Meaning of Peace

国同士の関係も

個人個人の絆から成り立っている。

Peace between nations

Starts within individuals.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press4e_001148.html

 

One day in Japan

After over two years of working in Sri Lanka, I’m convinced more than ever that cultural exchange activities are integral responsibility of a JICA volunteer.  My last event with Serendipity Trust, was “One Day in Japan.”  We spent the day with tech school students in the Japanese program, introducing them to the breadth of Japanese culture: Kimonos, Origami, Calligraphy, J-pop/Anime and even sushi.  Their motivation was overwhelming.  In a couple years, they’ll be in Japan, dressing Japanese kids up in sarees and feeding them curry!

赴任２年経過、いまだに思う事：文化紹介・交流は協力隊員としてとても重要な任務。Serendipity Trustと最後のエベントは「日本での一日」

専門学校で日本語を専攻している生徒たちと一日かけて浴衣・折り紙・書道・J-pop・寿司を体験した。とても熱心で感動した。いつか日本に行って日本の生徒たちにスリランカについて紹介して欲しい。がんばれ！

PC Cleaning

My computer had been acting up lately so I decided to open it up.  I cleaned up the cooling fan and along with lots of dust I found ants, spider parts and wings from some other something.  I’ll avoid pointing out the obvious pun here (you know, the one about how my computer had bugs, literally).  It’s running much cooler and faster now, and only had 3 screws left over.  No big deal, right?

最近PCの調子が悪かったので開けてみた。クーリングファンあたりを掃除したら沢山のホコリの他アリとクモの破片や良くわからない虫の羽などが発掘された。スリランカ生活のおかげかな。隊員の皆さん、データバックアップしましょうね！

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Proof of time

住んでいる場所によって「よく話す話題」ってあるよね。アメリカならテレビや天気の事よく話してた記憶がある。日本なら必ず年齢や学年の話になる。スリランカで一番よくする話と言うと、「スリランカに来てからどれくらい経つか」について。

どこ行って何をしてても、「何人？来てどれくらい？」とすぐ（飽きるくらい、すぐ！）聞かれる。おかげて、答えるのも上達した。来た当初は「月、３つ前、来た、スリランカに」のように答えてた。それが「来たのは４月前」、「５か月前にスリランカに来た」、「スリランカに来て半年が経つ」とドンドンナチュラルに進化していく会話。

最近その会話がまた変わってきた。「来てどれくらい」じゃなく、「後どれくらい」に話が変わっている。ちょっと驚いている。。。

「後３か月」と言っているのが、「あっ」と言う間に２ヶ月、１ヶ月、２週間。

気付いたら、来週、明日、と時間は流れるんだろうな。

 

Every country has their default topic of conversation.  In the US, I remember people talked a lot about TV and the weather.  In Japan, people talk about age.  In Sri Lanka, the thing I talk about most is how long I’ve been here.  No matter where I am or what I am doing, curious locals just HAVE to know, “How long have you been here?”  I have no idea why they ask, or what they will do with this information, but it seems to bring them joy, so I answer.

At first it was more or less “It has been months 3 ago since I came.”  But being asked EVERY SINGLE DAY, you can’t help but improve.

“Months 4 before, I came.”

“I’ve been here half a year”

Over time , it joins the natural background chatter and you cease to notice.

But lately, I’ve started noticing again.  I’m noticing because of a profound difference.  The conversation has changed from “I’ve been here for 3 months” to “I have 3 months left.”

When did this happen?  I don’t know.  but no doubt this “3 months left” will turn into “next month”, then “next week”, then “tomorrow” before I know it as well.

Proof that time exists, and it flies as well!

Peace Boat Fukushima Youth Project 2014

Peace Boat and Fukushima Youth Project, in Sri Lanka

In their ongoing support of the disaster affected Tohoku region, Peace Boat travelled with a group of elementary and junior high school kids from Minamisouma.  Minamisouma is a city in Fukushima severely affected by the nuclear disaster.  Study, play, forced relocation…every aspect of their lives were affected.

 

The participants spent a couple of weeks onboard sailing from Japan, to Singapore, and finally to Sri Lanka, where they came by to see ME!  A fellow chemist and I took them through the labs.  Of course we talked about the tests and experiments we do, but we also talked about how labs in Sri Lanka and Japan are different, about safety and hygiene.  We even had discussions about deep things like “what is volunteerism?” and “what is development?”

 

With all that they have been through, I was very glad to see that they were so eager and optimistic about the outside world.  Maybe it was just the fact that these were kids, spending their spring break traveling the oceans with other kids, but their happiness was contagious and gave me a much needed boost of motivation to continue working to improve water safety in Sri Lanka.

 

These kids certainly have a unique view on the meaning of life.  It’s inspiring and tragic at the same time, but I have no doubt they’ll keep being awesome and make real, positive change in the world.

Also great to see old friends, in new places!

 

ピースボート、福島子どもプロジェクト、in スリランカ

春休みを使って小中学生たちが世界の船旅を出来る「ピースボート福島子どもプロジェクト」がスリランカに寄港！そして、なんと、僕の活動先に訪問しに来てくれた。「スリランカのラボなんて見て楽しいのかな。。。」と緊張してたけど、同僚ケミストの協力も得て結構楽しい時間を過ごせた。

 

ラボツアーをしながら、「日本とスリランカの違い」とか「安全・衛生」についてかなり熱く語ってくれる子どもたち。「ボランティアって、何？」「開発って、何？」見たいな深～い話も！

 

僕が想像できる以上大変な現状と向かい合っている子どもたち。でも、あんなに仲良く、明るく、前向きで。。。尊敬した。この子たちは政治や世界や人生について今までなかったような考えて方をしている気がする。今までなかったような素晴らしい大人になって行くと思う。

詳細リンク (links…no English)

http://pbv.or.jp/blog_fukushima/

http://pbv.or.jp/download/other/20140529_FukushimaKids_Report.pdf

Dirty Work

Today, we went go get some algae samples.  What better spot than Beira Lake in the heart of Colombo!

We had to make sure we got really really good samples, so we:

Sampled from the dock

……………………………………………………………………

Then the park,

……………………………………..

Then from the middle, by paddle duck

………………………………

It’s a tough, dirty job, but someone has to do it.  You’re welcome!

音楽ワークショップマーライ＠スランガニ

課外活動が続きます。今回はスリランカの子供達にスリランカでは珍しい楽器や聞きなれてない音楽を紹介する音楽ワークショップ「マーライ」活動の日記。マーライと言うのはシンハラ語で「格好いい、いいね！」的な意味がある。スリランカのブッタラと言う町あるスランガニ基金 (http://www.surangani.org/jp/)の施設。子供の特別支援学校のクリスマスイベントに参加させてもらった。踊って、歌って楽しかった！写真に語ってもらうと：

More extracurricular activities.  We recently started a group to introduce Sri Lankan kids to new musical instruments and music styles.  We had the fortune of being invited to Little Tree Special Children’s Center in Buttal, Sri Lanka to take part in their Winter Performance.  Little Tree is a school for special needs children supported by Surangani Volunteer Services (http://www.surangani.org/jp/).  We sang and danced and had a good great time!

Opening Ceremony

子供達のPerformance！

踊って、歌って、楽しい１日でした！

Thanthilimale Social Survey

A long-term social survey in a CKDu affected area was performed to get a better understanding of the dynamics between water usage and acquisition of the disease.  The target was to see where the disease was most  prevalent, learn about how people used water and pesticides (and other possible factors) and identify water sampling locations for future study.  Information on residents’ pesticide usage habits, water sources and medical histories were acquired using a survey format.  Some interesting correlations were seen, but more analyses are needed before conclusion can be drawn.

About Thanthilimale

Thanthilimale is a small town northwest of Anuradhapura.  It is famous for its temple, which is located on a rocky outcrop, stone carvings and bodhi tree (supposedly one of the oldest in Sri Lanka).  Directly to the west lies Willapattu National Park and lots of wildlife overflows into the town.

Stone carvings on the temple ground

The surrounding landscape

My room!

Hard at work?

Thanthilimale Temple

Current Situation

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board delivers water to people of the affected area by tanker.  This is very time and fuel consuming.  Up to three families share a tank, which is filled twice a month, for drinking and cooking only.  There are over 300 tanks to fill!

Water delivery by tanker.

Historically, the local population depended on human-made reservoirs and dug wells to meet their water needs.  There is a rich and advanced culture of reservoirs and irrigation that goes back 1000 years in Sri Lanka.  Many of them remain in use today for irrigation.  Drinking water demands are mostly met by wells throughout the country.  Rain water collection is also sometimes used.  Unfortunately, many of the wells in the area have been determined to be “unfit for drinking” by various organizations.  Thus, the Water Board delivers water, until a more permanent solution to the issue can be found.

Typical rainwater collection tank

Typical well

Drought

Many people complained about the severe drought this year.  Although drinking water is supplied by the Water Board, many had no water for washing or toilets.  And if the delivered water ran out (which many people had) they literally had no water.  This was a very serious problem on very one’s mind as I went around doing the interviews.  The lack of rain was also severely affecting local crops.

Waterless well

Drought affecting crops. Corn is usually head high, almost ready to harvest this time of year (November).

Daily Life

Usually living in Colombo, time in Thanthilimale was refreshing and eye-opening at the same time.  There are definitely less amenities here, making dependence on others crucial for physical and social well-being.  I would visit a house and be well into my interview before realizing that the person I was talking to did not actually live there.  He/she was actually a sister or the owner’s husband’s cousin, or just a neighbor etc.  And the children running around were not theirs but their nephews, or their nephew’s kids etc.  People lived not in houses, but in the communities in which they were rooted and shared everything (including houses and parents and grandparents!).  It is a good thing that Colombo lacks.

Typical house. You never knew if the person you were interviewing actually lived there, or was a sister/neighbor/wife’s cousin etc. Notice the Solar Panels on the roof. Only source of power in many households.

Data entry during the almost nightly power outages. At least I didn’t have to worry about turning off the lights before going to bed!

Making dinner! (and breakfast and lunch…)

Friends at the temple.

Smile!

Current Issues

The prevalence of CKDu and suspicion of water as a cause is not new in Thanthilimale or other areas of Sri Lanka.  Many organizations (Governmental, Non-governmental, international, academic etc) have attempted to find the cause, but most have failed.  Thanthilimale has been visited before by these organizations.  Public Health inspectors, local doctors, National health departments, the WHO, and NGOs such as PLAN Sri Lanka have all visited, sampled the water, given their conclusions and left.  During the interviewing process, I found that many families were told their well water was not fit to drink due to “High Hardness.”  When asked who gave this order, the answer was usually one of three: 1) The local Public Health Inspector, 2) PLAN Sri Lanka or 3) I don’t remember.  Records of the testing and results are proving very difficult to track down.  This information is vital to determine the actual hardness levels that constituted “high hardness.”  Knowing this also allows us to know one more thing: what levels were considered “safe to drink” and therefore, people continue to drink today.  And now, we are essentially there doing the same thing, testing again and leaving bad records.  The whole thing reminds me of a XKCDcartoon.  But swear, what we are trying to do is really different this time.  We are going after pesticides in the water!  Not just hardness.

Abandoned PLAN Sri Lanka water supply scheme

Next Steps

With the Social Survey results in hand, the next step is to determine vital sampling points.  About a dozen or so wells will be chosen to regularly sample and test for pesticides and try to correlate the results with incidents of CKDu.

A more detailed report can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzr4rabIe0tWZy1TN3Q0bUF6NW8/edit?usp=sharing

Progress report

It’s been a while since my last update about my volunteer work (here, here and here).  Today, I’m happy to report, things have been much better for a while.  The GC-MS is up and running (decently well), stable Helium supply has been found, and the whole analysis procedure is starting to take shape.  So, I’m doing much better in my little lab.  So well in fact that, I think it’s time I crawled out of here and explored the “real world” a bit, because how much can you really know about what needs to be analyzed and how to save the world by being cooped up in a lab all day?

And thus was born my Thanthilimale Social Survey Project.  Thanthilimale is a small (mostly agricultural) community about an hour north-northwest of Anuradhapura.  The goal is to embed myself in the community, survey their water supplies and observe how they interact with them.  My hope is that this will give me more insight into the possible causes (and therefore solutions) to the high rates of Chronic Kidney Disease plaguing some parts of this island.  It will last about 2 to 3 weeks, maybe longer depending on funds.

I leave tomorrow!  Wish me luck!

 

前回の活動アップデートよりだいぶ時間が経ちましたね(here, here and here)。色々進んでます。GS-MSは立ち上がり、ヘリウムの供給も安定しました。分析プロシージャも出来上がってきてます。なので活動をラボから外へ広げようかと考えだしました。目的地はタンティリマレと言う小さな農村。目的はその町に住み、村民・環境・水・仕事の関係性を測り腎臓病の原因を少しでも分かることが出来ないかなと。。。まぁ、ラボにこもってても出来ないこと。２～３週間いるつもり。。。

明日出発です。。。いってきま～す！

Happy Birthday to ME!

My birthday at the lab.  My first day at the lab was on my birthday last year.  So they gave me a small welcome and birthday party.  It’s been exactly a year since, and we repeat the process.  In Sri Lanka, it is customary for the birthday person to bring a cake for everybody else.  I also made onigiri for everyone (no pictures…sorry).  They gave me a wallet…I don’t know why.  But I am using it.

活動先で誕生日をお祝いしてもらった。一年前、活動の初日がたまたま誕生日であり、それに気づいたラボ長が歓迎と誕生日を含めてこのようなパーティーをしてくれた。その丁度一年後の誕生日会。スリランカでは誕生日の人が皆にケーキを持って来て食べさせる習慣がある。チョコレートケーキとおにぎりを作って持って行ってみた。こうやって一年を測ると、色々考えさせられる。。。

Guess what song it’s playing?

Speeches…少し緊張してるワゲ～。