Meet Chasen Stahl, our System Engineer

Chasen Stahl is our School’s System Engineer. He is managing IT infrastructure for our various campuses and also developing online and blended learning educational platforms in partnership with BBT, our parent company. Part of A-JIS since 2015, he enjoys being here since “it’s exciting and extremely rewarding to see how our work directly impacts the school”.

Where are you from and how long have you been living in Japan / Tokyo?

I am originally from Los Angeles, California and have been living in Tokyo for three and a half years.

Have you lived or worked in other countries?

While I have traveled to other countries, I have only lived and worked in the U.S. and Japan.

What did you study, why, and what did you like the most?

My formal education background is in Economics and Japanese language.

The most enjoyable thing about Economics, for me, is the interdisciplinary nature of the subject.

While studying Economics, one is simultaneously drawing on research from various fields such as anthropology, history, politics, finance, law and more.

What are your relevant work experiences until now?

Before joining A-JIS, I worked for a Japanese firm designing and building websites for corporate clients in Tokyo.

Since when are you working in A-JIS?

I have been working for A-JIS since 2015.

What are your roles here at A-JIS?

My work at A-JIS involves managing IT infrastructure for our various campuses and, more recently, developing online and blended learning educational platforms in partnership with our parent company, BBT.

What do you like most about your profession?

IT and technology in general is in a permanent state of evolution.

Keeping abreast of new developments and figuring out how to implement technology at A-JIS is a constant challenge, but it is always exciting and extremely rewarding to see how our work directly impacts the school.

Plus, computers are cool!

What do you do for fun?

When I’m not in front of a computer screen, I enjoy doing anything on the ocean; surfing, sailing, diving, swimming, fishing, barbecuing or otherwise hanging out.

I’m also usually in the middle of reading a novel or two at any given time, and will never turn down a trip to the onsen (Japanese hot springs).

Do you have any special sayings or expressions?

Try to have a net positive impact on the people and places around you.

You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control your reaction to it.

Relax.

Is there something interesting about yourself you would like to share?

My last name means “Steel” in German.

I love Mexican food.

I’d like to visit the natural hot springs in Iceland.

Meet Nami Taguchi, our School’s Registrar

Nami Taguchi is our School’s Reigistrar. She studied English Literature in Tokyo and Secretarial Administration in UK and has a wide range of working experience in different fields. Being part of A-JIS since August 2003, she mostly enjoys to communicate with people of different nationalities and cultures; “they make me realize what I believe is only right and proper is not always so from their different points of view”.

Where are you from?

I was born in Tokyo, but my family moved out of Tokyo when I was one year old.

Have you lived or worked in other countries?

I studied in UK for 3 years at several language schools and a vocational college.  One good thing about British language schools is you can easily move from one school to another.  In fact, I travelled from Devon in the west to Scotland in the north for 2 years going to these schools.

What did you study, why, and what did you like the most?

I studied English Literature at a college in Tokyo.  I love literature both classic and contemporary.

Although I always managed to get decent jobs after graduating from the college, at some point in my life, I felt urgent necessity of furthering my career and decided to go over to UK to study secretarial administration at a college in Surrey.

What are your relevant work experiences until now?

I worked as a personal assistant to the director of the research department at a securities company for 6 years.  I was fascinated by the job because almost all of the clients of the company were from other countries and I could learn how to deal with people from different backgrounds.  Previous to that, I worked for a bank for 5 years where I gained good organization skills.

Since when are you working in A-JIS?

I joined A-JIS in August 2003.

What are your roles here at A-JIS?

I started as an academic secretary and now I am a registrar.

What do you like most about your profession?

I am excited to communicate with people of different nationalities and cultures, including parents, students, teachers, and also visitors and enquirers, and sometimes they make me realize what I believe is only right and proper is not always so from their different points of view.

What do you do for fun?

I love nature and enjoy hydroculture and veranda gardening at home.  Recently, I have participated in trekking tours, but I am only a beginner and no good at rambling along long trails.

Do you have any special sayings or expressions?

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Is there something interesting about yourself you would like to share?

If you want to know about the temples and shrines in Nara, please ask me.  I have visited Nara once a year for over 10 years.

Meet Yoshi Todo, our IT Administrator

Yoshi Todo is our School’s new IT Administrator. He is originally from Nagoya and has been living in New Zealand and Australia for many years. Getting to know people form different cultures and backgrounds is one of his hobbies and that’s one of the reasons why he has chosen to work with us. Welcome to Aoba-Japan International School!

Where are you from and how long have you been living in Japan / Tokyo?

I am originally from Nagoya and moved to Tokyo 3 years before, right after I came back from New Zealand. 

Have you lived or worked in other countries?

Yes. I have studied and worked in New Zealand and Australia. The 6 years I have spent in these countries really influenced me in a positive way. It opened my mind to new things and totally changed my perspective about life. I got interested in other cultures and languages also. It really made a change in my life.

What did you study, why, and what did you like the most?

I have studied IT in Australia. What I really enjoyed was to meet people with multicultural background. I really developed my communications skills during the years studying my major.

What are your relevant work experiences until now?

I have worked as IT and also as Japanese language teacher.

Since when are you working in A-JIS?

1st of May, 2017.

What are your roles here at A-JIS?

IT Administrator.

What do you like most about your profession?

IT troubleshooting.

What do you do for fun?

Greeting and chatting between staff.

Do you have any special sayings or expressions?

G’day and Kiora mate.

Is there something interesting about yourself you would like to share?

Please raise a ticket if you have questions and IT issues.

Addressing Educators at IQRA University, Karachi, Pakistan

Robert Thorn of A-JIS was invited to address delegates at the IQRA University’s International Conference on Innovation and Emerging Trends in Education & Social Sciences.  IQRA University topped the league of universities in Pakistan this year.  The conference hosted educators from universities and schools throughout Pakistan and beyond.  

Robert spoke about the possibilities of transforming education within the current system through an inquiry approach to change.  The approach allows change to occur from the cultural perspective of the people in the system therefore strengthening positive aspects of culture rather than imposing external changes that weaken culture.

Throughout the conference, interest was generated around developing connections especially in teacher training and the development of entrepreneurship.