- M
When you come from a low-income background and live far away from your family, you kind of resign yourself to the distance. My immediate family, my parents and two siblings along with lots of nieces and nephews, are all centralized around San Diego and Los Angeles, and I haven't seen them since I and my then partner moved out to Brooklyn. This August makes that 6 whole years, and I have missed quite a bit of their lives from across a continent.
Due to our various issues with anxiety and executive dysfunction we may not be great at keeping up on a regular basis, but we do still love each other. In the years since I've seen them, I've come to appreciate them so much more than I ever did before. I have even developed a feeling of homesickness, especially now having lived apart from them in various cities for nearly 13 years.
My mother has been living an even more isolated version of this. Besides us, her family is all in Japan. And while she has seen them a bit more recently (4 years ago), a lot has changed. For one, my uncle was diagnosed with lung cancer. And on March 15th of this year, her father, my grandfather, passed away at the grand old age of 93. I got to see him more than any of my siblings, since after he had a lung collapse 8 years ago I was able to visit not too long after. I eulogized a bit on twitter after learning of his passing.
(My Ojii-chan, working to the very end)
Unfortunately, his death has left my grandmother in a state of deteriorating health. Our family's house in Japan has 4 generations living in it, and while the youngest are just getting started (my cousin's oldest child is turning 7 this summer!) we approach the passing of the torch. Thankfully, my uncle's lung cancer is in remission. But we are all hoping to get whatever time in we are able to, given the lengths of time we usually go between visits and everyone's financial precarity.
(My Obaa-chan, showing off some goods)
Toward that end: contributing to this fund will allow me to see my immediate family and 7 niblings for the first time in 6 years, and my mother's family in Japan for the fourth time in my life to pay respects to my grandfather, get some precious time in with my grandmother and uncle, as well as getting a glimpse of both cousins' young children. If I can't afford to go to Japan through this, I will visit my family and defray the costs of my mother's trip. If I make more, I will similarly try to support my mom and if possible, one of my siblings. They haven't been to Japan since '94!
My mother is hard of hearing and has only been able to get temp gigs, and is otherwise pulling early social security to survive. My main goal is making sure she gets to see her family again.
(My favorite picture of my mother I have taken, unfortunately from many years ago!)
This amount would cover airfare to San Diego and then to Japan, and back. It would enable me to come back without wondering if I can cover rent. I mentioned in my twitter thread that I have a 2 month buffer, but my rent is extremely low so it is actually not a lot. I expect that to go toward helping my mother get to Japan regardless of my ability to go. Anything above this will go toward seeing more of Japan and helping my mother (and ideally myself as well) come out of this with as little financial precarity as possible, considering the lack of financial stability for everyone involved. And I won't lie: if there's enough, it would be nice to enjoy the countryside a bit more, maybe spend a day or two in another city between Tokyo and Shimane prefecture, where my family lives. I haven't been on a vacation in for quite a few years! But I don't mind if it doesn't get there, and I'm grateful for whatever happens.
Please keep in mind, I will have to pay taxes on this fund as income, so I welcome alternative modes of giving. Please visit moneyyy.me/$ohtazer for other options.
If you are split between a fund that saves someone's life and this, please help out others first. I only ask of those in a position to give extra! I appreciate you taking the time to read it as well as your consideration.
Much love,
Tazer
Due to our various issues with anxiety and executive dysfunction we may not be great at keeping up on a regular basis, but we do still love each other. In the years since I've seen them, I've come to appreciate them so much more than I ever did before. I have even developed a feeling of homesickness, especially now having lived apart from them in various cities for nearly 13 years.
My mother has been living an even more isolated version of this. Besides us, her family is all in Japan. And while she has seen them a bit more recently (4 years ago), a lot has changed. For one, my uncle was diagnosed with lung cancer. And on March 15th of this year, her father, my grandfather, passed away at the grand old age of 93. I got to see him more than any of my siblings, since after he had a lung collapse 8 years ago I was able to visit not too long after. I eulogized a bit on twitter after learning of his passing.
(My Ojii-chan, working to the very end)Unfortunately, his death has left my grandmother in a state of deteriorating health. Our family's house in Japan has 4 generations living in it, and while the youngest are just getting started (my cousin's oldest child is turning 7 this summer!) we approach the passing of the torch. Thankfully, my uncle's lung cancer is in remission. But we are all hoping to get whatever time in we are able to, given the lengths of time we usually go between visits and everyone's financial precarity.
(My Obaa-chan, showing off some goods)Toward that end: contributing to this fund will allow me to see my immediate family and 7 niblings for the first time in 6 years, and my mother's family in Japan for the fourth time in my life to pay respects to my grandfather, get some precious time in with my grandmother and uncle, as well as getting a glimpse of both cousins' young children. If I can't afford to go to Japan through this, I will visit my family and defray the costs of my mother's trip. If I make more, I will similarly try to support my mom and if possible, one of my siblings. They haven't been to Japan since '94!
My mother is hard of hearing and has only been able to get temp gigs, and is otherwise pulling early social security to survive. My main goal is making sure she gets to see her family again.
(My favorite picture of my mother I have taken, unfortunately from many years ago!)This amount would cover airfare to San Diego and then to Japan, and back. It would enable me to come back without wondering if I can cover rent. I mentioned in my twitter thread that I have a 2 month buffer, but my rent is extremely low so it is actually not a lot. I expect that to go toward helping my mother get to Japan regardless of my ability to go. Anything above this will go toward seeing more of Japan and helping my mother (and ideally myself as well) come out of this with as little financial precarity as possible, considering the lack of financial stability for everyone involved. And I won't lie: if there's enough, it would be nice to enjoy the countryside a bit more, maybe spend a day or two in another city between Tokyo and Shimane prefecture, where my family lives. I haven't been on a vacation in for quite a few years! But I don't mind if it doesn't get there, and I'm grateful for whatever happens.
Please keep in mind, I will have to pay taxes on this fund as income, so I welcome alternative modes of giving. Please visit moneyyy.me/$ohtazer for other options.
If you are split between a fund that saves someone's life and this, please help out others first. I only ask of those in a position to give extra! I appreciate you taking the time to read it as well as your consideration.
Much love,
Tazer