You all wait months for my blog post and here I am throwing another one out a day later. Life on board the "Ocean Dream Peace Boat" remains pretty much the same, although I'm glad to report I've discovered fried chicken and chips at one of the bars rather than the alternative menus - which today consisted partly of jellied pig ears... delish!
Shortly after I posted yesterday the Change Agents joined one of the many separate Peace Boat events. It focused on a major although somewhat covered up issue called Hikikomori. This is a situation pretty much only applicable in Japan, where young people shut themselves away in their bedrooms for years maybe decades, with no physical interaction with family, friends or school with many never recovering and leading to suicide or starvation. Shame is a huge focus point in Japan and the families of these people incredibly allow it to happen, and do not seek help as this would bring shame to the family. It was difficult to take in at the time and even now cannot fully understand how this goes on.
Staying with this, Danielle a fellow English Change Agent and I somehow got talking to the owner of the boat last night in the karaoke bar and the next thing we knew, we had scheduled a meeting later the next day, feeling rather privileged. True to his word we sat down with _____ in the afternoon to discuss Hikikomori in more detail and other problems facing young people in Japan, most of which have historically have been given hardly any coverage until now. He was immensely proud that the Peace Boat works as a good tool to get young people to escape from Hikikomori but problems also facing young people and society do not end there.
A fact I find hard to accept (and if internet resources were available would certainly double check) was that the suicide rate in Japan can rise to 20% of the population. Imagine one in 5 people you know taking their own life. Again bringing shame on one's self or family is the reasoning behind it, with something like bankruptcy or homelessness a common example, as they see this as repayment for their errors. It's certainly something I will look in to further once home.
The ship arrives at the Philippines tomorrow afternoon and we have a busy programme planned as expected. We start by introducing the YMCA to over 500 university students in Cebu before meeting the mayor and staying the evening in Cebu YMCA. By 6:30am on Friday we will be on our way to help serve breakfast to homeless and vulnerable members of the Filipino society. Whilst this is something I am used to in my role of employment, I haven't got a clue how I will take seeing so many young people in these situations that we're told to expect. I hope that I can keep it together and genuinely look forward to meeting the worst off in the Philippines. For YMCA movements - mostly outside of the UK - who don't do a great deal of work with vulnerable people I hope it will encourage them to engage more in this line of aid and support.
I hope to report back when we return to the Peace Boat on Thursday... our time!
Chris
Shortly after I posted yesterday the Change Agents joined one of the many separate Peace Boat events. It focused on a major although somewhat covered up issue called Hikikomori. This is a situation pretty much only applicable in Japan, where young people shut themselves away in their bedrooms for years maybe decades, with no physical interaction with family, friends or school with many never recovering and leading to suicide or starvation. Shame is a huge focus point in Japan and the families of these people incredibly allow it to happen, and do not seek help as this would bring shame to the family. It was difficult to take in at the time and even now cannot fully understand how this goes on.
Staying with this, Danielle a fellow English Change Agent and I somehow got talking to the owner of the boat last night in the karaoke bar and the next thing we knew, we had scheduled a meeting later the next day, feeling rather privileged. True to his word we sat down with _____ in the afternoon to discuss Hikikomori in more detail and other problems facing young people in Japan, most of which have historically have been given hardly any coverage until now. He was immensely proud that the Peace Boat works as a good tool to get young people to escape from Hikikomori but problems also facing young people and society do not end there.
A fact I find hard to accept (and if internet resources were available would certainly double check) was that the suicide rate in Japan can rise to 20% of the population. Imagine one in 5 people you know taking their own life. Again bringing shame on one's self or family is the reasoning behind it, with something like bankruptcy or homelessness a common example, as they see this as repayment for their errors. It's certainly something I will look in to further once home.
The ship arrives at the Philippines tomorrow afternoon and we have a busy programme planned as expected. We start by introducing the YMCA to over 500 university students in Cebu before meeting the mayor and staying the evening in Cebu YMCA. By 6:30am on Friday we will be on our way to help serve breakfast to homeless and vulnerable members of the Filipino society. Whilst this is something I am used to in my role of employment, I haven't got a clue how I will take seeing so many young people in these situations that we're told to expect. I hope that I can keep it together and genuinely look forward to meeting the worst off in the Philippines. For YMCA movements - mostly outside of the UK - who don't do a great deal of work with vulnerable people I hope it will encourage them to engage more in this line of aid and support.
I hope to report back when we return to the Peace Boat on Thursday... our time!
Chris
Thanks Chris for another great post. It is very interesting to hear about issues that I have never come across. Looking forward to hearing about the Cebu YMCA and the breakfast serving in the Philippines,
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