June 24, 2011
Not a great day yesterday. We were all shaken awake by a pretty big rattling 6.7 earth quake. The fact that nothing fell down and none of the walls even creaked is a testament to the wonderful Japanese engineering. Anywhere else, there would have been damage. About four minutes after the quake, the city-wide tsunami alarm went off to warn everyone at sea level to get to higher ground. Luckily, our accommodations are up a hill and away from the sea -- but those of the volunteers who are staying in the headquarters had to hightail it two blocks and up the steps of a shrine on a hill. All had to sit tight for a couple of hours until they were given the all clear.
The evacuees who share the building that we are in were clearly rattled by the tsunami alarm. One young girl started to cry. We can only imagine what kind of flashbacks they might have from the “big one.”
It was kind of a bummer, because I had chosen to take a “sick day” yesterday and was really, really looking forward to having a day without 40 other “room-mates”. Communal living can get a bit wearing. The hot, humid rains of the typhoon season have started so we are all sticky, hot and tired. On top of that, I have some kind of ear infection that is causing my head to throb and has plugged up my inner ear. (Hopefully, antibiotics from a friend will help clear it up – I feel better today already). Then, to compound my day of woe, my computer didn’t like the dishwashing liquid that spilled in my bag. It has now revolted and now I will have to borrow a computer if I want to go online.
Everyone is a bit stressed and grumpy. The All Hands organization has to move out of their main base location by Monday, and the new base location is no where near ready. The overall volunteer operation in Japan is being run by two very young women (on stipends) who have little or no people and project management skills. Last week a new upper level assistant executive director came on site and has tried to get a handle on all the “moving parts” - but she is a bit removed from the day to day logistical challenges that the volunteers face. As sweet and as nice as they all are, this lack of experience frustrates many of the volunteers who have spent years in business, construction and organizational management. The two locations for the volunteer housing also create a division between “the management” and the volunteers. This is my third All Hands project and first time that there has been this sort of administration and morale problem.
The other element that makes this project a bit different is the politics of getting things done. Most of us are pretty much used to going from A to B to get a job done. However, in Japan, it’s often about permissions and protocols. You have to start with A - then wait to get approval to move to the next step. (One of the volunteers with significant construction experience had to get a “lesson” from a homeowner about how he wanted the nails to be hammered into the wall. Even though the volunteer had a better, more efficient way to do the job – it had to be done the way the homeowner wanted it). We joke about the “Zen” brushes and mops that we have to use to clean up with. They are the only ones we can find here in Ofunato -- and they are small and inefficient. We decided that the Japanese must use these tiny ineffective brushes to learn patience and calm (because it will drive you crazy you otherwise!) The build at the new base is at a sluggish pace because of this start, stop, ask permission, start and stop again, progression.
The sad bit is how this affects those who most need the help. All Hands was originally asked to help with distribution of donated goods to communities in other impacted areas of Northeast Japan. The distribution project has JUST now started – three months after the tsunami. The Japanese themselves, many who are volunteers alongside us at All Hands, are equally frustrated by this bureaucratic process of getting things done.
We had a tense all company meeting tonight, but hopefully it helped people air out some of their pent up frustrations. Most volunteers spent several thousands of dollars to get to Japan and are losing money working at jobs during their volunteer time here. Everyone is here for the right reasons, because they care and want to do good. The event planner in me thinks that they just need a good party to let off some steam….
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