JICAと三重大学で結んだ海外協力隊の連携派遣事業。第1陣として私の指導生がガーナに到着。

1997年12月、私も協力隊としてザンビアへ。その時の感覚がふつふつと。期待よりも不安の方が大きかったことを思い出す。その後の半年間は、言葉が上手く通じないことに加えて、目を疑うようなカルチャーギャップと、縄文時代にタイムスリップしたような原始的な生活に、身も心も打ちのめされる日々。しかし、それを乗り越えてからは、その後の人生に大きな影響を与える貴重な経験と楽しい思い出の数々。

きっと彼もそうした浮き沈みを経験するに違いない。健康にだけは細心の注意を払いつつ、この事業の醍醐味を存分に味わって欲しい。

“Remembering”

The collaborative dispatch program between JICA and Mie University for overseas cooperation volunteers. My student has arrived in Ghana as part of the first group.

In December 1997, I too went to Zambia as a cooperation volunteer. Those feelings are bubbling up again. I remember that my anxiety was greater than my expectations. For the following six months, in addition to the difficulty in communicating effectively, I was overwhelmed both physically and mentally by the unbelievable culture shock and the primitive lifestyle that felt like time-traveling back to the Jomon period. However, after overcoming those challenges, it became a valuable experience that greatly influenced my later life, along with many enjoyable memories.

Surely, he will also experience such ups and downs. While paying utmost attention to his health, I hope he fully savors the essence of this program.