ＩＬＣ（国際リニアコライダー）誘致が実現すれば、市内に居住する外国人が増加すると予想される。「外国人が増えることでプラスの面もマイナスの面も当然ある。言葉の壁や文化の違いなど解決すべき課題は多いが、それを乗り越えれば必ず良い方向に転がるはず」。ＩＬＣサポート委員会の一員として、そう確信する。
　ケニアで生まれ、結婚を機に来日。ＩＬＣサポート委員、英会話スクール講師、医療通訳者――など多方面で活躍する一方、江刺区梁川で義母と夫を支える嫁であり、１４歳の娘を育てる母親でもある。「冬は寒いし雪が積もると車の運転が大変。日本は道路が狭いから余計に大変」と苦笑しながらも、陽気な性格で忙しい日々を駆け抜ける。
　日本に来て戸惑ったのは、道路標識や地図上に英語表記がないこと。特に漢字が難点だ。金融機関の現金自動預払機（ＡＴＭ）にも英語案内がなくて困った。外国人居住者の増加を見据え、「英語の案内をもっと増やしてほしい。日本には『助け合いの精神』が根付いているから大丈夫だと思うけど」とほほ笑む。
　市内外を走り回る毎日。公共交通機関の少なさにも困り顔だ。地元を走るバス運行本数の少なさに、「高齢者が増える中、買い物に行く時間が制限される。私も年を取ったら困ることが増えそう」と心配する。「都市部だけでなく、地方でも楽に生活できるようブラッシュアップ（磨き上げて）してほしい」
　ＩＬＣ誘致を支援する委員として、「まちづくりをもっと広い視点で考えるべきだ」と提言。「市内には日高火防祭や江刺甚句まつりなど伝統的なお祭りがあるが、いずれも地域それぞれのイベント。東北六魂祭のように、奥州市全体で５区全体の人たちが一堂に顔を合わせ、交流できるようなイベントを仕掛けてほしい」と望む。
　「ＩＬＣや国体開催は、奥州市が良いところだと外に発信できるチャンス。食べ物もおいしいし、観光地もある。せっかく注目を浴びているのだから、どんどん発信するためのアイデアを出していってほしい」と指摘。「ＩＬＣが実現すれば、人口や雇用も増えるが安全面など課題も出てくる。いい環境づくりのため、皆で頑張って知恵を出し合わなきゃね」と太陽のような笑顔を輝かせた。
（佐藤和人）

写真＝「おしゃべりが大好き。伝えたいことは全て話せた」とにっこり笑顔の菅原メリセラさん

========================================================================
“Mary Sugawara (From Kenya, Living in Esashi) Dreams, Hopes, Advice For the Future”

If the ILC becomes a reality, more international residents are expected to come to Oshu. “Of course, there are positive and negative aspects of more international residents. There are many issues, like how to deal with the language barrier or cultural differences, but if we overcome those things should go well.” As a ILC Support Committee member Mary Sugawara is confident in this.

Mary was born in Kenya and came to Japan after marriage. Active as an ILC Support Committee member, English teacher and volunteer medical interpreter, she also supports her mother-in-law and husband in Esashi and raises her 14 year old daughter. Mary explained, laughing wryly, “The winter here is cold it’s difficult to drive with the snow. Japanese roads are narrow so it’s even more difficult.” But despite this she rushes through her busy days cheerfully.

When she came to Japan, Mary was bewildered with the lack of English on road signage and maps. Kanji characters, especially, are a problem. ATMS also did not have an English option and were hard to use. In preparation for more international residents, “I want there to be more English signage. Though, Japanese are very helpful so I think it will be OK,” said Mary, smiling.

Mary bustles through the city daily. Another thorn in her side is public transportation. She worries about the infrequent local buses: “The number of old people is increasing, and this limits the time they can go shopping. When I get old maybe I would have problems. I’d like the local area to brush things up so it’s convenient to live in the country as well as the city.”

As a committee member supporting efforts to invite the ILC, Mary recommended that “city planning should be looked at from a wider viewpoint. Oshu has traditional festivals like the Hidaka Hibuse Matsuri and Esashi Jingu Matsuri, but those are events for individual areas. I want there to be events like the Tohoku Rokkon Festival, so all residents for all five wards of Oshu can meet in one place and interact.”

“The ILC and the National Sports Festival are a chance to show people good things about Oshu. We have delicious food and tourist attractions. If we’re going to be in the limelight, we should think up more and more idea to promote ourselves,” points out Sugawara. “If the ILC becomes a reality, there will be more people and jobs, but issues like safety will also come up. We need to put our heads together and do our best for creating a good environment,” she said, smiling sunnily.

*Translation by Oshu city ILC Promotion Division.