I started this CIP thinking that I would be spending most of my time playing with the children of the hospital, setting up activities and helping to make sure these activities went smoothly. This hasn’t been the case! Because of my schedule, I actually end up spending more time with the other volunteers and the leaders of Nico Tomato – namely Kanda-san and her wonderful crew of eager workers.  It is a different experience from what I expected, but I have come away with some interesting insights into the social hierarchy of Japanese volunteer groups, and more than enough hospital gossip. The times I did get to play with the kids were few, but memorable. One time I was waiting in the hallway for a coworker and a kid in a wheelchair stopped next to me, flipped open his DS and showed me how to play the game he had. I recorded some simple English phrases, and he repeated them – very cute!

Reflecting on my time with Nico Tomato, more than anything I hope I was a little helpful to the group. Even though I often couldn’t be there for activities, I usually helped with busywork – assembling cards, organizing newsletters, delivering things from one section of the building to the other. The ensuing conversations were always interesting. For example, I entered into a debate about how the annual Christmas card should look (and the Christmas card is indeed a serious matter, the amount of effort that goes into these holiday cards is almost staggering), but I realize I had never been put into an argumentative situation before. I sat back and listened to how the other workers suggested changes to their superior, who was making all of the final decisions. I learned how to politely argue! I hope I convinced Kanda-san that the red ribbon was better, in the end. Some things I really loved about my experiences with Nico Tomato were getting to see these glimpses of daily life, of learning Japanese perspective on things like Halloween, American style weddings, and being able to provide answering foreign perspective to an equally interested audience. I’m thankful that I was able to spend time at Nico Tomato! It felt like a short time, but I always felt welcomed by Kanda-san and the rest of the volunteers.