The first one was barely noticeable. I live in Ishikawa prefecture, which is off the Sea of Japan on the west coast of Honshu.
I thought I had been staring at the computer screen for too long. It was as if I were lightheaded and dizzy. Standing up slowly, I looked over at the only two teachers in the room. The Nail Clipper looked at me and I looked at him expectedly without speaking. I lost my Japanese for that second. The quake had stopped. The female teacher next to him said, "oh, that was an earthquake." Nail Clipper calmly agreed.
Then the next quake made the building sway slightly for a good 20 seconds. I would learn a couple hours later that it was only a ripple off the epicentre on the east coast. Our quake was listed as a 3.0. Half the teachers in the school were unaware of anything happening.
We have been unbelievably fortunate in Ishikawa prefecture. It wasn't until I got home around 5:00PM that I understood how severe the situation in Tohoku and Kansai was. Immediately, I texted or called all the friends I could think of who were living in the affected areas. My friends are fine, but many are still unnerved by the recent events.
When I signed in to Facebook and Twitter I was overwhelmed by the number of concerned messages I received from friends--many of whom I haven't spoken with in years. I was very grateful for the concern and I appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers. THANK YOU.
Again, I am 100% OKAY です.
Actually, aside from watching the news and messages on the social networking sites, everything seems normal in my area. We are probably experiencing the same thing that everyone else in the world is experiencing. A little bit of awe mixed with frustration and helplessness. All we know and see is in the news. Many people want to help but don't know how or are not sure if it is possible.
Over the weekend, I became obsessed with finding ways to relieve those feelings by researching the different ways that people can help. This is what I've found works for me:
Stay Informed
With so many sites forming, it's hard to know what is real anymore. Obviously, major news networks are your best bet. Don't listen to all the hype of impending doom unless it's credited.
For the latest earthquake information: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/quake_singen_index.html
How you can help: While my area is not suffering any physical damage, the other side of the island is going through an extremely rough time. Thousands of people are homeless or have limited daily necessities.
[update] From CNN (3/16/2011)
While agencies are working to raise money, donations have been slow to come. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, a newspaper covering nonprofit organizations, says donations to nonprofit organizations have reached about $25 million so far. The total is far below the first four-day totals of other recent natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina and the crisis in Haiti, it said.
Please consider donating money or supplies through legitimate sources:
- From the U.S.: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/11/6246445-japans-earthquake-how-to-help
- From Japan:
- Donating money: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkDkITkG4lE /
- Donating food/supplies: http://www.2hj.org/index.php/news/send_us_food_and_supplies/
- Donate blood, but check if you qualify first: http://www.mutantfrog.com/2011/03/13/who-can-and-can-not-donate-blood-in-japan/
- Volunteering (Read CAREFULLY): http://ajet.net/lang/en/2011/03/16/volunteer-information-for-people-in-japan/
Please remember that for food or supplies, it is better to send the necessary items. Before you purchase anything, please read the list of items.
Also! Don't try to rush into the affected areas now to try to help. Let the professionals sort things out first.
Stay Prepared
How many people actually have an emergency kit? I know I didn't. There is a possibility of another huge quake, up to 7.0, hitting Japan again in the next 48 hours. It's best to keep water stocked, some non-perishable food ready and other essentials. (You'll use the stuff eventually anyway. So why not?)
For JETs, here's a good link to look over: http://ajet.net/lang/en/2011/03/13/emergency-proceduresinformation-evacuation-card/
Being prepared will help you stay calm. Which leads me to the last tip...
Stay Calm
Even with all the disasters shown in the news we all need to stay calm to stay focused. Here's a message from National AJET:
--don’t add to sensationalist rumors. If you are posting information on facebook, twitter and other media outlets, please make sure that you use credible sources. Include your source and as much information as possible.
Personally, I think people in Japan are already on edge, so please don't add to that. Most of us are trying to stay calm while constant messages of impending doom keep popping up.
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Once again, thank you all for your thoughtful messages and your concern.
My heart goes to all the people in the affected areas and their loved ones.
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