2026 JETAA Chicago officer elections are on the horizon!

It is election time! Elections are Monday, March 2nd, so come take part and have your voice heard as we kick off the 2026-2027 term!

Interested in stepping up to help guide our local community? Or just wanting to participate in the democratic process? Check out all of the details for the 2026 JETAA Chicago Officer Elections below.

For those interested, here is a quick timeline for the next month:

• Complete this form to indicate your interest in running by Wednesday, February 18.

• Submit your platform by Wednesday, February 25 (you will receive the submission link once you have completed the previous form).

• Platforms for all candidates will be shared with the community on Saturday, February 28.

• Sign up for the March 4 meeting to receive your electronic ballot.

• Attend the open board meeting on Monday, March 2. Alumni will have the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates then.

• Polls will be open from 12PM to 7PM CST on Monday, March 2, and results will be announced shortly after!

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Prior to submitting your interest, please take a moment to review the Community Norms and Agreements. All officers are expected to embody these guidelines as leaders and work to cultivate a community built on equitable practices and respectful behavior that fosters belonging at all times.

All members of JETAA Chicago and its sub-chapters are eligible to vote in the elections, and as always, all positions are open and any member of our community may run. For details on each, please see the descriptions here. And please, feel free to reach out to current board members as well. We can be reached at info@jetaachicago.com and all of our emails are on the JETAA Chicago website, if you have any questions.

Full details for participating in the elections will be shared later this month. We hope to see you soon!

Join the annual Bowlnenkai this Sunday!

Strike up some fun with JETAA Chicago this Sunday, February 1!

Don't miss our annual, cosmic bowling event this weekend! Join your fellow alumni to connect, network, and enjoy a little friendly competition. All skill levels are welcome, so don’t worry if you’re not a pro bowler. It's $5 to reserve your spot and JETAA Chicago will cover the rest! Two hours of bowling, shoe rental, pizza and soft drinks are all included!

Event Date: Sunday, February 1, 2026

Event Time: 2:45 PM - 5:00 PM CST

Location: Waveland Bowl

Address: 3700 N Western Ave Chicago, IL 60618

Sign up here!

Questions? Contact us at info@jetaachicago.com or president@jetaachicago.com.

This event is for JET alumni only.

Survey response request from people who lived in Japan

Have you visited or lived in Japan and experienced cross-cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan? Your experience could help improve Japanese language education!

My name is Maayan Barkan, and I am the director of the Japanese Program and a Japanese language instructor at Hunter College of the City University of New York. I am conducting research on cultural differences between the United States and Japan, and I would love to hear about your experiences.

Who Should Fill This Survey Out?

Please fill out the following survey only if you are someone who:

• Grew up in the U.S.

• Has the experience of visiting/living in Japan

• Had any kind of cross-cultural experience while visiting/living in Japan

  
  

Survey Link:

https://cunyhunter.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8jDw9fdvHeTnVz0

How Your Experience Helps:

Your cross-cultural experiences provide authentic, real-world examples of how Japanese and American cultural norms differ. This information will help us:

• Identify specific situations where cultural miscommunication is likely

• Understand which aspects of Japanese culture are most surprising to Americans

• Develop Japanese language teaching materials that raise students' awareness of these differences and equip them to communicate effectively within Japanese sociocultural norms and expectations

• Create a curriculum that addresses real cultural challenges, not stereotypes

  
  

What's Involved:

• One anonymous online survey

• Estimated completion time: 10 minutes

  
  

Share With Others:

If you know other Americans who have visited or lived in Japan, please feel free to forward this survey. The more diverse experiences we collect, the better we can support Japanese language learners.

IRB Approval:

This study has been approved by the Hunter College Institutional Review Board.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this research, please contact me at: Maayan Barkan at mbarkan@hunter.cuny.edu 

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Your insights will make a real difference in how we teach Japanese language and culture!

Best regards,

Maayan Barkan

Japanese Program Director

Department of Classical & Oriental Studies

Hunter College, CUNY

mbarkan@hunter.cuny.edu