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The JETAA Chicago Leadership is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone in our community. To learn more review our Community Conduct & Agreements.

Have you visited or lived in Japan and experienced cross-cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan? Your experience could help improve Japanese language education!

My name is Maayan Barkan, and I am the director of the Japanese Program and a Japanese language instructor at Hunter College of the City University of New York. I am conducting research on cultural differences between the United States and Japan, and I would love to hear about your experiences.


Who Should Fill This Survey Out?

Please fill out the following survey only if you are someone who:

  • Grew up in the U.S.

  • Has the experience of visiting/living in Japan

  • Had any kind of cross-cultural experience while visiting/living in Japan


Survey Link:


How Your Experience Helps:

Your cross-cultural experiences provide authentic, real-world examples of how Japanese and American cultural norms differ. This information will help us:

  • Identify specific situations where cultural miscommunication is likely

  • Understand which aspects of Japanese culture are most surprising to Americans

  • Develop Japanese language teaching materials that raise students' awareness of these differences and equip them to communicate effectively within Japanese sociocultural norms and expectations

  • Create a curriculum that addresses real cultural challenges, not stereotypes


What's Involved:

  • One anonymous online survey

  • Estimated completion time: 10 minutes


Share With Others:

If you know other Americans who have visited or lived in Japan, please feel free to forward this survey. The more diverse experiences we collect, the better we can support Japanese language learners.


IRB Approval:

This study has been approved by the Hunter College Institutional Review Board.


Questions?

If you have any questions about this research, please contact me at: Maayan Barkan at mbarkan@hunter.cuny.edu 


Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Your insights will make a real difference in how we teach Japanese language and culture!


Best regards,

Maayan Barkan

Japanese Program Director

Department of Classical & Oriental Studies

Hunter College, CUNY

 
 
 

Are you a former JET Program ALT? Did you teach English in Japan through the JET Program? Are you 18 or older?


If yes, you're invited to participate in a research study at Arizona State University! We're exploring the experiences of former JET Program Assistant Language Teachers.

What's involved: A 45-minute audio-recorded Zoom interview about your JET experience. Participation is voluntary.


Interested? Complete a brief eligibility form: https://forms.gle/RqnwPn8F2q6hXXzk9


Questions? Contact us at hkuroiwa@asu.edu or p.torres@asu.edu 



 
 
 


The Japan America Society of Wisconsin is helping to organize a "matsuri" style event celebrating Japanese cuisine and culture hosted by Jefferson City and sponsored by Kikkoman. JETAA WI is hoping to help with a Tanabata booth activity and would love to have other volunteers join us. Mark your calendar for Saturday, July 19, 2025, from noon until 6pm and join us at the Jefferson Rotary Waterfront Park in Jefferson, WI! Please email Adrianna at jetaawisubchapter@gmail.com if interested.

 
 
 

JETAA CHICAGO

Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Alumni Association of Chicago
Connecting JET alumni in the Midwest - Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana
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