On July 7th, I held my last Global Community Café at AOZ. It was a cooking class during which I taught the participants how to make Apple Ginger Spice Muffins. As with the last cooking class we held, it started with a demonstration, before breaking off into groups to work on the recipe together. As before, some people worked faster than others, but there were smiles all around; cooking isn’t a race after all. While the muffins baked in the ovens, we discussed gender roles at home, who should typically do the dishes? Cook meals? Do laundry? When the muffins made their way out of the ovens, we packed them into nice little bags before preparing to say goodbye. I was surprised to be presented with a lovely bouquet and a kind card from my regulars. It has truly been an honor and a blessing to have been in charge of this project, and I am so grateful for all the people that I have been able to meet through it.
I have spent 3 years working as the Coordinator for International Relations at the Fukushima International Association and the Global Community Café has been the one project that I had real control over. I’m grateful for all the love and support I have received from the people of Fukushima and the foreign residents who have lent me their strength over the years. It has been my honor to serve as the CIR here, and I hope that everyone will extend the same warm hand to my successor when she arrives. Thank you for the years, the experience, and the warm memories, citizens of Fukushima.