Tokyo Alumni Podcast

Akshaj Alex Mody (SMIS 2012)

Episode Summary

Episode 35 Harshit Sedani (ASIJ 2010)

Episode Summary

-Being a TCK for BOTH Japan and India

Brenden Lynce (Kinnick 2003) - Engineer

Brenden was born in Killeen, Texas. As the son of a Naval officer, he earned his title of 'Military Brat' moving across various states in the US during his youth before finally moving to Japan and graduating from Nile C Kinnick in 2004.  After high school, Brenden spent a couple of years traveling in Asia and performing Music before joining the Military in 2007. He served on the Ballistic Missle Submarine USS Nevada (SSBN 733) as a Nuclear Reactor Operator. During his tour, he completed a historic Refueling and Overhaul of an SSBN Reactor and received several awards for tackling rare reactor casualties during Sea Patrols. ​ After the Navy Brenden went to work as an Engineering Technician for Intel in Phoenix, Arizona repairing Plasma Etching equipment for the Semiconductor Manufacturing Process. While in Arizona, Brenden fell prey to one of the dreaded American Plagues of gun violence, receiving a bullet to the chest. After recovery, Brenden took a couple of years away from his career and traveled the Major Metropolitan areas exploring the Political, Economical, Mental, and Cultural issues surrounding America.  Brenden then turned his focus back to his career, moving to Austin, Texas, becoming an Equipment Engineer for Cypress Semiconductor (now Infineon Technologies). In Austin, Brenden is researching the importance of the Electrical quality and coherency of food and water, and its effects on Mental and Physical Health. He also mentors Men and Youth on self-awareness and how to avoid the cultural pitfalls of America that will prohibit their version of success in the future. Via these, Brenden intends to start a Non-Profit that tackles some of what he observes as the base issues plaguing America. An Industrialized food system that exacerbates Physical and Mental Health Issues. The improper socialization of youth, including the use of electronic technologies, leading to a host of increasing effects that are left up to political and economic infighting to resolve.  

Episode Summary

Episode 33  

Tom graduated from ASIJ in 2007 and attended the University at Buffalo to study biochemistry. Upon earning his bachelors he would go on to attend the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he earned his M.D. and D.O. ​ He has been dabbling with magic tricks since he was a little kid, but it wasn’t until high school when he received one-on-one training with a magician in the Philippines that he fell in love with the craft.  He continued to showcase his magic tricks throughout medical school, especially to entertain patients. Tom believes that by sharing magic with patients has provided him with a purpose and more fulfilling medical school experience. It has been a way for him to combine his two passions in life, which he said is his advice to students just beginning medical school.  He currently works at the University of Pittsburgh's internal medicine department.  

Episode Summary

Episode 32: Yumi Araki (ASIJ 2006)

Journalist (Senior Producer and Editorial Lead of a media lab)

​Yumi (Youme) Araki was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and raised in Tokyo where she was a “lifer” at the American School in Japan, attending from kindergarten through high school.

Upon graduating in 2006, she attended Boston University’s College of Communication to pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and spent her formative years after graduation producing documentaries at a production company. She then earned her master’s degree at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and began working for the Washington D.C. bureau of Japan’s largest newspaper, The Yomiuri Shimbun.

After covering the 2016 presidential election, Yumi moved on to work as a producer at “On Point,” a daily news show on Boston’s NPR station, and currently produces short documentaries and podcasts for a Washington-based defense think tank.

Most recently, she hosted a four-part TV docuseries called Deciphering Japan, which explores hot-button issues that have both galvanized and polarized the nation. She interviews the people at the forefront of change in Japan.​

Docu-series on Japan,

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video-on-demand/deciphering-japan

Podcast Summary

-What ignited interest in journalism,

-The importance of being versatile in multimedia in modern-day journalism,

-Will print media (in Japan) die out completely?

-Writing for sound v writing for print,

-Is media content changing to adjust to the demographics or the other way around?,

-Japans increase in foreign population,

-Japans aging population/population in decline,

-"karoushi", and Japanese work culture,

​-The culture of work at the Japanese workplace,

-Yumis identity and how Japanese perspective in regards to "identity" is shifting (*shout out to Naomi Sundberg class of 2008 who makes an appearance on episode 4 of "Deciphering Japan"

-How did the series, "Deciphering Japan" come-about?

Youtube Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L56x7ID3fdA&feature=youtu.be

Anchor Link

Caleb Eby (CAJ 2003) Missionary ​ 

Caleb was born and raised in Tokyo and attended Christian Academy in Japan (CAJ) from K-12.  After receiving a degree in Intercultural Studies and a Minor in TESOL from Emmaus Bible College, he returned to Japan and worked several months in the headquarters of CRASH (Christian Relief, Assistance, Support, Help) during the initials months of the Tohoku disaster relief work.  Later that same year he moved to Gifu where he worked 5 years in the Japanese public schools as an English teacher while doing missionary work on the side. Since 2016 he has been working as a full-time missionary in the Tokai region while still based in Gifu. He is part of a network called No Place Left that seeks to empower Japanese Christians to take the message of Jesus to their own circles of influence until all have had a chance to hear. ​ He is currently still living in Gifu city with his wife, Amy, and two sons.  

EPISODE Summary 

-Rescue work with CRASH (Christian Relief, Assistance, Support, Help) after the Tohoku earthquake, -The demographic of Christianity in Japan and in Gifu, -Changes needed with the way Japanese churches recruit, -How No Place Left networks and operates, -What the day to day operations like being a missionary, -Bible College, and why "Gifu prefecture". -CAJ in comparison to schools in Gifu, -Strengths and weaknesses of Christian Academy Japan (CAJ) from an alums perspective.

Tokyo Alumni Podcast: Episode 30 ​Mobi Fehr (former Santa Maria and CAJ)  

Mobi was born in New York, USA. He attended Santa Maria elementary school, and the Christian Academy Japan (CAJ) from 7th to 9th grade.   He has been playing soccer competitively from a young age, and played for Tokyo Verdy Youth and represented the USA national team at the U-17 World Cup in 2011 as a teenager. At the U-17 World Cup, he was one of the main players to lead the USA to the final 16 of the tournament.  He has played for numerous professional teams, including H.A. Gia Lai FC, SC Sagamihara, Portland Timbers, and currently for the Las Vegas Lights.   He primarily plays a defensive midfield role, but is also capable of playing central and right midfield positions.  He is a global citizen with three passports, Japan, USA, and Swiss passports, while being bilingual in Japanese and English.  

Mobi talks to Nick about having multiple passports, and how he ended up being scouted to play for the US U-17 team when he was a youth player for Tokyo Verdy.  Mobi explains to Nick about how the footballing culture at the youth level differed in the three countries he played during his teen years, Switzerland, the USA, and Japan. Mobi also talks about how his multi-cultural background has helped him with communication skills on the pitch, and has helped him become an overall player.  Mobi and Nick talk about development for young soccer players, and Mobi explains his positions in regards to "3-sports a year" vs "1-sport a year" for youth level players. Mobi explains to Nick struggles he has faced as a professional footballer and what the most difficult aspect of being a professional athlete is.  The two discuss the philosophical element of sports, whether or not nature or nurture is the driving factor of success as Mobi reflects on his professional career in regards to different players he has encountered in the past.  Mobi speaks to Nick about how his international experience at Santa Maria and CAJ helped him now as a professional soccer player, because it exposed him from a young age to various ethnicities, nationalities, and languages.   Timestamp 0:05 Introduction 0:59 Experience playing at the U-17 World Cup 2:12 Getting scouted at Tokyo Verdy Youth

Megan Gates (ASIJ 1987) (Former ISSH & YIS) Lawyer

Episode 29 Megan Gates (ASIJ 1987) (Former ISSH & YIS)

Anna Lorentz (ASIJ 2009) and Alissa Lorentz (ASIJ 2005)

Episode 28

Episode 27: Ayaka "Faith" Suzuki (ASIJ 2006)  

Faith explains to Nick what triathlons and Iron Man races are, and the two go on to discuss how the demographics of triathlons compare to the demographics of marathon runners. Faith explains to Nick why triathlons have gained a reputation of being a sport for the wealthy, and what type of data has been used to substantiate these claims. Faith explains to Nick that however, it is still possible for someone to participate with a lesser income, but that the main barrier of entry is purchasing a high function bicycle, which many people spend a few thousand dollars on.  ​ Faith explains to Nick her personal experience as a triathlete, and how her participation in triathlons are often not a cheap activity. The events often cost at least $400 per event and flights/hotels on top of that. Faith explains to Nick why the cost of triathlons is more expensive than marathons, and how security, safety, and staffing often increase the cost in comparison to your local home town 5K.  Faith mentions how weight can work for or against you when it comes to biking in triathlon, especially depending on the course's wind and uphill/downhill.  Faith explains to Nick how categorization is done in triathlon, and how she hopes to see more women get involved in the sport, especially in Asia. She is part of a non-profit with a mission to advocate for a higher percentage involvement with triathlons, and why it's so important to not only get a woman involved with triathlons but various minority groups more involved in a sport which has been historically heavily white and male.