Tetsuo

What is one piece of advice or a tip that you learned during the pandemic that you would like to share with others?
Having close friends during pandemic is an asset. During the pandemic, you either went grocery shopping or checked your mail box. With these activities you probably felt like you were in solitary confinement. With friends you can talk to them either by phone, email or Zoom, reducing your loneliness.  Being confined and not able to do your “things” could constrain your personal life.

What are you most looking forward to doing once the pandemic further subsides? What are some things that you are still doing to do to stay safe and healthy?
Once the pandemic subsides, I will be walking for an hour, three times per week and go to the gym twice per week. By walking you are able to strike a conversation with a passerby and make a friend. By going to the gym you can strengthen your arms and legs to prevent serious injury if you lose your balance.

What was something you may have taken for granted before the pandemic that you appreciate now?
Prior to pandemic, you were free to attend Church services, funerals, weddings, and go inside non-essential business. Things we took for granted and were precious to us disappeared. One thing I appreciate now is talking to human face-to-face without mask.

Liz

What did the pandemic teach you about the importance of staying connected with people?
During the pandemic, it was extremely important to stay connected to our members at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center. We wanted to provide information and activities for our membership in a virtual format. Helping people is the best cure for filling in the time during and after the pandemic. I was able to keep busy during this time with all the forums that Keiro provided. My family was able to communicate using FaceTime, and we were able to keep up with their wellbeing and any other important changes they may be going through.

What are you most looking forward to doing once the pandemic further subsides? What are some things that you are still doing to do to stay safe and healthy?
We have ventured out to dine in a couple of restaurants, following all the suggested rules. We have visited a few friends that, like us, are vaccinated and we enjoy their company.  We are looking forward to the day when our community center can do our activities like we did prior to the pandemic.  We are currently doing outside only tai chi and senior exercise classes in the courtyard once a week and are required by the center to wear masks, social distancing, and using sanitizer.

What was something you may have taken for granted before the pandemic that you appreciate now?
Friendships are very important to my husband and me, and we didn’t realize how important they were until it was interrupted. We need the interaction with people and family. We are appreciative to have a daughter who works at Costco and was able to get us supplies and do errands for us. She did so much for us and other members of the family as we stayed quarantined during the pandemic. She gave us peace of mind. 

Robert

What did the pandemic teach you about the importance of staying connected with people?
Shortly after the pandemic started, I was at home and there was a young girl speeding up and down my street on her bicycle. I decided, I would introduce myself and she was so sweet and introduced herself! Long story short, she visited me up to four times a day. Our interactions turned into three or four of the other kids on my block becoming closer. Now they stop by or yell out a “Hi Bobby!” Things were starting to get back to normal, and she told me she has good news and bad news! I asked, “What’s the good news?” She told me school is starting back up! I replied, “What’s the bad news?” She looked sad and said that she won’t be able to come over as much.

And now when the young girl and I see each other, we laugh, and she updates me on the news of her life! This pandemic has opened many new friendships for me at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple. But opened my eyes to the importance of how helping a young neighbor could help me find new meaning to my life! 

What was something you may have taken for granted before the pandemic that you appreciate now?
I thought being alone with mom was just the way it is. When my mom passed away, I was alone. It was not going to be a big deal. Even making new friends at Pasadena Buddhist Temple was great, but forced isolation happened again due to COVID closures was not troubling for me at all. What opened my eyes was this neighborhood young girl that I thought needed my help. She ended up teaching me that taking a chance to reach out was something that would give my life meaning.  

Richard

What is a new hobby, activity, or lifestyle change you picked up during the pandemic that you still do today? What joy do you find in this newfound change? Would you recommend that change for other people?
During the pandemic, I have been “traveling” to Japan via NHK TV or Internet. My favorite place to travel is Japan, and thanks to NHK, I am able to travel to places I could not or did not visit during my trips to Japan such as hiking up Mt. Fuji and fishing. I would highly recommend this to a person, like me, who likes to travel and now finds it difficult to travel because of their advanced years on this earth.

What are you most looking forward to doing once the pandemic further subsides? What are some things that you are still doing to do to stay safe and healthy? 
I am most looking forward to in person gatherings with family, attending USC football and basketball games, and volunteering at JANM. To keep myself healthy, I have been continuing to wear a mask when non-family is present, wash my hands and use hand sanitizer during outings and after I return home, and try to avoid events with a large number of participants.

What was something you may have taken for granted before the pandemic that you appreciate now?
My parents started our family holiday dinners in 1946 after our return from being incarcerated during WWII. At the time, I was 14, and it felt it was something “we did” as a family. The pandemic resulted in our family having a monthly Zoom to replace holiday gatherings.  We just recently had a small family gathering after a memorial service. This showed me how much I missed being with family and value of in-person gatherings.

Tomoe

What did the pandemic teach you about the importance of staying connected with people?
The pandemic has brought to my attention that connecting with people via email or phone conversations is very important. I have found new friends with whom we can compare what we are doing to keep ourselves busy. One of these new friends even volunteered to help me with our upcoming Vacation Bible School at my church. I keep thinking of how I can help others who may be feeling lonely.

What is one piece of advice or a tip that you learned during the pandemic that you would like to share with others?
A tip I would like to share with others is to participate in as many activities that can be done virtually from home. For example, I have a website link to do physical exercises that I can do at home without going to an exercise facility.

What was something you may have taken for granted before the pandemic that you appreciate now?
I now appreciate family get-togethers on special occasions such as birthdays. Here is a photo of orchids my siblings sent me in lieu of a family birthday celebration because I reached my 88^th birthday, a very important year according to Japanese tradition.