Truly beautiful and meaningful gift.
Thank you very much!
Dan's gift from the Sendai 89ers volunteers, an Octopus charm from the town of Minami-Sanriku, a small town devastated by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11th. The town is known for their octopus fishing but since the tsunami the fishing industry has collapsed. "After the earthquake, in order to create jobs for affected people, some local volunteers launched a project to restart production and sales of the octopus charm as the symbol for recovery." (Global Giving)
Truly beautiful and meaningful gift. Thank you very much!
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A couple more fun facts about Japan....
Only in Japan can someone pull these off. Our friend pointing to the sweet gorilla Adidas shoes.
Actually this whole outfit is pretty sweet, who wouldn't want to have a ruler track suit. Any takers?! Enjoying some refreshing Stongbows at Ha'Penny Bridge Irish Pub in Sendai. We were celebrating our 7 year anniversary, belated St.Patrick's Day and of course, the two Sendai 89ers home wins.
What better way to relax after a basketball game then to take a bath! There are so many cool bath salts in Japan and we are want to try them all. Just like picking wine, we pick our bath salts based on how cool the label looks. Since we can't read Japanese a little pig cartoon with sweat running down its face is always a good choice! Nothing like hot pink bath salt! It even turned the tub hot pink, yikes! There are a lot of strange/scary characters on the bath salt packets. Fire seeping through the eyes and nose, yikes! Well, at least the bath wasn't scary, just turned the water purple/reddish. Dan taking a bath... perfect fit.
Here is s fun fact for everyone, Japan experiences about 1,500 earthquakes a year. Since Dan and I are both from the Midwest we had no idea what to expect when we first moved to the Pacific Ring of Fire. Our experiences with earthquakes was limited to one that struck Chicago, well Southern Illinois, two years ago. (A mere 4.3 on the Richter Scale). In the time we have spent in Sendai we have experienced around 25 earthquakes, mostly small but also a couple bigger ones. The small ones feel like a semi-truck driving by our apartment and rocking it a bit (or for those of you living in Chicago, it's the same as the "L" passing by your window and shaking your apartment). The bigger ones cause our building to rock a bit, we first notice our heater/ac unit swaying back and forth and the our tv shakes. Really though, it's not scary! For the most part they only last a couple seconds. Anyone can handle a train or a semi-truck passing by their apartment once in a while, right?! What do you do when the earth starts moving? Remain calm, ride it out, and carry on. If you are inside, stay away from objects that can fall on you. Most earthquake related deaths happen when one is not paying attention aka objects falling from above. The safest places are doorways or underneath tables, etc. If you are outdoors, watch your surroundings to make sure nothing is crumbling above you. Buildings in Japan are designed to handle the constant movement of the earth and unless another 8.9 strikes most building won't show signs of damage. Two bigger earthquakes struck Japan in the last 24 hours, one near Tokyo (6.1) and one in Northeastern Japan (6.8). Here in Sendai we felt the Tokyo one, it lasted about 15 seconds and since we were far enough from the epicenter it felt pretty small. We do want to assure our family and friends that we are all safe and sound. Earthquakes are not as scary as they seem, then again we have never experienced an 8.9, but the ones that did happen in our stay here have been very manageable. So fear not! Stay calm and carry on :) Also, earthquakes are a good thing! It means that the plates are moving and energy is getting released. If there are no earthquakes for a while that causes the next one to be stronger and more severe, such as in the instance of the 8.9 on March 11, 2011.
I got a chance to experience a part of the Japanese business world, one of the team sponsors hired me to photograph their manufacturing process. So a few weeks ago, I boarded a Shinkansen (bullet train) and headed north to a the sponsor's factory. As the train zipped past small towns and snow covered mountains I couldn't be more excited to shoot. It's been a while since I had a real opportunity to work and I've been missing the constant client interaction.
Two years ago I got a chance to go to Atlanta, Georgia and assist my boss as he captured the gum manufacturing process for Wrigley. With that under my belt, I somewhat knew what was expected and how a factory worked. The Japanese experience, however, felt very different and foreign to me. When we arrived we got greeted by quite a few people and the bowing competition began! Konnichiwa! (bow) Please take off your shoes (bow) Please sign in (bow) Please wash your hands (bow) I was taken back by how respectful everyone was to each other and how spotless the factory was. No shoes were allowed, we changed into slippers and got escorted to the upstairs bathroom to wash our hands (yet again) and gargle. Yup, gargle! I just followed the lead! Next came a meeting with the president of the company as well as two advisors that were showing us around. Tea was served, presents exchanged and small talk started. I couldn't understand a word but smiling and nodding will definitely get you by. I have to admit I felt a bit out of place at times ( I'm sure my lack of understanding Japanese played a huge role in that) but everyone was extremely friendly and kind to me. I was also secretly praying that I wasn't breaking some Japanese business customs. Plus, note to self, always bring a gift! After a short meeting we were escorted to a changing room where we changed into white suits, masks, hair nets, and shoes. We all looked like Frosty the Snowman's distant cousins that were perhaps doctors. Our gear in hand we each took turns going through an air shower! Great way to clean the dust off my camera! The factory tour consisted of going through the manufacturing process from beginning to end. I was in awe to see how clean and sterile everything was. Most of the manufacturing process was done by hand! (Very impressive!) Anything from weighing, bottling and putting the labels on the product. I wonder how many US factories still operate this way. I've never seen such care being put into making a product. These products were not just being massively pumped out but instead were perfectly inspected to guarantee the consumer was getting the best product possible. The Japanese are known for being perfectionists and this was clearly visible at this perfectly run factory. After the grand tour we came back to the conference room where more tea was served as well as a Tokyo Banana. The factory president, the two advisors as well as some of the staff walked us out. Thank you (bow) Arigatou gozaimashita (bow) Please put on your shoes (bow) Thank you very much (bow) As our car pulled out I looked back and everyone was still standing by the door, waiting for our car to dissapear into the snowy mountain path. I have never seen such hospitality on a business trip! Overall, I couldn't be more astounded on how the factory operated and the quality of the products they produced. I definitely add this to my "never thought I would experience" list. Last week, a few Japanese teammates and I had an event at a temporary housing complex in Sendai where people who lost their homes in the earthquake and tsunami live. It was a very eye-opening experience and I was happy to be involved. It basically looked like a trailer park with rows of small homes set up. We came to meet the people, sign autographs, take pictures, and give the families winter mittens. The 89ers cheerleaders also came to lead the people in stretching, because I was told that it is good for the older citizens to stay active. There were a bunch of media there to cover the event, and we presented the residents with some autographed memorabilia. I was pleased to see that everyone was very happy and upbeat. I admired their strength to continue on with their life and be positive. These people have lost everything, some of them even lost family members. But, they were all smiling, laughing, and so appreciative of us.
In December I received an email from a fellow Marquette Alumnus and former MU athlete, Kristin Stonecki. She was currently stationed near Tokyo and knew that Dan and I were also living in Japan. Its great to know that Marquette alumni can stay connected all over the world! Kristin wanted to know if I was interested in joining her and a volunteer group that was heading up to Ishinomaki, to help with tsunami cleanup. Ishinomaki is a city located about 35 miles north of Sendai and is one of the most affected areas by the March 11th 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. I was delighted to go and help with such a great cause. I also wanted to see first hand what we have been watching on the news on March 11th, 2011. However, as soon as I agreed my fears began to creep in, it didn’t help that while talking to my mom she kept reminding me to prepare myself for the worst. “You know, they are still finding bodies along the coast, are you prepared to see that?” No, I wasn’t. I actually wasn’t prepared to see any of the destruction and visit an area where close to 10,000 people died. I arrived at the Ishinomaki train station at 8 am on December 12th , it was a cold yet sunny morning and I couldn’t wait for the KBF (Kurume Bible Fellowship) bus to pick me up. My hands were already freezing and I was kicking myself for not bringing my warm gloves. KBF informed us to dress in warm clothes, since we would be spending some of our time outdoors, and to wear clothes that we wouldn’t mind ruining. So here I was in my sweatpants, a hoodie and old gloves. Not a smart way to start the day, especially since it was December in northern Japan! The KBF bus picked me up and we headed toward the coast of Ishinomaki. I was happy to be reunited with Kristin. We knew each other in college and spent a lot of time training at the Old Gym as well as the Al McGuire Center but in reality its been five years since we spoke, other than the occasional Facebook conversations, and I didn’t know what to expect when we met again. It’s a funny feeling of happiness and uncertainty. In our years of traveling abroad we had a lot of those experiences, it’s great to see someone you know or knew of in college and then see them in a foreign country. You automatically feel a connection even though you hardly know them. Seeing Kristin was absolutely great! I have to admit; I am disappointed in myself that we didn’t hang out more in college. She is a great girl and I definitely missed out! The closer we drove to the coast the more visible the damage became. Buildings showed signs of cracking, streets were uneven, and construction sites were set up everywhere. The closer and closer we drove the damage became overwhelming. There was debris scattered everywhere, houses missing walls, piles of cars, piles of boats and piles of objects that you would never see in a pile! Cars were completely mangled and one couldn’t help to think about the massive force that swept through. It’s been estimated that the wave that hit this part of Japan was close to 33 feet high. We pulled into the Samaritan's Purse International Relief makeshift office and a member briefed us about what we will be doing. Our group would be cleaning up one house, knocking out walls, taking out the insulation and preparing the home for complete remodeling. Samaritan's Purse International Relief has been in Ishinomaki since March helping locals rebuild their lives one house at a time. The volunteer group we came with, the KBF Tohoku Relief Team, is a Christian organization from Tokyo that has been coming up weekly to Ishinomaki to aid with the cleanup. Many of the homes in the region were completely knocked down but others survived. The ones that did survive are now being renovated so the owners can move back in. The house we were cleaning up was right on the coast, about a five minute walk from the Pacific Ocean. We spent five hours cleaning up, removing debris, insulation and knocking down walls. I was completely shocked when we removed soaking wet insulation, which has not dried out in the nine months since the tsunami! During lunch Kristin and I walked around the area. I felt a mixture of emotions; I was sad and felt guilty looking at peoples' personal belongings scattered everywhere. Honestly, it looked like a bomb went off and people abandoned everything. There were toys, bikes, dishes, silverware scattered on every corner. Peoples' homes were completely on display! An errie feeling sat in when we walked by homes that were missing walls and you could look into someone’s living room, their chair still placed in front of the TV, a coffee cup sitting on the table and magazines scattered on the floor. You could imagine what those peoples' lives looked like. Words can not describe the destruction and painful feeling I felt while walking around the Ishinomaki coast. Even while facing such a great disaster there was absolutely no looting in this area. I even found a bag of money that had probably been sitting on the ground for nine months. There were memorials set up in front of some of the damaged houses. Someone in our group mentioned that some were dedicated to kids that passed away because there were traditional Japanese dolls called Kokeshi next to the tea offering. The homeowner was very welcoming and at first very overwhelmed. I couldn’t image twenty some people sweeping through my house and tearing it to pieces. She was very grateful and even bought us lunch. Fried pork, rice and salad! We all took a break from working and ate lunch on the second story of their house. The homeowner also talked to those that spoke Japanese about their tsunami experience, above is a photo of one of our group members recounting the homeowner’s stories in English. Thankfully everyone in their family survived, they escaped through a rice patty. They said they had friends that stayed behind and were trapped in their homes. The water was so high up that they were on the second story of their house completely trapped by the high water. They described it as being stuck in a washing machine. Some survived but a lot of them didn’t. People are still missing to this day; their remains have not been located. At times like this I felt a little relived that I did not understand Japanese, it was hard enough for us to be there but hearing personal accounts of life and death would bring me completely to tears. Below is a photo of the homeowner speaking to our group. Below is a photo of all the debris we took out of the house as well as Kristin and I in front of the home. Group shot with the homeowners. I was so thankful to be a part of such a wonderful cause! I think anyone who is living in Japan or will be traveling to Japan needs to see the coast of Miyagi. The damage will take your breath away and truly leave you speechless. Words can not describe what this nation went through and how gracefully they handled the worst tsunami disaster in the 21st century. Here are a couple more photos of the Ishinomaki sea wall. Crazy how peaceful the Pacific Ocean was the day we went to volunteer. For more information about the KBF Tohoku Relief Teams please visit their website or their Facebook Page. |