It was weird to leave the doors of the center knowing that I won’t be going in to work everyday.  Working at the ESGVJCC was a wonderful experience. I got along so well with the staff and members of the center.  What I learned, and what is quite unique about the ESGVJCC, is that we are so lucky to have such dedicated and hardworking members.  The devotion and commitment that the ESGVJCC members possess is truly valuable and rare.

Thank you to all who have contributed to the valuable and positive experience that I had working here, Not only am do I feel a part of this center, I feel that the center is, now, a part of me.

Our Mural Project:

Entitled: The Roots of Our Generation

We used a Matsu Tree to symbolize the History of Japanese America.  The mountains in the background represent the San Gabriel Mountains. The ship signifies the first wave of Japanese immigrants coming to America.  With each tree branch, it represents the generation of Japanese Americans. The first branch is the Issei (first generation). The second branch represents Nisei (second generation).  The third generation represents Sansei (third generation).  The last branch represents Yonsei (fourth generation) and the future generations.  With each bush, we chose a quote we liked that best represent that generation.  110,000 means the number of Japanese and Japanese Americans interned in WW2. In the top most branch, we had the tree forming into silhouettes of doves.  The doves are flying into the sun.  We wanted the sun to be a combination of a Japanese and American flag.  In a sense, the doves are flying into the future of Japanese America.  

The Completed Tanabata Project! Our finished Tanabata is now hanging in Little Tokyo at the Tanabata Festival!

The last and final weeks at my CBO was hectic. The exchange students from Ohtawara Japan finally came, so I was preparing/finalizing the activity schedule.  It was fun to see the interactions of the host families and exchange students. I attended the West Covina City Tour day with them. We visited the Police Department (got to walk into a live jail!), City Hall, Fire Station, and the Big League Dream baseball Fields (Mini baseball stadium replicas of Angels, Dogers, and a Chicago team).  

 I had to turn on the superFLASH FAST mode on the mural project. WIth paint splattering everywhere, wrist in constant motion stroking the paint on the canvas. Finally at about 9:45pm on Monday, we finished. My supervisor so kindly took us out to eat at Elephant Bar for dinner after.

The following days were filled with activities for the exchange students. On Tuesday, I went to the California Science Center, Little Tokyo, and Olvera Street.  It was pretty cool to walk around the California Science Center. Reminded me of my childhood.  I also attempted at practice my Japanese to them.  It think I got some words right, but this epic fail was a lesson learned for me to brush up more on my Japanese.

After the activities, I went out to dinner with my supervisors, Aya (the Board President), the deputy city manager of West Covina, and the Ohtawara chaperones of the exchange program.  As an annual tradition, George and Ruri Sugimoto, the donor of the ESGVJCC new Social Hall , took the staff out to dinner.  The dinner was at Sesame Grill in Arcadia.  I’d have to say, that dinner was super fancy and super delicious.  

On Wednesday, I went to the Hollywood Day with the exchange students.  We first started out at the Autry Museum.  Then headed In N Out for Lunch.  Lastly, the group made a trip to Hollywood and Highland.  I enjoyed seeing the people dressed up as characters from movies and such. A man did a great Captain Jack Sparrow impersonation.  I also watch Spiderman and Darth Vader get into a yelling argument, ending with Spiderman saying “I don’t care!”

Sadly, Wednesday was the last night for the exchange students.  As an annual tradition, Chef Sato and his wife prepared a delicious goodbye dinner feast. The dinner was also a goodbye dinner for the other intern and I.  Pearl honored us at the dinner and I was more than happy to give thank you speech to express our gratitude for all the work that Pearl and Brandon did for us! 

Chef Sato was actual the mastermind behind the creation of this exchange program. As this year marks the ten year anniversary of the Program, I’d say that this visit was yet, another success.  

After the exchange students left for LAX, Brandon and Pearl were so generous to take me out to brunch.  We went to Carrows and indulged in this delicious feast!  After, I worked a little on my last and final projects.  Pearl gave me the opportunity to write an article about the exchange program for the Rafu Shimpo (Japanese Newspaper stationed in Downtown LA little tokyo).

Yes!  With burning blisters on my hand from the hot glue gun, and creating a koi fish, the Tanabata is finally finished!!!! I was planning to take a picture of it tomorrow so that you all can see the awesome masterpiece!

Now tackling the Mural Project…..

A bit of a cheesy title, but I like it!!!

This past week marked the end of two things.  The end of the Senior Wellness Program and my computer class. Sniff.

The Leisure Club threw my supervisor a surprise Baby Shower.  We had baby-related Senior Wellness Programs.  We also created a baby-themed  bingo, word search, and memory game.  That day was the end of Leisure Club.  Well, not the end.  The Leisure Club and Senior Wellness Program will resume in a couple weeks.  It is just might be the last time that I will see all the seniors.  

On the last day of my computer class, I had them utilize all the skills that I taught them through the 4 weeks.  Each senior was assigned to make a flier or invitation.  One of my students Margaret brought dim sun for a “end of the class party.”  She is such a sweet person!  

It’s so weird how time flies by so fast.  It feels like I just started this internship, but I realize that I only have 2 more weeks left. Did I accidently fall into a time machine, which fast-forwarded me to 6 weeks later?  How was my computer class finished already?  I then realized that I haven’t started the construction of our two big project: The Tanabata and Mural

On a last and final note, the other intern and I finally found the perfect plastic clear bowls!!!  For our Tanabata Project, we wanted to make a fishbowl out of two plastic punch bowls.  We were looking everywhere for it.  The worse thing was that we couldn’t start the project without those two bowls. But we finally found it at Party City!  So I guess finding the two bowls was the END of our stress and we finally were able to start the project!!!

At the LEAP Board Lunch-in on Friday, I sat next to Margaret Aishida. I asked her the question of whether she knew what she wanted to do when she was in college.  Answer: Summary Form:

To try everything and anything out to see your what your like to do. If you don’t like something, just switch to something else.

I felt better after she gave me that answer. As an upcoming senior, I am constantly asked the question of, “So.. What are you going to do after college.”

I have ideas of what I might want to do. Problem is, I want to do so many things, I can’t find a way to summarize everything under 30 seconds. 

Her advice was very useful.  Going in to this internship, I had a mindset of going to graduate school after undergraduate.  Now, I am beginning to weigh in other options as well.  Maybe gaining more hands-on experience within the gap years of my undergraduate to graduate school. Traveling the world and teaching abroad?!

Just Do it! ( No pun on Nike)

Here are some updates, from the past 2 weeks. Week 4 was a short week at my CBO. I taught my Computer class, worked on the lesson plans for the Japanese Exchange Students and created a flier for the Keiro No Hi celebration. Keiro no Hi is a Japanese holiday which celebrates seniors. On Thursday, we had the LEAP Awards Dinner. I must say, it was a unique experience. I am not extremely comfortable in using my “networking skills.” But practice makes perfect. It was interesting to meet a variety of people, with only seeing a peek of what their work-life is like. At the start of the internship, I never saw myself as a being a leader of an organization. But I feel like I’ve grown so much since the start. I have headed a student-run club at school. But I never thought that I could somehow be the head of a larger group. Listening to the stories of the presenters and honorees, it inspired me to stop second-guessing myself. And…just do it.

On Saturday, I worked at my CBO’s first (in thirty years) Health Fair. The other intern and I worked from 7am for set up, check in, and clean up. I felt that this event was such great event that served the community. The Health Fair consisted of free screenings for eyes, back, dental, glucose check, and hearing. There were also other cool screenings like Reiki and Derma-skin. Derma-skin brought a machine where a black light is shinned on your face. A picture is taken and the dark patches on your face displays the skin damage. Seemed really cool!

At the Health Fair, I had the opportunity to converse a man who was born in the Manzanar incarceration camp. He was also telling me stories about his life growing up as a Japanese American in post-WW2 era. Additionally, I found out that he was the karate instructor for the center. He taught me how to do some cool karate moves! Silva, who also works with the senior wellness program, was also teaching some teach karate movies. Only starting Karate at age 40, she obtained a black belt in 12 years. Now, she is a Karate instructor. That’s amazing. I always wanted to do Karate, but thought I was too old to learn. But she taught me a valuable lesson: You are never too old for anything. If you want to do it, JUST DO IT!

That theme seemed to resonate quite a lot throughout this week. If your are in a slump and are unsure of what to do. Go with your gut feeling, take a deep breath, and JUST DO IT!

Week 3!

I finally finished the schedule for the Ohtawara student exchange program!!!  It was quite stressful to narrow down all the activities that I wanted them to do.  But in the end, the more concise, the better! I planned a trip to visit Venice Beach and the awesome street performers, unique art venders, and the breathtaking art walls.  I feel that the culture of Venice Beach is so unique and original. I love how liberal and free the culture is in Venice Beach! I also planned a trip to Hollywood, the Autry Museum, the California Science Center, Olvera Street ( birthplace of LA!), Little Tokyo (because they will probably be craving good Japanese food by day 4), Angel’s Game, and more!  Of course, I schedule a special trip for the Japanese exchange students to try In N Out! The famous animal style In N Out Fries! Oh YeaHHHH!

Anyway, moving away from food talk, on Tuesday I taught my computer class!  I taught them how to insert pictures/clipart, word art, and textwrap.  They seniors were having such a great time decorating their letters with clip art images.  All wrote thank you letters to a significant other and designed it so creatively!

On Wednesday, the NCI Intern and I had to coordinate the carnival games for the Summer Matsuri themed Senior Wellness Festival.  In the past, a Summer Matsuri is a festival that prays for a good rice harvest.  Pearl Brandon, Stuart (NCI Intern), and I placed Japanese Lanterns all around the Social Hall (place where Senior Wellness Programs are held).  Throughout this past week, Stuart and I thought of some creative carnival Summer Matsuri related games.  When the seniors walked in, they all thanked us for the effort that we went through to make the Social Hall so lively and fun.  We had them fish, throw bean bags at bottles, shoot basketballs in kiddy-hoops, and play my favorite carnival game; throwing a ping pong ball in glass fishbowls! I felt so happy when the seniors thanked me for putting this together.  From working with the Wellness Program, I am considering in a career working with seniors!

I had a great conversation with a senior named Bud. Though I really don’t know if that was his real name because he told me that he did not know his own name.   But I think he is a big jokester.  He was wearing a hat that said, Bud Light Beer. He asked me what his hat said. When I read, Bud Light Beer, he told me that his name was Bud and that he brewed beers.  I think he was kidding? Yet, he never gave me another name?  Anyway, Bud told me how he used to construct cell phones for the Motorola Company.    I also learned that he has a sister, is a weekly member of the Senior Wellness Program. He told me that he had 8 siblings and most of them live in Chicago. Sadly, he told me that he was going to move back to Chicago. He was one of the nicest, friendliest, and funniest man I ever met!  When I left for the day, he gave me some lemons!!!

Of course, I must record what the Leisure Club cooked for that day! The best meatloaf that I have ever eaten in my life!  I usually did not care for meatloaf. But when I took a bite, I was hooked and wished I had more!!!