A letter from Ms. Sakurai 2
(We received another letter from a member of our volunteer staff Ms. Sakurai. Ms. Sakurai is currently living in the Marshall Islands and working as a member of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.)
Hello,
Long time, no speak. How have you and all the volunteer staff been?
I have been doing really well.
It’s already been 6 months since I arrived here, the time really does go fast.
Last week I went to a training seminar for diabetes at Ebeye Hospital.
To get to the small island of Ebeye you need to fly from the capital Majuro for about 1 hour to Kwajalein Atoll and then take a 10 minute boat ride.
The island itself is overcrowded, filled with huts and shacks and it felt like a slum.
There are children everywhere and because of the lack of cars on the road, the streets were alive even at night with children paying tag etc.
Throughout the seminar I had the opportunity to give 2 presentations.
I was quite nervous but it was a good experience for me.
I feel that diabetes really is a serious problem over here.
Yesterday we saw a female patient whose skin on her right foot had was rotting; it was so raw and distressing to look at.
In Japan I’m sure the doctors would have done something like control the diabetes with medicine before it got to this stage…
There are times when I do feel lost or confused but I’m happy that I could participate in this program and make it this far.
I’ll write again soon.
Mizuki Sakurai