in the Japanese Canadian community. JETAABC members are encouraged to attend the Keirokai as guests in order to chat with these sempais in the community. The price is the cost of a bento lunch, and the benefit to the seniors and to JETs is priceless. The Keirokai is from 12:00 to 4:00. Both of these events will be held at the recently opened National Nikkei Heritage Centre in Burnaby.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Stephen Baba at 738-3360 or yaliz@ultranet.ca.

NEED TO GET RID OF SOME OF YOUR JAPANESE STUFF? 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".

3rd Japanese Cooking Class - February 3rd, 2001 with Chef Yoko Hirae What is this, you ask?

Menu: Chirashi sushi, Ton - jiru (ton=buta=pork; jiru=soup) and Chawan-mushi Well, the JAPAN SUITLocation: Burnaby near Nikkei Place, Edmonds Skytrain Station CASE is a new program Cost: $10per person RSVP: A must! Limited space available. which we hope to be starting Email boleyn@vcn.bc.ca or call 522.8761 soon. It is basically a suitcase full of Japanese items Skiing in Whistler with JETAABC and other Pacific JETAA chapters and information about Japan February 17th, 2001 Contact Krista Watson - kwatson@sfu.ca which could be used to educate children in elemenSake Tasting Evening - sponsored by the Vancouver Mokuyokai Society. They will be tary schools in the Lower having its 2nd Annual Sake Tasting February 10th. There will be lots of great sake Mainland. brought in from Japan for this event. Watch the JETAABC email list for more info, or

Annual General Meeting and Shinnenkai - Saturday, January 27th, 2001 AGM: 6:30-7:30pm Shinnenkai 7:30pm. See page 2 & 3 for details!

check the Mokuyokai website at www.mokuyokai.bc.ca. Contact: Liz Stephen-Baba ph. (604) 738-3360

Upcoming Events!

Spring 2001 Summer 2001 Fall 2001

LaConner Tulip Viewing Day Mariners Baseball Game with Pacific-Northwest JETAA Salmon Spawning Viewing/Hiking Day

For the upcoming 2001 events, contact Boleyn Relova at boleyn@vcn.bc.ca

Always check out the JETAABC WEBSITE at www.jetaabc.bc.ca for the updated schedule of upcoming events! Get information at info@jetaabc.bc.ca

If you would like to get involved, or like to donate a few items, please email us at "angelkeik@hotmail.com".

Thanks!

4th Annual New Year's Nabe Party at Paul’s Saturday, January 6th - 6pm Let's all get together and enjoy an evening of fun cooking Japanese food (Nabe and Okonomiyaki). New this year, we will add Yakiniku to the menu. We will share the cost of the food, and please bring your own beverages.Alumni and friends are welcome. Space is limited as Paul Donovan’s apartment is small, but we can still have a nice cosy time.

We'll most likely watch a movie, after eating, from Paul's extensive video (and now DVD) library. RSVP to Paul at 608-4345 or email <paul@donovan.sh> no later than January 5th. Cost will be about $10. (This is a group cooking event so plan on helping with the cooking. Also, we need a couple of NABE pots and small gas burners)

Thank You to this month’s contributors!

Carl Brodie Paul Donovan Daniel McKelvey Marisa Narona Boleyn Relova Angela Tan Krista Watson

Sara Dakin Patricia Kitsco Ellie Nakano Adele Pransky Liz Stephen-Baba David Wallace Garner Webber

Alumni News

What is this organization called Well, for those of you who heard JETAABC? Marisa Norona - Finally Moving!!

I was moving to England this past summer...things were delayed a bit, but I now have my plane ticket in hand, so it's safe to say I'm really moving (December 18th)!! My boyfriend, Ashley, and I will be moving to Britain for a year or two to spend time with our family there and to pursue work opportunities (he in Chemistry and I in International Development). I'm going to miss Vancouver and my times with JETAABC and the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver after JET, but am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead! I will be sure to keep in contact and let you all know how it goes.

Take Care!

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: 837-7953 (cell) Fax: 608-6331 E-mail: paul@donovan.sh 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: 875-4111 ext. 68485 E-mail: mfedoruk@interchange.ubc.ca Director at Large - Newsletter - Angela Tan Do you have any exciting E-mail: angelkeik@hotmail.com news to share with Programs and Events Director - Krista Watson JETAABC? E-mail: kwatson@sfu.ca Are you getting married?

Director at Large - Programs and Events - Adele Pransky New job? Moving? Please E-mail: adelesky@hotmail.com let us know!

Membership - Albert Ngai Send an email to: E-mail: albngai@home.com angelkeik@hotmail.com Island Representative - Alida Abbott E-mail: genkiali@yahoo.com and we'll announce it in the Chapter and JETAA Canadian Representative - Boleyn Relova JETAABC newsletter!

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 Mr. Hideaki Kawai - koho@consuljpnvan.com Ms. Ellie Nakano - telephone ext. 240 E-mail: programs@consuljpnvan.com

questions or comments? info@jetaabc.bc.ca

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 kwatson@sfu.ca

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