All Canadian JETs and JET alumni have been invited to this event regarding their life during/after JET. The code for all JETAA Canada folks, so that they don’t have to register as a member of USJETAA and can still get free access (normally, they charge a $5 USD fee for the general public) is JETAACN. Please use this code and register.
Here is the relevant information:
What: JET to HR (Turning Global Experience into People-focused careers)
An introduction to the world of HR through topic-focused conversations on HR career paths for JET alumni, translating experience into work-ready skills, highlighting key components of HR-work, moulding your career path and tips on attaining lasting success. Our seasoned panelists are professionals who are eager to share their stories and help spark various HR-related career interests in fellow JET alumni.
It’s been one busy summer for JETAA Prairies. From Aikon to a Pre-Departure dinner to a national conference to having lunch with the Consult General of Japan, members at JETAA Prairies have been busy and we are more than happy to give you the details.
Aikon 2025
JETAA Prairies spent one weekend in July at Aikon, Winnipeg’s largest anime/manga convention. Over a hundred people stopped by at our table to discuss about Japan. We printed out a huge map of Japan and asked visitors to place stickers to parts of Japan where they have been.
On behalf of JETAA Prairies, we thank Aikon for allowing us at their convention again.
JETAA Prairies members at their outreach table at Aikon 2025.
Farewell Dinner For Our Departing JETs.
JETAA Prairies President, Rigor (centre), and Secretary, Hyewon (left), meet one of the new departing JETs (right) for dinner.
This year, we have two new shortlisted JETs departing from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The President of JETAA Prairies, Rigor, and Secretary, Hyewon, met up with newly selected JET days before departure. As for the JET in Saskatchewan, our President made time to talk with the Sakatchewan JET via a conference call.
JETAA Prairies President, Rigor, meet one of the new JETs via conference call. This new JET is currently living in Saskatchewan.
On behalf of everyone at JETAA Prairies, we wish all new JETs best of luck.
2025 JETAA Canadian Conference in Halifax
JETAA chapter representatives getting ready to start the National Conference in Halifax.
In mid-August, JETAA Prairies President, Rigor, and Secretary, Hyewon, flew to Halifax for this year’s National Conference. Chapter representatives from all Canadian chapters, a country representative from USA, and representatives from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and CLAIR converged onto Halifax’s Dalhousie University to present their respective chapter reports, brainstorm, and partake in Japanese ikebana.
JET alumni do ikebana in Halifax for the National Conference 2025.JETAA Prairies chapter representatives – President Rigor Maglaya (left and giving the Vulcan salute) and Secretary Hyewon Park – present their chapter report at the JETAA Canada Conference at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Photo taken by Danielle Markewicz of JETAA BC.
Once the conference wrapped up, Rigor managed to get one epic selfie with most the delegates in one huge selfie that can rival Ellen Denegeres’ Oscar selfie. What do you think?
A group selfie full of JET alumni in Halifax. This was taken once they ended the conference.
On behalf of JETAA Prairies, we thank JETAA Halifax, CLAIR, and JETAA Canada Representative, Shuaib, and all of the chapter representatives for helping to organize this year’s conference.
Meeting with the Consul General of Japan at the Forks
JETAA Prairies welcomed Calgary’s Consul General of Japan, Takehiko Wajima, Vice-Consul Yoshiko Okada, and Vice-Consul Haruna Aizawa to Winnipeg. The Consulate of Japan in Calgary were in town for Winnipeg’s Folklorama. Before embarking for the Japanese Pavillion, the Consul General and fellow staff had lunch with members of JETAA Prairies alumni at the Forks.
JETAA Prairies alumni meet Consul General of Japan in Calgary, Takehiko Wajima, Vice-Consul Yoshiko Okada, and Vice-Consul Haruna Aizwa at the Forks for lunch.
On behalf of JETAA Prairies, we thank Consul General Wajima, Vice-Consul Okada, and Vice-Consul Aizawa for visiting Winnipeg. We hope to see you again!
On the weekend of August 9th-11th, representatives from JETAA Prairies and representatives from all Canadian JETAA chapters, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago as well as country reps from JETAA USA and JETAA International converged to Vancouver to attend the 2024 JETAA Canada National Conference at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC.
JETAA Prairies President, Rigor Maglaya, and JETAA Prairies Secretary, Hyewon Park, at the 2024 JETAA Canada National Conference.
On the first night, MOFA hosted a reception on campus to welcome all of the delegates with speeches given by the Deputy Consul General Satomi Okagaki on behalf of the of the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver, JETAA Canada representative Alena Seinboold, and JETAABC President Danielle Markewicz. The delegates mingled while light food and refreshments were served. There were a mix of old faces with new faces.
Deputy Consul General, Satomi Okagaki, gives a speech at the Welcome Reception as part of the JETAA Canada National Conference 2024 held at Simon Fraser University.
The next day, the chapter reps held their annual presentations regarding their respective chapter’s activities. The delegates also exchanged ideas about their success stories and challenges that each chapter faces. It was a great reminder that no matter how large a chapter is: each chapter faces the same challenges as a smaller chapter.
JETAA Canada National Conference 2024 at Simon Fraser University.
After the delegates finished their agenda for the day, the delegates travelled to Downtown Vancouver to a local Japanese restaurant for a dinner hosted by CLAIR. Afterward, a few of the delegates enjoyed some sightseeing.
On the last day, the delegates voted that the next host city for the national conference is Halifax. Later, the delegates brainstormed about creating more inter-chapter events. One of the potential ideas conjured up is having a fantasy sumo league tournament where alumni predict who would win in the sumo tournament circuit and the winner of the fantasy league gets awarded a physical trophy.
In a more casual setting, the delegates enjoyed a nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant in Downtown Vancouver on the Saturday night. On the Sunday afternoon, the delegates toured the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre where they were holding a festival consisting of local Japanese/Japanese-Canadian merchants and artisans. The delegates toured the facility and learned about the struggles of Japanese immigrants in Canada.
JETAA delegates at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, August 2024.
JETAA Prairies would like to give its sincerest thanks to MOFA, CLAIR, JETAA BC, and Simon Fraser University for hosting the 2024 JETAA Canada National Conference. In addition, JETAA Prairies would like to thank all the delegates who attended. See you all next year!
JETAA Ottawa in collaboration with The Japan Foundation is holding a FREE moving night. The dates/times are below as follows.
Friday, November 3, 6:59 PM (Atlantic) to Monday, November 6, 12:59AM (Atlantic). Friday, November 3, 5:59 PM (Eastern) to Sunday, November 5, 11:59PM (Eastern). Friday, November 3, 4:59 PM (Central) to Sunday, November 5, 10:59PM (Central). Friday, November 3, 3:59 PM (Mountain) to Sunday, November 5, 9:59PM (Mountain). Friday, November 3, 2:59 PM (Pacific) to Sunday, November 5, 8:59PM (Pacific).
STORY Wataru lives happily with his wife, Kotoe, and daughter, Shiori, in Setana, Hokkaido. He runs a cheese factory and raises cattle on a ranch with a view of the ocean that he inherited from his father. His cheese-making skills are still mediocre, so he is constantly getting scolded by his strict master. But Wataru enjoys a good life with a group of like-minded friends that are always there for each other. Then Kanbe, a young shepherd from Tokyo, joins their circle, and the friends find pleasure in “good food” that they produce themselves and share with one another. Then one day, a chef from a famous restaurant in Sapporo, who is attracted by their food, pays them a visit. They are ecstatic that their products are made even more delicious by this chef, and together they start planning a one -day- only restaurant to spread their joy to other people.
Yes, you read that right! Current and former JETs are eligible to enter!
The video is to be about your experience in Japan with one of the following themes:
一期一会: “Ichigo ichie” or once in a life time experience
一生懸命: “Ishyokenmei” or giving it your best
花鳥風月: “Kachyofugetsu” or the beautify of nature
Submission Period: 1 October 2023 – 17 January 2024 17:00 JST
Terms and Conditions
Length: 1-5 minutes
Format: mp4, wmv, or mov
Background for each video must include: Name, home country, contracting organization, ALT / CIR, where you lived in Japan, when you went on JET
The video needs to either be in English with Japanese subtitles, or Japanese with English subtitles. If that’s difficult we can contact the contest office contest@clair.or.jp
It has to be an original video that you have not published previously
If you have a third party in the video, make sure you get the proper rights and permissions from them.
You can submit more than one video.
You need to have a public Youtube account. If yours is private, you’ll need to make it public in order to take part in the contest.
When uploading to Youtube, make sure to add the hashtag #JETVideoContest2024. After uploading it please enter the following info and e-mail it to the above mentioned address:
Name
Current Country of Residence (or prefecture in Japan)
Job type (ALT or CIR)
Contracting Organization
Years on JET
Title of Video
Theme (selected from one of the 3 mentioned above)
Link to Video
Contact e-mail address
Winners will be contacted by e-mail. Be sure to have a scan of your passport ready for travel arrangements to be made.
If your video wins, your Contracting Organization will be notified and it will also be used for JET PR afterwards.
Long time no see! We are still here! We had two significant events this past month alone. On July 8th, a few of us JET alumni met with the new JETs for some Japanese food. We all ate at Naru Sushi in Osborne Village.
A couple of the new JETs met with JET alumni for some Japanese food at Naru Sushi in Winnipeg, July 8th, 2023.
In the following weekend, JET alumni attended Aikon 2023 held at the RBC Convention Centre and worked our outreach table. Aikon is Winnipeg’s largest anime convention. It was fun and a couple of us cosplayed but wasn’t enough to outshine the bonsai trees from the Bonsai Winnipeg table next door. We will bring our own bonsai trees next time.
JETAA Prairies alumni at Aikon 2023.
We wish safe travels and good luck to all the new JETs in this next chapter of their lives.
Are you craving to socialize with JET alumni and reminisce about your times in Japan? Do you want to play Japanese-themed games? We are holding our Virtual Shinnenkai on Saturday, January 28th, 2023 at 7pm on Cisco WebEx!
You will need to download Cisco WebEx. Please RSVP to jetaambsk@gmail.com if you are attending and help calculate cost-sharing.
What: JETAA Prairies’ Virtual Shinnenkai
When: Saturday, January 28th, 2023 from 7pm-9pm.
Where: Online (Cisco WebEx). Once you RSVP, we will email you the room number/password.
For the last two weekends, JETAA Prairies alumni have been busy promoting the JET Programme at Winnpeg’s premier anime/manga conveniton and finally, meeting the new JETs in person two weeks before their departure. These two events mark the first time in over two years for the alumni chapter to hold events in person since the pandemic began.
Aikon 2022
On the weekend of July 22nd-24th, 2022, Over a hundred people stopped by at the JETAA Prairies table and chatted about the JET Programme (the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme). Alumni dressed up for the occasion to blend in with the crowd and even participated in some late night karaoke at the convention. It was a very busy three days indeed!
JETAA Prairies alumni at Aikon on the weekend of July 22nd-24th, 2022. Aikon is Winnipeg’s premier anime/manga convention and expo. Alumni were present to promote the JET Programme.
Meet the New JETs 2022
On July 31st, 2022, the new JETs finally met up with current/former JETs in person at Shark Club in downtown Winnipeg for lunch. While this event was a non-official JETAA Prairies event, it was a good opportunity for the new JETs to finally meet each other and ask last minute questions to current/former JETs before departing.
On behalf of all alumni at JETAA Prairies, we wish all new and current JETs best of luck and wish them safe journeys to the Land of the Rising Sun.
The newly selected JETs meet current and former JETs at Shark Club for lunch on July 31st two weeks before their departure.
JETAA Prairies held a virtual Pre-Departure Orientation for the new JETs (short-listed and alternates) on June 18th, 2022.
On Saturday, June 18th, 2022, JETAA Prairies held the 2022 edition of the Pre-Departure Orientation. The new JETs (both short-listed and alternates) came from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The one-day included opening remarks from Consul Mr. Riki Kishimoto of the Consulate-General of Japan in Calgary.
A current JET held a 30-minute session/Q&A where she talked about her situation in Japan. Alumni of JETAA Prairies presented on a variety of topics: Getting Involved With Your School, Lesson Planning/English Team-Teaching, Learning Japanese, Living In The Inaka, and Getting Involved With Your Community. Some alumni also shared materials via email.
Everybody at JETAA Prairies wish all candidates good luck!
The new JETs have been selected and we are currently looking for volunteers to present at this year’s Pre-Departure Orientation (PDOT) this year. The tentative date is Saturday, June 18th, 2022. If you are interested, please reply to jetaambsk@gmail.com or fill out our Contact Us form.
What: 2022 Pre-Departure Orientation
When: June 18, 2022 (Saturday)
Where: TBA (In-person/virtually)
There will be honorariums/lunch set aside for those who volunteer. Spots are limited. First come, first serve basis.
