Would you believe me if I told you that I was able to go to Japan not once, but twice because I work at home? It’s true.
A year ago, a friend of mine approached me about becoming a coordinator for our sister city exchange program. Our sister city is Otsuchi, in Northeastern Japan. I agreed immediately. I didn’t even need to think about it because I was familiar with the program, I knew it would be an incredible experience for my daughter (and me) and because I work at home. Because of that, I knew that I would have the flexibility that would be needed to be a trip coordinator. How lucky I felt!
So, last year we had our student exchange. The Otsuchi students came to Fort Bragg in February and stayed with us in our homes. In October, we traveled to Otsuchi and the students stayed with their host families. It was the most incredible experience of my life, and my daughter’s. We made lifelong friends. I gained two Japanese daughters.
I expected to take over as the main coordinator of the program for the next exchange, which was to take place in 2012.
Then March 11, 2011 happened.
Otsuchi was completely devastated by the 9.0 quake, subsequent tsunamis and then by fires that raged unchecked for days. We didn’t know if any of our friends had survived.
Our exchange association had just gone non-profit. We immediately shifted our focus from the student exchange to a recovery effort. We started a fund and we leaped into action to raise money for our beloved sister city. I made a website and started writing press releases. Everyone in our association used their talents and worked tirelessly. As of this writing, we have raised over $150,000 for Otsuchi.
Because I became our publicity person, I also became the contact person for the press. One day in May, I was talking with a friend of mine about how badly I wanted to go to Otsuchi. I desperately wanted to go and give all of our friends, and my daughters, a hug. Just then, one of my daughters emailed me and said, “When are you coming to Otsuchi?”. It just about broke my heart. Of course I couldn’t go. I couldn’t afford it, it wouldn’t be practical at all. It would be like going into a war zone, which was pretty much the state of things there at the time. Not an hour later, I got a phone call that would change my life forever.
It was an Associate Producer from CBS saying that 60 Minutes wanted to do a show on Otsuchi and she wanted to talk to me about our program and the deep bond that we have with our sister city. She’d read my press release and thought it was an amazing story. We talked for a while and that was that.
Then, a bit later she called again. She had a Producer on the line with her this time. He told me that they were definitely going to do the story. They would go to Otsuchi, and how would I feel about going with them?
Once again, I was being given an unexpected opportunity to visit Otsuchi. Once again, it took me all of two seconds to agree to go. I was able to say yes because I work at home. I’m in the unique position to be able to drop everything and go with them because it’s my own business and I make my own schedule.
So, for the second time I found myself traveling to Otsuchi, this time alone. I spent 5 days in Otsuchi with the news crew and it was the most incredible, emotional and amazing experience of my life. It was also the most difficult. I journaled the whole time I was there and have posted each day’s journal on the Otsuchi website.
I would never have had these incredible, life-changing experiences if I didn’t work from home. I hope that I can help some of you become self-employed so that you can have the same kind of freedom, the freedom that can open up amazing possibilities…
Tags: personal, work at home
