When you want to succeed, you try hard.
If you're trying hard, you should be proud of yourself.
- Charo Episode 13
If you ever have to make a decision, a big decision, and can't make up your mind, ask yourself:
What is it that you really want? Follow your heart and it will lead you to the right answer.
- Charo Episode 46
Nobody lives alone. That's why we need to care for each other, help each other when the time calls for it.
- Charo Episode 46
When you woke up this morning you no doubt had a daily routine that you normally follow...wash, dress, eat, head to work...most of us do this every day without thinking. But for families in the provinces of North and South Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo the situation is very different. They won't have woken from a comfortable bed, had a warm shower, enjoyed a healthy breakfast, and headed off to work. For them the daily routine has become a nightmare.
They are caught up in a 15 YEAR war that is raging around them. Every day people have to flee their homes or temporary shelters, once again on the run from various armed groups. They have little or no food and water, only the clothes they stand up in, and what they own they carry on their backs. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, babies and teenagers; everyone is struggling to survive the looting and violence.
Opportunity rarely knocks on your door. Knock rather on opportunity's door if you ardently wish to enter.
- B.C.Forbes
We started this project on Mar 30. There were 15 members, and were divided into 7 groups. The group I belonged to are composed of 3 members. We have prepared for this exhibition since then. Our team was really a slow starter. We did almost nothing until July 20! But once we started the work, we did our best. We went to several place to take pictures and had a lot of meetings after work.
Since we are not professional photographer, we are going to receive lots of criticisms. Still, I'm satisfied with our work.
So if someone asked me 'How was your summer?', I'll answer in front of our work 'This is my summer.'
When I went back to the room, the roommate had already waked up. According to him, he was from Canberra, Australia. To my surprise, he traveled Tokyo before coming to Helsinki! He knew the word 'Depachika', which means basement floors of department stores. And what's more, he had a plastic bag of Yodobashi Camera, very famous Japanese discount store. He bought a digital camera there. Although that digital camera was very fanctional, all the instructions were made by only Japanese.
He didn't seem to smoke, but I went to the reception to ask to change the room to non-smoking room. I was told to come again at 12 o'clock. I wanted to go out, so I left my baggage at the storage room and left the hostel.
Today's destination was Porvoo, which was the 2nd oldest city in Finland. Though it was clear when I walked aroud in the early morning, the sky was covered with thick cloud. First, I had to find out the bus terminal. Long-distance buses didn't leave from the railway station. And it was not so close to the railway station. And it was in the underground. It was not easy to find out the place.
Just as I feared, I got lost! I thought I was still a stranger here in Helsinki. I had a map, but I couldn't figure out where I was. About one hour passed since I left the hostel. I tried to ask someone for help. Then I was told that I was in front of the building of the bus terminal!
I bought the return ticket at the ticket office(20.60Euro), then I moved to the basement floor. The bus left for Porvoo at 11:30. One hour and 30 minutes had passed since I left the hostel. It was longer than I expected.
(to be continued.)
7th Sep 2008
I waked up at six in the morning. After I took a shower, I made a try finnish sauna. But there was nobody and I did't know how, so I gave up this time.
I went back to my room, and went out with my cameras. Though it was cloudy, the city in the early in the morning was nice and quiet.
Last night, I could do nothing other than arriving at the hostel. So I started to walk around the city carefully from the hostel.
The building in front of the hostel was maybe the ordinary apartment. But it was very stylish. I think it is natural to be stylish for buildings around there. When I went to the port, I saw a big boat. I wonderd where it was from. The market was not open at that time. I kept walking to the railway station.
Though there weren't so many people in the city, it was not as same in the railway station. From this station there were some trains to Russia. It was an international and big station. I ate breakfast(chicken wrap and coffee) at the cafe in the station.
After I strolled along the station, I decided to go back to the hostel. I saw a lot of trams on the way to the hostel. I thought the city started moving. I like the sound of the trams and I like the town with trams, maybe because I've been the town where trams run since I was born.
When I passed the Tuomiokirkko, I saw blue sky! The Tuomiokirkko under the blue sky was really beautiful.
I refreshed when I arrived at the hostel. It was a nice morning walk.
(to be continued...)
It is always so when I walk the town for the first time. I can't walk aroud without looking some landmarks. I tried to start walking against the railway station. But the station had several entrances, so I couldn't make sure which was front. Anyway, I looked for the tram. At that moment, I found the stop. So I ran to it. But it wasn't the stop I was looking for, which were that of No 4 or No 4T.
It seemed that the stop I was looking for was somewhere else. I caught sight of the tram running, so I got after it. I finally found the stop of No 4 and No 4T. and I got on.
The youth hostel, named Eurohostel, was 2km from the railway station according to my information. So I thought I could arrive at the stop near the hostel soon. But I couldn't. I didn't know why. I was embarrassed. Then the tram arrived at the last stop. I ride the opposite way tram. Yes, I made such a classic mistake.
I turned back the way and finally arrived at the stop I should have got off. It took almost one hour to move just 2km.
Eurohostel was so big that I could find easily. I checked in and headed to my room. My room was on the 6th floor. 6th floor was the top. It was when I took the lift(it was not automatic door) that I realized that 6th floor was smoking floor, although all other floors were non-smoking floor. I don't like the smell of the cigarette at all, so I went back to the reception and asked for changing the room to the non-smoking floor. But unfortunately, no vacancy on that day. I gave up and went back to the room.
(to be continued...)
6th Sep 2008
I left Haneda(Tokyo International Airport) at 8:20, and arrived at for Osaka(Kansai International Airport) about 9:30. My connecting flight to Helsinki was planned to leave at 14:10. Yes, I had so much time to wait...
It was first time to stop by Kansai International Airport. But it was a little bit boring for me to spend so much time there. I bought something I had forgotten, like small notebook, pen, and my favorite Japanese snack 'Suppaiman.' And I ate lunch at McDonald.
One thing that I got angry happened at the security check. I had a lot of films. When the security officer found my films, he sighed. I think it was not polite to do that.
By the way, the flight for Helsinki, operated by Finnair was just as scheduled and I felt comfortable. The food was better than I thought, and the service was good!
At the Helsinki International Airport, I picked up my luggage and bought a Finnair bus ticket at the ticket counter(5.9EUR). When I arrived at the airport, it was cloudy and the temperature was 17℃. But when I was about to ride on bus, it started to rain.
In about 30 minutes, the bus arrived at Finnair Bus Terminal near the Helsinki Central Railway Station(Helsinki Rautatieasema). There was no problem at this point.
But once I got off the bus, I was not sure where I was. Although I looked the map, it was very difficult for me to understand. I wanted to ride on the tram to go to the hostel. However, I had no idea where to ride on. That information was not on my map.
(to be continued...)
You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind.
- Dale Carnegie
Yes. It is true. But when you feel fear and you want to conquer, it's much better if you have someone who will strongly support you. Because sometime it's hard to make up your mind to conquer your fear.
When I came home on Saturday, I found the letter from Honduras.
I was really glad to see that. Then my tiredness was totally blown off.
