2026 JETAA Chicago Survival Series Interest Form

This summer, the annual Survival Series returns! JETAA Chicago is looking for alumni to join our events and discuss their experiences with the new JETs in a more casual setting. If you are interested in participating, let us know by completing this form!

Seeking Info Session Presenters for Departing 2026 JETs

The JET Program Office at the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago is gearing up to send off the 2026 JETs! To help them prepare for living and working in Japan, they'll be holding two short Q&A and Info Sessions on Friday, June 19th (6:30 - 8:30 PM) and Saturday, June 20th (9:00 AM – 12:30 PM).

They're currently looking for alumni who would be willing to give a presentation on a topic that they're familiar with and feel would be helpful to soon-to-depart JETs. Presentations should be approximately 40 minutes (30 min presentation + 10 min for questions) and include a PowerPoint, as these presentations will be held online via Zoom.

Previous topics include:

• Community Involvement and Making the Most of Your Placement

• Working in a Japanese Cultural Context

• Cross-Cultural Communication

• Life as an ALT/JET

• ALT Firsts: Your First Days, Weeks, Months

• What to Expect in a Japanese Classroom

• Rural life in Japan

Please note that they do not need presentations on money matters or departure information as these topics will be covered by the JET Office directly. Additionally, they usually request that presentation topics be applicable to all JETs. However, this year they have a larger group of CIR's than usual. So, if any CIR Alumni are interested in hosting a CIR specific presentation, please fill out the survey to pitch the idea!

If you are interested in presenting, please fill out the survey below with your contact information, topic(s) of interest, presentation outline(s), and your availability. Responses are due by Monday, May 18th by 3pm Central.

Fill out the Survey!

Survey response request from people who lived in Japan

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:

https://cunyhunter.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8jDw9fdvHeTnVz0

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

mbarkan@hunter.cuny.edu