The Akitan Summer Edition

Event info Restaurant review ALTs in the news Travel

Welcome to Akita!

From the PAs...

Welcome new JETs to Akita, the land of autumn rice fields!

The Akitan is a publication created and distributed by the PAs (well, mostly Randy and Taylor) as a medium to get information out to the JETs living in Akita (though for some strange reason a lot of JTEs and other random people like Taylor’s mom read it too).

We apologize for this issue coming out so late. Please find room in your hearts to forgive us.

Anyhow, if you have some time, please take the opportunity to flip through and quench your information thirst with some The Akitan juice.

We have packed this issue with all sorts of content including event information, ALT news articles, restaurant reviews, photos, and much more.

We are always looking for people to contribute content for future issues of The Akitan, so please contact a PA if you would like to become a contributor!

-Your PAs

PA Info Randy Umetsu 080-4608-1073 randy.umetsu@gmail.com

Taylor Fustin 080-3322-3820 taylor.fustin@gmail.com

Josh Drewry 090-2987-1984 jdrewry.akita@gmail.com

Lynne Francis 080-6026-8628 d.lynne.francis@gmail.com

Stephanie Hupp 090-7565-5049 stephaniehupp11@gmail.com

AJET Peer Support Group Everyday 8 p.m.–7 a.m.

Toll free: 050-5534-5566

Contents Akita JET Association 4 English Camp 6 Restaurant review 7 Mt. Komagatake hike 8 Akita-ben corner 10 Skill Development Conference 11 ALTs in the news 12 Tropical travel 15 JALT 16

AKITA JET ASSOCIATION (AAJ) The Akita Association of JETs (AAJ) is a group that has been around for several years, however the group really evolved into its current form after the events of the Great Tohoku Earthquake & Tsunami in 2011. It was hoped that by organizing numerous charity based events throughout the year that the ALTs & CIRs within Akita Prefecture could do more to support local and international causes.

To date, the Akita JET community through AAJ events has managed to raise considerable funds in order to achieve this mission.

Notable targets and achievements since the beginning of the organization include: Supporting the Tohoku relief efforts with over 130,000 yen in donations to the Japan Red Cross, relief packages for New York schools affected by Hurricane Sandy, over 250,000 yen in support for the Misonotenshien Orphanage in Akita City, 400,000 yen donated last year to four local hospitals around Akita city, and finally 440,000 yen which went to the charity 'Room to Read' and was used to construct two libraries for poor communities in Laos.

AAJ Upcoming Event Schedule Aug 30

Welcome Party @ Sanboen Cabin

Sept 13

Get Fit 5 K

Sept 27-28

Tazawako Camping Trip

Oct 25

Halloween Party

Oct 28

Sushi Dinner@ Skills Development Conference

Future AAJ Events Dec

Christmas caroling @ Akita Station

Dec

*New* AAJ Christmas Party @ Yonkai

Jan/Feb

Appi Ski Trip

March

St. Patrick’s Day Party

May

*New* Spring Time Tea Party

June

Sumo Tournament

July

Farewell Party @ Sanboen Cabin

We are always looking to expand our abilities to support a variety of causes and this would not be possible without the support and help from everybody within the community.

In order to expand and continue this legacy for future generations of Akita JETs, investment was made towards the full purchase of all event equipment as of August 2014, We are constantly looking Kenny Grant

Dave Johnson

Chair

Chair

for strong, committed and driven leaders interested in working on events organi- This year, AAJ will be Chaired by Kenzation and people to learn how the neth Grant & Dave Johnson. Vice Chair events are set up and successfully ran. members will be Alana Stephenson & Lynne Francis. Then lastly, our TreasurCharity is not our only goal, we also ex- er this year (as well as a leader on several events) is Kinza Cooper. ist in order to provide a platform which brings together JETs and the wider local Akitan community. Our events are open to anybody who is interested in attending, not just ALTs or CIRs, so always feel free to invite your co-workers or local friends as well as other Non-ALT international friends living within Japan. The calendar for events is full of variety and our target for 2014~2015 is to host at least one event every month, so hopefully there will be something to cater for everybody's tastes & interests. People also interested in volunteering to support the running of AAJ events are always welcomed too!!

Please come to support as much as you can & let's make this year a greater success than ever before!!

If you have any questions or ideas for events or the organisation, then please look to contact one of these members.

Before signing off, it is important to give a huge credit to one of our corner-stone ALTs, who will be sadly departing during August 2014. For the last few years the AAJ group has been expertly led and nurtured by a legend of a man, Mr. Wil Lentz. It is thanks to his great efforts and command that we are in our current position today and there are not words enough to express the gratitude that this man deserves.

That is all for now. One final warm welcome to all new ALTs & CIRs who have arrived to begin their new lives within our beautiful prefecture. With all you help, let's make it a successful and enjoyable year for all!! :)

Finally, allow me to introduce the committee responsible for planning events during 2014~2015, a lot of work has to take place behind the scenes, weeks or even months before an event can take place, and so it is thanks to the hard Warmest regards and bountiful love, work of this crew that we are all able to get together and enjoy ourselves as reg- Your AAJ team. ularly as we do.

Lynne Francis

Alana Stephenson

Kinza Cooper

Vice-Chair

Vice-Chair

Treasurer

English Camp The pride and soul of Akita Message from an ALT My name is Keith and I’m the ALT at Akita Technical High School. I’ve done a few English Camps now, and they are definitely a highlight of my job. Since few opportunities afford me a better opportunity to get to know students and see results of my time teaching, I love being a part of these weekends. I’ve had only two students join English camp so far, but because of their positive experience, we have had a relatively large interest and registration in upcoming English Camps - and that’s at a technical school, where English is certainly not the focus. I asked one of my students to do a short write-up to get people to know why English camp is important, so here it is (with just a little editing):

Message from a student I love English! That sounded like I’ve fallen in love…This is one of the reasons why I always participate in English Camps but there is more. I always think I want to escape from reality in which everyday I speak only Japanese. Also can anyone learn English at their desk? But no, actually using English is better than other learning methods. I think so.

So in the future, I want to cherish more opportunities to experience living English.

- Ibuki Konno, Akita Technical High School student

If you have any questions about English Camp, please contact CIR Naomi Vogt! vogt-naomi@pref.akita.lg.jp

Pictures published with the permission of the Senior High School Division of Akita Prefectural Board of Education

Fill that burger craving with some Satisfaction!

friends, and couples.

I visited twice, both on Saturdays during peak hours, and had to wait about half an Restaurant review by Randy Umetsu hour from order to plate, so be prepared to The name says it all. This small burger wait for your food if going during peak joint offers up a diverse menu of burgers hours. There are only two employees and and sandwiches all for around 800 yen a they put time into making each order right. pop. Throw in an order of medium fries and you will walk out satisfied (pun definitely inThe Verdict tended) all for around 1300 yen. While this Value: 4/5 may seem pricey to some, Satisfaction Taste: 4/5 goes the extra mile by serving up handExperience: 5/5 crafted beef patties on buns baked right at Atmosphere: 5/5 the restaurant! You also have the option of customizing your burger to personal preference with the addition of toppings.

Satisfaction ranks of the upper scale of burger restaurants in my book (and no, they are not paying me to say this). The employees keep an immaculate kitchen and preparation area. The counters and tables are made of a beautifully grained hardwood. The atmosphere is very relaxing with the customers ranging from families,

Mt. Komagatake 駒ヶ岳

By Keith Ikoma

On “Oname” (men and women’s mountain), one of the peaks at the top.

E

arly in July, I set off for an adventure up a mountain. Akita is a prefecture that knows how to do mountains; if it weren’t for mountains and rice fields, Akita would cease to exist. This story begins last September after I and a few other ALTs had climbed Mt. Chokai.

As I was mentioning it to someone at church, he introduced me to a couple that regularly climbs mountains so that I could get some recommendations for future adventures. Better than a recommendation, we made plans to go to Mt.Komagatake together, which unfortunately were cancelled by a typhoon. Hiking season in Akita is somewhere between June and November, depending on where you go, so we had run out of hiking weather. Nine months delayed, I set off with four others for our one day adventure into the mountains.

I was the youngest by probably 30 or 40 years, but my co-adventurers are all really active, so it was really okay. The benefit of hiking with Japanese seniors is that they packed an amazing lunch which included rice balls, pork, alcohol-free beer, cherries, plums, and more.

Komagatake is in the far eastern part of the prefecture, just east of Lake Tozawa. You can easily

see Iwate from the peak. To get there, you can either drive to near the Tazawako Ski Area or take the train to Tazawako Station; then, either way, you bus up to the base (http:// www.city.semboku.akita.jp/sightseeing/ spot/03_komagatake.html). Our group that day drove out together and caught the bus up to the starting point, which is the Mt. Komagatake 8th Station. If the bus ride up doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping and ready for a hike, I don’t know what will. Just close your eyes and think of England.

From the base, it’s a relatively easy climb of under two hours to the rest point and pond near the three peaks, although for more adventurous hikers, there are hours of exploration just beyond the rest area; as for me, I was happy to just tackle the two tallest peaks and call it a day.

We ended the day at an onsen; near Lake Tazawa there are plenty of choices and everyone has their favorites, so just follow your heart - or at least the road signs.

Some thoughts on climbing a mountain. First, do it. Akita is a bit rural, but it also affords plenty of opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature. If you like hiking, there are plenty of really quality choices from Chokai to Komagatake to Taihei.

Second, be careful, be prepared, and get there early (and don’t go alone unless you are really

confident in your abilities). Third, if you like getting outdoors, ask people’s personal recommendations for places to go because it will help you find some real gems, it’s a great conversation starter, and you might even get a gourmet lunch on a mountain out of it.

Waiting in line at 8:30am for the bus. I left Akita City at 6:30 to get out there for this bus.

Cover Photo- “Man's Mountain,” opposite Oname.

Akita-ben Corner What is Akita-ben? Akita-ben, literally translating to “Akita dialect,” is a subdialect of the Tohoku dialect umbrella (often called Zuzu-ben).

For most of us, learning Japanese is hard enough as it is. Throw Akita-ben into the mix and we have a nearly unintelligible language. (It is often accompanied by subtitles in national broadcasts). But not to fear! Give these Akita-ben phrases a try and you will be conversing with the local obaachan and ojiichan in no time (WARNING: Not for use in formal situations)!

In every new issue of The Akitan, we will be featuring a new Akita-ben word or phrase.

んだ Most Japanese people will tell you that no Japanese word starts with the consonant “n.” However, most Japanese people don’t speak Akita-ben either. んだ (nda) and its slightly politer brother んだす (ndasu) are the staple of every conversation in Akita-ben. They are expressions of affirmation and are used as そうだ (sou da) and そうです (sou desu) are used in standard Japanese.

Example: そうですね (sou desu ne) ↓ んだすな～(ndasuna) Translation: Yes, that is so.

Skills Development Conference 2014

Please Mark Your Calendars!

When: October 27 & 28 Where: Prefectural Education Center Our annual prefectural wide Skills Development Conference (SDC) is nearing closer! As you all know, the success of this conference largely depends on all of us as ALTs as we are the main presenters. Let us together make this year’s conference the best one ever!

The Education Center is now looking for ALTs willing to present or submit classroom videos of you teaching for the video presentation portion of the conference.

If you are interested in doing one of these presentations or have an idea for a different presentation, please contact Taylor Fustin at tfustin415@gmail.com. If you want to see all of the excitement of last year’s SDC, click here.

Thank you! We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Open Presentation Spots: JHS Activities Using Technology in the Classroom English Club *Your own creative idea for a workshop!

Teacher from Australia Devotes Himself to Karate

Nine Prefectural ALTs Presented with Certificates of Appreciation Before the End of their Terms

Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) from Odate’s elementary and junior high schools, Patrick Poelsma (33) from Australia, practices his karate skills in preparation for a demonstration to be held at the city’s community center on June 15.

Poelsma dove into the world of karate last summer after he volunteered to light the flame of the kanji character “large” for the Omoji Matsuri、which invokes images of summer, after getting to know Takumi Sugawara (40), a karate instructor in the city. In September, Poelsma knocked on the door of Sugawara’s Karate Academy Kenshokan.

At 1.91 meters tall, he immediately stands out in the practice area. Yells echo throughout the dogo with shouts of “bow” and “Ei!” and “Ya!” Ryota Nakajima, a 5th-year student at Kawaguchi ES who also practices alongside Poelsma, looks up at Poelsma and comments, “ It’s fun practicing striking together.”

Akihiko Osawa (68), an instructor at the academy, says “Patrick is an obedient and passionate student. I am very glad that he has been able to make so much progress in the short time he has been here.”

Poelsma will finish his one-year term here in August and will then return to his home country. He would like display all the appreciation for the people he has met here in his demonstration.

Yumiko Okuyama, Yomiuri Shimbun June 13, 2014 Translated by Randy Umetsu

On July 9, the Prefectural Board of Education presented nine ALTs approaching the end of their terms with certificates of appreciation. The nine ALTs, from the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, came to Japan as a part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. Over their one to four years they taught English in their respective areas to high school students in both their classes and overnight English camps.

The presentation ceremony was held at the Second Prefectural Office Building. The Board of

Education Superintendent, Susumu Komeda, presented each with a certificate of appreciation.

“Everyone has participated in the events of his/ her region and have fulfilled a great role in cultural exchange. Please come to Akita again soon,” said Komeda in English.

“I was not only involved in English education, but I was also able to participate in our area’s wadaiko drumming performance and experience rice planting. I would like to tell the people of my home country about kindness of Akita’s people,” said Melissa Noad (30) from Canada.

Shin Sato, Sakigake Shimbun July 10, 2014 Translated by Randy Umetsu

Sixteen ALTs Battle it Out! The 10th Annual Akita International Sumo Tournament was held at the Prefectural Budokan on June 28, 2014. Sixteen men and women ALTs donned mawashi and entered the dohyo (ring) to compete in the fierce boughts. Wrestlers from five countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as one Japanese contender participated. Spectators shouted cheers of support as the boughts progressed and the wrestler’s displayed their strength in each head-tohead round. Wrestlers were showered with rounds of applause at the conclusion of each round.

American Kassidy Cook (23) from Yuzawa and Canadian Meagan Peat from Akita City claimed the victory and title of Yokozuna in the men’s and women’s division respectively. Both were first-time contenders.

“Everyone was quite strong, and we are glad to have won,” expressed both with delight.

The event was hosted by the Akita Association of JETs (AAJ), which is comprised of ALTs throughout the prefecture, and was started in 2004 for as a cultural exchange event for both the participants and spectators. A total of 65,000 yen in proceeds from will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Ken Fujihara, Akita Sakigake June 30, 2014 Translated by Randy Umetsu

Children’s Study Program in Yuzawa City Children’s Study Program, promoted by the Yuzawa City Board of Education, started from August 20-21 at Yuzawa Cultural Center. One-hundred ten elementary school students in Yuzawa enjoyed English, science, and Japanese through experiments and handicrafts.

This program is held in summer and winter to improve students’ will to study and to let them have a chance to work on their homework.

Students explained familiar clothing in English during the conversation class that was run

by ALTs in Yuzawa.

The ALT explained, “We wear a coat when it’s cold. It’s made of thick cloth. Clothes other than this are called jackets.”

Students enjoyed this study session which included trying to make a cell battery that is made from ash in the science class and playing word games and kanji games in the Japanese class.

Koichi Arakawa, Akita Sakigake Aug. 21 2014 Translated by Kano Yoshizawa

Marshall, New ALT Greets the Mayor of Kazuno “I’d like to communicate with my students” Gregory William Marshall, who took a position as an ALT of the Kazuno City Board of Education, visited city hall and greeted Hajime Kodama, the mayor of Kazuno. Marshall graduated from George Mason University in the United States this May and came to Japan on August 3. He studied at AIU for two months when he was a university student.

Mayor Kodama encouraged him saying, “there are a lot of good students in Kazuno. I’d like you to keep your position and teach students as an ALT for a long time like your predecessor who taught for five years. Try to experience Japanese culture.”

“I’d like to have friendly communication with the students,” said Marshall.

Marshall will begin teaching English to students as an assistant at four junior high schools from the second term. His term initial term is till the end of March and can renew each year after that.

Tsutomu Chiba Akita Sakigake Aug. 24 2014 Translated by Aika Hirasawa

Welcome to Akita!

Tropical Island Vacation on a Budget

By Randy Umetsu Ever heard of tropical islands in Tokyo? Yeah, me neither till a friend invited me to go camping a few years ago on the Izu Islands a few hours off the coast of Tokyo. I have been back there twice since. The brown sludge-like water of Tokyo bay magically turns crystal clear upon nearing the island chain. The seven main islands and four smaller islands offer something for surfers, divers, campers, and average vacationers alike. Here is how to enjoy a tropical vacay in Tokyo on a budget: http://www.tokyo-islands.com/ 1. Take the ferry The night ferry costs about 10,000-16,000 yen round trip. Be sure to look for discounts and campaigns from the end of July through August that include bonuses like bus passes. If there are no tickets available online, do not fear! Seat are usually still available if you call the ferry directly. Jet boats and flights are also available but cost more. http://www.tokaikisen.co.jp/ 2. Camp!

There are campsites on each island, most of which are free.

Find one in the location of your choice.

3. BBQ for meals Some campsites even come with areas to BBQ. This keeps meal costs low.

My two-night trip to Kozushima Ferry: 16,000 (missed the discount) Campsite: Free Transportation on island: 1000 (the smaller islands make getting around a lot easier!)

Food: 4,000 yen Total: 21,000 yen (Note: Keep in mind that the water gets too cold to swim in during winter)

Akita JALT

A

re you interested in learning more about language teaching?

Would you like to connect with other language teachers around Akita or maybe Japan? If so, then you may be interested in The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT).

JALT is a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of language teaching and learning both within Japan and internationally. The Akita JALT chapter meets monthly and invites you to check out the workshops. You will find a schedule for workshops for the year on their website.

There is a charge of 500 yen for all non-members (It used to be 1,000 yen, but they lowered it for

us!) JALT members and students are free. Scheduled meetings are at JOIN US in Akita City.

NOTE: The Akita JALT community would love to learn more about the JET Programme in Akita and team teaching. If you are interested in presenting something, please contact Wayne Malcom: wamalcom@gmail.com

We hope that you found this newsletter useful. If you have any suggestions to make The Akitan better, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Lastly, submissions from you will make this work-related newsletter all the more interesting. So, if you have lesson activities, work-related essays, job postings, news articles, photos, etc., please submit them to one of the PAs. As always, thanks for reading!

Life After the BOE by David Namisato

We are looking for great photos and articles by you! Please send anything you would like to contribute to one of the PAs and help make The Akitan even better!

Created by your PAs Design and layout : Randy Umetsu Contributors: Randy Umetsu Keith Ikoma Naomi Vogt Kenny Grant

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