The Zen of Fundraising - What will work?

Why hello!

I decided it was time to write a little, even if it was a bit generic and... well, let's be honest, uninteresting.

Today I will write about two books, both being read for upcoming book clubs that I am in.

The first is called Daughters of the Samurai by Janice P. Nimura. We will read this at our upcoming JETAANY book club meeting in November. Although I haven't actually started reading it yet, I think that it will be quite good - more than half of our group voted on this one over our other choice. I'm waiting for the book to become available from the library on my kindle before I get started. I will let you know what I think once I have finished!

The second book on the list is called The Zen of Fundraising by Ken Burnett. Although I was a little put-off by the title, I'd say that it was worth the read. I am currently working at a non-profit doing fundraising in Individual Giving. I never thought I would end up here, and have no formal training for the position. One of my personal/professional development goals for the current fiscal year is to read a full-length book on fundraising, and this one was recommended in a webinar training that my boss and I participated in several months ago. I then convinced my boss to let me organize a departmental "book club" session so that we could discuss it as a team. Our team currently is just three (well, 2 1/2 since our intern is only part-time), however I think it will be fun to sit down and discuss some ideas that the book generates in a few weeks. I'm also thinking of trying to get us out of the office to do this in hopes that it will enable us to sit together and really discuss the issues, rather than just rush through the meeting and get to all of the other pending projects.

In general, the book is about how to ideally manage and fundraise for "your" non-profit. It is digestible, and doesn't go too far into over explaining the specifics. The point is to get you thinking about what can work for you. I jotted down a lot of advice from the book that I'd like to use in the marketing side of our operations. Many of his points however refer to non-profits that are raising money to help people in need, while our organization is a cultural arts institution. I wonder what the differences are like fundraising for these different causes?

Well, if you are inspired to read either of these books, please post about your experience below! I think "The Zen of Fundraising" was a bit misleading with the title, and not very indicative of the contents, but worth the time it will take to get through it if you are in this field. It was pretty short, and I think you could skim and still get some ideas for your own team. What were they for you perhaps? Did they work?

Hear from you all soon!

-Lana

JETwit - Making the Most of Your Network

Originally written for JETwit.com: http://jetwit.com/wordpress/2013/12/04/kitchers-cafe-003-making-the-most-of-your-network/#more-33014

Kitcher’s Café, a new series by Lana Kitcher (Yamanashi-ken, 2010-12) is an assortment of articles, topics and commentary written for the JET Alumni community. Lana currently serves as the Business Development Associate at Bridges to Japan, a New York-based cross-cultural consulting firm founded by JET alum Jennifer Jakubowski (Hokkaido, 1995-97). 

Dear recent JET returnees and current "job hunters,"

I was given the opportunity to speak at the JETAANY Career Forum in New York City a few weeks ago. Approximately 25 recent returnees (plus JET alumni going through a career transition) attended the event and were able to learn from the presenters, and also from one another, about how to successfully land a job in today's economy. We learned that it is important to keep strategies current as technology continues to change and as the methods of yesterday are not necessarily effective for our search today.

I would like to share with you some of the points from my presentation called "Making the Most of Your Network," in case some of you are also going through this transition now. When I first returned home from the JET Program I had a really difficult time figuring out how to start the job search. At that point my only full-time job had been teaching English in Japan, and I didn't know how to start looking for a new job from scratch. It took me until mid February to get a job, and I really wish someone had told me what I needed to hear earlier.

I thought I was supposed to be applying to job posts and boards online, giving out my resume, and collecting business cards and LinkedIn contacts. After several weeks of searching and no hits (nope, not one interview), I was starting to feel desperate and under-qualified. I kept hearing from people that they had found their jobs on craigslist, or had applied online and gotten an interview. But this method clearly wasn't working for me, and I needed to change my strategy.

From that point I started doing extensive research, reading books and talking with people. Someone once told me that if I wanted to meet someone, I should invite them to lunch and offer to pay for the meal. (Ever seen an episode of MadMen?) I tried this advice, and started talking to people that I could learn from. It was through these connections that I was actually able to start building a real network, finally turning my hopeless job search into a successful one.

When it comes down to it, people are doing the hiring. Having a good resume is important, but submitting it blindly to hundreds of job postings doesn't mean that anyone will ever actually read it. Why not meet the people who can get to know you? Maybe they will know someone who is hiring and they can recommend you. Maybe they are actually hiring themselves and decide through your pleasant interaction that you would be a good fit for their company. Companies want to hire people they know and trust. Maybe your meeting will lead nowhere (now), but if nothing else it could be a great conversation, or practice for when it will count.

At the presentation, I passed around these resources for participants to use. Please feel free to view or download and print them yourselves if you think they can be helpful to you.

1) Networking Tips Sheet - This has several bullet points of items that I wanted to highlight, or didn't have enough time to cover during the presentation - tips to keep in mind.

2) Networking Resources Reading List - This list includes books that I have read or have had recommended to me regarding networking. It may seem strange to read about job hunting and networking, but in the long run it may be worth the time investment. Most of the resources should be available at your local library if you do not want to purchase a copy.

3) Networking Practice - When meeting new people or attending networking events, it is important to remember information about the people you meet. It is also important to follow up with them afterward. If you note commonalities, it will give you more  to connect on later. Consider using a worksheet like this to help keep track of new connections. For some, it may also be helpful to have a "goal" when attending events. I often tell myself that I need to meet at least three people by the end of the event. Since I am shy, this pushes me out of my comfort zone and allows me to strike up new conversations.

4) Making the Most of Your Network PowerPoint - It may not make a lot of sense alone, but I thought I would include it just in case you wanted to take a look.

If you are currently unemployed, I would recommend starting by meeting 2 to 3 people and attending one networking event each week. If you are pressed for money, schedule a few phone calls instead. Using technology such as e-mail, LinkedIn, and internet searches is a great way to start your research process, but the next step is to make those human connections. Find things that you have in common with that person. Do you share interests? How about alumni associations, previous jobs or locations? Do they do what you want to do? Ask them how they got there and what they might do differently if they could do it again. Learn from them and teach them about who you are without having to "sell yourself." They will learn about your experience and personality throughout the duration of the conversation and the relationship. Networking isn't about meeting as many people as you can as quickly as you can, but about creating human connections, and being able to sustain the relationships over time. How can you help them? How can you mutually benefit?

Words to redefine:

Informational Interview = Talking with people about what they do and how they got there. You're there to learn about them or their company.

Elevator Pitch = Knowing who you are and what direction you're thinking about going in. Don't try to fit your life story and qualifications into 30 seconds, but when the point comes and they ask you, "so what are you looking for?" you'll know the answer. There's nothing harder than trying to help someone who doesn't know what they want. Try some of the exercises from the book What Color Is Your Parachute to help you get there.

Networking = Meeting new people and sustaining relationships and connections over time. Teaching and learning, listening, helping, bridging.

So there you have it! If what you're doing isn't working, trying something new. Ask your friends and family what worked for them. I'll leave you with some advice that my friends told me:

• “I met my boss at a meetup.com social event!”
• “I attribute my success to LinkedIn, but not the job boards - just speaking with and reaching out to different people.”
• “I started learning how to network when I stopped calling it “networking” and started calling it “meeting new people.”
• “I found my current position by following the jobs posted on JETwit.”
• “It’s very unlikely that someone will say no to a free meal, and if they say no – well, that’s the worst that could happen.”

If you have any additional hints and tips to share with fellow JET Alumni currently looking for employment, please share your ideas in the comments section below! We look forward from hearing from you and sharing our advice and experiences.

By the way, definitely utilize your JETAA and JETwit networks for your job search! There are new jobs posted weekly either by JETs, or by companies who love to hire JETs. Good luck!

JQ Magazine: Book Review - "Life in Japan: The First Year" by Victor Edison

My latest article for JQ Magazine is out. Read my book review about "Life in Japan: The First Year,"by Victor Edison.

Original Link: http://jetaany.org/2013/11/30/jq-magazine-book-review-life-japan-year-2/
Date published: November 30, 2013

By Lana Kitcher (Yamanashi-ken, 2010-12) for JQ magazine. Lana is the business development associate for Bridges to Japan. To read more about Lana’s adventures in Japan and New York, visit her blog at Kitcher’s Café.

Victor Edison is a young man who remembers always having some Japanese influences present throughout his life. His family hosted a Japanese exchange student during his childhood, and he was fascinated by anime and manga from a young age. After graduation he found himself working a job he didn’t really want that wasn’t really going anywhere. A friend that was working in Japan at the time encouraged him to apply to be an English teacher and all he could respond to this was, “why not?”

Published by Nagoya-based Big Ugly Robot Press, Life in Japan: The First Year is a bilingual graphic novel written and drawn by Edison about his first year working for an English language school in Mie Prefecture. With little previous knowledge of the Japanese language or customs, he travels blindly to his new home armed only with his enthusiasm and determination to succeed, his ultimate goal to one day become a full-time artist.

His first choice was to work in Tokyo, simply because that was all he knew. After his interview with “Noba,” he soon learns that he has been offered a position in Mie, and accepts.

He starts work at an English conversation school located in a semi-rural area. While the majority of the clients were adults and young adults, the teachers often had to “teach” toddler classes as well. Because the school was located in a shopping mall, many parents would drop their kids off at the English school to fit in some uninterrupted shopping time. The teachers quickly learned that the child classes were thinly disguised babysitting sessions.

Although he often felt like he was drowning at work and struggling to keep up, when he started settling into a routine and feeling more comfortable he began taking a few trips to other locations around Japan. This gave him a new set of experiences, and new material for his comics. In addition to his traveling, he was able to start setting time aside for his art and language studies. Several of his art projects from his time in Japan can be found within the pages here.

Edison’s artistic talent captures Japan’s essence and his autobiographical account is honest and direct. JET alumni will be able to follow his story and find many of their own experiences and thoughts represented within his work. From his first encounter ordering a hamburger to his dissatisfaction with being a glorified babysitter, his tone and pace keeps the reader hooked throughout, allowing us to relive those vulnerable and turbulent first few months. He is also able to find humor in these experiences, which enable us to appreciate the moments and make a connection with the author. He is also able to write honestly and recount vividly, as we see in his visual representation.

Edison’s story is not only a great read for the former expatriate, but also for Japanese citizens that are wondering what it is like to be a foreigner in Japan. Although the Japanese translation can be distracting while reading, it allows insight into the foreign experience, which would otherwise be inaccessible to them.

By reading Life in Japan, it is possible to see that regardless of the program you work for, the age group you teach, or what you look like, many of the challenges that we face as teachers and foreigners in Japan are universal: we arrive with expectations that are quickly shaken, and we face times of uncertainty and growth. Regardless of the exact experience, we all leave Japan changed—usually in a good way—that refuses to allow us to forget the people, places, and encounters. Edison thought that teaching English in Japan would be different. He thought his coworkers would be more serious, or that he would have more free time for his art. If you just returned from Japan last week, or have been back for ten years, you’ll be able to find a chapter of this book that resonates with your own story.

Although he doesn’t mention it in great detail, it can be deduced (or learned through his blog) that Edison is still living in Japan today. He continues to follow his passion doing art, teaching English, and spending time with his family. Perhaps we will get to read about his latest adventures in his next book.

He starts off by trying to answer the question, “so what brought you to Japan?” Although he doesn’t have a concise answer by the end, he knows that it was worth it. This graphic novel is perfect for a friend who will soon be venturing to Japan to become an English teacher or alum looking for a humorous and accurate account of what it’s like to live and teach there.

There is a timeless quality to Japan that you can observe by reading works by different authors across history. Consider comparing Life in Japan to works by Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), in addition to my recent review on Laura Kriska’s book The Accidental Office Lady (1998). On the surface it may feel like Japan has transformed, but you will notice deep cultural roots that remain unchanged.

LIVE YOUR DREAM: The Taylor Anderson Story

Dear friends currently living in the NY Metropolitan Area,

In Japan in 2011, a large earthquake and tsunami hit the coast. Thousands of people lost their lives that day. There is a film showing next Wednesday evening in Manhattan in memory of one woman in particular, and her father and the director are going to be there. So far, only a handful of tickets have been sold. Can you imagine being the father, seeing how few people show up to honor and remember the life of his daughter and the others who died in the tsunami? It would be devastating. We are hoping to rally some supporters to attend the event and to help raise awareness through friends and connections. We hope that you might consider joining us there, or sharing our post with your friends. All proceeds will be donated to charity. (The film will be in English with Japanese subtitles, some sections in Japanese with English subtitles. It is showing next Wednesday, 10/30, at Columbia University in Manhattan. Show starts at 7. Columbia students go for free. $7 advance tickets, $10 at the door.) Tickets are available here: http://jetaany.org/liveyourdream/

The Accidental Office Lady Book Review for JETAANY JQ Magazine

Originally posted in JQ Magazine - JETAANY on September 7, 2013.  http://jetaany.org/2013/09/07/jq-magazine-book-review-the-accidental-office-lady-american-woman-corporate-japan/

By Lana Kitcher (Yamanashi-ken, 2010-12) for JQ magazine. Lana is the business development associate for Bridges to Japan and enjoys working as a freelance writer for a number of online publications. To read more about Lana’s adventures in Japan, visit her blog at Kitcher’s Café.

Laura Kriska’s experience as recounted in The Accidental Office Lady parallels in many ways what we as JET participants go through when we temporarily leave our lives and routines at home to pursue the “exotic” and uncertain terrain of a new culture.

Based on Kriska’s background and education, she was offered a two-year position at Honda Motor Company headquarters in Tokyo, being the first American woman to do so. She arrived in Japan equipped with her new business attire and a mind full of expectations and dreams about how the next two years of her life in Tokyo would unfold. She was soon instructed to join the secretariat—coordinating schedules and serving tea to managers in her new, polyester uniform.

Through the course of the book we get to see Kriska transform from a newly minted grad into a successful member of Japanese society. She starts out frustrated by her new environment and deeply disappointed that her job is not all that she hoped it would be. As the book progresses, you start to see that she is losing her childish tendencies to fight back, and eloquently navigating the culture with words and mannerisms instead of outbursts and small rebellions. She takes on more responsibility and in the end is able to create lasting change at Honda with a new employee manual in English and the elimination of the mandatory uniform rule.

As JETs, or for me at least, working in Japan was a completely different experience to traveling or studying there. Every group I represented (American, New Yorker, female, university alumni, JET Program participant, foreigner in Japan, employee at Fuefuki Board of Education, and the list goes on…) was in danger because now the citizens and coworkers were judging everyone in those groups based on their interactions with me, in and out of the workplace.

Although Kriska’s book was first published in 1997—and republished in 2011 including a new foreword by the author—the stories and struggles that Kriska experienced are the same for many working in Japan today. As I read, I could relate to her feelings and the interactions that she had with her Japanese colleagues. Kriska’s account of Japan will at brief moments seem a little dated, but in general, eerily familiar.

Several reviewers on Amazon comment on Kriska’s “complaining” tone; however, this is an intentional and necessary stylistic choice of the author. She vividly recounts her observations and feelings truthfully every step along the way. Kriska allows us to see into her thoughts and actions, which better demonstrates the way that Japan was able to change her and allow her to grow throughout the course of the two years. Not only is The Accidental Office Lady about the first American woman to work at Honda in Japan, but it is also the story of a young girl growing up, learning what it means to become an adult. The account is relevant not only for people who want to live in Japan or do business with the Japanese, but also for anyone who is going to come in contact with people of other cultures and values, which in today’s world is nearly inevitable.

If you are going to Japan soon, live there now, or have lived there already, this book is a survivor’s guide and tool for reflection and growth. It can help the reader better understand what to do, and what not to do. She teaches us that having certain feelings about our cultural interactions is normal, but that learning, challenging ourselves, and making steps toward change are imperative to the growth and understanding process. The most important message that Kriska was able to learn and hopes to convey to her audience is that cultural mistakes are likely, and even almost impossible to avoid. It does not matter that we make mistakes, but that we try to understand and to adapt. As she states in the new introduction, “The starting point of these relationships, whether they are between individual tourists or government officials, must be respect and a wish to understand the many cultural factors that exist between different countries in the world.”

Learn more about Laura Kriska and The Accidental Office Lady at her official website: www.AccidentalOfficeLady.com

@LKConsultants - Roland Kelts

This is great. I was mentioned directly in a tweet by Roland Kelts, an author, journalist, and JET Alumni.

Thank you Roland!

MT @JETwit: If you've finished JET and are leaving Japan, see what Lana Kitcher @LKConsultants has to say. http://t.co/4Yb00dXIyq
— Roland Kelts (@rolandkelts) July 31, 2013

JETwit article: Kitcher’s Café #002: Staying Connected

Article originally written for JETwit.com on August 30th, 2013. Official URL at: http://jetwit.com/wordpress/2013/08/30/kitchers-cafe-002-staying-connected/

Kitcher’s Café, a new series by Lana Kitcher (Yamanashi-ken, 2010-12) is an assortment of articles, topics and commentary written for the JET Alumni community. Lana currently serves as the Business Development Associate at Bridges to Japan, a New York-based cross-cultural consulting firm founded by JET alum Jennifer Jakubowski (Hokkaido, 1995-97). 

Although it has been a full year since my return, I continue to enjoy sharing stories and experiences with my friends from and in Japan. Recently, one of my old colleagues from Yamanashi visited New York for the first time and contacted me through facebook to meet up. I took her and her travel partner to "Penelope," a small restaurant on E 30th and Lexington Ave in New York. I was pleasantly surprised to see facebook photos of them going there for breakfast every day thereafter for the duration of their trip. It was a great and satisfying feeling to make these arrangements with her and be able to see the results.

As you are settling into a familiar state, maybe even feeling like your time in Japan was actually all a dream – you may wonder how it might be possible to keep up with your friends and colleagues that you met while in Japan. Thanks to social media, staying in touch has never been easier.

Sites like facebook and twitter, as well as new apps and technology such as Line or Skype, are perfect for keeping in touch with friends and maintaining connections over long distances. One site to consider is "Mixi," a Japanese networking site similar to "MySpace." According to The Japan Times Life section, Yahoo! Japan/Kakao Talk, Comm, Gree, and Mobage are also popular and commonly used in Japan. Although LinkedIn is not widely known in there yet, it is another option when trying to keep in touch with your professional contacts from abroad.

Along with social media networking, I would recommend keeping a list of names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and how you are connected to each person (in case you start to forget), and make an effort to occasionally reach out to the amazing people that you met along the way. You never know – perhaps you will need a recommendation for your Masters or PhD program. Maybe someone will be visiting your region and will want to reach out to you. It is even possible that someday you’ll go back to Japan to visit and want to reconnect with the individuals that made your time there special.

Another form of communication that many underutilize (in my opinion) is "snail-mail." Why not consider sending letters back and forth to Japan, making it a special activity? Mark Vanhoenacker recently wrote an excellent article in The New York Times OpEd section, making many points I agreed with about the value in writing letters by hand entitled “Dear Emma." Personally, I have had pen pals off and on since elementary school, the old fashioned way, and continue to value this method of communication highly over using computers. "A pen pal was a window into the world's endless collisions of similarity and difference," Vanhoenacker states. "Some things remain more valuable simply because they are hard to do... When I received a letter I would treasure it for hours, waiting for the right moment on the porch or by the fireplace to unseal what had traveled across seas, the Pacific, a week, or more of my life."

In addition to agreeing with Vanhoenacker’s argument, here are a few extra points for letter writing:

Why I Love Snail Mail

1) I adore stationery, especially the kind available in Japan. Luckily I can still get my fix at Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookstore.

2) The act of writing soothes me, and it feels like a special activity. I turn on some mood music, light a candle or two and make it a quiet time for reflection. My work requires me to be online and at the computer for most of the day, and getting away from that is a welcome change of pace.

3) Letters take time to be delivered. We live in an “instant gratification” era, but this can put us on overload. When I send letters to Japan, I enjoy the time between sending the letter and waiting for a response. For me, that beats sending and receiving hundreds of texts, e-mails, tweets, messages, pokes, tags, AGH!

4) I love opening the mailbox and there it is… a letter! Not a bill, not some junk mail, but a letter. And it’s addressed to me! I'm always so excited to go to the mailbox, an action that many only think about when they're expecting birthday checks or a shipment from Amazon.

5) I get to practice my seldom-used penmanship, and feel as though I'm offered a window into the other person's personality through theirs as well.

6) Sometimes a trip to the nearest postbox is a good reason/excuse to get out of the house and take a walk.

7) Although stamps are becoming more expensive, I still enjoy choosing the different kinds and seeing the new designs. Plus, stamps don't become collectible/valuable until they've been postmarked.

8) It's more personal than an e-mail. The person on the other end spent time, thought, and energy to write to me and I appreciate that. I know I have a good relationship with the people I write with, and that it will be a long-lasting one.

9) Although the government has the right to read material of question that goes through the mail, it still feels more private and intimate. If my letter gets hacked (aka opened), I won't lose my address book or passwords.

10) I feel like a completely real, open, and better version of myself when I write by hand. The words are a direct connection from my brain through my body, printed onto a physical piece of paper. I've noticed myself saying things that are out of character with technology because it doesn't feel real and I rush the interaction. Writing forces us to take off the mask and be who we are.

What ways have you found to stay in touch with your friends in Japan? What do you like or dislike about writing letters? Please feel free to share your questions, comments, opinions and experiences with readers in the comment section below.

JETWit.com Kitcher’s Café #001: What we wish we had known – but now they can!

Kitcher’s Café is expanding! I'm now writing a section with the same name on JETWit.com. View my first post at the link, or by continuing below.

Original post from JETWit.com - July 25, 2013
"Kitcher’s Café #001: What we wish we had known – but now they can!"

Kitcher’s Café, a new series by Lana Kitcher (Yamanashi-ken, 2010-12) is an assortment of articles, topics and commentary written for the JET Alumni community. Lana currently serves as the Business Development Associate at Bridges to Japan, a New York-based cross-cultural consulting firm founded by JET alumJennifer Jakubowski (Hokkaido, 1995-97).

As I sat in my empty Yamanashi apartment, one year ago this month, a flood of feelings rushed over me. I had come full-circle, able to cram everything into two suitcases again with anxious yet excited feelings of leaving home for something unfamiliar. I had a bundle of memorabilia set aside to take with me, and pictures of the last days that I had with my students, coworkers and friends. I knew it was going to be hard to say goodbye and turn the page to the next exciting chapter of my life, but I didn’t think that it was going to feel so daunting. This was the first time in my life that the next steps were utterly unplanned and unpredictable. After high school I knew I was going to college, during college I knew I wanted to work for the JET Program… but now that the JET Program was over, the next year was a completely blank slate. I was going to have to return to my hometown temporarily to figure it out, and that idea to me was terrifying.

As many of us have experienced, returning to your home country after any amount of time living abroad is more challenging than it may seem at first. They try to warn us about reverse culture shock, but we convince ourselves that “I will be different,” and “It won’t happen to me, I already know what to expect.” Some people really don’t experience any strange or frustrating feelings when returning home, but for individuals like myself, the first year back may be a challenging and rocky road.Many of the JETs that are in Japan right now are clearing out their desks, packing up their apartments, attending farewell parties, and being brought to tears by the students and coworkers that shared many moments with them this past year (or five). Where once was an unfamiliar, foreign and strange place, has become normal life. Do they realize that many of them are about to leave Japan, bound for an even stranger land – the one that they once called home?

As JET alumni, what do you wish someone had told you during your final days in Japan? What are some of the words of wisdom that you wish you had known before coming back? How can we help these transitioning JET participants, soon to join the alumni community? My advice to them would be this:

Try not to have unrealistically high expectations of how awesome going home will be, and don’t give up on yourself when things get tough. There may be challenges like living with family members, trying to find a job, readjusting to the foods and customs of your culture, but take them in doses and remember to step back and breathe when things might start to feel frustrating.

Also, the job market may still be a little more complicated than you are expecting. For many, the traditional ways of finding a job are now becoming the least successful. If you’ve spent weeks looking for jobs online and haven’t had any luck, start branching out. Talk to everyone you know and tell them your situation. Use networking groups, meetups, LinkedIn, and informational interviews. Meeting people in person and talking to those already in your networks is likely going to be your key into your next position. Also consider picking up a copy of What Color Is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles at your local library. When I was actively seeking help and networking in my community, this was the number one resource that my friends recommended. It gave me some practical statistical information to help me understand my odds of getting a job by applying online, and helped me think of new ways to approach the job market.

What kind of advice do you wish you had heard as you were finishing up the JET Program? Leave your comments in the space below, and give the new returnees a leg up as their tenure as an active JET Program participant comes to a close.

You can find out more about Reverse Culture Shock by reading Surviving in Japan: 10 Ways To Prepare For Reverse Culture Shock And Leaving Japan by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-10), Community Manager for Nihongo Master and editor of Surviving in Japan.

-L

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