Ms. LK (a woman in her 70’s)L.Kさん（７０代）

November 8, 2014 The job I started when I was younger as a part-timer, working just two hours a day to stock the shelves at a company, developed to be three-hours a day job by the time my son entered the elementary school. Subsequently I became the area manager then a board member. On March 11, we had a meeting in Sanuma. After the earthquake, I stayed at my friend’s house in Furukawa till the 13th and took a taxi home to Ishinomaki to reunite with my mother-in-law, my husband, and my son. The three of them had escaped to Mt. Hiwada by car. We lived in a high school building until May. The dinner was served at 6 pm every day which gave a trouble for people who were working. Our house in Minamihama was swept away by the Tsunami. We moved into the temporary housing. We were lucky to win the right to the temporary house but that caused the rumor that we had some connection with the people in the government. In case of a large-scale earthquake, it is important to escape as quickly as possible. We delivered goods to the stores in town. Some people had no respect and took goods many times, sneaking the goods, or stealing the workers’ shoes. These people made me upset but made me realized that I was trying too hard, instead, I should be comforted, as well, being a victim myself. I was exhausted from cooking meals for the volunteers, sorting tremendous amount of relief goods, and getting tea time organized (snacks and beverages). I was startled by the support program for the supporters/volunteers. While it was a hard work, it gave me a sense of purpose. It would have been depressing if I were to be stuck in the temporary housing, instead, being on the helping side gave me more satisfaction. I played a listener role as the area leader. Experiencing the disaster made me realized that you cannot have enough preparation as it hits by a total surprise. I am doubtful that you can ever be fully prepared for an event like that. Japan lost a lot, however, we received a lot from people all over the world. I used to visit abroad every year on business or personal. I used to have over 200 pots of flowers in our yard at our old house. I still grow flowers at the temporary housing. I learned how to use a personal computer at the age of 60. We are rebuilding a new house next year. The disaster gave me something to look forward to. I lost my mother-in-law this year, she was 99 years old. I suffered very little from the disaster compared to other victims. A person I know lost her daughter and a grandchild. Another person I know had to make an ultimate choice of saving her grandchild over her elderly mother in an extreme situation. Survived families have fights among themselves. Sometimes, the volunteers from afar have hard time to choose which temporary housing they should support. There is a difference in how people get along at each temporary housing unit and some are better than the others. Cliques are formed at a community room of the temporary housing and some are being isolated. I lost photos of my children, souvenirs from the places I traveled overseas, and my clothes. Each change of season, I look for a certain outfit and be reminded that that was all gone. I share tears with the people who lost their family members. When we were watching the news of typhoon damage in Okinawa and wondered how they were doing out loud, my son said that “Never mind the other people, look at us, it has already been three and half years at this temporary housing”. On March 11, 2011, my daughter who lives in Sendai had gone to the Akiu hot spring and was safe. When I have stress, I talk to people in my circle about them to relieve myself.