January 2019 Polestar by Polestar

POLESTAR HOKKAIDO

J anuary 2019

Editor’s Note Greetings! I hope the new year has been treating everyone well so far! Once again, many thanks for checking out the Polestar this month. As everyone’s schedule was in disarray due to about half of the month being winter vacation, I figured that submissions would be at an all-time low, but to my surprise, we received a couple of really interesting reads! Please give them a look! On a second note, this may be my second to last issue of the Polestar as the Editorin-Chief. I would just like to say thank you for having me and giving me an awesome experience with the Polestar. I did decide to rerun for the position, so in the case that I am re-elected, I will try my hardest to continue to bring interesting content to you all! —Alex Reyes

Photo by Alex Reyes Cover photo by Nivedh Sreejit Design by Andrew Gerber

Table

Contents

3. President’s Corner (Photo Devan Hawkins) 4. HAJET Winter Meeting Flyers / HEC Flyers 5. First Year Rep 6. Upcoming Festivals 7. JET back to the past – Memories from a quarter century ago (Part 1) 8. Interview with Hussein Zanaty 9. Around the ‘Dou: Taiki-cho 10. Photo Gallery

President’s Corner |

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome back to the first Polestar issue of the 2019 year. By now, I’m sure you’re all back in the swing of things and ready to take on the bulk of the third term (for ALTs) or the closing of the fiscal year that is rapidly approaching (for CIRs). It’s the last push in the Japanese year, so be ready for an increased workload in the month of February. For new JETs, I also feel like it’s time to warn you that teachers and office workers may leave their school or office come April. It’s a part of the Japanese system for a few members to be reassigned to new schools or branches at your boss’s will every year, so be ready for that as your JTE or favourite office worker may be leaving soon. With the start of the new year come two things: New Year’s resolutions, and recontracting. You’ve now decided whether or not you’ll be staying another year, and congrats on making the decision. It’s not easy, especially if it’s your first year. But now, with the decision made, it’s time to work out the kinks in your plan for the year and go forward with all that newfound energy. For me, my resolution is to start programming again. I want to be as career-ready as I can be when I leave JET after my 3rd year. JET is a wonderful opportunity in both the experiences you can have, and the freedom that it gives you to explore your own interests. Strike the balance between the two and make the best of this time. I’m rooting for you. Until next time. Don’t forget about the Winter Meeting in Asahikawa next month! -Devan Hawkins|

☆Have you ever wanted to draw? ☆Have you never wanted to draw because you don’t think you can? ☆Have you ever tried to bridge a communication gap through

drawing but only made things worse? ☆Do you draw already and want to outshine the instructor?

☆All your drawing dreams can come true!☆

HEC Fundraiser at the HAJET Winter Meeting!

Drink & Draw☆

☆

The instructor will guide you through the steps to make amazing drawings you can show off to your students, coworkers, and to your mum! It’s so easy, anyone can do it! For 1,500 円, you will receive all the supplies needed to start drawing! You will also receive a list of available tutorials. During the event, you can freely request any tutorial from the list. If you would like instruction on how to draw something that is not on the list, you can request a tutorial for 500 円. Additionally, the instructor is available for commissions! HEC Drink & Draw Feb. 24th 6pm-8:30 HAJET Winter Meeting Enkai

1500 円 for materials,

500 円 for additional requests Please visit the Hokkaido English Challenge Facebook page to RSVP or contact hec@hajet.org

All proceeds go to benefit the Hokkaido English Challenge (HEC)

2019 Hajet Winter meeting

- Asahikawa -

The time is fast approaching for the 2019 HAJET Winter Meeting!

This year we will be in the city of Asahikawa, famous for its brilliant skiing, parading penguins, ramen galore, and much, much more. You’re bound to find something to tickle your fancy. 

This time we have a ton of fun stuff planned for you all, from more career orientated workshops, an enkai with a boozy art class, to a nijikai at an old HAJET hangout, The Den.

RSVP DEADLINE: FEB. 14 ACCOMMODATION DEADLINE: FEB. 4

Well, I talk about it, talk about it! Happy New Year fellow northerners! I hope that you all had a relaxing and fun winter break. Early on in the year, I decided to take the advice that former first year rep, Michael Bugajski, gave at Sapporo Orientation regarding budgeting for what’s important to you, saved up, and booked myself a flight home for the winter holidays. I had an amazing time catching up with friends and family, but I found myself fielding a lot of questions and comments about Japan from curious relatives and acquaintances. While most of these encounters came from genuine places of interest, some of them were a bit more off the wall. I was particularly taken aback when an elderly family friend, rather unprompted, exclaimed, “Aaaaah the Japanese are a bunch of dang lefties.” As a “dang lefty”, I tried not to be to offended by his tone. What caught me more off guard was the lack of factuality behind this statement. I proceeded to explain to him that, while yes, in some ways Japan is more liberal than the US, in many ways it trends more conservative. What followed was an interesting conversation about party lines and different countries. Maybe I’m becoming more of a yuppie, or maybe it’s a result of living without roommates for the first time, but I’ve been listening to a lot more advice podcasts since I started JET. One of these podcasts has a quote that perfectly sums up both this encounter and the vast majority of other experiences I’ve had on JET; “The vast majority of these problems can be solved with the same piece of advice: communicate.” As JETs a big and often challenging part of our job is communicating. We

First-Year Representative

Jacqueline Witwicki

communicate with coworkers and neighbors every day while dealing with a language barrier. We communicate our experiences in Japan, Hokkaido, and JET to our friends and family back home. And, possibly most importantly, we communicate our needs in a foreign environment to our friends and peers. HAJET, and the friends I have made through it, has served as a great environment to make me feel more comfortable communicating my needs. Good “Adult Friends” are hard to make as it is, and the logistics of communicating and bonding with folks on the other side of the island can be daunting. But know that communicating how you’re doing and your needs to peers and friends is just as important as communicating with coworkers and folks back home. You have a support network that you can draw upon whenever you need, in HAJET. While I don’t think I’ll be giving TedTalks any time soon, a fun side effect of JET has been all of the opportunities I’ve had to practice and improve on my communication skills. I hope everyone is doing well and keeping warm! I look forward to seeing y’all at the winter meeting in February! —Jacqueline Witwicki

Simon Bewick

The Jet Scheme in Hokkaido

A Quarter of a Century Ago Part 1

Things werebetter/ harder in my day… ...Ah, don’t you just love it when some senior citizen insists on telling you all about it?

book I could find at the time, gave six pages to Hokkaido (Cold, Bears, Winter Olympics, not near Tokyo). Language preparation consisted of two books from JET: one green, one purple with a bunch of audio cassettes, and a two-day language course in London.

I was based in Iwamizawa as a oneshot. My area was pretty large: I think my furthest school visits were Asahikawa and anywhere within a circle of that distance from my new home town. It was only the second year Iwamizawa had had JETs. There was the two of us (after a month we barely spoke) and a group of Mormons, So, for starters: I was there in the 5th which meant every day was like being year of a JET presence in Hokkaido. By in a zoo exhibit. If the kids didn’t spot then the numbers had swollen to a massive you, the parents would point you out to 99, with a 93/6 split between AETs and them (“Look, the gaijin uses toilet roll CIRs. My memory is that we all flew out like us…”). Simple things like getting a to Japan on one BA plane (and when I haircut were an experience… (gingers say ‘we all’ I mean the entire UK JET not being common in Iwamizawa hair contingency). establishments…) I arrived in Japan knowing next to So here are a few things that spring to nothing about it: even Yo! Sushi was seven mind and I’ll leave it to you as to whether years from existence and the only guide things have changed or not… I’m not quite senior citizen status yet, but I thought my memories as an AET on the JET scheme in Hokkaido back in 1991-92 might be of some interest or amusement... it might not have been better or harder, but I’m guessing it was certainly different.

Money: I don’t think the salary has really changed much in actual terms looking at the JET website – my memory is of around three million yen. The difference back then was there were around 250 yen to the pound. With rent paid, and generous travel allowances to cover those one-shot visits, it seemed as a newly graduated student I had all the moneys. And those moneys were left on my office desk – a bundle of cash that would remain untouched over the weekend if I wasn’t there to pick it up on the Friday. (And given that bank opening hours were strictly business hours and the idea of an out-of-hour deposit (or even access to cash) was pretty much unheard of, I had to carry that wad of cash on me...) Technology: So currency rates may change, but so does technology: most of my cash went on weekly calls to my girlfriend back in the UK – every Sunday, 11 o’clock Japan time to her university dorm public phone. Mobile phones? Skype? Witchcraft, good sir! International calls were horrifically expensive and my

monthly telephone bill was routinely 60,000 yen. And a fair amount more on postage: letters were damned important alone in Iwamizawa. Internet? Interwhat? It would have been nice to have it. There was a clunky old word-processor in the office and that was that. I did pick up a Nintendo Game Boy – original, released only two years prior. I learned quickly the Kanji to differentiate the English language versus the Japanese dubbed version VHS tapes at the megastore across the highway from me… important stuff. I was lucky enough to have a ‘bilingual’ TV which meant, on the Thursday night when an English language movie was on, I would watch and repeat the dialogue over the phone to my friend in Kushiro who didn’t have a bilingual and had to try and decipher the dub version. I think Tower Records went bankrupt because they finally went through that money they’d stockpiled from all my visits to the Sapporo branch back then: CDs were new and shiny for me and I bought them all. —Simon Bewick Hokkaido AET 1991-92.

Next time:

Social, Working and life after JET

Interview with

Hussein Zanaty

1.It was great listening to your presentation at the HAJET Fall Meeting! Would you mind giving us a short introduction about yourself? I was born in 1967 in Minia, Egypt. After I graduated from the Minia University English Department, I was chosen as a delegate for the IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) once to join a training camp in Germany, and again to be sent as a volunteer guide for peace and humanity at the Expo’92 in Spain. From those experiences of visiting Germany and Spain, I started shifting my eyes to the international activities for my coming future. In 1994, I married a Japanese lady in Egypt whom I worked with at Expo’92, and in 1997, moved to Japan. There was a language barrier at the beginning of my life in Japan. In order to overcome this situation, I worked various jobs such as cleaning floors, cutting wood and sharpening knives, so I could be able to learn and use basic Japanese language. Soon after, I opened an English school in a small town in Kitami City in Hokkaido. I became a famous teacher loved by hundreds of students. During that time, I started to produce cultural exchange programs between Kitami City and Minia City. These programs included: taking Japanese children and adults to Minia for social activities, constructing the first Park Golf Course in my hometown to serve the elderly and to give housewives opportunity to do outside sports, and so on.

These operations were paid attention by the Kitami Board of Education and they hired me as formal ALT in Japanese elementary schools. I’m highly trusted by them because of my contributions; such as establishing the official sister school relationship of the Board of Education of Minia City and Kitami City. I also have given training courses for other ALTs in Tokyo and Sapporo. From July 2006 to August 2009, I completed my Master Degree in Arts of Education at Heidelberg University Sapporo Campus. The study program was on weekends while I was still doing my ALT job. From October 1st, 2012 to September 4th, 2015, I completed my Ph.D degree in Manufacturing Engineering at Kitami Institute of Technology. My thesis was highly stimulated by my own research activity and experimental education in Minia, the “ASHAP project”. My research field was applying a new education technology system in education for sustainable development and was evaluated by UNESCO in 2015. In addition, I got comparative views among cultures from Japan, south East Asia, and Egypt in collaboration with Dr. Masayuki Akutsu. I ended my Ph.D degree with the award of “outstanding social activity researcher of the year 2015”. In 2018, I was nominated as one of the World Youth Forum panelists to give a speech in front of the President of Egypt and 5000 global youth in Egypt. My future plan is to develop life-long interactive humane and peaceful environments for kids and youth all over the world.

2.So right now you are an ALT in Kitami; how did you end up living in Kitami? How do you like it in comparison to your home country? I worked as an English teacher at JHS and HS in Egypt before I came

Above: Hussein and Kitami Koizumi Elementary chorus group introduce the Cross Culture song at the Asian International Movie Festival in Kitami

to Japan. So I already had the sense of teaching and facing small and big numbers of students. Living and working in Kitami opened my eyes to a more interesting life of cross culture communication with Kitami people and ALT colleagues. Through my life in Kitami, I was able to build up a large network. This network helped me enjoy my 19 years in Kitami. I enjoy some social groups and traditional martial arts in Kitami. With the support of my martial arts master, I obtained the silver medal in Iaido, “Japanese Martial Arts Sword Technique”. As a Boy Scout leader, I support Kitami scouts in international camps. I hold cross cultural events that highlight the traditional life style and activities of my home country. I also arranged study tours to Egypt for teachers and students. I was lucky to be an ALT in Japan.

3.Please tell us more about ASHAP! Was it difficult to get started? ASHAP / All Share Humanity And Peace ASHAP’s “‫ ”باحصأ‬definition is an Arabic word which means “friends”. Based on the deep meaning of the friendship, children contribute with their own creativity to support povertystricken children in rural areas of underdeveloped countries. ASHAP activities has both traditional and digital methods, to provide international exchange among children in different countries. Experience with foreign friends facilitates children’s curiosity, sociality, and sense of coexistence with different cultures. As for the traditional method, with the support of my research partner Dr. Masayuki Akutsu, Japanese elementary students (ex. Elementary School in Mitaka city, Tokyo and Elementary

Schools in Kitami city, Hokkaido) participate in a handmade learning KARUTA project in order to exchange with Egyptian children. Even for Japanese children, the interexchange stimulates childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curiosity and motivation, and it resulted in better effect on childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education. As for the ASHAP digital method, with the support of my research partner Professor Yoshiro Miyata, we created an interactive learning environment for children by children. The 6th grader students work in groups to produce digital learning materials for younger learners at the same school. The digital learning activities includes the first English Short Movie theatre and English Learning festival. Within 6 classes, with the cooperation of local teachers in Kitami schools, we designed the project action plan, phases, evaluation and feedback assessment. The result showed the positive impact of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attitude and higher motivation in shifting their learning style from stereotypical teacher-based learning to student selfcreated materials. With this positive

feedback, the ASHAP Digital Academy was born for an international learning charity approach. The goal of the ASHAP Digital Academy is twofold; (1) to provide education chances for poverty-stricken children. (2) to share humanity and peace in education for sustainable development. In order to achieve the above goals, elementary children of Japan will collaborate with Egyptian urban children in a project-based learning activity to create digital learning materials. The digital learning materials includes: 3 min. clips of teaching easy math, science experiment with raw materials, handcraft activities, traditional games and sports drills. Many thanks go to the Japanese teachers in Kitami for their support.

4.Right now, does ASHAP only help children in Egypt? Or is ASHAP expanding to more countries? ASHAP activity started in 2016, between students of Kitami in Japan and students of Minia in Egypt. The idea is moving ahead to reach povertystricken communities in other countries. I managed to establish a network of friends living abroad who are in charge of sustainable development projects in rural areas. Through this network, we can share handmade learning materials with a large number of poverty-stricken kids. I am also in contact with some NGOs that have connections with the refugee camps.

5.What has been the most difficult obstacle to overcome since starting ASHAP? The most difficult obstacle was the language and cultural gap between both Japanese and Egyptian students. With the support of local teachers who are good at English and had an international experience abroad, we could overcome the gap. It was a bit hard to convince local teachers in Kitami to test a new learning style. I tried to introduce cross cultural activities

to the Board of Education people, local teachers and parents. So, I started with the 5th grade class at Higashi Ainonai Elementary school. The activity was to produce a cross cultural short DVD to be sent to Egyptian students. The target was to introduce Japanese traditional handmade games and school lifestyle to Egyptian students. Then the Egyptian students learned the content. After a month, Egyptian students created their own DVD with Egyptian traditional games and lifestyle in easy English. The positive impact of this experiment was appreciated by all teachers at Higashi Ainonai and the Kitami Board of Education. Local newspapers highlighted the positive impact. The idea reached all schools in Kitami.

6.What about the easiest? The easiest was to have good communication with local teachers. They supported me in arranging time during their school schedule. They also saved a lot of time by contributing in designing the action plan in the local language.

7. What is the best support you’ve received for ASHAP? Throughout the process of ASHAP activity, I have received remarkable support from prospective academic and local community partners. I would like to thank; Dr. Masayuki Akutsu, the co-founder of ASHAP activity, who has been supporting and advising me and local teachers in Minia. I also received great support from my colleagues at the Japanese and Egyptian schools. I received honorable awards from His Majesty, The President of Egypt, at the World Youth Forum in Egypt in November 2018, The President of the Egyptian Parliament House, The Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs at Egypt Can Education Reformation Conference in December 2018, UNESCO ESD, Japan Prize of International Media and Education Contest, and The President of Kitami Institute of Technology as the best research content in developing local societal and sustainable development. I also received academic support and advice from Professor Toshio Eisaka and Professor Hiroshi Masui, my academic supervisors at the Kitami Institute of Technology. With the support of Professor Yoshiro Miyata of

Chukyo University, we plan to develop ASHAP Digital Academy at the higher education level. Recently, I received positive feedback from the HAJET members in Hokkaido. I also received appreciated support from the H.E. Ambassador of Egypt in Japan, the H.E. Ambassador of Japan in Egypt, the H.E. Minister of Education in Egypt, and the Egypt President’s Scientific Consultant.

8.Lastly, how can we Hokkaido ALTs become involved? Many of us were moved by your presentation, and would love to lend a hand! I would like to cooperate with Hokkaido ALTs to develop ASHAP activities at their schools in Japan, and also after they return back to their country. We can develop exchange learning materials among local schools in Hokkaido. We can support local students to expand their horizon and international communication. The motto is “Learn, Share and Teach new friends through ASHAP Academy.”

Taiki-cho

大樹町 Alex Reyes

Food

I consider myself lucky to be placed in the town of Taiki.

Taiki is a town in the Tokachi region, and is about 40 minutes south of Obihiro City. When I tell people where my placement is, almost every-time without fail, I get the puzzled look and response of, “Where?”. I can’t really blame anyone since Taiki doesn’t even have a station! Anyways, for those of you who do happen to find themselves in the area, here are some recommendations for things to do:

Hokkaido is renowned for its delicious food. I can’t say with confidence that any of these recommendations will make you think, “This is the darn best _____ that I’ve ever had.” BUT, going off these is much better than trying to decipher Japanese google reviews and looking at blurry pictures.

1.Daijuen (焼肉だいじゅ園本店)

This yakiniku restaurant is considered the “most delicious” restaurant in Taiki. The atmosphere is modern and the meat is delicious. The prices are fairly reasonable, but if you do drink, the bill can add up quickly. My personal recommendation is anything wagyu and the MEGA GINGER HIGHBALL (it’s quite mega and huge). The first Daijuen started in Taiki, but it does have two other shops in the city of Obihiro and Otofuke, so it’s safe to say Daijuen has clout and is delicious enough to have multiple restaurants.

Above, a house in Memu Meadows. Photos by Alex Reyes

12.Ryugetsu (龍月食堂)

Sightseeing

While Taiki doesn’t have any miraculous landmark that people from all over come This shokudou is my go-to for to see, it is abundant in nature. Taiki itself when I don’t feel like cooking, but also can’t is rather large, and takes pride in having both justify paying 500 yen for a 7-11 bento, when mountains and the ocean. With the Rekifune River I could pay a bit more for something not flowing through the middle of the town, crossing made in a factory. Everything at Ryugetsu is the main bridge is very scenic. Anyways, let’s get cheap. The portions are also humongous. If into some points of interest. you have an appetite but are on a budget, you need to go here! My recommendation is the “Karamisokatsu Ramen”. It’s just a giant 1.SORA bowl of spicy miso ramen with a giant pork I’m not sure how many space enthusiasts are katsu on top. There are also many other present within the ALT community in Hokkaido, options for plate meals as well as donburis. but if you are reading this, you need to come to Taiki. Taiki prides itself as a “space town”. Not only do we have the private company, “Interstellar” 3.Isaribi (いさり火) making and launching rockets, JAXA (Japanese Most of us are from countries where if you NASA) also has an aeronautical space research want to eat some fresh fish, it’s going to put facility / field here. SORA is a cool little museum you back at least 2000 or 3000 yen. Well, that showcases the history of the research and at Isaribi, which is an izakaya, the owner testing that has been done here thus far. It’s free happens to be a fisherman and often has and fairly interesting, so check it out if you have lots of fresh fish ready to be consumed. The any interest. thing is, the only thing really worth it here is the 1000-yen set. You actually don’t know what you’re going to be served because it’s 2.Memu Meadows all dependent on what he catches. However, Here’s another interesting spot. Memu Meadows every single time I’ve gone here and ordered is facility / area where experimental houses are the set, I’ve gotten more than three types built. However, these aren’t ordinary houses, but of fish dishes. (cooked or sashimi) Typically, you receive about seven dishes. It’s 1000 yen. rather houses that were designed as part of an international architectural design competition There’s really not much else I can say. amongst universities around the world. You can call ahead and ask for a tour! They also opened a hotel in November of last year!

I’ll conclude my short introduction of Taiki here. If anyone is in the area and needs a host, just contact me!

~Featuring~ Free MU Greg & Kelly Showhei & Aya Kenny Stone Presented by HEC

Kitami Concert March 16 · 19:00-23:00

Entry: ¥2500 -includes one (1) free drink

Venue: Kitami Onion Hall Limited Edition T-shirt: ¥2500 Join us for a night of Japanese and English music and support young learners of English! Visit the HEC Facebook for more information.

RSVP

HEC Facebook

Photos by Andrew Gerber

Photoï»¿ by Nived Sreejit

photo by Nived Sreejit