I just got back from Ishinomaki & Sendai in Miyagi prefecture. It was my first time to go there after the earthquake. We started a Tsunami relief group to support the volunteer center in Ishinomaki. 8 of us went there.
This is how Ishinomaki looks like now. There are still rubbles and broken cars and ships on the side of the street, but the street itself has been cleaned, and it seemed that much has already been done (not to mention, there is A LOT more to go).
this is the picture I took from the park in highland. Top of the picture is the ocean. Tsunami was about 15m tall... You can see the devastation.
But the weird thing is that this park is becoming like a touristic spot. I did feel quite uncomfortable being there...
This is "Senshu University" campus in Ishinomaki city. This campus has become a tent village for the volunteers. WPF, Peaceboat, and other NGOs and individual volunteers live here. I guess there are 200 or more tents. We have pitched 4 tents here. Now two volunteers from Tokyo and my boss are staying there. I'd say it's quite comfortable, but there is no water, meaning,,, NO SHOWER after a day of clearing the rubbles...
There are toilets :-) and there are big supermarkets and home centers about 1-2km away from campus so it's easy to get supplies.
Everymorning, volunteers meet in front of the volunteer center and are sent to different places.
These are pictures of Sendai city. I was working in Sendai last year, so i have many friends here. I was thinking, maybe Sendai city centers is back to normal. But that was not true! Convenience stores were empty. Streets were dark, and at midnight, most of the bars were already closed!
I met a couple of my friends, and I could tell that the earthquake has changed something fundamental in them. One girl who got into art university is determined to become a designer and start projects to heal affected children with art.
Another friend who has just got into grad school to study psychology said that she would change her research topic to help those who have been affected by this earthquake. I'm very proud of them!!
Sendai station has not fully recovered...
This is the picture of the entrance of my sister's apartment who lives in Sendai. My sister is quite classy, unlike me :-) and normally wears nice designers shoes and high heels. But after the quake, she bought a pair of tennis shoes. Next to it is a bag containing food, water, some snacks, flashlight, towels etc.
We hear that another big one might come any time. We've got to be prepared.
This is how Ishinomaki looks like now. There are still rubbles and broken cars and ships on the side of the street, but the street itself has been cleaned, and it seemed that much has already been done (not to mention, there is A LOT more to go).
this is the picture I took from the park in highland. Top of the picture is the ocean. Tsunami was about 15m tall... You can see the devastation.
But the weird thing is that this park is becoming like a touristic spot. I did feel quite uncomfortable being there...
This is "Senshu University" campus in Ishinomaki city. This campus has become a tent village for the volunteers. WPF, Peaceboat, and other NGOs and individual volunteers live here. I guess there are 200 or more tents. We have pitched 4 tents here. Now two volunteers from Tokyo and my boss are staying there. I'd say it's quite comfortable, but there is no water, meaning,,, NO SHOWER after a day of clearing the rubbles...
There are toilets :-) and there are big supermarkets and home centers about 1-2km away from campus so it's easy to get supplies.
Everymorning, volunteers meet in front of the volunteer center and are sent to different places.
These are pictures of Sendai city. I was working in Sendai last year, so i have many friends here. I was thinking, maybe Sendai city centers is back to normal. But that was not true! Convenience stores were empty. Streets were dark, and at midnight, most of the bars were already closed!
Another friend who has just got into grad school to study psychology said that she would change her research topic to help those who have been affected by this earthquake. I'm very proud of them!!
Sendai station has not fully recovered...
This is the picture of the entrance of my sister's apartment who lives in Sendai. My sister is quite classy, unlike me :-) and normally wears nice designers shoes and high heels. But after the quake, she bought a pair of tennis shoes. Next to it is a bag containing food, water, some snacks, flashlight, towels etc.
We hear that another big one might come any time. We've got to be prepared.
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