My home town in Kazakhstan,

Dec. 19. 2010


As I wrote before, I've been staying with a family at a travel agency where I accidentally jumped in to get a ferry ticket. Employees here are so nicely treating me. Thank you!! My bed is much more gorgeous than mine in Japan. Thanks!!


Since this is my home in Aktau, Kazakhstan, I have made lots of friends such as a lady selling snacks on the street, a guy at a Turkish restaurant, folks at a mobile phone store, and kids at a local school. They say "Hey Chu, kahk dyeh-LAH?? (How are you in Russian)" so friendly. I, of course, smile back to them, and I even showed my moon-walk today. Whenever I greeted and talk with them, the time to say good by gets closer. Tonight, a ferry to Azerbaijan decided to leave, I was in a very hurry to pack my stuff... "Chu, don't be so hurry. I still haven't introduced good foods to you yet." My Kazakh dad said. This is the only moment I hate in this travel.


I could only look up a five-star hotel in this time here, but I will invite this family to here when I came back with more successes. I will feed you guys expensive sushi, and I will present women at my Kazakh house Shiseido's cosmetics.

I wrote before that I would make Aktau the most memorable city in my travel when I had no information about this town. Now, I want to call it as my home town in Kazakhstan.


Good bye Aktau.


Go for it!! Chuji,

Over the Caspian sea,

Dec. 18. 2010


I arrived in Aktau in Kazakhstan. This town faces to the Caspian sea. I finally feel that my final destination, Istanbul, is getting close because of this ocean. Folks who can't imagine how far from Xian to Istanbul, just Google map the way, and you will see even Google can't find a way. My origami project looks good too. I didn't have any connection in this town, but already two schools are getting ready to welcome me.


I have been staying at a hotel since I arrived here two days ago, and today, I was offered a place to sleep by a local family. I was at a travel agency to purchase a ferry ticket, and the owner of this store offered the deal me. "We have a place to sleep and foods for you."　His wife said that I am the very picture of her second sun who is studying in Beijing, and his bed will be mine. Good job, second boy. Aktau was the most unclear town because of limited information, but it doesn't even matter to the lucky boy.


But I had terrible experiences to here from the last departure, Bukhara. I didn't understand why people's characteristic change that much in different locations. First of all right before my departure at Bukhara, my stupid bank in the US closed my checking account because they found my money had been withdrawn in so many countries. "Isn't what you always annoyingly saying INTERNATIONAL means? Open my account right now. This is all my money!!" Taxi driver said "Are you passing the board between here (Uzbekistan) and Kazakhstan? Sure thing, I'm an international taxi driver!!" He kicked me out from his car right in front of the boarder.　Since I was 100% right, I quarreled with the driver, but I certainly became quiet and decided to find another driver over the boarder because I noticed muzzles of huge guns handed by soldiers were pointing at my head. I hate to lie for even a penny, but I shouldn't die in such a middle of desert. I hitchhiked in Kazakhstan, and the driver left me in front of only one small restaurant in a village ...I think we miss-communicated... The lady at the restaurant was such a unfriendly!! "Do you want me to write a map to a closest station? **Tenge (Local currency)." "Do you want to make a call from here? **Tenge." "Do you want this piece of bred? **Tenge" She asks me to pay money even for a piece of bred...(But I stole some pieces of bred and cheese to survive!!! BTW, they were not their business. They are their snack.) "Can I use your bathroom?" I asked, and the toilet tissue was somehow free, so I used it much much more than I needed. Time was almost 5pm, and it meant that it had passed 24h since I left Bukhara. "I gave up. I will wait for a car by sleeping here." At the moment when I was about to be ready to sleep on the road, I found a local guy. He looked busy but I could resolve all problems I had such as ATM, foods, and transportation to Aktau because of his help.


"All about money." This is what I learned from today. That was sad to have such experiences, but this is true, and even I was sticking with some small money. So, this is my fault.


"You have to be cooler guy." I've kept saying this to me in these days.


Over the Caspian Sea, Istanbul is almost there.


Gor for it!! Chuji,

Wonderful time of life,

Dec. 17. 2010


In Bukhara, Uzbekistan, I'm visiting a junior high school today. I don't understand their Russian, but looks like they are studying science. It's always fun and tiring to see kids. Some kids are carefully listening to their teacher, some are rising their hands a lot, some are textinn under tables, some are playing with chess (They are inviting me to play together.)... Diverse characteristics entertain me!! 



And now, I'm remembering when I was like them. I was only exited by PE and music classes. Other than that, school was where I create something funny. Oh I think I had a girlfriend. Friends in this time of my life are still best friends, and we gather to laugh forever whenever I got back to Japan. And also, I now know that the teacher in front of this class room has a lot of wonder and harshness in her life even now. Adults are not so mature and stable as much as kids think.



"Aging doesn't mean you understand everything. We struggle forever, and even adults don't know what happens in the next second. But there are more fun than tough things if you tried to see so. Dreams and happiness are in your charge. What you have to do now is study a little, play with your friends a lot, have a nice girl friend or boyfriend, listen to your parents and teachers, and ignore them. I envy your age guys!!"

I hope they will remember me and my saying at some points in their lives...



 Go for it!! Chuji,

History,

Dec. 14. 2010



 I arrived in Tashkent in the last night, and met a French girl. She and I've met twice before in Urumqi and Kashgar in China. Passing through Kyrgyzstan, we finally met again. What a wonderful experiences we had!! This beautiful woman is also traveling the Silk Road to west from east. I will take a north Silk Road, and she will take a south Silk Road from where we are now, Uzbekistan. Moreover, we were talking that we might be able to see each other again in Istanbul. She worked in China for a couple of years, and how she gets back to her country is where people used to took long time ago. I hope she enjoys her travel back to her home and we will cross each other soon. 

Uzbekistan is the third country in this travel. In the passed countries and culture, I prepared some small conversations in local languages such as thank you, I'm from Japan, and you are beautiful. Recently my note was finished, and got a new one. Not so much time has passed, but reviewing the previous note is very fun and nostalgic. Writing conversation with a Chinese lady in Beijing when I got lost on my way to my friend's house. (I thought conversation in our common character would be very easy, but not at all!!) Chinese phrases I learned from a guy at a restaurant in Xian. (He was almost upset because of my bad learning.) Tibetan I learned from a student in Lhasa, Tibet. (She actually was Chinese, and most of her Tibetan was wrong... Also, I hope someday Tibetan people can govern their own country and culture by themselves.) I listed visa information of countries I plan to go when I was staying in Kashgar. (I've already noticed that these info on Google is not useful at all.) Kyrgyz and Russian filled out my note recently. (Kyrgyzstan was incredible cool country.) There is a lot of history. I can't wait what words will show up on my note.


History is not only on my note, but also in my relationship like the French girl.


I will move to a city called Bukhara. I heard this city is the most historical city in this country. 


History. What wonderful to see it, and what wonderful to make it.


I will make a new history of Chuji with local people.


Go for it!! Chuji,

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,