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Episode 95 features two-time Newbery Medal winner Lois Lowry, author of The Giver and Number the Stars. In the late 1940s, Lois arrived in post-WWII Tokyo as an American military kid. She remembers a city still recovering from war. Cars ran on charcoal burners. Kids were told not to eat ice cream because the water was said to be contaminated. Shibuya looked nothing like the Tokyo of today. Each morning a bus picked her up for seventh grade at what students then called the Meguro School, now the American School in Japan. In this conversation, Lois shares: What it was like to be a blonde, blue-eyed kid who stood out everywhere she went in 1940s TokyoThe small victory of learning to ask for milk in JapaneseThe Japanese teacher and administrator who protected the school through the warThe remarkable story connecting her to illustrator Allen SayA school bus driver she never forgotHow her Tokyo years shaped her as a writerThe Giver being challenged and banned in schools across America, and still reaching 27 languages and more than 12 million copiesHer upcoming novel Building 903, a dystopian story about censorship and book banning, out September 29We close with a rapid-fire round of quick questions, every one of them about books. This is my final episode of the summer. Only about 3-5% of podcasts make it to triple digits.... more episodes coming later this year, and Episode 100 is only five away.

Episode 94 features Don Lee, a Guggenheim Fellow and award-winning author whose novel Country of Origin won both the American Book Award and the Edgar Award. Don also edited the literary journal Ploughshares for nearly two decades. Don grew up as the son of a US State Department officer in Tokyo and Seoul and attended ASIJ. We talk about growing up multicultural, his hope to be read as "a writer" rather than "an Asian writer," why Hawaii is where he feels he belongs most, and his advice from years of teaching creative writing (including "don't try too hard to be literary"). We also get into how AI has changed his process, and close with a rapid-fire round on books. Listen now on Spotify.

There are very few Westerners who knew Osamu Tezuka, the god of manga, personally. Fred Schodt is one of them. Fred arrived in Tokyo as a teenager in the 1960s and went on to become the godfather of English-language manga translation, the person who introduced the medium to the West with his 1983 book Manga! Manga!. He became Tezuka's friend and interpreter, and his translations, Astro Boy, Phoenix, Barefoot Gen, Ghost in the Shell, Urasawa's Pluto, are the versions a whole generation grew up reading. Japan awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun, and he sits in the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame. In this episode we trace it back to the beginning: his ASIJ years, learning Japanese, and the college roommates who first handed him Tezuka's Phoenix. We talk about Dadakai, the short-lived translation group he formed with Jared Cook and friends Sakamoto Shinji and Ueda Midori, and how he and Jared later reunited to translate the full Phoenix series, work that continues today on a brand-new edition. We get into the near-impossible craft of carrying Japanese wordplay and onomatopoeia into English, his prescient early writing on Japanese robotics, an engineer's prediction that "in the end, software wins," and what it all says about today's AI moment and the future of translation. A living bridge between Japan and the West, in his own words.

In Episode 92 I sit down with Adam Platt, chief restaurant critic at New York Magazine for 22 years, James Beard Award winner, and son of a US diplomat who grew up eating across Taiwan, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tokyo before landing at ASIJ in the mid-1970s. We get into how he fell into food criticism, how the profession has changed across his career, and why ASIJ felt like a pocket of America inside Japan. We dig into the famous Bourdain claim that Tokyo is the best food city in the world, why Adam thinks it only overtook Paris around the 2010s, what makes Tokyo different from New York, and the twist from his upcoming book: many chefs now name Bangkok as the next great food capital. We also land on something every Tokyo international school grad knows, that feeling of leaving at 18 and realizing no American city quite matches the food you grew up with.

In episode 83 of the Tokyo Alumni Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming Joshua Thomson, a model, actor, and content creator who has hundreds of thousands of followers across various social media platforms. Joshua's videos, which have garnered tens of millions of views, resonate deeply with culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, especially those with international schooling backgrounds. Joshua has a unique educational journey, having started in a Japanese elementary public school, transitioning to the Christian Academy Japan (CAJ) during his middle school years, and then returning to the Japanese public school system for high school. Although Joshua isn't an international school graduate, his unique experiences make him an integral part of the international school community.

Welcome to Episode 82 of the Tokyo Alumni Podcast. Today, I'm excited to have Justin Novak join me. A standout alumnus from the ASIJ Class of 2014, Justin has made significant strides in the world of professional baseball. He's currently the bullpen catcher for the Seattle Mariners, a role that keeps him with the team for all 162 regular-season games, plus playoffs. Despite his demanding schedule, Justin took the time to join me for the 82nd episode. During his time at ASIJ, Justin was nothing short of a baseball legend, leading his team to two Far East titles and an undefeated season of 27 wins to 0 losses during his senior year. He also excelled in college, helping his Division I team (University of Virginia) clinch a national championship in his freshman year. A s a fellow baseball enthusiast, I was truly inspired by Justin’s positive energy and deep insights into the sport. In today's episode, we delve into his journey through international school and college baseball, and discuss how one can seek out a career in the MLB.

There is no way Steve Harris could have predicted he would spend 43 years in Japan.   Born in San Francisco, California, on Halloween in 1958, his family would soon cross the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County, where they settled in the city of San Rafael. His first encounter with foreign language learning consisted of two terrible years of middle school German, a language he chose because his mother’s side of the family immigrated to the San Francisco Bay Area after fleeing Nazi Germany.    His talent for foreign languages would emerge during his years of study of Spanish at San Rafael High School, where at the age of 16 he would also meet his future wife, a Japanese girl from Tokyo who happened to be studying there for one year. The relationship prompted him to begin studying Japanese upon entering the University of California at Berkeley in 1976.    He enjoyed his Japanese studies so much that he declared Japanese as his major and took advantage of Berkeley’ study-abroad program to spend a year at ICU in Tokyo during his junior year. Though he spent his last year back at Berkeley, the appeal of Tokyo was so strong for him that he decided to try to find work there right after graduation in the summer of 1980.   This led to a 17-year stint as a freelance translator and interpreter and then a 17-year stint as a Japanese language teacher at The American School in Japan.    He left ASIJ in June of 2014 and has since been freelancing from his home, which is walking distance from the ASIJ campus.   TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - 2:18 - Introduction 3:47 - 4:33 - "17 years"   4:34 - 7:38 - Being an ASIJ parent vs ASIJ faculty / why ASIJ? 7:39 - 13:22 - Is sending a child to an international school worth the cost?   13:23 - 17:00 - Working at ASIJ from 1997-2014 / Leaving ASIJ 17:01 - 22:09 - Living in Japan for 40+ years - moving to Japan in the 1970s 22:09 - 22:36 - How to become bilingual   22:36 - 27:34 - Memories of ASIJ 27:35 - 36:49 - Soccer - ASIJ Soccer & working as a Japan Futsal Director 36:50 - 39:53 - Creating the ASIJ "Tama Cup"   39:54 - 44:12 - ASIJ Squad of 23 players (mid-2000s-mid-2010s team) 44:13 -46:47 - What is coming up next

Taeuk Kang (KISJ 2022) Stanford University student Taeuk Kang was born in Gyeongnam but moved to Jeju, where he attended Korea International School, Jeju Campus for 11 years. He plans to spend the next four years at Stanford University, CA studying Computer Science. He was awarded the Talent Award of Korea in 2020 among 100 Korean citizens for their exemplary talents. His early interest in computers led him to software development. Since then, he has developed multiple projects and apps for both open source and businesses. One of his most recent projects is the LiveCorona Map, an open source COVID visualization tool and information source. As one of the project leads, he automated the statistic collections and created a public pharmacy mask map. The project had been adopted by the Jeju government as the COVID status website early on during the pandemic. He also enjoys creating hobby projects such as a multi-source language dictionary and a failed cloud hosting reseller startup. Now, Taeuk is preparing to study Computer Science at Stanford University, specializing in the Artificial Intelligence area. He wishes to pursue a professional career in a related field. TIMESTAMP 1:35 - Introduction 3:18 - Why choose Stanford University over Harvard University? 7:45 - How to get into Stanford, Harvard and Columbia University? Are hagwons and consultants worth it? 9:40 - What gave you an edge over other applicants? Are sports and extracurriculars needed to get into a prestigious University? 17:04 - How do you find something you are genuinely passionate in? 25:50 - Attending Korea International School Jeju / life in the GEC 34:10 - The advantage of attending international school over public school 36:55 - What do you envision doing ten years from now (2032)

Amelia Juhl (Seisen 1998) Design Research Director    Amelia is a Design Research Director at IDEO Tokyo. She brings more than 20 years of experience leading creative projects of all sizes. At IDEO, she has worked on projects such as redesigning medical products for the elderly, new beauty experiences for millennials, and systemic redesigns for agriculture. Previously, she worked as a Strategic Planner at a marketing agency, working on CRM or campaigns for global companies such as Nissan, Microsoft and P&G.   Her current passion is in adding life-centered principles to her human-centered approach. She is excited to lend her expertise in innovation to help businesses be more regenerative by design for the next decade.   TIMESTAMP 1:18 - Introduction 3:30 - How to become a Design Researcher 7:35 - How experiences at Seisen helped Amelia with group work 11:05 - Cross-cultural fluency at IDEO & Bilingual education 19:57 - Why should parents send their children to Seisen / International schools? 22:30 - Identity for international school ”インター” kids 26:40 - Working as a woman in Japan 33:23 - Most memorable teacher at Seisen 37:58 - What is to come

Alexander Minami Redhead St. Mary's International School (2003)   Today our guest is a Portfolio Manager at Montrachet Capital. Today our guest attended St. Mary's International School for 13 years (Class of 2003), he later went to study at Tufts University where he earned a dual degree in Mathematics and Psychology. Prior to his current role, he worked at several investment banks in Tokyo and New York including Lehman Brothers, Credit Suisse, and Nomura Securities.    In 2019, he joined Montrachet Capital, a multi-family office in Singapore, and runs the portfolio management group, helping wealthy individuals invest for the future. During his time in Singapore, he became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, interviewed and translated several books in Japanese for the legendary investor Jim Rogers, and helped numerous clients immigrate from Japan.    He is currently active within the St. Mary's Alumni Association (SMAA), heading the Finance Group as well as the Singapore chapter, and enjoys sharing his no bullsh*t opinion to those seeking career advice. He looks forward to resuming 11-aside football when COVID measures are eased, but enjoys Crossfit and Tennis in the meantime.    TIMESTAMP 1:30-2:40 - Introduction 3:13-4:50 Intro from Alex 5:05-12:44 - The International School "bubble"  and being bi-cultural 12:45-17:26 - Joining the industry of "Finance" / SMAA and internships 17:27-22:57 - What kept Alex in finance/in what ways can high school students equip themselves to work in the industry of finance? 22:58-25:35 - Moving from investment banking to portfolio management   25:36-35:06 - Is popular cultures illustration of WallStreet bankers accurate?/working hours in finance 36:07-41:05 - Jim Rogers 41:06-46:35 - St. Marys shout outs 46:36-49:35 - The importance of HS athletics at international schools 49:36-52:40 - What is to come

Lina Yamashita (ASIJ 1997-2003) *Graduate of ISM (Philippines 2004) Program Director at VIA (Nonprofit)   Lina Yamashita is Program Director at VIA, an international education nonprofit based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she develops programs that promote cross-cultural understanding between Asia and the U.S.  Her experiences living in Japan*, Singapore, and the Philippines have shaped her commitment as an educator to highlight diverse perspectives, especially those that are less visible.  Lina earned a doctorate in Education from UC Davis, a master’s degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology & Environmental Studies from Oberlin College.  Outside of work, Lina enjoys making latte art, reading contemporary and historical fiction, and spending time with her husband and son.   TIMESTAMP 1:06-3:20 - Introductions 3:20-7:58 - Being a TCK - switching from a Japanese school to an international school 7:59- 10:01 - Cross cultural understanding in medicine   10:02-13:28 - What is home for a TCK/international citizens/mixed race? 13:29-17:34 - Raising a tri-cultural child 17:35-23:10 - Attending ASIJ (Japan) ISM (Philippines) and SAS Singapore 23:11-27:40 - Lasting impact of ASIJ 27:41-30:53 - What is to come

Christopher Harris (EIS 2015) Associate at The Early Stage Banking Team   He is an American National born and raised in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.  ​During his time in Honduras, he attended SERAN Bilingual School, Escuela Internacional La Lima for and graduated from Escuela Internacional Sampedrana in 2015.  He earned a bachelors in Business Administration from Northeastern University. During his time at Northeastern, Chris was involved with the IDEA Venture Studio on campus and did co-ops in accounting and asset management. During his senior year at Northeastern, Chris was part of the founding of Disrupt, the Fintech Initiative at Northeastern, aimed at building a community on campus at the intersection of finance and technology. ​  He now works as an Associate at The Early Stage Banking team at Silicon Valley Bank in San Francisco learning and building relationships with young startups, founders, and investors from the Bay Area.   TIMESTAMPS 0:43 - Introduction 3:28 - Do you identify more with American or Honduran culture? 7:14 - The role of language and how it affects personality and socialization 10:27 - Where do international school grads from Central America go after high school? 13:54 - What is the most common misconception about Honduras? 16:21 - Why Honduras? + How did Chris's experience compare at Seran v La Lima v San Pedro? 21:40 - Extracurricular activities at international schools 24:29 - Would you send your own children to an international school? 32:10 - What is to come?

John Mikton (Former ASIJ Tech Coach 2000-2005) Deputy Principal at the International School of Luxembourg   I am a bi national Swiss-American born and raised in Switzerland, in the Nyon area, and grew up in a bilingual home with an American father and Swiss Mother, and was educated in Switzerland and England, I studied in the United States for my Bachelor's, Teaching Certification and Masters. Currently I am the Head of Education and Media Technology/ Deputy Principal at the International School of Luxembourg.  I am a trainer and course designer at the Principal Training Center and Teacher Training Center. , a Learning2 Community Coach and trainer at the Institut de formation de l’Éducation nationale du Luxembourg.  I have 25 years experience working in Education and Media Technology and 17 years as a Leadership Team member in International Schools.( International School of Tanganyika, Western Academy of Beijing, American School in Japan, International School of Prague, Inter Community School Zurich and currently in Luxembourg)   I share my learning and passion for digital fluency at : https://beyonddigital.org https://digitallife.live/    I also co-host a podcast focused on international education, innovation, creativity, and learning  https://www.theinternationalschoolspodcast.coma TIMESTAMP 1:27 - Introduction 3:36 - An introduction to Japanese/Asian culture, moving to San Francisco 6:08 - Being part of the JET program at Saitama, Japan 9:20 - Going back to Japan to work at ASIJ 11:22 - International school faculty/schools lack of or success in integrating with local cultures 17:53 - is the "lifer" teacher who stays in one country for 20-30 years something of the past? 22:16 - IB v AP 27:13 - The International Schools Podcast 29:25 - Tech at school - how has COVID affected remote learning? 35:57 - What is to come for John

Andrew Melton (ASIJ 1994) Educator   I am from Arkansas.  I grew up overseas in Riyadh and Tokyo.   My parents became international school teachers in the 1980’s which gave me the bug to do it.  I attended ASIJ from 1991 to 1994.  At Berklee College of Music I studied film scoring, and my instrument was the vibraphone.  After college I went to Los Angeles.  I had a wonderful time there juggling film scoring, band composing and arranging, and playing piano in improv comedy theaters.             I then focused on international teaching, at the American School of Marrakech, Morocco, the American School of Lima, Peru, and then Shanghai American School.  Now Canadian Ac. in Kobe.  At all of these I taught some combination of band, choir, strings, and general music. It’s so great to be back in Japan, still trying to learn the darn language!  Towards the end of my time in Lima, I married Jen Van Ness whom I met at an ASIJ 20 year reunion in Washington DC.  She attended ASIJ just for one year as a 9th grader in 1991.   TIMESTAMP 1:20 - Introduction 3:08 - Growing up as an international school student in Saudi Arabia and Japan 5:59 - Becoming a teacher 7:32 - How to become an international school teacher 10:35 - Morocco 12:48 - the transient nature of international school teaching 14:08 - coming back to Japan 14:58 - Canadian Academy v ASIJ 17:12 - How international education led towards Andrews current career 18:55 - ASIJ shout outs 20:48 - What is to come in the next few years

Minako Abe, M.D. (ASIJ 1988) Director of the Tokyo Cancer Clinic   Minako Abe is the director of the Tokyo Cancer Clinic in Japan. She attended ASIJ from 1976-1988 and after graduating, attended UC Berkeley for her B.A. and earned her M.D. at SUNY Stony Brook.  She has dual U.S. board certifications in Emergency Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine.  Practicing Emergency Medicine in NYC and NJ for over 15 years, she loved treating all kinds of illnesses and people from all walks of life, but found that nearly 80% of what she saw was related to unhealthy lifestyle choices.  Chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and even 30-50% of cancers are preventable. As such, she developed a strong interest in Lifestyle Medicine, particularly in relation to the field of immunology and oncology.   In 2014, she and her family moved to Tokyo to help with her father’s cancer immunotherapy clinic. Having lived outside of Japan for 26 years, she experienced a bit of culture shock, having to relearn Japanese and understanding a completely different medical system.  However, with both of her children currently attending ASIJ, this has given her family a sense of belonging within this very special international community.A year into moving here, her husband was diagnosed with a rare spinal cord tumor, and when searching for the best treatment options in the U.S., she was surprised to find that the most advanced treatment options were actually right here in Japan.  Even the patented cancer vaccines and immune cell treatments at the Tokyo Cancer Clinic is not widely known or available elsewhere in the world!   This experience got her thinking – how isolating it is for expats in Japan to go through a cancer diagnosis while also navigating a foreign medical system.  How are people to know that perhaps the best treatments and opportunities lie right here?  Her passion project is to help cancer patients navigate the Japanese medical system, while coaching them to thrive and not just survive with Lifestyle Medicine and Mindset.    You can find her at https://tokyocancerclinic.jp/ https://www.drminako.com/   Timeline 1:44 - Introduction 4:32 - Choosing the career path to become a doctor (from an international school student's perspective) / to work in Japan/USA? 10:50 - Can certain products "give you cancer"? 15:23 - Family history - nature v nurture when it comes to cancer? 17:37 - Sleep! 19:30 - Living in both Japan and the USA for 20+ years, a comparison of the two locations 25:04 - Comparing the perspective of ASIJ as a student vs as a parent 31:31 - What is to come