Invisible things,

Dec. 11. 2010


I finally got Kazakh and Uzubek visas!! That was ver struggling experience to get them, but I got them!! Here in Kyrgyzstan, I have learned a lot of things. I think I have learned more than I notice now.


Okay, now, the number of origami is almost 700. This number was stuck when I was in China because of some political problems that I couldn't even resolve. "It might be tough..." I thought, but my goal, 1000, became became very realistic!! I think Kyrgyzstan will be the country where I gained the most origamis. Staff at CACSA, JICA, teachers at elementary schools, and a beautiful lady sat next to me at a ballet concert...I want thank all of them for their support. It should be fun in Uzbekistan too!!

Once I took an action, local people response ten times bigger enthusiasm. Who told me this country is dangerous?


But I have been thinking that I'm focusing on the number of origami and arriving Istanbul too much in these days. This is how I shouldn't be. Of course, this go-getter-Chuji always achieves own goals, but the most important stuff is not to gather origami. It's to know dreams, ideas, and values of local people through the origami activity. It's not to arrive in Istanbul. It's to see as many countries, ethical groups, and societies as possible.


 "Bags filled out with full of origami and passport filled out with many stamps don't make anything" this is what I say to me before going be in this travel.


I have to be aware of more things that can't be seen. These are much more important than things I can see and count.


I will enter Uzbekistan tomorrow.
I want to absorb more.
I want to improve myself more.


Invisible things are important!!

Go for it!! Chuji,

Chuji capital, Aktau

Dec. 7. 2010


As I wrote before, my travel is supported by many locals. These people are not only in my current location, Bishkek, but also in Osh, Rishton, and Tashkent. Those who sympathized with my project offer me places to seep, transportation, and their culture. Because of them, many cities are already "ready". What I have to do in this tough travel is just to visit there. This is it. For example, I already have a place to sleep in my final destination, Istanbul, Turkey.


However, there are still places about which I haven't gotten an enough information especially in Central Asia. Sometime even my best partner Google doesn't know anything about these rural regions. In these cities, what I can do is only to visit and see what's going on there. Aktau in Kazakhstan is one of the mystery cities. This city faces the Caspian sea. I only know about this city that the Kazakh government recently appointed as a special economic zone probably because of oil from the sea. Other than that, I have no idea about this unknown city. I have been asking people in Kyrgyzstan information about Aktau. but no one has any exiting relation over there.


So,,, I decided that I make legendary meetings in Aktau, and make this city the most memorable location in my travel. I am making a thousand origamis with a thousand people I meet in the Silk Road. Why can't I do it. People. This is the ultimate purpose of my Silk Road travel, and this is also asset in my life.


Make people love me.
Draw them with my centripetal force.

"Wow, you survived even in such a middle of nowhere!!!" I have to make people like this after leaving Aktau.


>I will stay at someone's place in Aktau not at hotel.
>Visit at least one public institution to make origami.
 I will commit myself to achieve these two goals in the hardest town, Aktau. At this moment (I am in Kyrgyzstan right now), I know no body in Aktau, and no clew how to make the goals.

Middle of nowhere, Aktau will be called the Chuji capital, Aktau.


 Go for it!! Chuji,

A boy got a new dream.

Dec. 7. 2010



The last weekend in Bishkek, I visited a primary school to work on my Origami project.



I created this project because origami is internationally famous, and so I can easily offer Japanese cultural experiences to local people. I would be sightseeing in the Silk Road if I didn't have this project. Because of this papers, I have been achieving the purpose of travel "Communicating with locals and see the world from their perspectives". Whenever I achieve the goal, I appreciate my creativity!!



But I can't proceed the project only by myself. I need to have at least 1000 origami makers, organizer, and translator to explain about origami and Chuji in a local language such as Chinese and Russian. In this weekend, one boy thankfully helped me out. His name is Gregory age 11 from the US. He came to Bishkek because of his dad's job. He worked for my activity at four classes in two days. I could communicate with teachers and students without any problem because of him.

He is very cool guy. He always puts his hands in pockets and speaks American English. He explained who I am, what the project is, and he even remembered the story about Origami like the atomic bombs in Hiroshima... The smart guy even adviced me how to conduct a class, and he even managed time scheduling in classes. "Chuji, I think we'd better go to the next step" stuff like this...



This 11 years old boy was very smart.



"Thank you very much Greg!! Let me have your drink, snack, or even stationary is fine. I owe  you a lot!!" But he said "I think I would like to make another origami. I wrote that I want to have video games and email address, but I think I would like to write the peace of the world as my dream. My dream has changed while I was explaining about origami's story."



"OMG, Greg!! That's what I wanted to hear from kids in the world!!" I was almost crying.
"But, I can't allow you to do that because I made a rule that a person makes only one... So, I will make one for you now, and you can bring it back to your home. Is this fair?" I was very sorry for him but I wanted to go straight with the rule I made before leaving Japan.



"That's cool. And talk to me when you come to the US. You can go to museums and concert in Manhattan." I've never met a kid like him before... He is still 11 years old.



"See you Chuji!!"



He was very cool even at the very end, but I'm sure he will be looking at the origami I gave him with his cute smiling face.



Because I wrote "I wish Greg's dream "The peace of the world" will come true."



Greg, I wasn't as cool as you are when I was a kid like you. But now, I'm slightly cooler than you. I hope our future cross each other in someday!!



Go for it!! Chuji,

Confusing

Dec.6. 2010




"See and understand how the world works, and find what to do for it." That was my expectation before leaving my country. But actual fact is that the mystery of world got much more complicated than before.



The tangled thread of the world, which many of us are trying to untie, is actually wanted by other people, and an individual thread in the tangled thread needs to be untied first... I can't write a concrete explanation, but things in the world are complicated anyway. Only a thing I understood is that guys, who selfimportantly explain how the world goes on the TV, in article and class room, are the ones who understand nothing.



"I got confused again..."



That's what I have been continuously saying in this travel.



I went to an orphanage in Bishkek, and this place was where I got "I got confused again" too. As I wrote, my experience to visit an orphanage in Tibet was wonderful. Yet, kids in Bishkek were a little bit different. "I wanna see my mom", "I wanna be run away from here", "I want violence to go away from my life",,,they wrote things we don't want to listen to but we should listen to on their origami as their dreams. By the way, kids at primary schools in Bishkek, their dreams were "Mercedes", "Supernatural power", "Computer".

It's always easy to be sorry for such unlucky people like the kids at orphanage, but I would like to resolve such issues as a player rather than as a watcher. I still haven't figured out why kids in Tibet and Bishkek are so different, what I can do for the fact, whether they are really happy with my help, whether things they feel happy are real happiness for them, maybe they are already happier than me...



It's not only about the kids at orphanage, but 100 "I got confused" comes up whenever I got a fact.


I got confused, and I don't know...


I don't know how to conclude my writing today too...


I hope I will find something initiate me.


Go for it!! Chuji,

CACSA

1. Dec. 2010


During my stay in Kyrgyzstan, an NPO CACSA takes care of this Japanese boy. They offer me the internet at their office, introducing people and institution to visit for my Origami project. They help local craft industry through fair trade business. Many Kyrgyz, especially those who are out of city, are given revenue resources because of CACSA. The crafts are mainly exported in the US and Europe.


Before leaving Japan, I had a list of hostels and coach surfings in cities where I was going to visit. These institutions are incredibly helpful for backpackers. But now, a local woman shares a room of her apartment for free. It looks like I don't need these hostel stuff anymore.


As long as I'm enthusiasm and not self center, many local people help me out. Whenever I get such helps, my enthusiasm burn more and more. I have to increase the number of such supporters of mine in this travel.


Start with nothing, and achieve a goal no matter how the goal is far away...this travel is like a my life in miniature. If I can do this now, I can do same challenges in my life too. This is why I must achieve the impossible goal gathering 1000 origamis with local's dreams in my travel.


I think I'm successfully picturizing and actuarizing such image in my travel.


Any difficulty and danger are so welcome!!
Please beat me so I can beat you!!

I will stay in Kyrgyzstan few more days. I can't wait to see how many helps will show up for Chuji.


Go for it!! Chuji,

Ustatshakirt

29.Nov.2010 In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, there is a NPO called Center Ustatshakirt. Kyrgyzstan lost its own national music instruments since they became a part of USSR. Ustatshakirt works to keep and take over the historical music and musicians for coming generations. Very talented students, age from 13-20's, gathered to take practices with no tuition. Most of them usually go to school, and practice at Ustatshakirt after school and weekend.


These geniuses intend to active even oversea to tell the wonderful culture other countries. Therefore, Ustatshakirt even provides some PCs and English class for the international purpose.


Chuji's definition of music is Karaoke, and music ability is extremely poor. But they thankfully showed their performance only for me. "I envy you that you can live in Japan" They said like that, but sorry, I envy your talent!!! I never experienced to express my feeling or idea with music as I have to type my words right now.


The traditional music instruments are made of local materials such as woods, horse's hair. I was just like in a great field of grass in Kyrgyzstan when I was listening to them.


 "How come,,,,how come I can't play any music..." It was so sad that I couldn't join them... I actually had done previewing the Central Asian Music before visiting them, but now, I'm one of big fans of Kyrgyz music!! It's also so wonderful that talented students (kids) can learn whatever they are good at without external interrupts such as money.


 Now, I'm arrived where I'm staying Bishkek, but their great music doesn't leave my brain. And I just decided. I will ask them to play behind me when I debut as a singer!!

Go for it!! Chuji,

Smile

Nov. 29. 2010



I applied for the Uzbekistan visa today, and I'm going to get the one in next week. The Uzbekistan Embassy in Kyrgyzstan is generally told as the most unfriendly embassy in Central Asia between back packers. Someone online said "I think they do smile,,, once a year."


"Okay, I don't know who they are yet, but I will make them smile  no matter who they are!!" I was so exited to bring my smile in front of the people at the embassy.


Put a piece of paper and a pen in my left pocket to write name of people,
Put my iPod to show them pictures I have taken in this travel,
Put a Silk Road map in my backpack to explain the rout I have passed.
And I bought a porn card to catch their heart on my way to the embassy.


After waiting in line for a while, finally my turn came, and I had to open two doors to get in the building. A guy, who is like super Mario, was sitting just the end of the floor over a heavy glazed wall.


"Hi!!"

...


"How are you?"


so so...


"Are you a Kyrgyz?"


Uzbek...


"What is your name?"


"Muzaffar"


He still has no smile.




I showed the porn card, the map, and the pictures to get close to him.


He smiled a little bit.


I showed my passport then.


I had put a crane origami between this passport as a surprise present for him.




"Did you like this? I made this for you because I thought you would like this Muzaffar!! haha... And... I would be so happy if you discounted my visa fee my friend..."


I didn't lose the moment when he showed me his front teeth, and I was very sure he would discount me only at that moment when he smiled.


"Chuji, you are a good boy. Your visa is only $15 and just 3 days from today."


Good job Muzaffar!!


I would hug him if there was no glazed wall between us.





Stamps I can get on my passport are only one in a country. Sightseeing spots and famous buildings don't change their shape. But I learned that even a person I meet in the travel shows me a number of expressions if I tried to make the one smile.



People, who I could meet in this travel in the other side of the world, and I met almost by a stroke of fate. I just decided to face these folks with as much effort as I can make.



"Chuji....I will practice your name's pronunciation by the time you come here next" Muzaffar said with his smile.



Who said people here smile only once a year?


He gave me his wonderful smile twice today.




Go for it!! Chuji,

Japanese societies in Kyrgyzstan and the world,

Nov. 26. 2010



I finally began my activity in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan yesterday. I was invited to a jazz concert by a Japanese guy. More than thirty Japanese in Bishkek gathered at the concert, and even a Japanese ambassador and the chief of JICA(Japanese International Corporation Agency) were there. Also, a Kyrgyz industrialist and a powerful Kyrgyz politician were there. I was just there to grab some free foods, but it was a big event for the Japanese society in Bishkek.


Here in Kyrgyzstan, contribution of Japanese people in local to Kyrgyzstan's development is huge. I heard a nationally recognized company Kyrgyzstan  became its current size because of enormous supports by Japanese people, and an academic course, in which Kyrgyz business people learn from Japanese entrepreneurs, is very popular. JICA also does contribute to the local society in terms of education and welfare. These reasons were why such important people gathered at the concert yesterday.



"I thank all Japanese people as a representation of citizen of Kyrgyzstan" the business guy said his Japanese at the end of party.




It's obvious that each nation has own history, and my country is related to the history in a different shape with another.



The history with China & Japan and Kyrgyzstan & Japan are different. Also Kyrgyzstan & China have a history.



I saw the international topic in China was almost always political something that I hate. But the thing exist in Kyrgyzstan as an international cooperation or support. This is so nice.



Not having direct influence on the world with a military power. This is a must for Japan. I think things I saw yesterday such as Inter-social support, educational, and welfare support are the way my country should go. This should be how we show our smartness as well as reliable cars and IT something.

　

It's easy that Anime goes over the sea, but I also want Japanese people to go over the sea with justice and mission. This is what Japan should accelerate as a country.



Oh I got to many things I want to do in my future. My to-do list is full of my dreams.


I hope I can find much more dreams in this country during my staying.


Looking at beautiful Kyrgyz women,,,, this is secondly.





Go for it!! Chuji,

Arrived in Bishkek,

Nov.25.2010

Arrived in Bishkek finally!! My healthy stomach is finally back!!

A professor, who teaches at Kyrgyz National University, offers me a place to sleep. I can't ignore local people help the crazy Japanese boy. It's not my intention, but someone feeds me at lest one meal in a day in this travel. I owe them so much!!

The atmosphere of myself has been totally changed since I got in Kyrgyzstan from China, The color is totally Soviet now. People's cloth, liquor they drink, faces and building construction. But the eastern culture still remains in Kyrgyzstan too. (e.g: They shake hands and kiss, but take off shoes in room. )

Since they became an independent country from USSR in 1991, police and other public systems are totally corrupted. "Run away if you saw police in Kyrgyzstan" That's what I heard from a visitor. I also heard that many people were killed during the revolution in April, 2010. 

Anyway, my travel in the second country got started. Do my best to learn the local society, and make origami as many as possible. 




All shoot guns and bombs, come to hit me, I won't die. hahaha---

Women are sooo beautiful here!!!!! hahaha----

спасибо, Chuji

Seirogan

Nov.24.2010

I safely passed the border of Kyrgyzstan from China. Staying in a town called Narin which is in between the border and the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. I want to make my plan in this country during my stay in this town, but a present from China doesn't allow me to do so. Diarrhea!!! I can't eat anything today... I woke up and took a medicine out from my backpack. Seirogan is a popular medicine for diarrhea in Japan. My grandma let me have it when I left Japan. I hope this will help me to recover from the disaster by tomorrow morning.

At this point, I haven't seen anything about Kyrgyzstan except mountains with snow, horses, and cows. But I think I'm glad that I'm traveling in the harsh winter season because I have already seeing how people are surviving with local custom and wisdom in the hard natural environment. This feeling is something Google doesn't tell us. There are too many things I don't know yet in this world.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving for the capital city, Bishkek in where many supportive friends' friends of Chuji are waiting for me. I have to recover for the supporters too. 

Madam at the place where I stay recommend me to have local hot tea and some dry fruits, but they don't know how this Seirogan from my grandma is effective...

Gor for it!! Chuji,