Hello again!!
I trust that you enjoyed the wonderful weather we had over summer and commiserate with you over the onset of winter. Can you believe that it is already June?
We’ve been somewhat busy in the Committee these last few months. The Returnees’ Pack is well underway to be completed and available online soon. We are looking into purchasing USBs with the JETAA Auckland Logo printed on them so that this year’s group of returning participants will receive a USB with the Returnees’ Pack pre-loaded.
We also have the results from the Hiragana Competition on the website so check out those designs. A big thank you goes to the Japan Foundation for our funding for this competition.
As you may be aware from the number of photos on Facebook we successfully completed the Tongariro Crossing during ANZAC weekend. You should be able to read more about it in the latest newsletter. It was a great trip and I think we’ll be memorable to the other backpackers just for the amount of noise we made. Note to self for future trips: Delegate someone to take photos at each point (you may notice that there were many until about just after lunch time when we all seemed to say “Are we there yet?”).
We wish good luck to the New Zealand Japan Society as they continue with their Taste of Japan in a new format. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend their opening and it was spectacular! The space in the Auckland Art Gallery is amazing and if you haven’t been yet, GO!
Also if anyone is interested in being a JETAA representative for each Tsudoi (conversation night) held by NZJS please do let the Secretary Raewyn MacGregor or myself know.
This weekend past saw JETAA assist with the yearly Q&A session for JET participants leaving in August 2014. I know you will all join me in wishing them good luck as we help them prepare for this amazing experience.
Watch this space (and the website and Facebook). The New Zealand Film Festival will be upon us soon and as usual we hope to do a group booking to see a Japanese film. And finally, if we get all of our ducks in a row, hopefully an event at the Auckland Observatory.
Stay warm!!
Amelia Sirimanne
president@aucklandjetaa.org.nz
President – Auckland JET Alumni Association
Auckland JETAA 