Newsletter: 2024 August
Zeb here to wish you a very happy second half of August!
I hope July and August have treated you well! Here’s what JETAARM accomplished last month and what we are getting up to this month.
Upcoming Activities
August Pika-kai
For our August Pika-Kai, we'll be attending the Spirit of Japan Festival, a culinary showcase of Japanese festival foods and sake sponsored by Sakura Foundation and Japan Taste Marketing Inc.! Enjoy time with JET Alumni and some delicious food!
RSVP and purchase tickets here: https://fb.me/e/79vuSxjP4
Pika-Kais are named after our mascot, Zebulon Pika! These are monthly casual events to connect and celebrate Japanese cultural events in the Denver metro area!
Upcoming USJETAA Events
If you’re not already subscribed, sign up for the email version of the USJETAA newsletter for JET-related news & events.
Be sure to check out the Upcoming Events page
Community Activities
Japanese Self-Study in Denver
Did you know that there’s not one but TWO meetups for practicing Japanese with fellow Japanese learners in the Denver area? Allow us to introduce each one:
The Japan America Society of Colorado (JASC) - JASC hosts this bi-weekly gathering for native and non-native Japanese speakers to use their language skills in a relaxed space. If you don't use it, you lose it! Don’t miss the two upcoming dates:
When: Aug 31st @ 10:00 AM
Where: Edgewater Public Market
More Info: Click here for additional information.
Japanese Self Study Group — If you’re interested in getting out to study Japanese in a group of likeminded and motivated individuals, this is your chance! Please note this is a self-study group, which means you bring your own materials to study.
Join the Group — To get involved join their FB group here!
Recent Events
July Pika Kai
On Sunday, July 14th we had our July Pika Kai at East Moon Asian Bistro. After a hearty meal and great conversation among 10 members of our community, we hopped over to the AMC Westminster Promenade to watch Princess Mononoke.
This is our second year getting a group together for a classic Ghibli film on the big screen and nothing quite compares to seeing those beautiful artistic stylings that way. We hope you can all join us for our next Ghibli event or to see you out at one of our upcoming events.
2024 Cherry Blossom Festival
Another great year of cherry blossom festivities in the books! The taiko music in the background mixed with the buzz of a hot summer weekend couldn’t be beat. It was so lovely to pair with the Consul General of Japan’s office to connect with the local community. We met JET alumni, prospective JET participants, travelers who have visited Japan or are planning their next adventure. People from all walks coming together around the idea of being in Japan. What a pleasure! We can’t wait to see everyone again next year.
Fan Expo
A big shout out to all our alumni who took time from their busy work and personal lives to prepare for and present at Fan Expo this year. The panel consisted of a presentation promoting the JET program and how to get involved with JETAARM after JET, followed by a lively Q&A.
Left to right, our amazing panelists in the photo above are: Leandra Klinkhammer-Laws, Elaine Martinez, Teri Galvez, Avery Truman, Christy Go, David LaCharite
JET Pre Departure Q&A
The JET pre-departure Q&A is one of our favorite events of the year! It’s our first opportunity as JET alumni to connect with the outgoing JET cohort and nothing quite beats the mixture of nostalgia and excitement in the room as new JETs and alumni exchange questions and answers.
Special thanks to all our alumni who took the time to participate and provide your knowledge and wisdom to the soon departing cohort: David LaCharite, Christy Go, Avery Truman, Caroline Anderson, Sam Churches, Alex Young, and Kelly Gathright.
Thanks For Reading!
Have Something to Share?
Feel free to reach out to us by email or on Facebook! This space is open to all - if you have an upcoming event, an essay, a review, an amazing photo, or anything else you want to share, send it to editor@jetaarockymountain.org with the subject "Newsletter Idea."
