MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR (February 2012)

Hello everyone!

It’s February! And have we got an issue for you. Love and recontracting are the hot buttons of this frozen month, draggin’ all those resentments and fears, both love and work-related, to the surface! But how else can you work on them? This month’s issue is full of things to educate, edify, and supply you with distraction, even including some great advice on coping with Valentine’s Day! Learn from our new column, Big Things on Little Awaji, how important and easy it is to do good in the world. Kick back with some classic (and not so classic) V-Day movies! If Valentine’s Day isn’t your concern, check out our bangarang regulars like Travel Japan and Love & Relationships, now welcoming Culture back into the mix with an invitation to onsens. Warm your tummy with ramen (check out the new Restaurant Review), or homemade tonkatsu (in Kicchiri Kitchen)! Get lost with Maigo, and find out what your PAs can do for you. Let our funny page make you giggle, whether you like silly Engrish, or prefer more highbrow wordplay.

As fast as we’re growing, we do still have a couple of open slots if you are interested in writing for the Hyogo Times! Particularly English Sensei Spirit! Won’t somebody please think of the children? There are other positions as well, mostly negotiable, and they include a lot of regional correspondents, as well as book reviewer. As always, we are of course interested in one-shot features about anything that interests you!

And, since it’s decision month for JET life, I am also aware of my impending retirement from the position of editor. Every great monarch must consider the issue of succession. We’ve had a good run, ever since I seized power in that almost bloodless coup last year… So if you are interested in inheriting the post, drop me an e-mail and keep your ear to the ground.

For all you writer types, remember that 1725 words a day makes a FebNoWriMo!

Have a great month, Hyogo, and hit a demon with some beans for me!

-Lemmon

MESSAGE FROM THE ONLINE EDITOR (February 2012)

Dear Hyogo,

Now that we’ve reached the end of January, we are about exactly half way through the JET year. It’s always an interesting time of year, reflecting on the six months past, deciding whether to re-contract (or should I call it, “reappointment”), and setting goals for the future.

Whether you’re leaving this year (which I am) or staying on for another, how about making a resolution to try a little harder at school? It’s not that difficult actually, and it’ll make you feel better come July that you did your best.

I’ll give you some ideas. Here are a few things I’ve tried that have worked pretty well:

-          Make an English Club bulletin board in the hall somewhere. You can put up pictures, write about what you do in the club, etc.

-          Start your own English column. Write an easy to understand page each week on a topic related to your home culture (or anything). You can put it on your bulletin board or better yet have someone upload it to the school website.

-          Plan one fun (that is, fun for YOU), special lesson. Pictures, video, music, games…basically anything other than the textbook. The more ridiculous the activity, the better.

-          Make an effort to speak to teachers and staff more. Even if it’s just good morning or おつかれさまでした they’ll appreciate it. You can also take a trip to the office once in a while – you never know when these people will come in handy.

-          Give the English teachers (or everyone) some random omiyage. Special occasion not necessary.

-          Set up a fish tank, a beetle enclosure, a bonsai, or something along these lines by your desk. You are guaranteed to get a lot more interest.

-          Help out with school cleaning. They probably don’t require you to help, but your effort will be greatly appreciated and very much noticed.

-          Walk over once in a while and ask the English teachers if they need help with anything. Chances are they won’t, but they’ll appreciate that you asked.

You can do whatever you want. The idea is to make more of an impact at your school, so that in the future you can look back and feel great about all you accomplished. And getting more involved with things you enjoy will make your time at school more fun.

Good luck and I hope you have a productive second-half of the (JET) year!

Sincerely,

Jonathan