The Emotional Roller Coaster

Awareness and responsibility are two different words, more often than not we confuse one word for the other. This is what the two previous days had in store for us.

Our mornings went by as usual: get up, get dressed, walk to Kobe station, get off at Uozumi station, and walk a bit more to get to NITAC. Classes went by as usual: trying to get the slightest hint of what the professors are teaching, hanging out with our new found friends, eating lunch with them, meeting new people, and of course taking new pictures and making new memories. Thursday, was a tiring, yet another memorable day for all of us. After class, we had been brought to Kimpo Elementary School. Truth be told, when we got there we weren’t exactly prepared. Although our teachers had already advised and instructed us to prepare games, songs, and whatnot for the kids, all of us just started to plan the night before. Prizes and game props were just bought on the day of the visit and presentations were prepared an hour before.

I’m that type of person who doesn’t really like kids. I find them annoying, needy, whinny, and such, however this opportunity and experience to interact and expose myself to children with a different nationality, has helped like kids a bit. For me, what made this experience memorable is experiencing how welcoming children can be. Their eyes hold no prejudice and judgement, unlike my age group who easily judges people without getting to know them first. Children tend to overlook the negative side of things and see only the positive. When things turn bad, instead of losing hope, they’d continue to smile and simply get out on the playing field again. How can I say all of these? This is because I’ve observed all of these while playing and talking to them. Children are precious in a way that they hold the future, it made me think how each of us have the responsibility to mold them to their best, reach their highest potentials, and reach for their dreams.

Overall, the day went better than what I was expecting considering our lack of preparation. I guess we weren’t the only ones who walked home with a smile on their faces. As we walked towards Uozumi station, we could see the children also walk home with huge smiles plastered on their faces. Although I couldn’t fully understand Nihongo, I could assume that they were talking about all the fun and prizes they had received earlier.

If you think we were underprepared then, I guess the day that came after caught me really off guard. My emotions weren’t prepared for what the day had for us.

After the usual wake up and class routine, we went to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Kansai & The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Musueum. In JICA, our speaker made us aware of what’s happening to the world around us by explaining that each of us had responsibilities in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). In one hand, we were made aware, in such a way that there is an expository truth that there are still some parts in the world who are still on their way to developing their country. On the other hand, each of us had the responsibility to contribute something to help make the world be something sustainable.

What was truly nerve wrecking and emotional painfully was how The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Museum made us feel and experience how terrible natural disasters are and how they badly affect not only the country, but the people living in it. Can you imagine having to live alone for the rest of your life, without the comfort of your family and friends telling you that you can get through this when they were part of the casualty count that happened during that fateful day? Moving on isn’t an easy task to do, but people who do are strong and precious. At one point in our life, we have to accept that no matter how paradoxical it may sound that death is a part of life. I guess what makes more painful is that we didn’t see it coming, losing your loved one due to a natural calamity, is different from losing them due to sickness.

The past may hurt, but it makes us stronger. I guess this is why the Japanese can also be referred to as resilient people, in a way that they had the courage and strength to move on with their lives. Of course, they don’t forget the people and loved ones they lost. I guess, by simply remembering them is what helps them to move on and to make actions in order for future generations to avoid having to experience that kind of pain.

Friday’s are supposed to be fun, but this is a different Friday. I guess I’d need to sleep on it, maybe it’d make me feel a bit better. I just hope that tomorrow would be good day.