Halloween Extravaganza!

JETAA Chicago will be hosting a variety of events to help keep your Halloween souls in high spirits! Whether you’re looking for something for the kids, yourself, or both, we’ve got you covered. Come spend an evening with us enjoying all sorts of Halloween festivities.

This event is split into two main parts. You are free to attend one or both as you wish, just be sure to select the appropriate tickets when you sign up via Guestlist.

Family Fun!

Our kid-friendly event will kick off at 4:45pm CST. As participants enter the room, JETlings can show off their Halloween costumes or just say hello! We'll have a few icebreaker activities Mom and Dad can help with to keep kids engaged. At 5:00, we'll conduct a Halloween origami workshop. Parents and JETlings alike will learn to make a cute pumpkin craft!

All you’ll need for the kids' event is origami paper. But don’t worry if you don’t have any; you can make origami paper from recycled paper easily! How to guide.

At 5:30 we'll take a break so Moms and Dads can get their littles settled for the evening.

Adult Happy Hour

At 6:00 we'll open the room once more for our adults-only happy hour! Feel free to dress up in your own costume, grab a festive beverage, and prepare some spooky snacks. After introductions and a group kanpai, we'll celebrate with ghoulish games and terrifying trivia!

Special Guest!

To cap off an evening of fun, Justin Torres, expert pumpkin carver and fellow Chicago JET Alumni, will show us a special carving and answer your questions about how to carve that perfect Halloween pumpkin!

Justin is streaming his pumpkin carving projects every night of October! Check him out on his Twitch account!

Full Event Agenda:

4:45 - Family Fun Check-in and Costume Parade

5:00 - Origami Workshop

5:30 - Break

6:00 - Happy Hour Check-in and Icebreakers

6:15 - Introductions

6:30 - Kanpai!

6:40 - Fun and Games!

7:45 - Special Guest Presentation

8:00 - Event closes

RSVP Here!

* These events are for JET alumni and their families. Priority will be given to JETAA Chicago members before members of other chapters. If an alumni is social distancing with a Friend of JET (FOJ), they are welcome to join on their screen with them.

Questions? Contact us at activities@jetaachicago.com.

80's Night! Cross-Generational JET Alumni Happy Hour - Oct. 8th

In honor of the JET Program being a child of the 1980’s...

On Thursday (10/8), JETAA Chicago is kickin' it old school for an evening of casual conversation and fun community building with fellow JET alumni from across three generations at our virtual happy hour.

We invite our fellow JET alumni from our local, national and global communities to join us in having a #ThrowbackThursday together, connecting across 33 years of JET experience and corss-cultural exchange. #JETogether2020

RSVP via Guestlist is required.

For more information and to join the fun*: https://guestlist.co/events/658596

Theme: 80's NIGHT!**

Knowledge and nostalgia from that 1980's is encouraged and welcomed - including but not limited to: fashion, music, movies, zoom backgrounds, accessories and more!

Remember to mark your calendars and SAVE THE DATE (Thursday, October 8th, 2020) here are some of the details:

• Zoom room opens at 6:00PM CST

• Please feel free to BYOBeverage*** (and/or Food) as the event will officially kick-off with a "KANPAI!" at around 6:30PM CST

• We plan to have a few fun and interactive icebreakers/activities along with announcements of future events and happenings in our chapter throughout the evening

*This event is only for JET alumni and 2020 Outgoing JETs - in the USA and worldwide.

**80's attire is optional, but if you'd like or are able to dress to the theme...why not? :) ***Drinking an alcoholic beverage is not required - water, soft drinks or tea/coffee will do just fine! Especially if you are a fellow JET alum who is joining us during the morning/daytime. #nomikai

A Look Back to Move Forward: The modern day importance of Hiroshima & Nagasaki - Sept. 23rd Event

This past August marked the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. In commemoration of this monumental moment in history, join JETAA Chicago for a nuanced discussion on the historical legacy of these cities, with a focus on the present this Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020 at 8PM CST/6PM PST.

We will be joined by Koko Kondo, a peace activist and survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing whose father was prominently featured in John Hersey’s seminal Hiroshima, and three guest speakers who will answer the question: “Why should we care now?”:

• Yuki Miyamoto, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies & Global Asian Studies at DePaul University

• Tom Le, an Assistant Professor of Politics at Pomona College

• Saira Chambers, Founding Director of the Japanese Arts Foundation

This event is organized by JETAA Chicago (Illinois, Wisconsin & Indiana, with support from JETAASC (Southern California & Arizona), and we will be joined by students from DePaul University and Pomona College. This is a public event that is free and open to all JET alumni as well as Friends of JETs (FOJs).

For more information and to register via Guestlist: https://guestli.st/662151