Volunteer Voices

NICE is my first disaster relief/workcamp experience. I arrived on Monday afternoon and every morning since I\'ve woken up in a room full of dedicated, brave and kind-hearted people from all across Japan + a very passionate volunteer from Hong Kong and another intrepid soul with a rich social service background from back home (in the USA). It shouldn’t go without mentioning that this is an unusual and unique time to visit Japan – especially for the 1st time. I have to say, taking every possible future mater into consideration, I am100% grateful to be here. Despite the disaster, this is still a country of great natural beauty, enigmatic culture, smart inventions, delicious food, and out-of-this-world people.Despite my cultural & linguistic goofiness, I\'ve been welcomed and treated with care and genuine warmth. My non-existent Japanese vocabulary has grown immensely over the last week since ?arrived in Tokyo. Everyone is very eager to help, communicate, and understand. . But when words fail, a big smile and best intentions usually do the job.

Carissa Welton ~ Japan 2011