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JETAA Prairies Annual General Meeting, February 20, 2021, 12pm!

January 30, 2021

It’s that time again! On February 20, 2021 starting at 12pm, we will be reviewing our past events of the past year and planning for the 2021-2022 period. This an opportunity for alumni to select members for the Executive. Also, this meeting is a great way to voice your concerns and/or suggest new opportunities for the chapter.

Don’t let COVID discourage you from contributing. We have web conferencing so we can communicate via internet. Please RSVP by hitting “Going” to our Event post on our Facebook group page and/or emailing jetaambsk@gmail.com. After formal meeting has adjourned, we’re planning to play some online games! 🙂

WhatJETAA Prairies Annual General Meeting
WhereOnline via Cisco WebEx
WhenSaturday, Febraury 20th, 2021, 12pm-3pm
HowRSVP on Facebook or emailing jetaambsk@gmail.com

And Don’t Forget: Our Next Monthly Meeting

Our next regular monthly meeting…

WhatJETAA Prairies Monthly Meeting
WhereOnline via Cisco WebEx
WhenThursday, February 11, 2021, 7:30pm-8:30pm
HowRSVP on Facebook or emailing jetaambsk@gmail.com

JETAA Prairies Virtual J-Horror Movie Night, Saturday, October 24th, 7pm-10pm!

October 4, 2020
JETAA Prairies is holding virtual J-Horror Movie Night
J-Horror movie classics

It’s already October and Halloween is soon approaching. But don’t let COVID19 get you down. If you love J-Horror, join us in our very first virtual movie night, Friday, October 24th, from 7pm to 11pm! Films are yet to be determined.

Open to all JET alumni. If you are planning to attend, please send a RSVP email to jetaambsk@gmail.com to get the meeting number/password/link since the event will be held on Cisco WebEx.

Let’s enjoy the classics from the safety and comfort of our own homes.

JETAA Southern Alberta Virtual Career Series: October 16th/November 6th @ 9am-12pm!

Are you a returning JET and are job searching? Are you a JET alumni and are searching for something new? Luckily, JETAA Southern Alberta is here to help you. They will be holding a Virtual Career Series starting with two sessions: Employability Smarts on Friday, October 16th and Mastering the Cultural Shift on Friday, November 6th. Both are from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Employability Smarts will help you how to market your JET experience and navigate through the job market. Mastering the Cultural Shift will help you how to manage reverse culture shock and how to readjust to life back home. In addition, this session requires the use of Cisco WebEx.

This event is open to all JET alumi. If you want to take advantage of this opportunity, please RSVP by October 14th/November 4th via email to sajetaa@gmail.com. Lastly, we wish the best of luck to all returning alumni!

JETAA Southern Alberta is holding a workshop for JET alumni on how to market their JET experience in their job search.

JETAA Prairies 1000 Cranes (Senbazuru) Paper Folding Event!

September 18, 2020
JETAA Prairies folding paper cranes for its first-ever 1000 Cranes (Senbazuru) Paper Folding Event. Finished cranes were sent to the Manitoba Buddhist Temple.
JETAA Prairies alumni folding paper cranes for its first-ever 1000 Cranes (Senbazuru) Paper Folding Event. Members sent their cranes to the Manitoba Buddhist Temple.

On August 29th, 2020, members of JETAA Prairies held its first ever 1000 Cranes Paper Folding Event (Senbazuru). Members met online and folded paper cranes together. If you are not aware, folding 1000 paper cranes are done when someone is seriously ill (like Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes), wishing team mates good luck, or commemorate peace.

Afterward, members either mailed their finished cranes or dropped them off at the Manitoba Buddhist Temple as part of a cultural display with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. During this interesting time, we could all use some peace, good health, and good luck!

JETAA Prairies folding paper cranes for its first-ever 1000 Cranes (Senbazuru) Paper Folding Event. Finished cranes were sent to the Manitoba Buddhist Temple.
Finished paper cranes for JETAA Prairies 1000 Cranes (Senbazuru) Paper Folding Event. Members sent their cranes to the Manitoba Buddhist Temple.

Pre-Departure Orientation, July 4th, 2020

July 7, 2020
Jenna talks to the new JETs via computer software and answers their questions about Japan during Pre-Departure Orientation on July 4th, 2020
Jenna talks to the new JETs via Cisco WebEx and answers their questions on July 4th, 2020.

On July 4th, alumni from JETAA Prairies held its first pre-departure orientation that was delivered through the web. The software of choice for the web conference was Cisco WebEx. The alumni welcomed the new JETs who are are from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. To wake up the new JETs on the Saturday morning, alumni held a Japan-themed trivia contest using Kahoot!. It was really close as you can see the final scores for the Top 3 finishers.

New JETs destined for Japan in the summer of 2020 compete in a fun Japan-themed trivia on the website, Kahoot!
New JETs destined for Japan in the summer of 2020 compete in a fun Japan-themed trivia on the website, Kahoot!

After that, alumni presented the more useful topics. For example: how to get ready for Japan, planning your introduction lesson and teaching English, making a bucket list, city vs rural living, and studying Japanese. Above all, the common mantra on the JET Programme is “Every situation is different”. Certainly, the collective information and experience that the alumni bring was immensely valuable for the newbies.

Jenna, a current Winnipeg JET, joined the pre-departure orientation live from her home in Saitama Prefecture. During the Q & A, the new JETs asked her a lot of questions about her daily life in Japan, her work, and her living space. What a great way to give a sneak peak to the rookies!

JETAA Prairies would like to thank Jenna and alumni for participating in the pre-departure orientation. Finally, everyone at JET Prairies would also like to send our well-wishes to all the new JETs and wish them good-luck! May we cross paths again in the future!

Pre-Departure Orientation, July 4th via Online

June 22, 2020
JETAA Prairies holding a teleconference with Jenna, current JET living in Saitama, and talking about her experiences so far.
JETAA Prairies holding a teleconference with Jenna, current JET living in Saitama, and talking about her experiences so far. June 15th, 2019.

JETAA Prairies will hold its Pre-Departure Orientation online for the very first time on July 4th, 2020 from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Alumni will present on a variety of topics to help ready the new JETs for Japan. Congratulations to the new JETs and see you all soon.

Japanese Language Classes and Winterfest 2020

March 2, 2020
JETAA Prairies members attending Japanese langauge classes in downtown Winnipeg. February 2020.
ETAA Prairies members attending Japanese langauge classes in downtown Winnipeg. February 2020.

For the month of February, JET Programme alumni members in Manitoba/Saskatchewan kept busy in February by holding Japanese language classes for its alumni and participating in an anime convention.

JETAA Prairies held Japanese language classes for its alumni members in downtown Winnipeg. What did we do? We reviewed/practiced our vocabulary, grammar, and actively applying it in casual conversation. This was a good opportunity to refresh our Japanese skills – especially in a city like Winnipeg where there’s limited chances to use Japanese.

JETAA Prairies members speaking Japanese in downtown Winnipeg. February 2020.
JETAA Prairies members speaking Japanese in downtown Winnipeg. February 2020.

Winterfest: Aikon’s Little Sibling

JETAA Prairies alumni atteneding Winterfest at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 22nd, 2020.
JETAA Prairies alumni attending Winterfest at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 22nd, 2020.

On Saturday, February 22nd, 2020, JETAA Prairies members had a table setup at Wintefest (the mini-version of Aikon) at the RBC Convention Centre. Meanwhile, in the spirit of the convention, a few of our members cosplayed during the day-long convention. For example, one of our members dressed up as one of the characters from the cartoon, Gravity Falls, and another one dressed up as one of the characters from Game of Thrones. Unsurprisingly, the anime map of Japan was in huge demand. Unfortunately, we only had one copy left (i.e. the display copy) as we didn’t get new copies of the maps in time. Well, next time.

Annual General Meeting: March 7th, 12pm, at Brazen Hall

Our next event will be our Annual General Meeting, It will be held at Brazen Hall Kitchen and Brewery at 12pm, March 7th, 2020. See you all there!

Event: Annual General Meeting/AGM

Date: March 7th, 2020

Time: 12pm

Location: Brazen Hall Kitchen and Brewery, 800 Pembina Highway

Please RSVP to JETAAMBSK@gmail.com.

Japanese Christmas Chicken Event!

December 18, 2019
JETAA Prairies, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Alumni Association of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, presented Japanese Christmas Chicken Night at JCAM in Winnipeg. Event sponsored by JCAM.
Playing charades at the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba, December 15th, 2019.

This past Sunday, JETAA Prairies and the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba presented Japanese Christmas Chicken Event. Around 20 people showed up to feast on fried chicken, fries, salad from KFC. More importantly, this was the first-ever event of its kind held by JETAA Prairies.

If you didn’t know, having KFC chicken over the Christmas holidays is a tradition of Japanese Christmas. However, while we waited for the food to arrive, we participated in warm-up games like charades and decorating gingerbread cookies.

KFC food is here!
KFC food is here!
The food at Japanese Christmas Chicken Night
The food at Japanese Christmas Chicken Night

But that wasn’t all: another staple of Japanese-style Christmas is Christmas cake. Yes, we had cake for everybody and plenty of it!

Cake served as dessert for JETAA Japanese Christmas Night at the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba, December 15th, 2019.
Hungry yet?

Were we done? No. Not so surprisingly, we concluded the night with some karaoke via the karaoke app, Karafun. Yes, we did the full Japanese experience on a snowy day in Winnipeg.

Guests enjoying some karaoke at JCAM, the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, December 15th, 2019
One of the other things we miss about Japan….
Enjoying karaoke at the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba, December 15th, 2019.
The fun never stops…

2019 has been a very active and busy year for everyone at JETAA Prairies. This first-ever event was the perfect way to close out this past year. Everyone at JETAA Prairies would like to thank the people at JCAM for helping co-presenting this event.

Finally, we would like to extend our sincerest wishes to everybody in the JET alumni community and the many people whom crossed paths with this past year. Happy holidays, everybody!

JETAA Prairies alumni at the front desk for Japanese Christmas Chicken Night, December 15th, 2019, at the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba.
Thank you for stopping by.

JETAA Prairies Japan Trivia & Networking Night Part 2: Success!

November 17, 2019
JETAA Prairies presents Japan Trivia and Networking Night on the second floor of Dwarf no Cachette in Winnipeg, November 15th, 2019.
JETAA Prairies presents Japan Trivia and Networking Night on the second floor of Dwarf no Cachette in Winnipeg, November 15th, 2019.

This past Friday, JETAA Prairies hosted its second annual Japan Trivia and Networking Night at the Japanese restaurant, Dwarf no Cachette, in Winnipeg. JET alumni, JET prospects, and Japanese ex-pats/exchange students mingled for the next two-and-a-half hours over great Japanese food while testing their general knowledge about Japan in a relaxed atmosphere. More importantly, this trivia is non-competitive: it’s all about fun.

So, what’s the trivia’s format? Firstly, three teams of four were made on the spot. Secondly, the trivia had two halves of 20 questions each. So, what did the quiz masters ask? A variety of random questions. To clarify, here is a sample of some of the questions (for the answers, please look at the end of this post):

  • 1)”What is the nickname for the test trains that are used on the Japanese Shinkansen?
  • 2)”Who ‘sparks joy’ from Japan?”
  • 3)”What video game company did Hideo Kojima leave in 2015?”

After finishing the quiz, participants told quiz masters that they really enjoyed the event. For example, one participant (who came to last year’s trivia event) said she enjoyed this year’s edition more than last year’s. Also, the other participants who came for the first time have said that it was really fun and enjoyed the questions.

Our next event will be on December 15th for our Christmas Event. This event is for alumni. Likewise, please stay tuned for more details.

Lastly, JETAA Prairies would like to thank Dwarf no Cachette, the University of Winnipeg East Asian Languages and Cultures Program for sponsoring the event, and to those who came out for the event. See you all next year!

Answers: 1)Dr. Yellow, 2) Marie Kondo, 3)Konami.

It’s Back! Japan Trivia & Networking Night @ Dwarf!

October 29, 2019
This is the poster for JETAA Prairies Japan Trivia and Networking Night 2019
JETAA Prairies will be hosting its annual Japan Trivia and Networking Night at Dwarf No Cachette on Provencher Road in Winnipeg, November 15th, 2019 at 6:30pm.

Do you like Japan?! How about Japanese food?! Are you genki for some trivia?! Why not all three?!

JETAA Prairies is hosting its second annual Japan Trivia & Networking Night (sponsored by The University of Winnipeg East Asian Languages & Cultures Program). Interestingly, this year, it will be at the local favourite, Dwarf no Cachette Cafe & Gift, on Provencher.

How To Prepare

Above all, this event is open to the public and not just exclusively for JET Programme alumni. In the meantime, please check out last year’s Trivia & Networking Night. To prepare yourself, we suggest you to check out news sites like The Japan Times, blog sites like SoraNews24, and of course, good ol’ Wikipedia. But remember, this event is for fun and nothing is really at stake. Just a good excuse to unwind after a busy week and get ready for the weekend.

If you think nothing has significantly happened in Japan this past year so far, please think again. A new emperor has ascended the throne, thus ushering a new era; the tragic Kyoto Animation fire; a particular typhoon rampaged Japan this past month; and a particular rugby tournament is happening now as we speak in various locations. If you like Japanese music, don’t forget to research the Japan’s version of Billboard, Oricon, and listen to the latest in Japanese pop music. We will be surely asking about current events. Furthermore, it doesn’t hurt to know your Japanese history, language, business, and geography.

One Last Thing

More importantly, please send your RSVP to rsvp@jetaaprairies.ca OR hit the “Going” button for this event in our Facebook group by Friday, November 8th, 2019.

See you all there!

Name: Japan Trivia & Networking Night

Place: Dwarf No Cachette, 157 Provencher Rd

Date: November 15th, 2019 at 6:30pm.

Participants must be 18 years of age or older. All participants are responsible for their own cost of food/drink.

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