Environment and Public Health Bureau
Osaka City Government
Sponsored by the Osaka Chuo Rotary Club
Introduction
I am thankful that I was sponsored by the Osaka Chuo Rotary Club to represent them as a member of the GSE team that was sent to R.I. D-7080 in Ontario, Canada. When I was first asked about participating, I thought "What is the Rotary Club?" and "What is this GSE thing?" But after talking several times with the team leader, Takashi Katoh, I came to realize what a great program the GSE program is. Also, when I came to realize what an honor it would be to participate in such a program, I also felt the weight of the responsibility involved. However, even though there was actually no lessening in the responsibility I felt after arriving in Ontario, the fact that everyone was so warm and kind ÐÐ treating us like family members and good friends (despite the fact that many of them had never met us at all!) ÐÐ made it a very happy and fulfilling month. I am sure that this gift was the result of the Rotary spirit ---the gift of being able to transcend nationality and age to experience a deep unity and bond. As a result of this wonderful GSE program, I was able to meet many people, and the generous spirit of service that I was able to feel while in Canada has had a great impact on my life.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program and to everyone who poured all their energy into making it a success. Thank you so much! I am glad that I have the chance to express, to some extent, the gratitude I feel and how I was touched by my experience.
My impressions of District 7080
The weather
Since the region we visited in Ontario is farther north than Hokkaido,
I thought that it would surely be cold and took along winter clothes and
even a pile of Japanese disposable hand warmers (small pouches containing
a mixture of chemicals that, when the hand warmer is taken out of its airtight
bag and exposed to the air, react with each other and produce heat for
up to 12 hours). But during our first two weeks there, the weather was
the same as we have here in Osaka. At the beginning of the third week,
the weather was very hot (over 30 degrees Celsius) during the day, and
I regretted not taking along any short-sleeve shirts or short pants. Also,
the sunshine was so intense that it sometimes felt like my skin was being
pierced with needles, and I was so suntanned after first arriving back
in Japan that they almost wondered if I had really been to Canada. In addition,
the days are longer there, remaining light until about 9:00 at night, and
I often stayed up much later than I intended to.
The Canadian national character
During our trip, we moved to different locations every week, and we
were able to gain a deeper understanding of Ontario and its varied culture
as we visited these four different regions. For example, in Kitchener (where
we stayed our first week) there are many people descended from German immigrants
(more than half of the 210,000 people living in Kitchener), and the city
was originally called Berlin. During our second week, we stayed in Mississauga,
which was once heavily populated by native Indians (the name is of Indian
origin) and has a large Chinese population today.
Canada has accepted a large number of immigrants over the years (I heard they have been accepting refugee immigrants from Kosovo recently), and I realized that Canada has created a society that is abounding in international flavor. With so many people living in Canada from so many different nations, and with many Canadian homes having parents of different nationalities, Canadians are able to easily accept other cultures with open hearts. One of our team members, Ms. Yoden, said that when she visited a Canadian school, no one really cared or paid excess attention to the fact that she was Japanese, but rather they just naturally accepted her. She did not feel uncomfortable there at all. I realized that it is possible to raise children to become broad-minded people who are able to accept other people's cultures and customs if they are able to interact and live with people of other cultures from the time they are children.
I have often been asked, "What is Canadian cooking like?" or "What kinds of traditional clothing and folk music do they have there?" I, too, was interested in these things, but I came to realize that there isn't really anything one could actually call "Canadian" cooking, clothing and music. Canadian culture consists of such a mixture of a large number of different cultures.
Attending Rotary Club meetings
Our GSE team gave five presentations during our time in Ontario. We were given about 30 minutes to talk about Japan and Osaka, and we also had time to give our self-introductions. These meetings were very valuable.
We prepared a computerized presentation before leaving for Canada that consisted of photographs and other materials related to Japan's weather, geography, economy, history, culture, sports, and performing arts. Each of the team members was assigned a certain number of these topics, and we were responsible to talk about them at the Rotary meetings we attended. During the actual presentations, we used the computer presentation along with a video which introduced Osaka. These were easy to understand and people listened and watched very intently. When we compared the sizes of Ontario and Osaka or talked about the fact that Osaka and Toronto are both vying to become the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympic games, people would smile. Also, Ms. Yoden is a pianist, so when the meetings were held at a place with a piano, she played for us while we sang "Sakura" and "Furusato" for the people in Japanese, and this was a very popular part of our presentation.
We also attended several meetings at which we did not give our presentation. At these meetings, a local government official was asked to speak about city administration, and these meetings offered a good opportunity for us to get a feel for the wide variety of activities in which the Rotary is involved. In addition, we were able to meet a large number of Rotarians at the breakfast meetings and welcome parties held on our behalf, and these were very enjoyable. One thing I regretted was not studying English harder before going to Canada, because I would have been able to talk about so many more things if my English had been better.
Each of the Rotary Club programs were slightly different, with their own unique characteristics. For example, at the Kitchener-Conestoga R.C., we were given the opportunity to play golf at the beginning of the week at the country club. Then, at the Rotary Club meeting held at the end of the week, we were commended for our golf scores, and the host fathers of each of our homestay families spoke about their impressions and thoughts of the team member staying at their home, etc. The program they prepared for us that whole week was so astonishing that I wonder if they intentionally put together a program that would bring us to tears. It was probably the result of that club's great unity and solidarity, I think, but we were able to be perfectly caught up in the spirit of their club.
My homestay experiences
>From the time we left Japan on May 7 until the time we left Canada for Japan, we were divided up among the homes of various R.C. members for homestays. It was my first time to spend a month living in the homes of other people, and I was a bit anxious about it at first. But the warmth and kindness I experienced dispelled all my fears.
I stayed one week in each of four different homes. The occupations and backgrounds of the host fathers were varied, from undertaker and doctor to landscaper and an official who was responsible for helping design the flag flown by the Canadian delegation to the international Expo held in Osaka in 1970! In every home, I was told to make myself at home, and to use whatever I wanted to while I was there. And whenever I had some problem, my host family always came up with a solution. Moreover, they knew ahead of time that I was involved in environmental administration in Japan, so they collected and gave me a number of newspaper articles related to environmental problems, took me to related places I was unable to visit on my official vocational study trips, and basically did all they possibly could to see that I went home gleaning as much job-related information as possible.
The souvenirs I brought with me from Japan for my hosts were well received
by all my host families. I talked to them about the differences between
our cultures, and even taught them some Japanese. Also, it was a very good
opportunity for me to witness the Canadian life-style from within the home.
For example, regarding the funeral customs of Canada, about 60% of the
people are buried and 40% cremated. Unlike in Japan, where we hang black-and-white
striped banners outside the home of the deceased, in Canada there are no
special decorations. Rather, they create an atmosphere that gives the impression
that the deceased is merely asleep at home, and the funeral parlor looks
more like a typical, attractive, model room for a new apartment building
in Japan. The coffins are sometimes made of steel or copper, although oak
coffins are quite popular. I was surprised to learn that they even have
rental coffins!
Another thing that is different is how household trash is thrown away.
Paper, cans, bottles and jars, plastic bottles, kitchen garbage, and tree
branches and leaves are all disposed of in their own special boxes or bags,
and the rest of the trash, whatever it is, is thrown away together in plastic
trash bags. Everything is clearly separated by type of trash, and it is
clear that the Canadian people are well-educated in regard to the environmental
problem.
I was also able to talk with my hosts about things such as health insurance,
organ donor cards, the park-and-ride system of commuter transportation,
automobile emission testing, and many other things. Unfortunately, there
were many words I did not understand, but even though we struggled along
by writing things down and thumbing through our dictionaries, I was so
happy and thankful for how my host families listened intently to what I
was trying to say.
I was only able to spend one short week with each of my host families,
but it was a precious, invaluable time for me. It was as if I have gained
four new families. However, it was unfortunate that our schedules were
so full that we had relatively little time to eat with our families and
spend relaxed time sitting and talking with them. Still, I cannot help
but be filled with gratitude when I think of how they were constantly concerned
for my health, how they waited up for me to return no matter how late it
was, and how they overflowed with a spirit of servitude.
My vocational study trips
In Japan, my work is related to environmental administration (particularly in relation to the noise and vibration caused by various modes of transportation), and I was given many opportunities to learn about Canadian environmental administration. I was able to visit a waste treatment facility and water purification plant in Waterloo, Canada's largest airport (the Toronto International Airport), the Waterway (a government organization that carries out testing and research on water purity), etc., and I was given the opportunity to meet and talk with important people the average person would rarely have the privilege of meeting.
Administrative policy regarding noise and vibration pollution
I learned that, in Canada, there is really no problem at all related
to automobile noise and vibration since the roads are so wide and homes
are generally located far from highways. However, because the highways
are not elevated as they are in Japan, when heavily traveled highways are
located close to residential areas, the government has built soundproof
brick walls along the highways.
The most serious noise pollution problem comes from airplanes. The 4-runway Pearson Airport, Canada's largest domestic airport, received 7,600 noise-related complaints in 1998 (a new runway was added in December, 1997, and this resulted in an increase in complaints). Despite this, plans are in the works for two more runways, and to deal with the noise problem, a number of policies are under consideration, including limiting the hours planes are allowed to take off and land at the airport and aiming the runways and flight paths in the direction where the fewest people live. I was told that the government is not thinking at all of handling the problem by doing construction work on individual homes to increase the soundproofness of the walls, etc., as is being done in Japan. In April of this year, the Pearson Airport obtained ISO 14001 accreditation, so it is aware of the need to increase its concern for the environment.
Automobile pollution
We visited the suburbs of Toronto during our stay, and in this part
of Canada (which does not have much of a railway system), most people go
to work by car. As a result, there is a problem with large rush-hour traffic
jams. However, to alleviate this problem, the government is making progress
on its "park-and-ride" system of commuting. The government provides
vast parking lots next to the train stations going into Toronto so that
commuters can drive to the station nearest their home, park their car there,
and take the train into Toronto. As a result, train commuters are increasing.
Also, Toronto has a big problem with automobile emissions, and car owners are required by law to have their cars tested twice a year. It is possible for these tests to be carried out at gas stations and car dealerships, and unlike Japan, Canadian gas stations and dealerships are equipped with chassis dynamos, enabling them to even test for nitric oxide. Moreover, in order to enable the government to obtain information immediately for any given car, all the cars in Ontario are registered, and the provincial government is linked to the testing centers by computer. The car inspection results can be sent immediately to the government, and it is even possible for the government to tell the testing centers what cars should be immediately scrapped. I was actually able to visit a testing place, and I was a bit nervous for the owner of the car as we waited for the test results to be displayed.
The trash problem
Every home is properly separating their trash, and I was able to visit
a waste treatment facility. For example, I saw how all the paper trash
is gathered at one place and workers separate this trash by hand into three
groups: newspapers and magazines, cardboard and all other paper. Then this
paper is sold at a profit to various businesses. The same is being done
for cans and bottles. Also, kitchen garbage, tree branches and leaves are
put in one section of the treatment facility property where it is left
for awhile (like a compost pile) to decompose into fertilizer. Then, it
is later divided up among those who want it. The rest of the trash is buried,
and these burial spots become small mountains. Some of these trash mountains
are even tapped for the methane gas that is produced inside them, and this
gas is used to generate electricity to operate the air conditioning and
lighting systems at the waste treatment facility!
In addition, some of these trash mountains are then turned into golf courses and ski slopes. I felt that I was given a glimpse of Canadian environmental policy in practice. Even though Canada is blessed with so much open space, the government is taking the waste treatment and disposal problem very seriously, and as the trash produced by a growing population increases, the government is even making progress in turning a profit from its treated waste.
Other environmental problems
I was told that Ontario is also dealing with problems related to water
pollution in Lake Ontario and air pollution coming across the border from
the United States. Also, some regions are growing in population by about
30% per year, and there is concern and apprehension regarding the destruction
of natural habitat that accompanies the development of residential areas.
Those in charge of city planning and development are doing all they can
to help local governments leave as much of the natural environment untouched
as possible.
What I learned during non-vocational study trips, etc.
All of the Rotary Clubs we visited took us around to see the industries and famous places in their locale. Besides wanting us to understand the aspects of their region that are unique and special, I felt that each club was also confident that the region in which they lived was the best place to live. Whatever the reason, everyone always listened very intently when we talked about the program, shared our impressions of their town or compared their region with Japan. I would like to share with you now a few of the things I remember about each of the places I went to.
First week (Kitchener-Conestoga Rotary Club)
We visited a Mennonite town. Like the Amish, the Mennonites came from Switzerland
and are an Anabaptist Protestant denomination. Many of the Mennonites came
to Ontario from Pennsylvania at the beginning of the 19th century, and
as part of their Christian faith they still maintain that simple 19th-century
life-style. They do not use electricity, and use horses and buggies for
transportation. The women wear bonnets and long dresses, and the men have
beards and wear black clothing. They make a living making and selling bread,
jams, sausage, vegetables, leather goods and quilts.
We visited a Mennonite sausage production facility while we were there,
and were given a taste of emu sausage. It was a bit acidic in taste, but
was very good. We also had the opportunity to see a barn raising, something
that even the locals do not usually get to see. About 150 Mennonite men
get together for one day to build a large barn for one of their neighbors,
which is used to store the hay that is used to feed their animals. While
the men are building the barn, the women prepare the meals, and the children
are gathered together to play so they do not get in the way of the builders.
I did not think that I would ever get to see such a village life-style
as this when I was in Japan, but I was able to feel the sense of solidarity
the Mennonites have. I imagine that their daily lives, though simple in
comparison to most people's, are rich and fulfilling.
Second week (Mississauga-Dixie Rotary Club)
In Mississauga, where many native Indians used to live, there is an Indian
village where people can go to study about their way of life hundreds of
years ago. There we saw Indian homes, the tools they used, etc., and we
were able to get an idea of what life was like back then. At the local
McMichael Art Gallery, we were able to see a variety of Indian handicrafts,
and I was very surprised by how well-made and beautiful everything was.
There were also many new residential areas in Mississauga since this region
is a bedtown for Toronto. As a result, the local government is aggressively
trying to attract businesses and industries to the area, and they have
succeeded in getting an automobile manufacturer and some high-tech enterprises
to build there. Consequently, they have seen their tax revenues grow considerably.
However, when I went to the top of the highest building, the city hall,
and looked around, I felt a bit sad to see all the suburban residential
areas radiating out from the center of the city (although there are many
more trees and bushes still remaining compared to Japan).
Third week (Oxford County Rotary Club)
This area felt like the countryside, and we were shown many farms and ranches.
But these were not just typical cattle farms. Some of these farms specialize
in the breeding of pigs, cattle and horses, and their semen is sold to
farmers all over the world. I even heard that someone in Hokkaido had made
an order. In addition, we were shown around a maple syrup factory, a chocolate
factory and nursing home.
The most impressive visit for me in Oxford County was our trip to the Ingersoll Paper Box Company. This company manufactures boxes for use by pharmaceutical companies and snack food companies. The company president and his daughter manage the company, and they are very environmentally minded, with 98% of their raw materials coming from recycled paper. They also use only water-solvent paints on their boxes. In addition, all the scrap paper produced during the manufacturing process is gathered up and given to a collection company that in turn produces recycled paper for use as their raw material (this saves on their raw material procurement costs since some of the recycled paper comes from their own factory). This company utilizes a conveyor belt system that runs beneath the floor, and any paper scraps that fall through the floor space are automatically carried to a receptacle for recyclable paper. I was very impressed by this streamlined, profitable system.
During our third week, different clubs were responsible for taking us around every other day, and in order to make sure we had a fulfilling time, our schedules were packed solid. We left home around 7:00 in the morning and didn't get home until 11:00 at night, but it made for a very varied schedule which I found quite nice.
Fourth week (Burlington Central Rotary Club)
During our last week, we had a rather easy schedule compared to our previous
weeks, and we had the chance to visit Niagara Falls and get a taste of
Canada's awesome natural beauty. On the weekend, the Rotary sponsored a
charity marathon, and we had the chance to help out by giving water to
the runners. When I heard that we had to give cups of water to the runners
without getting in their way as they ran, I was a bit nervous, but fortunately
we were able to do it without any trouble.
At the final farewell party held in our honor, all our host families were invited along with all the members of the Canadian GSE team who had visited Osaka earlier in the year. It was a great reunion for us all. After we all shared our impressions of our stay in District 7080 (I must say that I was so choked up thinking about having to leave everyone that I could hardly read what I had written!), we sang two Japanese songs ("Sakura" and "Furusato"). By this time, I was beginning to feel that my "hometown" was no longer in Japan, but, rather, was there in Ontario with my host families.
We are famous?!
During our visits to various local sights, newspaper reporters came to interview us, and we were written up in the newspaper two times. They were both local newspapers, but even so, I was impressed by the influence of the Rotary Club and the fact that some unknown people like us would be considered newsworthy. This was one of the happy memories of my time in District 7080.
Leisure time
We were able to get a taste of the way in which Canadians spend their weekends while we were in Ontario. We got to go to the top of the world's highest tower (the CN Tower), go see a baseball game at the world's first retractable-roof sports dome (the SkyDome), go cruising on a sight-seeing boat on Lake Ontario, and attend a barbecue party (the men always do the cooking!), among other things.
We were also given several opportunities to play golf, but in Canada, golf does not have the high-class image it has in Japan. I saw children playing right along with the adults, and the courses were so beautiful. But when I heard that there were no caddies and the golf carts would cost extra, I realized that one cause for the high playing fees in Japan is the excessive amount of service provided for the players.
Moreover, we also had the chance to spend two nights and three days at a cottage with the members of the Canadian GSE team. We had absolutely nothing planned those days, and we were able to kick back and relax completely. We also enjoyed talking to one another, and getting caught up in our daily journal writing. It was a wondeful three days. As a result of that time, we were able to relax and get refreshed while deepening our friendship with the members of the Canadian team. Also, we were able to see racoons, hummingbirds, squirrels, Canada geese and other wild animals. We even got to see a beaver! We were able to get a feel for the abundant natural beauty of Canada as we saw animals in people's backyards or along the road that we can only see in zoos in Japan.
Advice for future team members
I would like to take some time now to share with any future GSE team members some of the mistakes I made so that things will go smoother for them.
Luggage
Pack as lightly as possible. I took along many changes of clothes, and
too many other items. As a result, when we arrived at the check-in counter
at the airport, my luggage weighed over the 70 kg limit and set off the
alarm bell! (Fortunately, even though they tagged my bags as overweight,
I didn't have to pay anything extra.) But, on my return flight, maybe because
it was a domestic flight (when we flew from Toronto to Detroit), they were
very strict about checking our luggage weight, and I was told to repack
so each suitcase was under the limit. Since you will probably be coming
back to Japan with many souvenirs, etc., take as few clothes and other
items with you as possible when you leave.
Confirming your schedule
I made big mistakes in this regard, so I want everyone to be careful in
the future. The day before you are scheduled to do something, make sure
you confirm what time to meet, where you are going, what clothes you should
wear, and who is coming to pick you up (I recommend you confirm with full
names). Those who aren't sure and are a bit worried about things should
not just make their confirmation aurally, but also in writing, I think.
In my case, there were two people in the Rotary Club that was sending someone
to meet me. One person's first name was the same as the other person's
last name. I mistakenly thought the person assigned to pick me up was someone
else (who had the same name). I called the person I thought was supposed
to meet me, and after I was picked up, the personal actually assigned to
meet me arrived looking for me! I found out later that he was very worried
and flustered when he couldn't find me. Also, I made mistakes regarding
clothing as well (I left home dressed in casual wear when the event was
a formal affair, and, in a panic, had to quickly go back and change!),
when I didn't know what we were going out to do and wasn't prepared for
the activity. Fortunately, nothing resulted in a disaster or anything like
that, but I certainly caused everyone a lot of trouble and worry, for which
I am deeply sorry. Please make sure you do not make such mistakes when
you go on your GSE trip.
Communication
Everyone we met, not just our host families, was interested in Japan and
in us. I recommend that you take as many things as possible to use in talking
about your self and Japan. A book in English that describes life in Japan
would be helpful. Also, there may be some people who would like a copy
of such a book, so you may want to take several copies to give away as
mementos. I didn't take many pictures of myself and my family, but I recommend
that you do in order to help you start conversations. In particular, I
think photos of Japanese customs, kimonos and temples, etc. are good ideas
for photos.
Souvenirs
We took things such as tea cups with many Chinese characters written on
them (the kind used at sushi shops), chopsticks, Japanese fans, kimono
accessories, cup and ball on a string (a Japanese game), Japanese hand
towels, books on how to make green tea, etc. with us to Canada. We also
took along origami, color pamphlets about Osaka, and pin badges, all of
which were easy to carry and popular with people overseas. Also, many people
like Japanese animated movies and TV shows. Pokemon and Sailor Moon are
popular in Canada, so if you know there will be smaller children at your
homestay, small goods related to such cartoon characters are good items
to take.
Miscellaneous
Film and camera batteries are expensive in Canada, and I recommend that
you take along a good supply. Also, be sure to check all your electronic
goods before leaving, because if you have problems overseas with them,
you may not be able to get them repaired there.
I also recommend that you keep a daily journal or simple report of what you do each day. This will be very helpful when you have to write your report after returning to Japan.
In conclusion
It would have been easy to write much more about my time visiting District 7080, but space does not permit it. It was truly an honor for me to experience the wonderful GSE program and the greatness of Rotary International. I might not have been able to accurately express my happiness in writing, but I certainly hope that this wonderful program continues forever and that many more people will be able to have the kind of experience I had. Also, I want to make sure that I maintain the friendships I started to build during my time in Canada.
I want to take this final opportunity to again express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who worked to make this program a success and who gave me the opportunity to participate in it. I also want to say thank you to Mr. Shigeo Matsuoka, chairman of the GSE program in Osaka, for all his kind assistance, and to Mr. Takashi Katoh (our team leader), Ms. Keiko Yoden, Mr. Shuichi Nakashima, and Ms. Noriko Kashima, who all were so kind and helpful to me throughout our one month in Canada.