Fall 2001 Volume 7 Issue 4

➥ IN THIS ISSUE

Career and Re-Entry Seminar Review.......................1 Editor’s Rant...................2 AGM & Shinnenkai...........2 Reviews of Career and Re-Entry Seminar...............3 CLAIR News....................4 Consulate News................4 Yahoo eGroups News.....4 Alumni News....................5 New Webmasters Found..5 Intensive Japanese Program Application Info....5 Japan Day / Japan Suitcase..........5 Wacky Japan News..........6 More Career Reviews......6 Think Tank Discussion.....7 Important Events...............7 Newsletter Online.............8 A Princess is Born............8 What is JETAABC?......8 Contact Information.........8

www.jet.org Official AGM Announcement Inside on Page 2!!

See you at the AGM and Shinnenkai!!

January 19th, 6:30 pm Medical Student Alumni Centre 2750 Heather Street (at 12th Avenue) Vancouver, BC

Sharing It Forward Re-Entry & Career Seminar a Huge Success!

by Stefan Chobotar, Fukuoka ’97-‘99 JETAABC Career Seminar Keynote Speaker Deb Calderon on Sharing It Forward

There is a certain amount of apprehension (some would even say fear) about looking for a job. Yes, the dreaded job search requires us to dig deep, take stock of our strengths and weaknesses, mine our work history for past achievements and establish goals that stretch out into a future that isn’t always clear.

It’s not surprising that the whole self-analytical process can seem a little intimidating and stressful. Fortunately there are people out there that believe in us “job seekers”, like our friends and family and people like Deb Calderon.

Deb Calderon has been a traveller, a teacher, a job resource councillor and most recently a consultant with her company Calderon Consulting. Deb was the keynote speaker at this years JET Alumni Career Seminar. Her presentation was an interactive session with plenty of valuable information that not only kept me awake on a drizzly Saturday morning but left me inspired.

Deb based the talk on the concept she called “Sharing it forward”, which essentially means freely sharing job and career leads with peers and other job seekers. While many jobs are widely advertised in the newspapers, trade magazines and the Internet, 80% of all job postings are never made public and are filled through networking and word of mouth placement. “Sharing it forward” or networking establishes trusted relationships between people.

Chances are that if you recommend someone for a job and they get a hot lead, they’ll be looking for an opportunity to return the favour.

Throughout the talk, Deb shared personal anecdotes about her life as a traveller and teacher, that helped me realize the value of those experiences. After returning from her travels, Deb started teaching and after some time took a chance on a position at Science World. The job paid less than a teacher’s wage, but Deb took the job anyway and just one year later, was more successful and happier than ever. (continued on Page 3)

Many more great reviews of the JETAABC Career & Re-Entry Seminar Inside!!

What is JETAABC? Get involved and make this Association what YOU want it to be!

Editor’s Rant 2002 is almost upon us. As 2001 comes to a close, the first official year of the millennium has been one of reflection. International events of the past months have irrevocably changed everyone’s outlook on the world and the relationships between individuals, and between countries. Fortunately, being part of the JET Programme has given all of us the experience to develop and strengthen the relationship between Japan and Canada, two close allies and friends. I’m thankful to be part of such a wonderful program which seeks to promote mutual understanding and friendship. Perhaps other countries and governments should do more to strengthen these values that seem to escape them.

See you all in 2002 at the AGM and Shinnenkai! Mata ne. Matt

Come to the JETAABC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING & SHINNENKAI! WHEN: Saturday, January 19th 2002 AGM: 6:30 - 7:30p.m. SHINNENKAI: 7:30pm - 11:30pm WHERE: Medical Students’ Alumni Association Centre, 2750 Heather Street (@12th Avenue), Vancouver WHY: It’s important for YOU to attend the AGM for two reasons.

First, we update all members on the budget and current affairs of the Association. Secondly, we hold a general election for a brand new Steering Committee! This is where YOU spring into action!

All positions are open and any JET Alumni may run for a position. No experience is necessary. Your commitment involves one meeting/month as well as supporting the various events throughout the year. At the AGM, all that is required is that you stand up, introduce yourself and tell everyone why you’d like to be part of the JETAABC Steering Committee. Even if you’re not running for a position, your vote is EXTREMELY important to the outcome of the election. To help you make your decision, a description of positions will be published next newsletter. The positions and the officer currently holding that position is is on page 8 - feel free to contact them.

After the AGM is closed, JET Alumni and friends are invited to our

ANNUAL SHINNENKAI

TICKETS: - JET Alumni - $8 in advance (send a cheque to Matt) or $10 at the door - Non-members - $15 Delicious Japanese and Western food and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. (Feel free to bring your own alcoholic beverages.)

The favour of an RSVP is requested by January 12th to Matt Fedoruk, (604) 228-2160 or mfedoruk@interchange.ubc.ca Address cheques made out to JETAABC to: Matt Fedoruk, Box 174, 6335 Thunderbird Crescent, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2G9 On-street meter parking is available around the hospital area and there are parkades on Ash & 10th, at City Square Mall and at the back of the Ramada Inn on Broadway & Laurel Street We look forward to seeing MANY of you on January 19th!

More reviews of the awesome Re-entry and Career Seminar! The Seminar was well-attended this year (50 people) and provided many JET Alumni with informative and confidence building workshops to help in finding a job in a competitive market. Many thanks to all the organizing committee and all the volunteers! (continued from cover page) Deb stressed that change (like living in a foreign country for a year and then moving back to what you thought was a familiar one) is risky, difficult and uncomfortable. It takes a special person to take a risk like that. It’s often hard for newly returning JET’s to see the value of international experience but Deb identified several skills acquired by such an experience.

Top 3 skills acquired through International Experience 1. The ability to filter a large amount of new information (I remember Shinjuku) 2. The ability to process this information and determine what is most important (Toilet doko desu ka.)

3. You embody the entrepreneurial spirit, you are a self starter and an independent worker (What game am I going to play for my introduction speech at this elementary school?)

In addition to giving tips on effectively networking (always be interested in the person you are talking to) and perfecting your handshake (avoid extremes of the “bone breaker” and “limp fish” handshakes), Deb outlined some tips for job hunting.

Top 3 Tips for Job Hunters 1. Always get the correct name of manager to whom you’re applying 2. Do your homework about the company 3. Personalize cover letters and always send a follow up note after an interview Deb also gave her perspective on some alternatives to full-time employment. While we may all hope to have the security that our parents enjoyed with full-time jobs, regular hours and benefits packages, the job market is changing. These days, there are more opportunities for job sharing, semi, part-time and contract work than ever before. This type of work is dynamic because you can work in a variety of industries. It also gives people flexibility in scheduling their work hours and autonomy in what jobs they choose to take on.

With her shared experience and extensive knowledge of the job market, we were given a lot of useful information in a fun format that encouraged us to “share it forward”. Deb’s seminar alleviated some of the stress related to the job search and her anecdotes about her career evolution certainly inspired me to take her message and apply it.

"Do You Have What it Takes to Succeed in the BC Job Market?"

Reviewed by Katherine Buffington Ms. Crista Aikens, a manager with the McNeil-Nakamoto Recruitment group, discussed the current BC job market and what employers are looking for. One thing she stressed was the need to present yourself in a clear and specific way to potential employers. When sending a cover letter, make sure you know the name (and correct spelling!) of the person you're trying to reach; if you don't know, call.

A cover letter should prove that you are a useful potential resource to the company, and echo any specific abilities they might be looking for. Articulate why they should hire you; be assertive without being pushy. Ms. Aikens acknowledged that the job market is tough right now and one of the best things to do is network. Treat networking as an important part of your job search; attend conventions or gatherings in the area you're interested, and let everyone know you're looking for a job. Ms. Aikens' company's website is: http://www.people buzz.com, and you can contact her at crista@peoplebuzz.com.

The IT Industry, by Carl Brodie Reviewed by Chris Steele Even in this pleasantly informal roundtable (well ok, they weren't really round) discussion "Network, network, network" seemed to be the mantra of the hour. In these times of lacklustre economic growth, post .COM bust, getting an IT job is not easy. Carl suggests that there are, however, jobs available for those who are willing to sacrifice just a little bit. In addition to conventional job application methods and networking (networking, networking...), Carl kept stressing the value of Interning. Interning, for little or no money (the sacrifice), allows you to show your boss what you can do and creates a relationship between you and the company that you are interning for. This gives you an excellent platform from which you can apply for a job (the payoff). The seminar also outlined the contents of a number of web sites useful for IT upgrading and career searches.

How to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Your Job Search Facilitated by Vicky Parrm, Reviewed by Kristy Murao The seminar facilitated by Vicky Parr was a great session on useful approaches to finding a job you want. In the session we were given tools to aid us in our job search. The main focus of the session was to conduct a self analysis to help identify your likes, dislikes, strengths, preferences, and areas that may require strengthening. Through documenting this we were able to analyze what type of work situations we enjoy, as well as work environments that we consider to be less than satisfying. The exercises allowed us to consolidate our knowledge, competencies, and previous experiences, into notable transferable skills that we can highlight in our resumes or at interviews. Truly knowing yourself before you begin looking for a job is definitely advantageous. Narrowing your search will increase your chances of finding an employment opportunity that is well suited to your needs and wants, as well as one you will enjoy.

www.clair.nippon-net.ne.jp

Another year is coming to an end and I sincerely hope that everyone is doing well in their different corners of the world.

I'd like to take this moment to remind everyone that another edition of the JETStreams newsletter is on its way. The winter 2002 edition will feature general information; the JETAA Survey 2001 Results; news on the 2001 JETAA International Conference in London; chapter activity and representative updates; and other material that people would like to submit. As with previous editions of JET Streams, we are looking for your contributions to the newsletter.

Article topics can range from reverse culture shock; job hunting; maintaining links to Japan; or anything else related to the JET Programme or JETAA. The JET Streams newsletter is an open forum for information exchange between members of JETAA and JETAA chapters. Please make use of this resource and feel free to be creative with your submissions.

Please send in your contributions by e-mail as either an MS Word document or text attachment to the following address: <jet-aa@clair.or.jp> The deadline for submitting articles is Friday, December 14, 2001.

As well, I am always open to suggestions as to how JET Streams can be improved for the future. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please do not hesitate to let me know.

In addition, the 2002 JETAA Directory is, at this point, scheduled to be sent out in January with the upcoming JET Streams.

In order to ensure that the two CLAIR publications arrive promptly and that people have valid information in the JETAA Directory, please advise your chapter members to update their contact information with CLAIR. Please send any information updates to: E-mail: jetaa@clair.or.jp or make use of the JETAA Membership Update form at: http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/former/form.html

News From the Consulate Ellie Nakano is constantly updating her JETAA mailing list with mailing information from returned JETs. If you finished your contract last year and returned to Canada, please email me following information.

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

She needs the 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 The new Consul-General, Toshiro Ogawa, arrived in

Vancouver on October 18 with his wife and 6-year-old Consulate-General of Japan in Vancouver son. He is very enthusiastic and keen about the JET Programme. “It’s one of the best things the Japanese has launched New Website! government has ever done,” he said at the recent Welwww.japancg-vancouver.org come Back Reception he hosted at his official residence.

Special Announcement regarding eGroups As you may already know, eGroups merged with Yahoo! in August 2000, now becoming Yahoo Groups. This is the email broadcast service JETAABC uses to communicate messages to JET Alumni Members who have subscribed to this service. It’s goal is quick and easy communication regarding JETAABC business and events.

Don't worry, all the features you know and love about eGroups have carried over and we've added some new functionality that we hope you'll enjoy.

- All eGroups email and web addresses will continue to work.

- All of your group information and membership has been maintained.

You will continue to receive and post mail, just like you always have in the past. If you haven’t joined our Yahoo e-mail group yet, send an e-mail to the Subscribe address below and we will add you to our mailing list.

Post message: jetaabclist@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: jetaabclist-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: jetaabclist-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com URL to JETAABC Yahoo Groups Page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jetaabclist

Greetings from the JET Programme Desk at the Consulate General of Japan!

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is offering an intensive Japanese programme to be held from February 18 to March 1, 2002 in Tokyo. (Leave for Japan from Canada on Feb. 16, arriving Feb. 17 and depart from Japan on Mar. 2). Meals, transportation, including airfare to Japan, and accommodation will be provided.

The programme is open to former JET participants currently engaged in Japanese language education or studying to teach Japanese. People using Japanese at their workplace who are seeking to improve their Japanese skills may also apply.

Previous participants in this programme are not eligible.

Application forms can be obtained from the Consulate by mail, fax or pick-up at our office by contacting culturalcentre@consuljpnvan.com or (604)684-5868, ext 223.

Applicants must include a one-page essay written in English on letter size (8 1/2 x 11) paper stating their reason for applying to the programme. The deadline for receipt of both application form and essay is December 21, 2001 at the Consulate General of Vancouver, 800-1177 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2K6, Attention: Steve Chevalier. Late applications will not be accepted. In addition, a Japanese language test will be held in January (date to be announced) at the Consulate as part of the selection process. The test is approximately 2 and 1/2 hours in length and is comprised of 3 parts: 1. Vocabulary and Grammar 2. Reading 3. Essay An upper-intermediate level (between level 1 and 2 on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test) of Japanese is necessary to complete the test. Forty successful applicants from around the world will be announced in late January, 2002.

Alumni News We all wish James Ingram and Suzanne Doyle-Ingram a thousand congratulations on their new baby girl, Hana! We’re glad to hear that mom and baby are okay and are back at home.

We’ll look forward to seeing you three sometime soon!

JETAABC hosted a Welcome Back Party for all the newly returned JET Alumni at the Fox & Furkin on September 29th. It was a great success - 33 people, 11 newly returned attended.

If you have any questions or require an application, do not hesitate to contact me directly. Sincerely, Steve Chevalier ------------------------Assistant to the Consul, Cultural Affairs The Consulate General of Japan 900-1177 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V6E 2K9 (604) 684-5868, ext. 223 www.japancg-vancouver.org/ The race to be the new JETAABC Webmaster was highly contested with excellent submissions from many interested and highly qualified individuals. The Steering Committee, minus the President (since she was an applicant), discussed and debated at length. Liz Stephen-Baba and Yasushi Baba were chosen to be the new webmaster duo and we look forward to a new fancy website up and running by the AGM in January. Yasushi and Liz would like your input on what you want to see on the JETAABC web site and what changes you want made, etc.. Please let them know by email or phone. They are looking forward to being able to update the site so people can access the new site as soon as possible. Phone: 604-738-3360 or E-mail: yaliz@ultranet.ca

New JETAABC Webmaster Duo

JAPAN DAY & JAPAN SUITCASE PRESENTERS The Consul-General of Japan is seeking interested JET Alumus to present lectures to schools which help promote and explain various aspects of Japan. The Program is called “Japan Day” and consists of a series of lectures and demonstrations which take part at the Consulate in downtown Vancouver.. JETAABC has also been gathering Japanese “stuff” for a similar program called “Japan Suitcase” which would be more of a road-show idea. It is a great opportunity to share your Japan experience with a very enthusiastic audience. An honorarium that includes transportation fees is provided to presenters for their efforts. Interested JET Alumni should contact Ellie Nakano at the Consulate regarding “Japan Days” at 604-684-5868 ext. 240 Fax: 604-684-6939 email: programs@consuljpnvan.com Contact Angela Tan at: angelkeik@hotmail.com if you interested in “Japan Suitcase” or have anything to donate.

This Week’s Tales of the Weird and Wacky from Japan! - Tokyo Q Magazine Police chased a monkey around central Tokyo for several hours, but gave up at dusk when it disappeared into the darkness near the Supreme Court in Kojimachi. The monkey had been wandering around streets and jumping across rooftops.

The minesweeper Uraga is preparing to leave port for the Indian Ocean to provide additional support for the U.S.-led actions against terrorism. Prime Minister Koizumi's cabinet approved a greater role for the Self Defense Force including possible postTaliban Afghanistan U.N. peacekeeping missions. Ambassador Howard Baker made two public statements this week praising Japan for "showing the flag" and its anti-terror efforts.

It was learned that Fuyo No. 1, a environmental observation satellite launched in 1992, will fall to Earth within the next two weeks. National Space Development Agency officials said that most of the satellite should burn up on reentry, but its two 7kilogram titanium tanks probably will not. The officials have no idea where the tanks may fall -- anywhere except within the Arctic or Antarctic circles, they said.

It was revealed that 834 handguns had been seized by police so far this year, up 148 since year last. The majority of the weapons were .38-caliber Makarov automatic pistols, the former handgun of choice for the Soviet military. Also siezed during the same period were 110,000 pills of banned substances -- up about 40% over last year. Roughly 53,000 of the drugs were ecstasy pills taken from a Russian smuggler.

New government standards for karoshi, death by overwork, were established. Now death by overwork can officially be recognized if the worker put in more than 100 hours of overtime in the month preceding the collapse and death; or if the worker had an average of 80 hours or more overtime for two to six months before the collapse and death. There are now 54 cases of karoshi pending in courts around the nation.

An official Santa Claus arrived at Tokyo's Narita airport from Denmark on a SAS flight, instead of in a reindeer-pulled sleigh, to attend charity events and promote the protection of forests. He greeted some children and gave them Christmas ornaments.

A Tokyo Metropolitan police inspector was arrested on misdemeanor charges for urinating on a parked car in a street. The drunken inspector was approached by the owner of the car who threatened to call the police. The belligerent inspector replied, "Call the police if you can." The car owner did, and the inspector was hauled in. The police chief promised that discipline would be tightened.

It was announced that prisons nationwide were overcrowded to 100.6% -- with no hopes of any reduction soon. And in a related report, it was learned that 23% of foreign national prisoners can't understand the commands their jailers give them. Another 62% felt frustration at their lack of Japanese language skills.

The village of Miyama in Mie Prefecture voted overwhelmingly to reject the construction of a new nuclear power plant in their town. Though not a legally binding decision, the power company will now most likely cancel its plans to build there.

A world record for largest human chain was set by 2,489 people in Gifu Prefecture when they held hands to make a 1,650-meter chain. The people, including elementary school pupils, their parents, teachers, and other residents sang "Kagome Kagome," a popular children's song.

A suggestion was made in the Japanese Diet to put restrictions on Diet members linked to crimes. Some of the suggested changes include: that a convicted legislator be required to give up his Diet seat; that salaries be calculated by day rather than by month so days spent in detention or jail will not be paid; that more open discussions be held between "shadow ministers" and real cabinet ministers; and that crime-tainted Diet members lose their 300,000 yen a month travel allowance and their 1 million yen portrait allowance.

The International Trade Session

by Judy Rendek, Business Development Coordinator for the British Columbia Institute for Studies in International Trade (BCISIT).

Reviewed by Deborah Barnett While Ms. Rendek is clearly a very well informed international trade specialist, with such a broad topic it was difficult for her to answer such questions as, “What do you consider the top five skills for a career in international trade?” or to sum up which information sources one could tap to learn about import taxes and other details necessary to start up an artisans exchange of wares between Canada and Japan. What Ms. Rendek did suggest for those interested in such endeavours is the FITTskills International Trade Training Programme, a federally certified series of courses offered at trade schools across Canada that can be taken through BCIT here in BC. FITTskills is made up of 8 different modules ($575 per module, GST exempt, includes all course materials) covering all areas of international trade and is offered in a night school format so that full time employment will not be an impediment to attending. Successful completion of all 8 modules earns you a Diploma in International Trade and makes you a Certified International Trade Professional--the only such professional designation in Canada—giving you the right to place the letters C.I.T.P. after your name on business cards and resumes, which may just be the extra oomph you need to make the cut, especially when applying for foreign service positions, according to Ms. Rendek. Unsure if you really want to become an international trade pro? A 30 hour FITT skills survey course could be what your looking for to get your feet wet, or you could opt to attend only the modules that apply to your area of interest. For more information on FITTskills and the British Columbia Institute for Studies in International Trade, check out the websites at http:/www.fitt.ca and http:/www.bcisit.bcit.ca

Events, Events, Events JETAABC Think Tank Discussion group This year JETAABC has planned a very busy schedule of activities that offer Alumni many chances to get involved. The schedule is always subject to change, so be sure to check our website: www.jetaabc.bc.ca or subscribe to our Yahoo Group for the latest updates (see page 4). Please note that some events require an RSVP so we can make reservations in advance. Thanks!

December Date & Time

Place

Event

Saturday, December 8th 1:00pm & 2:30pm

Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street) Free Admission!! Doors will open at 12:30pm First come first serve.

1p.m. The Secret Garden (Himitsu no Hanazono) 1996 2:30 p.m. Suzaku (Moe no Suzaku) 1997 With English Subtitles.

Tuesday, December 11th 7pm

Liz’s Place, #4 - 1839 W. 5th Avenue

Monthly JETAABC Meeting Everyone welcome

Monday, December 17th

Final 2002 Newsletter Deadline

All submissions welcome!!

January Date & Time

Place

Event

Saturday, January 16th

Medical Students Alumni JETAABC Annual General Meeting and Shinnenkai Centre 2750 Heather (see page 2 for details) Street (@12thAvenue)

TBA 7pm

Liz’s Place, #4 - 1839 W. Monthly JETAABC Meeting Everyone welcome 5th Avenue

Upcoming Events in 2002 - JETAA Canadian Conference in Winnipeg - May - 2002 JETAA International Conference in Vancouver(?) - October - Hanami at the Nitobe Garden sponsored by Mokuyokai - March - JET Preparation Seminar - June

- Sake Tasting - February

- Iron Chef Competition

- Monthly Social Night

- Images of Japan Photo Show

- Monthly Hikes

After our Reentry/Career Seminar in October, we felt that it was important to follow-up with all the attendees. Thus, we offered to meet those interested individuals four weeks after the Seminar. During the discussions, we will cover any reentry/ career issues that may come up.

Fourteen percent of the attendees joined us at our first JETAABC Think Tank Discussion group. We met for a casual coffee on a Friday night. Everyone brought in their updated resumes and we were able to get critiques and good ideas from one another. We also talked about what has happened in the last four weeks since the Seminar and what we would like to achieve in the next two hours.

Individuals with jobs, no jobs, direction, no direction met to encourage each other on opportunities out there. We were lucky enough to have had a registered career counsellor amongst the group who gave us some great feedback.

These are some of the tips we learned: -ensure that your name is the largest/boldest line on your resume -rather than indicate what you did at your last job, indicate the skills you attained -use the skills you developed on JET to get you that next great job.

As part of the Alumni group, we are here as a continuous support network. For more information on the next Think Tank Discussion group, feel free to contact Boleyn Relova at boleyn@canada.com.

NEWSLETTER ONLINE! You can view 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 the membership coordinator Albert Ngai <albngai@shaw.ca> so we can save a few trees.

Thank You to this month’s contributors!

Deborah Barnett Steve Chevalier Wendy McAvoy Ellie Nakano Adele Pransky Chris Steele Angela Tan

Katherine Buffington Stefan Chobotar Kristy Murao Albert Ngai Boleyn Relova Liz Stephen-Baba Tokyo Q Magazine

A Princess is Born

Crown Princess Masako gave birth to a baby girl Saturday, December 1st at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo. It was the first child for the princess, 37, and her husband, Crown Prince Naruhito, 41. The new addition to the Imperial family is the third grandchild of the Emperor and Empress and the 25th member of the current Imperial family.

The baby, delivered at 2:43 p.m., weighs 3,102 grams and is 49.6 centimeters tall, according to the agency. "Both the mother and child are in good health," Hirofumi Oka, head of the agency's general affairs section, said at a press conference held at 3 p.m. The pregnancy came eight years after marrying the crown prince, the eldest son of the Emperor and the heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako, an alumna of Harvard University and a former diplomat in the Foreign Ministry, were wed in June, 1993.

2001-2002 Steering Committee Contact Information

President - Elizabeth Stephen Home: 738-3360 E-mail: yaliz@ultranet.ca Past President - Paul Donovan Home: 608-4345 Work: 837-7953 (cell) E-mail: paul@donovan.sh Secretary - Carolyn Ali E-mail : mike&carolyn@telus.net Treasurer - Ryan Butt E-mail: rjbmaui@hotmail.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 - Adele Pransky JETAABC? E-mail: adelesky@hotmail.com Are you getting married?

Director at Large - Programs and Events - Wendy McAvoy New job? Moving? Please E-mail: wendymcavoy@yahoo.com let us know!

Membership - Albert Ngai Send an email to: E-mail: albngai@shaw.ca 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@canada.com Consulate General of Japan Contacts 900 - 1177 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2K9 Tel: 684-5868 Fax: 684-6939 Mr. Hideaki Kawai - koho@consuljpnvan.com Ms. Ellie Nakano - telephone ext. 240 E-mail: programs@consuljpnvan.com

questions or comments? Info@jetaabc.bc.ca

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 Liz Stephen our fearless President. yaliz@ultranet.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