On the road to recovery

On Sunday night, my family and I attended a charity event designed to raise funds for the affected areas in the Tohoku region. At present, I think they have raised about $10,000 based on ticket sales alone. JETAA Ottawa and the Canada-Japan Society of Ottawa still have to count the proceeds amassed from the silent auction! There were a lot of interesting goods available. I even recognized my brother's friend's family's bakery, Boko Bakery, had delivered some kawaii desserts.

By now, I think that everyone has caught a glimpse of the shocking images caused by the recent triumvirate of disasters in Japan. But had asked the fundraiser's organizers if I could share a few words with the audience, hoping to inject a local connection into the cause.

As I read out my short piece, my voice cracked as I talked about leaving my community back in Japan. Still, I was touched to see my family in the room. Even my brother came up to me afterwards, and gave me a hug. And I'm even a blip of his Twitter feed, which is really thoughtful! I had a handful of people come up to me throughout the evening, giving me their genuine appreciation and even sharing some of their personal stories related to Japan.

But there was one acquaintance who really struck me. His Excellency Kaoru Ishikawa, who is the recently-minted Japanese ambassador to Canada. His speech re-iterated that Japan will recover after all of this devastation. He even pulled out a copy of Newsweek, showing a photo of the tsunamis' aftermath that have clung to his memory. He also highlighted the key role Canada is playing in the relief efforts. I liked that his speech was bringing everything into an international landscape. And I would later be taken aback that this Japanese ambassador can speak French flawlessly. (I overheard him talking to another patron in it.)

When I finished my speech, I slowly made my way over and asked for a photo opportunity with the ambassador. (What can I say? I like meeting celebs. Romeo Dallaire. K'naan. Stephen Lewis). He gladly set down his glass of white wine, and wished me all the best as my mom snapped a photo. When his Excellency was about the leave the venue, I was prepared to at least exchange bows with him or get a quick handshake. But he actually did like the French, and gave me a quick peck on both cheeks. In my experience, Japanese perfect strangers prefer extending a handshake or bowing.

Oh, grassroots internationalization.

On another note... if you are interested in making a contribution from Canada, the Red Cross is accepting donations online. I don't really like soliciting things, but Fukushima-ken is truly my second home. And this community needs all the help it can get to recover...

***
"My name is Gemma Villanueva. I was born and raised in Ottawa, but have called Fukushima my home for the past 2.5 years. I have been teaching English in Motomiya, a small countryside city nestled in the middle of the prefecture.

On the day of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake, I was working at school with the rest of the teachers. Fortunately, the entire student body and other guests were home after the graduation ceremony that morning. At 2:46 in the afternoon, the staffroom started rocking side-to-side, violently tossing our desks, chairs and bookshelves around. We first crouched outside in the hallway, watching the walls crack and heavy dust coming from the ceiling. The rest of the teachers and I then rushed onto the soccer field behind the school. The weather was strange as well. One minute, big snowflakes were dropping from the sky. The next, the sun was shining. And then big aftershocks followed. We listened to the Japanese radio, reporting about the destruction happening across the Tohoku area. It was surreal.

I flew back into Ottawa last Tuesday. I will be staying temporarily, due to the nuclear concerns and the shortages in food and supplies. It was a tough decision for me to come back. Fukushima has truly become my second home. It’s a beautiful place filled with gentle rolling hills, beautiful beaches and lovely people. I have left behind my friends, my students and my colleagues in difficult times.

I am so thankful for the fundraising efforts, such as this evening’s event. The kanji behind Fukushima means “Lucky Island.” I’d say we’re so lucky to receive so much love and support as we recover and rebuild after these disasters. Your support will be helping the people in Japan who have been affected by the disasters. Thousands have lost their homes and loved ones. As his Excellency Kaoru Ishikawa, the Ambassador, has just mentioned in his speech, I can say "Let's gambarimashou!"

Thank you."