2010/04/14

Arigato

I wanted to post another note about my happy times in the Country of Raising Sun, when tragic news came from my country. The president of Poland, the First Lady as well as many political, military and religious leaders were killed in the plane crash in Smolensk (Russia). At first I thought that my country was at war. Then I realized that it was an accident and no one is to blame. It’s difficult to express your grief in the country where not many Poles live. However, many among these who know me, immediately sent their condolences to my mailbox. Some of them only knew that I was Polish and it was enough for them to express their sympathy. I remember I went to Nara the following day and in the one of historical parks I had to fill out a form about myself. When a curator read that I’m from Poland she showed me a Japanese daily newspaper with the shocking news. I don’t know why but somehow she felt I wanted this newspaper as I needed any piece of information about the tragedy that happened in my country.  She didn’t say much but put the newspaper into a big envelope and gave it to me saying that she was very sorry and she hoped that at least the time that I would spend in the park among the nature would help me to focus on something else. It’s funny how much it meant to me. It was like a message “In Japan we know what happened and we are also sorry for you”.  I read some of the Japanese newspapers.  The Japan Times focuses on Poland’s mourning and showed some profiles of those who died in the crush but weren’t as much popular as the president.  It was a very nice thing to do that they decided to introduce readers to the real meaning of the tragedy. Arigato Japan. 

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