9 Asian students from Vietnam, China, Malaysia ,Korea, Cambodia and Taiwan joined the 9th Dispatch of Volunteers to Tohoku from September 16th to 19th. They did work like removing sludge from homes at Rikuzentakata City and Otsuchi Town in Iwate prefecture.

We are posting more pictures on our facebook page.

◆from CHINA, YANG◆ Share
Q:How did you feel after participating in volunteer activities?
I feel very happy.Because I work with a lot of wonderfull people and be friend with them .In this earthquake ,lots of people lost their life and house ,they were helplessness .I think I must do something to help them .although it's a little bit heip ,but if everyone can do a little bit ,it will be a great change in that areas .I thought a lot .I think people's life is very weak .the power of the nature is ghastly . we must treasure our life and do our best to help people .the life is short,we must make it significant .

Q: How would you describe TOHOKU to tourists?
It's amazing .I have a graet shock .the buildings were be destroyed ,and nobody live there .it's hopeless .there need more people to help .it's nothing over there.

Q: What did you learn and what would you like to suggest to your country people in case of natural disasters that might happen in your country?
I learned we must have a great heart to accept the truth ,and calm down to resolve the disaster .if it happen in my county ,I also to do same thing to help people .but it's not can be forecast .world just to bear.

Q:Your message to the people of the world.
Japan need help .if you have money or something else ,to give them to the tohoko areas .recently our earth is strange .we must be care of ourselves ,and to help people .i believe we can pass the 2012 the end of the world safly.


◆from VIETNAM, DUY◆ Share
Q:How did you feel after participating in volunteer activities?
I feel like there is a hole somewhere in my heart. I miss those 2 days with ACC21. It was more than a volunteer program to help people in Tohoku. It connects human hearts. There was an old man, we don't know him. But after the day he came to thank us, and he shook my hand then gave us his candies. In the volunteer center, I felt like home, home of hundreds of people, people with the same heart. We greeted each other ever morning, afternoon, evening, shared with each other the same resting place, talked about the working day. With ACC21 members, we were like brothers sisters. Maybe too much sisters but it is okay. The good thing is we are kind with each other. The best time of us was the time we have to say goodbye. It was kind of sad, and now I miss them, a lot!

Q: How would you describe TOHOKU to tourists?
Well, I think I will describe for my close friends, and then they will go and have experiences like me. And they will tell their close friend. I decided to volunteer because one of my friend told me to do so.

Q: What did you learn and what would you like to suggest to your country people in case of natural disasters that might happen in your country?
I learned there are many people out there willing to help TOHOKU. I learned volunteer is not robot that does whatever they are told to without complaining, and that they also need care from other. I learned even the little thing you do, the little care you give can light up some fire in other heart. And I learn about the power of the nature.
The first day I worked, I was kind of disappointed. Our job is to collect trash in the surface. We didn't have to dig into the ground for picking trashes from dirt. Trashes were like some small color things. And I thought: what, what the purpose of this job, making the mess prettier, if they want to build a house in this place they have to dig all the ground here and throw it anyway, then this job is going to be meaningless, why we don't just build them a new house, or clean up public systems. I asked the captain that night, he said that is the job the local people offer the volunteer, they don't need us to do hard jobs, just some little one to make the people feel bad about there place and maybe then the refugees because of the tsunami will come back and start a new life in their homeland.

Q:Your message to the people of the world.
We are homo-sapiens; we survive and rise by helping each other. It's now for you to give Japan your hands!


◆from TAIWAN, I-Chun◆ Share
Q:How did you feel after participating in volunteer activities?
I am glad to participate in this volunteer activity. The people in here are very friendly and nice. Every volunteer tried to do their best to help with the reconstruction in Japan. I was well impressed by the earnestness of everyone. Through this activity, I made a lot of good friends from different countries, and I feel very happy. Besides, this activity also deepened my understanding of other cultures in Asian. It was one of the best experiences of my life! I will never forget those days in Tohoku.

Q: How would you describe TOHOKU to tourists?
Tohoku is blessed with nature resources. Especially the mountain scenery of in Tohoku is fantastic. It is so beautiful that it definitely looks like a fairy tale. Also, it would be a great relief if you are tired of the din and bustle of city life.

Q: What did you learn and what would you like to suggest to your country people in case of natural disasters that might happen in your country?
I learned something from Tohoku. Firstly, when you talk to the victims of earthquake, you had better to be careful with the phrase you use. Some words may hurt their feelings. For example, "don't feel sad all the time", "good luck will come to you", "I can not endure such a hard life" or "you look much better than I expected", etc. In addition, do not ask their earthquake experiences, or do not criticize the anger of victims. It would make them feel uncomfortable. Secondly, when take part in volunteer activities, you still have to obey the rule in groups. There are a lot of volunteers live and work together. Everyone who violated the rules would only give trouble to other people. The aim of volunteer activities is to help the local people, not to make troubles.

Q:Your message to the people of the world.
Tohoku is still struggling to recover from the effects of the earthquake. Please provide more support to Japan. Many people need your help.


◆from VIETNAM, NGA◆ Share
Q:How did you feel after participating in volunteer activities?
The volunteer activities gave me a chance to witness the huge natural disaster in Tohoku area. I feel that human being is really small and weak in front of the nature. Therefore, human being should respect the nature, the environment before making any decisions. Besides, the warmness of everybody expressing together in here after the disaster show a meaningful strength to encourage our friends overcome many difficulties...

Q: How would you describe TOHOKU to tourists?
I did not have much time to travel around Tohoku. But my feeling is that this area is a very peaceful and beautiful place. If you want to have a fresh atmospheric with a huge space, you can come here and enjoy the rice fields, the mountains beside the sea.

Q: What did you learn and what would you like to suggest to your country people in case of natural disasters that might happen in your country?
Tohoku trip gave me a lot of impressions about Japanese people. In the disaster area, they built up the volunteer center where everyone from the other places can come and work together with the same purposes. They manage about the places or the work for the volunteer teams very well. And the people of volunteer teams come here with the high spirit to do the useful things so that they are eager to work or to live even with many uncomfortable facilities. I think the spirit of Japanese people is admirable.
I think the first we should think about how to reduce as much as we can the damages from nature disaster by applying our science techniques. In case the disaster occurs, we need to unite together. The organizations of Japanese people for the help in disaster should be the experiences for us to learn, such as creating the volunteer centers and volunteer teams, ...

Q:Your message to the people of the world.
Human being is really small and weak in the earth and in the universe. We should hold our hands and share our hearts for a better world...


◆from SOUTH KOREA, KIM◆ Share
Q:How did you feel after participating in volunteer activities?
Since the earthquake, I've thought what I should do. However, not until this Tohoku volunteer program, I've never bothered to face the reality. After I participated the volunteer program, I feel like I found what I should do for now. One of my friends told me that the important thing might be what we should do after the volunteer activities: see what I've experienced and convey the messages.

Q: How would you describe TOHOKU to tourists?
A number of tourists are concerned about earthquake but not aware of the beautiful sceneries and delicious food of Tohoku. I believe that to emphasize Tohoku's nature would be the answer: show them its sceneries and make experience its delicious food.

Q: What did you learn and what would you like to suggest to your country people in case of natural disasters that might happen in your country?
We can't understand the victims' grief thoroughly. However to show them the others' sincere efforts to understand them would be one of the way to soothe their hearts.

Q:Your message to the people of the world.
Are you sure of your way to understand Asia? Not until this Tohoku volunteer program by ACC21 I've scarcely thought about the place where I've been: Asia! When I was under 20, I was not familiar with Asian countries especially the countries in Southeast Asia. Although I learned Chinese in high schools, I'm not sure if I was well aware of China. And I decided to come Japan at the age of 17, doing not understand the country quite well. When it comes to personal contact, I met many from the West rather than Asian people for English classes. Koreans are interested in outer world and many of them have been abroad for travel or else. However, some Koreans are less likely to understand their neighbor Asian countries other than Western countries. Why? Though South Korea is not indeed an island, it can be regarded as an effective island because of its isolated neighbor North Korea. However Asians, I believe, are who can most understand and embrace Korea. Asian countries are close to Korea geographically and share some common thoughts with Korea. Lately, I heard about quick rise of interest in Korean songs or TV series in some Asian countries. They might find something common from Korean songs or dramas. As an Asian, I wanted to know more about my neighbors and I believe this ACC21's program was a very good opportunity to communicate with other Asians.



◆from MALAYSIA, JIA HUI◆ Share
Q:How did you feel after participating in volunteer activities?
I felt the cruelty of natural disaster.Nothing much was left after the disaster.Damaged cars,ships were all around.It`s my first time to witness such a tragic disaster area.However,I was impressed by the spirit of Japanese and also the foreigners during the voluneteer activities. It has provided a wonderful platform to build a bridge among the youths and the seniors.It was also a real-life experience about engagement, about the role of civil society, about the common travails of survivors, and about volunteerism.

Q: How would you describe TOHOKU to tourists?
It was my 1st time to be in TOHOKU.It was a wonderful place full with the beauty of nature.And, it is famous with many travel spot like Hiraizumi (world heritage), Matsushima(one of Japan's Three Great Views) and so on.For those who like nature and looking for relaxation, you must pay a visit here.To promote Tohoku,maybe movie, advertisement and package tour will be a good ideas.

Q: What did you learn and what would you like to suggest to your country people in case of natural disasters that might happen in your country?
I have learned about the the value of corporation during this activity.People came not only from Iwate,but also all around the Japan.And so did for the foreigners.I was so touched by the spirit they had and the positive thinking they showed though there were a big disaster in their country.I really hope that my country people will do the same thing whenever there is any natural disaster.

Q:Your message to the people of the world.
Let us not sit and leave it to someone else to take action!! Let`s fight together with Japan　～


◆from VIETNAM, TUAN◆ Share
Q:How did you feel after participating in volunteer activities?
I am very happy to join this volunteer trip in Tohoku. The experience in the damaged area is strongly different to what we just seen on TV. In this trip, I can see, touch the actual scene as well as deeply feeling the atmosphere of the disaster area. I strongly impressed by the power of nature and many loss the local people have to be suffered. In the volunteer activities, I can see many house has been totally damaged, only the ground is still exist. Also many broken car was on the street. It mean that many people have died and much more people homeless. When collecting the garbage, I can see many toys for children, daily items such as pot, bowl, etch.. When we touch these broken things, it is really sad. In the other hand, through the trip, I can see many people go to Tohoku for volunteer. They pass through a very lone distance, live in a center which is limiting water. They just sleep in small place and only short time to recovery. And in the day time, they work very hard in a hot and sunny weather. They try to make the area clean in order to hope that the people can come back this area. It is also give me a strong impression.

Q: How would you describe TOHOKU to tourists?
TOHOKU is a very nice place. It has many high mountains with forest and pretty flower. Many small rivers flow from the top of mountain and driving along its base. And just beside the mountain is the wide sea which has many islands. It is a very spectacular scene. We also can see the rice field, vegetable housing. There are farmers working in the field, fisher catching fish in the river or in a small boat. It will give a very peaceful feeling. There is also many gardens which have ripe fruit in the trees. The people there are very friendly.
In order to promote Tohoku, I think the transportation should be more improve. They have many product from the sea, the forest and the agricultural. I think if there is good transportation, they will easy to sell their product and the price of many product from another area can be cheaper.

Q: What did you learn and what would you like to suggest to your country people in case of natural disasters that might happen in your country?
After the trip, I learnt a lot from Tohoku. I think in Tohoku, the rescue and support for the disaster are well organized and working effectively. The people have strong enthusiasm and team work is controlled very well. Everything is always in order, so the work will go smoothly and efficiently.
In my country, there are also many disasters. I not yet have a chance to do volunteer in my country, so sorry about this. When I comeback my country, I will join volunteer activities. I do not have much experience about my country in disaster, but I think people in my country also have strong spirit and they can manage and pass through the disaster. However, I think that the support in my country is not so efficient. I hope that this problem can be solve more effectively.

Q:Your message to the people of the world.
I just want to say that we should "go green". Nature possesses an unthinkable power. So we should obey the natural laws, conserve the natural. Simply that nature give us place and everything for us to live, therefore it can take away those thing.