Journal Entries

It was my first Fieldwork time. I went to Chartwell Ridgepointe with Chisato.

October 12th Wednesday

I was so nervous because I’ve never experienced working in Canada. I was worried about many things. However, it’s already changed my opinion before I started this fieldwork. It was so exciting for me. It was warm for me to work there. I could talk with some residents for two days. Working in a foreign country has different environment. It is difficult for me to understand English at many times. However, I could talk and hear English. I want to work there more and improve my English skills. I was painting color books with one residents. Her paint was so colorful and beautiful. We painted it in this day. I painted Halloween illustration at that time. I spent comfortable time.

October 13th Thursday

We were moving our body by exercise with some residents in this morning. I was nervous because I was worried about talking with residents in English well. I couldn’t talk with them well, but it couldn’t be helped. Because it was my first volunteer work in Canada. We decorated fall goods around lounge. When we were decorating the table, one senior told me. “This place is used for Bingo, so you should clean up the decorations on the desk.” She said that it should be strictly for the theater room. I was sad a little when she told us. However, we cleaned up the desk. So, we would answer residents order. we need to respond for their order about anything.

November 9th Wednesday

I could talk with residents at many times. Also, I talked with them by myself. They were so kind. I talked with one woman. She solved cross word quiz. I solved some questions with her. I could get new words from this quiz. Also she said to me. “Your English is good. If you can’t hear words, you should say. Could you pronounce slowly please?” I think this word is important for me to learn English. So, I will use it from now on. We joined the riddle game with residents after lunch. We tried to solve 3 types of riddle. Most of the resident answered early. I respected their power of thinking.

November 10th Thursday

Today, I tried to talk with residents by myself, too. I talked with one woman. She gave me yogurt in her room. It was made by her son’s wife. The taste was a little sweet and feeling of food was pop. She was so kind. After lunch, we tried to join Bingo. This game was played every Thursday, but we’ve never participated in it before. We were excited. If there’s a hole in the indicated form, It’s Bingo. I did Bingo at second time, I was happy. However, I was sleepy because people were quiet. I was fun.

Sometimes residents couldn’t hear my voice. Because my voice was small. I should say big voice and make a gesture during the conversation.

I couldn’t join fieldwork in this week because I was sick. I had cough at many times. It was easy for residents to catch a cold, so I was absent from fieldwork. I was sad because I couldn’t get English skills. I lost opportunity of English. Also, I couldn’t talk with residents. I wanted to talk with them. Chisato said some residents worried about my condition. I was so happy.

November 23th Wednesday

Chisato and I held Japanese quiz competition. We suggested about it to Leanne. She agreed with this suggestion. We prepared something for quiz. We thought about 10 questions and explanations. Also, we painted 10 illustrations in each question at our home. There were many residents in lounge to join our quiz. We were so nervous, but I was fun in this time. Leanne helped us when we said each question. We asked a question about Japanese national flower. some residents answered cherry blossom. They’ve already known about it. We gave 4 presents for 4 people who got high points. They looked happy. We were happy, too.

November 24th Thursday

This day was last fieldwork day, so my feeling was sad. In fact, we couldn’t talk with residents well. We connected the thread to hang the snowflakes on the restaurant’s ceiling. There were many types of snowflake. They were so cute! Also, we created paper flower after lunch. We had to prepare many paper flowers until dance party. We were so tired, but we could create many gorgeous flowers. We took some pictures with staffs and residents. I want to cherish them. I will never forget this experience. I don’t know if my English has improved during this fieldwork, but I could spend good time for 2 months. Thank you for everyone.

October 19th Wednesday

We met Leanne at first time because she couldn’t be here last week. We were wadoing exercise in the morning. It was held every Wednesday morning. We were packing snacks with residents for Halloween. We entered snacks in vinyl gloves. We put candy in each finger, and we put 2 or 3 gummy candies. These snacks presented for children when they will say “trick or treat!”. Residents tried to put many snacks in the gloves. We were attaching seals in the book for the library. We attached them when I checked name of the author. Bell was ringing in the building suddenly. We were surprised. It was fire drill. It is one of the training to protect building from fire. so, we checked outside with staff whether there is anything dangerous or not.

October 20th Thursday

We organized some decorating goods in this day. We cleaned up Fall season and New Year’s goods. It was not clean, so we tried to clean completely. I didn’t know meaning “organize” . I told Leanne. It means clean up. I could get new English words. It was so hard work ,but it was fun for me to concentrate one thing. I couldn’t understand and talk with residents during conversation. I was frustrated . I want to understand English more. Also, I try to talk with residents little by little. I should ask them questions when I can’t understand meaning.

November 2nd Wednesday

We helped the kitchen. We organized cutlery. One woman staff was very kind for us. She  was interested in Japanese, so we taught her some Japanese. Children says Kodomo. Mother says Okasan. She said Kodomo for us from this day.

I joined Java club after lunch. This club looked like conversation about many thing with residents. I tried to hear English from them,but it was so hard for me to understand English clearly. Residents came back their room when the club finished. The door was closing. I fixed the door by the band when residents went to outside. It was easy for them to go outside. I raised some people about it.I could help people in need ,so I was happy.

November 3rd Thursday

This day was so short fieldwork. I joined exercise with residents. We used a ball each other. We loosened our body by it. It was good exercise for me. Especially, we put the ball between our feet and lifted it. It was hard work, but most of residents could lift their ball. I was surprised because they were active. I organized many uniforms after exercise. Their sizes were bigger than Japanese uniform. I could go back home before 1 p.m..

October 26th Wednesday

I went to Chartwell by myself because Chisato was absent from fieldwork in this week. So, I had to do by myself. I was worried about it. I decorated pumpkin with residents. I painted pumpkin. I draw character. It was good. Resident’s pumpkins were so cute, and they were creatively. I had good time. I helped one resident because he spread coffee on the floor. I wiped off there with some residents. I cleaned up. He said me “Thank you“. It was happy for me to say Thank you from someone.

October 27th Thursday

I organized many documents. I had to arrange last name in alphabetical order. I couldn’t understand “Last name“ and “First name” completely. I confused. I collected documents in each alphabet. It took about one hour and a half. I told one staff ” I’m done”. She raised me, and she said “Wonderful”. It was so hard work. I could talk with some residents well in this week. They responded me with  their smile. I could do some tasks by myself. It was nice experience for me!