Occupation:
Teacher / full-time
volunteer
Time in Japan:
Three years on-and-off
Where are you from?
England.
What do you do here?
I teach English to a variety of people including government ministers, salarymen and kids.
Apart from that I spend my time doing volunteer work, mainly for Amnesty International but
also for other groups like Global Village.
Tell us about Amnesty International.
Amnesty International has given me the chance to use my creativity in a way that I
previously hadn' thought possible. My creativity and energy go into helping people who
are denied the basic human rights that we enjoy here in Japan. In the beginning I thought
I would just be writing postcards or letters. But since I started volunteering six months
ago, I've organized a rock concert, recorded a live radio interview and community
announcements for radio:on, I'm writing an article for Chainwhipped magazine and working
on a case in Brazil. It's been momentous, really.
You started six months ago?
Yes. Before that I was too busy thinking about money, career, just enjoying myself, and I
realized that's not what life is about. Life for me is about helping other people. The
group that I deal with is with an English-speaking group. There are several in Japan and
some Japanese members who prefer to do the work in English. Our group is very different;
dynamic but extremely motivated. Amnesty groups are very active in the rest of the
country, but it's a minority of people actually volunteering so we hope that more will
volunteer their time. If you want to compare the level of awareness of charity
organizations in England and Japan it's still very different but we are hoping in time,
attitudes will change.
Is there any volunteer work for busy people?
The best way is to become a supporting member. There is a 10,000 yen annual member's fee
and the money goes directly to supporting Amnesty's work.
What do you like about Japan the most?
I love the subculture of the people here who don't conform to the norm; wasabi, and the
romance car trains - I have a thing for trains - and my boyfriend.
What do you dislike about Japan most?
The apathy of the younger generation, particularity towards political issues or their own
traditions and culture. It's so easy for people to forget the rights and the freedom they
have in this country.
Do you organize your CDs alphabetically?
You've got to be joking!
What's the weirdest thing you've seen or experienced in Japan?
Strange things happen to me all the time. But one event really jumps out. It was after the
Mount Fuji Rock Festival in 1997. We hitched a ride back to Tokyo with a couple of guys
from Nagoya. They drove eight hours out of their way just to drive us home, and one of
them is now my present boyfriend. We've been together ever since.
What do you sing in the shower?
"Big Spender" by Barbara Streisand.
If you could take one thing back from Japan to your native country, what would it be?
My boyfriend, without a doubt.
What's your favorite place to eat or drink in Tokyo?
A curry shop in Yutenji called Niagara. A must for the train addict. The counters, the
chairs, are all like that on a train and the owner of the shop dresses every day in a
train master suit.
You have to spend the rest of your life trapped on the Yamanote line. You're allowed to
take one book, one CD and one luxury item. What would they be?
The book would be a never-ending blank notebook to write down all my ideas and short
stories. I would trade the CD for my didgeridoo. The luxury item would be a train driver's
license so I can drive it myself.
To find out what you can do, call 03-3203-1050 or check out Amnesty International's
homepage http://www.amnesty.or.jp/
Occupation:
LIFE IN JAPAN: