60th JASC Info Session

Hello reader,

I hope this finds you warm, happy, and…not stressing out from finals looming around the corner.

Whether you want to believe it or not, we are in the final month of 2008. Looking back, it was an exceptionally busy and significant year: Oil hit $100 a barrel for the first time, the U.S. stock market crash and the devastating effects of the ensuing economic recession, the 8.0M earthquake in Chengdu, the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, Hurricanes Gustav/Hannah/Ike's destruction to the costal regions, PM Fukuda's resignation followed by PM Aso, the series of political crisis in Thailand, Kosovo's independence from Serbia, Barak Obama's election as the 44th U.S. president, the terrorists attacks in Mumbai...

Although this is only a small handful of the wide assortment of current events that affected us all, let's be thankful for the roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, the education system we easily take for granted and… the Internet. Oh, the simple joys of life.

2008 also marked the 60th anniversary of a student exchange program between Japan and the U.S. called JASC.

On the 13th of December, the 60th JECs and Japadeles will have their annual “Houkokukai” or information session of what went on during the 60th. It will be held at Keio University’s Mita campus from 1:30-4:30 PM. Admission is free and open to the general public. If you are interested and are in the Tokyo region, please send an email to lecture.jasc60@gmail.com with your name and contact info. Although it'll be conducted in Japanese, we highly encourage you to drop by and chat with the JASCers.

Reflecting on 2008, countless small incidents rippled out to large-scaled ones, affecting us vulnerable global citizens. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Rather than lamenting on world affairs (like me), take that extra step forward to create change...like attend JASC (hint).


… Ok, no more bla-bla rantings from a delirious sleep-deprived person. I’ll shut up now.