Life After Jet

On JET, teaching can really immerse you in the local community - and many have also found their future career in education as a result. For my guest, it has lead to many opportunities- travel around the world and a way to do positive impacts on people’s lives. - Quebec City Reading Council has a website at http://www.qcrc.org/ - they also accept volunteer tutors. - Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/quebeccityreadingcouncil Music for this episode is 'Pursuit of Life' by Kirk Osamayo, sourced from Free Music Archive under license type (CC BY).

Our post-JET lives can be interesting and varied, thanks to the many opportunities available and networks that we form. That's the theme of this episode but along the way, we meander in our discussion, talking about the good and bad of AI, innovation and how taking chances can lead to great things.

On this special anniversary episode of the Tohoku disaster, special guest William McMichael talks about the current state of Fukushima and Tohoku, 14 years on. Though challenges remain, the outlook is far from bleak, with the people of Tohoku determined to forge a future of sustainability - and hope. Footnotes - Hope Tourism: https://www.hopetourism.jp/en/ - if you want to contribute to Tohoku's rebuilding, consider this special tour and hear the stories beyond the news cycle.

Japan is a rich source for social-media-worthy pics - the history, culture, landscape, architecture, food and more. Unsurprisingly, some JETs have turned to building an online-based career. Few have been as successful as my guest who runs @yamatrips, a well-known Instagram account that showcases the road less travelled in Japan. If you've ever wondered how social media can be used in business, then you're in luck, as Tony Xia gives us his insights into online brand building - with a purpose. Footnotes - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamatrips/ - Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yamatrips - Tony's article in JETStreams "Insights from a Japan Influencer": https://jetprogramme.org/en/jetstreams/summer2024/#elm-8

My guest has done many things - started a non-profit while on JET, changed Japanese law, graduated from Oxford with a PhD, did a TEDx talk - but (spoiler alert) confesses that much of it was unplanned. We talk about the how and why of the Japanese institutional care of children, and what it means to make meaningful impact and finding your path without sweating the small stuff. Footnotes - Dr Rivera King's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rivera-king-dphil-fcmi-73088720/ - TEDx Tokyo: Against All Odds: https://youtu.be/vzW6vetckfM?si=wuyEomwxfu3rYYDE - The Japan Society in the UK: https://www.japansociety.org.uk/home

We live in a world of constant news cycle, from stations and social media alike. So how does the traditional news bureau survive in this world of constant (mis)information? Our guest Ryan Keeble (news producer and cameraman) is on the ground reporting from London. Footnotes: Check out Ryan’s work on Youtube on the channel Inside Kitchen London (@insidekitchen_LDN)

In this episode, I get to nerd out about science, dinosaurs and gross nature facts with my guest Cecily Arkell. We talk about the challenges and rewards of being a life-long science educator and communicator at one of the top art and cultural institutions in Australia - the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip. A fact check correction: Cecily meant to say it was Barry Jones, not Gareth Evans who was an Australian politician with a science background.

This episode features a special guest: not only is Doug Tassin my sempai from JET, he also heads the Krewe of Japan podcast. In a rather meta episode, we talk about our love of the cast podding genre. And we of course start with Doug's day job as a consultant building IT systems for hospitals, which led to a discussion about the challenges of the US medical insurance system.

Believe it or not, there are people trying to make HR a better human experience, through the use of technology and HCD principles. My guest Megan DeVille has a job she describes as "obscure", but one that can provide immense benefits to organisations, employers and employees. We also get to geek out about anime and pop culture, and why good anime music will never die. Footnotes: - Suzaku 7 website: info and performances: https://suzaku7.weebly.com/ -Suzaku 7 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSuzaku7/

Living to another country can be a source of inspiration. And you could meet kindred spirits that make you feel like you belong. My guest, Luke Cuerden, talks about finding a welcoming creative community and how much that has inspired him creatively and professionally. We also talk about the music scene in Tokyo, and what jazz and metal have in common. - Connect with Luke on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harroruke/ - Check out Red Dragon Blues on YT: www.youtube.com/@reddragonblues7231

Oh the places you’ll go. Dr Seuss's poem nicely describes the post-JET life of my guest, Sam Baldwin - journalist, start-up techie and author. A desire to live the outdoor mountain life led him to living and working in Slovenia in a 300-yo cabin. He chronicles his journey and love for his adopted country in his upcoming book, Dormice and Moonshine: Falling for Slovenia. Sam's description of this overlooked corner of Europe is very evocative - anyone want to do a trip? Footnotes: - Sam's portfolio site: sambaldwin.me (https://www.sambaldwin.me/) Music for the episode is Snow Drift by HoliznaCCO, from the album Winter LoFi, with a public domain license and sourced from freemusicarchive.org The After JET podcast is generously supported by the Council of local authorities for International relations or CLAIR, but is otherwise an independent personal project by me, Eden Law. All views and opinions expressed on this podcast are the personal opinions of podcast participants and are not the official views of any o

Many of us go through several restarts and pivots. For Natalie Hamilton, it's been a full circle going back to teaching and finding her passion and purpose (including time to publish a textbook on kanji). Join us for a discussion on what that's like, and why finding purpose is an ever-changing destination. Footnotes: Natalie's book on kanji can be found at: https://thekanjicode.com/the-kanji-code-study-guide/ ------ Music for this episode is A Journey by Kevin Hartnell, from the Free Music Archive, under license type CC BY-SA. The After JET podcast is generously supported by CLAIR, the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, but is otherwise an independent personal project. All views expressed on this podcast are the independent opinions of podcast participants and do not represent any organisation that participants are connected with or work for.

Along with anime and J-pop, the Japanese game industry is another influential export of the country. My guest, Catherine (Cat) Dinh now works at Ubisoft Osaka, and we talk about the industry, work practices and a valuable trait that a non-Japanese worker can bring to a Japanese workplace.

In Japan, given how available alcoholic beverages are, everyone on JET has at least one grog-related tale. My guest Colin Johnston has turned his practical experiences into a career in the distilling and brewing sector. Join us for a fascinating and educational look into the movement that is the craft beer industry, and what makes its beer, well, so crafty. Fun fact: Colin's also a stage actor - hence his reference to his acting skills in our discussion. Music for this episode is Drink Beer (Till the Day That I Die) by Dazie Mae. Sourced from freemusicarchive.org with license type CC BY-NC-SA.

It may come as a surprise to some of you that Osaka is actively promoting itself as a queer-friendly holiday destination. But that is the line of work that Jonathan Lucas is in - helping to create an inclusive place that welcomes all visitors, not just on gender or sexuality. In this discussion, we talk about his work, and expand it to discuss in general the state of LGBT discourse in Japan. And disclaimer: neither of us are experts in this field, so apologies in advance for any mistakes. Links: If you want to hear more about what Osaka Tourism's queer travel work, check out Jon's interview with Digital Tourism Think Tank: https://lnkd.in/eWbCykrm Music for this episode is Something Elated by Broke for Free, sourced from Free Music Archive.org and licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. The After JET podcast is generously supported by CLAIR, the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, but is otherwise an independent personal project. All views expressed on this podcas

J-Pop for some of us forms the sonic background to our lives in Japan - AKB48, Arashi, SMAP, Greeen (and just like that, you can already guess my vintage). My guest Juvia Chua went further than belting out her favourite J-Pop tunes in karaoke - she worked as a coordinator in the Japanese music industry, travelling with anisong talent overseas. She gives us a look at the hard work behind the stage, what she had to learn and how she did it. If you're wondering what it's like, then this is the episode for you. Music for this episode is 'Anime Opening' by Uncan, sourced from Free Music Archive.org and under license type CC BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical). The After JET podcast is generously supported by CLAIR, the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, but is otherwise an independent personal project. All views expressed on this podcast are the independent opinions of podcast participants and do not represent any organisation that participants are connected with or work

My guest this episode is a maelstrom of talent, ideas and energy - one episode on this teeny tiny podcast is not enough to cover all the stories from one life well led. And storytelling is the work of Eirene Tran Donohue. As a screenwriter, she has worked in Hollywood for over a decade, with her most successful movie to date being Netflix's A Tourist Guide to Love. We have a chat about the industry, creativity, Asian representation and the ongoing writers' strike. Linky goodness - See Eirene's other work: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5149399/ - Eirene's single is out now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1meji59RpgdqU8o0RdYZDu?si=Z4eM51zITx2rLw8L3Vk0vQ -Mai Donohue (Eirene's mum) has a memoir called Crossing the Bamboo Bridge:https://www.amazon.com.au/Crossing-Bamboo-Bridge-Memoirs-Luck-ebook/dp/B01LBOZDE6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=crossing+the+bamboo+bridge&qid=1688909338&sprefix=crossing+the+bam%2Caps%2C309&sr=8-1 Song used for this episode is called Greatest of All Time by Beat Mekanik, from Free

In this episode, I speak to Alex Barnett. We get into the world of video (and film) editing - what the life of a freelance video editor looks like. Making art or making bank - how does one make a living, following your dream in an industry that's competitive and moves between boom and bust? Fun fact: Alex won the first JET Programme Video Competition in 2016. That's right, Australia was #1. Sorry everyone that you're not us. - Check out Alex's awesome work at https://www.alexbarnett.com.au which also has his winning entry. - He's also on Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/barnettalex/ Music for this episode is 'In the Cut' by Yona Marie, from the album Yona's Beats, downloaded from freemusicarchive.org, licensed under a cc0 1.0 universal license.

Cara Lam is probably one of my more popular guests I've had on this podcast. As a content creator, she vlogged about her JET experience and life and continued with writing blogs about her life after. So it's not surprising that she went into content design and strategy as a career. This being an After JET podcast, we talk not just careers, but also our stories: about being foreigners-at-large in many places, including the cultures we're born into. Footnotes: Cara can be found on: - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-lam/ - Wordpress: https://thecaradventures.wordpress.com/ - Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Caradventures/videos - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaradventures/ Music: Dare to Belong by Independent Music Licensing Collective (IMLC) from the album Blue Sky Moon and is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Downloaded from freemusicarchive.org

In 2011, I was a JET living in Fukushima. From that opening sentence, you can probably guess what this episode will be about. A decade on, my friends and I will be recounting our experiences during that time and after, in this special 2-parter that's meant to mark the 10th anniversary of the Tohoku disaster (yes I know I'm a couple of years late). My thanks to John Auyeung, Cathy Hawker and Caitlin Lee for taking this trip down memory lane with me. You can read Cathy's blogpost about her experiences during the Tohoku Earthquake: https://32andcounting.blog/2018/03/11/its-not-a-matter-of-if-its-a-case-of-when-japan-tribute/?fbclid=IwAR3_14uypfflnfA2MFqGR8OJXWEkqzJFhAjXzk5DLgkZOjXHo10EymnqnPs Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this episode are not representative of any organisation or company and are solely the views of the speakers in this episode. Music used in this episode (from freemusicarchive.org, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License): - "Lacquer Groove" by Blue Dot Sessions - "Night Roses