This is your AJET!

 

 

As we start a new JET year, we’d like to introduce you to the Hyogo AJET council. These great JETs volunteer their time to organize awesome events and support all of us here in fabulous Hyogo.

 

 

 

Aiko Lignon

Hi, I’m Aiko from Itami. I’m a third year JET. I love traveling around Japan visiting new places and doing new things. There’s so much to see and do that I don’t know if I’ll have enough time to go everywhere, but I will try! As one of your cultural events representatives, I’m looking forward to letting you know about neat activities happening in Hyogo and surrounding areas.

 

Alan Lau

First of all, congratulations on making it on to the JET Program! Normally, I would say something along the lines of “great people blah blah…life changing experiences blah blah…” But I will not. Luckily for all of you (or unluckily), unlike your other ‘NORMAL’ JET friends, you have been placed in Hyogo; the Prefecture of the uncontrollable crazies!!!

Be prepared to lose yourself with like minded individuals at crazy events organized by a team of people that has honed and mastered the Art of Crazy (and is currently studying “Madness for Dummies”).

Within that team is me; Alan. I’m a 4th year Kiwi JET based in the not-so-Kiwi city of Himeji.  In my spare time, I enjoy destroying people’s eardrums at karaoke, cycling, as well as some PC gaming.  I am also the person who, besides maintaining the Hyogo AJET website and helping out at events, will be documenting your every act of lunacy with my camera. Your bad angles are not safe from me!

Welcome to Hyogo? No… Welcome to the fray! Muwhahahahahah!

P.S. We’re not actually crazy.

Ashlie O’Neill

Hi all of you good-looking Hyogoians.

New JETs… WELCOME TO HYOGO! The land of all things great (especially the people).

To tell you a little about me, I am Ash, a 3rd year prefectural ALT in the Akashi/Kakogawa area. I like pina coladas and gettin caught in the rain…just kidding! I like wine, good food, road trips, singing badly and Formula 1 (so you can imagine how I feel about singing badly on a roadtrip to the Formula 1).

Since moving to Japan in 2013, I have become a ‘YES’ person and I highly recommend it. Some of the greatest experiences I have ever had here were unplanned, and were a result of me saying YES to something new. The best part is that being a yes person is easy! If someone asks you if you want to do/eat/drink/learn something new (within reason obviously), you should reply with a resounding YES and see where the adventure takes you.

I am excited to be working as a member of Hyogo AJET for my second year. This year, I will be working alongside Ty (the block 6 rep hailing from our very own Sasayama Tamba area) and Hyogo AJET to organize some kickass events as well as trying to wrangle some amazing discounts/deals for you. Please feel free to contact me about helping you out or with any questions you have in the coming year.

Brittany Teodorski

Hello again Hyogo! My role on HAJET is primarily writing and editing for the Hyogo Times. I’ll also be at every book club, so please come join Jillian and I in our reading adventures! I’m starting my third year at Ono High School (Oh no! No one’s ever made that joke before, I can assure you), and apparently my favorite thing to do is leave Ono every weekend. On last count, I’ve stayed in my humble little town only five weekends since November 2013. I actually really like Ono. However, there are so many interesting places to see, things to do, and people to pester about writing for me. I’ll see you guys monthly through this magazine, and maybe in person at HAJET events. Feel free to say hello anytime!

Chris Goodman

Hey everyone! It’s just me, your friendly neighborhood Hyogo AJET rep-person thingy, just giving you a quick “Howdy do!” and what-not. I am in the quaint little town of Ako or Banshu-Ako as our station is called. This will be my 5th year on the JET program, so I have a fair amount of experience in all facets of JET life, such as beer gardens, beer gardens and a few beer gardens. Looking forward to helping the rest of you have a great year in any way I can. Ciao.

Cody Christensen

Hey there, lovely people.

My name is Cody Christensen. As of August 6th, I will be a second year ALT stationed over at Kamigori High School. Haven’t heard of it? I didn’t think so. Kamigori is a tiny little town west of Himeji. There isn’t much to be seen in this sleepy town of 18,000, but there is a lovely community at large situated in an area dominated by nature. The town is surprisingly wide, with most of the space occupied by tall mountains and rice fields. For a city-goer like myself, it was quite the shock to see. This is the beauty of being a part of this program. I am here to teach English, but also become more of an active member in my international community, regardless of how small it may be.

I am a second year ALT. I am looking forward to all the shenanigans we will be a part of this coming year. If you play basketball or ultimate Frisbee, go to Osaka for some night excursions, or just want to go see a pleasant temple, I am ready to go.

Thanks all. I hope to see you soon!

Jillian MacKenzie

Hi, my name is Jillian. I’m a third year ALT in Nishinomiya (home of the incomparable Hanshin Tigers and lots of shopping malls). I love reading, collecting train station stamps, and wasting money on capsule toys and purikura. This year, I’m organizing the Hyogo book club. Yoroshiku!

Kyle Cardine

Hey Hyogo!

Hello and an extended welcome to those coming to Hyogo for the first time! This prefecture is by far my favorite in Japan, with ample amounts of great food, places, and people. Really, you can’t go wrong here.

My name is Kyle Cardine, and I am a third year JET located on Awaji Island. Although it may be my third year, this is my first year volunteering with Hyogo AJET. I am incredibly excited for the opportunity and really look forward to the events we have under works.

While many of you may only experience Awaji at the Mid-Year Conference in November, this island is truly a hidden treasure and I hope you’ll visit another time. I will be providing such an experience by hosting an Awaji camping trip around May. On the trip, you’ll get to experience our famous onions, beef, beer, bridges, and whirlpools that we’re so fond of here.

Aside from that, I hope to plan other gatherings at some of the great cultural events located near Hyogo. For the fellow nerds out there, Kyoto’s Miyako Messe will be holding the Kyoto Anime Fair on September 19 and 20 (which is free for foreigners!), and then Bitsummit, an indie game convention, in July of next year. Having covered the Kyoto Anime Fair last year, I can say it’s an absolutely fantastic event that only a place like Kyoto can provide.

This year, we’re also hoping to bring fellow Hyogo JETs to other notable festivals around the prefecture, whether big or small. Stay tuned to see where we might head to next!

Of course, if you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out to me by email or in person at any event. I’ve grown to love Hyogo even more because of the fantastic community behind it, and I hope we show that through our plans in the upcoming year.

See you around!

Peter Hein-Hartmann

Hello everyone. My name is Pete. I am just starting my fifth year on JET (I am finally becoming one of those fabled and rare creatures!) and have been a member of the Hyogo AJET council for the past 3 years. I teach senior high school in Akashi and West Kobe. I’m very lucky to have two great schools and I’m loving my time on JET so far! Alas, I am bidding farewell to my long suffering co-worker Caitlin Rich. I hope you have an awesome time back in America!

 

In terms of my main duties on AJET this year, I am the main admin for our Facebook page. I will also be responsible for helping out at certain events, such as the farewell party we just enjoyed, and also for trying to find more businesses that you, as JET members, can get discounts at. I am also our official Hyogo/Kobe AJET liaison…for all your liaising needs…

 

As one of the long standing members of AJET, I’d like to give a warm welcome to our new volunteers and wish that they enjoy all the events we have coming up in the next year.

 

Rackle Beaman

Hello my doves! Salutations to you all and welcome to our over sized family.

 

First off, just a little about me: my name is Rackle, like tackle as in rugby. I hail from Brisbane, Australia and I’ve just started my second year as a JET at Akashi-Nishi Senior High school out halfway between Himeji and Kobe. You’ll generally find me barreling through life looking for new and interesting things while desperately trying to avoid direct contact with sunlight. I love stories, dancing, shoes I can never afford and all things delicious.

 

After arriving here in Japan a year or so ago, I have encountered a bevy of delightful experiences and personalities. The JET journey is an interesting one and for better or worse you are going to have your own crack at it. In my own experience, I have learned that the best way to enjoy your time here is to just let yourself be swept along with it all and give it time to sink in. It’s a pretty drastic lifestyle change, but not in the ways you’d always expect. I think if you let yourself open up to it all, it makes the transition that much easier.

 

I’m super excited to start my first year on AJET. I am essentially a designated jack of all trades and all around henchman. I’m looking forward to being part of it and helping to get some pretty snazzy events and activities for you all. I also write for the Hyogo Times which is a great publication (if I do say so myself) and hopefully will let you all in on some of the weird and wonderful things going on in the surrounding areas. If you’ve got any questions, love to chat or feel like trying your hand at amateur journalism, then please feel free to say hello. Just look for the giant mass of curly hair; I’m probably the one behind it.

 

Sadie Cornforth

Hi, I’m Sadie, now a 2nd-year JET. I’m the one and only Tajima Representative, and I will be responsible for planning the Ski Trip and any other events North of the Wall. My hobbies include playing Wii U, learning how to make pie, and abusing my boyfriend’s Japanese abilities. I live in Ikuno (read: boonies), and hang out with a great group of ALTs. We’d love to see more of you come up and visit for some of our Tajima events, including our Halloween Party, Snowball Fight Tournament, and various barbecue parties at Takeno Beach. If you have found it difficult to make Japanese friends, you’ll have plenty of opportunities at one of our events!

 

I haven’t been in the south much, but I’m looking forward to getting to know more of you over the year. Please look for my face at upcoming events like the Development Conference and welcome parties. Until then, here’s to a new year on JET! Let’s make it a good one!

 

Sylvette Pinet

Hello all!  I’m Sylvette Pinet, a second year JET currently living in beautiful Sasayama. I’m an avid traveler, whose current mission is to drive through as much of Japan as possible. So keep a lookout for me, and if you do happen to spot me, say hello! I’m also a theatre buff and a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so it’s a good bet that any events I organize will centre around these two things. That being said, I’m usually game for pretty much anything, and am looking forward to having a blast with everyone this year!

Until next time!

 

 

 

Compiled by Brittany Teodorski