July 10th was a perfect summer evening to sail by the Toronto skyline. That’s exactly what dozens of JETAA members did along with members of JAVA and CJS, coming together for an awesome summer boat cruise. The sold out evening with over 250 Canadian and Japanese participants included two floors of talented DJs and well stocked bars.
The photo-worthy sunset over the lake perfectly complimented the bright yukatas that dotted the boat.
A culinary adventure by Sabeen Abbas
The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) is located just off the Don Valley Parkway at Wynford Drive. After a stop-and-go ride through post-work traffic, my mom and I arrive a few minutes late for Chef Shoji’s manju and mochi workshop at the JCCC. We sneak into the class as he demonstrates how to mix a paste for dorayaki – a red bean stuffed pancake. He shows us his kitchen tools – two heavy iron skillets with nine circular holes, branding irons with kanji characters. He drops the dorayaki mix made with flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, sugar, soya sauce, and mirin into the iron skillet. He has bent the length of his measuring spoon so that it hooks over his mixing bowl. When bubbles form on one side, he lifts up the pancake with a knife and flips them onto a hot tray to cook the other side. Chef Shoji is a retired auto mechanic who brings a methodical approach from his years of fixing cars to fixing up desserts. There is a tool for everything, he instructs us, and if there isn’t you have to make one.
Call for 11 Applicants to Represent Canada in Once-in-a- Lifetime
Opportunity to Tour Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and India as Part of
Japan’s Ship For World Youth Program
The Canadian Ship for World Youth Alumni Association is pleased to announce that Canada has once again been selected to participate in the Ship for World Youth (SWY) program (http://www.swycanada.org). The official invitation for Canada’s participation was sent by the Embassy of Japan in Ottawa to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Tourism Agency are inviting JET Alumni to participate in an Invitation Programme to Visit Disaster Stricken Areas in Tohoku.
Interested alumni must have worked for two or more years as a CIR or ALT in Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture or Sendai City.
The application deadline is July 11, 2011.
Please see the document below for more details. If you have any further questions, contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate General of Japan in your home country. JETAA Toronto members can contact the JET Desk at the Consulate General of Japan in Toronto.
By Lindsay Tsuji
Former JET and Toronto-based author J.M. Frey was first inspired to write her latest novel in an onsen in Fukuoka. She eventually managed to accomplish her dream of publishing a novel before she was 30.
Since returning to Canada, Frey has completed a master’s degree in communications and currently works for the Writers Guild of Canada as a researcher. Frey has kept busy by getting involved with the Toronto Geek Community, co-hosting a podcast on DorkShelf.com, and appearing on TV as an expert in fandom culture.