#vivalimez

[mayakern]

Hi, I just have a question about your skirts. Lately I've been concerned with sweatshops and I'm trying to avoid anything made in one. So are your skirts ethically made?

my wife vets all the factories we work with. while we have not been able to fly overseas to visit the actual factory (because that would be extremely expensive), we don’t haggle with the factories we work with and we pay far more than sweatshop prices (about 7x). there is no way to 100% guarantee that a factory isn’t a sweatshop without visiting it but we are reasonably certain to the best of our ability.

[juenofhotep]

vivalimez

replied to your

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weresehlat: ticktockclockwork: ...

Isn’t the shop a sweat shop? Or else how do they afford it?

Could I possibly have some sources to this claim?

I googled them and found things to the contrary. [link]

“ The clothes are made in India, but eShakti has a strict – and transparent – ethical production policy. Their workers are paid at least 70% over the minimum wage, and are promised a clean, safe and healthy work environment with appropriate sanitation facilities. I was delighted to discover that my order came with a handwritten note telling me who my order had been sewn by (and an invitation to send them a personal message). “ [source]

Now are they taking advantage of lower cost of production by going overseas? Hell yeah. But it looks like they’re trying to go about it in a better way. That’s what I was able to find. Though if you know something to the contrary I’d love to know. 

[yonkita]

Will there be a PDF option for the fanzine? I'd like to purchase it once it's done but shipping can be really expensive.

We’re still considering this! I’d like to open that as an option though for those who live overseas and can’t afford to pay for the hard copy + shipping

[mayes-the-fox]

jeikugryphon replied to your post “I just drove 2 Swedish hitchhikers to another town an hour away on a...”

This is the most Kiwi thing I've seen all day

Haha, thank you! I hope I gave them an Authentic Kiwi Experience (TM)

vivalimez replied to your post “I just drove 2 Swedish hitchhikers to another town an hour away on a...”

Fun! 

It was! I bought us ice creams when we stopped for gas. They bought me an orange juice when we got to their destination. 

dohmalore replied to your post “I just drove 2 Swedish hitchhikers to another town an hour away on a...”

anything to get away from ur cousin

Ulterior motives? Moi?   0:) 

vinceforcats replied to your post “I just drove 2 Swedish hitchhikers to another town an hour away on a...”

be honest.... were there cool pokemon also there?

Y’know, I was hoping there would be, but I was pretty disappointed by the selection. But I did get some good distance on my eggs, so there’s that! 

[pixelatedlenses]

vivalimez replied to your post:License to Relax: Learning about my students...

That’s great that your having an experience like this

It really is though, and it’s a huge blessing.

I know I’m only a few months in, but this is what I hope the next generation of ALTs next July can have. It’s what I hope my senpai experience, though I do think that not everyone, unfortunately, has schools or BOEs that are so caring, or students that are so eager for English. I just hope that everyone does because honestly, this is one of the best cultural exchanges I’ve ever done, and it makes me honestly care for Japan more and more in a better way.

[jetrabbut]

If you don't mind me asking, why do you have roommates? I thought people got their own place while on the JET program.

Don’t mind at all! The short answer is, I do not have roommates! I can see how it might look that way because of the way I talk about my fellow ALTs, but in reality we all just work in the same room. I’ll explain. Wakkanai ALTs are one-shot JETs, so we do not have a base school. Instead, all 3 of us work in a tiny room in the Board of Education with 5 other people: two bosses, mom-friend who drives us to school, the head of the child safety division (classical singer-san), and the other child safety division worker (artist-san).So if it seems like we’re constantly in the same room, it’s because we are! I haven’t met any other JETs with similar situations, but it’s very handy for planning city events because we don’t need to meet outside of work, and our supervisor can just load the 3 of us into a car and we can go to an event. Also, I’ve had the unique experience of subbing for a fellow ALT last year. I was actually given one of his schools in the end, because our schools are up for trade every April. I hope this clears up any confusion. Unless you’re maybe referring to Jeff. Jeff is my shit hamster. 

[shinylyni]

vivalimez replied to your post:Starting to make pixel chibis and omg they’re so...

Fun! I always like seeing your pixel art :D

Haha thank you ^^; unfortunately I won’t be posting them here but I’ve moved/am moving all my pixel stuff to a new side blog, @pixelyni! Please go check it out if you can~

[baycitydreamer-blog]

vivalimez replied to your post “Nikki’s JET Tips Pt 5”

Wow! It's amazing that someone would think that's okay....

I’d like to agree, but nah. If you check out the facebook groups, some of the weirdos there are... something else... And JET has had its fair share of weebs, both now and from the murky distant past of pre-internet, so I’m honestly not surprised.

Like seriously, its cool to nerd out but theres a time and place and so many people do not get it.