Current Situation of MTEC/AVT as of May 13

Dear former participants of MTEC & AVT,
Hello, this is Tom Maekawa, Chief Instructor of MTEC, JICE Okinawa Office in OIC.

How are you doing? I’m sorry that I’ve not written you for a long time.
But I certainly heard or read how hard you’ve been working in respective countries. I’ve been glad and proud of you.

It is needless to say that the dissemination of the Internet has shortened the distance between us, MTEC/AVT family in the world.
For an example, an incident which occurred somewhere in the world several minutes ago can travel all over the world in a moment via an e-mail, e blog, facebook, Picasa or Youtube. And the technology enables us to discuss it with someone in the world.

Now, let me make an important announcement about the continuity of MTEC/AVT.

Some of you may already know, but here are the situation of MTEC/AVT as of today.

-JICE Okinawa Office (the administrative office of MTEC/AVT) will be closed on December 31st, 2011.
-Most employees under JICE such as training coordinators, administrative staff, part of MTEC staff will be transferred to JICA/OIC.
-Due to the close of the office, JICE will not take part in bidding for MTEC training in and after this fiscal year (2011) -For the fiscal year 2011, the number of MTEC training courses will be decreased from 4 to 2, namely “Digital Video Production” and “IEC”
courses.
-JICA/OIC is planning to have bidding for “digital video course” and “IEC course” probably in July.
-NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, meaning Japan Broadcasting Corporation, Japan’s national public broadcasting organization) has been showing its interest in operating DVP and IEC courses.
-NHK has asked JICE to work together as a JV, but JICE has shown reluctance about the idea.
-NHK may recruit some MTEC staff to implement the training courses.
-Some dealings may be starting soon.

Let me confirm that JICE made a decision NOT to operate any training courses in JICA OIC. And NHK may start headhunting of MTEC staff, since NHK is interested in implementation of DVP and IEC courses.

That is all for now. I feel sorry if I made you worried, but I promise that I will inform you our situation if I get to know anything further.

Bye for now,
Maekawa

Dedicated to the one I love

"Dedicated to the one I love" is the album title by Linda Ronstadt. I believe this of my photo movie deserve the same title.

Ms. Yuka Nakayama is leaving MTEC today. Just sad.


Though we miss her terribly, I believe that she will be happier.

Do you remember him?

Welcome to MTEC

Two gone, but one joined.
From today, MTEC has a new instructor, Yuka Nakayama.

(In the photo above, Yuka is 4th from left)

She worked in Tanzania for two years in the field of HIV/AIDS act.
Here is her blog.

Isn't is wonderful to retain the skill of the local language (Swahili) after returning?

Just cannot believe this!

MTEC without you cannot be imagined!!
But it is true that you are leaving MTEC and start new career as a faculty of Okinawa International University.


I would like to take this opportunity to express my BIG appreciation for everything you did for us all and wish you the best of luck in your future.

Last day in MTEC

I'm sure that many MTEC alumni got shocked to receive an e-mail today, saying it is her last day in MTEC.

Chiho Yoshida, an outstanding (and charming) instructor of MTEC, is leaving after working here for one and half years. After graduating from a university, she joined JOCV (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer) to work in Burkina Faso for two years. She stayed in MTEC for about a month as an intern before that.
Upon her return, she joined MTEC. She was in charge of many subjects, but what impressed us more was her activeness to enjoy the life. Playing badminton, diving, drinking, parties, etc.
Where there were happy MTEC participants, there was Chiho. Right?

After leaving us, she will return her home in mainland Japan. Then she has a plan to continue her study at a graduate school.
In the future, she says, she will be back to the field of international cooperation. So, everyone,
you can look forward to meeting her or working with her!

This is the very first post on Chiho in MTEC blog:
38. Message from other MTEC family in Burkina Faso

Solar Eclipse 2009

Just play it!

Shooting Practice by MTEC Instructors

Please check out this!


There will be a solar eclipse observed in Japan next week.
MTEC is planning to shoot video and photos. Prior to this, we had practice of it.
Can you guess where in OIC is it?

See you soon! But.....

Why?
This is what this person has been asking without getting any proper answer.

Kiyuna san has left MTEC for a while, because he completed his 3-year contract with our organization. Due to the Labor Standards Act of Japan (maybe...), the workers in his job category cannot continue the next contract immediately after completion. This case, there should be at least three months' interval before the next contract.

I don't know how to write this case:
Whether... there are participants in need, but there is no contract.
Or........ there is no contract, but there are participants in need.