JETache May 2001

New JETs

On Wednesday 30 May at midday 39 new Jet participants assembled at the Buick Room of the Copthorne Durham in Christchurch for their first seminar since being accepted into the Programme. Mr Hideo Date, Consular Affairs Office of Japan, addressed everyone about the importance of being cultural ambassadors for New Zealand and learning as much as possible about Japan. A video "Welcome to Japan" was shown before Ms Carolyn Shaw of the Christchurch Polytechnic gave an hour of Japanese Language. She taught some useful expressions to the tune of "Run, Rabbit, Run", which everyone is probably still singing, and some vocabulary with the aid of props. Following an afternoon tea break, Mr David Boyce, Outbound Manager of Japan AirLines, Auckland, talked about travel insurance and arrangements. Miss Nicole Busbridge of the Consular Office of Japan spoke about visa application. From 3.30 until 5.30 Shelley Keach, Ian Walkinshaw, Sean Lowry, Vicki Southgate and Katherine Quigley of the Jet AA spoke of their own experience and answered many questions.

From 6.00 everyone enjoyed a meal at the China Town Restaurant with members of the Japanese Society of Canterbury and Mr Geoff Price, who had been on the interview panel. Socialising continued until about 8.30 and everyone agreed that it had been very valuable to meet each other and particularly have the opportunity to talk about what Jet would be like with their predecessors.

All the new participants have received their locations and are going from Hokkaido to Okinawa and everywhere in between.