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March 2014

Disaster Response: The gas explosion in East Harlem

New York City’s emergency services swung immediately into action following an apparent natural gas explosion that brought down two buildings on Park Avenue between 116th and 117th Streets on Wednesday, March 12th, at around 9:30 in the morning. According to news reports, seven buildings surrounding the two that collapsed and burned had to be completely evacuated because of blast and smoke damage, displacing dozens of families and individuals. The force of the initial blast blew out windows in the surrounding neighborhood, sending glass and debris into apartments and shops close to the site, which was then compounded by heavy, acrid smoke and dust blowing in through the openings. A number… Read More »Disaster Response: The gas explosion in East Harlem

Who Knows Japan Better? A JET Alumna Promotes Tourism

One very helpful service provided by the JET alumni is their ability to talk about Japan with people in their home countries, whether about the society and culture, food, places to visit, or current events. Whether through their chapters or on their own, we always find that the alumni are enthusiastic to talk about any number of topics, and to get out and support Japan-related events, trade and tourism promotions, or visits by delegations from Japanese local governments. In one of the latest examples of this, Casey Marie Mochel, who was an ALT in Takarazuka City from 2005 to 2008 and is currently a Country Representative for JETAA USA, was… Read More »Who Knows Japan Better? A JET Alumna Promotes Tourism

Fukushima University Group Visits JLGC

A group of students from Fukushima University came to JLGC on Friday, March 7th, as part of their visit to New York arranged by the Kakehashi Project, which is commissioned by the Japan-US Educational Commission and carried out by the Japan Foundation in cooperation with the Laurasian Institute. The group is one of several traveling around the US to both give participants the chance to expand their knowledge of and familiarity with the US and to talk to people here about various issues and activities in Japan. After listening to a brief introduction of the missions and activities of JLGC and CLAIR, including information on the JET Program and JET… Read More »Fukushima University Group Visits JLGC

“Tohoku Tomo” Premieres in Chicago on March 12th

A new film entitled “Tohoku Tomo”, by Wesley Julian, a Miyagi Prefecture Japan Exchange and Teaching Program participant from 2008 to 2010, will premier in Chicago on Wednesday, March 12th, at the Adler Planetarium. The screening will be in the SC Johnson Family Star Theater and will begin at 6:00p.m. Tickets are free, but must be reserved. For information on the film and to register for tickets, please go to http://tohokutomo.com/. Tohoku Tomo tells the story of volunteers who mobilized to help the people of Tohoku following the disasters of March 11th, 2011. Working through a variety of organizations, many of them founded by members of the JET Program, these… Read More »“Tohoku Tomo” Premieres in Chicago on March 12th