It is a very big day in my life as I am flying to Japan first time to participate 18th Duskin leadership programme in Japan. My flight is at 12.55am and I first visit to Malaysia-kl, then I get the next flight at 11.45pm from Kl airport to Osaka Kansai in Japan.It was very emotional moment in Katunayake airport, as I travel faraway place from my family and motherland in the first time of my life for such a long period. My Dilu , my parents, brother and dilu’s family members all of them bless me for good health and successful training in Nihon. All of beloved including my Dilu , parents brother and sisters keep with me in the deepest place in my heart though I am far away from them.

I safely arrived to Kl and it took 3.35 hours for full journey. Here I faced one difficulty because it was quite difficult for me to find Sama sama hotel. There are two hotels in the same name and my name was not in either of it. I had several discussion with airport staff and one Indian girl help me in this situation My Dilu also took great effort finding the hotel by sending several emails to Yoshihiro san. At last I managed to go to the hotel and met my two other friends named Ramdas san, from India and Keshov san, from Nepal. Again we had small problem because we only allowed for accommodation but not the foods. Fortunately Yoshihiro san called and then it was solved. We had very happy time sharing our experiences each other and having very tasty Malaysian foods. Then we got ready for our next flight . Everything is alright except I could not sleep and didn’t have good rest.

In this hotel I began my first lesson and I would like to explain it briefly as follows.

How to build a inclusive public toilets and wash rooms.

In Sri Lanka we find difficulty using toilets and wash rooms in public places such as bus stand, rail way station and other public places. Especially some toilets are not clean. Physically disabled and BVI people face a lot of accessibility problems entering to the wash rooms and inside of the wash rooms. Some accessibility problems can be listed down as follows.

1. Some toilets has steps, therefore wheelchair users cannot enter to the toilets.
2. All the toilets are not Europian modern style, so cannot be sat down by wheelchair users.
3. There is no any signal to identify where is the toilet situated by Bvi people. Only way they identify through the smell.
4. Not clean , therefore face a lot of difficulties.

I have already have few experiences staying in the five stars hotels. This time it made me thoughts while having bathing in the Sama hotel how could build a inclusive, barrier free environment building public toilets in Sri Lanka.

Although it was a well organized wash room I was unable to find out certain in the wash room like tooth brushes, soap and etc. I came to Ramadas and asked the assistance. He gave me the priceless advise every BVI should keep in mind forever in the lifetime. While he assisting me he asked why I am was not tried to explore things by myself. He added the wash room in the five stars hotel is very clean and tidy so it is very convenient for me to explore things by myself. He explained his experiences whenever he visit to new place he has the habit of exploring things by himself.

This insightful advice made me to think how public wash room should be inclusive for every one.

Because of the excitement I could not sleep well. I was thinking different topics. Time to time I suffer with home sick. It took 6 hours and 11 minutes to reach airport Kansai –Osaka –Japan. At last we met Huruko san, Nasu san and Yoshihiro san and the some of the members of Duskin and JSRPd.Then we moved to hotel in Osaka with have the expectation of having a good rest in a Japanese five star hotel. I came to know the opening ceremony is holding in the Duskin office on the 12th Monday.

We were little bit disappointed after knowing we have a orientation programme after lunch. Actually six of us were very tired , for me I had continuous sleepless two nights. However we understood how Japanese strick their work and how much they concern time. We were treated very delicious Japanese foods. Then we had two hour orientation programme. We got ready for self introduction in Japanese language. We visited Railway station Osaka in the evening. I saw how the barrier free environment they have in this public place. The technology they used is same in Sri Lanka. But they have properly used the assistive technology such as tack tile system, hand rail , elevators and escalators in proper and organized manner. Most of the elevators they have screen reading software, and there are braille notice on the walls and the hand drails everywhere. My second learning topic I found at the Osaka rail way station, “how barrier free inclusive environment in the public places and public transpotation.

At last I had a good sleep after two sleepless nights.

It was a great day. We were all in our traditionals dress. I got some photographs with my national suit. What a strong feeling I get when I wore my national suit in Japan. Today we are starting our training programme officially. We had a very nice time in Duskin office. We got assistance of language translator, in near future we will get a day when we can understand nihongo without anybody assistance. We were thrilled by receiving the gifts (lap top, camera) from Duskin. They will be highly useful for our training in Japan. It is a a great opportunity to have a self introduction in Japanese. We give our heartiest honest gratitude for Duskin inowa foundation and JSRPD for offering such a extraordinary training programme for us. Following is my self introduction.

Self introduction

Hajime mashite

Ohoyo gozaimasu

Watashino namaywa Sankha desu. Suri Ranka kara kimasta. Watashino shogaiwa jaguzi dezu. Watashiwa nihonde kyoika nisiute benkyo simas.

Domo arigato gozaimas.

After finishing our opening ceremony we were back to hotel again.

Today we suppose to visit Toyama sun rise in Tokyo. We had a great time in sinkansen. Unbelievable , we are traveling one of the fastest trains in the world. I was impressed the railway station and train how much barrier free for PWDS. I was thinking how these changes take in the Sri Lanka. Some of the features I observed are as follows.

Tack tiles – not like Sri Lanka, It is every where even in the inside of the railway station.

Hand drail used effectively in proper manner.

Elevators with screen reading soft ware

No barrier to enter the train for wheelchair users.

Inside the train there is a speaker that announce railway stations and other information time to time. There is a large screen for hearing impaired people. Very much inclusive and I need to study more on barrier free environment in transpotation, and public places.

At last We reached Toyama sun rise. No rest. On time we started mobility training after greeting to JSRPD staff.

In the mobility training session I learnt a lot about importance of orientation and mobility and how barrier free environment created for BVI and PWDS. I am going to create a documentary on this topic with the help of videos around toyoma sun rise. How much barrier free environment it has , amazing. I can implement these things in University of Colombo and other public places in Sri Lanka.

Today is the first Japaneese class. Kurita san came for teaching Japanese. We learnt a lot Japanese greetings as follows.

Konnichiwa

konnbanwa.

Ohoyo gozaimasu

Oyasuminasai

Sayonara

Arigato gozaimas

Doei ichitemaste

Then evening we had orientation on the devisions of JSPRD. Among them I am interest about the information system that include activities about PWDS under information center JSRpD.

Today we learnt about self introduction in Japanese. Now we can manage self introduction with out much effort.

My self introduction as follows.

Hajime maste

Ohoyo gozaimasu

Watashino namywa sankha desu. Suri ranka kar kimasta. Wathashiwa sur rankajin desu. Wathashiwa sanju sai desu. Surin Rankade watashiwa sense desu. Demo Nihonde watashiwa

Duskino kensuse desu. Watashino shogaywa jaguse desu.

Domo arigato gozaimas. Dozo yorusaku.

Today evening we had presentation on JSRPD devision. There are four devision inJSRPD. I came to know that there is a information system related to PWDS. I am really need to visit this information system and see what are the information available and how BVI can access these information system.

First time we had Japanese grammar class. We learnt basic grammar structure as follows.

Korewa kagi desu.

Sorewa Nihongono gizo desu.

Arewa nihongono hon desu.

Korewa nan deska.

Korewa nihongono gisho desu.

Evening we had the I-phone training. The I-phone accessibility is far better than other phones. Specially I would like to know about mobile aps which we can use in the educational field.

First time we got holiday. It was very good all of us to have a good rest. Even it is very much essential spend some time with our family over the phone. Today I had very nice experience with washing my clothes. It is also useful for

Independent living by PWDS.

Today is also holiday for me. Ramadas san asked me during the whole day what I have done inside the room. I replied I arranged my room proper manner that help me to stay independently. Acctually he didn’t understand what I meant. I explained I am a late low vision person, therefore it is difficult for me to find out things easily. Here there is no one to help me every time finding my things. Therefore I used one strategies I keep things in proper places where I can find them easily. I always keep my things in specific place. For a instance my key I always put in my hand bag in the first pocket. I never put it on the table, on the bed or chair or anywhere else. So my key is always in the pocket I mentioned except when I am using it. Likewise my almost every thing have specific places. To arrange these things I spent a whole day. But whenever I need something in my room I am able to find it within a second.

Today we learnt basic sentence pattern as follows.

Korewa hon desu.

Korewa nihongono hondesu.

Korewa watashino kabanwa desu.

Korewa sankha-sanno kabanwadeska?

Hy, korewa watashino kaban desu.

Sorewasanka-sanno kabanmo deska?

Ia, sorewa watashino kabanja arimasen.Ramdasdesu.

Arewa nandeska?

ARewa nihongono gisho desu.

In the the afternoon we learnt a lot about the Duskin leardership programme and its purposes. Evening we had a pc training programme. However most of us pc cannot be activated MS office due to time limitation.

Today is the last session of orientation programme. We had a our own presentation. Because of that we could share our experience through our friends. Specially I am very happy to share information with ishandi since I get very limited opportunity to communicate with her. I asked whether there is a communication system between BVI and hearing impaired people. Each and every presentation is very useful for us. We could get some idea about the activities going on related to PWDS in the six countries. I was curious to asked since Nepal has lot of mountains and hills whether physical impaired person face difficulties due to this reason. He replied yes it is. Even himself is fromm hill country and after accident he had to changed resident due to this reason. In the afternoon we learnt about the weekly report and the annual report.

Today we had a class with kuritha san. As we finished orientation we have both sessions for learning Japaneese language. We learnt lot of vocabulary related to places in the Toyama sunrise as follows.

Heya

Kyoshistu

Denwa

Elevater

Today is a national holiday in Japan. Today I was thinking of the importance of braille system for BVI. As a late low vision I really have very poor skills towards braille. I have never use neither English or sinhaleese braille for my education purposes. However I believe braille is a unique system for BVI. But we have to respect individual differences all of us. Specially low vision and late blind person face lot of difficulties learning specially reading skills in braille. Therefore it is very much essential to give the special emphasis of teaching braille and developing itAs a subject we should introduce to primary education. It will be helpful for inclusive society. Not only braille but sign language also should be taken much emphasis by the main stream society. I had a nice discussion about my suggestion with Ramadas san. I could develop it after the discussion with him. I am going to create a article on the importance of attention of main stream society towards developing and learning braille.

Today we had a very useful learning about phrases related to shoping. We faced lot of difficulties without knowing these phrases when we are in the super market. Following are the phrases I learnt today.

Kocha arimaska?

Suri Rankano kocha arimaska?

Hy, Kocha arimas. Ia,kochaja irimasen.

Doko deska?

Mishite kudasai.

independentKorewa ikura deska?

Kono kocha ikuradeska?

Takaine.

Koregadesu.

We thanking our sense for teaching us a such a useful lesson. We learnt counting numbers in Japanese and days of the week in addition.

In the evening we had tenji class. I got very nice well planed tenji book for beginners of braille learning. It organized simple to complex . It is really useful for me and to my country as well. I found there is a machine that can write braill in the lable. This is really useful to lable any kind of products. In my pc and charger these lable can be seen.

Today I got some photographs in the Toyama sunrise which show

the barrier free environment for PWDS. I am going to create a documentary using experiences related to barrier free environment in public places and transpotation. I wish to introduce barrier free inclusive environment firstly for university of Colombo and the then rest of the Sri Lanka.I had long chat today with my fiyancee after long time sharing my experiences in Japan.

Today we had wonderful experience with participating people universal ikden. It is a best example for how we can work for inclusive society. I took many photographs and videos of this programme. I am going to create a newspaper article to publish in Sri Lankan newspaper base on my experiences about people universal. Muruta san halp me a lot and I could learn a lot from her. The name of our team is “virayo” a Sinhala name meaning of “heros”. The team leader is May-san who is a high school girl. I came to know one important thing from her. I asked her email address and with the support of of Murata san she explained me she cannot give me email address. Murata san explained me high school students are using email address provided by school and it is prohibided to give others. Actually this explanation improve my curiosity to learn how Japanese use Information communication Technology in Education setting. How they over come social challenges when allowing students to use ICT. In Sri Lankan practice the internet, social media is no longer new thing to us. But there is no good rule and regulation, mechanism how to implement ICT in school setting. Sri Lankan face a lot of problems even some of the school students commit suiside due to some problem they face using face book. Therefore it will be very good opportunity for me to study how Japanese education system use ICT in educational setting. Also I need to study ICT and education of BVI students.

Today we had a very nice lesson how to say time in Japanese.We can point it out as follows.

To indicate time we use particle “ji”.

Therefore 1 oo’clock to 12 o’clock as follows.;

Ichiji

Niji

Sanji

Yoji

Goji

Rokuji

Sichiji

Hachiji

Kuji

Juji

Juichiji

Juniji

Then every 5 minutes we say with”fun” as follows.

Ichijigofun

Ichijijugofun

Ichijinijugofun

Ichijisanjugofun

Ichijiyonjugofun

Ichijigojugofun

Same as every 10 minutes we say with “ppun”

e.g.

nijijuppan

nijinijuppan and etc.

Now means : ima.

Ima nanjidesuka?

Now what is the time?

Nijinijugofundusu.

It is 2.25.

Every 30 minutes we say “han” as follows.

Ichijihan

1.30

Nijihan

2.30 and etc.

Am means gozen and pm means gogo.

Gozen sanjihandusu.

It is 3.30am.

Gozen/go put first before the time.

We use two particles to indicate from/to as kara and made.

Nihongono classwa kujihankara junijimade desu.

When we need to ask question as,

From when to when the Japanese class?

Gozenwa nihongono classwa ninjikara nanjimade desuka?

In the evening time we learn about particles.

Wa: subject, topic

Watashiwa

Korewa, etc

No” pocessive form and what kindof.

Sankasanno kabanwa: sanka’s bag

Hurukosanno kurumamawa

Huruka’s car

Watashiwa duskino kensuse desu.

I am a trainee of duskin programme.Mr.Ramadas also a trainee of duskin programme.

Kara: from

Sururankakara kimasta.

Made :to

Nihongano classwa nanjikara nanjimade desu.

Last we learnt some rules related to typing Japanese.

Particles we type as follows.

Wa:ha

Long sound:u

N: nn

Today class is very special. Nihongono verbswa benkyosimashita. Some verbs I learnt as follows.

Okimasu

Nemasu

Yasumimasu

Hatarakimasu

Benkyosimas

Owarimasu

Hajimarima

Then we learnt some vocabulary related to time.

Kino

Kyo

Ashita

Asatta

Asa

Hiru

Ban

Maiasa

Mainichi

Maiban

Kimonoasa

Kyonoasa/ kesa

Kyonoban/ konnbann

We need particle “ni” to indicate specific in verb sentences.

We create verb sentences as follows.

Watashiwa kesa gojini okimasuta.

Today also we focus on studying another useful verb “ikimasu. We need “de particale when we explain how we travel,

e.g. by bus- dusde

Doko means where, when we need to as where do you go?

Sankasanwa dokoe ikimashitaka?

According to tense ikimasu verb forms are as follows.

Ikimasu- ikimasen- ikimashita, ikimasendeshita.

Kyowa watashiwa nannnichito nanngatsu benkyosimasu. Kyowa Mokuyobidesu. Kyowa itennkidesu.Kyowa kugasu nijukunichidesu.

Today we learnt how to say date of the month in Japanese.

One to ten as follows.

Suitachi

Hutsuka

Mikka yokka

Itsuka

Myuika

Nanoka

Yoka

Kokonoka

Toka

From 11 to 30 goes regular number system with adding “niche” at the end.

e.g.

11: juichinichi

12: juninichi

17: jushichinichi

30: sanjunichi

There are some exceptions.

14: juyokka

20: hasuka

24: nijuyokka

Month is called : Gasu.

Months are named according to regular number system followed by “gasu” at the end.

e.g.

January: Ichigasu

April : shigasu

July : shichigasu

August: hachigasu

We can ask the date as follows.

Kyowa nanngasu nannnichidesuka?

Thanyobi means the birthday? We ask when is the birthday as follows:

Sankasanwa tannjobi itsudesuka?

Watashino tannjobi nigasu jushichinichidesu.

All of us very happy by knowing how to say our birthday in Japanese. Today unfortunately Rasnasan is not well and didn’t come to gozen class.

Kyowa Ramudasu-santo isanndi-san to kavakami sami yubinnkyokue aruite ikimashita.But I couldn’t create a saving account due to my long name.

Kyowa kinyobidesu. Today we studied how to write about our daily routine. Today daily routine as follows.

Watashiwa kesa gojini okimashita. Nihonno ocha nobimashita. Hayade radiowa kikimashita. Sichijihanni ramudasusanto shokudae ikimashita. Asogohannto sakanato yasaito pannwa tabemashita. Sorekara nihongono classe ikimashita. Kujihankara junijimade inhongono classed benkyosimahhita. Hiruyasumiwa junijikara ichijimadedesu. Nihongono tenjio nihongono classed kaimashita. Nihongono classatode hirokosanwa JSPRDno gimuzode imashita. Sorekara heyae kaerimashita. Bangohanwa ringoto panto cheeseto mirukuto yourgatto nuduruwa tabemahsita.nihogono cdwa hachijikara kujimade kikimashita. Shutte jujini nemashita.

I am really happy that I manage to explain my daily routine in Japanese.

Kyowa doyobidesu. Kyowa jugasu suitachidussu.gojihanni watashiwa okimashita. Asagohann hayade tabemashita. Sinkansende nagoyoe ikimashita. Nagoyajoo mimashita. Sorekare hotele kimashita. Jujihanni nemashita.

Really I enjoyed visiting Nagoya castle. There wis a golden dolpin top of the roof. We got a lot of photographs in the castle.we returned wishing if we can spend more time. Next time I would like to visit place where low vision person get more effective experience than Nagoyajo.

　

Today we participated marathon event again. Lot of features are similar to earlier one except fund raising programme. We really appreciate people of the Japan who willingly support Asian countries. I am really happy because this time I also was able to join and support our people. It is true that we should provide essential meterials like wheelchair, white cane, braille equipment. At the same time we have to pay our special attention towards to create comphresive laws, awareness of the society, unemployment of PWDS, and how to create inclusive society where rights of the PWDS are protected. To achieve this purpose we need some kind of projects not to arise sympathy of the people but correct understanding of the people towards PWDS.

It created great opportunity for me to use Japanese by presenting self introduction in formal meetings , and while walking place to place. Some of the Japanese phrases I learnt from Kavakamisan as follows.

Hiradie magadimasu

Migie magadimasu

Orimasu

Surirankawa totomo kireina kunidesu.

Sri Lanka is a very beautiful country.