Disaster Stories

An article I found (see link below) depicted the stories of two disaster survivors – one man, and an 85-year-old-geisha. Not only did Matsumoto Shigeki lose his home and his entire village, but the tsunami also swept his mother out to sea, and her body was never found. Each day following the disaster Matsumoto would search through the debris in hopes of finding even a piece of her clothing or a shoe, but it seems the powerful force of the tsunami swept all trace of his mother away in just a few moments.

Fujima Chikano, the last geisha in her home town, was forced to leave behind her priceless kimonos, obi, and shamisen, as well as her only apprentice who was also swept away by the tsunami. Fujima taught dancing and shamisen playing, but without her necessary supplies and venue, her talent could be lost to the region forever. In addition to this significant cultural loss, Fujima will suffer significant economic losses as well. Without any insurance, money, or valuables to her name, Fujima must start over again with nothing, and she is at a complete loss as to how to begin piecing her life back together.

Never in my life have I experienced such a devastating event, and honestly I can’t even begin to think how these people can learn to overcome this trauma and return to a normal life. If Matsumoto never finds a trace of his mother, how will he ever be able to live in peace? How can he stop thoughts of his lost mother from haunting him day after day? As for Fujima, with her remaining years dwindling, how will she find the time to completely rebuild her life, and how will she ever overcome her devastating losses? It is said that time heals all wounds, and so perhaps with time, support from close friends and family, and psychological and economic assistance these two survivors can return to a “normal” life, but I feel that their memories and grief will always remain with them no matter what they do. Young people are fortunate that they are so resilient, but while they can more easily move away, create a new life for themselves, and move on, older generations have fewer opportunities to escape their misery, and their lives may always be left in broken pieces. In my opinion, at least for these two people, they will never truly overcome the trauma of this disaster, and their lives will be tainted with a sadness that can only be removed through death or a truly miraculous circumstance.   

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/18/japan-earthquake-stories-disaster-zone

Swamped and Shaken in Japan

Having lived in Hawaii for many years, my mom still reads Hawaiian newspapers online such as the Star Advertiser, and so I decided to look there first for an article on the 3.11 disaster. Given that Hawaii is much closer to Japan than any of the other states in America, I assumed that their coverage of the disaster would be much more sensationalized and would heavily depict the worries of the people regarding the spread of nuclear radiation to the islands. As I searched through the articles related to Japan, however, I found that almost all of the articles were written in a matter-of-fact sort of way with little exaggeration, even on the days directly following the disaster. In one particular article that was written just one day after the event (see link below), the writer clearly expressed the severity of the situation while still giving accurate information, which contrasted many of the sensationalized articles I read from other American sources. Being a person with family members in Japan/a person who was planning to study abroad in Japan shortly after the disaster took place, I feel that I was extremely involved in reading articles online and watching the news, and it was extremely frustrating to be surrounded by so much contradicting and plain ridiculous information. While various American sources depicted Japan as a complete wasteland and spouted unrealistic worries about radiation terrorizing the states, this author of this article seemed calm, collected, and well-informed, which is very refreshing. Perhaps the close vicinity to Japan allowed this newspaper to gain more reliable information or maybe the Hawaiian mentality is just less dramatic, but either way I really wish there were more articles such as this one available to the people during this time of crisis. I understand that fear sells, but if the Star Advertiser can provide accurate articles without losing readers or going bankrupt, then I don’t see why the rest of the world can’t do the same.

“Swamped and Shaken in Japan”

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20110312_swamped_and_shaken_in_japan.html

Setsuden and "Living Eco"

I believe people have show more willingness to conserve energy rather than to “live eco” because turning off lights and electronics is simple as well as instantly-gratifying. No one wants to be seen as non-eco-friendly, and so by merely turning off the air conditioner, faucet, or desk lamp, people can avoid the guilt associated with being wasteful and feel that they are making a difference in the world, however minute. Also given the fact that “living eco” is a vague term and is typically portrayed to the extreme, people feel that they are incapable of adapting to this lifestyle, or become unmotivated to try and determine how to do so. When I hear the phrase “living eco”, I can’t help but automatically think of a hippie sort of person who lives off the land, wears clothes made out of hemp, and abstains from all use of electricity, but “living eco” most likely does not have to be defined in such an extreme way. If more people are to start “living eco”, they must first be provided with straight-forward concepts as to what “living eco” means and how one can lead an eco-friendly lifestyle (i.e. by saving electricity, etc.).  

In regards to Japan, I believe this shift has been influenced greatly by the recent disaster. By placing various ads, showing TV commercials, and shutting down certain electronics (hand-dryers, escalators, etc.), the higher-ups have played on Japan’s notion of group mentality by encouraging each individual to do their part and contribute to the greater good of the country as a whole. Even as a foreigner I oftentimes find myself feeling proud when I take the stairs when escalators are shut off, endure the train in the dark, and forego using hand-dryers since such acts backed by these ads make me feel as if I am making a difference alongside thousands of other Japanese people. Although the United States might be perceived as being more independent and stubborn compared to other countries, I have a strong belief that if a disaster such as 3.11 were to occur in the US, a similar shift would be observed. National and moral pride is something that most people enjoy experiencing, and so campaigns such as the setsuden campaign are very effective in changing the actions and mentality of the ads’ target audiences.

Although it’s fantastic that so many people have been encouraged by the setsuden ads and commercials, I worry that saving electricity may just be a sort of fad that will pass as time goes on. I was not in Japan before the earthquake and so I can only speculate, but I have a feeling that before the disaster the government and people of Japan were not quite as gung-ho about energy conservation. Perhaps the Japanese people feel guilty about the disaster and the people it has affected, but time has the power to mend all negative feelings, and so eventually more and more people will start to forget the impact of this point in history. As for climate change, I feel that until global warming starts to affect people in a tangible way (similar to how the 3.11 disaster directly affected the Japanese people), the global community as a whole will not feel particularly motivated to work toward saving energy and “living eco”. Once climate change begins to affect our daily lives I’m certain many eco-campaigns will be launched, but by then it will most likely be too late.

Articles on “the new setsuden culture”, etc.:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ed20110515a2.html

http://blog.highwaterfilters.com/setsuden-japanese-innovation-helps-country-to-conserve-energy/

http://martinjapan.blogspot.com/2011/05/setsuden-not-teiden-cry-from-japan.html

Here is the blog of a person who has collected many pictures of setsuden signs and acts of setsuden around Japan:

http://tokyotombaker.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/major-japanese-buzzword-setsuden/

Effects of the Disaster on Nihonjinron

Although I am not a native Japanese and can only speculate on the Japanese national identity, personally I believe that this identity has not changed after the disaster, and in fact the general beliefs of the Japanese as I understand them may have actually become stronger. Most texts reffering to the nihonjinron focus on the the interdependent relationships between Japanese people and preferance for a group rather than individual mentality. If this is in fact true, then I feel that such a large disaster would cause people to rely on others more than ever and become motivated to work as a group to alleviate this horrific situation. Rather than lash out against the government and give individual opinions, I think it's quite possible that instead the Japanese people might keep their thoughts to themselves and eventually work toward finding a solution together in order to help prevent disasters of this magnitude in the future. In an article I found called "Japan nuclear plant workers' dedication to common good a national trait" (see link below), the author emphasizes how the workers' desire to help the nation as a whole before helping themsevles reflects the Japanese belief in putting the group first. Also rather than complain, loot, or flee the country, the people of the damaged community felt strongly about helping others and working toward rebuilding the area. In the article one woman states: "As much as I'd love to escape, the group is more important than your own concerns, which follows for most Japanese", which further reflects this ideal.

Clearly the Japanese have accepted and received aid from people in many different countries, and although they might be required to increase economic ties with foreign countries in the future, I do not believe that this will dampen Japan's nationalistic values. If anything this disaster could contribute to the country's perference of using group mentality to solve difficult situations and ensure peace across the nation - the fact that the nuclear aspect of this disaster was caused by a company whose primary concern was making money rather than preserving the safety of the population could further influence the Japanese to believe that chaos will ensue if each and every person doesn't work toward the greater good of the group. 

Although the article "Selves, Cultures, and Nations: The Psychological Imagination of 'the Japanese' in the Era of Globalization" states that this view may not accurately represent Japan's national identity, until the "average Japanese person" and their beliefs and practices can be identified, I along with many others will continue to consider the ideals I mentioned above as a representation of the general Japanese population. This being said, based on what I believe to be true about the Japanese people, the disaster has strengthened rather than altered their belief in selflessness and group mentality.

Article:

http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/earthquake-disaster-in-japan/japan-nuclear-plant-workers-dedication-to-common-good-a-national-trait-1.138125 

Volunteering to Me

To me, volunteering means donating my time and effort on my own accord to help anyone in any way, whether directly or indirectly. Although I really do want to volunteer (especially during this time of crisis in Japan), I have to admit that my previous experiences in volunteering often deter me from doing so more. Back in middle and high school there were two groups called the Junior Honor Society and the National Honor Society – even though I didn’t know most of the people in the groups and I didn’t want to be forced to do 50 hours of community service each year, given that these organizations are somewhat prestigious and look great on a college application, my mom forced me to join. Each week I would go to the meetings and sign up for various volunteering events, but due to my nervousness and the overbearing personalities of some of the members, I would often get forgotten about, and end up standing around doing nothing. Also, in order to make sure I got my 50 hours in and wouldn’t be kicked out, I would often look for menial jobs (i.e. typing for people, babysitting) that most likely don’t even count as volunteering, and I would sometimes exaggerate my time spent “volunteering” on paper to avoid the wrath of the group (and my mom). Out of all the hours I spent “volunteering”, I wonder how big of a difference I actually made, or how much time of my life and other’s lives I wasted.

Despite all this, once I entered college, I decided to participate in my school’s volunteer organization in hopes that I would have a better experience. Each year HAVOC (Hamilton Association for Volunteering, Outreach and Charity) hosts two major volunteering events, where hundreds of students are shipped out on buses to various locations to perform all different kinds of work. In contrast to middle and high school, these events were actually fun since I was able to participate with my close friends or other interesting people, but oftentimes I still felt unneeded and that I wasn’t actually making a difference. I appreciate HAVOC’s effort in organizing all these people and events, but given that the number of volunteers typically exceeded the actual demand for help in our community, I don’t believe that our time was used wisely. I hate feeling in the way and as if the leaders of the soup kitchens, YMCAs, etc. are running around trying to find work to entertain us with, and I hated sitting around waiting an hour or two for the bus to come pick us up again. I still plan on going to these events since they’re fun and a great way to get off campus and explore, but whether or not I’ll actually feel good about myself and what I’ve done afterward, I can’t say.

I feel pretty terrible for not volunteering often, but I’m tired of participating in half-assed events and then trying to convince myself that I’m helping people in order to make myself feel that I’m a better person. If I’m going to volunteer, I want to make a noticeable difference in at least one person’s life, even if the impact I have is somewhat small. Although I am not able to go and volunteer up north directly (my mom would probably go insane with worry – I’ve already caused her enough grief by coming here), I really want to participate in some sort of event to help indirectly. For once I want to volunteer in something I believe in (not something that I’m forced into), and I actually want to use every moment of my time in that situation to help. To me, that’s real volunteering, and I really hope I can have a “real” volunteer experience while I’m here in Japan. 

Response to Editorial

With all the talk that has and will be going on in the classroom about volunteering, I thought it was only appropriate to respond to this article, entitled “How you can help Japan, and why you should”:

http://www.stanforddaily.com/2011/03/28/op-ed-how-you-can-help-japan-and-why-you-should/

This article basically covers which sort of relief organizations are out there working to help the affected area, what they do, and which organizations would make the best use of our donations. Immediately following the disaster, I donated some of my money to the American Red Cross, only to be yelled at by my mom. As the head of a non-profit organization, she is appalled at how much money the directors of the Red Cross get paid each year, and has sort of been against them despite what they do. Looking back on it now, I realize I should have done more research on the various organizations and what they do rather than donating to the most obvious/available choice. I agree with this article that local organizations “on the scene” have a better understanding of situation, and therefore would most likely put the donation money to better use than other organizations. It’s fantastic that so many people had it in their hearts to donate, but I wonder how much of our money is used effectively given that large groups such as the Red Cross have to deal with overhead charges and must pay fuel costs when sending over people and supplies. It also never occurred to me that these smaller local organizations will be on the scene long after the Red Cross and other groups are gone, and so it is important to fund these groups to ensure that the relief effort can continue and be effective as long as necessary.  As the article states: “By knowing as much as you can about the organizations to which you donate, you can ensure that your money will be sent to those with the greatest need and with the greatest efficiency”, and I really appreciate that the author(s) took the time to investigate such agencies and make them better known to the public. This article was extremely informative and I wish I would have read it or similar articles when I was first donating after the crisis.

On another note, I had never thought about how a country’s resources and level of development could affect how donations are used and how effective the donations are. Although I wouldn’t wish a disaster of this magnitude on anyone, I am curious to see how lesser-developed areas would distribute and utilize large monetary donations during a time of crisis. If an area is devastated, for example, but they do not have skilled doctors, access to markets/stores to purchase supplies, or necessary equipment, how would the money be used? How would the country care for its injured people, and how would they work on rebuilding the infrastructure of a large area? The money could possibly be used to immediately help displaced people (i.e. provide food, clothing, etc.), but I wonder to what degree the donations would benefit the nation in the long-run. Perhaps in this scenario using donations to fund skilled physicians, construction workers, etc. and the purchase of advanced machinery to send to the affected area would be more practical. The north of Japan has suffered a great tragedy, but luckily the rest of Japan and its skilled people, along with people from around the world are here to support and rebuild the affected area. Recovery may be slow, but I am confident that one day not too far in the future Japan will be restored to its original glory.

Technoscience

Although I’ve only been living in Japan for about two months now, I’m beginning to feel comfortable here, and that I am much more a part of this community than I was before. Hopefully, though, the natives don’t feel the way I do about Tokyo and all its technological wonders - surrounded by the immense buildings, (almost) ceaseless trains and shining lights in a thriving metropolis, I feel almost invincible despite the recent disaster. No matter where I am in Tokyo, I never feel truly abandoned – even if the buildings and cars are out of reach, I can feel the presence of the city and its people around me, which creates a sort of protective bubble that I’ve never felt before. The technological advancements that have been made in this country are truly amazing to me, but I can only imagine how devastating one must feel when these objects have been taken away in dire situations such as the one that occurred on 3.11. I’ve never been to the north of Japan before, but if it contains even a quarter of Tokyo’s technology and density, I can’t imagine that anyone living there would have been prepared for such a tragedy. 

This being said, rather than prepare people for disasters, I am more inclined to believe that technology has actually made people much more vulnerable to their effects. When the constant threat of nature’s devastation is removed from a society, the people begin to forget how to work with the land, and instead devise new ways to work against it for their own benefit. It’s true that some forms of technology can help to protect, but the fact that Japan and other developed nations have used technology to further put themselves in danger (i.e. building heavily in places that are prone to disaster) has almost cancelled out all the positive effects that technology brings to society. I don’t believe that the victims of 3.11 were prepared for some disasters and not others – technology has brought us to the point where we have lost touch with nature and the variety of hardships it brings. I feel that at best we can use our technological knowledge and advancements to help repair damage that has been done, but until we regain our understanding of the land and its power, disasters in modern societies will never become preventable.

I’ve seen my share of horrific disaster movies that people seem to be so interested in, but similarly to how we cannot prevent disasters, I don’t believe that we can ever be completely mentally and emotionally prepared for them either. Seeing death and destruction on the big screen so frequently has almost desensitized me to the images – as long as I know that in reality no one was harmed, the act of viewing such images no longer brings me feelings of devastation. Seeing images and video clips revolving around the catastrophe up north, however, was sickening – even though the disaster may not be able to match something that a special effects artist could dream up, knowing that the destruction was real and that people were lost and killed evoked emotions in me that a movie never could. No matter what images are already circulating – even images from previous, real-world disasters – I don’t believe anyone could be prepared to handle the shock that comes when a disaster occurs in our present world and time. Even if another catastrophe were to occur, more lives and property and all that is real to the Japanese people would still be lost, and so the effects of the aftermath would still be just as great.

What I am really curious about is what role technology played in alerting the people before the disaster struck. From the view that I saw as a foreigner, it seems as if the disaster completely took people by surprise, and that they had no or little time to plan an escape. Given that Japan is so prone to disasters, I would think that a significant amount of time and effort would be put into researching how to predict earthquakes, tsunamis, and other similar occurrences. Perhaps doing so is much more difficult than I could imagine, but I was just surprised at how the tsunami came and devastated the land and its people so quickly and unexpectedly. 

Blame

When dire situations such as the disaster in Tohoku occur, blame is almost always linked to the government in one way or another, but an article in the Los Angeles Times infers otherwise. The article “Who’s to Blame for Fukushima” by Anupam Chander states that because the American company GE aided in the design of the affected reactors, it is necessary to assess their level of responsibility in the matter. Unfortunately for the Tokyo Power Electric Company, Japanese law states that liability rests solely in the hands of the operator rather than the designer, and so GE has escaped from this situation virtually unscathed while the Tokyo Power Electric Co. has suffered from significant losses, both monetary and otherwise.

I don’t feel that the author of this article is trying to exclusively blame GE for the Fukushima nuclear disaster, but I do believe that he wishes to encourage people to question the appropriateness of the Japanese government’s liability policy. Although the author does not directly criticize GE for developing faulty reactors and the incident took place solely on Japanese soil, I sense that he finds it unfair to blindly place all the blame on the operator when other forces may be at fault. While the author only demands that we take his words into consideration, however, thousands of victims are demanding monetary compensation from the Tokyo Power Electric Co., indicating that in the public eye blame has already been thrust upon a single or a few institutions. Whether or not this is the correct belief and action, it is clearly still quite difficult to determine, at least to me and the author of this article.

To read the article, click the link below:

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/01/opinion/la-oe-chander-ge-liability-20110401

Anthropological Research on Hazards and Disasters

When I think of highly-advanced, technology-based societies, Japan is one of the first places that comes to my mind. Oliver-Smith’s article, however, allowed me to realize that no matter how developed and prosperous a country is, it is incomplete if it cannot prevail against the unstoppable forces of nature. Oliver-Smith states: “In effect, if a society cannot withstand without major damage and disruption a predictable feature of its environment, that society has not developed in a sustainable way” (pg 304).  Although Japan and other major countries are successful in a variety of social and technological fields, there is still much we all have to learn in order to live safely and effectively alongside Mother Nature. This ideal also relates to Oliver-Smith’s point regarding how man plays a part in “natural” disasters. Because Japan utilizes nuclear power plants to provide power for the cities and holds a large population in an apparently dangerous area, it has actually sacrificed the safety of its people as it has grown and developed. The same can be said for a variety of other advanced nations, although the cause of danger may be somewhat different. At the moment it appears that there is not and may never be a solution to achieving a balance between a country’s progression and its safety, but hopefully this will not lead to an even more devastating effect on Japan or other nations across the globe.

I am glad to say that Japan doesn’t seem to fit one of Oliver-Smith’s examples in the article regarding unequal distribution of aid and goods based on various forms of discrimination. While other countries such as India may delegate goods based on class in a time of crisis, I believe that Japan’s strong sense of national identity will prevent distribution discrimination if a country-wide disaster ever occurs. I also feel that Japan as a unified nation will not succumb to dependency on other nations or loss of culture and community as explained by Oliver-Smith. Japan appears to be rather stable in terms of culture, the government, and economic classes, and so I don’t believe the country will encounter any major uprisings or changes to everyday life (whether this is good or bad, I can’t exactly say). On a slightly different note, I am somewhat curious but worried about the future of the relationship between northern and southern Japanese residents. After the earthquake and tsunami occurred, a strong dislike of the city-dwellers was advocated by the direct victims of the disaster – those who worked to help provide power for Tokyo suffered while those living in Tokyo were much less affected. I wonder if this disaster will lead to a greater divide within the country and if Japan’s sense of nationalism will decline, and what effects these changes would have on the society if another disaster occurs.

As the article states, disasters can be “the best of times and the worst of times”, and we can only hope that this horrific event can help to pull the nation together rather than tear it apart.

Responses

While reading about my classmates’ experiences with the 311 earthquake, two major themes caught my eye: the strong sense of uncertainty created by the media/lack of the media and technology, and the vulnerability of humans against the unpredictable forces of nature. From the native’s perspectives, all was relatively calm during the earthquake, but as soon as communication was cut off, the true panic set in. People seemed to be at a loss, relentlessly worrying about their families, and turning to the television and internet for any bit of information on the quake. In my opinion technology has given people the sense of being close to others even when separated by a physical distance, and once that connection is severed, we cannot help but feel devastated and alone. From the foreigner’s perspective, their time was spent being flooded by many different opinions from friends, family, and the news everywhere they went. The discrepancy caused by conflicting opinions made us truly confused, and the time before traveling to Japan was unsettling to say the least. It’s interesting for me to imagine what life was like before the world became so interconnected through phones and the internet – how would people handle this situation, and how would this situation be perceived by the rest of the world? Would there actually be more order and less panic in a time when people were forced to rely on themselves alone to make sense of situations such as this one?

As for our vulnerability, I feel that the earthquake has really reminded people that although we might feel on top and in control of our lives and even the world around us, we will never be able to prevent such disasters from happening, and people from dying. I don’t believe people should dwell on the idea of death often, but I think this occurrence forced many to reflect on the strong possibility of death and the fragility of the human life, as hard as it may be to imagine.

What really struck me was a comment someone made (I can’t find the blog again for some reason @_@) about how the lives of various Japanese people are essentially being sacrificed in order to provide for the larger city population. The person questioned if the bigger cities really need all this power, and expressed his/her desire for the preservation of farmland rather than the production of more plants. In class we talked about how many people from the areas around the affected power plants are resentful toward Tokyo, and I am very curious as to how these strong feelings will play out in the future. Will Japan make changes in order to ensure that the power plants won’t affect a population like this again, or will they continue to build without any concern for the opinion of the people being put in danger? Will these feelings become strong enough to divide the nation, or cause people to protest against the government’s decisions?

In conclusion I just wanted to say I was touched by people’s willingness to help (both gaizin and natives alike), and amazed by the strength and resilience of the Japanese people in such a difficult time. If this earthquake occurred anywhere else in the world, I doubt we would see the same reaction – if any country can come back strong from such a devastating disaster, it’s Japan.

３１１

Growing up a half-mile down the road from a nuclear power plant in upstate New York, I’ve sort of been desensitized to its presence and the negative aspects associated with nuclear power – once I heard that my study abroad program gave us the o-kay, I was ready to get on the plane and start my semester after more than four long months of waiting. My relatives in Yokosuka reported that everyone made it just fine, my grandma confirmed her yearly trip from Hawaii to Japan, and my dad (a nuclear engineer for more than twenty years) assured me that the worst had already passed, and so my worries were alleviated considerably. As time progressed, however, I was continually harassed by friends, relatives, and even people who I hardly knew about my decision to leave. Waiting day after day glued to the news channel was stressful enough, but I could hardly leave the house or even check my phone or facebook without being pestered by someone who didn’t share the same view as me. What bothered me the most was how friends and colleagues harassed my mom daily, telling her that she was ignorant to the danger and a terrible mother for allowing me to go. I’m really thankful that my mother ignored the group mentality of her peers and risked her reputation for me – she knows going to Japan has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and her desire to give me all the opportunities she never had helped her to make a difficult but correct decision in my mind. Between the day of the earthquake and the day I arrived I was plagued by doubt, confusion, and frustration, but in the end I am glad I made this choice and I believe I will never regret it.

Although my town is quite small and perhaps doesn’t boast the best-educated group of people in the world, their ignorance about the situation was truly baffling. My mom’s friend who works at the bar down the road told me that I wouldn’t be able to go since planes were no longer allowed in Japan, and that if I somehow made it I would need to bring a gas mask with me. Seriously, what are these people thinking? I am really curious to see the image of Japan that they have in their heads – do they really think Japan has been transformed into some kind of fume-covered wasteland?  I wish I could show them what Tokyo looks like now – trains running, busy streets, and groups of people drinking happily under the sakura.  I’ve never been to Tokyo before this past week, but as far as I can tell, at this moment Tokyo looks as normal as the next city, and it doesn’t mirror the horrific images portrayed by the media or word of mouth whatsoever. This incident has made me very curious as to how much that we see or hear through the media is exaggerated, and what kind of negative impact these claims will have on Japanese tourism and the economy. It’s frightening to me that what I learn from the television, internet, etc. may not be entirely true, and that millions of people around the world – myself included – may be ignorant to the reality of global situations. I will try my best to search for the truth, but in the end I guess I will never truly know what to believe.   

I know my experience involving the earthquake is insignificant compared to the Japanese people affected both in the north and elsewhere, and I just wanted to say that I am truly sorry for what happened and I wish the best of luck to everyone.  がんばれ日本！

今上智大学のブログです。。。

前川先生へ、

上智大学のクラスのためにこのブログを使うつもりです。いいですか。すみません！

＾＿＾


リー

私のロボットです！

ロボットのことはとてもかっこいですね！今たくさんロボットがないけど、将来に技術はもっと発達になるかもしれないから、早晩ロボットはいっぱいになると思います。動物を大好きので、もし自分でロボットを作れるなら、ペットロボットを作りたいんです。私のロボットは犬のようで、名前はスパーキーです。スパーキーは白いと黒い毛があって、長い尾があります。人と同じぐらいで、頭がとてもいいから、たくさん仕事を出来ます。例えば、お宅をかたずけるし、お皿を洗うし、料理をします。スパーキーはとても強いので、一緒に外で歩く時にスパーキーは私を守って、もし疲れたになたらスパーキーの背中に乗ります。私は一人にしたくないので、スパーキーは必要だと思います。大学でたくさん友達がいるけど、もし友達は忙しいだったら、私とスパーキーは一緒に遊びます。悲しい時は、いつもスパーキーは私のそばにいます。

スパーキーは私のロボットけど、もし外の人は問題があったら、スパーキーは手伝ってくれます。例えば、もし悪い人は外の人を殺したかったら、スパーキーは人を守ります。もし猫は木にいる、スパーキーは猫を助けます。スパーキーはすべて人と動物を好きです。

スパーキーは犬みたいけど、ちょうどいいな友達です！

ハワイの島！

アメリカは色々な島があるけど、実はハワイだけアメリカの州です。ハワイは私の出身で、数年ごとホノルルに帰ります。私の経験なのですが、ハワイはアメリカの一番美しいな所です。海の水はクリアし、たくさん果物の木があるし、ビーチはとてもきれいし、自然はすごいです。もし観光をしたら、ダイヤモンドヘッドの山で歩きた方はいいですよ。その山で、ワイキキの市とワイキキのビーチを見てできます。観光人はハワイの大きい火山も見に行きます。アメリカでは、ハワイだけ火山があると思います。

ハワイに行く時に、たくさん人はハワイ式宴会（ルアウ）を見たいです。ハワイ式宴会はハワイの一番有名な行事かもしれません。ルアウでハワイ人は魚と豚を食べたり、酒を飲んだり、音楽を聞きり、よくダンスをします。フラはハワイの有名なダンスだけど、ルアウで外のダンスもします。ルアウはパーティーみたいから、とても楽しみな行事ですね！

あなたの次の休みは、ハワイに行った方がとてもいいと思います！飛行機でハワイまでとても高いけど、すごいな休みになりますよ！