Area Support Leaders (ASLs)

The Area Support Leader System provides JET participants living in Fukushima Prefecture with a nearby support system to turn to when they are in need of basic information pertaining to the local areas. Area Support Leaders (or ASLs) are all current JETs who volunteer to be available outside of their regular school hours. Their role is to answer questions about life in your area of the prefecture, or just to lend an ear when you need to chat. There are seven ASLs in total, one for each region of the prefecture.

Area
Minamiaizu is a very nice place to live and you'll meet some very friendly locals. A few things that you might like about this area are the samurai town of Ouchijuki, eating soba and watching kabuki in Hinoemata, exploring Oze National Park , going snowboarding, relaxing in an onsen, seeing Tadami 's famous snow festival and eating delicious black hamburgers. If you have any questions about this area please feel free to contact me. And if you don't make it in the summer, please visit during the winter because it's one of the best places for snowboarding in Fukushima.

ASL Bio
Hi, I'm Sam and I`ll be the ASL for Minami-aizu this year. I am 22 and from Yorkshire in England. In August I will be going into my second year on JET as an ALT in Hinoemata junior high school. I have had a great time on JET so far and am here to help you with any queries you might have.

Minami-aizu or the Miz as it is commonly known is one of the more isolated spots in Fukushima. However, the beautiful mountain scenery makes for great hiking in the summer, and great snowboarding/skiing in the winter. So although it is far out, it is definitely worth a visit no matter what the weather. I`m looking forward to meeting you all, anything you want to know please ask.

Tel: 080 6046 6085 Email: sam_ashby@hotmail.co.uk

Area
Aizu is a wonderful area of the prefecture, recently brought into the national spotlight by NHK's new historical drama, "Yae no Sakura." Highlights of the Aizu area include: the beautiful and picturesque Tsuruga Castle, wonderful hiking trails and ski resorts on Mount Bandai, the deep blue waters of Lake Inawashiro, and the somewhat macabre samurai history of Mount Iimori. There's plenty to do and see in Aizu, and the people are very friendly! Please enjoy your time in Aizu!

ASL Bio
Hello, my name is Laurie Burrow. I’m the ASL for the Aizu area. I’m originally from Oklahoma in the U.S. I was formerly a JET in Akita a few years ago where I worked for one year. This will be my second year as an ALT in Fukushima. I got a B.A. in Secondary English Ed. which I used to teach in the U.S. for about five years. I went back to school and got my M.S. in Community Counselling which I did for about two years before returning to Japan. I wanted to return to Japan because it is an awesome place, and to get more experience working with people from other cultures as well as to get more practice being, “out of my comfort zone.” I feel that this experience is helping me to develop my ability to empathize with others from different backgrounds which is useful in the counselling profession! I really enjoy living in Aizu Wakamatsu, where there are tons of things to do for fun! I keep pretty busy with dance and yoga in town, but I love doing all of the outdoor activities here too! The scenery is beautiful and there are always tons of cultural activities year-round to do here! I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as I can! Please don’t hesitate to contact me or give me a call any time-even if you just need someone to talk to! Welcome again to an awesome prefecture!

TEL: 080-820-55951 Email:laurie.burrow@gmail.com

Area
Kenpoku is a great area with a lot of history, cultural traditions, and natural beauty, and the people are generally friendly. The biggest city in Kenpoku is Fukushima City, which is also the capital of the prefecture. It has a lot to offer for food, shopping, nightlife, festivals, and much more. The region also has great access to other areas of the prefecture via the national highways and the shinkansen to other prefectures such as Tochigi, Niigata, Yamagata, and Miyagi.

ASL Bio
Hi everyone, I'm Carlene and I'm happy to be the new ASL for the Kenpoku area. This is my second year in wonderful Fukushima Prefecture. I'm from the beautiful tropical island of Barbados in the Caribbean. Being an island girl I would say I'm pretty laid back, will try anything once, I love to laugh and I'm a good listener. When I first arrived, coming from a small island, it was a big culture shock for me. Luckily I came to an amazing prefecture with an equally amazing JET community who helped me make Fuku my home away from home. As your ASL I'm more than happy to return the favour. Even if you just want to vent because they killed off your favourite character on a show, I'm more than happy to go "OMG...NO THEY DIDN'T!!"

Tel: 080-3220-9509

E-mail: carlenecadogan@gmail.com

Area
Kenchu is a great part of Fukushima that is in the very heart of Fukushima, making it easy to access other areas as well as having easy access to the bullet train in Koriyama for longer trips out of the ken. There are many fun festivals in Kenchu, one of the most famous being the Fire Festival in Sukagawa. Enjoy your time in Kenchu!

ASL Bio
Hello! I’m Jackie Koncelik and I’m the ASL for Ken-chu this year! I live in Sukagawa and I’m an ALT at junior high school and preschool. I’m from New Jersey, USA and I’m heading into my third year on the JET Program.

Kenchu’s best feature is that it is in the middle of the prefecture and it’s easy to travel just about anywhere. In Koriyama, there’s access to the Shinkansen for when you want to travel outside of Fuku or many train lines that lead to other great places. In the prefecture, especially Ken-chu, we’ve got tons of awesome festivals so be sure to check them out!

I look forward to meeting you all! Feel free to contact me whenever you have questions or trouble!

E-mail:　jfkoncelik@gmail.com

Area
The Kennan area is the southernmost part of the prefecture and is a collection of small towns and villages. Living in smaller communities means more chances to get involved with events in our towns, enjoy the local restaurants and cafes, and there's never a shortage of free fresh produce and rice from kind neighbors. Kennan offers the best of both worlds; natural beauty and the laid-back, quietness of inaka life while still being connected to major cities like Sendai to the north and Tokyo to the south via shinkansen. Shirakawa, the largest city in our part of Fukushima, was considered the gateway to the north, separating the Kanto area and wild Tohoku. There's no shortage of history in this part of the prefecture and the traditional festivals throughout the year are proof of that.There's a lot to explore and enjoy so I'm sure you'll have a great time in this part of Fukushima.

ASL Bio
Hi everyone. My name is Heather Rogers and I'll be your ASL for 2014-2015. I'm originally from Long Island, New York and will be a 2nd year JET in Yabuki-machi. I teach at 1 junior high, 4 elementary schools, and make weekly visits to kindergarten and nursery schools. Going from an urban environment to the Japanese inaka has been a new experience but I've had a blast so far getting involved with events in town and travelling around Tohoku. I study ceramics and tea ceremony on the weekends and when I get the chance, I like having karaoke sing-offs with other ALTs. I have the cooking skills of a Japanese obachan so if you're ever in need of a free meal and someone to vent to or get advice from on all things Japan, you're always welcome to ask me. I'm also available for sushi-eating contests.

Area
The Soso area encompasses the east coast from just above Iwaki to Miyagi prefecture. Despite the damage of the 3/11 disaster, the hearts of the people who live here remain strong and caring. The two most populous towns in the area are Soma and Minamisoma, and though they lack some of the big city comforts, they make up for it in distinct character. Volunteering opportunities abound here as well so it's worth your time to make a trip over!

ASL Bio
Yo! My name is Jaime and I'm from Philly. I'm entering my third year and I am an Elementary school ALT with kindergarten visits. I live in Minamisoma and couldn't be happier with where I've ended up. My hobbies include learning bass, practicing Judo and playing video games. I'm also an avid weightlifter, albeit an amateur. Feel free to talk to me about anything, I'm here to help!

Email: Saintpetelovesme@gmail.com Tel: 080-6294-6131

Area
Iwaki is located on the south-east coast of Fukushima prefecture and is considered one of the largest cities in Fukushima due to its vast area that encompasses fourteen different municipalities. Taira is the hub of Iwaki and is home to many offices, restaurants, and bars. Elementary and Junior High School ALTs are primarily located in the subdivisions of Taira, Yotsukura, Ueda, Onahama, Yumoto and Chuodai. Iwaki has a temperate climate and is famous for Mehikari, a type of fish that when grilled has eyes that appear to glow. As a semi-rural area, farming of rice and vegetable is also very prominent. Before the nuclear disaster, fishing and seafood was an important part of the local industry but now most seafood is imported.

Transportation in and out of Iwaki can be achieved by bus, train or car. It is a mere two and a half hour train ride on the Joban line from Tokyo (three hours by bus). Koriyama City is about two and a half hours by bus and Aizu-Wakamatsu, just a bit further at about three and a half hours. Fukushima City is also only about two hours away.

Main attractions in the area include Hawaiians, a Hawaiian themed spa resort (Yumoto), Aquamarine Fukushima, and aquarium (Onahama), Yumoto Onsen, one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan (Yumoto), as well as Shiramizu Amidado (Uchigo), one of Japan's national treasures. Recently, a number of beaches closed after the March 11, 2011 Earthquake/Tsunami/Nuclear disaster, have reopened so you can enjoy the summer fireworks and festivals out by the sea. Famous festivals include the Sakura Festival (Spring), Bon Odori (Summer), Iinohachimanguu horseback archery demonstration (Fall), and Mizukake-matsuri water blessing festival (Winter).

ASL Bio
Hi, I'm Xan Wetherall, a 5th-and-final-year Iwaki City ALT JET. In a rare twist, I hail from both New Zealand and Canada! I've lived in two different areas of Iwaki during my time on JET, and experienced a lot more on bicycle, bus, car, train, and foot, and I'm confident I haven't even seen a tenth of it. I teach at ten separate elementary schools on my own, and I love my job! When I'm not up to my eyeballs in tiny children demanding piggyback rides, I love video games, especially the portable kind, cooking, gardening, and eating – I'm a glutton to the last. This year, I'm also stepping into the role of the 2014-2015 National AJET Council's Vice-Chair, so if you're keen to volunteer and get involved with the community on a national or global scale, give me a shout! Welcome to Japan, welcome to Fukushima, and welcome to Iwaki!