Names of stuff and what they do!
I made an older post before about volunteer opportunities in Aomori, and for the most part that’s still valid save for the Everest of Apples (which is now defunct/on indefinite hiatus due to management issues).
BUT I wanted to give you all a rundown in layman’s terms as to what some of these acronyms and nicknames mean for you, especially new incomers. Been thinking a lot about how we get used to saying things here in the Blue Forest and then forget y’all might not know what’s up with our references. So here it goes.
RR = Regional Representative (other prefectures call these guys Block Leaders, and @greetingsfromfukushima said they called themselves something with 3 letters I think, I forget!!)
Two per region, know where to get stuff, do stuff, or give stuff. If you have questions about what to do, where to go, ask these guys. These champions are also in charge of putting on two conferences for ALTs in the prefecture: August’s AomOrientation, and then November’s Skill Development Conference. These guys are the ones who put you with your Big Sibling, and they’re usually the ones who organize events in the region to get your neighbors specifically to hang out with you so y’all can maybe forge relationships!
These guys are in charge of the wellbeing of their JETs too. Not necessarily like they’re responsible for them being happy, not like that-- but if there is a case of sexual harassment in one area, as an RR I have reached out to other RRs to deal with the problem together in as concise and firm a manner as possible. Stuff like that you should tell your RRs. They are the right hand to the PAs.
PA = Prefectural Advisor
There are three PAs at the kencho (the prefectural board of education office in the capital). We have our CIR PA, our ALT PA, and our Japanese PA. They work together to do things like: - make sure everyone whose International Driving Permit expires that year gets in to take the driving test - update monthly on what big deadlines are coming up for ALTs, like taxes, visa renewal, leaving information - facilitate and lead the two conferences ALTs are required to go to, and I assume the at least one that CIRs are required to go to (but that’s in another capacity) - listen to your grievances if you’ve talked to your contracting organization about an issue, and then try to solve it with you so that you have the best possible experience in Japan - go along with you as an interpreter should you need it for doctor’s visits or an emergency
The RRs are a direct team chosen by the PAs, handpicked to best help the entire prefecture run smoothly and feel well-supported. The PAs are also in contact with NAJET and AoAJET, as well as your coworkers. Any news from CLAIR, or JET, you’ll hear from your PAs. I really like the ones we have right now.
SDC = Skill Development Conference
A mandatory conference meant to help ALTs improve themselves, and usually AoAJET has a thing the second night like trivia or darts or a talent show, who knows. You have to go to this, if I have to go to this as a fifth year who did RR work for 4 years then you have to go to this. It is useful, even if it is tiring.
AoAJET = Aomori Association of JETs
Prefecture party planning committee, usually in touch with the Block 1 Representatives of NAJET, facilitates meeting new JETs and consists of President, VP, and Treasurer in Aomori. In Aomori there are no members fees, just whatever cost they put up at the events they throw. If you have any questions about this please ask me (president for two years) and @peraperapeter (treasurer for one year) and we’ll try to help out how we can! Sometimes you will just hear this in our own prefecture referred to as “AJET”, but it can get complicated when you remember that each prefecture has its own “AJET” on top of “AJET” for the national level.
NAJET = National Association of JETs
Each block of Japan is comprised of a region or two (or more?) and there are national reps for each of those that try to organize more events and information sharing to further support JETs on a large scale. NAJET also has a hand in Tokyo Orientation if I’m not mistaken, as well as stuff like the NAJET Zine and website! There are elections every year to see who gets what position.
NOT AN ACRONYM/NOT SORRY Big Brother/Big Sister = Welcome Buddy
Big Siblings are people who volunteer to be the first to welcome a new JET and make sure they’re alright. They tell the RR of their region “Hey I’d love to make sure someone’s good to go” and then they get your email from the RR. They reach out (hopefully) and make a meeting time with you (hopefully) because you deserve to feel like immediately upon getting here that you have someone in your corner.
Your Big Sibling is required to: - check in with you before you get here - check in with you after you get here - make sure you’re not alone the first night or two that you’re in Japan. Your Big Sibling is NOT required to: - take you out to eat whenever you want - buy you things - take you in their car so that you can buy you things - ask you if you have bought everything you need - talk on the phone for you if you don’t know how to speak in Japanese - pay for your dinner - make you a care package - chauffeur you around the city - make budget decisions for you - decide what phone you’re getting - talk on your behalf to RRs or AJET if you’re having a problem with either organization - help you figure out your residence card/hanko stuff - pick your friends up from the airport - make plans with you every weekend - etc etc etc etc
The reason I mention these things is because these are all examples of things I and many others on the RR team and Big/Little team were told we ‘had’ to do by newbies over the years. And no, we don’t. And you should be clear on how it looks when you ask your Big to do some of these things, if you do. We’re just people trying to look out for other people, and it’s hard to become friends with incomers who forget that.
Because in all actuality, here is a reminder for new JETs: your Big Sibling stops being your Big Sibling one or two weeks after you get here. Then they become just a more knowledgeable, more senior veteran JET than you, and most likely they’re doing them at the same time as helping you. So the kindness is there in their hearts most likely, but they are no longer required by the RRs to do anything other than those three things I mentioned above. I know this because I was an RR for the last three years, and I was a Big for the last three as well. Your supervisor at your BOE/base school is going to be the one who will help you mostly with logistics and is required to make sure your apartment/legal stuff is set up. Be sure to remember these distinctions please. Every year we have people forgetting that we’re just people too.
And as always, these are purely volunteer positions! Nobody gets paid to do any of this! So make sure you’re kind, grateful, or at the very least just not rude <3
