これから2年間・・・ ~The next 2 years~

こんにちは！
前回の報告でフィリピンを去った後からの話です。フィリピンで仲良くなった韓国人の友だちに会うため、韓国・ソウルに1週間滞在し、その後、実家の宮崎へ帰省しました。韓国は日本と雰囲気が似ていて、人柄も良く、本当にいい経験をさせていただきました。

　帰国してからは、1週間程度の休日を経て福島県二本松市へと行ってきました。実は、青年海外協力隊(JOCV)の一員として、アフリカ・ウガンダ国への派遣が決まり、研修を受けるためです。派遣先は、ウガンダのマサカという地域です。フィリピンではイロイロという地区に滞在しており、共に日本語みたいで疑われそうですが、もちろん実在します！

　福島県といえば、今年3月11日に起きた関東大震災と福島原発からの2次災害の影響が懸念されることもありましたが、放射能レベルは若干高いものの、その他に影響はありませんでした。影響を挙げるとすれば、危険な地域から避難してきた方々の仮設住宅が多数あり、県外からは放射能を恐れて観光客が激減したことぐらいでしょうか。。。

　研修期間中、週末を利用して、最も被害が大きかった地域の1つである、宮城県亘理郡山元町という所へ行き、ボランティア活動も経験しました。溝に溜まった土砂を掻き出す作業や、救援物資を仮設住宅に届ける仕事など。。。

　
　研修所では105名が同時に研修を受け、2ヶ月間を共に過ごしました。青年海外協力隊は100以上の職種があり、皆の肩書きも様々です。ですが、同じような境遇にあり、同じような志を持って将来を考える仲間に出会えたことは、一生ものの宝です。
研修は英語でしたが、様々な国へ派遣される方々の集団ですので、ある人はベトナム語、ある人はスワヒリ語といったように、色んな言語が飛び交います。自分は、現地ウガンダで、「ルガンダ語」という言語も勉強しなければなりません。

　研修期間は、語学のみならず、体育祭、音楽祭などの様々なイベントを行い、本当に充実した、濃い時間を過ごすことができました。ほぼ毎週、免疫をつけるための予防接種も行いましたので、体調も万全と思われます。皆、それぞれの国へ馴染むことができるでしょう。たった2ヶ月間でしたが、たくさんの人と親友になれたと思います。いい時間を過ごすことができました。

ウガンダへの出発は2012年1月10日。その時まで残りの日本生活を存分に楽しみます!!

Hello!!
I went to Seoul, Korea after graduate from the language academy in the Philippines because I wanted to meet some friends who I met there.
Especially, one of my Korean friends who married couple are my best friends. They are living in Seoul, so I stayed their house for almost 1 week!
There were a lot of kind people and the atmosphere of Korea was similar with Japan. I had a great time with them.

After that, I took a rest in my home town for 1 week then I went to Nihonmatsu, Fukushima in order to attend the training for Africa.
To tell the truth, I'm going to Uganda which is located south east Africa as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer(JOCV).
I will stay Masaka, Uganda. In the Philippines, I stayed Iloilo. Both of them, it sounds like Japanese.
"Masaka" means in Japanese is "Rubbish!" or "Shut up!" and "Iloilo" means "Everything" or "Many". It usually makes us fun.

Last February, I decided to join that activity, so I resigned from my previous job and went to the Philippines in order to improve my English abilities.

Fukushima prefecture was affected by an earthquake, seismic sea wave, tsunami and nuclear accident on March 11, 2011.
However, they say Nihonmatsu is safer than around city because it is surrounded by abundant nature. They have been protecting from radioactivity. Actually, the level of radioactivity is lower than around city.
Therefore, there are many temporary housing and refugee who might lost their house, family, and so on. In addition, I heard that there are few tourists now because they really afraid of health damage.

One day, I went to one of the worst-affected region, Yamamoto, Tanri, Miyagi prefecture with other trainee as a volunteer. We shovelled dirt, provision of relief supplies, and so on.

The training center in Nihonmatsu, there were 105 trainee and there are over 100 occupations in JOCV.
I had been taking training with them. They were energetic and active!! Also, they have a high aspiration. I got stimulated from their thinking, action and behavior.
I studied English there but there were many people who are going to Africa, Asia, and so on, so they studied their own language they need. When I arrive in Uganda, I must study local language of Uganda, Luganda.

In this training, not only did we study language, but we also held many events like music festival, PE festival, and so on.
It was very fun!! We lived a full life. It all happened in an instant.
Since we vaccinated against some kinds of diseases like rabies, hepatitis A, B, tetanus, polio, and so on, I think we are in fine working form. We will accustom to the environment of our own host countries.

Even though our training had only for 2 months, I think we became close friends. It was also precious memories for me.
The trip will take place on January 10, 2012.
I will enjoy my life in Japan as much as I can until the last moment.

Ichimasa