The Age of Uncertainty

When will there be harvests for each of us? Well, God only knows... Our future is always with uncertainty.

As I was looking for Japanese seasonings in an Asian supermarket in Chinatown, an Japanese woman in early middle age suddenly talked to me, in strong Hiroshima dialect. "What are you looking for? You must buy sushi vinegar! As for sushi vinegar, Marukan is the best. Don't buy Mi**kan!!"

After that, she wouldn't stop talking... At first, I was little bit surprised, but soon I realized that her stories were very interesting. I started to listen to her.

She, a scholar, talked about every efforts she made, numerous frustrations she faced and signs of success she felt these days.

Eventually, we (mainly she) had talked with each other for more than an hour in the supermarket's aisle.

The most fascinating story was about love. Yes, she, a single, is in love now. She talked about when she found her boyfriend, how she got him and how gentle/wonderful/funky/sexy he was, with her greatest enthusiasm. She said "I feel like the past 20 years of struggle were there to meet him. I think...he is an angel. I never imagined that I could meet someone like him in this age."

She was shining when she talked about him. And I was moved by the fact that we can fall in love regardless of our age, though we don't know "when." I recalled an old Japanese TV commercial; "Love is not fireworks of the good old days."

If you are 90 years old now, you can possibly fall in love when you'll be 99.

Cheers for uncertainty, for the necessity of hope!!!

Walking in the summer Wonderland

When I first saw a train which displayed its destination "WONDERLAND," I though it was a kind of American joke. I knew that there was Neverland in somewhere in the States, I couldn't believe that there was Wonderland in Boston. But, as I looked over the subway map, there actually was a station named Wonderland at the end of the blue line.

Bored with downtown walking, I decided to check how wonderful Wonderland is. In a 30-40 minute ride, I finally reached Wonderland. It was a... beautiful white sand beach, with its length of over 1km!!! I didn't expect Boston had such a scenery.

In addition, there was a small island offshore. It reminded me of Enoshima-island in Japan. Besides, a little bit deserted condminiums along the beach were just like Atami. I don't know if Americans feel these scenery wonderful, but for me, in a way, they were wonderful indeed.

Living in the downtown must be nice, but living in this laidback atomosphere is an attractive alternative. It's quite possible that I will move to this area in near future.

By the way, I noticed that the sea I was seeing was the Atlantic Ocean, not the Pacific Ocean I saw many times, but an unfamiliar ocean.

Arrived at JP, Boston

My first days here in Boston are going smooth.

I started to live in a house in Jamaica Plain, the southwest area of the city. Some of my friends says that JP is safe, and some says dangerous. In my observation, it's between safe and dangerous. There is a quiet residential area near my house, and there are some beggars on the streets on the other side of the area. My house is just on the boundary of rich and poor.

As for my room, it was lying in the dust... I couldn't beleive that a former resident was living in this room in this June... So, today I got up at 6am and cleaned the whole room. Now it's totally clean and tidy! After I cleaned up, I noticed that the beige wall was really pretty. I've really taken to the wall. By the way, when I was cleaning, I found a passport of the former resident. I wonder if he could go back to China without his passport...Von voyage!!!

I still have several things to do, but as I wrote in the begining, the start is much smoother than I expected.

p.s.
Than you all of my friends!! I would never forget the words you gave me, the faces you showed me. I care for you, like you care for me:-)

中国カシュガルより帰国

今日、無事日本に帰ってきました。

滞在中もブログアップできるかと思いきや、
全然そんな環境にありませんでした。

旅での出来事等もおいおい気ままに

アップしていきたいと思います。

携帯メール、不通に

契約の関係で携帯メールが不通になってしまいました。
6/24の渡米日までずっと不通ですToT

ただ、通話のみできます。

何かご連絡の際は@gmail 宛にお願いします。

また、6/5-16は中国の奥地に居りますので、
タイムリーにご返事を差し上げられませんが
ご了承ください。

看護助手生活、終了

5月31日、
2ヶ月という短期間でしたが
看護助手生活を終えました。


はじめは、
現場のスタッフに受け入れられるか、
患者さんとうまくコミュニケーションを取れるか、
といったところが不安だったのですが、
そこは思ったよりもスムーズに行きました。

傍から見れば辛そうな業務も楽しくこなせたのは、
コミュニケーションの心地よさが
日々救ってくれていたからかも知れません。


また、「10％の利益率を出せる病院の繁忙具合・
多職種間での効率的な業務分担」を体感できたのは
大きな収穫でした。
（前職に就く前に経験しておくべきでしたが…）

後は、おむつ交換といったかなり実用的なスキルが
身についたのは何十年後かに僕を救ってくれることでしょう。


もちろん、いい事ばかりではありませんでした。

大事にはいたりませんでしたが、
私の無知から転倒事故を1件起こしてしまいましたし、

「急性期病院」というシステムに順応しきれずに
苦しむ老人を数多く見ました。

ただ、こうした、マイナスのこと、
心からショックだったことの中にこそ、
プラスに転じる力が内在しているように思えてなりません。

そういう意味で、この2ヶ月でようやく縮こまったバネ、
すなわち＝"I'm ready."な状態になれたのだろうと思います。


短期間での研修を受け入れてくださった病院の方々と
研修をコーディネートしてくれた知人には
将来の医療政策に今回の経験を活かし込むことで
お礼していきたいと思います。

ありがとうございました。