tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75209869023905697732024-03-13T01:46:08.963-07:00HANDS KitakamiWelcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-64677192525951171192013-03-10T20:37:00.000-07:002013-03-10T20:51:18.055-07:00Anniversary<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Most of the world forgets a disaster. Sure, on anniversaries, all the news crews go back and do a two year anniversary special and probably give anybody with PTSD a really hard time by showing disaster footage again. And then most everybody forgets again, until the next anniversary.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">OK. I can understand forgetting if you live far away and if you have no connections to Japan. I forget about lots of terrible things I see in the news too. But just try to remember something. There are so many problems and things to fight for. Just pick one. Remember animal cruelty. Remember poverty. Remember AIDS. Remember your local park. Remember domestic violence. Remember gun safety. Remember GLBTQ and marriage equality. Remember homelessness.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">OK, so now that you`ve remembered, do something on a regular basis. Not because it will make you feel better, though that is nice. Not because people will think good things about you, though that is also nice. Do it because a person who does not have some kind of positive influence on the world around them is betraying a basic human responsibility. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I mean, when you die, do you really want the most people can say about you and your accomplishments is “he was a nice guy?” I am not knocking being a nice guy, because being a nice guy or gal is a great thing, but do you really want that to be all? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I know lots of people want to be great writers or great poets or great songwriters or great painters, and eventually most of them don`t make it. I personally spent a lot of time writing things to express myself, only to find out I didn`t have a hell of a lot to express in the first place. But if you`re like that, the good news is there`s still an answer to your drive to contribute in some deeper way. Just put down the guitar and find yourself an NPO. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">How about a couple of hours on Sunday? If you don`t go to church, think of it as church.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">If you do go to church: think of it as church!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">And to the people who are already fighting for something and have been doing it for a long time--thank you. Let us know how you`re doing.</span><br />
Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-82624132018238816442013-02-07T20:21:00.000-08:002013-02-07T22:54:14.342-08:00UpdateOnce again, I`m writing in this blog apologizing for not writing in this blog while I should be doing lesson planning work instead!<br />
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Q: Are you still volunteering?<br />
A: Yep! HANDS is still going as an all-volunteer carpool between 1 and 3 weekends per month, depending on the month. I personally am going between 1 and 3 times a month still. We go to Kamaishi sometimes, but to Minamisoma once a month, and last time we went to Minamisanriku for the first time. The work depends on the volunteer center and day.<br />
Recent jobs: digging mud out of ditches, taking rubble out of a house`s foundation, helping with an event (watching children), loading wood etcetera onto a truck to be dumped.<br />
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Q: Is it still possible to volunteer? Is volunteering still needed?<br />
A: Yes, and yes, with a caveat. You can volunteer with us locally, or have a Japanese-speaking friend hook you up with another volunteer center still taking people out of prefecture. There`s also It`s Not Just Mud and a lot of animal shelters that need a lot of help (Japan Cat Network) and some other places I`m missing. Email me or ask Facebook group Foreign Volunteers Japan for details.<br />
As for whether volunteering is still needed: I read a piece saying that volunteering in this area through a few larger groups was just makework, and maybe unnecessary, and I`ve tried writing a response but always end up getting so ticked off that I can`t finish it. The main thing I think is <b>if you want to come up here as a short-term volunteer, understand that volunteer opportunities might be limited. </b>You might not get the work you want, and you might get less work than you expected. Understand that what work is "worthwhile" or not is sometimes a matter of perspective. Understand that nonprofits and volunteer centers are working with limited resources to match work with whatever number of volunteers end up coming that day.<br />
<b>If you do not find your experience fulfilling and really want to help, choose a better organization next time, send money instead, or come back as a tourist and help the local economy. Or come for longer than two days. </b>Please don`t tell everybody there`s nothing to do here anymore!<br />
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In other news, I`m moving to Morioka in April, but will hopefully be able to still volunteer through HANDS at least once a month. I`m also considering pursuing volunteering opportunities through Save Iwate or Kawai Camp.<br />
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For awhile I`ve been thinking about a way to help people on the coast while going to school at Iwate University to study Japanese. I would like to do something that directly helps with things like job development or improvement of quality of life in temporary housing, but between the language barrier, not having a lot of money, and not having an affordable method to get to the coast, my options are limited.<br />
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I plan to record a series of interviews from people who live(d) on the coast and people who are familiar with the coast. The interviews will center around descriptions of places, especially public places like schools and restaurants and parks, that are no longer there. This is not only to preserve the history of places that are gone now, but also to help people who want to remember a place now to remember it more clearly. I`ll listen to the recordings later and make a list for each recording of what places were described. Maybe I`ll separate each recording out into tracks for each place, not sure yet.<br />
At first I was only going to take interviews about Rikuzentakada, but now I think that`s kind of a stupid idea. All areas that were lost are important, so I will take interviews about anywhere I can get, including those about Miyagi and Fukushima.<br />
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Of course I don`t intend to go knocking on people`s doors for this. I`m going to start with friends and acquaintances and then hopefully branch out to other people through a system of introduction. I think I will label recordings only with first name, age and hometown, though I will explicitly ask each interviewee what information is OK to use. I will protect private information and figure out how to make a Japanese consent form.<br />
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Sometimes I wonder if this would really be a valuable use of time, but I honestly think it`s important to preserve the memories of a place and help people remember. It`s a horrible thing for a city to disappear like some cities did.<br />
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If you have any ideas or concerns about a project like that, or know someone who might want to be interviewed, please let me know.Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-74898645187027057822012-12-11T21:56:00.000-08:002012-12-11T23:48:42.396-08:00Go after then while they`re weakWe are in Minamisoma, Fukushima, covered in mud. We`re trying to clear the gutter around a person`s house, but it`s filled with tsunami mud and some kind of oil. Worse, some kind of fat-stemmed weeds have been growing in the mud, so we have to pull out the weeds before we start work on shoveling the mud out.<br />
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It`s been more than a year since the disaster, but some areas of Minamisoma haven`t been cleaned because they were previously inside the exclusion zone. I check all the frogs to see if they have extra legs, but everyone at least looks healthy.<br />
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We`re almost done, and filthy, but still trying to clear out the drainage pipe under the road so water can drain to the gutter on the other side.<br />
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While most of us are resting, and a few are scraping away at the openings with shovels and things, a clean-looking van with clean-looking people inside slowly drives by. The painting on the van says they are Christians. (Denomination unknown.)<br />
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My volunteer buddies (Japanese) look at the van as it drives away and say to each other "That`s the worst. Go after them while they`re weak."<br />
If you`re wondering what response people in need have to say about the good word, it`s that, if you don`t want to get your shoes dirty and help people first.<br />
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The first people I ever invited to volunteer were the LDS missionaries* in Kitakami. I was so proud of myself--I couldn`t wait to be patted on the back for bringing in all those volunteers! Because these were RELIGIOUS guys, so this kind of stuff was right up their alley! I thought. They`d be pouring in every week. Stronger moral compass or something.<br />
<br />
But after they said they`d call me back, I never heard from them again.<br />
I know these guys are mostly really young. I know they get orders from their church, probably pretty strict ones, about how to spend their time and what risks are and aren`t acceptable. I know they only get one day off a week. But I was still really surprised and disappointed, because it`s false advertising. What`s the point of being spiritual if you don`t give a damn about other people, or enough of a damn to act?<br />
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I just wish some people on religious missions, and self-described Christians in general, would think a little more in depth about what kind of message it sends when a bunch of atheists and agnostics and such are going to help a disaster area and they (the missionaries, or Christians in general) aren`t lifting a finger. I and everyone else I know who is a regular, at least in my area, is not religious, let alone Christian.<br />
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You know who actually practices what they preach? Caritas Japan. We`ve worked with Caritas Japan volunteers many times in Kamaishi. They`ve always been very nice and polite and hardworking. Caritas Japan has bases in many disaster-struck cities including Ootsuchi and Kamaishi. They are dedicated to helping long term (read: not just coming in for a week and then going right back home). They don`t force their religion on anyone. In fact, they don`t mention religion at all unless directly asked.<br />
But do you know who knows that Caritas Japan is a Christian organization? Exactly everyone I`ve talked to. Christianity is unusual here, so they know, and they remember. Just like I`m sure they remember those jerks in Minamisoma and I remember the missionaries who wouldn`t do anything.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*I hope nobody is thinking, "Well, it`s just because those Mormons are such-and-such" because while I am not at all fond of the LDS church, there are plenty of churches that waste a lot of time and money that could be used to help people on mission trips that are primarily for evangelism. </span>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-72653219184938685312012-10-16T02:15:00.001-07:002012-10-16T02:15:19.310-07:00Recruiting November 10, 11, 17 (Fukushima)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'hiragino kaku gothic pro', meiryo, 'ms pgothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">HANDS taking volunteers so far on November 10/11 and 17th (Fukushima). No news on further dates in October, but as always, we can easily sign you up for Kamaishi (Fri-Sun) or Rikuzentakada (except Mon or Tuesday) if you can make your own way to the volunteer centers!</span>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-34613308008310972002012-10-11T21:39:00.000-07:002012-10-11T21:42:26.116-07:00In for the long haul<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After a year and a half, the adrenaline has worn off. I`m faced with a long, slow, uncertain path that I continue to go down for various reasons. Out of habit. For maintaining friendships. Because I want to help. Because I want to eat ice cream at Toono. Because I still remember what Kamaishi looked like. Because I want to meet the people who live there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The more time passes, the more things change. Before we just had to get in the car to shovel the mud and rubble away, whenever we could find the time to go. We had a small nonprofit that had secured funding for rental cars and had staff to lead us at volunteer sites. We had overworked but trustworthy leaders. I assumed those leaders would tell us a month from now, or a year from now, what we needed to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> I thought the regulars and the leaders were all united for a common purpose. I thought we would volunteer no matter what the work was, if it helped the coast. I thought I would never miss a weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>HANDS was made and and has always been run by people who already have full-time jobs. It was made, I think, because of Kitakami`s location. Kitakami is on the shinkansen line and within driving distance of cities like Rikuzentakata and Kamaishi. The people who started HANDS saw a need for organizations getting a steady flow of volunteers to and from the coastal areas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The only full-time paid staff member we had stopped working for HANDS last March and moved on to a recovery-related position in Iwate University. One leader from HANDS has basically become part of Kamaishi volunteer center and does not keep in touch with many of the regular volunteers. The other leader continues to help register us with the volunteer centers. Instead of a funded rental car driven by staff members, the volunteers use personal cars and everyone chips in for gas money. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kamaishi volunteer center has steady work on the weekends, but it`s sometimes not as physical as we`re used to. When HANDS started, all the work was back-breakingly hard and exhausting, and I think we all learned to enjoy that kind of work as an outlet for physical strength and aggression. We certainly have a running gag about everybody in HANDS being a masochist. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>For almost 6 months, we`ve been running on the steam of a handful of drivers who can still take their weekends off despite working full time and having families. We started off going every weekend per month, but have now transitioned to maybe two to three weekends per month. There`s been talk of limiting trips to when volunteering is the kind of work we want to do (read: physical), and considering the workload these drivers have been put under, I don`t have room to disagree. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We run off the masochism of middle-aged men and the tolerance of their wives and families. We run off ice cream and sadness and beer parties and friendship. We are no longer a nonprofit, we`re just a volunteer group. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I miss weekends sometimes. This weekend, I`m going to an amusement park and to an onsen, and I`m going to finish the book I`ve been reading. I have a boyfriend and a full time job and my best friend is going to leave Japan for good come Christmastime. I want to spend time with the people I love, and relax and do my laundry. Then next weekend, I want to volunteer. If you want, you can come too. If there are no drivers, you can easily take the train. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There are still almost 330,000 people in temporary housing. People ask me if there are still a lot of people in temporary housing, or if everything is OK by now. Many people in inland Japan ignore the situation on the coast, foreigners and Japanese alike. People in the US this Christmas probably won`t mention the tsunami at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I am uninterested in your guilt and know hinging my self worth on your enthusiasm to help is a stupid idea. I only wish you wouldn`t ask me if everything is OK now, like you`re idly asking if I finally got that wart removed. Use your imagination, or use Google. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Last week, I volunteered for the 77th time. I`m a bad blog writer and I never update, and this next weekend I`m going to a slacker, but please don`t confuse that with giving up. I`m going to muddle around volunteering when I can and keep working toward a way to help full-time. I still go between 2 and 4 times a month, and I still help register people who want to volunteer with us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But tomorrow: I ride roller coasters.</span></div>
Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-34958030993312898172012-09-30T04:31:00.002-07:002012-09-30T04:31:40.226-07:00調査ー大槌町(日本語)
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span><br /> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">数週間前、岩手県の大槌町の仮設住宅の住民を対象にした調査に参加させていただいた。調査は</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">3</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">年続けられ、今年は</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">2</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">年目になる。様々な質問をした。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: Symbol;"><span>·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">仮設住宅の現状はど</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">か、どのよ</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">に変わってきたか<span></span></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">回答者は震災の時詳しくどこにいたか、そしてその後どう行動したのか<span></span></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">収入源と仕事探しの優先性<span></span></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">将来のお住まいの計画</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">(</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">大槌の町内、町外に住むか、高台へ移転する予定があるかなど</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">)</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">大槌町と自分自身の復興の程度<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">去年、</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">40</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ヶ所の仮設住宅に住んでいる</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">1300</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">人ほどの住民が調査に参加した。大半は</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">50</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">代から</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">70</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">代で、</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">3</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">割は年金生活を送っていた。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">私は富手さんとい</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">岩大の大学生と組んで、ほとんどの場合聞いて自分の為のノートを取るとい</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">役割だった。富手さんが質問を聞いて、時には自分は拡大してプリントア</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ウ</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">トされた選択肢を回答者の前に持ち上げた。聞いて、理解して、ノートを取ることに集中出来たのは富手さんのお陰で、四日間外国人と付き合ってと言われても陽気に振る舞ってくれたことは本当に感謝している。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">綺麗で不便な土地</span></b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">大槌の仮設住宅は綺麗な所にあるのを見てホッとした。素敵な田舎で山と森と畑に囲まれた仮設住宅で野鳥の鳴き声を聞いたり、小さなカエルがあちこち這</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">のを見たりした。仮設住宅の住民もいい所に住んでいると言</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">人もいた。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">時々夜に星を見ています。ここはいい所ですよ。</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ウ</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">グイスもキジも鳴きます。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">お父さんが外で椅子に座ってホタルを探しますよ。この辺ホタルが出ますから。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">しかし、綺麗な所だと言っても辺鄙で不便でもよく言える。国道と店から離れていた所で、よく普通の道路から逸れる長くて細い道を通らなければならない。車があっても不便で、運転免許がない場合は更に不便。ある住宅団地は店があったが、あくまで「ある」団地だけで皆あるとは限らない。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">交通は不便ですね。近くに郵便局もなくて、郵便局に行くのは</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">10</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">分もかかります。店も欲しいですね。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">町が欲しいです</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">!</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"> 病院とか、店とか。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">歯医者さんは混んでいますよ。</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">3</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">時間も待ちました。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">店が近くにないので、店が欲しいですね。移動店舗が来るのですが。<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">冬になると内陸に行くのは大変です。電車は復旧して欲しいです。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">当たりか外れか</span></b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">たくさんの事が仮設団地によって違</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">と思えた。違</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">仮設団地でも追いたきが設置されたと言</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">人が多かったが、店があるかど</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">か、物置が設置されたかど</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">か、部屋の数などは仮設団地によって違っていた。一カ所には共用の庭があって、も</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">一カ所に子供の遊び場があった。ある仮設団地は洪水が問題になっている一方で問題になっていない団地もあった。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ここは長く住めないですよ。洪水が心配です。ここは低くて、排水が悪いです。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">大雨になる時は洪水が心配です。最近の大雨で水が家の中まで入っていた住宅もありました。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ここは物置も追いたきも設置されました。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ここで物置を建てることになっているのですが、それはいつか、どんな物なのか分かりません。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">仮設団地での共通の点は夏に暑くて、冬に寒くて、狭いことだった。持ち物を納めるスペースがなくて、部屋の数も足りない。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">近所の関係は一般に良いが、地元の繋がりが薄くなってしま</span></b><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span></b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">多くのインタビューで近所の人についていいことを言っていた。近所の人と編み物などのサークルに参加したり、食事を作ったりをしている人もいた。年配の女性は特にお茶っこサロンを高く評価した。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">二人の回答者は震災が人々にいい影響を与えたと言っていた。震災の前はあまり挨拶していなかったが今は皆挨拶しあっている、と。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">とは言っても、私たちと話してくれた皆が震災の後、地元の人との繋がりが薄くなってきたと回答した。その一人の女性が未だに「子供の世話をしてくれた近所のおばあさんの行方を探していて」とい</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">。子供さんも女性もおばあさんにとても会いたいと言</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">が個人的な情報のため安否確認しか出来なくて、住所も居場所も教えてもらえない。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">政府の言</span></b><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span></b><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ことが信じがたい</span></b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">政府に言われていることは何回も変わってしま</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">傾向があったみたい。物事をもっと平等にする対策は時に</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">まくいったが、時に成果が出ない。去年の回答を読んでいると避難所ですでに不平等な扱い方を経験してしまった人もいた。ある大槌の避難所で物資を管理している人が自分の欲しい物をとって残りを一般人に配布したらしい。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">仮設団地に住んでいる人と話していると、政府などに言われている事が疑い深くて、あまり信用出来ないとい</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">態度だった。「これを与えるとは言っているが、本当はど</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">なるかな</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">?</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">」「こ</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">して欲しいが、それはいつになると実現する</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">?</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">生きている</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">ちに</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">?</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">」<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">棚がないと置く場所がないですから棚が欲しいです。でも、棚を建ててはいけないと最初は言っていました。その後、棚を作ってもよくなりましたが私も旦那さんも仕事で疲れて棚を作る元気がありません</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">!」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">まず家を元の場所で再建してもいいと言われました。その後高台にすれば再建してもいいと言われました。結局中止になって、再建出来なくなりました。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">洗濯物の干場に小さい屋根を設置しましたが、短くてあまり意味ないですよ</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">!」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">駐車所で少しトラブルがありました。始めから住んでいる人は私用の駐車スペースで駐車しましたが、新しく引っ越してきた人が他にスペースがないので個人用のに駐車してしまいました。も</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">解決していますが。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「皆が誰かを亡くしています」</span></b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">去年の調査で「親戚の方を亡くしたか」とい</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">質問があって、</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">4</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">分の</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">1</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">が親戚が亡くなった、または行方不明になったと答えた。</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";">10%</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">以上がゲガした。そして、</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";">40%</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">弱が精神的な衝撃を受けてしまって元の生活に戻れないと回答した。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">今年の調査は同じ質問がも</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">一度出なかったが、話の流れで誰かを亡くしていると言</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">人が多かった。兄弟、おじさんかおばさん、姪か甥、いとこ、両親。ご主人<span>(</span>さん<span>)</span>を亡くしている人にも会った。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">友達が皆流された。息子も亡くしています。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">この辺は</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">(</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">仮設団地で</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">)</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">皆誰かを亡くしています。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">前より改善したか、悪化したか</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">?</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"> 今は前より悪くなったと思います。去年は危機状態で生きることに精一杯でした。今はも</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">話す相手がいなくて、よく眠れないです。前は仕事をしていましたが高血圧のため休息しています。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">夜中に目が開いてしまいます。」<span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">恋しい</span></b><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">調査に参加して一番圧倒的な印象は「恋しい」とい</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">言葉だった。本物の家が恋しい。家族と友達が恋しい。故郷の大槌が恋しい。</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">一生ずっと大槌に住んできた人、結婚してからずっと大槌に住んでいた人も多かった。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">年金生活を送っているお年寄りは家のローンを払える収入もなくて、将来は公営住宅に引っ越すしかないが、いつ住めるよ</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">になるか、または可能になった時に自分は生きているか</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">?</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">とい</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">う</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">問題を抱いていた。<span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">何がどこにあったかもう分かりません。全て取り壊されています。道のレンガを見てやっと分かります。「あ、ここにあったか」、と。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">家を新しくリフォームしたのに、流されました!」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">家が欲しいです!ここら辺の家は皆そっくり。間違って他の家を自分のだと思ってしまいますよ!それは、歳のせいかもしれませんが。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">一般に2人の家族に2部屋、3人の家族に3部屋と言う決まりだったみたいが、そうすると祝日などに子供や孫が泊まる余裕がない。娘さんが泊まりに来る時に部屋がないことによってお父さんが外で車で寝ると言う家族に会った。</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">私は一人暮らしですが、偶然この仮設住宅に入って2部屋の所に住んでいます。娘が来る時はもう一つの部屋に泊まれるからいいです。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">子供が泊まるスペースがないので、電話とメールで連絡を取っています。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> </span></span></i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">この人たちの<span>お</span>家と家族と故郷の話を聞くのが自分の人生を思わせた。自分の新しいアパートと新しい物を持つこと、新しい町で友達と繋がりを作ることはなんてわくわくするのか、と。二人で将来の計画を立て始めることも。</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">家族からすごく遠く離れた所に住むのは寂しいが、帰る時はなんと懐かしく心値よいのか。古びたソファに座ったり、年を取った猫を撫でたり、冷蔵庫から何か出して食べたり。シルバートンで散歩して、コーヒとベーグルの食事をとって,教会と壁画と見て。</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">もし、もう戻れないとしたら</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">どうなる?</span><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">戻りたい人がたくさんいますよ。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">祭りをやって欲しいです。祭りから元気もらうし、子供が帰りますから。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">私自身の復興は0</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";">−</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">20%で、大槌の復興も0</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";">−</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">20%だと思います。大槌が大好きです。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">大槌は本当にどれくらい復興するか分かりません。」</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "Lucida Grande";"></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">「</span></i><i><span style="color: #333233; font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ ProN W3";">友達で盛岡とか遠野とかに住むようになって、「遠野に住めば? 一緒に盛岡に来て!」と誘われますが、遠野に住みたくないです。盛岡に住みたくないです。大槌に住みたい。」</span></i><i><span></span></i></span></div>
Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-36605015990876976412012-08-19T23:07:00.001-07:002012-08-19T23:07:16.829-07:00Survey: Ootsuchi
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<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago, I participated in a four-day survey for
temporary housing residents in Ootsuchi, Iwate. The survey is in its second
year out of three years, and asks a range of questions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*How the living conditions in temporary housing are now and
how have they changed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Details about where the respondent was during the
disaster, and what their movements were afterward</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Their income sources and what their priorities are for
finding a job</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Their plans for housing in the future</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Their assessment of their own recovery and the recovery of
Ootsuchi </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year, a total of about 1300 residents from 40-something
temporary housing units took the survey. The majority were in their 50s to 70s,
and a third were on retirement. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I participated in the survey as mostly a listener, paired up
with a nice college student named Tomite-san. Tomite-san would ask the
questions, and I would hold up an enlarged print-out for multiple choice
questions as needed. All I had to do (mostly) was just focus on listening and
taking notes, so I really owe a lot to Tomite-san’s patience in letting me tag
along. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Beautiful,
Inconvenient Location</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was relieved to see that the temporary housing units were
in beautiful areas. Out in the country, surrounded by trees and fields and
mountains. Often I could hear birds singing, or see little tree frogs crawling
around. Some of residents themselves said they were in a nice area. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sometimes I go out at
night and look at the stars. It’s nice here, you can hear bush warblers and
pheasants calling.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Father here goes out
at night to look for fireflies. They come out here at night. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The problem was, many of these beautiful areas were remote.
They were far away from the highway, away from shops, and most often at the end
of a really long, narrow driveway branching off from a regular road. It was
inconvenient if you had a car, and even worse if you had no license. Some units
had shops, but that depended on the unit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transportation is
inconvenient, and there’s no post office nearby. It takes ten minutes to get to
the post office. I want more stores nearby. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I want a city.
Hospitals, stores. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The dentist around
here is so crowded. I had to wait 3 hours to be seen. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There are no shops
nearby, I’d like some shops. There are some mobile shops that do come around. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s hard to go inland
by car in winter. I’d like the train to come back. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luck of the Draw</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It seemed like everything depended on the unit. Many people
we talked to in different units had gotten bath temperature controllers, so
they could run a bath earlier in the day and it would still be hot for other
family members later. But other things, like stores, and number of rooms, and
whether there was a storage unit, depended on the area. One temporary housing
unit had a garden. Another had some kind of playground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some units were having trouble with
flooding, while others had no trouble at all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I can’t live here long.
I’m worried about floods. It’s not high enough ground here, and the drainage is
bad. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m worried about rain
and flooding in this area. During the big rains we had recently, I heard from
other residents that parts of their house were flooded. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We have storage units
installed here and a temperature regulator for our baths.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They say we’re going
to get storage sheds, but I don’t know when that’s going to happen.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The things that everyone seemed to agree on about the
housing units is: that they were hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and
cramped. There wasn’t enough space to put things, and there weren’t enough
rooms. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Good Neighbors, Weakened
Community Ties </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most people had nothing but nice things to say about their
neighbors. Some people would get together with neighbors for sewing circles and
for potlucks. The little old ladies we talked to, especially, had very positive
things to say about the coffee/tea salons set up by volunteers so people can
have a place to chat. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two people even said that the disaster had had a positive
effect on people: that before, people hadn’t greeted each, but now everyone
greets each other. Everyone is equal now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the other hand, everyone we talked to agreed that the
bonds with people in their community had been weakened after the disaster. One
woman explained that there was an older lady in her neighborhood that had taken
care of her children, and both she and her children wanted to contact her, but
couldn’t because of privacy rules. They could know if the woman was alive, but
not her location or address.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grain of Salt</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes residents were told conflicting things about what
they could or couldn’t do. Measures to make things more convenient or fair
sometimes worked out, but sometimes didn’t. Reading the fill in the blank
responses from last year’s survey, some respondents had already stayed in
shelters where supplies weren’t distributed fairly. The people in charge of
supplies would take what they wanted for themselves, and give the rest to
everyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I could hear in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the residents’ voices that they were taking everything they heard with a
grain of salt. “They say they’re going to give us this, but who knows?” “This
is what I want, but will that ever happen? While I’m still alive?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We wanted drawers,
because if you don’t have drawers there’s not enough space to put things, but
they said we couldn’t have drawers. Then, they said we could have drawers, but
by that time my husband and I were both working and we were too tired to put
them in! </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They said, you can
build your home in its original spot. Then they said, you can build there if
you make the land higher. Then they canceled and said we couldn’t build there
at all again. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They built a small
roof so we could dry our laundry in the back, but it’s too short! So it’s kind
of meaningless. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There was a problem
with parking. Residents had their own parking spot, but then new residents came
in and used reserved spots because there was no other place to park. It’s been
sorted out now. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Everyone Has Lost
Someone”</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The survey from last year had already asked respondents if
they had lost a family member, and more than a quarter had responded that yes,
someone was dead or missing. More than 10% said they had been injured, and
almost 40% said they’d experienced psychological damage and couldn't live their
lives like they used to. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This year’s survey didn’t repeat the question, but many
people said to us they had lost someone. Siblings, aunts and uncles, a little
niece or nephew, cousins, parents. One woman we talked to said she had lost her
husband. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My friends are gone.
They were all washed away, and I lost a son. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Everyone around here (temporary
housing unit) has lost someone.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Is it better now or
then? It’s worse now. Last year I was in emergency mode. Now, I have no one to
talk to, and I can’t sleep…I had work but I’m resting now due to high blood
pressure. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sometimes my eyes snap
open in the middle of the night.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Longing</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The most overwhelming impression I got overall from the
survey was longing. Longing for a real house, for friends and family, and for Ootsuchi.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many people we talked to had lived in Ootsuchi their whole
lives, or since they got married. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The older people, who live on retirement, didn’t have the
income to take on loans for a house, so they had to move into public housing,
but again, when was that going to happen? Were they still going to be alive
when it happened? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t know where
anything is in Ootsuchi anymore. It’s all been torn down. You can tell by
seeing tiles or something, “Oh, OK, that’s where it was.”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’d just newly
decorated my place and it was washed away. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’d like a house! All
the places here look the same. You mistake someone else’s place for your place!
Though that may have to do with my age, too.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It seemed like, as a general rule, a two person household
would get two rooms, and a three person household would get three rooms, but
that didn’t leave enough room for children and grandchildren to stay during the
holidays, or just when they wanted to come and visit. One family we talked to
said that when their daughter came to visit, the father slept in the car
outside because there was no room for her to stay. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I live alone, but I
just happened to be assigned to this housing unit and get two rooms. That’s
nice, so my daughter can stay here.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There’s no place for
our children to stay, so we just use phone and email to keep in touch.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Listening to these people talk about their houses and their
families and their city, I thought about my own life. How exciting it is to
have my own apartment and my own things, to have friends and a community. To
start to build a life with someone. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How lonely it is living so far away from my family, but how
comforting it is to go back for the holidays. Sit on our old couch, and pet the
old cat and grab something from the refrigerator. Take a stroll through
Silverton, get a cup of coffee and maybe a bagel, look at the churches and the
murals.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What if I couldn’t have that anymore? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Many people want to
come back. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I want us to have
matsuris again. We can get strength from matsuris, and the kids come back. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’d say my recovery is
0-20%, and Ootsuchi’s recovery is 0-20%. I love Ootsuchi.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t know how much
Ootsuchi will even recover. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some of my friends
have moved to Morioka, or to Toono. They tell me, “Come to Toono! Why don’t you
like in Morioka!” </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t want to live in Toono. I don’t want to live in
Morioka. I want to stay in Ootsuchi. </i></div>
Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-82005835355213687612012-07-30T00:44:00.001-07:002012-07-30T00:45:26.237-07:00Recruiting 8/3-8/4, 8/18-8/19, 8/25-8/26<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">HANDS dispatching volunteers on the following dates (so far):</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Friday, 8/3 meeting at 9:30 am at Kitakami station, back later than 6 or 7. (Help with matsuri event in Kamaishi.)</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Saturday, 8/4</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Saturday 8/18 and Sunday 8/19</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Saturday 8/25 and Sunday 8/26.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">All days beside Friday 8/3, meet at Kitakami station at 7 am and get back around 6 or something. Split gas money.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">If you want to go on dates other than those listed, keep in mind we can sign you up with Kamaishi or Rikuzentakata volunteer centers! All you need is a friend with a car (in Rikuzentaka`s case) or know how to take the train (Kamaishi). </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Rikuzentakata Volunteer Center is off for Obon vacation 8/13 to 8/15. It has regular days off on Monday, Tuesday.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Kamaishi Volunteer Center--I can`t find where it says its days off are. It usually only takes volunteers Friday, Sat, Sun.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Anyway, if you want to volunteer another day, there are many options! Shoot me an email or see Foreign Volunteers Japan Facebook group for other opportunities.</span></div>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-56453621627811696062012-07-23T04:17:00.003-07:002012-07-23T04:17:54.542-07:00The head of Kamaishi Volunteer Center has retired, and is now coming as a regular volunteer (!). You can find him looking refreshed and upbeat on the weekends with the other regulars of team 023. Untucked shirt with an official VC jacket.Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-29592596651338729342012-06-28T23:17:00.000-07:002012-07-06T03:37:45.753-07:00Recruiting volunteers July 1, 15-16, 21-22 (so far)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">HANDS recruiting for volunteeeeeers (with excessive e)!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">July 1 (Sunday), July 15-16 (Sunday Monday), July 21-22 (Sat-Sun).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Probably more dates to follow soon, or please contact if you are interested in dates not listed and maybe we can find a driver.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Kitakami station at 7 am split gas money blah blah contact me to register in English!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Or contact HANDS at 35iwate@gmail.com if you wanna register in Japanese!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Update: Bad volunteer blog writer, part II--forgets to post updates</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Update: July 15th has been changed to a trip to Minamisoma, Fukushima. Gathering time at Kitakami station is 5:30 am and expected to return at around 7 to 8 pm. Please sign up by July 10th if you are interested.</span>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-60041642599493958552012-06-18T07:14:00.000-07:002012-06-18T07:14:05.522-07:00Recent volunteer jobs:Recent volunteer jobs:<br />
<ul>
<li>Assisting with joint wedding ceremony for 6 couples in Kamaishi who had planned to get married in March 2011, but were forced to cancel because of the disaster. Set up, take down, handing out balloons, and general answering questions for guests.</li>
<li>Cutting grass and removing tsunami mud and rubble (yes, we are still cleaning) from the tops of culverts. This was last weekend so still a bit sore.</li>
<li>Digging ditches (drainage ditches and a ditch for installing a water pipe). This was the special Minamisoma, Fukushima trip. HANDS was split into two groups, and my group of four did the ditch digging. The others went to another worksite. The man who made the work request wanted to make his backyard into a camping area for volunteer workers. There were big tents from Shelter Box already set up (I guess Shelter Box donates its tents?) and he was in the process of setting up a toilet. </li>
<li>Making land suitable for being a garden or a field. Dig out the rocks and the rubble (<b>yes, we are still cleaning</b>). We've had a couple jobs like this in the past month or so.</li>
<li>Picking up fine rubble, especially glass, to make a driveway more suitable for cars. The people making the request were concerned about tire punctures. </li>
</ul>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-66416326664192490372012-06-11T19:20:00.004-07:002012-06-11T19:20:43.058-07:00Taking volunteering June 16/17, 23/24<div class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Volunteering
in Kamaishi (or possibly Rikuzentakata) June 16 and 17, 23 and 24 (aka
the weekends)! The usual crew (HANDS), the usual meeting spot (Kitakami
station at 7 am), the usual split the gas money! <br /> Contact me to sign up at thomasanna85@gmail.com</span></div>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-60373729164758798272012-06-04T05:56:00.002-07:002012-10-16T02:06:04.332-07:00Volunteer Resources (for Professor Heuser's class)Most of these resources are in Japanese. Edit: HOWEVER, you can click through to English versions on some of these sites, so do not lose hope, English speakers!!<br />
They are almost all resources for tsunami relief.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tasukeai Japan</b></span><br />
You must look at <a href="http://tasukeaijapan.jp/">Tasukeai Japan!</a><br />
Go look at it right now!<br />
You can look at each city or prefecture, see if the volunteer centers are still running, the plans to rebuild the city, and much more. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKf7FsnhcJM8JLy8rNODlUoZyoSZ3G3pgr0Fdx9Xqc1wUs1TNr6VCzumz54lkkCWBv0o7_NNzHR5txmc65UsJZpWsoKzPoluaNNHghiGJ8Bcg_uVRu6UfnyOvYVOk-D-FccRwT8VJI00/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKf7FsnhcJM8JLy8rNODlUoZyoSZ3G3pgr0Fdx9Xqc1wUs1TNr6VCzumz54lkkCWBv0o7_NNzHR5txmc65UsJZpWsoKzPoluaNNHghiGJ8Bcg_uVRu6UfnyOvYVOk-D-FccRwT8VJI00/s400/Picture+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Also, <a href="http://tasukeaijapan.jp/?cat=173">information about volunteering</a>, including the <b>best volunteering search websites: </b><a href="http://shinsai.yahoo.co.jp/volunteer_db/index.html">Yahoo! Japan 復興支援</a><br />
<a href="http://skillstock.net/volunteer">Skillstock</a> <b>(try searching for <a href="http://skillstock.net/volunteer?prefecture=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%BA%9C">opportunities in Tokyo</a> or <a href="http://skillstock.net/volunteer?prefecture=%E5%9F%BC%E7%8E%89%E7%9C%8C">opportunities in Saitama)</a></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>JCN</b> </span><br />
See <a href="http://www.jpn-civil.net/">JCN's website</a> for even more general information.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Foreign Volunteers Japan</b> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/Foreignvolunteersjapan/">Foreign Volunteers Japan</a> is a Facebook group for foreign volunteers that can answer your questions (in English). Check out the wall for recent news.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tohoku-Involved NPOS Taking Volunteers in Tokyo</b></span><br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.arkbark.net/?q=en/node/75">ARK (animal shelter based in Kansai)</a> needs help in Tokyo taking foster animals, including animals “ made homeless from the TOHOKU-PACIFIC earthquake and tsunami”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.salanetwork.or.jp/index.html">SALA (Save Animals Love Animals) </a>also involved in animal rescue from Tohoku <br />
<br />
<a href="http://pbv.or.jp/volunteer/volunteer_03.html%E2%80%A8">Peace Boat (volunteering at Tokyo office)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.2hj.org/%E2%80%A8">Second Harvest Japan</a><br />
sometimes asks for volunteers to make food packages for Tohoku.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Volunteering: List of Volunteer Centers</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.tvac.or.jp/di/20960.html">県外からのボランティアを受け入れているボランティアセンター</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>NPOS Taking Volunteers in Tohoku</b></span> (only the ones I know)<br />
<a href="http://itsnotjustmud.com/%E3%83%9C%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%82%A2%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%81%84-just-do-it/?lang=ja">It's Not Just Mud</a> in Ishinomaki, Miyagi<br />
<a href="http://tonomagokoro.net/lets-volunteer">Magokoro Net</a> in Iwate<br />
<a href="http://sviwate.wordpress.com/%E3%83%9C%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%82%A2/">Save Iwate </a>in Iwate<br />
<a href="http://pbv.or.jp/">Peace Boat</a> in Ishinomaki, Miyagi<br />
<a href="http://farmarcadia.org/">Farm Arcadia</a> in Fukushima (animal shelter)<br />
<a href="http://www.morioka-shakyo.or.jp/kawai/kawaiweb.html">Kawai Camp</a> in Iwate<br />
<a href="http://www.habitatjp.org/contents/learn/domestic.html">Habitat for Humanity Japan </a>in Ishinomaki, Miyagi and Ofunato, Iwate<br />
<a href="http://www.npohands.com/">HANDS</a> in Iwate (We go on weekends, and can help you register with volunteer center on weekdays. Go to link or contact me at thomasanna85@gmail.com for more details)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Other Resources</b></span>Tasukeai Japan's list of <a href="http://tasukeaijapan.jp/?cat=34">antenna shops</a> and <a href="http://tasukeaijapan.jp/?cat=33#tabA">places to shop online</a><br />
<b>Remember: the businesses that especially need your help are not inland, they're on the coast.</b> <b>Please buy from the coast.</b>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-895180182292530622012-05-21T18:26:00.004-07:002012-05-21T18:26:42.429-07:00Bad Volunteer Blog Writer!!Oooooh, there have been very very few updates! Bad volunteer blog writer!<br />
<br />
First off, technically recruiting should end today, but we'll probably still be in need of last-minute help this weekend.<br />
<br />
<b>Charity Bazaar!</b><br />
<br />
<strong>Where:</strong> Tenshouchi Park Rest House, Kitakami.<br />
<br />
<strong>When:</strong> May 26th (Sat) and May 27th (Sun) 9 am to 4 pm<br />
<br />
<strong>Why:</strong>
JCI (Junior Chamber International) Japan has a store of unused donation
items, mostly everyday items like toilet paper and etcetera. HANDS is
selling some of these items at Tenshouchi Park to raise money for the
volunteer centers in Kamaishi, Rikuzentakata, and Kitakami, as well as
other organizations that benefit the coast.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Work: </strong>mostly
carrying donated items, setting up, selling to customers, guiding
traffic. *Don't worry about your language abliity. HANDS will not ask
you to do something you can't handle.*<br />
<br />
Please let me know asap if interested.<br />
<br />
Also, there will probably be usual weekend (Saturday/Sunday) volunteering next month. Let me know when you want to come.<br /><br />Also also, HANDS is taking a special volunteer trip down to Minamisoma (Fukushima) on the 9th. Departing from Kitakami station at 5:30 am, returning at about 7 or 8 pm. If you're interested and want more details, please contact me. Deadline for signing up is May 31. <b>For this event, serious inquiries only please.</b><b> </b>Please be reasonably sure you'll be able to participate on the 9th and prepare yourself with clothing, a lunch, etc before signing up.Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-32336474424698617042012-04-20T02:56:00.004-07:002012-04-20T03:00:10.073-07:00Introduced!Oh!<br />Looks like I've been introduced by HANDS's "sister" Japanese blog, so I figure I should return the favor! And here you have the Japanese HANDS website, which features more consistent content and better pictures:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.npohands.com/">http://www.npohands.com/</a>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-48369820792844369182012-04-17T23:51:00.001-07:002012-04-17T23:51:33.119-07:00HANDS dispatching April 20-22, 27-29, May 3-4<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', Meiryo, 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; ">HANDS dispatching volunteers from Kitakami April 20-22, 27-29, May 3-4! Meet at 7, split gas money, contact me to sign up!</span>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-73315006132754853402012-04-09T17:44:00.002-07:002012-04-09T17:44:49.138-07:00New donations list!Want to donate something to help the cause, even from overseas?<br /><br />The Kamaishi Volunteer Center has set up an Amazon donations page! Currently they are taking donations for albums to store cleaned photographs. Don't worry about the yen prices: you can buy albums from Amazon Japan from overseas using a foreign credit card. To switch the Amazon page to English, please click this link first:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/In-English/b/ref=topnav_switchLang?ie=UTF8&node=1094656">http://www.amazon.co.jp/In-English/b/ref=topnav_switchLang?ie=UTF8&node=1094656</a><br />Then click here to see the wishlist:<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/registry/wishlist/3NXIMVV4DSJU0">http://www.amazon.co.jp/registry/wishlist/3NXIMVV4DSJU0</a>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-54228130717102396692012-04-05T04:22:00.000-07:002012-04-05T04:23:22.448-07:00HANDS dispatching 4/7 and 4/8, 4/14 and 4/15<h6 style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;" class="uiStreamMessage" ft="{"type":1}"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="messageBody" ft="{"type":3}">HANDS dispatching 4/7 and 4/8, 4/14 and 4/15. Contact me to register etc! If I happen to forget to announce a weekend, it's a safe bet that we're probably still going!</span></span></h6>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-37953357639187315472012-03-29T08:47:00.000-07:002012-03-29T08:48:21.991-07:00Dispatch March 31, April 1<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" ft="{"type":1}"><span class="messageBody" ft="{"type":3}">Ooops forgot to mention HANDS unofficial dispatch 3/31 and 4/1. Will split gas money between participants contact me to register!</span></h6>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-71063477843660085492012-03-26T08:50:00.004-07:002012-03-26T09:33:26.837-07:00Habitat for Humanity Japan (日本語 version)Sorry about the sudden change to Japanese, I needed a place to tell volunteer friends about my experience with Habitat for Humanity Japan. Will write English entry about my experience very soon, with much better grammar and probably in more detail than in Japanese.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0aYvEmtQa9Qq9AGHCrLVxQjhzO61S1iJk3bVSeW-tNiQOzfYM4UDcxOiz_clKr_i38_owAEsQqrYvC4XTvyQMKWOg2mNhQQ-sGtPbo6uXV6IgMgJSOCv9GMH66NcrVJBwnUAT26bX1o/s1600/055.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0aYvEmtQa9Qq9AGHCrLVxQjhzO61S1iJk3bVSeW-tNiQOzfYM4UDcxOiz_clKr_i38_owAEsQqrYvC4XTvyQMKWOg2mNhQQ-sGtPbo6uXV6IgMgJSOCv9GMH66NcrVJBwnUAT26bX1o/s200/055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724237185121080994" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6pIxFtumtb-zTkfxgVjzZDw4ssiG-iQq4lN9qMcL7PqqWLCtZYrUnqFby-JmX0faI2WwAzRjnqxAPVDe992SI-nyHzdWtRtXEcMdDv7sl-Oy21EkQaRhrGt9Q6S6r9_FdVOJP8wFxHY/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6pIxFtumtb-zTkfxgVjzZDw4ssiG-iQq4lN9qMcL7PqqWLCtZYrUnqFby-JmX0faI2WwAzRjnqxAPVDe992SI-nyHzdWtRtXEcMdDv7sl-Oy21EkQaRhrGt9Q6S6r9_FdVOJP8wFxHY/s200/IMG_0401.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724237192334518834" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPu3Nj2wuYdOPc8fMg6NWARpQhP1TXcH5mZvCtKtPDCY20CB07IvpmtEcfrY_KbHPO8J-ZcO32sII67sVW-O_EdTu7-0_vTm_Deb4kWyMv4TXHnrj3jAjp9Nwq_ySVqbPGO41PmJ0WvGk/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPu3Nj2wuYdOPc8fMg6NWARpQhP1TXcH5mZvCtKtPDCY20CB07IvpmtEcfrY_KbHPO8J-ZcO32sII67sVW-O_EdTu7-0_vTm_Deb4kWyMv4TXHnrj3jAjp9Nwq_ySVqbPGO41PmJ0WvGk/s200/004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724237177452752210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />アメリカではHabitat for Humanityが有名。困っている人のために家を建てるNPO。ボランティアが建築を手伝うため安く建てることが出来る。アメリカで参加したことないが、「誰でもボランティア出来る、家を建てるNPO」という印象を持っている。<br />ということで、Habitat for Humanity Japanが存在することに気付いたら、しかも、宮城県でボランティアを受付していると知ったら,家を建てる仕事ではないか? 岩手県にも来てくれないか? とわくわくして,参加することにした。<br /><br />Habitat for Humanity JapanのHPを見ると海外建築ボランティアは簡単に見つけるがなかなか国内のボランティア募集は見当たらなかった。やっと、活動紹介ー>国内ー>ページの下にあった記事のリストに募集報告を見つけた。今は3月の受付が終了になったためリンクがもうなくなったみたい。4月の始まりにまた現れるかもしれない。<br /><br />ボランティアが参加出来る復興支援活動は、家の解体、泥だし、そしてコミュニティーセンターの建築も書いてあった気がする。リーダのはなさんに聞くと、70%が解体だが今のところ何パーセントで何をやっているかは難しい質問。大工のJoeさんによると、宮城県のボランティア派遣は先月に始まったばかりで、プログラムが始まる時にいつも出る問題はどう解決するか、これから何をするかはまだ検討中らしい。例えば、今のところSamaritan's PurseというNPOと組んで活動しているが、私の参加した日が日曜日だったため皆協会に行ったらしい。プログラムが成長するにつれてHabitatの活動がSamaritan's Purseから独立していくかもしれない。<br /><br />申し込みはちょっと厄介だった。申込書を記入してメールで送ってから同意書を印刷してサインして、身分証明書のコーピと共にHabitat for Humanity Japan HQ (東京)に郵送する。また参加する時同じ手続きをしないとだめか分からない。<br /><br />ボランティアは多賀城のボランティアベースに宿泊出来る。1日の参加費は1000円で、宿泊、1日に3食(!!)も提供してくれる。朝ご飯は台所でトースト、シリアル、などなどが揃えて、ランチはコンビニによって好きな弁当がリーダに買ってもらう。晩ご飯は夜皆で作る。<br />3食まではちょっとビックリでした。そんなにお金があったら岩手県にも来て下さい、大工さんに少し給料をあげて下さい、みたいなww<br /><br />大工さんというと、もちろん日本人のおじさんに決まっていると思ったが、「大工のJoeさん」が話に出たら何とアメリカ人だと分かった。しかも現場のリーダだった。初めての外国人リーダ! 日本人のリーダがどうやって説明を英語でしたらいいじゃなくて、今回はアメリカ人のリーダが日本人のボランティアにどうやって説明すればいいかと逆の問題になっていた!<br /><br />Joeさんはアメリカ人の大工さんでHabitat for Humanityのベテラン指導員。なんだか自分のおじさんみたいない人だなと会った時に思った。おじさんの雰囲気?オーラが強すぎて、実家から10分のMount Angelが出身ではないか?と本気で思ったほど私が育ってきた環境に近い人だった。実はIowa州からだが、親戚が昔オレゴン州に住んでいたみたい。<br /><br />Joeさんが宮城県で指導する緊急募集メールを見たら、資格と経験の条件はぴったりと自分のに合ってて、奥さんに「行ってきます」と言って,日本に出発。<br />日本は初めてかどうか聞いていないが、Joeさんは日本語があまり喋れない。英語が分からないボランティアにやってほしい作業をジェスチャーで見せるか、英語がぺらぺらなリーダのはなさんに通訳してもらう。<br />合計5ヶ月ぐらい宮城県にいる。その後、プログラムが続くかどうかは、また指導できる大工さんが参加するかの問題です。指導員は完全なボランティア給料が出ないため難しいかもしれないとJoeが言った。<br /><br />作業は女川というところだった。多賀城から1時間半ぐらいだったので、北上から派遣する時とちょうど同じ長さ。が、いつもと違って、その1時間半見ている景色が今の石巻の様子。そして、<br />松島!! 松島がめっちゃ奇麗!! そこに泊まりたい! 絶対に戻る!<br />松島は有名でも先週末まで聞いたことなかった。ぼーっと外を見ていたら松が一杯の小さい島が広ーい湖の上に浮いてるのを見て「!! 何この景色? どこ?」ととてもビックリ。<br /><br />女川に着いたら、リーダのJoeとはなさん、インターンの一人、ボランティア6人と作業を始めた。壁、天井、床はがし、泥だし。その日はプラスタボードの壁と天井を落として、壁のネギを全部とって、床はがしをし始めるところだった。<br />最初は喜んで、壁を壊してたが、Joeさんがやってきて、バールを私に渡して、使い方を少し教えてくれた後、初めて床をはがした。やっと少しバールの使い方分かっていることにあまりにも盛り上がって、今これを書いていると水曜日か木曜日まで筋肉痛だと思う。<br />今までボランティアでは「男性がああします、女性がこうします」という時があって、同意しなくても日本の文化でしょうがないと思った。でも好きでもない習慣の一つです。普段ボランティアしていると初心者の日本人男性ボランティアに自分がスコープの使い方が分かるとか疑われたりするけど、Joeさんが初めて会った女性の私にやってきてバールを渡してくれた。「君もバールだぜ」みたいに。正直とても嬉しかった。私と一緒だった大学生のエビちゃん(女性、実名不明)も機会と指導を与えられたからすっかりと床はがしのやりかたを覚えた。<br /><br />いつものように依頼されたご家族がお茶をお菓子を下さって,よく聞く話だが解体している家が結局使えない可能性もあると言っていた。政府がまだ出していない町の企画次第。<br /><br />女川の仮設ビルに「まげねえ鵜住居」みたいに「まげねど、女川」が塗ってあった。<br /><br />Habitat for Humanity Japanは大船渡で修繕活動を行ってるみたいけど、はなさんによってボランティアの受付をしていないと言う。<br />http://www.habitatjp.org/jpblog/2012/02/ofunato-1.html<br />でも、どうかな。家を直す。家を建てる。そういう仕事があったら、手伝っていたいね。<br />これから,岩手にでも、宮城にでも何の活動をするかを楽しみにしている。<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPu3Nj2wuYdOPc8fMg6NWARpQhP1TXcH5mZvCtKtPDCY20CB07IvpmtEcfrY_KbHPO8J-ZcO32sII67sVW-O_EdTu7-0_vTm_Deb4kWyMv4TXHnrj3jAjp9Nwq_ySVqbPGO41PmJ0WvGk/s1600/004.JPG"></a>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-68660539204896942322012-03-20T02:34:00.004-07:002012-03-20T02:58:38.444-07:00Field Trip: Toono Magokoro Net<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 0 16778247 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="">What am I doing reviewing Magokoro Net?</span></b><span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Let's get this straight:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>I love HANDS and I think we are awesome. I'd love for you to participate with us. If you come on the weekends, you can totally participate with us! If it's not on the weekends, you still might be able to participate if we can find you a driver! But depending on the length of time you're here, or the dates, we might not be able to take you.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Therefore, I am reviewing other volunteering opportunities, with way too much detail, to give you the (probably) foreign volunteer enough information to participate comfortably with other NPOs! So, with that explained...Toono Magokoro Net in Iwate!<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><b style=""><span style=""></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stuff you need</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">You should be checking out the <a href="http://tonomagokoro.net/english/">website</a> to make sure you have everything you need, but off the top of my head: you definitely need volunteer insurance, a signed consent form, clothes to get dirty, boots with protective insoles, a warm (warm!) sleeping bag, various usual toiletry items and stuff if you're staying over, plus food. There are shops in the area but no convenience stores nearby opening early, I think, so for the first day you need to buy breakfast and lunch the night before. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Basically, just go to an outdoor store. You can get most of that stuff there. Please don't go unprepared. It is a pain.<br /><b style=""><span style=""></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=""><br /></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >The week before</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >At first I was planning on staying overnight at Magokoro, but then I noticed that registration for people arriving the day was at 4:30 pm. Since I had work until about 7, I couldn’t make it in time. Therefore, the only other option was staying someplace else and showing up for morning registration at 6:30.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >Fortunately, I`d already stayed at a nice little minshuku called <a href="http://www.v-toono.jp/rindou/">Minshuku Rindou</a> a few months before. I don`t know if the owner speaks English, I`d assume not, but he`s a very chill person and the rooms are nice and comfortable. It`s only 3500 yen a night without meals, plus you can take a dip in the onsen bath downstairs anytime you like before about 8 in the morning. Definitely, definitely a very relaxing pre or post volunteer stay.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >5:30: Waiting for registration<br /></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >Up at about 5:30, I took one last dip in the nice Rindou bath and made my way to the center.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><a href="http://tonomagokoro.net/archives/10139">See map to the center here </a><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Magokoro Net is at the end of a road that really doesn`t look like something worthwhile is at the end, but don`t worry. If you see this sign (picture) you`re headed in the right direction. Follow the arrow. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Once you get to the nice gate thing, turn left. Don`t enter that central building there that looks like it`s important, just go arrrrounnnd the building until you find a smaller brown structure.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >At left, you can see the smoker`s exile area. The actual entrance is in in the middle. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I went inside and waited until 6:30. I was kind of feeling awkward lugging around my bag everywhere, but later I found out I could just put my bag in the women`s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>dorm room. You can do that too. Just don`t leave your valuables in the bag, just in case. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >By the way, before 6:30, I had spotted about two other foreigners, and an older man had come up to me asking if I understood Japanese in English. Not a bad sign for those of you wanting to come with less Japanese.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >6:30: Registration<br /></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >At 6:30, the new volunteers went inside and one of the leaders, who looked pretty busy, attended to us. He checked our volunteer cards, took our waiver forms, and checked a form of ID. Then he passed out an information packet, but</span> unfortunately the packet was in Japanese.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> Later, I found out there`s an English equivalent, but it doesn`t look like they pass it out much. I`d recommend either asking for an English one when you get there, or printing out information from the English Magokoro website and bringing it with you. The most important thing was the schedule, which is as follows as of March 22nd:</p><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >6:00</span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Wake up alarm (for those staying in center)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >6:30 <span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Registration (for those coming in the morning. Those coming the day before register at 4:30 pm.)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >7:20</span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Gather outside, do warm up exercises, informational speeches from leaders about 8:00 Leave for worksites in buses. </span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language:JAfont-family:";" ></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >about 10:00</span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝";mso-fareast-language:JAfont-family:";" lang="JA"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝";mso-fareast-language:JAfont-family:";" >Begin volunteer work.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >12:00</span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >〜</span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >13:00 Lunch (bring your own lunch).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >about 15:00 Finish volunteer work.</span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language:JAfont-family:";" ></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >about 16:00 Return to Toono.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >17:30</span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language:JAfont-family:";" >Meeting for reflecting on day’s activities.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >18:00</span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Free time</span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝";mso-fareast-language:JAfont-family:";" ></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >22:00</span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Lights out</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝";mso-fareast-language: JAfont-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Anyway, he then passed out our volunteer name badges, we wrote down the date and our name, and then we had time to explore the place until about 7:20.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I noticed toasters, a microwave, bathrooms, sinks for people to wash their faces,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>washing machines, and a free wireless password posted below the Japanese flag and above a board full of work requests.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >The work requests themselves are interesting. In general, a volunteer can choose between “hard” (physical) work like picking up rubble and “soft” work like doing coffee salons or talking to people. Volunteers can also choose what location to go to. When I went, we could choose between Kamaishi and Ootsuchi. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >On top of that, it looks like Magokoro Net itself is taking work requests, and putting out its own work requests. When I went, the following jobs were out: giving foot baths and holding a coffee circle in Rikuzentakata, helping another nonprofit build a kind of shed?, something to do with a Sumo contest, building showers at Magokoro Net (right now only public baths in the area available),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and etcetera. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >These weren`t all for the same day. Some were one day only, some were ongoing, and some were already filled up with names and nobody else could sign up. Still, the number of choices were intriguing. If you want variety, variety is definitely available here.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >7:20: Warm-up and speeches, Crested Kingfisher<br /></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Radio Taisou, a traditional Japanese radio program for warming up the body and stretching a little. We warmed up to a recording of the program. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Then the leaders came up and gave some informational speeches. What jobs were going to be done that day, plus a reminder to please bring boots and safety insoles. During the boot speech, I saw a Crested Kingfisher. This is going to have significance to approximately 0% of you, but I do not care. It gets included. I also heard a Blue Rockthrush. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >Crested Kingfisher!!! I love you!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.birding.in/images/Birds/rajiv/crested_kingfisher.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 204px;" src="http://www.birding.in/images/Birds/rajiv/crested_kingfisher.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Anyway, so then we got into lines. The guy with the microphone first asked all the volunteers who had registered as groups to come aside and line up. Then, he asked the rest of us to split up into two groups, but I didn`t hear what the two groups meant.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >This was the most confusing part of the day. We split into two groups, and then each group split into a couple of lines. I found myself in the left side, lined up, but didn`t know what my line meant. When I finally caved and asked somebody, she told me I was in one of the “soft” work lines, as opposed to the “hard” physical labor ones. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >NOOOOO I am not </span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >ソフト</span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >, I am </span><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >ハード</span><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I quickly got into the right line. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >They then split the hard groups into two more groups, one group going to Kamaishi and another going to Ootsuchi. I chose Ootsuchi, because I`d never been there before. The Ootsuchi leader pointed us to the correct buses, told each of us to pick up one of the nice Magokoro Net vests that we`d wear all day, and onto the buses we went. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I`d say it took about an hour or so to get to Ootsuchi. On the way, we stopped at Kamaishi for a rest stop. The bus driver said that they’d leave as soon as everybody was back, but on a later stop he gave a specific time. I would ask for a time or stick with a group to make sure you’re not late back to the bus.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"MS 明朝";mso-bidi-MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language:JAfont-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >10:00</span></b><span style="font-weight: bold;">: Arrive in Ootsuchi and start work<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" >So: arrived in Ootsuchi. I was surprised to see that most of the buildings had been reduced to foundations in the area we were working. One of the leaders explained that, unlike the cities I was used to working in, Ootsuchi had burned. The area had still needed a lot of cleanup, but the houses had started as mostly just burnt frames of buildings.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Leader split us up into to smaller teams and gave each team a pretty arbitrary leader. The guy who was my group’s leader, for example, had no experience. This was his first day. Another guy in our group who was really tan and kind of anti-social seeming was Mr. Veteran San, who had worked on the same site the day before. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You might wonder, “why did the site leader make the inexperienced guy the leader?” but I think it’s just because he didn’t have enough time. The guy was in charge of a LOT of people. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >So the usual: we gathered tools, walked over to the work site, and began cleaning rubble from the foundation of a building. It was usual volunteer work, and the usual tips apply.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Don’t be afraid of using whatever tools you want, you don’t need anybody’s permission. Just don’t leave them there on the ground in a weird spot so somebody can trip on them, or where you could lose them. If you don’t know what to do, ask somebody who looks like they know what they’re doing or look at what other people around you are doing. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >If they say there’s a break, you take a break. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >12-1: Lunch<br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" > We had lunch outside or in the buses, whichever people preferred. Only, don’t tromp inside those buses with your boots on. The site leader told us to change into our regular shoes so the bus wouldn’t get dirty.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I’d brought some really cheesy store-bought peanut butter sandwiches, but there had been an opportunity to order okonomiyaki in the morning, so I had a half okonomiyaki and the sandwiches to boot. There’ll probably be an opportunity to get extra food in the area and help the economy, but I wouldn’t bank on it. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >1-3: More volunteering<br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >More of the same. We switched to another foundation with more rubble in it and began cleaning. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >The site leader did come to us during one of the breaks and tell us about what had happened to the area. He said that a lot of people had died in this particular neighborhood, but since it was such a small area he hadn’t known until he talked to a nearby store owner. He recommended talking to the store owner if we had a chance. The jobs we were doing, he added later, could only be done by hand. Heavy machinery had come in to take care of the big chunks of buildings, but completely cleaning the area required human volunteers.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ><br />He gave longer speeches than I was used to hearing during volunteering, but it was all important information that the volunteers would bring back to their communities. Most folks were from Tokyo, which seems really disconnected from Tohoku’s situation nowadays. This was Magokoro Net’s opportunity to educate about what had gone on in the area.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >So the usual wrap-up: everyone is like “It’s time to finish!” and of course you don’t want to stop. Bring tools to storage area, clean tools, put tools back, and get on bus to return to Toono.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >3:00: Start back to Toono<br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Rest/shopping break at a complex of temporary shops in Ootsuchi. I was really happy with just this bit. A big organization like this has the power to move busloads of people to places where they can spend money to help local communities. 15 minutes or so can make a big difference. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I only bought a cup of coffee, but I saw people buying bags of cookies as souvenirs, doing their grocery shopping, or having a nice post-volunteer yakitori chowdown.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >5:30: Post-volunteer meeting and reflection<br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >After we drove back and arrived at about four, there was a rest period where you could mess with your luggage or check your email. Then, everyone cleaned the building a little bit, and gathered in the men’s sleeping area to have a post-volunteer meeting.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I think if you have time, it’s polite to help clean the building and attend the post-volunteer meeting, but if you need to catch a train, it’s OK to leave after you arrive at Magokoro Net. They had interested things to say at the meeting, but most of it was relevant for people who were going to continue volunteering the next day.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Overall impression: </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Of course, I love HANDS and I prefer working with them, but I still had a really positive experience participating with Magokoro Net. You might not get to know staff members very well, as they all seemed really busy, but riding the bus and going to worksites offers a lot of opportunity to get to know different people. I’d imagine you’d become even better friends with folks if you stayed the night and participated for a longer time.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >The variety of activities offered were also a big plus. This was the first time I could choose whether I wanted to volunteer physically or not and what places I wanted to go to. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >The work that Magokoro Net does, at least the physical work I was doing, was for Ootsuchi Volunteer Center. The volunteer centers are run by the local welfare councils, which work by taking work requests from people in the region and then matching groups of volunteers with those requests.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >So you can at least be sure that the work you are doing has been requested by someone from the area and is therefore important. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Possible downsides: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" ></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >Yeah, it’s larger, it can get a little crowded, but I thought it was kind of fun that way. There are plenty of hotels around if you find you absolutely can’t stand it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >The room people sleep can get cold at night, especially because they turn the stove off later at night, so bring a good sleeping bag and dress warm. This will probably become less of an issue in the spring…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >There are speeches, but as I said before, it’s mostly Magokoro Net educating people about the region and situation. I learned a lot myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" >I heard one report that a volunteer wasn’t satisfied with the kind of work they did with Magokoro Net, but I think that is less a problem with the organization itself than the participant’s expectations about volunteering and lack of flexibility. If the work you do really isn’t a good fit, at least Magokoro Net has opportunities for things that can be more fulfilling. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-MS 明朝"font-family:";" > </span></p>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-6796364626046622492012-03-18T19:06:00.001-07:002012-03-18T19:07:38.804-07:00Dispatch March 24, 25We're going to Kamaishi volunteer center March 24, 25. Meeting at Kitakami station at 7:00, a little earlier at official parking lot if you're coming by car. Send our application form to thomasanna85@gmail.com to register. Don't forget to get volunteer insurance ASAP if you can (if not, can get insurance with exact change brought to volunteer center).Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-70040580291326119542012-03-12T08:38:00.001-07:002012-03-12T08:39:59.350-07:00Dispatch 3/16, 17, 18We're going to Kamaishi volunteer center March 16, 17, 18. Send our application form to thomasanna85@gmail.com to register. Don't forget to get volunteer insurance ASAP if you can (if not, can get insurance with exact change brought to volunteer center).Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-10254877815782321152012-03-11T08:45:00.003-07:002012-03-11T08:50:25.549-07:00AnniversaryI suppose I should have commented on the anniversary of March 11th here, but I wanted to pass the day quietly and remember.<br /><br />The people who died a year ago, and the survivors they left behind, are in my thoughts.Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7520986902390569773.post-90913877982468610542012-03-03T07:40:00.001-08:002012-03-06T21:11:09.520-08:00Important announcement about HANDS<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix"><div><p>Hi everybody,</p><p>I’ve received word that HANDS is going to stop volunteer dispatch on March 10th , 2012 until further notice. The reasons for this are both financial, as well as the changing roles volunteering may take.<br /></p><p>This has been saddening news for me, but it’s not nearly as bad as it may seem at first.<br /></p><p>First, HANDS is not ending.</p><p>The organization itself is finding a niche or niche(s) to better serve the coast. <b>I will provide more information about that and volunteer opportunities when it comes out.</b></p><p>The regulars that go to the volunteer centers from Kitakami every weekend are basically going to dispatch ourselves. <b>We’re going to carpool </b>and give the drivers gas money, probably about 500 yen, which is the cost of a bowl of ramen or a beer. Not bad. You can come too! I will provide dates and information on when we’re going here.</p><p>Additionally, if you want to go to Kamaishi or Rikuzentakata volunteer center and volunteer by yourself, <b>HANDS is still helping people register through the volunteer centers</b>. Just give me an email at thomasanna85@gmail.com about when you’d like to go and I’ll pass it on.</p><p>IMPORTANT: Please note that <b>everyone’s volunteer insurance should expire on March 31st</b>! When you volunteer after April 1st, please sign up for volunteer insurance at your local social welfare council (社会福祉協議会). The type of insurance is 天災Aタイプ, which costs 490 yen. If you need any help finding your local social welfare council or signing up, please let me know and I’ll do what I can.</p><p> </p><p>Last, if you want to volunteer and would like to work with a nonprofit that can dispatch you, (for example, if you don't have a car or can’t take the train, or if you’d like a nonprofit that will give you a place to sleep for free during volunteering) <b>I am going to introduce other local nonprofits that are dispatching volunteers daily</b> on Facebook and on the English (unofficial) HANDS blog. </p><p> </p><p>In short, it’s change, but it’s not necessarily bad change. HANDS is still HANDS. Friends are still friends. Volunteering is still necessary. Kato-san should be harrassed, and we should eat ice cream in Toono.</p></div></div>Welcome To The Internethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854013171141984065noreply@blogger.com0