Off to Japan to help in earthquake and tsunami relief efforts

First, sorry for the long absence. Took forever to figure out how to access my blog again. So, now that I'm back on, I want to let you know that in two days I will be heading out to Japan, to support the Japanese Red Cross communications team in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami a week ago.
I am excited about the opportunity. A little concerned about the threat of nuclear contamination, but I've done my homework and feel it is safe enough to go now.
It is going to be heartwrenching for sure. I've been in quake zones and tsunami zones before, but I think it's safe to say that the damage I am about to see will be beyond compare. I can't wait to get there and to start sharing some of the stories of those who have lost, but also those who are somehow surviving. It is through this story telling that the entire world gets to know the Japanese survivors. It is through this story telling that the world can decide to help.
I'm going for at least two weeks. Will update if I can. If not, you can always check out the IFRC website where I will be posting my material. www.ifrc.org.
Cheers,

The Man Who Fixed My Shoe

In this season of greed that we call Christmas, I find myself, once again, amazed at the generosity of those who have nothing. I was recently in Sindh province, Pakistan, trekking into a village that had been hit by the monsoon floods last summer. It looked like an earthquake zone. Houses were crumbled. Stagnant polluted water was everywhere. It was the first time any aid agency had come to help the few families that had braved the conditions to return to what was left of their homes.
While walking through the foot-high mud, my sandal got stuck. When I tried to pull it out, it broke. That's when Mumtaz Ali Jarwar sprung into action. "You are a woman in our village," he said. "We respect you and cannot allow you to walk around without shoes." He found a twig and some string and managed a temporary fix. Unfortunately, it was temporary and did not last long.
He then offered me shoes from one of the village women. Remember, these are people who lost everything, and I mean everything in the floods. I didn't know what to do. I did not want to insult him, by refusing the offer. But I also did not feel comfortable taking his meagre belongings. So, I finally compromised and agreed to wear the shoes until I got back to the Red Cross car, at which point I would give them back. In the meantime, he took a second stab at fixing my sandal, and to this day, the fix is working like a charm.
I guess I should not be surprised at people's generosity, but I am. Especially in this season when it's all about buying that bigger and better item, stuff we really don't need but feel compelled to buy.
I am glad there are people like Mumtaz in the world. He is a real reminder of what humanity looks like.

Off to Pakistan

Today I begin my journey to Islamabad Pakistan. My emotions are all over the place; excited, nervous, overwhelmed. And my stomach is churning this morning. Right now it's the waiting that is driving me crazy, and the unknown. I think once I get going to the airport, and once I get my briefings from the Red Cross in Ottawa tomorrow, the picture will begin to get a bit clearer.
One of the big issues? Packing! I have piles of stuff all over the place. Trying to weed things out so I only need to bring one suitcase. We'll see.
I'll try to update as soon as possible. Ciao!

A Thought-Provoking Book

I am at the cottage this week and have devoured a couple of books. One really took my breath away. Called "Sarah's Key", it's about the round-up of Jews in Paris on July 16, 1942, by the French police, under orders by the Nazis. The story is of 10 year old Sarah, who is one of the 13,000 Jews rounded up and sent off to camps near Paris (one of these camps has since been turned into affordable housing---can you imagine living there, knowing its history?). Most never returned. Sarah, confident she will return home shortly, locks her younger brother in their secret hiding compartment in their apartment. I won't say what happens in case you want to read the book.
What I will say is that the book alternated between hearing Sarah's voice, and a journalist's voice, who was researching the event 60 years later. I have to admit, I was disappointed when we stopped hearing Sarah's voice. I desperately wanted to hear more of her life and experiences, from her own mouth.
I am also ashamed to admit that I had never heard of this round-up before. Called La Grande Rafle at Vel'd'Hiv, these Jews were all herded into a velodrome used for cycling races, where they lived for days in unmentionable surroundings.
Why did we not learn of this in school? Was it because the French did not admit their complicity in this horrendous event until decades later? Was the Canadian government afraid of offending the French by teaching this history? I realize many countries committed atrocities during WWII. We all learned about the Holocaust---where are the history books on this?

Mon voyage into French immersion

Well, sink or swim, I am now taking a French immersion course in Trois Pistoles, Quebec. I drove as far as Trois Rivieres last night (in between Montreal and Quebec) and felt pretty proud of myself for being able to have conversations with the hotel people, gas station people, restaurant people and just ordinary folks.
Today, that confidence has been zapped. Drove the final four hours to get here and I am feeling totally out of my league and my comfort zone. Guess it's always good to challenge yourself. I will definitely be doing that this week.
On a positive note, I will be going whale watching on my birthday!
On a not so positive note, Quebec is part of Canada and I am proud to say that it is and hope that it will remain so. But, I felt somewhat compelled to take my Canada flag off of my car before I crossed the Quebec border. I'm sure the larger cities would be fine, but all I would need is some idiot to take exception to it, and scratch the vehicle or worse. It's a sad comment about not feeling comfortable flying the Canadian flag in my own country.
I have been keeping an eye out for Canadian flags here and I have only seen one. But then I have only seen one Quebecois flag too, and both were on a government building.

I can't believe I've been home for 3 months already! I am officially an unemployed bum but I have never been so busy! I don't know how I'm going to fit a job back into my schedule. :) So, this is the plan for now. Take July and August off. But start looking for a new job in August, with the hopes of landing something for September/October. I've had a paycheque coming in ever since I was like 14, so not getting paid on a regular basis is definitely taking some getting used to.

Tomorrow I head up to Barrie for my one niece's graduation from grade 8. People go so whole-hog on a grade 8 graduation these days, what the heck will they have to do to top it when it comes to graduating from high school or college? I mean, I understand it's a special achievement and should be celebrated, but spending hundreds of dollars on an event that everyone achieves? I guess that's just the pragmatic and frugal German side of me coming out.

So far, it's great being back. I love just hanging out in my yard, working on the garden, or swinging in the hammock at the cottage. Very relaxing. But also missing my buddies from Indonesia.

That's it for now from the KM household.

Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home, and nothing could be more true. I am now sleeping in my own bed, surrounded by all my 'stuff', and am reconnecting with my family and catching up with my friends. I love it! It has been a bit of an adjustment being home, getting used to Western living again. One good thing--I have lived on so little the last 18 months that I am now in full spring-cleaning mode. I am throwing out so much 'stuff', realizing that I don't need it all.
Friday I will go see my youngest niece play in her final basketball tournament... Next month I will go speak to another niece's class. There's also a confirmation in there to attend. Over the next week, I will go see my dad. All things I could not have done had I still been in Indonesia.
Don't get me wrong, being overseas was an experience of a lifetime, and I'm not about to give it up. But I also realize that I need some time to be at home and to get back in touch with the people who are important to me. Although I need to ask the question, does everyone's family drive them as crazy as mine sometimes does? :)