Met Chie at home after work today. 19:45 we took the car and drove to Ishihara-san. She had invited some people that have been volunteering to support Kobuchihama. It was really fun and the food was very good, especially the thin sliced meat that was grilled on a teppan (big flat frying pan).

When most people had finished eating an ad hoc meeting started. We discussed how we should continue support Kobuchihama. We all agreed that Kobuchihama need to work on getting self-sustainable since donations and volunteer work will not continue forever. But they are in a tough situation.

Basically the only income they have is from fishing, but most of their boats were destroyed along with forklifts and ice machines etc that are needed for commercial fishing. Also, it is a very small village and all governmental aid is directed towards the big towns were it has most effect. So whereas some places have got their big fishing industries going again Kobuchihama can barely manage to feed them selves with their fishing.

The only income they have today is that they every day go to another area where they will work with cleaning up debris that are still left after the tsunami. For that each person get 2000 JPY a day (~157 SEK or ~17 EUR). For that kind of money it is quite difficult to survive and even more difficult to rebuild their fishing industry so that they eventually can become self-sustainable.

Chie and I left just before midnight, but many stayed until 3 am. Chie and I could totally understand that because we are the outsiders, meaning we are the only two people in that group that have a “normal” job where you have to be at 8 or 9 am in the morning. The rest are working in boutiques, as designers, photographer, chefs in restaurants etc. Many of them also owns their own company. And one of them don’t need to work anymore… But it’s not me 🙁

Though we are different it is fun. They are all very nice people and easy going. And it is always fun to see the world from another viewpoint. Though my viewpoint is the correct one 😉