Tokyo Alumni Podcast

Tokyo Alumni Podcast

By Nickolas HarrisEducation
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Tokyo Alumni Podcast episodes

  • Tokyo Alumni Podcast Episode 7, Jack Fischl (ASIJ 2006) - Keteka, Peace Corps

    Episode 7 Jack Fischl (ASIJ 2006)


    Jack shares the current situation living in Chile during COVID-19.
    Jack speaks to Nick about joining the Peace Corps (after rejecting a final interview with the San Antonio Spurs). Jack explains about the process is in regards to location designation and what the lifestyle is like for someone who is part of the Peace Corps, and how that experience created a path towards his current business venture.

    He speaks about the inspiration in regards to how Keteka came to fruition as an idea and then a business, and tips for anyone who is going to go into business with a friend (with a brief mention of fellow alum, Shawn Seavers, ASIJ 2006).

    Throughout the interview, he mentions how his background as an ASIJ student, and an international school student had influenced various decisions he had made throughout his career. 

    Jack Fischl
    American School in Japan (2006)
    Entrepreneur (former Peace Corps volunteer)


    Jack attended Boston University, where he majored in Business Administration, with a concentration in International Business.
    After graduating, he joined the Peace Corps as a Community Economic Development volunteer from 2010 to 2012.
    During the Peace Corps, he and two other volunteers began working on ways to connect travelers with community tour operations in developing countries. That idea became Keteka, a website where travelers can find and book the most authentic tours and activities in Latin America, with validated local guides. The two have founded and have been operating Keteka since 2014.


    He currently resides in Santiago, Chile, with his wife, Tamy.

    48 min
  • Tokyo Alumni Podcast: Episode 6, Phil Williams (ASIJ 2000) - Media and Education

    Episode 6 Phil Williams (ASIJ 2000)


    Phil explains to Nick his experience working in the entertainment industry and why he decided to leave the entertainment sector to join the education sector. The two discuss the complex issue of the pros and cons of charter schools in the United States, and how important it is in the time of fake news to develop independent and critical thinkers in the classroom.


    Phil Williams

    American School in Japan (2000)
    Educator (formerly in the entertainment business)
    ​
    Upon graduation from ASIJ, Phil attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he later transferred to Stevenson University where he graduated with a Bachelors in Film, Video, & Theatre, Film Focus, in 2007.
    Phil would go on to freelance in Television Production from 2008-2011, primarily working for shows on Discovery Channel, TLC, Bravo & HGTV including shows such as The Real Housewives of D.C.

    He transitioned into teaching when he began the Inspired Teaching Teacher Certification Program in Washington, D.C. Following his teaching certification program, he was hired in June 2015 as a Lead Teacher at Creative Minds International Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. where he works today.


    He currently resides in the Northwest of Washington D.C.

    43 min
  • Tokyo Alumni Podcast: Episode 5, Andrew Brown (ASIJ 2004) - Education, Tokyo Olympics 2020, Expedia, Morgan Stanley

    Episode 5 Andrew Brown (ASIJ 2004)


    Andrew Brown and Nick discuss Andrews contribution to bringing the Tokyo Olympics 2020 to Japan, his backpacking adventures in Myanmar, life as an international school teacher in Venezuela, and living in China during the outbreak of Covid-19.


    Andrew Brown

    American School in Japan (2004)
    Educator (former PR agent and analyst at Morgan Stanley)

    He attended Pace University and graduated in 2008 with a communications degree.

    After University, he worked for Morgan Stanley, followed by a time at 
    ​Weber Shandwick where he was part of the marketing team which helped Tokyo win the bid to host the 2020 Olympics. After leaving ​Weber Shandwick, he would move on to work for Expedia, and left the company in 2018 to pursue a Masters's degree in International Education.

    Upon earning his Masters and teaching certificate. Andrew began his teaching career in Quito, Ecuador where he taught economics. He currently teaches middle school humanities and high school economics for a school in China.

    47 min
  • Tokyo Alumni Podcast: Episode 3, Vasil Stefanov (ASIJ 2006) - Education, Social Projects, Volunteer Work

    Episode 3: Vasil Stefanov (ASIJ 2006)


    Vasil and Nick discuss the current situation of Peru, where Vasil lives, and how COVID-19 has affected life for Peruvians. Vasil speaks about how his experience growing up as a "TCK", a third-culture child, helped mold him to become an internationally-minded individual, and also praises the educational system ASIJ provided him with that helped him learn how to collaborate with people from international backgrounds. Vasil speaks Bulgarian, Japanese, Spanish and English fluently and shares with us the secrets to how he learned to speak so many languages fluently. Vasil also explains to Nick what life is like being on the front lines as a social project manager in countries around the world, and what he learned working for the UNHRC. At the end of the conversation, Vasil briefly discusses how his experience at St. Marys, an IB school, compared to ASIJ, an AP school.


    Episode 3: Vasil Stefanov 

    American School in Japan (2005)
    Social Project Manager
    ​
    Vasil attended St. Mary’s International School in elementary and middle school. He later moved to ASIJ in high school, where he graduated in the class of 2006.
    Following his graduation from ASIJ, he moved back to his home country, where he studied Political Science at The American University in Bulgaria.
    He earned his Masters’ Degree in International Relations in the Netherlands.

    ​ In his professional career, Vasil has worked for a number of NGOs in the field of development and education. Over the past decade, he has lived in Poland, Singapore, Cambodia, Ecuador, and since 2019 has been living in Cusco, Peru, working as a Project Coordinator and managing teams of international volunteers.

    49 min
  • Tokyo Alumni Podcast: Episode 2, Nate Reasoner (CAJ 2004) - Education

    In this episode, Nate Reasoner and Nick discuss life as an international school teacher. Nate explains how the job fairs for international school teaching positions operate and how his upbringing as a TCK and "halfu" molded his beliefs as an international educator. Nate speaks about his time in Venezuela one year after the controversial elections of Chavez in 2013, and how it is difficult to measure what a "good school" is since it is quite nuanced depending on where in a career an educator may be. Nate feels passionate about international school education and strongly believes international education is how to truly prepare model citizens for the 21st century.   


    Nate Reasoner 

    Christian Academy in Japan (2004)  

    Graduated from Northwestern College with a degree in Physical Education.  Went on to complete a Master's degree in International Education from Framingham State University and have worked as a Physical Education teacher for the past nine years.  His teaching career has taken him all over the world with stops in Venezuela, China, the Czech Republic, and the United Arab Emirates. He currently teaches at an international school in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

    36 min
  • Tokyo Alumni Podcast Episode 1: Jeff O'Harrow (St. Marys 2004) - Business, Entrepreneurship, Banking

    Tokyo Alumni Podcast

    Episode 1: Jeff O'Harrow

    Graduate of St. Mary's International School (2004)

    He attended Lewis and Clark College and graduated from Tulane University in 2008. Upon graduation, he worked for JP Morgan as a broker.

    From 2015 to 2019 he worked for East-West Consulting company, as the companies Senior Consultant & Strategist.

    In 2019, he left the company to start his own business, Tokyo Juice, a health-conscious organic Juice bar located in Jingumae, Omotesando in Tokyo.

    He currently resides in Tokyo, Japan with his wife Yesenia and his son Kai.

    42 min

About Tokyo Alumni Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Interviewing international school alumni from the Tokyo region, the podcasts hope to shed light on the various paths internationals school graduates took to get to where they are today.