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ROAD vol.10 Evacuees' Short Comments
by Voices from the Field Admin - Friday, 26 October 2012, 08:35 AM
 

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Read the prologue to the evacuees' comments listed below

I have not been feeling very well after the tsunami. I feel down. When I was working at sea, such as for abalone fishery, I used to feel more energetic.  But everything was literally washed away by the tsunami. (A man in his 70s, temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Aug 29, 2011)

As I heard that the footbath is good for autonomic ataxia, I came here. I have two children so I cannot even take time for a nice long bath. I will be back again (for this footbath). (A woman in her 30s, temporary housing in Yamamoto, Aug 29, 2011)

Because of my heart problem, I have aches and pains all over. My vision has also weakened such that it becomes blurry just after 30 minutes of driving.  Nowadays, I hang around the house watching TV all the time. (A man in 70s, temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Aug30, 2011)

My family tomb was washed away by the tsunami. I'm sorry for my ancestors.
(A woman in her 60’s, temporary housing in Yamamoto, Sep 2, 2011) 

My husband died in the tsunami. So it's hard to sleep. I usually go to bed around 10 o'clock, but I wake up several times during the night.(A woman in her 70s, temporary housing in Yamamoto, Sep2, 2011)

I didn't feel anything during or after the tsunami. Even going to funerals didn't make me cry. Of course, I have some realizations later. I barely ran away from the tsunami when I saw the waves. How frightful. (A woman in her 70s, temporary housing in Yamamoto Sep 2, 2011)

I was 6 months pregnant at the time of the earthquake and tsunami. I had to escape otherwise I would be swept away. That thought enabled me to run. I am now breastfeeding my baby without a problem. I receive a lot of clothes but I don’t have space to put them away. The drawers are full of clothes already and are even difficult to open. When winter comes what should I do? (A woman in her 20s temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Sep 13, 2011)

I have been resting at home all morning. There is a supermarket nearby so it is convenient. I could use the air conditioner to heat my room, but it would increase my electricity bill.(A man in his 70s, temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Sep 14,2011)

It was really cold today. Recently, it is difficult to wake up in the morning. When I was staying at the Big Pallet evacuation center, I had to sleep on the concrete floor so my lower back was very painful. But since I moved into this temporary housing unit, I got a futon mattress so I’m OK now. Once a week, they come to sell vegetables here, too, which is very helpful.
(A woman in her 60s, temporary housing in Koriyama, Sep 25, 2011)   

Winter has already come. Since it gets very cold in this Tohoku region, I am worried about spending winter in temporary housing. To think that I have to spend at least two years here... The ground freezes here, so when you walk, it makes a sound. But we should keep smiling. It is no use being depressed. I love to talk when people are very responsive. It is fun, isn't it? So, please smile and engage with me.(A woman in her 70s, temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Sep 5, 2011)

I have lived in Tomioka. I have also stayed in the Big Palette evacuation center and in a hotel in Yabuki. I moved here on July 30. Compared with the life in Tomioka, it is uncomfortable for me to live here. It is hot in summer, and they say it snows in winter. It’s nice to come here and talk with young people. It is hard for me to speak to men, but I can talk about various things with women. So there was an event here today, wasn't there? I might have received a flyer about that event, but I had forgotten about it.(A woman in her 70s, a temporary housing in Koriyama, Sep 1,2011)

We get little sunlight here due to the landform, so it is cool and comfortable in summer, but I am worried it might be cold in winter. This is an inconvenient place because there are no shops nearby and I have to go shopping all the way in Kesennuma by car. Though grocery vans come here, I buy only fish from them because their other goods are expensive.
(A woman in her 70s, temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Sep13,2011)

I prefer getting this foot bath service to getting free fish. Now I am living alone. I like hot baths, so I enjoy taking a long bath. It was very cold that day when the earthquake hit us. I wonder whether this winter, my first winter since the quake, will be cold.(A woman in her 60s, temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Aug 3, 2011)

I enjoyed the exercise in the gym. I had a lot of physical exercise today to try to compensate for a lack of exercise. It felt good to soak my legs in a hot bath afterward. I have many summer clothes, but I need more clothes for the winter.(A woman in her 60s, temporary housing in Iwanuma, Aug 8, 2011)

It’s nice that the weather is so good today. The weather here is generally dry as it is today. However, in winter we have much snow and the roads freeze over. A west wind flows through this area, so it is said that this area was named after it - Narai (west wind) michi (passage, or road).(A man in his 70s, temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Aug29,2011)