July 26th, 2011 Part2 @Glasgow, Scotland---Osaka, Japan
Coming back to home sweet home after three-and-half month trip.
It will take time to digest all the experiences I went through, but definitely it was worth doing.
Just wanted to show my gratitude to all the staff of street paper I visited and the vendors who shared their wisdom and philosophy from the street.
Since coming back to Japan, I keep facing the reality of 3-11 aftermath, and all the proverbs from the street really encouraged me to go through it.
Dreaming of the day when I can visit African and North & South American street papers too…

Special Thanks to:
Seoul, Korea／”The Big Issue Korea”, Lee Kijin, Sunnie Park
Taipei, Taiwan／”The Big Issue Taiwan”
Manila, Philippines／”Jeepney”, Simon Song
St. Petersburg／”Put Domoi”, Maya&Sasha
Oslo, Norway／”＝Oslo”, Per Kristian
Copenhagen, Denmark／”Hus Forbi”
Neumunster, Germany／”Die Jerusalemmer”, Andreas Family
Utrecht, Netherlands／”Straat Nieuws”
Amsterdam, Netherlands／”Z!”, Tomoko Take（http://www.tomokotake.net/）、Kingalita(http://www.myspace.com/kingalita)
Paris, France／”Macadam”
Salzburg, Austria／”Apropos”、Monica Pink
Munich, Germany／”BISS”
Berlin, Germany／Tomo Miichi（http://www.tram-magazin.de/article/54983473.html）、Manami Miura(http://punktchen-m.blogspot.com/）、Jun Nabara
Poznan, Poland／”Gazeta Uliczna”
Prague, Chez Republic／”Novy Prostor”, Daniella, Yuko
Vienna, Austria／Masayo
Bratislava, Slovakia／”Notabene”
Budapest, Hungary／”Flaszter”
Oradea, Romania／Mihwa & Branc Family, Michiko
Belgrade, Serbia／”LiceUlice”
Ljubljana, Slovenia／”Kralji Ulice”
Bolzano, Italy／Mocchi family
Milan, Italy／"Terre di Mezzo", Hisako
Glasgow, Scotland／INSP(http://www.street-papers.org/)
Edinburgh, Scotland／Homeless World Cup(http://www.homelessworldcup.org/)
Japan／"The Big Issue Japan"（http://www.bigissue.jp/）

July 22nd, 2011 Part2 @Glasgow, Scotland
Tonight is the night! Yes, conference is getting be over with a grand finale, “INSP Award.” The best interview award of this year was “Fighting back” by Philly street paper, “One Step Away.” The article was written by a homeless guy, Jose Espinosa. He interviewed with a former boxing light heavyweight world champion, Matthew Saad Muhammad, while the laureate was staying at a homeless shelter in Philadelphia. (http://www.streetnewsservice.org/news/2011/july/feed-289/fighting-back.aspx)
Applauses from all the delegates to the prize winners were so warm and encouraging.
Eating, laughing, talking, sharing, networking and Scottish dancing! The INSP conference 2011 had finished and all the delegates scattered to the streets of their own countries.

July 22nd, 2011 Part1 @Glasgow, Scotland
Had opportunity to talk with Juan who was the director of Colombian street magazine, “La calle.” He told me that each issue had the voices from the street…with slang! This Bogota-based magazine comes out every three months and is sold by twenty vendors.
“My dream is to make everyone’s lives qualified,” Juan, who has been an activist for sex workers and drug users, said with a gentle smile.

July 21st, 2011 Part2 @Glasgow, Scotland
At BBC Scotland, an exhibition called “Eyes of the street” was held. All the pictures were taken by award-winning photographer, David Burnett, and vendors of The Big Issue in Scotland for ten days. The pictures capture smell and breeze of the street, and viewers seemed to be feeling the temperature and humidity of it too.
　Being asked “Do you think this exhibition will affect how Scotland sees its homeless population?” by INSP, David replied like this; we don’t go out and feel like we’ve totally changed the world, but the littlest changes affecting the fewest number of people will always have the greatest impact in the end….as all the technology has taken over in the last twenty years, a lot of that person-to-person touch has been lost, and I think maybe this will make some tiny little step in bringing back some of that personal contact.”
(http://www.streetnewsservice.org/news/2011/july/feed-290/exclusive-interview-with-david-burnett.aspx)
At the site, there were numbers of circle of viewers to talk each other about the exhibitions.

July 21st, 2011 Part1 @Glasgow, Scotland
Rose is the only vendor who joined the INSP conference this year. She is selling a Canadian street paper “Victoria News” and writing a column for it too.
Living as a first people, she always looks so peaceful. Couldn’t help asking her the secret. “I always think that trials I can’t stand will not be appearing in front of me. I also believe that you can learn something from all experiences you’ve been through.”
“These days, people tend to be dying for immediate results. However, if you receive something today, it took a long journey to get to you. If you do something today, the result will be coming after a long time.”
I was gravitated to this street philosophy class by the river all day long.

July 20th, 2011 @Glasgow, Scotland
The annual conference of International Network of Street Papers(INSP) unfolded with hugs and chats. Eighty people from twenty-nine countries got together into Glasgow this year. We are going to spend three days and nights to share the wisdom and ideas through workshops and networking.
Talked with Samba with The Big Issue Zambia in the midst of conference. She said that forty vendors of 18 through 35 years old were mostly unemployed and didn’t have any means of income and access to education and medical service.
Not only bad news but Samba also shared a bright one too. One of the vendors, 20-year-old Rodgers, became a photographer. “He was so intrigued by pictures of our magazine and finally his dream came true!”
Some people wonder if the scheme of street magazine is working out in Africa, because severe financial situation sometimes forces African papers to be closed. “68 percent of our nation is suffering poverty, though some foreigners and middle-class people buy and read our magazines. My dream is to be a bigger voice of the voiceless people,” Samba said.

July 18th, 2011 @Milan, Italy
Visited Milan-based street magazine, Terre di Mezzo again, and happened to meet Miriam, one of the founders.
When I came here a few days ago, an editor Andrea told me that most of the vendors were from Senegal. Migrants are prone to be a political issue everywhere these days, however, Miriam are expecting that Terre di Mezzo will be a tool for encountering and having a dialogue with a vendor and a reader as human beings.
I popped up the question, “Isn’t it hard to work with somebody with different language and culture?”, but Miriam replied with her proverb she learnt from the street, “Respecting each other is the start of communication.”
Terre di Mezzo began hosting an annual event of Fa’la cosa guista!, where producers of fair trade, alternative energy, and organic vegetables got together with citizens. In 2008, they say 50,000 people visited there. This Milan-based street magazine will be making a bigger circle of community from now on too.

July 15th, 2011 @Milan, Italy
Getting on Metro number 3 to head for the office of Italian street magazine, Terre di Mezzo. Though couldn’t have got an appointment before the trip, I happened to come across an editorial staff, Andrea, in front of the gate.
According to him, Terre di Mezzo got launched in 1994 by four journalists and social workers here in Milan. The eighty current vendors are mostly migrants from Senegal.
The year 2006 was the toughest year for this ltalian magazine, because of the rise of free magazines. The renewal of the design and format in 2008, however, made the sales grow and they are celebrating 17th anniversary this year.

July 7th, 2011 @Ljubljana, Slovenia
Art workshop is held by Slovenian street magazine,“Kralji Ulice” every Tuesday and Thursday. When I sneaked into this class on Tuesday, they asked me to teach how to fold a crane by Origami on Thursday. And today is the day! Nine vendors of the street magazine got together and put a piece of paper in front of them.
“How can I fold here?” “Hold on a sec!” “The wings of my crane don’t spread at all…” The room was filled with heaps of questions and enthusiasm, and 20 minutes later, nine new-born cranes were put on the table. Some were gazing at their “child” and some were trying to make another one as soon as they finished the first one.
Before leaving, everybody was making a wish on this fortunate bird.

July 6th, 2011 @Ljubljana, Slovenia
I had an opportunity to talk with a king of a street, Ales, who used to be working as a “dealer” and has been selling“Kralji Ulice.” He was the cover of December, 2010 issue.
At the back cover, Ales was with his girlfriend and a message, saying “I love art and nature. Though capitalism and monetary system are destroying people, I want to help each other,” depicting inner pureness of him.
He revealed that he was going to be father one month later. Showing ultrasonography of his unborn baby, “Here’s a head and a heart, you know?” he pointed out, with a glow of happiness. “I’m getting be 37 years old this October. Need to be mature,” Ales said. As soon as I added, “And you are becoming a father too,” the father-to-be replied to me with a big smile.

July 5th, 2011 @Ljubljana, Slovenia
A Ljubljana castle reflecting a blazing sunset welcomed me last evening, and here I am at an office of “Kralji Ulice” this morning.
This Slovenian street magazine got birth in December, 2004. On the shivering night, a group of university students decided to spend a night on the street with homeless people. Surprisingly homeless people welcomed the newcomers and taught how to sleep on the street with warmth and more amenity. Their relationship lasted more than one night and after 6 months,“Kralji Ulice” got fruited.
A director of the street magazine, Maja told me that “Kralji Ulice” meant kings of street. “That is the reason why all of the covers are photos of our vendors. On top of that, the vendor appeared at the back cover again with the very important person of his or hers, such as a partner, a volunteer, or a staff .”
All of the covers are on the wall of the office and all the kings of the street just smiled at me.

July 3rd, 2011 Part 2 @Belgrade, Serbia
At the debut event of cultural squatting, vendors of LiceUlice, Dzei and Emir were there for work. Born in Montenegro, however, Dzei moved into Belgrade with his family at the age of six. Since then, he has not been at school. That’s why he really enjoyed the friendship he built through his job, the 16-year-old boy said.
The 15-year-old Emir seems to enjoy reading this street magazine too. “The article of Parkour on the first issue was my favorite,” he said.
Mina Lukic, who is volunteering at the drop-in center for Roma kids said, “Getting to know the boys has made my prejudice toward Roma people less. It always makes my day that those kids remember new words and learn something they never knew before.”
As soon as she finished saying, the two professional street magazine vendors arose for their work.

July 3rd, 2011 Part 1 @Belgrade, Serbia
Nikoleta, a staff of “LiceUlice” took me to ecological event held at a ruined building, which used to be a film company “INEX FILM” at the era of Yugoslavia.
When we arrived there, so many youngsters were already enjoying chatting with a drink.
One of the organizers Radmir Lazovic said, “Cultural squatting is a tradition in western Europe, but it didn’t exist here. Meanwhile, I also heard that former army base in Slovenia transformed into cultural space and thought ‘why not make that kind of space here in Belgrade?’ Isn’t it intriguing that ruined space creates something innovating?”
The brand-new cultural squatting space in the capital of Serbia has hosted an ecological event as a debut one. Marko with an environmental NPO, Ekolog was mapping out where were the places of unlawful dumping of garbage in Belgrade and the audiences were all ears to what he said.

July 1st, 2011 Part2 @Belgrade, Serbia
As soon as we sat down, I asked a director of LiceUlice, Neven, “LiceUlice are trying putting 70 percent of international contents, especially from former Yugoslavian countries,” and his answer was “Yes, we are trying to.”
“People live here, in Belgrade went through political system changes every decades; such as, ruled by Ottoman Empire, king, socialists and so on.”
“Some people of my grandparents’ generation might live four countries, such as Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Republic of Serbia.”
　Neven told me that his country never experienced continuity. Especially young people around 20 years old, needed to face the civil war and the aftermath since the birth.
That’s also the reason why it really delighted Neven for youngster to buy the street magazine. “As ripples spread across the water, I believe that the message this magazine conveys will be spreading across the city.”

July 1st, 2011 Part1 @Belgrade, Serbia
“LiceUlice” has double-meaning; if you read it “Lice U Lice,” it means “Face To Face,” and if you do “Lice Ulice,” it does “Face of the Street.”
The conversation with a former play-wright and current editor-in-chief of the street magazine, Saki, made me feel like I was on a stage of witty play.
Dialogue went on like this;
Saki: Buying ‘LiceUlice’ helps many people, and reading ‘LiceUlice’ helps yourself.
Me: Wow, That’s the good one! I would love to steal it!
Saki: Help yourself!
When I mentioned the stylish graphic design of “LiceUlice,” Saki told me that design was like a Trojan horse. “The design is pay-attentioner and it makes people to come closer to the message we would love to convey.”
Saki said that they would love to put 30 percent of locals and 70 percent of international contents especially from former YugoSlavia countries, with a collaboration of Croatian “Ulične svjetiljke,” Slovenian “Kralji Ulice,” and Macedonian “Ulica.”
“Lately, capitalism and globalism is showing us the ugly face. We would love to pursuit some alternative ways of living, such as co-existing with diversities. Our message is always Humanity and Solidarity.”

June 30th, 2011 @ Belgrade, Serbia
How many people did I ask the way to the office of street magazine, “LiceUlice?”
The reason why I get lost easily here in Belgrade is due to Cyrillic alphabet. The map I have is written in English, on the other hand, the letter on the street sign is in Cyrillic alphabet…
The kindness of the people here, however, always saved my life. Everybody is nice enough to show me the way and I managed to get to the destination.
Nikoleta, a staff of the Belgrade-based street magazine welcomed me at the office. The Serbian media has just got birth in July 2010. As soon as a famous actor here spotted “Notabene” in Slovakia, he was eager to get launched one in his country. He came over to a social enterprise, SMartKolekvit and this mother organization created the first issue of “LiceUlice.” Most of the vendors are Roma youngsters, they say.
Nikoleta herself worked as a copywriter before, however, “It was the most aweful job I’ve ever experienced” she said. “Job here is worth doing because you can contribute to the change of a society.”

June 25th, 2011 @ Budapest, Hungary
A social worker of Flaszter, Csaba revealed that he wanted to become a sociologist when he was younger. Watching his heart-warming handshakes with vendors, however, made me think that he is more social worker than sociologist.
Called Pearl of Danube, this beautiful town, Budapest got launched a law, which put fine on sleeping in a park. “If you sleep on the street of Budapest, it will cost as much as a luxurious hotel along Danube river,” Csaba said sarcasticly.
Getting on a tram running along the deep river, I gazed at the surface of water.

June 24th, 2011 @Bratislava, Slovakia---Budapest, Hungary
I apologized for one hour train delay, and a social worker of Flaszter, Csaba and a vendor Zoltan welcomed me warmly.
Zoltan, who has been selling the magazine since 1996, said, “Because of alcohol, I lost, home family, job…everything.”
Thanks to Flaszter, however, he began renting a room and was able to meet his two daughters again. “Our mutual friend let my daughters know that I was not an alcoholic any more and got another job.”
Losing everything once, but piling up again. When talking about his daughters, Zoltan showed big smile for the first time.

June 22nd, 2011 Part2 @Bratislava, Slovakia
Seven o’clock at Bratislava. Went to watch a theater called KUKA PACA with Zuza, a staff of Notabene.
As soon as the curtain was unfolded, a shadow appeared in darkness, shouting “Life is a game.” Six people spilled their own proverbs and the light came onto the viewers, with a line, “And where are you?”
Proceeding the opening, there is a conversation of a couple at a stage of annui, a dialogue with a mid-aged woman and a dog, a heart-breaking rap by a youngster, and so on. Life mosaic by various people was depicted.
KUKA PACA, whose actors are all homeless people, has just celebrated fifth anniversary in this May. Jelka, who is a vendor of Notabene played a role of a woman who revealed her feeling only to a dog. “What I played is what I am. I’m still afraid of speaking out what I’m thinking to others.” “But…,” Zuza interrupted. “Jelka wrote the script of next show.” WOW…Brilliant!
Patrick, who has been involved with this project says, “Their way of expression is direct and simple. I feel like they know how to survive their lives. All the lines of the show, including the rap were created by themselves. It’s so amazing that I could witness their process of creating.”
After thirty minutes’ performance, all the actors were in a conversation with viewers.

June 22nd, 2011 Part1 @Bratislava, Slovakia
A vendor of Slovakian street paper, Notabene, Vlada has been selling it since the beginning. Raised at an orphanage, he said, “I have never experienced love of parents.” Though he was working at a factory, its laid-off made him jobless and homeless at the same time.
Having gone through trials on the street, such as some attacks by youngsters, the life as a rough-sleeper never brought him a peaceful moment.
The happiest moment in his life was the encounter with Notabe, he said. Though I asked,"What was the hardest moment during working," he answered, "Nothing hard. The Previous life was much more harsh."
Living at a garden cottage with his friends, currently, Vlada seems really enjoying the precious friendships build here in Notabene community. “I don’t have any dreams now, but I just want to live to the fullest,” Vlada said.

June 21st, 2011 @Bratislava, Slovakia
The birth year of Notabene is 2001. “Ten years! Time really flies!” Sandra kind of shouted. “My work is so related to my life. I have learnt almost everything from my work.”
She took one of the examples. Six years ago, there was a social issue here, which was twenty homeless people died on the street. Back then, there was an alcohol test before allowing to stay at the shelter, and the only place where people who rejected could go was frozen street.
“My coworker Nina and I was tackling and campaigning this problem, but some people were so cold-hearted. I almost gave up, but Nina said, ‘How can we allow people to die on the street in 21st century?!’” Sandra said. Nina’s belief moved peoples’ hearts and a shelter permit all the people even under the influence to stay in. “I witnessed your belief would move people and the situation itself. Since then it has been one of my mottos. ‘You need to believe in what you are doing!’”

June 20th, 2011 @Bratislava, Slovakia
March 11th, 2011. An email from Sandra with Notabene, a Slovak street magazine got to The Big Issue Japan, about three hours after the earthquake happened. Next email from her said that she decided a monthly profit of Notabene would be donated to the Japanese one. I wanted to express our gratitude to this Madam Solidarity.
An editor Dagma, fundraiser Zuza, Social worker Ivan and some vendors welcomed me at the door. Talking to a vendor, Ivan, “Thank you so much for your empathy,” and he responsed “The smile of Japanese people encouraged me a lot. I also try smiling at my pitch. I’m so sure that the severe situation will be getting be better, because so my life was!”

June 17th, 2011 @Prague, Chez Republic
Jaroslav has been selling Novy Proster since 2003, at the station of Náměstí Republiky. Having Worked as a gardener, however, he got laid-off in winter when the demand tended to be decreasing.
“I want to get back to a gardener in the future. I really love greenery things,” he said. “And one of my dreams is going to see the ocean someday. I’ve never seen it before…”

June 15th, 2011 Part2 @Prague, Chez Republic
The editor-in-chief of Novy Proster, Tomas joined lunch with Dasha and me. “I’ve watched a documentary ‘Mechanical Love’ by Danish director, Phie Ambo on the other day, and the movie gives me a new Japanese word, ‘Sonzai-kan,’ meaning ‘presence.’” he said. “Do you think homeless people in Japan have Sonzai-kan?” Hmmm…it’s an intriguing question!
Never thought of it, but Sonzai-kan might be a clue to solve all those social problems in Japan, such as 30,000 people killing themselves per a year, Hikikomori, and depression. I sometimes feel pressure to show my Sonzai-kan in the society if I want the membership there. This intangible “aura” thing might make us worn out. The conversation with him brought me a great opportunity to see Japanese society from the different point of view.

June 15th, 2011 Part1 @Prague, Chez Republic
Dasha with her one-month baby girl in her arm welcomed me, when I visited a Chez street magazine, Novy Proster.
The birth of this magazine was a dozen year ago, December 13th, 1999, with a help and an advice from INSP, “Z!” in Amsterdam, “Straat Nieuws” in Utrecht, and “Flaszter” in Hungary.
Most of the media people and social workers said to them the possibility of failure is 100 percent, however, the result was against the odds. The 11.5-year-old street magazine has circulation of 15,000 fortnightly, with 150 vendors in 9 cities.
Similar situation to Gazeta Uliczna in Poznan, drastic change of society in 1989 made many people fall into homelessness here. According to Dasha, at the start, most of the vendors were in their 50s but getting be younger since the global economic crisis in 2008.
Over the yummy Chez lunch and Kofola, the conversation went on and on.

June 11th, 2011 @Poznan, Poland
One of the purposes of this trip is attending THE wedding. Whose? The beautiful lady from Poland, Dagmara’s.
Wedding ceremony at the medieval church was splendid enough to bring me into tears. Wedding reception was unexpected enough to surprise me!
12-hour banquet, bunch of dancing, eating yummy Polish food and drinking vodka, really entertained all the participants.
People kept blessing this new-born couple all night long.

June 10th, 2011 Part2 @Poznan, Poland
The editor-in-chief of Gazeta Uliczna is a poet and journalist, Dominik Gorny. “Everybody who is working here has various backgrounds, however, we have one same passion. It is so amazing to me,” he says. Adding that witnessing vendors’ positive changing are so encouraging. As soon as he told that, Zanetta who was overhearing by the side said jokingly, “Dominik also changed! You tend to think about ‘flying’ all the time but getting to the ground!”
I’ve heard that some of the staff also said that this community brought them positive change. People with various social backgrounds influence each other, that is the very peoples’ power.
The young poet told me earnestly. “I sometimes have arguments with senior poets, saying we need to mention not only trees and sky but also this society too. Poem has a responsibility to be a voice of a society.”

June 10th, 2011 Part1 @Poznan, Poland
One of the vendors of Gazeta Uliczna, Jacek told me that he really enjoys talking with his customers. “Some of them comes to me with loneliness. All I can do is to be all ears,” he said. “They buy the magazines to support my life, I also want to do something for them!”
He got to know his partner, Renata, at a computer workshop here. Their chatting with a big smile under a tree seems to be so “happily-ever-after" thing to me.
Lech Bor sold this magazine deligently for a long time and currently works as a leader. As a musician, his life was always close to alcohol. The former 12 therapies for alcohol addicts brought him back to the spirit again, however, after the 13th one, he visited Barka community. It really worked well and he never went back to alcohol. “I don’t want to get back to dirty alcoholic. My dream is to be sober to the very last day.”

June 9th, 2011 @Poznan, Poland
As soon as the train got to the platform, I spotted Magda and Zanetta, staff of street magazine Gazeta Uliczna, sold here in Poznan.
This street magazine is one of the projects by Barka foundation. The history of this organization unfolded 20 years ago. In 1989, problems were piled up in this country since the political tide had changed drastically. One of the problems was housing. There was no law existed to help out who had kicked out their flats because they couldn’t afford to it any more. And there was the only way left for those people, sleeing on the street.
The first chapter of Barka foundation unfolded Barbara and Tomasz Sadowski started to live in a ruined school with those homeless people. They growed vegetables and livestock for living together.
Twenty years later, the organization has network all over Poland, and even to the other European countries with EU subsidies.
At their office in Poznan, a dozen of job-training workshops for long-term unemployed were held. One of them, at a sewing class, Beata told me that she had been unemployed for three years and social welfare center introduced her to this workshop. “Sitting at home without doing anything is the hardest life. Here, I have peers who I can share my challenges in my life. I think these workshops will help me to get a job and spend a stable life,” she said.
Members of cooking workshop prepare lunch for staff and participants. “My hubby was delighted when I served him special sandwiches,” one of the members, Irna told me. The vegetable soup they served was with a bunch of flavor of love.

June 3rd, 2011 Part 3 @ Munich, Germany
From street to grave---Godfathers made this BISS method possible. Their donation will be salary of employed vendors. For example, the Godfather of Martin Berrasoh is Rolf and Annegret Huffer and BISS has 36 of them.
The peaceful face of Martin is so persuading that one can be so relaxing if he or she gets “home.”
Hildegard has been putting vendors first for 17 years and this culture of BISS are really in full bloom in this beautiful city, Munich.

June 3rd, 2011 Part 2 @ Munich, Germany
Second pillar of BISS concept is how to treat the death of the vendors. In fact this Munich street magazine sent seven of them to heaven and has a grave for them too. Hildegard took me to the place where flowers were planted tidydily in the woods.
When BISS faced to a death of a vendor, they wrote a column on it, asking the readers how to treat this. One of the quick response was from Rudolph Moshammer, who was successful fashion designer whose father used to be a homeless. He decided to write on a will he would donate 500,000 euros and its interests to BISS. This huge donation made BISS decided to get ‘home’ to the deceased.
“When one of the vendors got serious ill, I tried to talk about afterwards. But it made him mad, saying why you are talking about this now. We had arguments with shouts again and again. He, however, at last, said to me ’I decided to be in BISS grave. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me, Hildegard.’” In the woods, Hildegard was sobbing and so was I. “I’m sorry, whenever I talk about him, it brought me to tears. He was one of my best friends…,” when her face was up to the sky, there was no more tears in her eyes.

June 3rd, 2011 Part1 @ Munich, Germany
BISS is Hildegard and Hildegard is BISS. Without knowing her, you can’t get a membership of International Network of Street Paper. I always look for her hug whenever I join INSP annual conference.
As I expected, she welcomed me into the office of BISS with a big smile and THE hug!
You could say that BISS is the most stable street magazine in the world. I always wanted to ask her what was the secret. As soon as I popped up the question, she answered, “The reason is that I always put vendors first, not the organization nor profits.” At first, her answer sounded too idealistic, but a day spent with her made me think that idealistic idea was the most realistic and practical.
Concept of BISS consists of three pillars; firstly, there are employed vendors. After working for them one year, a vendor can choose to be a part-time employed one, who needs to sell 400 magazines monthly. Once he or she gets self-confidence to sell 400 copies above monthly, a vendor could choose to be a full-timer with the salary of 1150 euros, who needs to sell 800 magazines monthly. According to BISS, none of the employed vendors failed to sell those amounts of magazines.
“Full-timers pay tax too, and I suppose they are the only people who are delighted to do that,” Hildegard smiled. They seem to be proud of contributing to the society. 46-year-old, Martin Berrasoh is one of the full-timers, who lives in a flat with his companion dog, Maya. He has been selling BISS magazines for 13 years, and got hired nine years ago. “I have just bought a used guitar. Listening to my favorite music at home, it’s such a blessing time to me.”

June 1st, 2011 @Salzburg, Austria---Munich, Germany
Fine rain welcomed me in Munich, Germany, where the street magazine BISS has been sold. It was given birth in 1993 by thirty social-workers and volunteers. The first 10,000 copies sold like pancakes and 50,000 more got reprinted. Currently BISS publishes 37,000 copies monthly in this beautiful town with 1.5 million people.
100 vendors are consisted of 26 percent of 40-49 years old, 42 percent of 50-59 years old, and 21 percent of 60-75 years old. The sellers below 39 years old are just 11 percent.
The reason why is that BISS introduces youngsters to job skill training. One of them is called Dynamo. In this social enterprise, long-time unemployed people can learn how to be a bike mechanic.
Witnessing 11 people were earnestly polishing parts of bikes there, when I visited. Those bikes used to be trash, however, bike-mechanic-to-be make them into treasure here. One of the participant, Petra Haug is going to get a certificate in the end of this year. “I really enjoy working here. Time flies when I’m working on bikes,” she smiled. “My dream is to be independent as a mechanic, and eventually design a wheelchair for my best friend.”
The director of the organization, Karin Lohr said “We need contacts with society, income and self-esteem in order to get long-time unemployed people included in the society. Witnessing blooming peoples’ potential is such a great joy to me!”

May 31st, 2011 @ Salzburg, Austria
Michaela has been working for the street magazine Apropos for twelve years. “I was delighted to get an award for a journalist here, but the most joyful moment is always coming from our vendors,” she said. “Witnessing vendors’ helping out each other is making my day all the time.”
Apropos published a book titled “What does home mean to you?” recently. Fifteen vendors are answering the question by essay, fiction, and interview. Some say “I feel home when I’m on a back of a horse.” Some say “I’ve never met my mother and always been looking for one.”
“What does home mean to you?” I asked Michaela. “Well…I share an answer with one of the vendors. Home is always in my heart. The loved ones are always my home.”

May 30th, 2011 @ Salzburg, Austria
Apropos, a street magazine sold in this historical town, got launched in 1997, as a project of NPO Sozialen Arbeit GmbH, whose aim is to give long-time unemployed and homeless people opportunities for jobs. The ground floor of the Apropos office is a restaurant where long-time unemployed people are working.
For fourteen years, Apropos has gradually drawn peoples’ attention in Salzburg where 150,000 live, and been selling 10,000 copies monthly. I asked a college girl sitting next to me at the bus stop, and a bookshop owner, “Do you know Apropos?” and their answers were “Of course! I’ve bought the street magazine before.”
One of the vendors, Andrea has been living on the hill with rich knowledge about wild herbs. “Dost makes your blood circulation better and Johanniskraut sooths your nerve. Brennessel cleans your body. I often drink these teas,” she said. She is good at teaching and no wonder she used to work as a teacher.
Georg and Evelyne got to know each other on the street of Salzburg and celebrated their 4th anniversary this April. Alcoholic, rough-sleeping, crime, and imprisonment made their life hard, however, they live through their lives. Even if you lose something, you can regain it gradually. Even if you get something broken, you can pile that up little by little. Witnessing their lives is really encouraging to me.
Georg and Evelyne recently began learning how to produce alternative radio program. Monthly, their voices are on the air. “See, Evelyne is speaking!” Michaela shouted excitedly, listening to their program downloaded on her computer.

May 27th, 2011 @ Paris
Ten-minute walk from St-Sebastian Froissart station of Metro number 8. There is an office of one of the biggest NGO in his country, Secours populaire français, where is the distribution point of Macadam too.
As I visited there with Caroline, a university student intern, Clement was busy with handling vendor’s buying magazines. No wonder today’s the day the latest issue is coming out! Its cover is a slammer, Grand Corp Malade.
Most of the vendors of this magazine are not homeless but suffering poverty. 44-year-old vendor, Phiippe Muyard has been selling this magazine for almost a year and half. With a wife and two kids, “I want to sell at least thirty magazines daily,” he said. “I really enjoy the article of Macadam. I often think I’m nothing, however, this magazine with bunch of positive message, makes me think even I can do something for the society.”

May 26th, 2011 Part2 @ Paris
　　The French street magazine, Macadam used to have their own office and sold a million copies in France, however, stopped publishing in 2006 once. It took more than one year for re-start.
“I happened to meet one of the former vendors, Gabriel, and he asked me to republish the magazine,” its editor-in-chief, François said. In 2007, Macadam got appeared on the street of Paris again.
He interviewed Carla Bruni, but the issue wasn’t sold well partly because of her husband’s policy. François told the fact quite outspokenly to the first lady and she decided to get launched a foundation and support Macadam financially. The quick response simply moved my heart.
“What is the most touching memory during your Macadam era?” I asked to the editor-in-chief. “One of the vendors got a job as a librarian at a university and invited my family to dinner at his house. It was the most heart-warming dinner I’ve ever had,” with a smile, François replied.

May 26th, 2011 Part1　@ Paris
While Sarah Vaughan sang “April in Paris,” I got to here in May, which shouldn’t be so bad. The meeting point is Opera Bastille in the twelfth district of Paris. I was able to meet with Caroline who was one of the editors and writers of the street magazine Macadam.
This street magazine is made by an editor-in-chief, François and Caroline. Yes, just two of them! And 10,000 copies are sold by 15 vendors in Paris monthly. Most of the covers are celebrities, such as Carla Bruni and Eric Cantona.
Interviewer of the Cantona’s was Caroline. “Since being big fan of him, I was so tensed during the interview…,” Caroline revealed. “I asked ‘What’s the relationship with fans?’ to him and his response was like ‘Femme?’” she laughed.
Both of François and Caroline have other jobs and they are just volunteering for Macadam. Macadam doesn’t have their own office and distribution points are the ones of other NPOs.
However, Caroline doesn’t seem to worry about its future that much and seems enjoying Macadam. I got to like this relaxing Parisienne.

May 23rd, 2011 @ Amsterdam, Netherlands
The street magazine “Z!” has been sold here in Amsterdam since 1995. Jerome who has benn in charge of distribution said, “We were trying to make homelessness visible for the first five years.” In the beginning, most of the vendors were Netherlanders, however, current ones have 35 nationalities, such as Poland, Chez, former Soviet countries and so on. Their stylish portrait book of vendors published in 2002 reflects its diversity. “Since we don’t receive any governmental money, we don’t care if the person is illegal or legal. The only thing we need to know is that if he is homeless or not,” Jerome said.
He has been spending time with vendors for more than ten years. During the time, what was the hardest moment and what was the most joyful one, I asked. “The most joyful moment is this: one day freshly printed magazine reached to the office and I ran to the truck. As soon as getting to the car, I realized the driver was a former vendor. He got the job after ‘graduating’ from us!”
“The hardest moment was that I needed to attend a funeral of a vendor. She was 49 years old and heroin addicts. I still remember how sad the sound of accordion was.”