Friday 28th July- My final Hours in Onagawa

Sad to say, my time in Onagawa has ended. I learned a lot, from my experience working with Kuriya-san and others, to my time chatting (barely due to my lack of Japanese) with a lot of other members of the Onagawa community – about how their lives have evolved and their vision for the future- and from other members of the Temporary Migrant Program, who all seem to want to make a difference in the lives of others.

It was refreshing to chat with so many people my age with dreams that extended past money and accolades, and instead is centered around contribution. It definitely encouraged me to reevaluate my commitment to these values and assess how I am actively working towards these ideals in my daily life.

On a different but related note, I think Onagawa has so much potential. Both as a welcoming community for residents from all over Japan, young and old, but also visitors from all over the world. I really believe that its geographic location – a sea and hills, side by side- and the warm community and best food, I think makes Onagawa a prime spot for the thousands of young tourists who make a visit to Japan, who aren’t interested in a lavish hotel, but want an unforgettable experience.