Less than three months before the Trailwalker Challenge!

A few weeks ago, Rae, Jeff, Ken and I teamed together for the Oxfam Trailwalk. I’m already thankful that my teammates are so creative, fun, and motivated (and the website is awesome; thanks a million, Rae.) We’re all Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) of English in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Rae lives in Yaizu City, right next to the rest of us in Fujieda: perfect for training. Team-building is crucial; we must start together, cross every checkpoint together, and finish together. Wish us luck...

I first heard about the Trailwalk though a few other ALTs in our area. There are 5 groups of foreigner-fueled teams in our prefecture; we’re all friends, so we’re in it together, sharing fundraising tips, going for hikes, and calling each other for support (check out Facebook's "Shizuoka Oxfam Trailwalkers" group for more info on the teams).

My main motivation for joining the hike is the cause. I first gained a real perspective when I went to the Philippines a few years ago. The kindest family (ever) took me in and taught me humility and happiness, even in poor conditions. Let's remember that our first-world conditions are a dream to most. Let’s remember also that the numbers we so often read (10,000 die here, 300,000 in poverty there) are not peanuts, but people; with insecurities, hopes for their families, scars, and favourite colours.

So, I’m going into this hike as much with my heart as my body. 100 kilometers is a far way to go, but I think I’m ready (well, I'm not sure about my body yet...).

Labels: jessie