Although it seems like August 2011 was just last week, it is already August 2012 and the new JET Program participants representing Hawaii have departed for Japan!

To recap the New JET events this year, JETAA Hawaii hosted and assisted with a number of events to prepare the new JET participants for their new career in Japan: the New JET Orientation, New JET Mixer, and Natsunoya Enkai Etiquette Dinner.  Many JET alumni from Hawaii should be familiar with these three events.

At the orientation, JET alumni assisted Hawaii JET Program Coordinator Lisa Sakamoto from the Consulate General of Honolulu’s office with a variety of events to give the new JETs a taste of what their jobs would be like.  Executive board members Phillip Tsang and Darryl Toma performed a team-teaching lesson in Cantonese, and board members Jason Yumen and Clint Imholte presented a couple of stimulating activities that could be used in the classroom.  At the end, the JET alumni sat on a panel to answer various questions from the new JETs.

To give new JETs an additional opportunity to meet each other, as well as ask alumni more questions, JETAA Hawaii hosted its annual New JET Mixer at Pearl Ultralounge at Ala Moana.  We had a great turnout from new JETs and alumni alike!

Lastly, JETAA Hawaii held its annual sendoff dinner, the Natsunoya Enkai Etiquette Dinner to give the new JETs some last bits of advice, wisdom, and things to look forward to!  In addition to sharing some of the Executive Board members’ best lesson plans from their time on JET, JET alumni demonstrated additional lessons and of course, simple (but important) enkai/nomikai etiquette such as how to pour and receive beer.

We had a blast planning and executing these events and we wish the new JETs from Hawaii the best as they are transitioning to their new lives in Japan now.

Thank you to all of the alumni who came out to these events!  We look forward to seeing you at future events!