Hello TEXOMA JETAA Community,
In this Spring Update we have a few items coming up that we thought you would be interested in, but for the most part, we just wanted to remind everyone that the Houston Japan Festival is this weekend. Grab your sunscreen and your friends and come out to enjoy some sunshine and some takoyaki as we talk about JET and Japan!
1) The 20th Annual Japan Festival in Houston’s Hermann Park
This weekend! From 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Saturday April 13 & 10:00 – 5:00 PM Sunday April 14, JETAA will have a booth to talk about Japan, the JET Program and have some cultural fun and games at this year’s Japan Festival in downtown Houston. If you’re anywhere near Houston, you should bring your friends and family and come out to experience a bit of Japanese culture. If you’re able to volunteer some time, sign up for a time-slot and come out to help us have fun and support Texoma!
Japan Festival Details: http://japan-fest.info/
2) JETAA/Pre-JET Multi-City Meet-Ups
The 2013-2014 JET Program initial Short-List/Alternate notification went out last week and everyone is excited for their chance to live in Japan. Remember that feeling of excitement? Some of the short-listers up in Dallas are getting proactive and are working to arrange a meet-up in the DFW area (Time – TBD). However, I wanted to take a pulse and see if any other JETAA members in other cities might be interested to meet-up if there was enough interest as well. Austin? San Antonio? Oklahoma City? If you’re interested in sharing your sagely advice with the next class, email jetcoord@ho.mofa.go.jp and I’ll start collaborating with the departing candidates to see what can work.
3) Google Maps after the Great East Japan Earthquake
In honor of the Second anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Google has released new Street View Photos of the damaged areas after the March 11 Typhoon damage. Both haunting and intriguing, it will be interesting to watch the progress as the communities of Japan rebuild.
4) Pub Trivia – First Wednesday of the month (next to be May 1st)
Pub Trivia is still alive and well but we are always looking for new blood. We have a regular group of about 4-6 JETAA members who play on the 1st Wednesday of the month (sometimes more often) but newcomers are more than welcome. Please remember that the team sizes are capped at 7 people so if you are not a member of the Facebook group “Texoma Jetaa” please join and RSVP if you plan to attend so we can reserve enough tables and adjust team sizes accordingly. Side note, the JETAA team, “There’s always money in the Banana Stand” has won 2 out of the last 3 Trivia Nights!
5) For a bit of fun: “Hadoken” Photo Craze in Japan (and now the US)
If you haven’t seen it yet, you will soon enough. Based on the popular Dragon Ball or Street Fighter, the fad begun with Japanese students taking photos of themselves posing as if hit with energy attacks. The craze has jumped the pond and is now among (popular?) memes such as planking and the Harlem Shake.
JETAA Texoma 