I have recently come back from two weeks spent in Ofunato

I have recently come back from two weeks spent in Ofunato (Tohoku), where I volunteered with All Hands. I lived at Sakari Base, where the main office is located, and slept in close quarters with about 45 other people. Every day volunteers would come and go, but on average there were about 80 of us in total. The volunteers came from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities, but were all united by a common purpose: to help rebuild Ofunato. Perhaps this is why friendships were formed so quickly, and already I miss the wonderful individuals with whom I worked. Every day there were multiple work options for the volunteers, including house guttings, highway clean ups, construction, photo restorations, cleaning up a public park, etc. While most work options involved physical labor, All Hands is also involved in a photo cleaning and restoration project, whereby photos damaged by the tsunami are restored to their original condition. We worked in teams, beginning at 8:15 am (when the buses departed) until 4-5pm (pick up). Upon returning to base, All Hands provided dinner and at around 6pm we had a meeting. During the meetings, new volunteers introduced themselves, departing volunteers said their goodbyes, work site leaders gave updates on that day''s work and progress, and staff presented work options for the following day. At night we had free time to clean up and hang out, and Tuesdays (the new Saturday) were our day off. During my time here, I helped to gut a house (dismantling damaged structures, taking out floor boards and rotting walls), clean photos, clean up the highways (cleaning up blocked sewage canals so they don''t flood during the rain), tend to a fire (in 35 degree weather!) in order to heat a bath for evacuees, and wash an elderly woman''s damaged furniture. While the work was difficult, it was also extremely rewarding, and at the end of each day, I could - quite literally - see the difference we are making. Little by little, All Hands is returning the city of Ofunato to its residents and already houses, streets and parks are being repaired, the stench left by the tsunami is disappearing, and people have returned to work. Moreover, throughout our work, the Japanese people were extremely welcoming and appreciative. By way of example, at 2:45pm each day, four elderly ladies would come to our highway worksite to offer us cold drinks and snacks - on one occasion, one of them even invited us into her home for lunch. And, the lady whose furniture we cleaned prepared us drinks, snacks and lunch every day, and even presented me with a yukata upon finishing! At times, locals would approach our worksite to say thank you, or would hand us bags of popsicles, fruits or even t-shirts as a means of showing their appreciation. These gestures of gratitude were so meaningful, and, at least from my own observations, it seemed that the volunteers were just as thankful for their gestures, as the locals were for our presence. While I have enjoyed my time here immensely, at times it was quite challenging. Sleep was often interrupted by earthquakes, including some so strong that volunteers left their beds and began putting on their shoes in order to evacuate. On my third day we also had a large earthquake followed by a tsunami warning. When the warning sounded, I was on my way to a worksite. We promptly turned around and headed back to base, while those already at the worksites evacuated to higher ground. The tsunami did eventually come, but thankfully it was only a mere 10 centimeters and completely harmless. My advice to future volunteers is to make every effort to speak to the locals, and to hear their stories. Also, for individuals coming to All Hands, the informational booklet is very outdated, and packing information is no longer relevant. It is *very* hot here, and clothing should be light. Gumboots are no longer necessary, and should you not have a chance to purchase some supplies, the base does have extras. Finally, a third (and perhaps better) way to come to Ofunato is through Sendai, a travel option which is not included in the booklet. Ultimately, I have had a fantastic time here. I came unsure of what to expect, and I am leaving with new friends, new skills (I am now an expert at cleaning: outhouses, furniture, photos, sewers, anything!), and the knowledge that every day, All Hands is making a great difference in the lives of Ofunato''s residents. I am extremely grateful to the Reischauer Institute for providing the opportunity and the funding to allow me to have come. This was an amazing experience, which I will not soon forget. Schedule permitting, I will make every effort to return to Ofunato during the remainder of my time in Japan.