People

Multilingual Volunteers Supporting Evacuation Sites

How often do you imagine how drastically your ordinary life be changed once you struck with a disaster? The size of Kawaguchi City is quite big with over 600,000 residents that includes about 60,000 foreign residents which accounts for about 9% of the total population.

　 The word “Disaster” covers a wide range of situations. If it is a typhoon or torrential rainfall, we can provide against them in advance by getting information from weather forecast and so forth. However, when it comes to earthquakes, nobody knows when it comes. It may hit you while you are at work, at home, at school, or traveling around in a train. The tremble might get you stranded due to failure of transport system or destruct your house to stay in. In such cases, the place which provide you a safe place to stay is evacuation sites.

Evacuation sites will be set up at places like public school’s gymnasiums. In our case, we are sure that not only Japanese but also foreign residents will come to seek for help to evacuation sites. And at these sites, the role of volunteer staff will become indispensable in taking care of people who have come to evacuation sites.

The other day, I took “Beginner’s Course for Multilingual Support Volunteers at Disaster Sites” and had simulated trainings on the supposition of working at an evacuation site. What took my attention the most was among the participants of residents of Kawaguchi City, I could see people from Nepal, Vietnam, China, India, Myanmar, and Thailand were also there to take this course. Through discussion on how to deal with various issues that likely to happen at evacuation sites, I realized that it is quite essential for us to work and pool ideas together with foreign residents to come up with solutions.

Those participants from abroad have long been living in Japan and seemed to have no problems in speaking Japanese. However, nobody knows what will happen to our mental state, specifically, we might get deranged to the level of not being able to do things that we can always do. Every participant was carefully listening to the lecturer, taking this issue as a personal matter.

　During taking a simulated training with foreign residents, I had a chance to ask them what they see about evacuation sites.

【What is a specific function of this evacuation site?】

　The following is my answers to the question above.

●They distribute water and food.

●No expenses will be charged on staying-in evacuees.

●They have long Not-to-Do lists for evacuees. Even if you have problems in understanding Japanese, each site has graphic guides (pictogram, etc.) to let you know basic information and rules of the site.

What if this sort of issue really happens to you….

Non-Japanese speakers were all taking this issue seriously and pooling ideas, saying; ‘If this matter really happens to me…’.

　 While I was talking with a participant from India, he said something I think I will never forget. That is; “What comes first is we need to tell everyone that evacuation site is the place you can feel safe”. There are lots of things we need to tell evacuees, especially when they are from abroad, but try our best to give them assurance of safety. I realized that we, as volunteer staff, should not be oblivious of it. Some participants from Nepal and Vietnam who had experiences of evacuation in their own countries said they always have emergency survival kit bags ready at homes. A person from India who had once evacuated when a torrential rainfall hit Kawaguchi area, told us about his emergency drill carried out at his work place. Other person said with a wry smile; ‘I think my wife must have been prepared all the necessary items for the family…, I believe she should be…’. There was another voice that ‘What an oblivious of me that portable toilet thing had never crossed my mind. I think I should get one straight away’.

The Multicultural Coexistence Desk of Kawaguchi City made 【Non-Japanese Speaker Supporting Set】 to be of help at each evacuation site. City hall and Multilingual Support Volunteers at Disaster Sites are working together brushing it up to more recognizable using pictograms and notices, etc., from both foreign residents and Japanese.

This beginners’ course is scheduled to be held once a year. Your skill in foreign language is not required for taking this course. It may be a good opportunity to simulate you and your family’s evacuation. I hope more residents of Kawaguchi City will have a chance to take this course.

Inquiry：Multicultural Coexistence Desk 048-227-7607

Editor’s NOTE

I sincerely hope such scrambles will never, ever happen. We always welcome new volunteer staff!　

by Zunko

▲Back to Table of Contents▲

Foreign Care-worker Playing an Active Part in Care-homes ①～Kurnia from Indonesia～

　Chances of being welcomed by foreign workers at convenience stores, eating establishments, etc. are increasing around here. In recent years, with few exceptions, care-homes for the elderly are also getting more and more care-workers who have come from abroad.

　I am going to report in two parts on foreign care-workers who are playing important part in care-homes in Kawaguchi City.

　The first report is on Kurnia, from Indonesia, working at Kawaguchi Senior Center.

【About Kurnia】

　Kurnia is from West Java Province. Came to Japan after taking one- year course at a Japanese language school in Indonesia. She worked at a care-home in Nagano Prefecture for the first three years, then moved to start working at a current care-home.

　One reason of her choosing to work in Japan was that she wanted to save money, but also thought “I am still young, I ought to have more and more experiences”.

　Before coming to Japan, she used to work in a totally different field from nursing care. I am sure it must have taken a lot of courage to start an unexperienced job in a country with unfamiliar language and culture.

【About her job at a care-home】

　Her job includes eating, bathing and toileting assistance of residents of care-home. When she works on night duty, she has the hardest time to watch over as many as 20 residents on her own.

　Naturally, conversation with residents and other staff are in Japanese. Kanji and the way to use honorifics are hard enough for her, moreover, there are residents who speaks dialect and that always puzzles her so much.

　Nevertheless, she says with a smile, “When chatting with elderly residents here, they talk a lot about their olden days. It is fun for me to listen to such stories”.

【Cultural, habitual, religious difference】

　The first trouble she encountered in Japan was that she found many buttons to press in a toilet. She could not find out how to use them. (Pressed a button by mistake and got soaking wet with shower function.)

　Since she is a Muslim, the only food she can have is religiously permitted Halal Foods. For that reason, she makes and brings her own meal every day.

　I also had a talk with her Japanese co-workers, Mr. Wakamatsu and Ms. Takahashi.

【Occupational arrangements and considerations】

　They always confirm whether she could understand what she should do each time they talk to her. If the language seems difficult for her, they use photos as supporting material to make her fully understand.

　They do recognize that she needs to observe food restriction posed by her religion. But aside from that, they sometimes get surprised to know the difference of eating habits such as she never eats uncooked food.

　In addition to these cultural differences, they have the holy Muslim month of Ramadan (※). During this Ramadan period, they provide such special arrangement for her as allowing exemption from bathing support for the elderly, or giving home leave back to her own country, etc.

【Influence on the care-home and co-workers】

　At a “Senior Festival” regularly held at the care-home, when staff from abroad feasted residents on their taste of home country, it was well recognized among the residents. They say Kurnia made some Indonesian dessert for the occasion.

　Also, foreign workers’ polite way of speaking sometimes reminds Japanese workers of being more careful to use “beautiful language”.

（※）Fast month. Eating and drinking is prohibited from dawn to dusk.

Editor’s NOTE

　After interviewed Kurnia and her co-workers, I could feel a friendly atmosphere of this working place.

　The problem of shortage of capable workers is not limited in care-giving field. 　We are needing more and more assist of foreign workers. Know the importance of having communications, also know the importance of understanding the cultural and habitual differences is what we need to recognize now.　　　　

By Kishida

▲Back to Table of Contents▲

Foreign Care-worker Playing an Active Part in Care-homes ②～Ian from Philippines～

　Continued from the report ①. I am going to introduce you Ian from Philippines, working at Dai-Ni Kawaguchi Senior Center.

【About Ian】

　Ian is from Leyte Island, Philippines. After finished his course at university, he worked as a private nurse (contract nurse to provide nursing care at patient’s domicile) for a while. One day, one of his friends informed him of the opportunity to get a job in Japan. That have led him to come to Japan.

　First, he worked at a care-home in Okayama Prefecture where he obtained a qualification for Licensed Nursing Care Worker. Then came here to work at the current care-home. Licensed Nursing Care Worker’s examination is carried out in Japanese. It must be difficult for a foreign examinee to pass that examination. Ian, who have successfully passed the exam, must have made extra special efforts for it.

【About his job at a care-home】

　Ian, too, complained that the correct use of honorific language and deciphering dialects are the most difficult part. (Funny enough, he says he sometimes unconsciously slips out Okayama dialect)

　Generally, keeping care record in Japanese said to be very difficult for foreign care givers. However, he somehow manages it by using PC’s function to translate English text into Japanese. Making the best of ICT, etc. that is the youngsters of today, is not he?

　When he was asked about the most fun part of his job, he says it is when talking with residents of care-home, it reminds him of having a family chat. On the other hand, he will get devastated when witnessing a resident’s last breathing.

【Cultural, habitual, religious difference】

　As for food, he says he had no problem with it. But taking out garbage is very hard to understand in Japan. When it comes to garbage disposal rules, it always confuses you since rules differ from municipalities. It may not be a difference only between Philippines and Japan.

　At first, he was taken aback by the roundabout way of saying Japanese often use, which listeners often need to read between the lines. But now he has completely got used to it.

　I also had a talk with his Japanese co-workers, Mr. Honda.

【After starting working with him】

　At first, linguistic difference may become a problem. But now we know there is so many things we should learn from ardent foreign care givers. We all appreciate that they have come to join us.

　As for Ian, he seems to get well used to this place that sometimes it completely slips their minds that he was from Philippines.

【Influence on the care-home and co-workers】

　It depends on individual, but generally, foreign workers tend to have more cheerful personalities and chatty. The facility always gets brighten up by their presence.

　Also, seeing foreign care givers working and learning a language in a place far from home, it always gives Japanese workers a feeling of “we also got to do more harder”.

Editor’s NOTE

　I could understand how he takes pride in his job as a Licensed Nursing Care Worker. I cannot help but wishing that these wonderful care givers like Kurnia and Ian will become the leading figures indispensable in supporting the nursing-care scenes of Kawaguchi City

　Lastly, I am taking this opportunity to express my gratitude to every staff at care-homes I have met. Owing to your cooperation, I could accomplish these reports. Thank you very much.

By Kishida

▲Back to Table of Contents▲

Take a Breather at a Couple Owned Charming Cafe ～antcafe Kawaguchi～

　Cafe & Cake place “antcafe Kawaguchi”, which you will find after walked about 10 minutes from Kawaguchi Station, West Exit. Nearly 2 years have passed since its opening, the place is serving homemade cakes and coffee as its staples, as well as serving lunch meals.

The cafe, run by a couple, is filled with homey atmosphere.

　Today’s “Discover! Kawaguchi” introduce you “antcafe Kawaguchi” and its owner couple, Mr. and Mrs. Masuda.

　The couple says they moved to Kawaguchi a few years ago.

　 In due course, they found comfortableness of living in here and hidden magnetism of Kawaguchi, that is, in a word, the diversity that are proved by the residents comprised of various nationalities.

　It was Mrs. Masuda’s long-cherished dream to have her own cafe.

To open a cafe that makes everyone feel a delight and lift the weight from heart in the dizzying bustle of everyday life was what she had been dreaming of.

“Kawaguchi is the ideal place to have my own cafe to entertain every customer under the sun!” Encouraged by this inspiration, they decided to open this place.

“We welcome, of course, you even you do not understand Japanese! When we have such non-Japanese speakers, we will communicate in English or “Plain Japanese”! We were indeed grateful to have such a customer the other day”, they told me with brilliant smiles. I could see their passion towards this place that had been shining through this conversation.

　As I stepped inside, I found a guitar displayed in front of me. Further interview revealed that Mr. Masuda’s previous occupation was selling guitars.

　On the day I visited for interview, I had the Week’s Lunch Special.

“Shrimp Cream Curry Plate (with salad) was what I had for lunch. That was a special curry that had obviously been made by blending spices. Not too hot, but its full-bodied savory made me feel like I was in heaven!

Inside the shop’s showcase, there awaits alluring cakes such as Basque cheese cake, etc. All are baked in the shop, by Mrs. Masuda.

Coffees served here are Siphon (vacuum pot) coffee. Compared to Drip coffee, Siphon coffee produces distinctive rich flavor and aroma. Rich flavor deepened by this brewing method is also good to taste as iced coffee. By the way, it is Mr. Masuda who oversees making coffee and coffee jellies.

Unhampered by nationalities, anyone can take a breather here; at “antcafe Kawaguchi”. It is one of the hidden spots of Kawaguchi City with a touch of multicultural vibes. I insist you must come and enjoy the atmosphere here!

Information on « antcafe Kawaguchi »

Address：32, Haramachi 9-Chome, Kawaguchi, Saitama. 〒３３２-００２５

URL：https://antcafe.wixsite.com/kawaguchi

Phone：０５０－５２３６－５０６５

▲Back to Table of Contents▲