The Gifu JET Stream
A blog brought to you by your PAs and RPAs to keep you updated on Gifu JETs.
Dear Gifu JETs,
According to the World Health Organization, there have been 85 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Japan as of February 20. This number do)es not include the 621 cases in the Diamond Princess cruise ship that is currently docked at the Port of Yokohama. (https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200220-sitrep-31-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=dfd11d24_2) As you may have known, persons with weaker or compromised immune systems are likely to contract this virus. These include the elderly, infants and those with underlying health conditions, just to name a few. Individuals who are currently taking immunosuppressive medications like steroids for asthma and other diseases are also vulnerable. That being said, panicking will not solve anything but health education, proper nutrition, coughing etiquette and urgent medical attention will. To prevent the spread of this virus and other contagious diseases, we are advising everyone to: 1. Regularly wash your hands vigorously. 2. Avoid touching your face. 3. Strictly adhere to coughing etiquette by covering your nose and mouth when coughing, NOT with your hands but with a handkerchief, mask, tissue or even the sleeve of your shirt. 4. Live a healthier life by eating nutritious food, drinking plenty of water and engaging in physical activities. 5. Be accountable and responsible by consulting a healthcare professional immediately when you get cold-like symptoms and fever.** ** Please refer to this material created by the Gifu International Center (GIC) about COVID-19. It also has the contact details of various Public Health Consultation Centers around Gifu Prefecture (https://www.gic.or.jp/en/2020/02/information-about-the-novel-coronavirus-covid-19.html). For translation services, please call GIC at 058-263-8066. They are open during business hours on Monday-Friday (excluding national holidays) from 09:30-16:30. As usual, please do not hesitate to keep in touch with your supervisors, RPAs and yours truly for any concerns. Thank you very much and stay safe! Best regards, Gelo Pascual, BSN, RN (^_^)
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Second Skills Development ConferenceGifu City - More than 50 JET ALTs across Gifu gathered at the Prefectural Library on Friday, January 24, for the Second Skills Development Conference.
Aside from the dedicated sessions for Municipal ALTs and Senior High School ALTs, this year's SDC 2 featured three ALT presentations on Reducing Translation in the Classroom, Self-Advocacy in the Workplace and Sharing Culture to Students. In addition, a special forum on Leaving Logistics and Life After JET was also organized for departing ALTs. Those who are staying for another year joined a session which featured RPA-run booths about Health and Wellness, Traveling, Taxes and Visas and Connecting with the Community. our website just got a makeoverInspired by the beauty of our home prefecture, Gelo decided to give this website a much fresher look by sprucing it up with photos that he took across Gifu using his trusty old smartphone.
FIRST Skill Development ConferenceGifu City - 97 Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs) from all over Gifu gathered at the Prefectural Library in Gifu City for the annual Skills Development Conference I on Friday, October 18, 2019. Jointly organized by the Gifu Prefectural Board of Education and the International Division of the Gifu Prefectural Government, the six-hour event was highlighted by the presence of a guest speaker from Tokyo's Council of Local Authorities and International Relations (CLAIR).
Mr. Pierce Langdon, a CLAIR Program Coordinator and a former Tokyo JET ALT, delivered a well-received presentation on Communicating Expectations between ALTs and JTEs. Through a series of interactive activities and group discussions, ALTs and JTEs shared how they could improve their relationship to achieve synergy during team teaching. This year's SDC also included sessions on the curriculum reform, materials fair, JTE and ALT cultural differences, presentation contest for Senior High School ALTs, group discussion for JTEs and an activities workshop for Municipal JTEs and ALTs. Our 2019-2020 team of Regional Prefectural Advisers is ready to serve Gifu JETs! From left to right (* denotes a new RPA ) : Standing - Daniel B.* (Seino), Colby D. (Hida), Kamala C.* (Hida), Gaelle L. (Gifu), Julia T.* (Gifu), Hannah W.* (Gifu) Kneeling - Cedric O. (Seino), Chevaughn W.* (Hida), Clinton B.* (Tono) Not Pictured: Logan M.* (Tono) Now for some words from our fresh RPAs:
"Hi JETs, I'm a third-year CIR working at the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences (IAMAS) in Ogaki, a prefecture-run graduate school for new media art. I was born and raised in Oregon State in the USA. After coming to Japan, I got into martial arts in an attempt to stay active. Lately, I've been practicing Kenjutsu and Kali (if you want to know more about those, let me know). I've also gotten into dozens if not hundreds of bowls of ramen. I can show you some good ramen joints, but I'm always looking for recommendations. I hope I can contribute to making your time in Seino fulfilling and enjoyable." - Daniel B. "Hello" I'm Kamala, a lover of languages, cultures and travel. I'm a Jamaican but I'm becoming a citizen of the world through travel. I love motivating people to chase their dreams! I want to become a gym enthusiast and I believe ice-cream is a food for every season. Find me online: Polyglots & Itinerants to know more." - Kamala C. "Hey everyone! My name is Julia Taylor. I am a special education teacher from Toronto, Canada who somehow (fortunately) ended up as an ALT in Gifu City. My hobbies include writing, cooking and riding my bike around Gifu to gape at mountains and cultural sites. I periodically host low key potluck dinner parties because I like the company and maintaining the illusion that my apartment is clean, so feel free to drop by for Canadian Thanksgiving, pancake nights or just to play cards. I understand how overwhelming working and living in a new country is (I’m still figuring out things too!), so please do not hesitate to ask me any questions about Gifu and I will do my best to help you! I am excited to meet the incoming JETs- let’s have a great year together! :) " - Julia T. "Hello! My name is Hannah Wehrer and I'm from the lovely Washington State, USA. I currently work at Gifu Shotoku Gakuen High School in Gifu City. Outside of work you can usually find me walking around Gifu or Nagoya, reading, or feeding my slight obsession with Pokémon (mostly the last one). Although this is only my first year on JET feel free to come to me with any questions and I'm looking forward to working with you all!" - Hannah W. "Chevaughn Whyte is a 2nd year JET from Jamaica, living in the High Mountains (Takayama) of Hida and yes, he likes reggae music. Other than his dedication towards his students, he also plans to be an aikido master within next 2 years. He enjoys anything that has to do with being outdoors, which includes: hiking, chasing waterfalls and swimming in random rivers. So, if you’re interested in going on epic adventures through the inaka (countryside) of Japan please feel free to hit him up for any advice or suggestions." - Chevaughn W. "My full first name is Clinton-Khile, but if you call me that, you’ll end up sounding like my mom when she’s angry, and no one wants that. I come from the mysterious land of Los Angeles, California, just north of downtown in a place aptly named “The Valley” – and yes, in case you were wondering who to thank for the incredibly charming “Valley-Girl” accent, you can take your praise to my people. I graduated from UCLA’s school of film and television where I learned all about how to struggle to make money. I came to teach in Japan because I know that most of the film work in the world revolves around LA, and having been born in LA, raised in LA, and will probably die in LA, I figured maybe a little time away might be nice. In Japan, I live in Mizunami, but I work a couple towns over at Tajimi Kita High. My favorite things to do here are roaming around Nagoya (with Logan), practicing Kyudo, and chilling in my apartment. I hope Logan and I make the dream team that we think we will, but only time will tell! Either way, we’re lookin’ forward to it! Peace!" - Clinton B. "Logan McCarthy is a second year municipal JET in Toki City. He's from Wrentham, Massachusetts (just off Boston's front yard). Backed with two years experience pointing out turtles and swans for little children at a wildlife sanctuary, he made the courageous leap to teaching English in Japan. He likes to walk around, make music, dine, and waste money at claw machines in Nagoya (which acts as a stellar replacement for Boston). He is also a “konbini connoisseur”. When it's not a city day, he and friends like to hike for waterfalls in the pretty mountains of Nagano.” - Logan M. |
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