20110423

GARAGE -Congrats for second shop-

GARAGE DM drawn by her brother Ryota 
 One of my best friend Mai has had her own shop. She closed a previous shop in Kamakura which ran for 6years, and reopened the shop in Hayama, near my house.

 Mai and I went to the same high school. She hates me at first, cause I am loud and she isn't. But we gradually hit it off each other. I guess it's because our adventurous spirit. We both have lots dreams and hopes, wanted to see the world, and love being free.
 So I traveled many countries after graduate, and she traveled and starts buying some antiques and junk stuff from around Europe which she loves collecting. Then her early 20's, She opened her first store with all the her collections, the shop named ''GARAGE''.
 Our high school friendship is not much changed, feel so close and we support each other no matter where we go.   

 Look back across time, I think I fell in love with her first. It's her strong but hidden individuality, great taste of clothing, food and housing, have an unique but simple way of looking at things, and also she is very charming. 
 Anyway, I am not the only one fall under a spell of what she has, am sure many people do. 

  We celebrated for her second shop last night with the cake her friend made, it was so good !
  Congrats !! Mai !! and please always just the way you are !!  Love ya !!!  

GARAGE Web site
http://garageline.exblog.jp/

April 20th

April 20th is my mom and dad's birthday. Yes,they share the same birthday since they met for the first time!!

It's been 3years I haven't celebrated their birthday together while i was in overseas.
My brother and I bought a birthday cake together....nothing very special present from us, but we were very happy 3 of us together!
My dad always makes my mom smile, here's my mom on the pic, couldn't stop laughing. I am hoping this continue forever!!
In my age, I finally could think that I want to be like them if I found someone spend rest of life together...

20110409

Ishinomaki


I was in Ishinomaki, Miyagi for one week (Mar26-Apr2) as part of a PEACE BOAT emergency relief volunteer efforts.


I had no words the first day I saw the area completely devastated.
We are overwhelmed by a feeling of powerlessness.
Cars and Houses tripped and went headlong everywhere.
There is a town which seized with a sense of powerlessness.
It's hard to believe this continue to hundreds of kilometers on the coast of Tohoku.
But this is a reality.

There is something that can't be known by TV.  Looked with my eyes, felt in my bones, the dust and dirt, smelled mixed everything ... the reality was in there...
There is a life, There is people who trying to get back things they had before.
Everyone is trying to arise from the devastated land as if they say It happened, That can't be changed, have to moving on. so Everyone strongly started moving forward now.
There are people who need to stay at an evacuation center, people who need to stay the house half wrecked, They are prepared it's going to be a long term. They're all trying to put the pieces together, joining hands and working together to stand up. 

Here's some pictures of Ishinomaki. please take a look and feel .....

Self-Defense Force supply water and food at evacuation centers

【Volunteer efforts】
We, PEACE BOAT emergency relief volunteers assist the local community or evacuating center by cooking hot meals, distributing supplies, and shoveling the mud swept in. and not the only PEACEBOAT, now more than 40 civil society organizations from everywhere in Japan and all over the world are taking part in the relief efforts in Ishinomaki.

I was in a warehouse which all the relief supplies arrive from all over and I coordinate what sufferers need and pass to other teams which they bring it to the places for distributions. They came back with the people request for next distributions.
The needs are changing day by day. Flowing supplies shows that their life has changed little by little....
Couple days, I went out and joined other teams to distributions and shoveling the mud outside of a elementary school.
At the elementary school, I just stood in the school building, covered with mud and sandy dust all around the places.....cars and houses are stacking in the back of the building... I tried hard to hold back full of emotion inside of me...

It's almost one month since the earthquake, but the area still need more people to help cleaning and recovering.   



Volunteer camp has built in Ishinomaki Senshu Uni

warm-up time before we start mud cleaning



distributions for communities.
warehouse
Let's go for shoveling dirt and mud !!


 Finally !! We can even lie down !


After I met the reality, through the experience, I will keep seeking what I can do for my country Japan.

I can't say a big word, I can't do anything big, but I just want to live with all the sorrow and pain with any people in this world.
Pictures by Jyun Kamoshida