Prelude to Departure

Prelude:

It has been a short while since I returned to Tokyo after a week of volunteering with Peaceboat, an NGO which has been at the forefront of volunteering activities in Tohoku since March 11th. Their base of operations is in the city of Ishinomaki, at the heart of one of the regions most impacted by the earthquake and ensuing tsunami, a wasteland of destroyed homes and vehicles submerged in seemingly random debris.

My decision to volunteer had seemed a fairly easy one to make. I never gave much thought as to why, I simply hoped to be useful and maybe give a little something back to this country I have adopted as a home. My only clear objective was to try and take as many photos as possible so as to provide my friends and family with a snapshot of the reality of the situation on the ground.

I will try and stay true to that purpose through this blog. Although I may pause to comment on events which shaped my thinking throughout the week. You have been warned.

Departure:

Initial preparations - we were required to bring all our supplies with us, including food and water. Other essentials included full protective gear, high sensitivity masks and steel soled boots.

There were five bus loads of volunteers heading up to Ishinomaki - 22 teams including two international teams composed of 12 international volunteers.