Music by Frank Bango, "Not a Word" - Freemusicarchive.org

The After JET podcast contains stories of careers and lives of the JET alumni from around the world. We're amazing bunch of talented, cool people!

After JET podcast

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 organisation that participants are part of, connected with, or work for.

Oh, the Places You'll Go: Writer and Journalist

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

Music and Brotherhood: The Musician

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/

Designing Connection: The Technologist

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.

Let's Talk: Podcasting

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.

Let's Science: The Science Communicator

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)

Making Headlines: The News Producer

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

Making an Impact: Non-profit and Advocacy

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

Influencing Travel: Building Brand and Purpose

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. 

Revisting Tohoku: Present and Future

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.

Sky Dive: About Confidence and Chances

Job hunting in Japan? Looking for IT roles? So you want to work in Japan, but what's it like? We discuss whether language proficiency is important (watch out for keigo!), IT career options, on the job training, working conditions in Japan. We also discussed different contracting options, and the importance of checking your work contract, and about recruitment agents.

Thanks to John Littlefair-Molin; Evan Storer; Andy Shartzer and Tierra Tank.

Additional details at: http://www.jetaainternational.org/an-it-job-in-japan-1

Working in IT in Japan - Part 1

Part 2 of our discussion about the IT industry and working in Japan. In this 2nd part, we talk about online job searching, the intricacies of preparing a Japanese-style resume, and also the interview experience.

Thanks to John Littlefair-Molin; Evan Storer; Andy Shartzer and Tierra Tank.

For footnotes and references: http://www.jetaainternational.org/an-it-job-in-japan-2

Working in IT in Japan - Part 2

We talk about what it's like to work as a game master for a Tokyo mobile gaming company. See ma, playing games instead of studying CAN get you a job.  

Guest: Leslie (Game Master) and introducing David Reiling as co-host.

For more details see: http://www.jetaainternational.org/serious-play-the-game-master​

Miniboss Fight [Loop]

Serious Play: The Game Master

Analog games! We've all played them - board games and card games, famous examples being Settlers of Catan and Magic: The Gathering. A good board game can be addictive - last year, at Oz Comic Con, my friends and I were so invested in this game called Carcassonne that we decided to skip one William Shatner's appearance and spent the rest of our time at the gaming table. The analog games industry is booming, despite the widespread use of digital equivalents everywhere.

We speak to Brendan Weiskotten of Asmodee North America, who works as an Organised Play Coordinator (hence the OCP in the title). He speaks about getting into writing for Magic: The Gathering (I know right?), and how JET helped to develop his creativity and skills he uses for his career. We also share stories about when we were final year JETs, and reflect a bit on the experience since then. Also checkout the footnotes for great games recommendations!

For footnotes: http://www.jetaainternational.org/roll-of-the-dice-the-opc-1

Roll of the Dice: The OPC - Part 1

Roll of the Dice: The OPC - 2

In this second part, we get into the more fun, geeky aspects of our discussion - about how Magic: The Gathering gets made (content-wise), and what's fuelling the boom of the analog games industry (hint: nostalgia and small kids becoming big kids with disposable incomes). We also talk about what are some good games to try, which you so totally should get into!

Thanks to Brendan Weiskotten!

Bonus - more game recommendations: http://www.jetaainternational.org/roll-of-the-dice-the-opc-2

Roll of the Dice: The OPC - Part 2

Content and digital marketing - some of the hottest jobs right now are in this area of online writing and promotions. We talk to Misty Ahmadi who works in content marketing at IBM, about her job and what she did to get into it. Along the way, we share some JET stories because that will happen when you gets JETs together in a conversation.
 
Thanks very much to Misty Ahmadi!

For more details, see: http://www.jetaainternational.org/word-it-right-content-marketing-1

Word it Right: Content Marketing - Part 1

Featuring the lives, stories and careers from the global JET Programme alumni community. And usually, our stories begin with "This one time in Japan..." - our best, our silliest and our fondest.

Share your story! Contact webmaster@jetaainternational.org

Word it Right: Content Marketing - Part 1

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