District Representatives

District Representatives are elected annually at the Winter Conference by JETs in each district. DRs fulfil a vital role within the Saga JET community by providing local support to JETs in their districts.

DRs also help organize the various JET conferences throughout the year, compile the information new Saga JETs receive before coming to Japan, meet for monthly strategy meetings, and maintain this website.

You can speak to your DRs about:

  • things in and around your home
  • transportation
  • events
  • other things specific to your district.

Senior JETs or your Contracting Organisation/Board of Education are also valuable resources. They will be able to give you more information about specific schools, living arrangements, city, clinics, trash etc.

Current District Representatives for 2021-2022

Sajo District

Josie

Josie is a 3rd year, going on 4th year private school ALT who comes from sunny England. She originates from a town “close to London” as her town is so obscure google maps is usually needed as a visual aid. She currently resides in the beautiful downtown area of Saga city, only a 10 minute walk from all of her favourite bars. Josie’s hobbies include watching too many films, TV shows and F1, reading, going on adventures and drinking copious amounts of tea and alcohol. There is an ancient myth that her body has no blood, only a 60:40 ratio of alcohol to tea. She is also an avid supporter of the local Saga basketball team the “Saga Ballooners”. Her favourite activity is getting far too irate at the opposing team while drinking a nice beer. As long as you aren’t doing the ballooners dirty, she is rather friendly and is ready to be there to answer any questions you may have, or help with whatever you need. Josie loves Saga with every fiber in her body and is always ready to give advice on the best places to go. She hopes you come to love Saga as much as we all love Saga.
Specific knowledge: Bars and alcohol (in Saga and various other places) and the Saga Ballooners basketball team.

Janeth

Janeth enjoys eating chocolate and long romantic hikes with her 2 dogs back home.

Janeth is a 1st year JET who comes from the city of sin – Las Vegas. This is her first time in Japan but she has watched enough anime to be able to get by. She has lived her whole life in big cities so when she first learned she was placed in country side Saga, she was ready to embrace the life of living by the rice fields and helping obāsans harvest rice everyday. Thankfully, that is not her daily life as she lives in Tosu City, a major player of Kyushu’s transportation. On the weekends, you can find Janeth out exploring the wonders of Kyushu and playing charades with locals as her Japanese level is still N6. However, she can speak Spanish and would love to introduce you to her favorite Peruvian restaurant! If you need any help please don’t hesitate to ask her. She is a KEN ALT and works for a JHS, a HS, and a special needs school. If you need ideas for lessons, hit her up!

Kito District

Frank

Frank is a 1st year ALT hailing from a horrid little town in the UK known as Crawley. Upon rending himself free of such despair, Frank can now be found in his natural habitat, dwelling among the frogs in the small countryside town of Kohoku. His hobbies include videogames, DnD, hiking and “being a goblin man”. When he’s not attempting to unlearn the alcohol-dependent culture of the UK, he’s trying to get as drunk as he once could at university without dying, and he’d be happy to have company. His desire to help others far outweighs his competency to. So rest assured, you can always go to him for help, and he might potentially be able to provide it to you maybe. At the very least, he will find someone who can. In being a philosophy graduate, he’s familiar with the throws of self-pity and misery that we can all fall into, especially when living in a new and unfamiliar country, so he really would like to be a supportive and comforting presence in Saga, should you need it. He would, however, like to remind you that it is a violation of your prefectural contract as a Saga JET to watch any Ghibli movies without him.

Domo

Domo is a 1st year CIR who hails from the majestic land of fried chicken, horses and bourbon (aka Kentucky). He is currently living in the bustling hot spring town of Ureshino which will be getting a new train station this fall 2022 in which the shikansen kamome will pass through. He has set a goal to conquer all 30+ hot springs here in Ureshino, thus becoming the self-proclaimed Onsen Ou-sama(Hot Spring King)! Ureshino is also located in a basin and surrounded by mountains, so as Domo is from the big city in Kentucky (Louisville), he`s not very acclimated to seeing mountains everywhere in his everyday life. He`s often surprised every time he looks and the mountains are still there. His hobbies include, but aren`t limited to: karaoke, anime/manga, table tennis, bowling, photography, leisurely walks in the rice fields etc…

If you need him, you can probably find him taking a walk through the rice paddies, in the onsen, bowling at MerryLand in Takeo, eating curry at CoCo Ichi (also in takeo) or singing his heart out at the karaoke in Kashima! Also, since his is a CIR, he can speak Japanese fairly well, so if you need his assistance for anything feel free to reach out!

Karamatsu District

Oliver

Oliver is a curious and active JET, who just can’t sit still for one second. He comes from the wild, flat, English speaking lands of Australia of where he comes seeking the unique charm and steep terrain of Japan. Having an engineering background, teaching in Japan has been very different and providing many out of comfort zone experiences for him that have been boosting his way of thinking and also strength. Living in rural Saga has been a dream for him as there’s lots of seafood in his town, farmer’s markets, lots of mountains, relaxed country people…he couldn’t ask for more. If you’re ever interested in trail running, hiking or onsen, Ollie has a lot of recommendations for you. He wants to hear any questions you may have, so send them through.

Deanne

Deanne is a first year JET living in Karatsu, home of the world famous Karatsu Kunchi (festival)! Deanne never thought they’d be living in Japan, but is quite content with their current situation. Deanne has been able to experience so many things they’d never thought they’d try, such as eating a fish eyeball (particularly surprising because it had been well over a decade since they’d had any seafood at all). Deanne has lived all over so called “Canada”, from West to East coast while living in houses, tents, and a car! They love to find the cheapest way possible to travel. They also enjoy photography, learning new recipes, Tai Chi, camping and hiking (essentially existing in a space with trees and vigorously inhaling fresh air). Feel free to contact them through your DR if you want to talk about mental health resources, go on photography walks, or visit some trees!

Specific knowledge: Mental Health resources, where some Old Growth Trees are in Saga

P.S.: turns out fish eyeballs are delicious.

Alana

Alana is a 1st-year ALT and new Saga AJET representative who swam to Japan all the way from Los Angeles, California. She didn’t know what to expect when she left her home country for the first time, but Saga, Japan has not disappointed. Alana’s hobbies include—but are not limited to—reading some sort of horror-fiction nonsense, being out in nature,  traveling to new places, eating good, and getting up to some shenanigans with her pals (she’s always down for a good time!). She also likes to sing and dance, and will, on occasion, do an Australian accent that’s been deemed “really good” or a CA Valley Girl accent that’s “painful to listen to.” Being in Saga has brought lots of gratitude, discovery, and healing to Alana, and she hopes Saga can bring much of the same to other JETs. Please never hesitate to reach out to her, whether it be for questions about the JET experience or for a nice chat.