Here is a blog of a friend of mine who was living in the same city that I was in while on the JET Program. She was a new ALT when I originally wrote this entry, and had posted a lot of interesting photos and stories about living in Japan.
She had a very fresh perspective to her writing and her blog. She posted about things that I took for granted at that point in my "Japan career," but I liked her entry about the Japanese appliances in her house and what it is like to function in her everyday life.
Here is the link to her blog: http://gettingalifeabroad.wordpress.com/
Showing posts with label JET Program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JET Program. Show all posts
Monday, October 14, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Omiyage Advice
Here is some advice I received from a friend before going to Japan to teach English. Perhaps this will be of use to you new JETs/ALTs/English Language Teachers.
"You should bring お土産 (omiyage). It's true that it might not be
expected of you, since you're a foreigner and are coming from a non-
omiyage culture. But it's a nice gesture and will always be
appreciated, and will help you get off on the right foot with your new
overlords.
"You should bring お土産 (omiyage). It's true that it might not be
expected of you, since you're a foreigner and are coming from a non-
omiyage culture. But it's a nice gesture and will always be
appreciated, and will help you get off on the right foot with your new
overlords.
As Janice says, food is the main form of omiyage in Japan, usually
individually-wrapped snacks from wherever the person comes from/
visited on vacation. So, I'd look for a snack or candy that reflects
your local area (or at least has the name of your local area on the
tin/box). Nuts, snack mixes, pretzels, etc. Hard candy is also a great
idea.
individually-wrapped snacks from wherever the person comes from/
visited on vacation. So, I'd look for a snack or candy that reflects
your local area (or at least has the name of your local area on the
tin/box). Nuts, snack mixes, pretzels, etc. Hard candy is also a great
idea.
Don't bring chocolate. It will melt.
For the kids, bring prizes. This is different than the omiyage you
bring to your office/schools. Stickers, stamps, loose change,
postcards, playing cards with pictures of your area on them, etc. Even
if you're teaching only high school. You'll be surprised how
competitive jaded high school kids will get just to snag that coveted
smiley ladybug sticker you brought.
bring to your office/schools. Stickers, stamps, loose change,
postcards, playing cards with pictures of your area on them, etc. Even
if you're teaching only high school. You'll be surprised how
competitive jaded high school kids will get just to snag that coveted
smiley ladybug sticker you brought.
On that subject, a fun thing to do with the kids is passports. Make up
mock passports for each student and stamp your inkan on the visa pages
every time they win a game, answer a question, etc.
When a student gets a certain number of stamps, give them a big prize
like a book of stickers, an American flag, or purikura of you with
cartoon poop on your head."
mock passports for each student and stamp your inkan on the visa pages
every time they win a game, answer a question, etc.
When a student gets a certain number of stamps, give them a big prize
like a book of stickers, an American flag, or purikura of you with
cartoon poop on your head."
Friday, September 13, 2013
Cultural/Language Lesson (From myself to myself three years ago...)
Three summers ago I was borrowing books from the local library about Japan and Japanese culture. I had already studied a bit about Japanese customs before living there as a student, but I wanted to make sure that I knew as much as possible before working there on the JET Program. Even though I had lived there, being a student and being an employee are like entering two different worlds. I wanted to learn a little more about the business side of Japan, and borrowed the book Japanese Cultural Encounters by Hiroko Kataoka.
As I was going through old blog entries, I found the following information tucked away. I had drafted it, intending to post it - yet time moved along and there it stayed.
Although I'm no longer living in Japan, I still find a lot of the quotes below useful, and decided to post this (3 years late). For those of you on the JET Program now, I hope that you will be able to find these notes useful.
-"Many Japanese people do not consider such questions overly personal. They do not expect precise answers, either."
- L
As I was going through old blog entries, I found the following information tucked away. I had drafted it, intending to post it - yet time moved along and there it stayed.
Although I'm no longer living in Japan, I still find a lot of the quotes below useful, and decided to post this (3 years late). For those of you on the JET Program now, I hope that you will be able to find these notes useful.
-"Many Japanese people do not consider such questions overly personal. They do not expect precise answers, either."
-"'Secretaries' in Japan are different from those in the United States. More like executive administrative assistants, they have fairly responsible and well-paying jobs in large companies. The term 'secretary' is a mistranslation."
-"Bob made an excuse and failed to apologize. Apologies are very important in Japan."
-"Jeff should not have written on the meishi or put them in his back pocket."
-"Because they were drinking alcoholic beverages, Leo should have held his glass when someone else poured for him, and he should have poured the other person's drink in return. Pouring your own drink is not appropriate in such social drinking sessions, either."
-"This is a way of being humble. The Japanese use the word tsumaranai to let the recipient know that the giver is not conceited about the gift; hitotsu does not indicate the number of items in the box but simply means "just a little bit."
-"In Japan, one is expected to apologize and visit the victim of an accident, even if one is not at fault, to show his or her sincerity. In fact, one is expected to apologize whenever the other party involved suffers in any way, materially or emotionally."
-"When Japanese people ask 'Dochira e?' they are not expecting to hear where you are going. They are simply acknowledging your presence, and sometimes they tell you that you look very nice (therefore, you must be going somewhere) by this greeting phrase. It is similar to "How are you?" in English in that it does not expect an explanation. The most appropriate reply to 'Dochira e?' is 'Chotto soko made' ('Just down the way.')"
-"It is Japanese custom to remove one's coat before entering someone else's home, even if just for a minute. Removing one's coat does not imply that the guest intends to stay."
-"Although company staff meetings in Japan can include lively discussion, group involvement in projects typically requires lots of consensus-building before formal decisions are made. One is expected to figure out that a "pointless question" or silence means reservations or disagreement. Sometimes a lone dissenter is ignored because he or she has not made the effort to get constructive criticism from workmates before formal statements are made; group approval is often secured by more informal maneuvering prior to the meeting. This process is called nemawashi, and important skill in Japanese society."
-"Traditional art lessons in Japan often take the form described here. The teacher shows an example, and the students follow the example. Students are to copy the teacher until they master fundamental forms and methods. Individuality and creativity are supposed to come only after one has mastered the basics."
-"In Japan, seeing people off is almost a ritual. You are expected to wait until the guests (or whomever you're seeing off) are out of sight; while you wait, you either wave good-bye or bow."
-"When someone you know has lost a close relative, you say the folowing set phrase in a low and unclear voice; 'Kono tabi wa doomo goshuushoo sama deshita' ('My condolences to you for your recent loss')."
-"_te kudasaimasen ka? _te itadakemasenka?"
-"...they do give gifts twice a year (once in August and once in December), called ochuugen and oseibo respectively, to those who have been helpful to them during the year such as teachers, superiors, and doctor. Gift items selected are often rather practical items, like food staples, seasoning, or soap. Those gifts are seldom opened in front of the giver, but are opened after they leave... personal gifts, such as Christmas gifts and birthday gifts, ...are opened immediately."
-"The sound of the kanji character for "death" has the same sound as the character for 'four.' The Japanese avoid giving four of anything."
-"shinnen omedetoo or akemashite omedetoo"
-"The expression... gokuroosama deshita, is usually used by a superior to an inferior when the former thanks the latter (normally when the inferior has done what was expected)."
-"You can tell such bouquets apart from others because they are made to be seen only from one angle (shaped flat) and they always have green, hard leaves in the back. If you see a lotus bud or pod, you can almost always be assured that the bouquet is for a Buddhist altar."
- Expect to pay cash as a wedding gift. Do not give 400 yen as a sum. Make it 300 or 500.
- L
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Interview with Jennifer Jakubowski, Bridges to Japan
Although I've been back to the US for almost seven days now, I haven't found the time and or energy to update here in a while. I'd still like to update about the whole transition from Japan to the US, but for now I'll just leave you with a quick update on something I was working on throughout the whole move.
I did an interview with the Founder and Managing Director of Bridges to Japan, Jennifer Jakubowski. The interview has been published by JQ Magazine, a JETAA publication, and linked through JETwit. Please take a moment to read the interview using either of these links, and feel free to comment and share!
JETAA JQ Magazine: Jennifer Jakubowski Interview
(Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Alumni Association of New York)
JETwit.com: Jennifer Jakubowski Interview
-Lana
I did an interview with the Founder and Managing Director of Bridges to Japan, Jennifer Jakubowski. The interview has been published by JQ Magazine, a JETAA publication, and linked through JETwit. Please take a moment to read the interview using either of these links, and feel free to comment and share!
JETAA JQ Magazine: Jennifer Jakubowski Interview
(Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Alumni Association of New York)
JETwit.com: Jennifer Jakubowski Interview
-Lana
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Photo Gallery
Some photos from 2012:
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| The ring of fire! 2012 Solar Eclipse seen from Asia and the western coast of N. America. |
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| The Culture Shock Graph - since I've been talking about it so much lately. |
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| Elliott and I being silly. |
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| Japanese lacquerware called 漆器 (shikki) and traditional wrapping cloths called 風呂敷 (furoshiki). |
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| "Hmm... which one was mine again?" |
-Lana
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Yamanashi JET, Fuefuki
I have recently been in contact with my JET Program successor! In order to help prepare her for her transition to Japan, I showed her a few blog entries that I had posted when I first arrived.
One that I found particularly amusing was my homemade video of my apartment, posted on August 19, 2010.
I don't find that I look much different, but it seems that everything about me compared to this video feels different. I speak differently, dress differently, and even move differently. It's hard to believe that that was me a mere two years ago. If I have time I think I'd like to record another video similar to that one before I leave. If I'm not too embarrassed, I'll post the second video here so that you can compare them, too.
Looking back at the first photos that I took of the school made me remember how new it all felt once.
I also mentioned updating the English Board and posting some pictures. I did update it several times throughout the two years, but I think that I neglected to post any pictures... So however overdue, here they are!
One that I found particularly amusing was my homemade video of my apartment, posted on August 19, 2010.
I don't find that I look much different, but it seems that everything about me compared to this video feels different. I speak differently, dress differently, and even move differently. It's hard to believe that that was me a mere two years ago. If I have time I think I'd like to record another video similar to that one before I leave. If I'm not too embarrassed, I'll post the second video here so that you can compare them, too.
Looking back at the first photos that I took of the school made me remember how new it all felt once.
I also mentioned updating the English Board and posting some pictures. I did update it several times throughout the two years, but I think that I neglected to post any pictures... So however overdue, here they are!
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Saturday, June 16, 2012
Last AJET Connect Article for me!
In May I submitted my last Rosie article to the AJET Connect Magazine.
Here is the link!
Pulling me here and pulling me there.
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| Sakura, さくら、桜 |
The Japan chapter of my life winds down, and my stomach churns as my emotions fluctuate from day to day. One day I count down how many days left on my calendar until I hop on the plane at Narita and return to NY. The next day I walk around my apartment, feeling nostalgic for something that's not even gone yet. When I think about never living in Japan long-term again and saying goodbye to all of my students and friends here, a stinging feeling wells up in my eyes. But then I think about everything I've missed for two years back home, and I get jittery with excitement to return and start the next phase.
I realize that these swinging emotions are natural, and that I'm certainly not the first or last person to feel torn between my new home and my old one. Deep down I know that going back to the US, pursuing the next step in my career, and being closer to friends and family are what I want in the next step of my life. But despite knowing what I want, how do I effectively cope with these kinds of changes, and embrace the conflicting emotions?
I expect the first 6 months or so in America to be difficult. I won't have a place to call my own, no steady income, a feeling of lack of independence, and unfamiliar culture and customs around me. I ask friends and family to please be patient with me during this period. Things in the US have probably changed while I was away that I know nothing about, and I may have changed more than I realized too. The way I speak is without a New York accent (for the time being at least), and I accidentally pick up my bowls when I eat. Hopefully we can discuss these differences, and share our experiences from the past two years in stories and pictures.
I can't wait to see you all soon! The page turns, one chapter ends and the next begins!
See you in just over a month.
Lana
PS. After I returned home from Japan in University, I stopped writing in my livejournal blog since my adventure in Japan was over. This year I'd like to continue writing in my blog in hopes that I can continue to reach out to people in some way. I haven't decided what I'll write about then, but I think I'll figure all that out as it comes. I look forward to writing , and I hope you're there to join me in the next chapter as well!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Golden Week Holiday
I spent one of Japan's beloved holidays, Golden Week, in my house sick with a cold. I was able to get out for one of the days however, and we drove down to Kawaguchiko, one of the five lakes on the north side near the base of the grand volcano and Japan's symbol, Mount Fuji. Here are a few shots from the day.
We visited Itchiku Kubota Art Museum and Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nenba, a traditional craft village. We had also planned to visit a common starting point for Fuji's climb, Sengen Shrine. The Golden Week traffic caught up with us however, and instead of sitting on a 4-mile stretch for several hours, we decided to cut our day short and go home.
I can't believe that my time in Japan is coming to an end. I want to focus on having fun, creating lasting memories, and packing to go home, but my mind is also preoccupied by the Japanese Language Proficiency Test that I will be taking on July 1st. I have very little chance of actually passing this test, but I will take it none-the-less. If nothing else, it will be good practice for the next one I plan to take in NY next year.
Spring is here! Eco-challenge for this week - try drying all of your clothes on hangers or on a line instead of using a drying machine. They dry faster than you think, and you'll save some money too!
We visited Itchiku Kubota Art Museum and Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nenba, a traditional craft village. We had also planned to visit a common starting point for Fuji's climb, Sengen Shrine. The Golden Week traffic caught up with us however, and instead of sitting on a 4-mile stretch for several hours, we decided to cut our day short and go home.
I can't believe that my time in Japan is coming to an end. I want to focus on having fun, creating lasting memories, and packing to go home, but my mind is also preoccupied by the Japanese Language Proficiency Test that I will be taking on July 1st. I have very little chance of actually passing this test, but I will take it none-the-less. If nothing else, it will be good practice for the next one I plan to take in NY next year.
Spring is here! Eco-challenge for this week - try drying all of your clothes on hangers or on a line instead of using a drying machine. They dry faster than you think, and you'll save some money too!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Welcome Back! - Spring Vacation Travels 2012
Hello all, and welcome back to Kitcher's Cafe!
Here is a short slideshow of some pictures that I took while on a 1-week vacation in March. Two friends from High School (now all three of us living in different places) managed to get some well-deserved time off to make the trek all the way to Japan!
We started in Tokyo, making our way south to Kyushu by shinkansen, visiting Fukuoka and Nagasaki, then making our way back north with a stop in Nara. It was a great time, and helped me see the beauty of Japan again through fresh eyes!
Take a look at the flickr album, and post any comments about the locations or pictures in the comments section below!
Also, take a minute to look at my new store on Zazzle - KokoRosato. I have added a few preliminary items, and will be updating more as time goes on. I'll post again when I have some new products for sale.
Browse other gifts from Zazzle.
Happy looking! Happy shopping! Happy spring!
Here is a short slideshow of some pictures that I took while on a 1-week vacation in March. Two friends from High School (now all three of us living in different places) managed to get some well-deserved time off to make the trek all the way to Japan!
We started in Tokyo, making our way south to Kyushu by shinkansen, visiting Fukuoka and Nagasaki, then making our way back north with a stop in Nara. It was a great time, and helped me see the beauty of Japan again through fresh eyes!
Take a look at the flickr album, and post any comments about the locations or pictures in the comments section below!
Also, take a minute to look at my new store on Zazzle - KokoRosato. I have added a few preliminary items, and will be updating more as time goes on. I'll post again when I have some new products for sale.
Browse other gifts from Zazzle.
All of the products in my store were created using original photos taken by me.
-LRK
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Shosenkyo - 紅葉 （こうよう）
Although it was a little early in the season, two friends and I decided to visit Shosenkyo last Saturday.
It's a very scenic drive that they close off to pedestrians only in the fall. People can walk along the windy mountain road and enjoy a leisurely hike while taking pictures and gazing at the changing colors of the leaves. Like I said, it was a little early in the season for us to go because it has been strangely warm for November, and many of the leaves haven't changed colors yet. Below are a few pictures that we took.
I'm so glad I got to go! It was a nice time to get away from the busyness of town, and just take in the sights. The road also ran along a small gorge and at the top of the hiking trail was a waterfall. As we got near the waterfall there were too many people around for my liking, but it was very nice to see the kind of place that tourists, Japanese and foreign alike, go to see around our prefecture.
Please enjoy my pictures!
It's a very scenic drive that they close off to pedestrians only in the fall. People can walk along the windy mountain road and enjoy a leisurely hike while taking pictures and gazing at the changing colors of the leaves. Like I said, it was a little early in the season for us to go because it has been strangely warm for November, and many of the leaves haven't changed colors yet. Below are a few pictures that we took.
I'm so glad I got to go! It was a nice time to get away from the busyness of town, and just take in the sights. The road also ran along a small gorge and at the top of the hiking trail was a waterfall. As we got near the waterfall there were too many people around for my liking, but it was very nice to see the kind of place that tourists, Japanese and foreign alike, go to see around our prefecture.
Please enjoy my pictures!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Breakdown - but not mine
I'm glad to find out that I'm not the only one who has difficult days from time to time at the Junior High School.
Today I was walking through the library at the school, searching for nothing in particular. The librarian and I like to chat about books and life when we have some free time after school. I am often able to find some kind of book to read for fun, and I just enjoy looking even if I can't read anything. Don't forget, this is a library in a Japanese school...
I was looking around for a few minutes, paying little attention to the librarian who was putting books away from the previous class. She went to her desk once or twice to get a tissue to blow her nose, but there was very little communication between us for the first five minutes as she tidied. Finally, we ended up near the same bookshelf and at last she said, "Oh it's no use."
I saw her sniffling and holding a tissue, so I asked her, "are you sick? Did you catch a cold?"
"No," she replied, and her eyes started to water. "It's just because I'm crying. I'm so mad." At this point the real tears came, and she started to choke over her words. I finally figured out that she had been softly crying that whole time. I asked her what was wrong, and we talked about her day.
Several classes had come in to use the library that day, and the last class of the day had been particularly childish and difficult. I only understood about 20% of what she was trying to tell me, but I got the main gist of everything. On top of the misbehaving students, she was also offended by a teacher in the staff room who made a back-handed joke about her age.* We talked about the situation for a while, and I reassured her that these specific students were not only bad for her, but for everyone. Also, I told her that it isn't her fault that they act this way. There are probably a large number of reasons that the students have turned out this way; they want to impress their friends, they are still children, they have mental/social disorders, they have a rough time at home, their parents have problems, they only think about themselves and don't worry about how it effects other people, they grew up in a bad environment, and so on. We ended up talking for about an hour or so, and tried to gear the conversation away from the students so that she could stop thinking about her bad day and think about something else fun.
I was sorry to see her so upset, but glad that I could be there to support her, and also glad to see that other people sometimes feel hurt by the words or actions of the teenagers at the school. I do my best not to let the youngsters get to me, but every once in a while when a variety of events pile on top of one another, it's normal to break down a little. Even someone who's been teaching for 20 or 30 years can still feel these things. It makes me feel a lot better to realize that everyone has similar problems.
After our conversation she was worried that I would bring bad memories of Japan back with me to America. I told her that every once-in-a-while there were indeed difficult and trying days, but in general my image of Japan and sentiment is still a good one. I will most definitely bring all of my good stories and experiences back to America, and I think that the ones that I'll remember the most will be the good ones.
Today was actually a good day for me, despite having a few difficult classes of my own. First period I was supposed to go to a first year class, but on my way through the hall there was news of a special education class that got changed and would have no teacher for the period. There were only two girls in the class (both of whom I teach English to once a week) and I volunteered to just sit with them while they did some Japanese worksheets for the hour.
I've gotten a lot better at what I do as an ALT I think. It may seem like a weird time to post this, but I'm really happy that I came to Japan, even though originally I would have preferred to come as a CIR. I've learned a lot about Japan, about human nature, about consulting, Japanese, communications and more. I think I'm stronger now, too. I'm definitely ready for the next step in my career, and I'm excited to see where the experience and connections of the past year and a half will take me come July.
Thanks for your constant encouragement and support!
Sincerely,
Lana Kitcher
Today I was walking through the library at the school, searching for nothing in particular. The librarian and I like to chat about books and life when we have some free time after school. I am often able to find some kind of book to read for fun, and I just enjoy looking even if I can't read anything. Don't forget, this is a library in a Japanese school...
I was looking around for a few minutes, paying little attention to the librarian who was putting books away from the previous class. She went to her desk once or twice to get a tissue to blow her nose, but there was very little communication between us for the first five minutes as she tidied. Finally, we ended up near the same bookshelf and at last she said, "Oh it's no use."
I saw her sniffling and holding a tissue, so I asked her, "are you sick? Did you catch a cold?"
"No," she replied, and her eyes started to water. "It's just because I'm crying. I'm so mad." At this point the real tears came, and she started to choke over her words. I finally figured out that she had been softly crying that whole time. I asked her what was wrong, and we talked about her day.
Several classes had come in to use the library that day, and the last class of the day had been particularly childish and difficult. I only understood about 20% of what she was trying to tell me, but I got the main gist of everything. On top of the misbehaving students, she was also offended by a teacher in the staff room who made a back-handed joke about her age.* We talked about the situation for a while, and I reassured her that these specific students were not only bad for her, but for everyone. Also, I told her that it isn't her fault that they act this way. There are probably a large number of reasons that the students have turned out this way; they want to impress their friends, they are still children, they have mental/social disorders, they have a rough time at home, their parents have problems, they only think about themselves and don't worry about how it effects other people, they grew up in a bad environment, and so on. We ended up talking for about an hour or so, and tried to gear the conversation away from the students so that she could stop thinking about her bad day and think about something else fun.
I was sorry to see her so upset, but glad that I could be there to support her, and also glad to see that other people sometimes feel hurt by the words or actions of the teenagers at the school. I do my best not to let the youngsters get to me, but every once in a while when a variety of events pile on top of one another, it's normal to break down a little. Even someone who's been teaching for 20 or 30 years can still feel these things. It makes me feel a lot better to realize that everyone has similar problems.
After our conversation she was worried that I would bring bad memories of Japan back with me to America. I told her that every once-in-a-while there were indeed difficult and trying days, but in general my image of Japan and sentiment is still a good one. I will most definitely bring all of my good stories and experiences back to America, and I think that the ones that I'll remember the most will be the good ones.
Today was actually a good day for me, despite having a few difficult classes of my own. First period I was supposed to go to a first year class, but on my way through the hall there was news of a special education class that got changed and would have no teacher for the period. There were only two girls in the class (both of whom I teach English to once a week) and I volunteered to just sit with them while they did some Japanese worksheets for the hour.
I've gotten a lot better at what I do as an ALT I think. It may seem like a weird time to post this, but I'm really happy that I came to Japan, even though originally I would have preferred to come as a CIR. I've learned a lot about Japan, about human nature, about consulting, Japanese, communications and more. I think I'm stronger now, too. I'm definitely ready for the next step in my career, and I'm excited to see where the experience and connections of the past year and a half will take me come July.
Thanks for your constant encouragement and support!
Sincerely,
Lana Kitcher
Saturday, October 15, 2011
NaNoWriMo
Good morning! Even on non-work days I find it difficult to wake up late.
My hopes for this fall/winter are to stay
inside, read as many books as possible, study for the JLPT, and figure out what
I want to do with my life once I leave Japan in approximately nine or ten
months. I have the study and leisure books already prepared, but I don’t really have enough information
on job hunting.
Last night I met up with a friend in
Kofu. She is also in the process
of trying to make a career change, so I asked her to bring along the books she
has regarding employment. We
talked a lot about our interests, and what kind of markets cater to them. She has been talking to various career
coaches and had a lot of useful information to share with me. The main book that she’s been using is
called Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0. I’m also interested in learning a little about this on my
own, so I looked online only to discover that there are about 20 different
versions of this book, all geared towards different needs and occupations. For example there are some that focus
on using technology, some for using social media, for entrepreneurs, writers,
and the list goes on. There are a
few that I’m really interested in reading, but I was unable to find any
copies that were cheap enough to be worth my while. I also checked the e-libraries and couldn’t find them for
free for the kindle. I’ll either
have to suck it up and buy some of the ones I’m interested in, or find equally
useful information for free on the Internet. I’ll consider this a little longer before I make a decision. At this point, I'm trying to avoid
buying anything new because I’ll have to spend a lot of money to bring it back with me to the US.
Lately I’ve been trying to expand my writing ability,
so I’ve been doing some volunteer writing. I mentioned this in my last entry about the AJET online
magazine. For those of you who guessed
that my nom de plum is “Rosie - the advice columnist,” you’re right! I’ll be writing the advice column
monthly, as long as there is an interest from the editing staff and readers.
In addition to article writing, I found out
about this event in November called NaNoWriMo. It stands for Nation Novel Writing Month. From midnight on November first to
midnight on December first, a group of individuals from all over the world will
make a pledge to dedicate the month of November to writing a novel. Each person will attempt to write 50,000 words, or approximately 175 pages, in 30 days. The purpose is not necessarily to walk
away with something you can publish on December 1st, but to write
for the sake of writing. Many
people who want to write often let doubts get in their way of ever sitting down
to the task. “I’m not good enough,
I don’t have enough time, and I don’t know what to write.” The deadline constraints of this event
force people to write as much as possible, creating a writing flow that is
important for practice and idea generation. The point is to get people away from using excuses, and
simply WRITE.
I will be participating in next months
NaNoWriMo. Anyone can join (as
long as they have access to the Internet), and there are various communities
within the event to help motivate one another with the task at hand. Although my schedule is busy and I may not pass the 50,000 word finish
line, I figured it was still a good chance and opportunity, so I'll give it a
try. Ultimately, anyone could make
this a project for themselves at any time of the year, but having a community
going along through the same process at the same time as you is
integral to getting the job done I think.
Getting inspiration and motivation from others is often important when
trying to push yourself toward a seemingly unachievable goal. Every year people “pass the finish
line,” so perhaps I will join them either this year or next! Also, maybe the work I produce this
month will eventually be turned into a novel. You never know!
Check out the website if you’re interesting in the program, and please
let me know if you decide to join in!
I have put a “participant’s badge” at the bottom of my website. I’d love to share this experience with
you! We can share ideas, story lines, and encourage one another along the way! I will try to keep my word-count up on my blog during
November to let you all know if I’m making any progress or not.
Monday, October 10, 2011
AJET October Magazine
I feel like it has been a while. I apologize for the sudden drop in posts! Things probably won't become any less busy any time soon, but when I can I will update you with tid-bits of what's going on in my life.
The October AJET Magazine has just come out! I hope to write a new article every month until July, as I think I would like to pursue writing seriously and the only way to get any better at it is to learn and practice. In the current issue (the link is posted below) I have submitted one photo, and one column. For the column I actually used a pen-name, as the editors thought this would be best considering the nature of the column. Can you spot it? I'll give you the answer in my next post! In the meantime, happy hunting.
October AJET Magazine Download link
Also happy haunting, as Halloween is just around the corner! This year I will not do anything special except for decorate "Halloween pancakes" with the English club.
And as for a new bit of fun news, I am going to be in Korea for Christmas this year! I'll be there for about a week, leaving Japan on December 23rd and returning on the 28th. Have yourself a Merry Korean Christmas! 메리 크리스마스!
-Lana
The October AJET Magazine has just come out! I hope to write a new article every month until July, as I think I would like to pursue writing seriously and the only way to get any better at it is to learn and practice. In the current issue (the link is posted below) I have submitted one photo, and one column. For the column I actually used a pen-name, as the editors thought this would be best considering the nature of the column. Can you spot it? I'll give you the answer in my next post! In the meantime, happy hunting.
October AJET Magazine Download link
Also happy haunting, as Halloween is just around the corner! This year I will not do anything special except for decorate "Halloween pancakes" with the English club.
And as for a new bit of fun news, I am going to be in Korea for Christmas this year! I'll be there for about a week, leaving Japan on December 23rd and returning on the 28th. Have yourself a Merry Korean Christmas! 메리 크리스마스!
-Lana
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