➥ IN THIS ISSUE
JET Preparation Seminar 2001.................................1 Editor’s Rant....................2 Re-Entry and Career Seminars..........................2 Welcome Back Party!.......2 Consulate News...............3 New Webmaster Needed 3 Farewell to Consul-General Kusumoto..................3 Hikes! Hikes! Hikes!........ 3 New Re-Entry Website.....4 Garden Tour.....................4 JET Mentor Network........4 CLAIR News....................4 JETAA Networking Weekend in Whistler........5 Japan Day / Japan Suitcase...........................5 Yahoo eGroups News......6 Wacky Japan News..........6 JETAABC, Thanks!..........8 Japan Suitcase................7 Important Events..............7 Newsletter Online.............8 Alumni News... ................8 What is JETAABC?......... 8 Contact Information.........8
www.jet.org See you at the Welcome Back Party!! Sept 29th, 8 pm Fox & Firkin Pub back room, 2nd Flr. 1762 Davie Street (at Denman St.) Vancouver, BC
2001 JET Preparation Seminar a SUCCESS! by Adele Pransky, JETAABC Events Coodinator
Well, I had an idea that this event was large and would take some advanced planning but, WHEW! I can honestly say that planning and executing this event was hard work, made much easier by a great organizing team of course! My hat goes off to those JETAABC members who have taken on the task of coordinating this weekend event in the past, including Boleyn Relova, Paul Donovan, and Krista Watson. Like most things that you have to work for, however, it came with great rewards - JETAABC’s time and effort made those about to go on the JET Programme feel a sense of calm for the first time since they signed their letter of acceptance. Many naïve and starry-eyed new JETs could finally get their plethora of questions answered and be given direction and advice. Held at the Canadian College of English Language on June 2nd and 3rd, we had five floors of classroom and meeting space at our disposal, not to mention a wonderful view. New this year were the ‘value-added’ services of providing “Canada-jin” t-shirts and maple leaf lapel pins at cost, as well as offering a 3hour Japanese cooking class at Nikkei Place to be held on July 14th. In addition, we addressed the needs of new JETs’ parents for the first time by offering a one-hour seminar exclusively for the parents of new JETs to answer questions and dispel their worries. We were fortunate to have two JET Alumni and one JET Alumni parent on hand to provide answers and advice. With 40 parents attending this seminar (and the Reception which followed), it was a great success, one I hope will be continued in the future. I think the Seminar can be summed up nicely by the words of a new JET who said to me, “I have to go home…there’s just so much information in my head that it’s making me dizzy!” A job well done, JETAABC! The Preparation Seminar was made possible by many generous JET Alumni: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Stand up and take a well-deserved bow! Organizers: Elizabeth Stephen-Baba (Speaker Coordinator), Adam Christie (Registration Coordinator), Angie Freedman (Food & Beverage Coordinator), Wendy McAvoy (Master of Ceremonies), Carolyn Ali (Handbook Editor), Terry Rogocki (Venue Coordinator)