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In episode 83 of the Tokyo Alumni Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming Joshua Thomson, a model, actor, and content creator who has hundreds of thousands of followers across various social media platforms. Joshua's videos, which have garnered tens of millions of views, resonate deeply with culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, especially those with international schooling backgrounds.Joshua has a unique educational journey, having started in a Japanese elementary public school, transitioning to the Christian Academy Japan (CAJ) during his middle school years, and then returning to the Japanese public school system for high school. Although Joshua isn't an international school graduate, his unique experiences make him an integral part of the international school community.
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Welcome to Episode 82 of the Tokyo Alumni Podcast. Today, I'm excited to have Justin Novak join me. A standout alumnus from the ASIJ Class of 2014, Justin has made significant strides in the world of professional baseball. He's currently the bullpen catcher for the Seattle Mariners, a role that keeps him with the team for all 162 regular-season games, plus playoffs. Despite his demanding schedule, Justin took the time to join me for the 82nd episode.During his time at ASIJ, Justin was nothing short of a baseball legend, leading his team to two Far East titles and an undefeated season of 27 wins to 0 losses during his senior year. He also excelled in college, helping his Division I team (University of Virginia) clinch a national championship in his freshman year. As a fellow baseball enthusiast, I was truly inspired by Justin’s positive energy and deep insights into the sport. In today's episode, we delve into his journey through international school and college baseball, and discuss how one can seek out a career in the MLB.
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Fehlende Folgen?
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There is no way Steve Harris could have predicted he would spend 43 years in Japan.
Born in San Francisco, California, on Halloween in 1958, his family would soon cross the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County, where they settled in the city of San Rafael. His first encounter with foreign language learning consisted of two terrible years of middle school German, a language he chose because his mother’s side of the family immigrated to the San Francisco Bay Area after fleeing Nazi Germany.His talent for foreign languages would emerge during his years of study of Spanish at San Rafael High School, where at the age of 16 he would also meet his future wife, a Japanese girl from Tokyo who happened to be studying there for one year. The relationship prompted him to begin studying Japanese upon entering the University of California at Berkeley in 1976.
He enjoyed his Japanese studies so much that he declared Japanese as his major and took advantage of Berkeley’ study-abroad program to spend a year at ICU in Tokyo during his junior year. Though he spent his last year back at Berkeley, the appeal of Tokyo was so strong for him that he decided to try to find work there right after graduation in the summer of 1980. This led to a 17-year stint as a freelance translator and interpreter and then a 17-year stint as a Japanese language teacher at The American School in Japan.
He left ASIJ in June of 2014 and has since been freelancing from his home, which is walking distance from the ASIJ campus.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - 2:18 - Introduction
3:47 - 4:33 - "17 years"
4:34 - 7:38 - Being an ASIJ parent vs ASIJ faculty / why ASIJ?
7:39 - 13:22 - Is sending a child to an international school worth the cost?
13:23 - 17:00 - Working at ASIJ from 1997-2014 / Leaving ASIJ
17:01 - 22:09 - Living in Japan for 40+ years - moving to Japan in the 1970s
22:09 - 22:36 - How to become bilingual
22:36 - 27:34 - Memories of ASIJ
27:35 - 36:49 - Soccer - ASIJ Soccer & working as a Japan Futsal Director
36:50 - 39:53 - Creating the ASIJ "Tama Cup"
39:54 - 44:12 - ASIJ Squad of 23 players (mid-2000s-mid-2010s team) 44:13 -46:47 - What is coming up next -
Taeuk Kang (KISJ 2022)
Stanford University student
Taeuk Kang was born in Gyeongnam but moved to Jeju, where he attended Korea International School, Jeju Campus for 11 years. He plans to spend the next four years at Stanford University, CA studying Computer Science. He was awarded the Talent Award of Korea in 2020 among 100 Korean citizens for their exemplary talents.
His early interest in computers led him to software development. Since then, he has developed multiple projects and apps for both open source and businesses. One of his most recent projects is the LiveCorona Map, an open source COVID visualization tool and information source. As one of the project leads, he automated the statistic collections and created a public pharmacy mask map. The project had been adopted by the Jeju government as the COVID status website early on during the pandemic. He also enjoys creating hobby projects such as a multi-source language dictionary and a failed cloud hosting reseller startup.
Now, Taeuk is preparing to study Computer Science at Stanford University, specializing in the Artificial Intelligence area. He wishes to pursue a professional career in a related field.
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1:35 - Introduction
3:18 - Why choose Stanford University over Harvard University?
7:45 - How to get into Stanford, Harvard and Columbia University? Are hagwons and consultants worth it?
9:40 - What gave you an edge over other applicants? Are sports and extracurriculars needed to get into a prestigious University?
17:04 - How do you find something you are genuinely passionate in?
25:50 - Attending Korea International School Jeju / life in the GEC
34:10 - The advantage of attending international school over public school
36:55 - What do you envision doing ten years from now (2032)
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Amelia Juhl (Seisen 1998)
Design Research DirectorAmelia is a Design Research Director at IDEO Tokyo. She brings more than 20 years of experience leading creative projects of all sizes. At IDEO, she has worked on projects such as redesigning medical products for the elderly, new beauty experiences for millennials, and systemic redesigns for agriculture. Previously, she worked as a Strategic Planner at a marketing agency, working on CRM or campaigns for global companies such as Nissan, Microsoft and P&G. Her current passion is in adding life-centered principles to her human-centered approach. She is excited to lend her expertise in innovation to help businesses be more regenerative by design for the next decade.
TIMESTAMP
1:18 - Introduction
3:30 - How to become a Design Researcher
7:35 - How experiences at Seisen helped Amelia with group work
11:05 - Cross-cultural fluency at IDEO & Bilingual education
19:57 - Why should parents send their children to Seisen / International schools?
22:30 - Identity for international school ”インター” kids
26:40 - Working as a woman in Japan
33:23 - Most memorable teacher at Seisen
37:58 - What is to come -
Alexander Minami Redhead
St. Mary's International School (2003)Today our guest is a Portfolio Manager at Montrachet Capital. Today our guest attended St. Mary's International School for 13 years (Class of 2003), he later went to study at Tufts University where he earned a dual degree in Mathematics and Psychology. Prior to his current role, he worked at several investment banks in Tokyo and New York including Lehman Brothers, Credit Suisse, and Nomura Securities.
In 2019, he joined Montrachet Capital, a multi-family office in Singapore, and runs the portfolio management group, helping wealthy individuals invest for the future. During his time in Singapore, he became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, interviewed and translated several books in Japanese for the legendary investor Jim Rogers, and helped numerous clients immigrate from Japan.
He is currently active within the St. Mary's Alumni Association (SMAA), heading the Finance Group as well as the Singapore chapter, and enjoys sharing his no bullsh*t opinion to those seeking career advice. He looks forward to resuming 11-aside football when COVID measures are eased, but enjoys Crossfit and Tennis in the meantime.
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1:30-2:40 - Introduction
3:13-4:50 Intro from Alex
5:05-12:44 - The International School "bubble" and being bi-cultural
12:45-17:26 - Joining the industry of "Finance" / SMAA and internships
17:27-22:57 - What kept Alex in finance/in what ways can high school students equip themselves to work in the industry of finance?
22:58-25:35 - Moving from investment banking to portfolio management
25:36-35:06 - Is popular cultures illustration of WallStreet bankers accurate?/working hours in finance
36:07-41:05 - Jim Rogers
41:06-46:35 - St. Marys shout outs
46:36-49:35 - The importance of HS athletics at international schools
49:36-52:40 - What is to come -
Lina Yamashita (ASIJ 1997-2003)
*Graduate of ISM (Philippines 2004)
Program Director at VIA (Nonprofit)Lina Yamashita is Program Director at VIA, an international education nonprofit based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she develops programs that promote cross-cultural understanding between Asia and the U.S. Her experiences living in Japan*, Singapore, and the Philippines have shaped her commitment as an educator to highlight diverse perspectives, especially those that are less visible. Lina earned a doctorate in Education from UC Davis, a master’s degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology & Environmental Studies from Oberlin College. Outside of work, Lina enjoys making latte art, reading contemporary and historical fiction, and spending time with her husband and son.
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1:06-3:20 - Introductions
3:20-7:58 - Being a TCK - switching from a Japanese school to an international school
7:59- 10:01 - Cross cultural understanding in medicine
10:02-13:28 - What is home for a TCK/international citizens/mixed race?
13:29-17:34 - Raising a tri-cultural child
17:35-23:10 - Attending ASIJ (Japan) ISM (Philippines) and SAS Singapore
23:11-27:40 - Lasting impact of ASIJ
27:41-30:53 - What is to come -
Christopher Harris (EIS 2015)
Associate at The Early Stage Banking TeamHe is an American National born and raised in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. During his time in Honduras, he attended SERAN Bilingual School, Escuela Internacional La Lima for and graduated from Escuela Internacional Sampedrana in 2015. He earned a bachelors in Business Administration from Northeastern University. During his time at Northeastern, Chris was involved with the IDEA Venture Studio on campus and did co-ops in accounting and asset management. During his senior year at Northeastern, Chris was part of the founding of Disrupt, the Fintech Initiative at Northeastern, aimed at building a community on campus at the intersection of finance and technology.
He now works as an Associate at The Early Stage Banking team at Silicon Valley Bank in San Francisco learning and building relationships with young startups, founders, and investors from the Bay Area.
TIMESTAMPS
0:43 - Introduction
3:28 - Do you identify more with American or Honduran culture?
7:14 - The role of language and how it affects personality and socialization
10:27 - Where do international school grads from Central America go after high school?
13:54 - What is the most common misconception about Honduras?
16:21 - Why Honduras? + How did Chris's experience compare at Seran v La Lima v San Pedro?
21:40 - Extracurricular activities at international schools
24:29 - Would you send your own children to an international school?
32:10 - What is to come? -
John Mikton (Former ASIJ Tech Coach 2000-2005)
Deputy Principal at the International School of LuxembourgI am a bi national Swiss-American born and raised in Switzerland, in the Nyon area, and grew up in a bilingual home with an American father and Swiss Mother, and was educated in Switzerland and England, I studied in the United States for my Bachelor's, Teaching Certification and Masters. Currently I am the Head of Education and Media Technology/ Deputy Principal at the International School of Luxembourg. I am a trainer and course designer at the Principal Training Center and Teacher Training Center. , a Learning2 Community Coach and trainer at the Institut de formation de l’Éducation nationale du Luxembourg.
I have 25 years experience working in Education and Media Technology and 17 years as a Leadership Team member in International Schools.( International School of Tanganyika, Western Academy of Beijing, American School in Japan, International School of Prague, Inter Community School Zurich and currently in Luxembourg)
I share my learning and passion for digital fluency at : https://beyonddigital.org https://digitallife.live/
I also co-host a podcast focused on international education, innovation, creativity, and learning https://www.theinternationalschoolspodcast.coma
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1:27 - Introduction
3:36 - An introduction to Japanese/Asian culture, moving to San Francisco
6:08 - Being part of the JET program at Saitama, Japan
9:20 - Going back to Japan to work at ASIJ
11:22 - International school faculty/schools lack of or success in integrating with local cultures
17:53 - is the "lifer" teacher who stays in one country for 20-30 years something of the past?
22:16 - IB v AP
27:13 - The International Schools Podcast
29:25 - Tech at school - how has COVID affected remote learning?
35:57 - What is to come for John -
Andrew Melton (ASIJ 1994)
EducatorI am from Arkansas. I grew up overseas in Riyadh and Tokyo.
My parents became international school teachers in the 1980’s which gave me the bug to do it. I attended ASIJ from 1991 to 1994. At Berklee College of Music I studied film scoring, and my instrument was the vibraphone. After college I went to Los Angeles. I had a wonderful time there juggling film scoring, band composing and arranging, and playing piano in improv comedy theaters.I then focused on international teaching, at the American School of Marrakech, Morocco, the American School of Lima, Peru, and then Shanghai American School. Now Canadian Ac. in Kobe. At all of these I taught some combination of band, choir, strings, and general music. It’s so great to be back in Japan, still trying to learn the darn language! Towards the end of my time in Lima, I married Jen Van Ness whom I met at an ASIJ 20 year reunion in Washington DC. She attended ASIJ just for one year as a 9th grader in 1991.
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1:20 - Introduction
3:08 - Growing up as an international school student in Saudi Arabia and Japan
5:59 - Becoming a teacher 7:32 - How to become an international school teacher
10:35 - Morocco
12:48 - the transient nature of international school teaching
14:08 - coming back to Japan 14:58 - Canadian Academy v ASIJ
17:12 - How international education led towards Andrews current career
18:55 - ASIJ shout outs
20:48 - What is to come in the next few years -
Minako Abe, M.D. (ASIJ 1988)
Director of the Tokyo Cancer ClinicMinako Abe is the director of the Tokyo Cancer Clinic in Japan. She attended ASIJ from 1976-1988 and after graduating, attended UC Berkeley for her B.A. and earned her M.D. at SUNY Stony Brook. She has dual U.S. board certifications in Emergency Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. Practicing Emergency Medicine in NYC and NJ for over 15 years, she loved treating all kinds of illnesses and people from all walks of life, but found that nearly 80% of what she saw was related to unhealthy lifestyle choices. Chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and even 30-50% of cancers are preventable. As such, she developed a strong interest in Lifestyle Medicine, particularly in relation to the field of immunology and oncology.
In 2014, she and her family moved to Tokyo to help with her father’s cancer immunotherapy clinic. Having lived outside of Japan for 26 years, she experienced a bit of culture shock, having to relearn Japanese and understanding a completely different medical system. However, with both of her children currently attending ASIJ, this has given her family a sense of belonging within this very special international community.A year into moving here, her husband was diagnosed with a rare spinal cord tumor, and when searching for the best treatment options in the U.S., she was surprised to find that the most advanced treatment options were actually right here in Japan. Even the patented cancer vaccines and immune cell treatments at the Tokyo Cancer Clinic is not widely known or available elsewhere in the world!
This experience got her thinking – how isolating it is for expats in Japan to go through a cancer diagnosis while also navigating a foreign medical system. How are people to know that perhaps the best treatments and opportunities lie right here? Her passion project is to help cancer patients navigate the Japanese medical system, while coaching them to thrive and not just survive with Lifestyle Medicine and Mindset.
You can find her at
https://tokyocancerclinic.jp/
https://www.drminako.com/Timeline
1:44 - Introduction
4:32 - Choosing the career path to become a doctor (from an international school student's perspective) / to work in Japan/USA?
10:50 - Can certain products "give you cancer"?
15:23 - Family history - nature v nurture when it comes to cancer?
17:37 - Sleep!
19:30 - Living in both Japan and the USA for 20+ years, a comparison of the two locations
25:04 - Comparing the perspective of ASIJ as a student vs as a parent
31:31 - What is to come -
Harald Gjerde, MD, FRCSC (St. Mary’s 2006)
Physician – Pediatric Ophthalmologist
Harald is a Canadian national who is ethnically Norwegian and Chinese, who was born and raised in Tokyo. He attended the now-closed Santa Maria International School, later transferring and graduating from St. Mary’s International School as Valedictorian for the class of 2006. He earned an Honors degree in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University and completed medical school at the University of Manitoba. He completed a residency in Ophthalmology at Dalhousie University, and finished a fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School.He was the Clinical Director of the Special Olympics Canada Opening Eyes eye-screening program for Atlantic Canada. He has worked as a professional narrator and voice actor, to authoring scientific papers, as well as being a published poet and writer. He will be moving to Vancouver this winter to work for the BC Children’s Hospital as a Pediatric Ophthalmologist, and work as a Clinical Instructor at the University of British Columbia.
TIMESTAMPS
1:05 - Introduction
4:45 - When did you want to become a doctor?
7:58 - How has growing up overseas affected your practice as a doctor?
14:04 - Choosing Canada or the US for school for someone who wants to go to med school
21:04 - Santa Maria and St. Marys
25:00 - What is to come -
Kazuna Yamamoto (CAJ 2015)
Entrepreneur
Kazuna was born in Hong Kong, raised in Singapore and Japan, and currently resides in Chile.
She is the Founder and President of Voice Up Japan, an organization with a vision of a society where anyone can raise their voice, in hopes of creating an equitable society where one is not judged by gender, sexuality, nationality, and religion.
She is the Co-Founder and CEO of WAYVX, a Chilean-based firm dedicated to the digitalization and democratization of the financial industry through the implementation of blockchain and other decentralized ledgers.
Currently, she is working in Corporate Venture Capital Investments at Kauffman Ventures.TIMESTAMP
0:45 - Introduction
3:05 - Going into entrepreneurship at a young age
4:28 - Voice Up Japan
5:28 - How did being an international school student affect your perspective when it came to social issues?
6:28 - How attending Christian Academy Japan (CAJ) affected her perspectives
11:42 - Learning a 3rd language - Spanish
13:59 - Blockchain technology and crypto-currency
16:59 - The Kauffman Ventures
17:44 - the day-to-day tasks/schedule as a young entrepreneur
18:53 - Long-term goals - VC funds and politics
22:40 - What is to comeVoice Up Japan https://voiceupjapan.org/
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Ellen Richards
University Student (George Washington University)
Ellen Richards graduated from the International School of the Sacred Heart in 2018, where she spent the last two years of high school. Prior to that, Ellen lived in the UK and the US for a combined 15 years. Ellen will graduate from the George Washington University with a BA in Political Science in 2022. Influenced by her parents, who hail from the US and Japan, Ellen has always had a deep interest in international relations and politics, particularly in the individual success of and the relationship between the two countries. Experiencing the societal differences of both the US and Japan, Ellen discovered another passion of hers: promoting the status of and advocating for professional women, especially in Japan. Although only at the beginning of what she hopes is a fruitful journey, Ellen has been working with fellow alumnae to develop the first professional alumnae network for her all-girls alma mater. In developing this, she hopes to make pre-professional development part of her former high school’s education as well as bring professional alumnae together to exchange opportunities and advice for navigating the business world as a woman.
TIMESTAMPS
0:57 - Introduction
2:37 - Who is Ellen Richards / What has life as a college student during COVID been?
4:25 - The job market for college graduates for 2021, 2022
6:01 - Life as an ISSH student, advantages of attending an all-girls private school in Tokyo
14:36 - The transition from an all-girls international high school to a co-ed university in the USA,
16:20 - ISSH alumni network 24:32 - How to create a strong alumni network
29:43 - Does being mixed race provides a unique perspective in regard to cultural differences?
36:05 - Podcasts!
42:24 - What is to come -
Jason Chung (Zama 2005)
EducatorJason was born in 1986 and is originally from Honolulu, HI. Due to being an Army family, his family moved around stateside and to Korea before landing a long-term residency in Japan. Camp Zama to be exact. Jason attended John O’ Arnn Elementary School located in Sagamihara Family Housing Area (housing for military families) and eventually transitioned over to Zama American High School to complete his secondary years, graduating in 2005. During his time with the Zama Trojans, he participated in varsity football and the JROTC program. Upon graduating, he relocated to California to pursue his post-secondary education and eventually enlisting in the United States Army Reserves. Following his graduation from Solano College in 2008 with an associate in Liberal Arts, he transferred to the neighboring college, California State University – Sacramento to work on his bachelor’s in Psychology. Through the Army Reserves, he was selected to participate in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) where he would eventually contract as a ROTC cadet to work towards in becoming an Army officer. As many have experienced the hardships at the time, Jason decided to withdraw from both the college and the ROTC program to take what became a long-term “break” in 2011. Upon completion of his contract with the Reserves, he relocated to Texas to start a new chapter. The Lonestar State opened up new friendships, career experiences, and eventually meeting the love of his life who is now his wife, and the mother to their toddler son. In late 2016, his wife gave him the motivation to go back to school to complete his degree; and so, he did Spring of 2017. Jason is now pursuing a career as a secondary English Language Arts Reading teacher. If timing and life allow it, he’d love to head back to Japan to contribute as a DoDDS educator to his alma mater Zama High School or even a neighboring DoDEA school.
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0:55 - Introduction
4:30 - Being an "army brat" how Jason ended up at "Zama"
5:58 - for base kids, did it feel like they were going to school in "the USA" or "in Japan"?
8:57 - What interaction was like among the base schools (Zama, Yokota, Yokosuka, Misawa, Kadena, Kubasaki)
10:00 - Were there any preconceived stereotypes of students at each of the military bases? The rivalries amongst base schools.
12:25 - Perception of ASIJ and other international schools from a former "base kid"
14:20 - The JROTC program
21:19 - What happens when people drop out of the program?
24:40 - a prolonged break in 2011, a switch from "military" to "education"
26:44 - transition from California to Texas 27:30 - going back to college, finishing the bachelor's degree in 2016
32:25 - best memory about Zama high school
36:47 - what is to come -
John Hong (KISJ 2016)
Bio to come soon, for now, check out the introduction at 1:03.TIMESTAMPS
1:03 - Introduction
3:09 - Being an Air Force Interpreting Officer
4:06 - Did having an international school background help you get to where you are today?
6:21 - What is the difference between serving as a military officer vs "the enlisted" when it comes to mandatory military service as a South Korean? - day-to-day life for "the enlisted" vs "officers"
14:00 - Johns contribution towards changing. the leave of absence rule for Korean males (to work for the military) attending Universities in Singapore.
18:35 - Being a graduate of a "new" international school (Korea International School Jeju)
28:38 - How MUN, specifically KISJMUN helped prepare John for life in the "real world"
34:30 - What was the most memorable experience at KISJ?
36:04 - What is to come in the future -
Elliot Waldman (ASIJ 2005)
Senior EditorElliot Waldman is the senior editor of World Politics Review. Prior to joining WPR, he spent five years as a news producer at the Washington, DC bureau of Tokyo Broadcasting System, Japan’s oldest and largest commercial television and radio network. In that capacity, he was responsible for facilitating TBS’s coverage of U.S. politics and foreign policy, and he reported from over 15 different countries and 25 U.S. states. He has a master’s degree in international relations and international economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a bachelor's degree in international affairs from the George Washington University. He speaks fluent Japanese and is conversant in Vietnamese.
Podcast host for World Podcast Review
https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/authors/2375/elliot-waldmanArticles written by Elliot Waldman
https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/podcastTIMESTAMPS
2:02 - Introduction
3:20 - Being a senior editor at the World Politics Review
5:34 - Working for TBS (JNN) and getting started in the world of journalism / the use of Japanese skills at TBS in Washington
8:59 - WPR and reporting news through a more localized lens
12:06- Were there any thoughts of delving into industries outside of journalism / acquiring English v Japanese as a TCK
19:43 - Vietnam adventures - why volunteer?
24:49 - Balancing pragmatism and idealism
30:08 - ASIJ - being taught the importance of critical thinking
32:40 - A lack of socioeconomic diversity, a criticism of the international school system
35:14 - Most memorable educational experiences in the area of humanities at ASIJ - Mr. Hoovers textbook comparison and Mrs. Krauths Japan Seminar
44:54 - Elliot the Drummer - The Grape - DDO
48:50 - Whats is to come -
Sam Shobeiri (St. Mary’s 2007)
Born and raised in Japan, Sam is a graduate of St. Mary’s Class of 2007. Unlike many of his peers who attended international school for most of their K-12 education, Sam attended Japanese elementary school until middle of 6th grade. After graduating high school, Sam attended the University of Washington in Seattle, where he majored in marketing. Missing the amazing food scene of Japan, Sam quickly returned to Tokyo to start his career at Expedia Group, one of the largest online travel agencies in the world. He spent 7+years at the company’s hotel sales division, where he became one of the youngest area managers in the organization, overseeing both new business development and account management. In 2018, Sam took an offer from Skyscanner, one of the leading metasearch sites in the world. As the commercial lead in charge of the Japan market, Sam manages relationships with local airlines and travel agencies. Additional to his full time Job, Sam recently founded a small side company, focusing mainly on consulting and investing. On the weekends, you can find him at Tokyo Verdy matches, taking photos around the city, or enjoying IPAs at the local breweries.
TIMESTAMP
1:30 - Introduction
3:38 - Upbringing of Sam, Japanese school, international school, and American school
6:18 -Comparing Japanese to American to International schools
9:38 - Should I send my child to an international school or a Japanese school?
17:20 - the "International school bubble" 20:34 - Working in the hotel industry in Japan
25:40 - "gaishi" v "nikkei"
26:37 - Working with airlines during times of COVID-19
33:39 - The company Sam has started
36:16 - Bitcoin
41:40 - Tokyo Verdy
45:00 - What is to come -
Mayumi Daigo（Former ASIJ Staff)
Administrative Assistant of Educational Institution / BloggerMayumi was born in Tokyo and raised in Chiba, Japan. She was interested in English language and its culture since she was a child despite none of her family members understands English. In 1990, she joined in Intensive English Study Program at the University of California, Davis, California in the US. She studied comparative cultures and translation while attending Japan College of Foreign Language.. In April 2001, she joined The American School In Japan as Athletics/Activities Office Secretary. She assisted athletic programs of middle and high school, also a co-curricular program of high school until 2007.
In 2008, she learned that her mother had ovarian cancer a few weeks after her son’s birth. In October 2015, her mother passed away peacefully. As recovering from her mother’s passing and her previous marriage, she started thinking of ‘Quality of Life’. In 2020, she recognized she needs to take good care of herself mentally and physically while Japan’s first State of Emergency of Covid-19.
Through her working experience at ASIJ and studying in California, she writes about differences of international schools/Japanese schools, her perception of cultural differences of Japanese/English-speaking countries, parenting in Japanese by the pseudonym, Mami Ichihara(イチハラマミ) on a Japanese platform, ‘note’ besides working as Administrative Assistant of a Japanese educational institute.
TIMESTAMPS
1:22 - Introduction
3:15 - Position at ASIJ - Assistant AD
5:02 - Security clearances based on DODDS schools (Yokosuka v Zama v Yokota)
5:52 - Being "staff" at an international school 7:43 - Best memories working at ASIJ
8:51.- Did you know of "ASIJ" prior to working there? 10:22 - Leaving ASIJ
12:45 - Perspective of ASIJ students from a staff member
16:30 - ASIJ's Gay-Straight Student Alliance movement
19:13 - Blogging 26:30 - Language acquisition for Japanese nationals, traveling/studying abroad at UC Davis
29:25 - A message to ASIJ Grads from 2001-2010
31:46 - What is to come -
Raymond Strack (ASIJ 2005)
CEO - Shasta Grown
(March 2021)
Ray was born in Queens, New York City, he attended elementary school there, middle school in Florida, and attended high school at the American School in Japan where he graduated in 2005.
Upon graduating from the University of Florida, he worked at Digital Domain as a studio operations coordinator. He spent several years as a medicinal cannabis farmer. He then started up Jigsaw Earth Consulting in 2015.
Today he is the CEO for Shasta Grown; a vertically integrated Cannabis supply chain company located on the slopes of Mount Shasta in the city of Weed, California.TIMESTAMPS
2:04 - Introduction
3:50 - Splitting the formative years, half in the USA vs half in Japan. How did the two experiences compare?
6:39 - Embassy kids vs expat kids at international schools
12:15 - Why Ray chose to major in linguistics and anthropology. The original path.
13:02 - Arrest for a controlled substance in Florida. A new path.
16:12 - Digital Domain (and it going under) 18:06 - Moving to northern California - "the apprenticeship"
20:55 - The history of medical/recreational marijuana in the USA, and the current status at state and federal level.
27:29 - The public pressure to not engage in public discourse
28:34 - Shasta Growth and Shasta Grown and being the CEO of the company The safety of shifting from illicit cannabis to regulatory use of cannabis
39:35 - "Big Ray" (Rays dad) joining Law Enforcement Action Partnership
40:46 - the rapid evolution of the cannabis industry / the future of Shasta Grown and the industry in general in the next 2 to 10 years.Bonus Clips
43:40 - Starting Jigsaw consulting and creating written SOPs.
46:55 - The comparison of the cannabis industry to the firearm industry and wine industry
51:50 - Getting elders off opioids and making sure young people are knowledgeable the FBI, and interstate commerce laws
58:08 - The importance of a regulated market and access to banks
1:01:50 - The "Las Vegas" stint, why Ray didnt leave California for Vegas
1:10:50 - The "Weed 9", Ray was the only member of the "Weed 9" who with the help of groups like the ACLU fought against a slap suit which was made to pressure them from speaking at a public forum.Shasta Grown https://shastagrown.com/
Music Credit https://www.bensound.com/
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