MATSURI LATINO 2016

WOW. Yesterday has been a great day for us at JICE school for the 3rd Matsuri Latino. What started three years ago as a small school international party became BIG. Nearly 200 people yesterday came and filled up the hall with amazing, exotic foods and drinks tables of seven different 'Latin' (as the language) countries: Italy, France, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Argentina. 

Itaria è qui

Some time ago I asked my mom to send me a map of Italy for my cuisine events. She sent me the one on the left (on the right the Two - not twin - Towers of Bologna, my hometown). After putting it on a wall I noticed that there was something strange. The poor region Puglia, the 'heel' of Italy, had been cut - no traces of the missing part... Pelagie Islands, usually under Sicily, also missing in action. However, in the northern part of the map, there's a HUGE portion of Switzerland. I checked the micro characters of the company that printed it: made in XZWYXX! Switzerland...

It has been a wonderful moment for meeting old and new friends. These my numbers: I spoke 6 languages, cooked 2 kilos of bucatini, collected around 5000 yen for the Italian Red Cross (for the last month's earthquake in Italy, with the priceless help of my friend Tomomi Sawahata), sold all my (only) 6 Moretti beers, ate at least 3 yummy cookies made by Gino Goya, sweated my only 1 Bologna Football Club (NOT Barcelona, damn, as 100 people asked me) t-shirt, broke 1 glass and gave countless but meaningful kisses to a bunch of wonderful women (to some men too). 

I really want to say GRAZIE MILLE, どうもありがとうございました, MUCHISSIMAS GRACIAS, MUITO OBRIGADO, MERCI BEAUCOUP, THANKS A LOT to all the wonderful people that came to the party and made it possible, especially to the staff of the school, starting with the shining Maria Soledad Nerome. See you again in 2017 for the 4th edition of the Matsuri Latino!

162!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH どうもありがとうございます to all the nice volunteers that, in many different ways, participated to a TNR program in Koza during the last three days! The group Wan Nyan sterilized 162 cats!!! I could participate only yesterday and trap just one beautiful kitty - who came before me had already made an excellent job. It has been also a chance to make a new friend, the French volunteer Guillaume-san, who was taking part to a TNR for the first time. 

We're waiting for other TNR programs and in order to raise funds I'm planning to organize the first Neko Party of 'We Love Okinawa's Neko'. It would be also a good chance to get to know each other and help better the stray kitties of this corner of the world. Please, stay tuned!

BRAVO TOPOTHESIA!

GREAT adoption/divulgation/awareness/charity event this afternoon at Café Topothesia in Ginowan! A university's young crowd participated massively at the cool café where we brought seven young cats from Myu-san's shelter. It has been a success, as two cuuuute kittens have been adopted by a couple who lives nearby and the next week, after some vet checks, will go for a better life with a loving family.

We gave a bunch of brochures about TNR programs and lent some books about how living with a cat to... beginners. We sold some items and people donated money, so we could save a little amount of $ for the TNRs coming (the next one in Okinawa-shi, from the 9th to the 11th September).

Satoko, as usual in these situations, has been a professional in talking/convincing people to adopt a cat. BRAVA! And so Myu-san, who still has the superpower of taking care of stray cats and bringing them to such events. Last but not least, ほんとにどうもありがとうございました to the young guys of Café Topothesia that organized the event and hosted us. Now I'm tired but... happy!

https://www.facebook.com/Topothesia2013/

PINK DOT, 4th ROUND

More people than in the past - around 1500 - yesterday by Tenbusu Building, along Kokusai-dori, for the 4th edition of the annual event held by Pink Dot Okinawa, the local LGBT community. Many Japanese people and foreigners participated. 

Events in the event have been Naha's first municipally-recognized same sex couple certification by the city's mayor, the entry of major brand sponsors as JAL, and the presence of several celebrity guests. At the end a typical summer, sudden rain, to bless the pink community. Fun, as usual! See you next year, ciao!