Season 6 Episodes
*I have changed the episode descriptions to bullet points from Season 4 onward.
EPISODE 51
Nancy Kroonenberg (ASIJ High School Assistant Principal 1996-2013) Educator Episode Summary 1:02 - Introduction 3:33 - Why did you join the world of education? 5:15 - International schools in the 1980s 7:38 - Changes in ASIJ from 1996 to 2013 9:39 - Role as a disciplinarian at ASIJ 18:07 - Size of schools and the role it plays 21:57 - WASC Accreditation process 27:37 - AP vs IB (Advance Placement v International Baccalaureate) 31:11 - Traveling around the world 35:23 - What is the difference between a "great' vs "good" school 36:54 - What is to come Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 52
Hugh McGuire (ASIJ 2020) Marketing Intern 1:00 - Introduction 2:50 - Being an ASIJ senior during COVID-19 6:28 - Online learning during times of COVID-19 7:46 - Being an International school student during times of COVID-19 10:07 - Being an "ASIJ Lifer" 11:48 - Japan Seminar at ASIJ 12:39 - Tokyo Sports Outreach 16:30 - Being half-Japanese and half-American 19:08 - Marketing intern at Earthfriends Tokyo Z 22:00 - Being half-Japanese and half-American pt2 24:22 - Marketing intern at Earthfriends Tokyo Z continued 27:33 - What is to come Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 53
Karuna Shinsho (ASIJ 1986) Jazz Vocalist 0:38 - Introduction 2:44 - Anchoring for "Todays Japan" as a University student at Sophia University 7:24 - Challenges as an anchor 2:12 - Comparing experiences at NHK v CNN 15:11 - Studying political science and public affairs vs journalism, was there ever a time Karuna considered another career? 17:30 - Ballet and yoga 20:37 - Leaving the world of journalism 25:38 - Life in Zimbabwe as a diplomats wife 28:58 - Education and identity for TCK children 31:13 - Introduction to Jazz 34:00 - Karuna and music 36:39 - Jazz during a time of changes/transition in life 43:04 - What is coming up Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 54
Ben Carr (ASIJ 2007) Owner - Innovative Fitness North Vancouver 1:05 - Introduction 2:38 - Being a TCK (raised in Tanzania, Costa Rica, Brazil, Japan, and North Carolina), where is home? 8:54 - Early interests in athletics and fitness (ASIJ, UBC) 11:38 - Why a fitness gym and not other athletics-related occupations (such a PE teacher, physical therapist, Crossfit coach, etc) 14:43 - The challenges of teaching adults vs children, and what is more challenging for a client who is a novice to the world of fitness or is a veteran? 17:41 - Countering the image of the "before and after picture" 19:59 - The 5AM club, getting up early for workouts *(4AM for some) 23:33 - Daily habits one could change to be fit 26:00 - How to balance "rigor" - I am overworking or not working hard enough? 28:33 - "Abs are made in the kitchen" - an urban myth or some truth or something else? 32:00 - Leaders that influence Ben (Founders of Innovative Fitness, Tim Carr) - Empowerment through adversity and experiment and gaining buy-in from clients. 35:16 - Running a fitness gym during times of COVID-19 42:33 - Where is home? 45:54 - What is to come Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 55
Natasha Kostek (ASIJ 2004) @ New York, NY Doctoral School Psychology Candidate 0:45 - Introduction 2:59 - Growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut as a first-generation Brazilian American 5:07 - Why was Tokyo "Home"? 8:35 - The "adaptability" of TCKers and international school students 10:23 - Why Psychology? 16:30 - Psychology research related to studying minors 18:50 - Shifting social norms in society, what is the next shift in dynamics we may be seeing in education? (Normalization of mental health) 21:24 - Discussing the show "13 Reasons Why", and its effects it had on the perception of mental health and suicide 23:27 - How being a trilingual and a TCK has effected professional work 26:38 - LDs in schools 27:32 - What type of jobs and professional opportunities exist in the field of psychology, other than clinical psychology 36:14 - What is coming up Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 56
Wookie Kim (Former ASIJ) Lawyer Timestamp 1:03 - Introductions 3:07 - American Boarding school vs International schools, deciding to leave the international school scene for America 7:22 - Challenges of settling into American boarding school as an international student 13:34 - Deciding to work for Teach for America after graduating from Yale 18:28 - Interest in equity and civil rights rooted from Yale years when studying Ethics-Politics-Economics (essentially, political philosophy) 22:28 - Harvard v Yale 26:20 - Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP - the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill case 29:12 - Digitization of documents in court cases 32:03 - Deciding to move out "West" a shift to Hawaii and the ACLU - and the effects of a near-death coma experience in Colorado 42:10 - Going from a coma in July to a 100K race in December - a miraculous recovery 45:45 - the logistics of running a 29-hour race 51:28 - the ACLU - the most recent case he is working on in Hawaii 55:41 - the ACLU - prison reform and justice reform 59:43 - What is to come Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 57
Dr. Gwen Thornton (ASIJ 2009) Emergency Veterinarian TIMESTAMP 1:21 - Introduction 3:43 - When did you know you wanted to become a vet? 5:15 - Being a vet in Australia 8:30 - Why people choose the veterinary profession 11:33 - Dealing with pet owners as a vet 13:05 - Being a pet owner as a vet 13:55 - Tips from Dr. Thornton to cat/dog owners 16:33 - Where is "home"? 21:05 - Running Track (HS, Collegiate, and nationals) 27:10 - 2016 VIC 400 Meters Womans Final 29:15 - Running at Australia Nationals Track and Field 30:33 - Having family in locations around the world, the TCK mindset 33:40 - What is coming up Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 58
Hayami Yu (Former ASIJ) Singer Actress TIMESTAMP 1:02 - Introduction 2:57 - Getting scouted - entering the Japanese "geinoukai" show business as a teenager 5:26 - Entering ASIJ and identity 7:46 - The challenges of being a "kikokushijo" (a Japanese returnee) 9:22 - Finding other "geinoujin"/celebrities that can relate (Ann Lewis and Teresa Teng) 11:04 - 2016 theme song for the UN SDGs 14:00 - Attending the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the "Earth Summit" in 1992 20:32 - Being part of the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1983, 1984, 1985 Letter from Suizenji Kiyoko 25:17 - Expanding from "pop idol" to radio, theater, and TV 29:09 - Balancing television with theater 31:00 - Career after marriage and two children 32:50 - Being an ASIJ parent - returning to ASIJ 38:35 - What is to come in future Anchor Link Youtube Link |
EPISODE 59
Shinji Yamasaki (ASIJ 2003) Timestamp 0:56 - Introduction 3:29 - Why ASIJ/International School 5:15 - Cultural Identity 8:33 - Tokyo v New York v London (the "big 3") 16:15 - Choosing a career path - comparing business culture in Japan to overseas 22:35 - The birth of RE:ERTH, life as a CEO for the company 25:53 - Scotch, Whiskey and Cigars 28:30 - Weight lifting, 3-times not 6-times 32:40 - ASIJ and Shinji 35:12 - What is to come |
EPISODE 60
Natuski Uemura (Former Aoba International School) Find Natsuki at Tokyo Veg Life! 88K Subscribers! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLiC... Check out her new book. おうちでヴィーガン 14日間で旅する世界一周の味 TimeStamps 0:43 - Introduction 2:45 - おうちでヴィーガン 14日間で旅する世界一周の味 the release of a new vegan book 4:30 - Attending Aoba International School as an ESL student 9:15 - Did Aoba prepare you for an American high school experience? 12:22 - Getting a Masters at Stanford University / Leaving a Ph.D. program early 15:41 - Meeting Yoga / how to approach yoga 24:52 - Becoming vegan (from a meat lover) / being a tolerant vegan 25:10 - Skincare 42:46 - Fasting (24-hour fasting and intermitting fasting) 52:38 - Youtube Channel (Tokyo Veg Life) 1:04:52 - What is to come Anchor Link Youtube Link |