About my life of working and living internationally. Bilingual postings in English/ Japanese on my daily life, work, travel and more.
dimanche, décembre 29, 2013
mardi, décembre 24, 2013
Shopping in MKN
I am spending Christmas in the northern state where I am working. Now another colleague has joined me in the office here, so we are two.
We went shopping in a local market on the weekend. Quite expectedly, choices for clothing are rather limited, but I found these cute colourful baskets made of plastic strips. I have purchased the yellow one for 2$. I take your orders if you like to have one!
lundi, décembre 02, 2013
緑のスコップ
前からやりたかったことの一つ。
ガーデニング。
昨日、唐辛子と、トマトそしてコリアンダーの種を買ってきて、今日の朝、蒔いてみた。ネットで育て方を調べてみたけど、ややこしいので、全部適当に蒔いてしまった。暑いし、湿気もあるので、生命力のあるやつ(種)は勝手に発芽するでしょう。
前に、熱帯のガイアナにいた時、夕ご飯に食べようと思って、朝、肝臓豆を水につけておいたら、夕方帰宅した時、既に発芽していたということがあった。あの時は、かなり驚いた。それ位の勢いで、育ってくれたらなあ。
大きい声では言えないけど、セネガルで買った、バオバブの木の種もこっそり持ち込んだ、というかFR氏のスーツケースにはいっていた、のでそれも鉢植えに蒔いた。
本当に育てたいのは、三つ葉と紫蘇と獅子唐。ただ食べたいだけだけど。誰か種送ってくれないかな。
私が次に帰ってくるまでに、芽が出ていると嬉しいのに。ちゃんと水やり頼んでおかないと!
発芽したら写真載せます。
ガーデニング。
昨日、唐辛子と、トマトそしてコリアンダーの種を買ってきて、今日の朝、蒔いてみた。ネットで育て方を調べてみたけど、ややこしいので、全部適当に蒔いてしまった。暑いし、湿気もあるので、生命力のあるやつ(種)は勝手に発芽するでしょう。
前に、熱帯のガイアナにいた時、夕ご飯に食べようと思って、朝、肝臓豆を水につけておいたら、夕方帰宅した時、既に発芽していたということがあった。あの時は、かなり驚いた。それ位の勢いで、育ってくれたらなあ。
大きい声では言えないけど、セネガルで買った、バオバブの木の種もこっそり持ち込んだ、というかFR氏のスーツケースにはいっていた、のでそれも鉢植えに蒔いた。
本当に育てたいのは、三つ葉と紫蘇と獅子唐。ただ食べたいだけだけど。誰か種送ってくれないかな。
私が次に帰ってくるまでに、芽が出ていると嬉しいのに。ちゃんと水やり頼んでおかないと!
発芽したら写真載せます。
dimanche, décembre 01, 2013
samedi, novembre 30, 2013
Finally back to work
先週から、短期の仕事を始めました。ネパールで働いていた、同じ国連機関での女性に対する暴力関係の仕事です。3月以降は遊んでばっかりだったので、久しぶりの仕事は新鮮。
ゲリラ的就職活動で、トントン拍子で決まったのは良いんだけど、なんと私が今いる主要都市ではなく、主に政府と少数派の内戦がまだ続く州でのお仕事。緊急援助は、前に少しかじっただけで、フィールド事務所の仕事も今回が始めて。国内避難民がたくさんいるキャンプで、女性に対する暴力の被害者へのサービス(カウンセリングや医療サービス)の提供を現地団体と行うことになっています。
来週から現地入り。どんな感じなのか、ちょっと緊張です。
Started working with the same UN agency where I worked in Nepal. I got an offer and started working fairly quickly. I was quite lucky to walk into an office where they were looking for people with GBV (violence against women) experience, but it is in a state in the northern part of this country. I will be spending a balk of my time there. First time to be really based at the field level, especially dealing with internally displaced people. I will go there this week for the first time.
It's been pretty busy already. Got sick on the first day, attended a large planning workshop and went outside of the country to switch to a work visa etc etc.
ゲリラ的就職活動で、トントン拍子で決まったのは良いんだけど、なんと私が今いる主要都市ではなく、主に政府と少数派の内戦がまだ続く州でのお仕事。緊急援助は、前に少しかじっただけで、フィールド事務所の仕事も今回が始めて。国内避難民がたくさんいるキャンプで、女性に対する暴力の被害者へのサービス(カウンセリングや医療サービス)の提供を現地団体と行うことになっています。
来週から現地入り。どんな感じなのか、ちょっと緊張です。
Started working with the same UN agency where I worked in Nepal. I got an offer and started working fairly quickly. I was quite lucky to walk into an office where they were looking for people with GBV (violence against women) experience, but it is in a state in the northern part of this country. I will be spending a balk of my time there. First time to be really based at the field level, especially dealing with internally displaced people. I will go there this week for the first time.
It's been pretty busy already. Got sick on the first day, attended a large planning workshop and went outside of the country to switch to a work visa etc etc.
vendredi, novembre 15, 2013
Moving! お引っ越し
現地通貨の札束を抱えて、家の契約も終了しました!今日からお引っ越しのプロセス開始。鍵をもらって、色々走り回って見つけた家具も搬入。ネットもつなげた。まだガラガラの家だけど、やっぱり嬉しい。今年は、2月の末にモルディブを離れてから点々としていたので、正直疲れた。おなじみの赤いスーツケースにはお世話になったけどね!これからネパールにある荷物を送ってもらって、フランスで友達にあずかってもらっている持ち物も、そのうち取りに行かなくては。まだまだ今週末に、生活用品を買わないといけない。扇風機とかバケツとかシーツとかね。
家はただのプレースホルダーみたいなものだけど、帰る場所があるだけで、気持ちが落ち着く。引っ越しの多い職業がら、どんな国でも、自分の場所って思えるスペースを作るのが精神安定上重要だと思う。外はどんなに混沌としていて、クラクションならしまくる車ばかりで、ゴミだらけでも、ほっとできる家があるのは大事なこと。いつもアパートを選ぶ時は“ここに帰ってきたい”って思えるかどうか、想像するのがポイント。
With a huge pile of
local currency, a lease for the house was signed! We start moving in today. Got keys,
furniture delivered and Internet connected. The house still feels empty, but I
am happy. Since I left the Maldives, I have been going from place to place.
Although I love traveling, I was getting tired. A house is just a placeholder,
but having “a place to go back to” really gives you a sense of stability. We
still have to get our stuff shipped from Nepal and go get belongings that we
left with friends in Paris. I love this process of “little by little an empty house fills
up and becoming my place.”
mercredi, novembre 13, 2013
mardi, novembre 12, 2013
Does your ear spin? and they are all ears.
I am taking advantage of my free time and have started taking language lessons. The local language is quite a difficult one with a totally different set of scripts and tones, but at least I hope to have some basics. I didn't even try in my last duty station country, and I felt bad.
Culture reflects languages and vice versa. It is a window to understanding culture. I am yet to have significant analysis of the culture and language being here for only a few weeks. However, I love seeing uniqueness and idiosyncrasy of a language.
In this B language, to say "do you understand?" is literally "is your ear turning?".
Restaurant is "Eat, Drink Shop". Bread is "Bread snack". Cake is "cake snack." Why don't they just say "bread"? I am sure there is a very good reason for this.
There is no equivalent of "hello", "good morning" or "good afternoon".
People apparently don't say "thank you" all the time like I (and Japanese and Westerners) do.
Learning a new language is hard at this age, and we need to use every possible brain capacity to memorize words. It's funny how I desperately try to pull all my prior language knowledge to associate any new words with anything remotely sounds similar to facilitate memorization. For example, in B language 5 sounds like "ngo-", which is similar to 5 in Japanese. Then, M.FR would say 6 sounds a bit like 6 in Nepali.
We also started looking at scripts for numbers. They look like drawings. I would say "6 looks like an ear", and M.FR would say "No but 5 and 9 also look like an ear with a long earlobe." So, we can't decide what will be the best way to visually recognize the numbers!!
Culture reflects languages and vice versa. It is a window to understanding culture. I am yet to have significant analysis of the culture and language being here for only a few weeks. However, I love seeing uniqueness and idiosyncrasy of a language.
In this B language, to say "do you understand?" is literally "is your ear turning?".
Restaurant is "Eat, Drink Shop". Bread is "Bread snack". Cake is "cake snack." Why don't they just say "bread"? I am sure there is a very good reason for this.
There is no equivalent of "hello", "good morning" or "good afternoon".
People apparently don't say "thank you" all the time like I (and Japanese and Westerners) do.
Learning a new language is hard at this age, and we need to use every possible brain capacity to memorize words. It's funny how I desperately try to pull all my prior language knowledge to associate any new words with anything remotely sounds similar to facilitate memorization. For example, in B language 5 sounds like "ngo-", which is similar to 5 in Japanese. Then, M.FR would say 6 sounds a bit like 6 in Nepali.
We also started looking at scripts for numbers. They look like drawings. I would say "6 looks like an ear", and M.FR would say "No but 5 and 9 also look like an ear with a long earlobe." So, we can't decide what will be the best way to visually recognize the numbers!!
lundi, novembre 11, 2013
mercredi, novembre 06, 2013
House Hunting and Gold Rush
こちらに来て、ぼーっとしている内にもう2週間以上経ってしまった。最近は、ほぼ毎日アパート探し。この都市の家賃がやたらと高騰していて、NY並、いやそれ以上の高さ!進出してきている外国企業の従業員が増えているのに、供給が追いつかない。高くても借りる人がいるから、大家もどんどん値段をつり上げるという構図。新しいマンションもばんばん建っていっているし、不動産バブルの真っただ中です。外国企業からすれば、マーケットの可能性が高い、しかも資源も多いこの国は、正にゴールドラッシュみたいなもの。開発の仕事はそんなことを言えば、倫理的ではないけど、民主化が進み、且つ紛争も(災害も)同時にあるこの国は、仕事の可能性は多い。ある意味同じでしょう。
アパート自体はだいたいは広いのだけど、最近できたアパートも安普請な作りのものが多いし、間取りもなんだかおかしい。ネパールと同様、え!と思うような家具や照明も多い。それでこの値段は驚き!こんなのに20万も30万も出せないし出したくないよーと思うような物件ばかりが続くと、正直うんざりです。
そんな中、やっとここならいいかなーと思える家を見つけた。一軒家に住むのなんて贅沢だし、大きすぎるのが常だけど、こじんまりとしていて、品の良いお家がありました。充分に贅沢過ぎるし、こんなのに慣れていない私達は、繁華街で見つけた家賃が半分の天井の低いアパートの方が良いかなという気もして悩んだ。(そこはなんか舟底にいるみたいな、まあチャーミングではあるアパートが一つあった)借りる家はFR氏の勤め先の組織のものになるので、ちゃんとしたところの方がいいだろうということで、迷いつつも決定。
それで落ち着くかと思えばそう簡単にはいかない。なんと1年分の家賃を前払いしないといけないのです。しかも現金渡しで!!そんな大金どうやって用意すればいいの??!!彼の職場もそんなすぐにそんなお金出せないようだし、最悪毎日、銀行のATMから現地通貨を二人で手分けしておろすか、はたまた国外脱出して米ドルをおろして持ち込むべきか。困った。いやー無事に借りられるのでしょうか…。早くホテル暮らし脱出したいよ。
そういえば、前にマラウイでも何回も銀行口座から並んでおろしに行ったな。あれもたしか前払いだったような。懐かしい。2006年のポスト参照下さい。
家探しは、その国の、時にはおかしかったり理不尽なルールや現実にぶつかる、第一関門ですね。
mercredi, octobre 30, 2013
Slow but steady (hopefully)

This week M.FR has joined me here. To date, I got a local mobile phone number, moved into the third hotel, had one written test for a position, informal job interview, and started house/apt hunting today. Small progress, but I am feeling good.
I like the city. It feels livable but lively and charming (in exotic and developing country way.)
vendredi, octobre 25, 2013
To pack or not to pack
Story of me and my infamous beaten-up red suitcase
When I am everywhere with just a suitcase, what should I pack? especially, when I don't know where I am going and how long I am going? My life is full of uncertainty.
Even though my suitcase is huge (and heavy- yes I know. I get comments from taxi drivers, hotel porters, friends), there is a limit to how much it can accommodate.
I traveled with it through the Sahara crossing trip, and then to Japan via Nepal. I had a slight "re-structuing" of a content during the one week stopover in Nepal this summer. Which I can't tell you what it was, because I honestly don't remember.
Before I went to the US in September, I also left some stuff in Japan with my family. I added my recently acquired items, like books, clothing and a few backpacking gears into my core things.
Next, I went backpacking in Washington. In the meantime, I accumulated more camping/ backpacking gears, such as walking poles and an air mat. Then, it was no longer summer, so I had to buy a few warm clothes. Left some camping gears at friends' house near L.A and also sent back what I borrowed from my sisters.
Afterwards, I went to NYC to stay with M. FR's family. I had no intention of adding anything any more to my suitcase. My good girl friend held on to a bag of my winter clothes from TWO years ago, and I was finally able to get back.
While my suitcase (and me) was going through these changes, a plan to move to a new country became more concrete. This meant I had to have at least a few pieces of work clothes for job hunting. I ended up leaving the bag of my winter clothes in NYC, as I was heading to a tropical destination. I have a suitcase full of stuff, but I don't seem to have what I really need.
I did an inventory of my suitcase:
- 7 books (English and Japanese)
- 5 pairs of shoes including summer sandals
- hairdryer- I don't know why I am obsessively carrying this all the time.
- 宮島のしゃもじrice scoop that I bought in Hiroshima
- winter clothes (sweaters and jacket)
- 7 dresses
- Yosoiki (special occasion) purse
- Basic toiletries and cosmetics
- Underwear, t-shirts, a few pairs of pants
What does this say about me? that I am totally illogical and crazy? This is hardly adequate to move to a new country.
My suitcase is all scratched up and two wheels are not in an optimum state. I am embarrassed to drug this piece of garbage everywhere, but I am now too attached to replace it.
mercredi, octobre 23, 2013
New country??
In the past when I was talking to someone about working overseas in different countries, I was asked "do you visit the country before you make a decision to move there?" The answer was "No". But, I realized it was a perfectly valid question under a normal circumustance. If I am moving to a new country for a few years, it is good to be sure that I will like it or the life is tolerable there. The countries where I worked: Nepal, Maldives, Malawi, Guyana, I did not know much about them when opportunities to work there presented themselves. These are countries where many people don't know where they are and for some that they even ever existed. I am sure most people working in the development and humanitarian sector do not ask these questions, like "is the life comfortable there?" naturally because our jobs are where there are problems of all different sorts, poverty, disaster, conflict etc.
Countries where I worked are far from tough in the development& humanitarian standard. I have never been in fear of getting shot or kidnapped. Things that I had to "endure" were power cuts, general personal insecurity, air pollution and feeling of isolation. Not so bad.
Anyway, this is all to say that I am trying to move to a new country. In fact, I am already here. My long vacation is over, and I am now in a full-swing job hunting mode. This is my first attempt to move to a new country in which I was very interested (and of course, again totally new and unknown to me) and look for a job sur place. I have been following jobs till now, so the location of a job was a secondary concern. This time is the other way around.
Coming to a new country and learning about it, is indeed exciting. I've learned that the mobile phone sim card costs $150 while you can find a good mojito for less than a dollar!
Keeping my fingers crossed for finding some interesting work here!
dimanche, octobre 20, 2013
dimanche, octobre 06, 2013
West Coast
I have not posted anything for a long time! I am not sure if anyone is still visiting my site. Sorry for the long time silence! Life just happens and I myself can't even keep up with the speed.
In the US on the west coast now. never imagined that I will be doing this road trip this year.
More to come...
In the US on the west coast now. never imagined that I will be doing this road trip this year.
More to come...
lundi, août 26, 2013
山科散歩
Taking a walk with my sister in Yamashina. We visited a local temple within a walking distance in our neighbourhood. Beautiful garden. There is so much to see in Kyoto, and it always amazes me how much I haven't see, growing up in Kyoto (lived here until... around 21 years old).
地元、山科を妹さんとお散歩。毘沙門堂というお寺です。
雨上がりの森でマイナスイオンもたっぷり。癒されるわ〜。今はサルスベリのお花が奇麗に咲いています。
地元、山科を妹さんとお散歩。毘沙門堂というお寺です。
雨上がりの森でマイナスイオンもたっぷり。癒されるわ〜。今はサルスベリのお花が奇麗に咲いています。
jeudi, août 22, 2013
dimanche, août 18, 2013
Be Happy! ヴィパッサナー瞑想コース
I just came home from 10 day Vipassana meditation course. Amazing amazing experience and I feel calm and happy. I know very well that it is totally up to me to maintain the positive effect and make it even better. I have made resolutions in the past to meditate regularly, but this time I need to take it serious. I sat more than ten hours a day the past 10 days to (try to) meditate in a total silence, which was almost like a mental acrobatic act in my chatty and loud mind. On the last day of the course, we were allowed to talk with other students, and I got aquatinted with wonderful women!
I am writing it here to keep me accountable. Two hours of meditation every day, one hour in the morning and another in the evening, and always keep calm and objective- that is my goal.
京都の園部にあるセンターで、10日間のヴィパッサナー瞑想コースを終えて帰ってきました。初めは10日間も持つのか不安だったけど、実際はあっと言う間で、誰ともコミニュケーションできないのも意外に平気でした。今までなかなか行く決心がつかなかったけど、今回行ってみて本当に良かったです。
I am writing it here to keep me accountable. Two hours of meditation every day, one hour in the morning and another in the evening, and always keep calm and objective- that is my goal.
京都の園部にあるセンターで、10日間のヴィパッサナー瞑想コースを終えて帰ってきました。初めは10日間も持つのか不安だったけど、実際はあっと言う間で、誰ともコミニュケーションできないのも意外に平気でした。今までなかなか行く決心がつかなかったけど、今回行ってみて本当に良かったです。
jeudi, juillet 25, 2013
mardi, juillet 23, 2013
広島にて思うこと
広島に行ってきた。実は今まで一度も行ったことがなくて、前から一度は行かなければと思っていたので、今回は時間もあるので、1泊で行ってきました。
小学校の頃から、原爆関係の映画を見たり、本を読んだりすることが多く、自分の心にその記憶が深く刻まれているなと感じた。子供の時に受けた教育は、曲がりなりにもにも世界の平和と人権、social justiceに関わる仕事に就いたことに、関係しているのだろうなと思う。
元安川のほとりを歩きながら、1945年の8月6日に、被爆した人々が水を求めて、川に飛び込んだ様子の描写を思い出し、胸の詰まる思いだった。
原爆資料館ではオーディオガイドを借りて、2時間かけてゆっくり見て回り、最後は精神的にもヘトヘトになった。特に2階の展示は涙なしには見られなかった。
メッセージノートを見ていたら、にほんがこわれませんように、とかこわかった、とたどたどしい字で書いてあった子供のものあった。
広島は原爆の傷跡から立ち直り、青々とした美しい街に戻ったけど、今も世界中で内戦や紛争が続いているし、みんなの願う世界平和からは実際ほど遠く、本当に悲しくなる。
来られる機会ができて嬉しい。あまりにも疲れて、楽しみにしていた広島焼きを食べ損ねたけど!
1日目に行った、宮島もきれいでした。あなごめしもこいわしのお寿司も美味しかった。
小学校の頃から、原爆関係の映画を見たり、本を読んだりすることが多く、自分の心にその記憶が深く刻まれているなと感じた。子供の時に受けた教育は、曲がりなりにもにも世界の平和と人権、social justiceに関わる仕事に就いたことに、関係しているのだろうなと思う。
元安川のほとりを歩きながら、1945年の8月6日に、被爆した人々が水を求めて、川に飛び込んだ様子の描写を思い出し、胸の詰まる思いだった。
原爆資料館ではオーディオガイドを借りて、2時間かけてゆっくり見て回り、最後は精神的にもヘトヘトになった。特に2階の展示は涙なしには見られなかった。
メッセージノートを見ていたら、にほんがこわれませんように、とかこわかった、とたどたどしい字で書いてあった子供のものあった。
広島は原爆の傷跡から立ち直り、青々とした美しい街に戻ったけど、今も世界中で内戦や紛争が続いているし、みんなの願う世界平和からは実際ほど遠く、本当に悲しくなる。
来られる機会ができて嬉しい。あまりにも疲れて、楽しみにしていた広島焼きを食べ損ねたけど!
1日目に行った、宮島もきれいでした。あなごめしもこいわしのお寿司も美味しかった。
Volubilis

I am not sure how busy this place gets in a high season, but
when we were there it was empty. We deliberately went there around the sunset
time two days in a row (entrance charge was next to nothing).
Words cannot describe the wonder of this place. Roman ruins
buried in wild flowers and tall grasses. Absolutely enchanting. It feels that the
place is abandoned and left in wild for centuries in the most beautiful way. Most of the
structures are destroyed, but you can still see beautifully done tiles,
pillars, drainage in bath/ swimming pool, olive oil extract factory etc. It
amazed me how advanced their civilization was. Apparently, some houses of noble
people even had a heated floor!! We had this place almost all to ourselves.
I was just fascinated by this place. I imagined how this place must have looked like centuries ago filled with Roman people. I wanted to watch some Roman theme movies movies to satisfy my imagination and obsession. We found a TV series called Rome, and we totally got hooked on it! We would download a few episodes at a time through i-tune (given slow internet connectivity) and watched them throughout the trip. I also read practically most of Wikipedia entries about Rome and major historical figures. This is how magical this place was.
We stayed here for two nights at a charming farm style
maison d’hote, run by Moroccan man who used to work in a posh Michelin
restaurant in Holland. We enjoyed organic five-course dinner and story telling
by the adventurous owner. Actually, he is one of the people who encouraged us
to go through Mauritania, and he put us in touch with his friend who owns a
guesthouse in Saint. Louis in Senegal. The guesthouse was 10 minutes walk to the
wonderland of Volubilis.
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