Wednesday, August 11, 7:30-9:30pm

O-Bon is the name of the Buddhist memorial festival that dates back more than a thousand years. Over a three-day period in mid-August in Japan, families gather to pray for the spirits of their ancestors. The Garden celebrates this festival with obon dancing and later Reverend Kodachi chants prayers on the Moon Bridge, as members light the tōrō nagashi lanterns and think of their loved ones as they watch the lanterns drift across the Upper Pond.

This is a members only event at night; a rare opportunity to see the gardens at night, with candlelight.

Related posts:

1. Sip Sake and Watch the Autumn Moon Rise over Portland
2. Portland Japanese Garden Special Event for JETAA Members
3. PSSCA Volunteers Needed

Where: Kale (1628 SW Jefferson, Portland)

Contact VP to RSVP

Related posts:

1. Tabemashou! May 2010
2. Tabemashou! August 2010
3. Tabemashou! October 2009

Note date change!

Date:  Wednesday, July 21
Location:  Jade Teahouse & Patisserie (7912 SE 13th, Portland, OR 97203)
Time:  1:00pm
Title:  Tokyo Vice

You can check availability of the Book Club titles by visiting the following websites:

• Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com
• Powell’s Books: http://www.powells.com/
• Multnomah County Library: http://www.multcolib.org/
• Clackamas County Library: http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/lib/

Visit the Book Club page for more details.

Related posts:

1. Book Club June 2010
2. Book Club August 2010
3. Book Club September 2009

Where: Stephanie and Scott Smith’s house

RSVP: Stephanie (location sent at time of RSVP)

Please bring a side dish, dessert or snack.  JETAA will provide the main dishes for meat lovers and vegetarians alike.

Parents, family and friends of JETs are welcome.

Below is a recap of last year:

When:  Saturday, July 18th, 12pm-8pm (yep, it lasted that long)
Where:  Colonel Summers Park (near SE 17th Ave. & Taylor St.)

July 18th was a hot and sunny summer day, perfect for a Sayonara Barbecue in the shade at Colonel Summers Park in southeast Portland.  Over twenty new JETs, family members, and JET alumni spent time eating, chatting, and playing games.

“It was wonderful to spend time with the new JETs and their families, and see how excited and prepared they are for heading off to Japan,” said JETAA social chair Darren Heiber.

Without a doubt, “prepared” has been repeated often when describing the 2009 JETs from Portland.  “Through this whole process, I’ve really been surprised how many new JETs have been to Japan before or have studied Japanese.  Every time I try to tell them something, it seems like someone says, ‘Yes, I know,’” said Matt Turner of the Consulate-General of Portland.

Prepared or not, the more information JET participants get about their placements, the more questions they inevitably have.  Much of the conversation Saturday centered on comparing placement details and asking about cars, clothes, and schools.  The particulars of owning full-sized as opposed to mini cars can be confusing, and some of the new JETs appreciated hearing alums’ experiences with them.

Even when the new participants are prepared, sometimes their parents are still anxious about their leaving the country; creating a forum where any concerned or interested parents can get more information is one of the biggest aims of the sayonara barbecue.  This year, though, the parents that came were just as ready as their kids.

“I’m very excited about it,” said Devra Augusson, mother of Revan.  The Augussons have been connected to Japan in many ways for generations and Revan has always identified with it in some way, she said.  “When he was a junior in college he was finally able to take Japanese.  Going to Japan has been his only plan for more than a year.”

Participant Cassie Lealamanua’s mother Norene echoed similar thoughts.  With various links to Japan, from Norene’s hospitality-based Japanese language classes in the 1980s to Cassie’s ambassador trip and study abroad in Japan, their family feels a sort of relationship to Japan.  “I have no qualms at all,” Norene said of Cassie’s JET trip.  “And anyway, it’s not like 20 years ago,” referring to Skype and other communication technology commonly used today.

Although Japan novices seem to be in the minority this year, they actually make up about half of the departing JETs.  Kelsey Hermann had just been upgraded from alternate status the week before the barbecue, which meant that she was not able to attend JETAA’s predeparture orientation in June and had lots of things to ask at the barbecue.  “While the free food was a great incentive, the approachable alumni were what I needed to settle most of my unresolved questions about Japan and the JET,” she said.

“I really enjoy meeting people from all walks of life and this allowed me to meet people who have experienced and will experience a similar path for at least a year.  Getting to know a group of people who have chosen the same path was empowering and inspiring.”

The JETAA crew is glad to provide a forum that people find useful, but then it’s hard to go wrong with a summer barbecue.  And if we don’t see you new JETs before you leave … Sayonara!

Related posts:

1. Sayonara BBQ 2009 (write-up)
2. New Alumni Welcome Party at Festival Japan

Date:  Sunday, June 13
Location:  Jade Teahouse & Patisserie (7912 SE 13th, Portland, OR 97203)
Time:  1:00pm
Title:  Japanland The Year in Search of Wa by Karin Muller

You can check availability of the Book Club titles by visiting the following websites:

• Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com
• Powell’s Books: http://www.powells.com/
• Multnomah County Library: http://www.multcolib.org/
• Clackamas County Library: http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/lib/

Visit the Book Club page for more details.

Related posts:

1. Book Club July 2010
2. Book Club August 2010
3. Book Club September 2009

WHERE: Hawthorne Lucky Lab (915 SE Hawthorne Blvd)

NIJIKAI: 9:30  pm – ?? at karaoke at Voicebox (2112 NW Hoyt)

We’ve been having record numbers these days, so come on down and make some new friends–in Japanese. Whether you are pera pera or your Nihongo knowledge is sukoshi dake, all are welcome.

Get more details here.

Related posts:

1. J-Kaiwa May 2010
2. J-Kaiwa July 2010
3. J-Kaiwa October 2009

We are looking for volunteers who lived in Kyushu and Shikoku to help with our breakout sessions at lunch.  Come help us answer the new JET’s questions. To volunteer or for more information, contact: president@jetaaportland.com

Where: World Trade Center, Portland
When: Saturday, June 19th. Orientation starts at 8:30 but location-specific forums will start during the lunch hour.

Contact: president@jetaaportland.com

Below is the tentative agenda:

Pre-Departure Orientation – June 19
World Trade Center, Mezzanine Level

08:00 – 08:30 Check-in & Registration
08:30 – 09:00 Opening Remarks, Welcome and Introductions, Visa Info
09:00 – 09:15 Break
09:15 – 10:00 Packing & Shipping Info
10:00 – 11:00 ESL Team Teaching
11:00 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:00 Japanese Etiquette & Work Place Issues
12:00 – 01:00 Lunch/Regional Breakout Sessions
01:00 – 02:00 Men/Women Breakout Sessions
02:00 – 02:30 Question & Answer Session

Need a lunch bento at Lunch? We are offering bentos for $12 each. We recommend you purchase one since there isn’t much around nearby to eat. Pay for it here through Paypal: Enter Your Full Name and Pay

If you have any problems with the payment process, please contact us at: updates@jetaaportland.com

Related posts:

1. Pre-Departure Orientation 2009
2. Hanamikai 2010
3. JETAA Hosts Technology Regional Conference

Volunteers needed to help with parking control and reception duties at the Consul-General’s residence for the JET Program farewell reception and final orientation. Lunch at the residence is included.

RSVP: For more information and to volunteer, please contact Kim.

Related posts:

1. Consulate Volunteers Needed
2. PSSCA Volunteers Needed
3. Obon at the Portland Japanese Garden – Volunteers Needed

Title:  The Only Woman in the Room by Beate Sirota Gordon
Date: Tuesday, May 18
Time:  6:00pm
Location:  Lecture by author at PSU SMSU Ball Room (355)

How an American Woman Won Equal Rights for the Women of Japan

When a team of young Americans began writing a new constitution for Japan in early 1946, Beate Sirota was enlisted to help. Assigned to the subcommittee dedicated to writing the section of the constitution devoted to civil rights, she insisted upon the insertion into the constitution of a clause guaranteeing equality between men and women. The Constitution of Japan remains unrevised to this day.

Related posts:

1. Kabuki Lecture and Performance Event
2. Book Club July 2010
3. Book Club June 2010

It’s time to sharpen those knives and dig up your best recipes as contestants, judges, and other hungry mouths gather for one of our most popular (and delicious) events of the year!

There are three categories for Iron Chef entries:

• Side Dish
• Main Dish
• Dessert

There will be prizes awarded to the winners of each of the categories. Note that any ingredients can be used in the creation of these entries.

This year we’re adding a Sensei Sauce Competition between JETAA Portland and the Pacific Northwest JETAA chapter.  One Portland member will go up against one PNW chapter member cooking up a dish using Sensei Sauce, this year’s featured ingredient.

This is a great opportunity to meet the members from the PNW chapter of JETAA.  They will be traveling from northwest locations such as Seattle to attend our Iron Chef event and using the “Tatami Timeshare” program to stay with Portland-area members.  Please e-mail any questions you have.

When: Saturday, May 15, 4-9pm
Judging begins at 4:30, prizes awarded at 5:30
Where: Demaree’s House
RSVP for directions to Beth Schnyder: treasurer@jetaaportland.com
(Please respond by May 9th and include what you plan to bring)

Record Turnout for the 7th Annual Competition
A great time was had by all at this year’s Iron Chef Competition. This was the 7th year JETAA Portland has hosted this event, and it was by far the largest and most successful! We had over 45 people: JETAA members, J-Kaiwa friends, family members and kids. It was a family-oriented event with great opportunity for everyone to catch up and enjoy good conversation and of course…great homemade Japanese food!

Iron Chef Results
This year’s competition proved quite fierce as separate tables were needed for each of the competing categories. Below are the winners (and their winning dishes):

• Iron Chef Main Dish – Leslie Siebert (Boiled Gyoza), runner up Walt Barker (Thai stew)
• Iron Chef Side Dish – Jarod Bishop (Miso Salad), runner up Chiyomi Higashi (hijiki)
• Iron Chef Dessert – Scott Smith (Green Tea Ice Cream), runner up Tracy Suzuki (Kuzu Mochi)

All Iron Chef winners not only basked in the glory and pride of winning, they each received a gift card to Uwajimaya. Runner ups received consolation prizes of Pocky snacks.

Sake Tasting
This year we added a bit of sake to the mix. We enjoyed sake tasting featuring a variety of delicious sakes from Sake One (www.sakeone.com) in Forest Grove, the only American owned Sakery in the world! Choices for sipping were: Asian Pear, Organic Ginjyo Junmai, and Organic Nigori. All three provided the perfect complement to the great food.

Consulate Participation
Recently arrived Vice Consul Shoichiro Watanabe attended his first official event for the consulate by attending our Iron Chef party. This was his first impression of JETAA and it appeared that he was very impressed.  Thanks to everyone who introduced themselves and got to know him. He wrote a very nice thank you note and looks forward to attending our J-Kaiwa and other JETAA events.

JETAAs Old & New
The highlight of this party was the wonderful collection of JETAA members. In attendance were members from the first year of the JET Program through recent returnees and included six past presidents! Former president Tracy Suzuki and previous Sports Chair Chris Reidel hadn’t seen each other for 7 years! And Charlotte Stewart (2002-2004) found out that she lived in the same apartment building as Leslie Siebert (1993-1996) in Japan! These stories are examples of why coming to JETAA Portland functions reminds us why our time in Japan was so special.

View the pictures from last year

Related posts:

1. Iron Chef 2009
2. JETAA Shinnenkai 2010
3. 2009 Hanamikai set for April 4, 2009 at Portland Waterfront