Connect magazine is happy to announce its new team for the 2019-2020 year. These men and women will be working hard to bring you useful, interesting content to help connect you to Japan and the community no matter where you are. Read their profiles and contact information below!
Head Editorial Team | Section Editors | Design and Layout | Social Media | Copy Editors
Head Editorial Team | Section Editors | Design and Layout | Social Media | Copy Editors
![]() | Rachel FagundesEntertainment | Hello! I’m Rachel a third year ALT and entertainment editor of [[CONNECT]]. Originally from California, I was previously the associate editor of Tachyon Publications, and taught a Lit class at UCSC on ethics and social justice in the Harry Potter novels. I’m very fond of comic books, fantasy novels, the Italian Renaissance, and Japanese Festivals. I’m also very excited to be this year’s entertainment editor! So let’s dive right into the wonderful events, strange experiences, and unique entertainment of Japan! |
![]() | Linka WadeEvents | Hello! I’m Linka Wade, and I’m in charge of corralling great events from across Japan and putting them into the event calendar for you to enjoy. I’m from beautiful Monterey, California. I’m a 2nd year ALT living in the cabbage patch of Japan, Gunma Prefecture. I enjoy cooking, occasionally blogging, dragging my husband out to festivals, and not planning a wedding anymore. If you’ve heard of any great events coming up, be sure and let me know! |
![]() | Devoni GuiseFashion and Beauty | Hello All. My name is Devoni and I am the 2019-2020 Beauty and Fashion Editor. I am a second year JET working, living and daydreaming in Saitama. This is my first time working with Connect Magazine and I am so excited to bring new takes on beauty and fashion in Japan. I am from Chicago, IL,USA. Before JET, I worked at drafting materials for The Smart Museum of Art,a great art museum located on the University of Chicago’s campus. In my free time I love gardening, creating art, and reading various nonfiction books. And of course, I’m really into beauty, fashion, and skincare. Follow me on Instagram at @protecthemelanin to keep up with all my discoveries in skincare, beauty and health. |
![]() | Caroline AllenWellness | Hi! I’m Caroline, a first year ALT from Ireland, living in Tottori prefecture. I’ll be helping with the wellness section of this year’s Connect. I love travelling, learning more about different cultures and art. I’m a huge bookworm, so if you have any recommendations, please send them my way! I really hope to meet everyone on this year’s team. I know wellness sounds a bit vague but I’m open to lots of different ideas; apps, mental health support, volunteering, keeping active or anything you think will enhance the wellness of JETs. Please send me your ideas! |
![]() | Rashaad JordenSports | Hi! I’m Rashaad. I’m a JET ALT in Kochi Prefecture. Actually, this is not my first go around in the JET Program, having once worked in Yamagata Prefecture. I’m excited to be the sports section editor. It’s a fitting role for me, considering I have completed full marathons in Kochi City and Tokyo. I was also part of an ekiden team in Yamagata Prefecture. One of the reasons that I’m doing JET this time around is that I can be in the country during the Tokyo Olympics. Actually, the arrival of the Rugby World Cup and the Olympics means that this an exciting time for sports fans in Japan. Aside from sports, I love taiko. I have been a member of taiko groups in both Yamagata and Kochi Prefectures. |
![]() | Clare BraganzaCommunity | Hello! I’m Clare, a first-year JET in the inaka of Fukushima, a.k.a. Lucky Island. I hail from the rolling hills of Hampshire, southern England, but I also lived in Germany before coming here – if you speak German, sag mir Bescheid! I love travelling, languages and trying new things, often throwing myself into crazy activities like playing Quidditch in a blizzard, and abseiling down the 170-metre Spinnaker Tower. More recently, I’ve tried my hand at ikebana and Japanese dance. Have you tried something new in your community? Is there an event coming up that sounds fun? Email me and let me know! P.s any fellow book lovers and writers out there who fancy a chat, drop me a line! |
![]() | Shao Ting HoongTravel | Hello! Shao Ting here, and I’m from the Little Red Dot, Singapore. I’m a multilingual language enthusiast who majored in Linguistics, and am hoping to put my language skills to good use as a first-year ALT in Ueda City, Nagano. When I’m not busy preaching about how amazing Language is, you can find me planning my next trip or blogging about my previous ones – I am happily crossing off my bucket list dedicated to the different parts of Japan by season. Drop me a line if you have some travel insights to share! |
![]() | Valerie OsborneArts | Hi! My name is Valerie and I’m a second year SHS ALT in Fukuoka Prefecture. Originally from Pennsylvania, USA, my time so far in Japan has been full of great experiences and I’m excited to add CONNECT art section editor to the growing list of opportunities being on JET has given me. While my personal favorite medium is writing (hmu with your best poetry!), I enjoy all kinds of art and I’m excited to promote and share all the artistic endeavors the expat community in Japan has to offer! When I’m not busy teaching or desperately trying to figure out Japanese I enjoy reading novels, traveling, singing in the shower, and making ridiculously long Spotify playlists. |
![]() | Tayler SkultetyCulture | Hey all, I’m a fourth year JET living in the historic prefecture of Nara. Originally from Victoria, B.C., Canada, this is my second year working with Connect. I love experiencing all facets of Japanese culture through food, performing arts, nature, literature, etc. Before coming to Japan I was a dedicated museum volunteer and am looking forward to shedding light on different cultural perspectives through Connect. |
Rebecca RuthCulture | / I’m the 2019-2020 connect language section editor, which is new so I am jumping in the deep end! I’m also the National AJET Vice Chair this year. I was Block 6 representative last year, and have been in Hyogo AJET for 3 years now, where I am currently also Vice Chair. I am a 5th year JET, and I consider my time here to have been a net positive as I tried and learned a lot of new things, found some activities I love and aim to continue for years (archery, Brazilian Jiu jitsu), got healthy, and learned to cook (one of the valuable things I learned is that I do not want to eat Japanese food). I’m looking forward to exploring this role and hopefully bringing information and ideas to Connect readers that they might not have otherwise encountered. |
|
![]() | Natalie AndrewsGeneral Section | Hey there, how’s it going? I’m Natalie, a first year ALT from Perth, Australia! My position at Connect is that of the General Section Editor, which means I go around scooping up stories and backing the Section Editors up alongside my co-GSE Jeff. I graduated with a double major in Japanese and Professional Writing & Publishing, both of which I’m hoping will serve me well in my position! I’m into a whole lot of nerd stuff like video games, anime, Gudetama, and fantasy novels (the Stormlight Archive series is insane!), and a whole lot of less-nerdy stuff like badminton and hiking—but my ultimate weakness is mochi ice-cream. If you have any ideas for an article, even if it’s just a vague thought in your head yet to take shape, shoot me an email and we can work on teasing that story out and sharing it with the world! |
![]() | Eli FersterGeneral Section | Hello everyone. I'm a second year ALT from Washington D.C., currently living in southern Kyoto prefecture. My hobbies include writing music, playing Go, and nerding out over Japanese. Before coming to Japan I worked as an essay editor, and I look forward to once again getting to help people express themselves and share their experiences. If you have an idea you need help working out, or a block you just can't seem to get through, feel free to reach out to me! |
Head Editorial Team | Section Editors | Design and Layout | Social Media | Copy Editors
Head Editorial Team | Section Editors | Design and Layout | Social Media | Copy Editors
Head Editorial Team | Section Editors | Design and Layout | Social Media | Copy Editors