The Japanese students on campus have been hard at work raising money for the relief efforts ever since last week. I don't pretend to understand what they are going through or have a special claim to the country, but having grown up in a formerly Japanese occupied state, having experienced immigration first hand, and being human, my heart goes out to these studets. They have been doing a great job mobilizing together to do everything that they can to help the people back home. Though I have already contributed to the efforts online (as I suspect many at the school have), I have also tried to show my support in person, giving money and providing unintentional comic relief, thanks mostly to language barriers, a loud cafeteria, and our ever present friend awkwardity.
On Monday, I stopped by the table to chat with a first year in my program who was helping with the efforts. Rather than aggressively pounce on people for donations, the students running the table have been fairly successful by just standing there and having conversations. This is great in one sense. But it makes the actual transaction difficult. My encounter went something like this:
Moi: How much money have you guys raised?
Ry: My family are all OK, but I have not heard from my friends in the north so I do not know.
Moi: ... ... Wow. That is hard. Um. I am so sorry. (some more weak interstitials) Can I give you guys money?
Each donation is rewarded with a small Japanese snack and each $20 donation comes with a t-shirt (should the donor desire). Today, craving a little snack, I stopped by the table again with a $2 donation. The lady running the table was skeptical.
Lady (concerned): You already gave on Monday. I remember.
Moi: I know, I just wanted to see if I could get a little snack. Can I give you $2 for this?
Lady (incredulous): You want to give more money?
Moi: I just want a snack. Is that OK?
(confers with friend, both laugh in my face, hands me the snack, we all walk away happy)
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