2011-09-15 – Day 3

7:15
I can't decide whether to write or to sleep. We had the left-overs from yesterday for breakfast and I could go back to sleep right away. The weather is still cloudy and as far as I understood Satoshi (our leader) we are going back to the old couple today to clean another field they have. Not sure if it works to request a certain group but I guess we will have priority there since we already know the place and the couple... I'm not sure if I like the idea of doing the same boring work again but if it helps them... Shouganai, we are volunteers and shouldn't be choosy how to help ne? Oh, sun is coming out...

16:10
The volunteer center is now always crowded in the morning. We actually even have to wait at a nearby place (where Cecilia bought really nice vegetable for our dinner again) until it's our turn to get tools and instructions. But it means that a lot more people are here to help and that is good!! New is also that we get an orientation speech every morning. Before it was just on the first day, or when it was especially muddy etc so we had to be more careful while working... But this time we got it on all three days. Today's orientation lady was very emotional, maybe it was her first day, and she was about to cry when she told us about the losses she had in her family... I really felt sad, she is still so hurt... I wonder how long it takes to heal those wounds if everything which surrounds you does every day remind you on what happened. There is no way in TR not to get reminded. Still nearly no buildings are rebuilt and where ever you look, you can clearly see what happened to this area... If not through piles of waste then because of the kilometers of free space. I can't imagine how it feels to look at something you knew it was a city, your home and now there is nothing but grass and emptiness...

17:30
It was sooo hot today. In the beginning I still worked with the jacket but later I had to take it off. Even I'm quite dirty now, it was worth it.
We started to work in the area next to the one we cleaned yesterday... Collecting rocks, glass and garbage but after a while the old man asked us to shift to another field which was formerly their garden. So we basically spent the day with uprooting plants and collecting the trash in between. Partly in dry and partly in muddy soil. Can't decide which was better work. The dried soil made it really difficult to get the roots out and the wet soil was full of little insects and my clothes are a wet mess now. But all over I liked that work. It's more fun than digging for glass on your knees...
I really need the onsen today... I know I say that every day but today it's even more true. I think there is dirt even behind my ears...

19:30
Today Kato-san said something to us I can't stop thinking about. He said that at this stage of the disaster clean-up the achievements of the day are not so important anymore... One big part of the volunteer work would be now to listen and to feel with the people in RT. Of course I think the cleaning up is still important even the things which are left are not so overwhelming any longer but I have to give him this point and it matches to what happened when Cecilia and I met the man taking photos for the volunteer center. He wanted to talk... He needed to tell somebody what happened to him even it was two strangers who understood just half of it. I'm not sure if he felt better after it... At least I hope he did.
And when the old man today sent us from one field to the other, I'm not sure anymore if we helped him as much as was physically needed but I'm sure it helped them emotionally. The people must have felt very alone after everything what happened to them and I'm sure what they need to know is that Japan didn't forget them, that people still care and want to help. Of course he also needed to free his garden of all the unwanted plants but I think the most important help we could give to the couple was making them feeling worthy and not forgotten. I mean 15 people came the whole way from Tokyo and helped them two days in a row, even the sun was shining like crazy and the work was dirty and boring... I really hope that feeling helps them to go through all the difficulties they will face until their house is rebuilt and life is back to normal... For two days we shared their pressure and Cecilia even bought some green tea for them... The old man was really touched when we left... I really really hope we could give them more on their way than just a clean field...

 Patrick and Ruben are interviewing Satoshi for their documentary

One of the places to collect waste

2011-09-14 – Day 2

7:45
I had a short night but I feel surprisingly good. My arms are hurting a little bit but all over I am fine. Well done, onsen :)
It started to rain yesterday evening and even it stopped for now it still looks like it could continue any time. The old conflict about the weather modest temperatures but mud, or sweating in the sun but a dry work site... Maybe if it stays cloudy it's the best for our work.
I'm wondering if there are still things to do like cleaning up houses or if this work is finally done? Let's see what we get today... Still very motivated ^^

16:00
Today we could clearly see how much work was done since we were here in May. There are still nearly no new houses but most of the fields and former houses are cleaned and they have also collected the waste close to the streets the volunteers were leaving after cleaning a site. The big things are all collected at assigned places. The piles are impressive but (hopefully) ready to get recycled.

The work today was easy but boring. We helped an old couple to free their ground of stones, metal and glass. The weather stayed cloudy and it was nicely fresh. My knees are a little bit sore (I still have no talent for squatting) but it was the perfect contrast to yesterday, so I'm totally fine with it.
The old couple was really nice. The man helped us working and the woman cooked some pumpkin for us. I was surprised that she came to me to give them to us... possibly the only person who can't speak Japanese at all... I hope she didn't tell me the secret of being married for ever and I didn't understand it. Just joking ;)
But it was a really good feeling to help somebody doing what they can't do alone. Especially when those people are so cool like the couple today. I hope the shack close to the field is just for storage and not the place where they are living in :(
Oh, and one more thing happened to me today. Cecilia and I went for a little walk during lunch break and on our way back a man would start talking to us. He asked us where we are from and how often we came here but he told us also about himself and the disaster. He was lucky because he lives in a high place but his older sister went missing. They identified her remains in July... He was relieved, it was clear for him that she must have died but now he knows and can try say good-bye. He now works for the Volunteer center and takes photos of the city. He also expressed how great it is to get help but that the general mood dropped extremely during the last months. A kind of depression he couldn't really explain but it would come suddenly and hard on the people. He spoke with very much emotion and left us a little bit suddenly. I think he got overwhelmed... I hope with the reconstruction of the city, the emotional pressure will get lighter... And of course with time...

22:00
Cecilia cooked for us again and I ate a waaay too much. The onsen and my full stomach... Time for my sleeping bag!!!

2011-09-13 - Day 1

0:30
Most people around me are already sleeping. My battery is low and I should use the time in the bus to do the same but I'm so excited to go back to Rikuzen Takata that I'm not sleepy at all. I so hope they made a lot of progress with cleaning up but it is difficult to imagine... There was so much to do but so little help.
I'm not sure what I should expect. I hope the situation in the camp has got a little bit better. Dishes in the kitchen etc. It wasn't bad before, just that they could make it easier for people who come the first time. I hope the climate isn't as hot as in Tokyo. Moderate 25* would be nice... Colder would be even better... And!!! I hope the mosquito season is over. But I'm well prepared if not ;)
Besides this... I'm 100% motivated to work and get things done. Rikuzen Takata needs to get back to a normal situation where children can go to school without passing tsunami waste and people can buy food at the local super market without traveling for hours. They need new houses, water and electricity and the winter is coming soon... There is no time to waste!


7:15
Our group is the only one in the camp. The group before left in the night. The camp looks a little bit different. They took away the blue plastic sheets which surrounded the kitchen before. Now the wind can easily go through it which must be good in summer. They have a few more benches but the rest looks quite the same...
I charged my battery for a few minutes but I don't think it will last until we arrive in the volunteer center... I really can't wait to see the progress... More than three months has passed since we were here last time... It doesn't feel that long...

19:30
We just came back from the onsen. My body is nicely relaxed and if I wouldn't be so hungry, I am sure I would be very sleepy. Cecilia found some cheap and fresh vegetables at the 2nd station of the volunteer center and got inspired to cook for us. A lovely idea and I can't wait...

My first impression when we entered the destroyed area was surprise. There is one valley we always have to pass through, it doesn't matter to which site we go - it's one of those areas where everything was destroyed and just debris left for kilometers.  Besides a few broken cars and some concrete buildings which stick out like bones the whole area is cleared. Grass and small plants are growing everywhere. I wouldn't be able to guess what had happened here. It looks nearly beautiful and peaceful... I never thought about plants... Of course they grow everywhere they can but still... It was really strange to see how easily nature gets back to normal.
What else changed? There are some shops at the beginning of the valley. Cell phone companies and car sellers, some possibilities to buy easy food and even a Lawson convenience store. All looks quite improvised, container style but at least they are there. The start has been made :)
The military camp has gone and a lot of areas are completely cleared. No comparison to May. I'm happy that they have made that much progress... Water drops can also fill a glass!!! Isn't that the best gift you can get as a volunteer... Seeing that it MAKES a difference even if it takes time...

The work was quite hard for a starter. We were assigned to help a company which went bankrupt or is facing it? I'm not sure because of the tsunami or even before. We had to work on a hill which was used as kind of storage. I was surprised that we got assigned to an area which wasn't affected by the tsunami though the goods were in pretty bad shape. Most of the time we filled bags with stones. First I thought that they were for sandbags which can be used as barrier but I think we packed them for selling. Unfortunately we didn't know that so we put all kind of stones together. But they could have been a little more clear in their job description. It felt a little bit wrong to work so hard for something which nobody explained to us... So it was more like being cheap labor than volunteers but on the other hand I'm sure the volunteer center wouldn't assign us for something which wouldn't help the area... And if the company needs to sell some things to be able to pay the last month’s salary to their former employees then it is still a help!

I hope tomorrow is a little less hot... It wasn't a good feeling to sweat even before starting to work. And the Mosquitos!!!! I have so many bites already... I deeply dislike those creatures :(


22:30
Most of the people have already gone to bed. I have to send some emails and wait patiently for my Internet service to return to me.
Cecilia's food was great. And she even made some extra for me because I don't like ginger...
Maybe I will give up for today and go to bed. I'm sure I would regret not sleeping enough.

These fields were full of things the tsunami left-over... for kilometers... now it's grass and small plants... for kilometers

Finally...

Our class project page is online.

Please have a look at: http://www.311relief.com/

The video will be uploaded during the next weeks due to technical problems...

Otsukaresama!!!

Response to the Nuclear Society class

As a German I was educated in not being proud to be a German national or at least not to say it aloud because it is still strongly connected to bad things that happened in the past, but... I have to say, I'm quite proud that Germany is in the process of shutting down its atomic plants. This was a long process: starting in the 80s with huge public demonstrations, in the late 90s becoming an official plan of the government and despite struggling in the beginning of 2011 due to political change it got reinforced after the disaster happening in Japan.
I am a formal economic student and know about the advantages of atomic energy but I was never able to understand why nations would still go for it knowing about the horrible risks attached to it. There are two things which makes this energy source a total no-go. 1. The obvious risk of a meltdown and 2. the atomic waste lasting for nearly forever. In the 50s and 60s, atomic energy was considered a clean and efficient energy source but since 1986 we should know that it is highly dangerous not just for the country the plant is built in. After 60 years of use and research we should assume that it is unlikely that we find a solution to neutralize the left-overs and the pollution this "clean" energy source creates. It's a dead end and I can't understand why nations are still planning to build new plants instead of investing this billions of money in research to make renewable energy more efficient and longterm storable. In the long run it would be so much cheaper and so much safer. Can lobbyism be so much stronger than good human sense and judgement? How many human-made disasters we need to experience to make people in charge change their minds?

Cultural response

When it comes to creativity I am not one of the brightest lights but still this assignment was very important to me, so I hope my work transports at least a tiny message...
The words I borrowed from Kenji Miyazawa's poem "Be not Defeated by the Rain" (see entry before) and the pictures I found in the Internet on several pages (if you are interested I can send the links to you). Let's hope I don't violate some copyrights here...

Diplomatic Reaction

Answers to the questions of the "Diplomatic Reaction group":

1. I am and always was a citizen of Germany. At the day the earthquake happened I was in Germany where I would stay until April 13th due to some trouble with my airline company. When the situation in Fukushima became obvious I tried to gather as much information as possible. I was very concerned and shocked about the chain-reaction triggered by the earthquake. Before returning to Japan, I had some serious talk with friends and my family wether to return or stay in Germany. At the day I left Germany I wasn't sure if the situation was as bad as shown in the German media or as controlled as shown in the Japanese media. To be honest I am still not sure but try to make the best out of it. I love Japan but I wouldn't be here if I would believe my life or health is in serious danger. But I can understand that other people don't want to take the risk.

2. Soon after 3.11, I saw in the news that the German embassy would try to contact the ca. 5000 Germans in Japan but I didn't receive any such tries. I hope it was because they knew that I had left Japan before the disaster. Because of visa issues etc, my email and home address as well as my address in Tokyo should be known to them, so that shouldn't be the reason. I hope it wasn't because they were busy moving the embassy from Tokyo to Osaka.

In the aftermath, I got all my information from somewhere else but these days the Internet page provides weekly information, which I (at least) find reliable. So I check in once in a while.

3. Since I was not in Japan at this time, I don't know much about any actions taken by the embassy. I know that they moved to Osaka to be out of the line and that they recommended to stay out or to leave Japan if possible. I was not there, so I won't judge this recommendation.

I am not sure if this list existed before but the embassy also strongly recommend citizens to register their contact information at the German embassy.

4. Well, it's easy to say out of the perspective of a person who was not in Japan when the things happened. But I would have wished that the embassy would have contacted people. I know from a Swiss friend that his embassy not just contacted him but also offered him a flight back to Switzerland. Of course their are less Swiss in Japan than Germans but therefore the German embassy could have employed more people. 

5. I am sorry but I have no idea. I know that Japan and Germany always had good bilateral relations and I don't think that much will change in the future. I know that the German people are very touched by the things and that a lot of found-raising events etc have take place but I am not sure if this because of the dramatical situation itself or because we have tight relations. But this is not about official political relations.

6. I was surprised that Japan does not except much help from other countries. I think in times of crises they should swallow their pride and get all the help they can get. Who said they have to deal with this alone? Especially because the radioactivity could effect more countries besides Japan. And an underdeveloped country might not be able to send money but maybe people who can help with rebuilding houses etc. I wish they would see help separated from political context...