Contact Us

SEARCH

Site Map

2015 JET-MIP ESSAY: RACHEL RESNICKMARCH, 2016: BREEZE ISSUE #101
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF
JAPANESERACHEL RESNICK
Los Gatos High School
Los Gatos, CA
Attempting to put my experience in Japan intowords is basically impossible. For the past year
I was a part of the Tohoku 2015 project in myarea, and worked on projects to help bringtourism to the Tohoku region. I would havenever imagined that just a few months later I
would actually be in Tohoku. Starting from thebus ride from Hanamaki airport toRikuzentakata, I was shocked by what Japan was actually like. It wasn’t just Tokyo, it’s filledwith miles of nature and with farms and fields everywhere. As a nature lover, this amazed me
and this bus ride gave me a unique view that many tourists will never be able to see.
Once in Rikuzentakata, I finally understood that the disaster did a lot more than what I saw
through pictures at the time. After 4 years the people of Rikuzentakata really made a
difference. The fact that they so quickly came up with a plan to elevate the town truly
impressed me. The two things that left the biggest impression on me from Rikuzentakata will bethe Miracle Pine and the people. Seeing that one tree that survived is incredible. I cannot evenattempt to imagine what the forest looked like before that day. It really did feel like a symbol ofhope. Also, the people that we met in that town were the most cheerful people I met the wholetime we were in Japan. Starting from the middle school, everyone was awkward at first, but weended up getting to run around and act like regular kids. The kids I talked to were probably infourth grade when the tsunami happened, but, from their “genki” attitude, it wasn’t apparent at
all. Next, the students at the high school summit were very focused on helping their town for
the future instead of focusing on the past. The students I worked with at the summit were very
studious and helpful. We taught each other new words and shared our hoped for the futureof- Terms
Privacy

the town. Their idea of normalization did not sink into my mind until actually talking to thepeople who want that. This town and the cheerful students in it left a huge impression on me
that will never go away.
When visiting Rikuzentakata we stayed at Hotel Boyo in the nearby town of Kessenuma.
Since this town was a lot smaller, the tsunami’s effects were a lot more apparent. The showers
in the hotel rooms were still unusable, and around the town there were still housing
foundations from the houses that had washed away. Hearing about the story from the owner ofHotel Boyo was the most impactful part of this stay. His dedication to helping the town by
rebuilt is truly inspiring. Next we visited Ishinomaki where Tayler Anderson’s presence was very
apparent. It seems that she is still a part of Ishinomaki and their school system.
Overall, the Tohoku study tour has had a huge impact on me. It was truly the best and mostimportant part of this trip. I felt like going there made me want to try to help in any way I can. At
this time, all I can do is tell people about what I saw, and I hope that in the future I can do moreto help too.
Another very important part of this trip was the 31 other Mippers there with me. Connecting withthese other students was surprisingly easy and interesting. Since everybody came fromdifferent parts of the country I learned a lot and was able to share a lot about where I comefrom. Seeing so many other points of views about the disaster made the trip a lot morememorable and meaningful. I will always treasure the friends I have made on this trip.
While doing the homestay portion of the trip, I realized that I did not know as much Japaneseas I would want to know. I want to be able to better understand people and be able to say
more in Japanese, so I do plan to continue studying it in the future. Before this program,learning Japanese was less of an interest to me, but now I would really like to study more inorder to be able to have better communication skills with people in Japan. I also hope to havea job in the future where I have a chance to use my Japanese knowledge in conjunction withmy engineering major.
To Tayler Anderson and Montgomery Dickson, even though you came to Japan as English
teachers, you did a lot more. Both of you went far above expectations and were able to make adifference in the towns you were assigned to. Even though you are gone now, you memory andteachings will last forever in the towns where you taught.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTOSUBMISSION“Building Up”
Privacy - Terms

Rikuzentakata's brilliant idea of raising thetown is visible all day long there. Dirt isconstantly falling, and watching it do so bringpeace of mind for the future.

Breeze #110

Breeze #109

Breeze #108

Breeze #107

Breeze #106

Breeze #105

Breeze #104

Breeze #103

Breeze #102

Breeze #101

Japanese Langauge Education Update 282015 JET-MIP Essay: Rachel Resnick
Privacy - Terms

2015 JET-MIP Essay: Tulika Srivastava

2015 JET-MIP Essay: Jacqueline Tayra

2015 JET-MIP Essay: Amy Waldron

Breeze #100Breeze #99

Headquarters

New York Office

ボランティア募集

Center for Global PartnershipJapan Related Links

Volunteer

Job Openings (Updated)

5700 Wilshire blvd, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036
P. 323.761.7510

Annual Report© 2019 The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
Web Design.

Privacy - Terms