Intern Report: Una Geary, Ireland (JET Program 2009 ~ 2010, Oita)
Chocolate fountains, face paint, comic artists – all have played a part in my six months as an intern with Fukuoka Now. This isn’t your typical internship – in fact, you don’t even need working knowledge of a coffee machine or photocopier. Having been given the brief of describing my experience for future candidates, I sit here chewing my pen and wondering where to start – the beginning, middle or end? Let’s mix it up a little and begin with the middle, end with the beginning and skip the goodbyes altogether.
My duties over the past few months have spanned the fields of journalism, editing, proof-reading, advertising and event planning. My position as a native English speaker here in Japan meant that one of my main functions was proofing (correcting) and rewriting rough translations of advertisements, feature articles and items on the event calendar. I also did some original work on the latter, researching and writing short paragraphs about events as instructed by the editorial team. Because the magazine is free of charge, advertising is its principal source of revenue and I was frequently asked to redraft ad copy. I was particularly involved with editing ads for transport and tourist services in Fukuoka, which not only appeared in Fukuoka Now but were also highly visible around the city, for example in stations and tourist information offices. Coming across an ad that I had written at Hakata Station was definitely a proud moment!
Working on features for the magazine afforded me an opportunity for creativity and expression. For the March issue, I came up with the idea of doing a piece on St. Patrick’s Day, being Irish and all. Fellow contributor and countryman Hugh McCafferty and I collaborated on a three-page spread detailing a brief history of the life of St. Patrick along with some random Irish facts. Most unexpectedly, I ended up being that month’s cover girl. It must be admitted, however, that having my face painted blue with a shamrock over one eye both significantly reduced the glamor factor usually associated with cover girl status and earned me the nickname of “Irish Avatar”. However, all in the name of patriotic duty.
Another feature I produced was about a major festival in my town, Hita, in Oita Prefecture. The “River Opening Festival” is the biggest of the year and celebrates the start of the Ayu fishing season. I was also involved with the graphic design aspect of this piece – I went on a photoshoot around town and drew sketches for the layout. It was a satisfying feeling to see some foreign faces at the festival and think that maybe, just maybe, my article had got them there.
During my time with Fukuoka Now, I got the chance to cultivate my interviewing skills. In each issue a foreign resident of Fukuoka is profiled in the “Gekkan Gaijin” section. I interviewed four subjects in total – Vincent Le François, a French comic artist, Dominic Walker, an English radio host and television presenter, Miguel Fernandes, a Portuguese architect, and Christian R. Baudat, the Swiss General Manager of the Hilton Hotel in Fukuoka. This element of the internship was, for me, one of the most valuable and enjoyable. I learned the importance of coming to an interview prepared and, after the fact, of getting the subject’s approval of the write-up.
Having saved the best for last, we’re now onto the really important stuff – parties! Every few months, the magazine holds parties branded as “Now Lounge” events that are geared towards the international community and consistently draw close to 1,000 guests. I was involved with the planning and production of two events hosted by the magazine during my time as an intern the April and July events, starting with brainstorming for ideas for entertainment, food (which is where the chocolate fountain comes in) and incentives to increase attendance and online ticket sales. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by coming up with advertising slogans and design concepts. I wrote copy for the ads, as well as for mass emails, Facebook and fliers which I helped to distribute. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by helping to create print advertisements – I wrote ad copy and came up with slogans and design concepts. At the events, I was assigned the roles of MC assistant and timekeeper – I had to ensure that entertainment acts ran according to schedule. Working on the “Now Lounge” events opened up the world of event planning and marketing to me. I further learned came to realize that publishing isn’t just about pages – it goes beyond that to interacting with readers by hosting events, an aspect of the industry which is also key for generating new business.
Finally, back to the beginning as promised. When I first got involved with the magazine, there was no formal internship program in place (this article marks its launch), and so I took a more unofficial route to getting my foot in the door. A couple of months after arriving in Japan on the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program, I attended a “Now Lounge” party at which I introduced myself to the editor, Nick, and expressed my interest in contributing to Fukuoka Now. Nick got in touch a while later asking me to do some proof-reading and it took off from there. As an English teacher based in Hita, I worked over the internet during the week and traveled to Fukuoka on certain weekends when my help was required, for instance to do interviews. My work for the magazine was unpaid, but travel and food expenses at weekends were covered.
If you think this internship might be for you, simply fill in an application form online. The benefits of interning with Fukuoka Now are enormous; you get to explore a range of career fields, you get to see the fruit of your work in print and have it be seen by all of Fukuoka, and you never know what kind of weird and wonderful opportunities will come your way – I certainly never thought I’d be able to say that I appeared end up on the cover of a magazine! My time in Japan has been richer for my work with Fukuoka Now and it will continue to profoundly impact my life after I leave, having given shape to my future career goals.
Fukuoka Now is recruiting interns
Apply online by if you want experience in proof-reading, editing, copywriting, interviewing, event planning and more.
• Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get real-world media experience in Japan
• Explore a range of career fields by getting involved in many aspects of our work
• Network and make industry contacts
• Have your work published and accredited
• Part-time schedule ideal for JETs and English teachers
Requirements
• highly-motivated, reliable & committed to completing tasks
• able to make a minimum six-month commitment of 5 ~ 10 hrs. / week
• willing to work unpaid with expenses covered
• able to work away from the office via internet and occasionally in the office
Intern Report: Una Geary, Ireland (JET Program 2009 ~ 2010, Oita)
Chocolate fountains, face paint, comic artists – all have played a part in my six months as an intern with Fukuoka Now. This isn’t your typical internship – in fact, you don’t even need working knowledge of a coffee machine or photocopier. Having been given the brief of describing my experience for future candidates, I sit here chewing my pen and wondering where to start – the beginning, middle or end? Let’s mix it up a little and begin with the middle, end with the beginning and skip the goodbyes altogether.
My duties over the past few months have spanned the fields of journalism, editing, proof-reading, advertising and event planning. My position as a native English speaker here in Japan meant that one of my main functions was proofing (correcting) and rewriting rough translations of advertisements, feature articles and items on the event calendar. I also did some original work on the latter, researching and writing short paragraphs about events as instructed by the editorial team. Because the magazine is free of charge, advertising is its principal source of revenue and I was frequently asked to redraft ad copy. I was particularly involved with editing ads for transport and tourist services in Fukuoka, which not only appeared in Fukuoka Now but were also highly visible around the city, for example in stations and tourist information offices. Coming across an ad that I had written at Hakata Station was definitely a proud moment!
Working on features for the magazine afforded me an opportunity for creativity and expression. For the March issue, I came up with the idea of doing a piece on St. Patrick’s Day, being Irish and all. Fellow contributor and countryman Hugh McCafferty and I collaborated on a three-page spread detailing a brief history of the life of St. Patrick along with some random Irish facts. Most unexpectedly, I ended up being that month’s cover girl. It must be admitted, however, that having my face painted blue with a shamrock over one eye both significantly reduced the glamor factor usually associated with cover girl status and earned me the nickname of “Irish Avatar”. However, all in the name of patriotic duty.
Another feature I produced was about a major festival in my town, Hita, in Oita Prefecture. The “River Opening Festival” is the biggest of the year and celebrates the start of the Ayu fishing season. I was also involved with the graphic design aspect of this piece – I went on a photoshoot around town and drew sketches for the layout. It was a satisfying feeling to see some foreign faces at the festival and think that maybe, just maybe, my article had got them there.
During my time with Fukuoka Now, I got the chance to cultivate my interviewing skills. In each issue a foreign resident of Fukuoka is profiled in the “Gekkan Gaijin” section. I interviewed four subjects in total – Vincent Le François, a French comic artist, Dominic Walker, an English radio host and television presenter, Miguel Fernandes, a Portuguese architect, and Christian R. Baudat, the Swiss General Manager of the Hilton Hotel in Fukuoka. This element of the internship was, for me, one of the most valuable and enjoyable. I learned the importance of coming to an interview prepared and, after the fact, of getting the subject’s approval of the write-up.
Having saved the best for last, we’re now onto the really important stuff – parties! Every few months, the magazine holds parties branded as “Now Lounge” events that are geared towards the international community and consistently draw close to 1,000 guests. I was involved with the planning and production of two events hosted by the magazine during my time as an intern the April and July events, starting with brainstorming for ideas for entertainment, food (which is where the chocolate fountain comes in) and incentives to increase attendance and online ticket sales. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by coming up with advertising slogans and design concepts. I wrote copy for the ads, as well as for mass emails, Facebook and fliers which I helped to distribute. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by helping to create print advertisements – I wrote ad copy and came up with slogans and design concepts. At the events, I was assigned the roles of MC assistant and timekeeper – I had to ensure that entertainment acts ran according to schedule. Working on the “Now Lounge” events opened up the world of event planning and marketing to me. I further learned came to realize that publishing isn’t just about pages – it goes beyond that to interacting with readers by hosting events, an aspect of the industry which is also key for generating new business.
Finally, back to the beginning as promised. When I first got involved with the magazine, there was no formal internship program in place (this article marks its launch), and so I took a more unofficial route to getting my foot in the door. A couple of months after arriving in Japan on the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program, I attended a “Now Lounge” party at which I introduced myself to the editor, Nick, and expressed my interest in contributing to Fukuoka Now. Nick got in touch a while later asking me to do some proof-reading and it took off from there. As an English teacher based in Hita, I worked over the internet during the week and traveled to Fukuoka on certain weekends when my help was required, for instance to do interviews. My work for the magazine was unpaid, but travel and food expenses at weekends were covered.
If you think this internship might be for you, simply fill in an application form online. The benefits of interning with Fukuoka Now are enormous; you get to explore a range of career fields, you get to see the fruit of your work in print and have it be seen by all of Fukuoka, and you never know what kind of weird and wonderful opportunities will come your way – I certainly never thought I’d be able to say that I appeared end up on the cover of a magazine! My time in Japan has been richer for my work with Fukuoka Now and it will continue to profoundly impact my life after I leave, having given shape to my future career goals.
Fukuoka Now is recruiting interns
Apply online by if you want experience in proof-reading, editing, copywriting, interviewing, event planning and more.
• Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get real-world media experience in Japan
• Explore a range of career fields by getting involved in many aspects of our work
• Network and make industry contacts
• Have your work published and accredited
• Part-time schedule ideal for JETs and English teachers
Requirements
• highly-motivated, reliable & committed to completing tasks
• able to make a minimum six-month commitment of 5 ~ 10 hrs. / week
• willing to work unpaid with expenses covered
• able to work away from the office via internet and occasionally in the office
Intern Report: Una Geary, Ireland (JET Program 2009 ~ 2010, Oita)
Chocolate fountains, face paint, comic artists – all have played a part in my six months as an intern with Fukuoka Now. This isn’t your typical internship – in fact, you don’t even need working knowledge of a coffee machine or photocopier. Having been given the brief of describing my experience for future candidates, I sit here chewing my pen and wondering where to start – the beginning, middle or end? Let’s mix it up a little and begin with the middle, end with the beginning and skip the goodbyes altogether.
My duties over the past few months have spanned the fields of journalism, editing, proof-reading, advertising and event planning. My position as a native English speaker here in Japan meant that one of my main functions was proofing (correcting) and rewriting rough translations of advertisements, feature articles and items on the event calendar. I also did some original work on the latter, researching and writing short paragraphs about events as instructed by the editorial team. Because the magazine is free of charge, advertising is its principal source of revenue and I was frequently asked to redraft ad copy. I was particularly involved with editing ads for transport and tourist services in Fukuoka, which not only appeared in Fukuoka Now but were also highly visible around the city, for example in stations and tourist information offices. Coming across an ad that I had written at Hakata Station was definitely a proud moment!
Working on features for the magazine afforded me an opportunity for creativity and expression. For the March issue, I came up with the idea of doing a piece on St. Patrick’s Day, being Irish and all. Fellow contributor and countryman Hugh McCafferty and I collaborated on a three-page spread detailing a brief history of the life of St. Patrick along with some random Irish facts. Most unexpectedly, I ended up being that month’s cover girl. It must be admitted, however, that having my face painted blue with a shamrock over one eye both significantly reduced the glamor factor usually associated with cover girl status and earned me the nickname of “Irish Avatar”. However, all in the name of patriotic duty.
Another feature I produced was about a major festival in my town, Hita, in Oita Prefecture. The “River Opening Festival” is the biggest of the year and celebrates the start of the Ayu fishing season. I was also involved with the graphic design aspect of this piece – I went on a photoshoot around town and drew sketches for the layout. It was a satisfying feeling to see some foreign faces at the festival and think that maybe, just maybe, my article had got them there.
During my time with Fukuoka Now, I got the chance to cultivate my interviewing skills. In each issue a foreign resident of Fukuoka is profiled in the “Gekkan Gaijin” section. I interviewed four subjects in total – Vincent Le François, a French comic artist, Dominic Walker, an English radio host and television presenter, Miguel Fernandes, a Portuguese architect, and Christian R. Baudat, the Swiss General Manager of the Hilton Hotel in Fukuoka. This element of the internship was, for me, one of the most valuable and enjoyable. I learned the importance of coming to an interview prepared and, after the fact, of getting the subject’s approval of the write-up.
Having saved the best for last, we’re now onto the really important stuff – parties! Every few months, the magazine holds parties branded as “Now Lounge” events that are geared towards the international community and consistently draw close to 1,000 guests. I was involved with the planning and production of two events hosted by the magazine during my time as an intern the April and July events, starting with brainstorming for ideas for entertainment, food (which is where the chocolate fountain comes in) and incentives to increase attendance and online ticket sales. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by coming up with advertising slogans and design concepts. I wrote copy for the ads, as well as for mass emails, Facebook and fliers which I helped to distribute. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by helping to create print advertisements – I wrote ad copy and came up with slogans and design concepts. At the events, I was assigned the roles of MC assistant and timekeeper – I had to ensure that entertainment acts ran according to schedule. Working on the “Now Lounge” events opened up the world of event planning and marketing to me. I further learned came to realize that publishing isn’t just about pages – it goes beyond that to interacting with readers by hosting events, an aspect of the industry which is also key for generating new business.
Finally, back to the beginning as promised. When I first got involved with the magazine, there was no formal internship program in place (this article marks its launch), and so I took a more unofficial route to getting my foot in the door. A couple of months after arriving in Japan on the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program, I attended a “Now Lounge” party at which I introduced myself to the editor, Nick, and expressed my interest in contributing to Fukuoka Now. Nick got in touch a while later asking me to do some proof-reading and it took off from there. As an English teacher based in Hita, I worked over the internet during the week and traveled to Fukuoka on certain weekends when my help was required, for instance to do interviews. My work for the magazine was unpaid, but travel and food expenses at weekends were covered.
If you think this internship might be for you, simply fill in an application form online. The benefits of interning with Fukuoka Now are enormous; you get to explore a range of career fields, you get to see the fruit of your work in print and have it be seen by all of Fukuoka, and you never know what kind of weird and wonderful opportunities will come your way – I certainly never thought I’d be able to say that I appeared end up on the cover of a magazine! My time in Japan has been richer for my work with Fukuoka Now and it will continue to profoundly impact my life after I leave, having given shape to my future career goals.
Fukuoka Now is recruiting interns
Apply online by if you want experience in proof-reading, editing, copywriting, interviewing, event planning and more.
• Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get real-world media experience in Japan
• Explore a range of career fields by getting involved in many aspects of our work
• Network and make industry contacts
• Have your work published and accredited
• Part-time schedule ideal for JETs and English teachers
Requirements
• highly-motivated, reliable & committed to completing tasks
• able to make a minimum six-month commitment of 5 ~ 10 hrs. / week
• willing to work unpaid with expenses covered
• able to work away from the office via internet and occasionally in the office
Intern Report: Una Geary, Ireland (JET Program 2009 ~ 2010, Oita)
Chocolate fountains, face paint, comic artists – all have played a part in my six months as an intern with Fukuoka Now. This isn’t your typical internship – in fact, you don’t even need working knowledge of a coffee machine or photocopier. Having been given the brief of describing my experience for future candidates, I sit here chewing my pen and wondering where to start – the beginning, middle or end? Let’s mix it up a little and begin with the middle, end with the beginning and skip the goodbyes altogether.
My duties over the past few months have spanned the fields of journalism, editing, proof-reading, advertising and event planning. My position as a native English speaker here in Japan meant that one of my main functions was proofing (correcting) and rewriting rough translations of advertisements, feature articles and items on the event calendar. I also did some original work on the latter, researching and writing short paragraphs about events as instructed by the editorial team. Because the magazine is free of charge, advertising is its principal source of revenue and I was frequently asked to redraft ad copy. I was particularly involved with editing ads for transport and tourist services in Fukuoka, which not only appeared in Fukuoka Now but were also highly visible around the city, for example in stations and tourist information offices. Coming across an ad that I had written at Hakata Station was definitely a proud moment!
Working on features for the magazine afforded me an opportunity for creativity and expression. For the March issue, I came up with the idea of doing a piece on St. Patrick’s Day, being Irish and all. Fellow contributor and countryman Hugh McCafferty and I collaborated on a three-page spread detailing a brief history of the life of St. Patrick along with some random Irish facts. Most unexpectedly, I ended up being that month’s cover girl. It must be admitted, however, that having my face painted blue with a shamrock over one eye both significantly reduced the glamor factor usually associated with cover girl status and earned me the nickname of “Irish Avatar”. However, all in the name of patriotic duty.
Another feature I produced was about a major festival in my town, Hita, in Oita Prefecture. The “River Opening Festival” is the biggest of the year and celebrates the start of the Ayu fishing season. I was also involved with the graphic design aspect of this piece – I went on a photoshoot around town and drew sketches for the layout. It was a satisfying feeling to see some foreign faces at the festival and think that maybe, just maybe, my article had got them there.
During my time with Fukuoka Now, I got the chance to cultivate my interviewing skills. In each issue a foreign resident of Fukuoka is profiled in the “Gekkan Gaijin” section. I interviewed four subjects in total – Vincent Le François, a French comic artist, Dominic Walker, an English radio host and television presenter, Miguel Fernandes, a Portuguese architect, and Christian R. Baudat, the Swiss General Manager of the Hilton Hotel in Fukuoka. This element of the internship was, for me, one of the most valuable and enjoyable. I learned the importance of coming to an interview prepared and, after the fact, of getting the subject’s approval of the write-up.
Having saved the best for last, we’re now onto the really important stuff – parties! Every few months, the magazine holds parties branded as “Now Lounge” events that are geared towards the international community and consistently draw close to 1,000 guests. I was involved with the planning and production of two events hosted by the magazine during my time as an intern the April and July events, starting with brainstorming for ideas for entertainment, food (which is where the chocolate fountain comes in) and incentives to increase attendance and online ticket sales. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by coming up with advertising slogans and design concepts. I wrote copy for the ads, as well as for mass emails, Facebook and fliers which I helped to distribute. I assisted in the promotion of the parties by helping to create print advertisements – I wrote ad copy and came up with slogans and design concepts. At the events, I was assigned the roles of MC assistant and timekeeper – I had to ensure that entertainment acts ran according to schedule. Working on the “Now Lounge” events opened up the world of event planning and marketing to me. I further learned came to realize that publishing isn’t just about pages – it goes beyond that to interacting with readers by hosting events, an aspect of the industry which is also key for generating new business.
Finally, back to the beginning as promised. When I first got involved with the magazine, there was no formal internship program in place (this article marks its launch), and so I took a more unofficial route to getting my foot in the door. A couple of months after arriving in Japan on the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) program, I attended a “Now Lounge” party at which I introduced myself to the editor, Nick, and expressed my interest in contributing to Fukuoka Now. Nick got in touch a while later asking me to do some proof-reading and it took off from there. As an English teacher based in Hita, I worked over the internet during the week and traveled to Fukuoka on certain weekends when my help was required, for instance to do interviews. My work for the magazine was unpaid, but travel and food expenses at weekends were covered.
If you think this internship might be for you, simply fill in an application form online. The benefits of interning with Fukuoka Now are enormous; you get to explore a range of career fields, you get to see the fruit of your work in print and have it be seen by all of Fukuoka, and you never know what kind of weird and wonderful opportunities will come your way – I certainly never thought I’d be able to say that I appeared end up on the cover of a magazine! My time in Japan has been richer for my work with Fukuoka Now and it will continue to profoundly impact my life after I leave, having given shape to my future career goals.
Fukuoka Now is recruiting interns
Apply online by if you want experience in proof-reading, editing, copywriting, interviewing, event planning and more.
• Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get real-world media experience in Japan
• Explore a range of career fields by getting involved in many aspects of our work
• Network and make industry contacts
• Have your work published and accredited
• Part-time schedule ideal for JETs and English teachers
Requirements
• highly-motivated, reliable & committed to completing tasks
• able to make a minimum six-month commitment of 5 ~ 10 hrs. / week
• willing to work unpaid with expenses covered
• able to work away from the office via internet and occasionally in the office
