subject: Day 3. July 12, 2012 [print this page] Just to confuse the issue, I am penning this on Saturday, July fourteen, 2012. Of course, this is Japanese time. It continues to be July 13 in the states. However, I decided to stay on US time as a lot of as attainable. At least I can do so for the dates of the entries. Now back to the real world.
Yesterday, July thirteen in Japan, July 12 within the US, was the primary real day of work and excitement, yeah right. On this present day once another sensible Japanese nutritious breakfast, (aside from the terribly little croissant I ate), Mr. Shirai, Yoshie, and I ready to meet with the Yokohama Guide Dog ssociation official who is bringing Africa the cardboard that made her an officer guide dog in Japan while she is here. Japan does have guide dog laws which permit Africa to accompany me anywhere. However, as the GDA official told me during our meeting many folks do not know concerning the law and are uneducated regarding guide dogs. He was worried that we tend to would possibly be denied access thus he wished Africa to be a politician Japanese guide dog with all the rights there of. He said that if we have a tendency to had any troubles that I was to do my best to help educate and decision him if necessary. I explained that Japan was no totally different than the US which we had masses of teaching to try and do in our own country. He felt better for this.
Once our 1030 meeting with the official we tend to filed into a Van for our 1st trek into Tokyo. The trip took nearly an hour and a [*fr1] thanks to heavy traffic, (it's everywhere). Our trip to Tokyo was for the aim of getting my first press conference to introduce our trip to the media. The conference was scheduled for 2 o'clock at the federal building housing the health ministry. We arrived early so we tend to went to the 26th floor for lunch. I had some pretty smart tuna over rice that I will only describe as a California roll without the avocado and also the tuna flattened instead of in an exceedingly role. I have never gotten the suspend of chopsticks so I used a spoon and fork. What a wuss I am.
At two PM we tend to entered the ninth floor space where the press conference was to be held. Nine members of the press were already there. Mr. Shirai gave a temporary introduction and then it had been my flip to speak with translation provided by Yoshie. Mr. Shirai asked me to hide 3 basic points.
1. The similarities of the consequences of the tragedies of nine/11 and last year's March eleven earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster in Japan.
2.The use of guide dogs and how they profit the lives of blind people.
3.The physically challenged businessman's conference that Mr. Shirai has started which will happen on July 20.
Of course, Mr. Shirai needed me to speak about thunder dog and show the Japanese version of the book. Throughout my speak four or five a lot of people arrived. We tend to really had a reasonably good conference and smart attendance thus Team Africa felt.
I spoke regarding twenty five min. and then opened the floor for queries. At first the press was hesitant to raise queries, (go figure). This is often in fact to me pretty typical of individuals who are afraid to speak with a blind person. With a little bit of work we have a tendency to got over that and therefore the questions flowed freely. There were some smart queries regarding blindness and concerning the writing of thunder dog. And every one I agree it had been a great press conference.
The press conference was over by 3 PM. We have a tendency to all climbed aboard the van and came to Yokohama and the rose hotel for the "party" which was to introduce me to all or any the organizations and people who sponsored Mr. Shirai's efforts and created this trip potential. We tend to arrived to the hotel concerning 415. We tend to met in my room for a few moments to go over party logistics. At 5 PM I went right down to the third floor room where the party was to be held.
It had been pretty quiet once I walked into the space but as I was cited around of applause exploded. thirty five people plus wives and Associates were invited.
The first issue on the agenda were a few speeches from the lead sponsors together with representatives of Sony Life Insurance, Daiwa House a serious housing developer that assisted greatly in providing mobile homes for individuals once last year's earthquake, and different colleagues, business associates, and friends of Mr. Shirai who assisted in making my trip doable.
Then it had been my turn to face and thank everybody for his or her hospitality and support. With Yoshie translating I described a number of the history of thunder dog and a small amount regarding my experiences in the World Trade Center.
Next came a champagne toast. The toast was delivered by Mr. Ito, an eighty seven-year-recent man, a member of Team Africa, and a close friend of Mr. Shirai. I was asked to reply and once more thanked everybody for their support and said that irrespective of what I had to say there was nothing higher than listening to the wisdom of an 87-year-recent man.
Once a touch of time for some of the courses of dinner to be served Masako, a book translator was introduced. The surprise she brought was the announcement that she had translated which Mr. Shirai had revealed Pamela Bauer Mueller's book, "Hello Goodbye I Love You". As some of you will apprehend I wrote the forward for that book. I learned that Mr. Shirai had been bombarded by requests to publish the book from 2 continents. Masako had contacted him. Conjointly, Pamela had asked me for help to find a Japanese publisher and, in fact, I sent her straight to Yoshi and Mr. Shirai. The book can be released officially on July seventeen, however copies were obtainable for sale at the party. Most everybody had already scan "Thunder Dog" and had copies on behalf of me to sign. Thus, "Hello Goodbye I Love You" was the large seller that night. I now have my very own personal copy of Pamela's book in Japanese.
The party lasted till nearly 730. With the serving of desert, coconut milk, everybody quickly disbanded and went on their way. On behalf of me, it had been quite a sudden finish, however I guess that's the way things are done here. I am told everybody was quite happy and had a great time. It seemed that way to me, however it was nice to get verification from Yoshie.
Let me tell you a touch more concerning Yoshie. As I mentioned in a previous blog, she was the translator of "Thunder Dog". Further, she was my primary conduit to Mr. Shirai and every one parties Japan during our preparations for this trip. Currently, she is my primary eyes and ears when it involves knowing what people are talking regarding. I even have noticed that when I speak to a cluster it helps her on behalf of me to speak slowly and say solely one sentence at a time. She encompasses a little bit of a troublesome time and keeping up with me thus I do my best to create it easy for her. As difficult because it may be for her to interpret my speech to Japanese audiences I think she has even a tougher time translating rapidfire Japanese speech into English for me. Even thus, we have a tendency to are both having a great time and keeping up. She also helps me with finding places for Africa to "do her business" and, she keeps Africa out of trouble when Africa goes for chewing gum wrappers and tissue on the bottom. As Tony Vucci says, "Africa is part Billy goat". The joys of managing a 5-year-previous!
After the party was over Yoshie and I took Africa out one final time and then I headed back to my area for bed. 1st, I had to decision the NFB national Center to speak with Mark Riccobono regarding an idea for a project. A lot of regarding that later. The me simply say, we tend to came up with an exciting plan and arrange to help individuals learn more about blindness. When conversing, and resting a touch Africa and I visited bed. Tomorrow will be my first big speaking day. It does not get additional exciting than this.
