JETsAD Newsletter #8

#8 August 29, 2015

NEWSLETTER April 2016

2016 Sakura Season 15 Activities for Any Size English Club

Recipe Corner: Peanut Butter Cookies

Upcoming Events, Movie Releases & Concerts

April 2016

JETs AD Newsletter

Table of Contents • JETs AD Spring Kyoto Trip…… 3

• 2016 Sakura Season………. 4

• 15 Activities for Any Size

English Club……………….. 5 • Recipe Corner……..……..…6 • Quotes of the Month…..…. 7 • Brain Challenge…………… 8 • Upcoming Group Events… 9 • Events in Japan……………. 10 • JETs AD Opportunities…… 11

Announcements •Happy birthday to all of the

April babies!

•If you haven’t already, be sure to

check out last month’s Members of the Week and our two new Life After JET posts on our webpage! Looking forward to getting to know more members and hearing the experiences and wisdom of more sempais!

•Congratulations to the March

Giveaway winners: Kay-ann, Kimmisha and Bianca!

•Application period for the

Business Japanese Proficiency Test on June 26 opens March 1 to May 20.

•Application period for the

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on July 3 opens March 29 to April 28.

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JETs AD Kyoto Trip

This year we did a poll on where the spring trip should be. Kyoto was the winner and so off we went! A total of 9 JETs AD member joined us that weekend! Each of us from different parts of the world. It was a good cultural experience indeed. Although plans changed or didn’t go completely as planned, the vibe of the members were awesome! It was a great bonding experience and a safe place for all to share their struggles and challenges here in Japan. Not to mention all of the laughter and giggles that were had.

Traveling as a group of black women did not go unnoticed by the locals and visiting tourists alike. Some people stared in awe and some asked for pictures. A great sounding a cappella group came out of their shell and sang for us at Kinkakuji. Shout out to Bonnie! Unfortunately, we didn’t get the name of their singing group but they were on point with the harmony.

In addition to Kyoto, we also took a side trip to the Nipponbashi Street Festa. The Nipponbashi Street Festa is held ever year in March in Osaka. People wearing various costumes of sorts. Even the clean up crew cleaned in style.

Overall, it was a good meet-up and we look forward to getting to know more of our members at our upcoming meetups. JETs have many avenues for support and we are glad to be a part of that support system.

A BIG thanks to everyone who came out and a BIG thanks to everyone who helped support and get the word out! Ducklings! ;)

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2016 SAKURA SEASON JETs AD Newsletter

April 2016

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4 Photos Courtesy of Chelsea Chang & Jackie

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JETs AD Newsletter

15 Activities for Any Size English Club 1.

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Bananagrams Outburst -There are many ways to play this but one of way is to give each player/team a category.

The player/team must write 10 words pertaining to that category. After everyone writes 10 words, decide the playing order. The first player/team announces their category. Now this is where the game’s name comes in. The other player/teams will each 30 seconds to guess as many words as they can. The first player/team must tell them if they guessed right by either simply saying “Yes” or “No”, using sound effects, gestures or even ringing a bell. One point is given to the player/team who guesses correctly. One point is given to the first player/team for each word that was not guessed. The player/team with the most points wins.

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Go Fish Snakes & Ladders M.A.S.H.- Share a good old childhood game with your students by playing this with them. Not only will they enjoy seeing their “future” and their friends’ futures but also it’s a great opportunity to teach the words mansion, apartment, shack and house, including the differences from the Japanese meanings.

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2 Truths, 1 Lie Battleship Make a grid sheet and you can practice any target sentence you’d like with the student(s).

Word Association (Concentration) Hangman Play the traditional way and/or allow the student(s) to choose a secret word.

Secret Santa- if you only have one student get the supervising JTE to participate.

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Method 1:

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Method 2:

Trick-or-Treat • •

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Everyone fills out a questionnaire about their favorite thing.

Fold up the questionnaires and put them in a hat. Everyone draws a name out of the hat. Check to make sure no one picked themselves. Each person will buy a present for the person they picked, using the questionnaire responses as a guide. As a group, set the minimum price for gifts and a date to bring the gifts. On present day, bring the gift. Gifts can be given directly or placed under a Christmas tree, if labeled.

As a group, set a date to bring gifts. Everyone buys and brings one present. The present can be anything. Optionally, the group can set the minimum cost for gift. On present day, everyone brings their gift and places them under the tree or a designated spot. Do Janken or play a game to decide the picking order.

Reverse: Instead of going around asking in costume asking for candy, you and your students go around the school in costume giving candy.

Normal: You and your students go to the staff and/or office room in costumes and “trick-ortreat.” You’ll need to ask in advance to have the teachers and staff give out candy that either you or they have prepared.

Decorate the English Board Let the student(s) express their creativity by allowing them to decorate the English board.

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Cooking Who doesn't like food? You not only can teach students how to make food from your country

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Crafts Open Events- A great opportunity to get other students involved and good promotion opportunity.

but also have them teach you how to make Japanese food.

This is especially good if you have a small club or if you’re doing culture activities.

Invite teachers. You’ll be surprised by who shows up—students and teachers alike.

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JETs AD Newsletter

RECIPE CORNER Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients •

2~2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

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1/2 tsp salt

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1/2 tsp baking soda (重曹)

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1 cup margarine

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1 cup peanut butter

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1 cup white sugar

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1 cup brown sugar

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2 eggs

Source: www.pixabay.com

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F).

2. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until a dough forms.

3. Divide and roll the dough into small balls.

4. Place the balls on a greased pan.

5. Push down each ball with a fork both vertically and horizontally to give the cookies its traditional design.

6. Put the cookies in the oven and back for about 10 mins or until bottom is brown.

7. Let the cookies cool a bit.

8. Enjoy!!!!!

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JETs AD Newsletter

Quotes of the Month

“Your only limitations are those you set up in your mind, or permit others to set up for you.”

- Og Mandino

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Japanese Proverb: 馬鹿も一芸 Romaji: Baka mo ichi gei Translation: Even a foolish person has talent./ Everyone has a talent or potential.

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April 2016

JETs AD Newsletter

BRAIN CHALLENGE

Japanese Riddle: Hiragana:切っても切っても切れないものは何？ Translation: What is something that even though you cut it and cut it, it cannot be cut?

Sudoku

Can you solve it?

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April April2016 2016

Upcoming JETs AD Events •2016 Q & A Session for New JETs ✦

When: June 24-26th

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Where: Online

We’ll be having an online Q & A session to help answer any predeparture questions or any other questions about life in Japan as a JET of African Descent.

Sign-up list coming soon!

If you’re a current JET and you would like to help answer, let us know!

•2016 Tokyo Meet-up & Cookout ✦

When: July 16-18 (National Holiday)

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Where: Tokyo

It’s time to spread the JETs AD love to Tokyo!

From sightseeing to enjoying some good BBQ and beach fun at Kasai Rinkai Park, we will be able to enjoy the wonders of Tokyo! The cookout will be an opportunity for us to fundraise for a charity. Facebook event page to come soon with more details so stay tuned!!!

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Events in Japan APRIL Sunday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Monday

Friday

Saturday 1

Mt. Ouija Fire Festival (Oita)

Matsuyama Spring Festival

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Matsuyama Spring Festival ends (Ehime)

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All Japan Chindon Contest starts (Toyama)

Real Life Hina Festival (Gifu)

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Matsue Samurai Parade (Shimane)

starts (Ehime)

Yokohama African Street Festival (Tokyo)

Yokohama African Street Festival (Tokyo)

9 Waters Balloon Race (Tochigi)

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Black Creatives Japan Hanami Meet-up (Osaka)

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Asakusa Yabusame Event (Tokyo) Kasama Tsutsuji Festival starts (Gifu)

Waters Balloon Race (Tochigi)

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Furukawa Festival

Marumage Festival (Toyama) Bunsui Oiran Parade (Niigata) Nikko Yayoi -sai (Tochigi)

24 Human(Ningen) Shogi Battle (Yamagata)

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Furukawa Festival (Gifu)

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Hoenya Festival starts (Tottori)

Shoryo-e Ceremony (Osaka)

National Holiday

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Kanto Queens Spring Cookout (Tokyo) Human(Ningen) Shogi Battle (Yamagata)

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Yonezawa Uesugi Festival starts (Yamagata)

Movie Releases: • The Revenant (04/22/2016) • The 5th Wave (04/23/2016) • Captain America: Civil War (04/29/2016) Concerts: • Fuji Rock Festival tickets on sale from April 9th • Hot 97 Summer Jams is coming to Tokyo July 29 Other: Cirque de Soleil Tokyo performances (2/3 - 6/26)

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Share With Us! Got some amazing classroom tricks, amusing comics, hair tips, delicious recipes, great teaching resource or information on an amazing festival in your town? Want to share an experience you had? Whatever it is you have, we would like to hear about it! You can write about anything your heart desires, with only a few exceptions. If you have something you would like to share with the JETsAD community or would like more information, send an email to JETsAD@ajet.net with the subject header “Newsletter Contribution.”

Exceptions: Posts about political, religious or commercial activities, posts from businesses looking for clients or employees and anything deemed inappropriate by the editor.

***Get Involved*** ✦

Open Positions: • Block Coordinators for the following blocks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 • Newsletter Editor • Website Coordinator(Webmaster)

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If you are interested in any of these positions, send an email to JETsAD@ajet.net.

The Block Coordinator application is located in the “Files” section of the JETsAD Facebook page.

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Be apart of Sempai Connect, a buddy system linking current JETsAD & former JETs AD. If you are interested, send an email to JETsAD@ajet.net. To help the pairing process, fill out and send the questionnaire. Questionnaire is also located in the “Files” section of the JETsAD Facebook page.

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What is JETs AD? 


JETs AD (JETs of African Descent) is a group that is open to all and focuses on topics related to JETs of African Descent. This group serves as a platform for discussion, support, and announcements relating to the JET community at-large. We aim to provide useful information and share resources on hard-to-find hair and beauty products, foreign foods, events, ways to stay connected, and other topics relevant to our demographic. We also plan nationwide and region-specific events.

We are affiliated with The JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme.

Join us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all the happenings in the JETs AD community. For more information, email us at jetsad@ajet.net.

JETs AD Newsletter is newsletter for current and former JETs to share information, tips and any other information that may be deemed useful. The views expressed by contributors to this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the JETs AD Special Interest Group nor the JET Programme and its affiliates All contents retain their copyright to the respective contributor(s) and are printed by JETsAD Newsletter under special permission. Š2016 JETs AD Newsletter. All rights reserved.

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Thank you for reading!

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