Faces of API AJET: Block Representatives

Which Block are You in?

Block 1: Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Akita
Block 2: Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima, Niigata
Block 3: Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Nagano
Block 4: Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Shizuoka
Block 5: Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Gifu, Aichi
Block 6: Shiga, Kyoto, Hyogo
Block 7: Mie, Osaka, Nara, Wakayama
Block 8: Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi
Block 9: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi
Block 10: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita
Block 11: Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa

Yolanda Espiritu
(Aomori, B1)

Hi guys, my name is Yolanda. My nickname is “Yoyo.” I am your Block 1 API AJET Representative! This means I rep. API-AJET members in the Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Akita regions! (What up northerners!) I come from Southern California, and now live in a small town at the tip of Aomori’s Tsugaru peninsula–its kind of the complete opposite of where I come from in terms of weather, and town population/demographics! So it’s been quite an experience! This will be my 2nd year on JET. I look forward to serving and supporting you as the Block 1 Rep, and hanging out with you all sometime soon! Lets make the most of this JET experience! 🙂

Erika Ehren
(Fukushima, B2)

Hey everyone!  My name is Erika Ehren, and I’m your Block 2 API AJET Rep. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu! I’m going into my 3rd year as a JET living in Aizumisato, Fukushima, but I originally hail from the great state of Wisconsin, USA. I grew up just outside of Green Bay, and I even brought my Packer cheesehead with me. I take great enjoyment in making my students wear my cheesy hat during English class. I’m looking forward to serving you as your Block 2 Rep, and hopefully we’ll be able to work together to expand API AJET in the upcoming year!

Christopher De Borja
(Gunma, B3)

Hello all! My name is Christopher David De Borja, but please feel free to call me Chris. I will be serving as one of your Block 3 API AJET Reps and I hail from the crane-shaped cabbage-country prefecture Gunma. I will be going into my fourth year on JET and I am originally from the San Francisco City area in California in the USA. When I’m not snowboarding down the mountains during the winter time, I can be found going on adventures around Japan. In my downtime, I play video games, watch movies at the movie theater, and go karaoke. So if you need a buddy for any of those things, just give me a call! I look forward to supporting you on your JET experience!

Jaime Ota
(Gunma, B3)

Hello, everyone! My name is Jaime Ota, and I’m one of your Block 3 Reps. I’m originally from sunny California, USA, but now live in Gunma, which is at the heart of Japan. This will be my 5th year on JET, and I’ve worked both as an ALT and CIR. I’m a giant geek at heart, so don’t be afraid to come talk to me! I look forward to getting to know everyone and helping you out the best I can.

Rochelle Zheng
(Chiba, B4)

Hi everybody! My name is Rochelle Zheng, and starting this year I’ll be a 2nd-year CIR and your new API AJET Block 4 Rep! Originally from Georgia in the US, I now live in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture. My hobbies include swing dance, ultimate frisbee, and watching ridiculous but wonderfully entertaining variety shows on Japanese TV. I look forward to spending the next year with you all! 😀

Akiyo Horiguchi
(Toyama, B5)

I’m a 3rd-year CIR in Toyama, and one of those few married JETs. (Starting my 4th year according to “JET years,” but I was a late upgrade when I started.) I first started getting involved in API organizations when I was at the University of Southern California, and then I went on to immerse myself in the Japanese-American community in Portland, Oregon, where I lived after graduating from college. I am excited to be part of API AJET! I enjoy running, movies, taiko, and watching college football (Go Trojans!).

Arjan Tulsi
(Hyogo, B6)

Hi! My name is Arjan and I’ll be your Block 6 Rep this year, along with the super handsome Geoff Wen. I live in Akashi City and teach at the High School level. I hope you all have a productive and enjoyable year on JET and if you have a chance please attend one of our Block 6 events!

Geoff Wen
(Shiga, B6)

Hey everyone! My name is Geoff and I currently reside in Shiga-ken where I work at two elementary schools and two kindergartens. I originally am from beautiful sunny California and will be entering my third year on the JET Programme in August. In my free time I like to go to the gym and explore the kansai area and have been known to get down on the dance floor in Kyoto sometimes. I (along with Arjan, your co-block leader) am very excited to be your Block 6 Representative for the upcoming year. I hope to bring fun and engaging events so that we can create a stronger API community in Block 6 and across Japan. If you have any ideas for events please let Arjan or I know and we’ll do our best to make it happen!

Asuka Nagase
(Osaka, B7)

Hi, my name is Asuka Anne Nagase, and I’m an ALT of Kishiwada-shi (famous for the Danjiri Festival), Osaka-fu, entering my 5th year on JET.  I’m a 2nd generation bilingual Japanese American born and raised in San Francisco, California.  I graduated from the University of California, Davis back in 2009, with a double-major in International Relations and Japanese, and a minor in Asian American Studies.  I was very active in the student club Japanese American Student Society for all 4 years, 3 of which I served as an officer.  I represented the local Japanese American community as a 2008 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Princess as well.  My first dream of teaching English in Japan via JET came true soon after that.  That said, I’m sure we can somehow relate.  I look forward to meeting and working with you all.  As the Block Rep of Osaka, I hope to make the most out of my final year on JET, while helping to make things easier for us and to get more people to know/understand who we are. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu  🙂

Mariko Cook
(Okinawa, B11)

A big “haitai” from your Block 11 Representative, kicking it all the way down south in Okinawa! My name is Mariko and I’ll be representing Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Okinawa in API AJET for the year. I hail from the cornfields of Indiana and this is my 2nd year on the JET Programme. I’m excited to see what this year holds for all of us and I can’t wait to meet you all someday. Let’s make this year awesome!