Mariko Cook (沖縄県)
API AJET National Co-Representative 2014-2015
Hello APIers!
My name is Mariko Cook, and I’m wrapping up my second year as a CIR on the lovely island of Okinawa. Some of you may know me from being Block 11 Representative this past year or perhaps from certain posts on our Facebook group. With Aimee leaving to go back to the U.S. this summer, I was asked if I had any interest in becoming the next National Co-Representative for Asian Pacific Islander AJET. I, of course, said yes! Having worked alongside Albert David and Aimee since last summer, I believe I can contribute a lot to the group and already have a number of new ideas in mind. Feel free to add me on Facebook or email me at api@ajet.net anytime!
I’m looking forward to getting to know you all and to better improve our community across Japan! よろしくお願いします!
Albert David R. Valderrama (茨城県)
National Co-Representative 2014-2015
Greetings, everyone!
My name is Albert David Valderrama. I am an ALT-PA in Ibaraki Prefecture and co-founder of Asian Pacific Islander AJET. Over the past year, we have been able to extend our reach to more and more areas across Japan, and we are constantly looking for more ways to reach out to all of the current JETs, as well as potential JETs and JET alumni around the world. We began as a small group of people hoping to make sense of the A.P.I. experience in Japan, which seemed vastly different from the generalized foreigner experience often touted in guidebooks and testimonials. From that, we have grown into one of the largest AJET Special Interest Groups in the country.
We are excited for the year ahead, and we hope you join us in sharing our experiences together. Let’s make this year into another great year.
Asian Pacific Islander AJET 