I first found his book in the foreign literature section at Maruzen book store in Sendai and fell in love. It's grotesque, but absolutely beautiful. Here are some images from the book Landscapes with a Corpse.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Artist: Izima Kaoru
I first found his book in the foreign literature section at Maruzen book store in Sendai and fell in love. It's grotesque, but absolutely beautiful. Here are some images from the book Landscapes with a Corpse.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Drying Peonies
Peony, in floriography, was given the meaning of shame and bashfulness, but I think their bold and absolutely brilliant. When I was younger I would put some cuttings in my room, then hang them up to dry so I could enjoy them all year round. They preserve really well. It's best to hang them to dry when the blossoms are just pass their prime. I usually just hang them on a clothes hanger in my closet, where they can keep warm and dry. They keep their big blossoms and color for years. The Peony season is over now, but I'm looking forward to enjoying them next year.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Japan Relief Fund-Raiser
The days before I had left Japan, I had gone around, trying to find a place where I could help and volunteer. After inquiring at different refugee camps, I did find a nursery where I could play and look after kids. Unfortunatly, after one day volunteering there, Rotary decided that I had to leave, because of how close the Fukushima Nuclear Plant was to Sendai.
I came home depressed, home-sick for Japan, and feeling completely helpless. As and eighteen year old with no job, no school, I thought there was nothing I could really do to help anyone. On April 16th, I gave a speech at my 5960 Rotary District Conference. I talked for fifteen minutes about my experiences before, during and after the earthquake in Sendai. I also talked about what Japan was like now, since it was slowly falling out of breaking news. I thought it went rather well. My voice cracked a couple times when I talked about leaving, not being able to say goodbye to my friends, but I kept composed. I was a good thing that I didn't look at my parents, who had come to watch, because apparently both of them had cried. If I had seen them, I probably would of broken down. Afterwards, lots of people came up and congragulated me for my speech. One woman, who helped with organizing the Rotary exchange student orientations, came up to me, tears still around her eyes and down the sides, saying that she was very moved. This kind of surprised me. Although it was a stressful and somewhat painful experience for me, I didn't expect people that people would of been able to fully relate to what I had been feeling, but many had.
On the car ride home, my mom told me that this was an oppurtunity. I had put myself on the map, and many Rotarians would be willing to help me out after listening to my story. She asked me if I wanted to do a fund raiser, and I replied, "Yes." We started brainstorming, trying to put ideas together. We both agreed that the first step was to email Mr. Wegmann, the President of the Cannon Falls Rotary Club. He thought it was a great idea, so he emailed some others to try to get something started. A couple of weeks and multiple email fowards later, we've got something;
On May 24 at 7:00 p.m., the Cannon Falls Rotary Club and I will be holding a Japan Relief Fund Raiser in the auditorium of the Cannon Falls High School. There will likely be a raffle/auction along with some displays about Japan and the disaster. The money collected will be donated to Shelter Box. The main event will be a 20-30 min. speech that I will give concerning my experiences and the state of Japan. I'm asking anyone that comes to please give a recommended minimum donation of $10. My goal is to raise $10,000 from this event and other ideas that I have brewing. I know this is a high bar to set, especially since it's my first fundraiser, but I feel with the support of my family, friends, Rotary Club and community, I can reach it. I hope to see as many people as possible at this event.
Here's the link to the Facebook event, if you would be interested in going.
If you are unable to go, but still want to help contribute to my goal, I'm also asking people to send donations to my Cannon Falls Rotary Club at
CF Rotary Japan Relief Fund-raiser
P.O. Box 155
Cannon Falls, MN 55009
There are still lots of details that need to be planned out, but I'm really enthusiastic. If it's one thing that Cannon Falls can be, it's supportive in a time of need. I think people will also be very interested to hear about my experiences and my point of view since everyone has only been exposed to what the news has been willing to share. I hope I can have your love and support too, and thanks.
The fourth floor computer lab at Tokiwagi about a week after the earthquake.
I came home depressed, home-sick for Japan, and feeling completely helpless. As and eighteen year old with no job, no school, I thought there was nothing I could really do to help anyone. On April 16th, I gave a speech at my 5960 Rotary District Conference. I talked for fifteen minutes about my experiences before, during and after the earthquake in Sendai. I also talked about what Japan was like now, since it was slowly falling out of breaking news. I thought it went rather well. My voice cracked a couple times when I talked about leaving, not being able to say goodbye to my friends, but I kept composed. I was a good thing that I didn't look at my parents, who had come to watch, because apparently both of them had cried. If I had seen them, I probably would of broken down. Afterwards, lots of people came up and congragulated me for my speech. One woman, who helped with organizing the Rotary exchange student orientations, came up to me, tears still around her eyes and down the sides, saying that she was very moved. This kind of surprised me. Although it was a stressful and somewhat painful experience for me, I didn't expect people that people would of been able to fully relate to what I had been feeling, but many had.
On the car ride home, my mom told me that this was an oppurtunity. I had put myself on the map, and many Rotarians would be willing to help me out after listening to my story. She asked me if I wanted to do a fund raiser, and I replied, "Yes." We started brainstorming, trying to put ideas together. We both agreed that the first step was to email Mr. Wegmann, the President of the Cannon Falls Rotary Club. He thought it was a great idea, so he emailed some others to try to get something started. A couple of weeks and multiple email fowards later, we've got something;
On May 24 at 7:00 p.m., the Cannon Falls Rotary Club and I will be holding a Japan Relief Fund Raiser in the auditorium of the Cannon Falls High School. There will likely be a raffle/auction along with some displays about Japan and the disaster. The money collected will be donated to Shelter Box. The main event will be a 20-30 min. speech that I will give concerning my experiences and the state of Japan. I'm asking anyone that comes to please give a recommended minimum donation of $10. My goal is to raise $10,000 from this event and other ideas that I have brewing. I know this is a high bar to set, especially since it's my first fundraiser, but I feel with the support of my family, friends, Rotary Club and community, I can reach it. I hope to see as many people as possible at this event.
Here's the link to the Facebook event, if you would be interested in going.
If you are unable to go, but still want to help contribute to my goal, I'm also asking people to send donations to my Cannon Falls Rotary Club at
CF Rotary Japan Relief Fund-raiser
P.O. Box 155
Cannon Falls, MN 55009
There are still lots of details that need to be planned out, but I'm really enthusiastic. If it's one thing that Cannon Falls can be, it's supportive in a time of need. I think people will also be very interested to hear about my experiences and my point of view since everyone has only been exposed to what the news has been willing to share. I hope I can have your love and support too, and thanks.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Athiest Easter
Happy Easter everyone!! It's a lovely spring day in Minnesota. The sunshine is well received after days of dreary weather. Although this is considered a religious holiday for most, the resurrection of Jesus, it isn't for me: no church, no Sunday dresses, no huge family get-togethers. It's just me, my family, and the Easter Bunny.
Actually, why the Easter Bunny is connected with this Christian holiday is still unclear. The Easter bunny, coloring eggs, etc. has roots in hidden deep in pagan traditions (as does the Christmas tree, but who's counting). The bunny is a sign of fertility and new life, hence the phrase, "breeding like rabbits". Bunnies can also superfetate, which means they can conceive a new batch of babies before the first batch is even born. Easter traditions started in pre-christian Germany. Children would hide their bonnets or caps in secure locations (hence the hiding) and if they were good, they would get little treats hidden in their "nests', oftentimes made out of sugar and pastry.
Easter eggs also originated in pre-Christian culture, but became more important in Christian Easter celebrations. They were usually colored red and green. Red was for the blood of Christ. Green was the coming of life after the long hard winter. The shell symbolized his tomb, so cracking it represented the resurrection. Egg traditions vary greatly all around Europe, from egg hunting to the Egg Dance, to the highly decorative Ukrainian eggs.
The Easter Bunny, originally Hare, immigrated with the Germans to Pennsylvania, traditions were picked up by confectioneries, and the Easter Basket was commercialized.
My family's traditions go like this: My grandparents would come up from Wisconsin to visit us. The day before we would color and dye eggs. On Easter morning, my family wakes up and goes automatically into the Easter basket search. When we were younger, it was easier and has progressively gotten harder over the years. If I recall correctly from family videos, my first basket was hidden under the dinning room table, which my sister's conveniently pulled out and pushed it until it was right in front of me. This year it was so kindly wrapped in a plastic bag and hidden in planting soil by my older sister Annie.
Here are the other hiding places for this year:
My dad's on top of the kitchen shelves. He sometimes gets a little lazy when it comes to finding his basket. This year he didn't find his until 2:00 in the afternoon. It was still up there when I took this picture.
My mom's up in the pantry. She was a bit slow on finding hers too.
My brother-in-law's hidden in his favorite board game, Ticket to Ride. It's a pretty awesome game. He did find it pretty fast though. . . darn it >_<
My eldest sister Katie's basket, hidden in Annie's dirty laundry. She found hers pretty quick too, because she though, "That would be a good hiding place," and it was. . . it was.
Annie's. . . hahaha. I hid this baby up in the florescent light of the entry way. Forgive the lovely ceiling border.
When we were younger, we would then put on our coats and rain boots to search for Easter eggs. We would always do pretty good, but often we missed one or two that we would find while playing hide and seek in July. Since my sister's and I have grown older, that tradition kind of died out.
In the afternoon we have Easter dinner: ham, potatoes, the works. We also do butsching, contest of the eggs. The rules are one person holds there egg, point up. The other person hits that point with the point of their egg. Then butts to butts. The winners are victorious. The losers get made into egg salad sandwiches with sardines for dinner. Delicious!!
All through the week, it's egg salad sandwiches and Easter candy. Here are the perfect ingredients for a Easter basket is:
-whipped cream eggs
-cordial eggs
-Cadbury Creme Eggs
-Reeses
-Jelly Bellies
-Malted Milk eggs
-peeps
-milk and dark chocolate eggs
-Peeps
-small chocolate bunny
-regular fruit jelly beans
. . . I don't think I'm forgetting anything :)
Happy Easter everyone, however you celebrate it. Laura signing out :)
Actually, why the Easter Bunny is connected with this Christian holiday is still unclear. The Easter bunny, coloring eggs, etc. has roots in hidden deep in pagan traditions (as does the Christmas tree, but who's counting). The bunny is a sign of fertility and new life, hence the phrase, "breeding like rabbits". Bunnies can also superfetate, which means they can conceive a new batch of babies before the first batch is even born. Easter traditions started in pre-christian Germany. Children would hide their bonnets or caps in secure locations (hence the hiding) and if they were good, they would get little treats hidden in their "nests', oftentimes made out of sugar and pastry.
Easter eggs also originated in pre-Christian culture, but became more important in Christian Easter celebrations. They were usually colored red and green. Red was for the blood of Christ. Green was the coming of life after the long hard winter. The shell symbolized his tomb, so cracking it represented the resurrection. Egg traditions vary greatly all around Europe, from egg hunting to the Egg Dance, to the highly decorative Ukrainian eggs.
The Easter Bunny, originally Hare, immigrated with the Germans to Pennsylvania, traditions were picked up by confectioneries, and the Easter Basket was commercialized.
My family's traditions go like this: My grandparents would come up from Wisconsin to visit us. The day before we would color and dye eggs. On Easter morning, my family wakes up and goes automatically into the Easter basket search. When we were younger, it was easier and has progressively gotten harder over the years. If I recall correctly from family videos, my first basket was hidden under the dinning room table, which my sister's conveniently pulled out and pushed it until it was right in front of me. This year it was so kindly wrapped in a plastic bag and hidden in planting soil by my older sister Annie.
When we were younger, we would then put on our coats and rain boots to search for Easter eggs. We would always do pretty good, but often we missed one or two that we would find while playing hide and seek in July. Since my sister's and I have grown older, that tradition kind of died out.
In the afternoon we have Easter dinner: ham, potatoes, the works. We also do butsching, contest of the eggs. The rules are one person holds there egg, point up. The other person hits that point with the point of their egg. Then butts to butts. The winners are victorious. The losers get made into egg salad sandwiches with sardines for dinner. Delicious!!
All through the week, it's egg salad sandwiches and Easter candy. Here are the perfect ingredients for a Easter basket is:
-whipped cream eggs
-cordial eggs
-Cadbury Creme Eggs
-Reeses
-Jelly Bellies
-Malted Milk eggs
-peeps
-milk and dark chocolate eggs
-Peeps
-small chocolate bunny
-regular fruit jelly beans
. . . I don't think I'm forgetting anything :)
Happy Easter everyone, however you celebrate it. Laura signing out :)
March 11, 2011
Last week I cleaned my room and finally removed the medium sized suitcase that's been laying besides my bed for almost a month. I'm ready to move on.
On March 11, 2011, Tokiwagi was having the last day of finals before spring vacation. My class, the second year International Class students, were having the Classical Japanese and Health tests. Instead of subjecting myself to two hours of test in full kanji, who's questions and subject matter were completely over my head, I went and played around in the computer lab and studied some Japanese.
We were let out early, before lunch time, so after homeroom I grabbed the stuff I would need for the weekend and went home.
I was planning to meet a friend in the afternoon at Sendai Station, so I hung out at my house, took a shower, changed, then walked to Kita-Yobancho Station and boarded the subway for Sendai Station.
I got there, got some money from the post office ATM and began walking to the AER Building just on the north-west side of the station. I got the green light to walk across the street towards Maruzen Bookstore on the bottom floor and began to walk. As I was walking, I felt kind of sick to my stomach, like when you start going over a hill on a roller coaster. I thought I was going to faint. I didn't want to conk out in the middle of the street, so I quickly ran across. That's when I first heard it and looked; the traffic lights were just rattling and shaking. Everything was. I've never seen anything like it in my entire life. The first thought that came into my head was, "Oh shit."
Luckily the Sendai Rotary Club and my host families had well prepared me for such disasters, giving me multiple pamphlets and guides on earthquake and tsunami survival, which I had all read. When the earthquake began, I knew I shouldn't be right in front of a building, because of the possibility of falling debris, so I quickly ran into the four-way intersection between the AER and the Ichibancho Shopping Arcade.
(The red circle and arrow are where I was, and where I ran to when the earthquake hit)
At first about twenty others ran into the street with me. Soon some crossing guards started to herd everyone else off the sidewalks and into the streets to get them away from the buildings too.
No one knew what to do. We just all stood in the middle of the street looking around while the earth continued to shake violently. These are one of the few situations where you feel completely helpless. You can always sit down, hid under a table, but really you just have to wait it out. Just deal with the long agonizing wait.
When an earthquake comes, a warning text comes to all the phones, giving off a blaring siren and vibrating. It must of come only seconds before the earthquake struck, because I only saw it on my phone after. The warning system is incredible high tech though. Areas like Tokyo had a full minute warning. It also gave Sendai a 35 min. warning for the tsunami.
The movements got stronger quick. You could see the road heave and swell. Some women began to sit down and soon others were thrown to the ground. I had to step back and keep my footing, standing like I do on the public bus when it's about to take a turn. I just looked around me, watching the 31 floor AER swaying slowly from side to side, an old man clutching a twenty-something year old boy who was sitting with his bike in the middle of the road, a girl with blond dyed hair, a mini skirt, and thigh highs, holding her small dog, who was shaking uncontrollably. One woman had clearly run out of the hair salon, because she still was wearing the cape and had dye all over her roots. Looking down the Ichibancho Shopping Arcade, you could see people running off the street. It slowly began to clear out, until it was completely empty.
It went on for about five minutes. I didn't think. I was just taking everything in. My senses were on edge. Adrenaline was running through my entire body. I just kept looking up and around, hoping AER's hundreds of glass windows wouldn't break and fall on us.
Soon the force of the earthquake began to slow down and then stopped. Everyone seemed to just stay where they were, glued in place. After some debate I decided to head into the Maruzen bookstore and wait there. The destruction in the store was unbelievable: thousands of books were thrown off the shelves, a small store near the entrance that had perfumes and incense had tons of broken glass that were being swept to the side by workers. I just got in the door when an aftershock came. I sat down near the entrance with about seven other women and waited. A young woman kneeling next to me grabbed my arm and said, "Sorry." I laughed and told her it was okay. I understood her feelings. To be honest, I wanted to grab onto someone too. Even when the aftershock ended, we stayed where we were and waited. I looked in the corner of the store and saw a costumer, who had taken a small panel of wood from a display and was wearing it like a hat to protect her head from falling debris. The young woman woman who was holding my arm saw her too. We both looked at each other and started to laugh. I think we were all looking for someway to relieve the tension. The other women curiously looked at us and smiled, not understanding our joke. Through the aftershocks, I talked a little with the other women. We all agreed how scary the earthquake had been. I told them that it was my first big earthquake. They said it was their first big one too. What I didn't yet realize was that this was one of the biggest earthquakes in centuries. No one alive today had ever felt something this huge. It was a first time for all of us.
Some Maruzen employees then herded us into the middle of the store with others. They escorted people to the bathroom, got them water, and hand warmers when it began getting cold, because the electricity was out and the Maruzen doors stayed open (a rule of earthquake survival if you need a quick escape). This is when I began emailing my friends and host families, responding to emails about my condition and asking if everyone was okay. Calls wouldn't go through, and texting was kind of spotty; sometimes it would work, sometimes it wouldn't, but I usually had to wait awhile for it to get sent out. I didn't have the cell phone addresses of my host father or sister, so I just emailed my host mother, telling her I was alright, hoping she would relay the message. Some friends out of the city emailed me, asking if the tsunami waves were reaching me. I thought that was a ridiculous notion and told them no. Sendai Station was about 7 miles in from the coast. The tsunami came in about 5 miles. I didn't learn about the destruction it had caused until a couple of days later, when I was finally able to see the news. I was just as surprised by the extent of damage as everyone else back in Minnesota was.
I sat with tens of others for awhile. I kept thinking, "If there was a time to start drinking, I think now would be it." It also seemed like everybody had somebody: friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, parents, co-workers. I was just by myself. I'm usually a more introverted person, but if there was ever a time where I really wanted someone there with me, that was it. A worker at Maruzen gave an announcement that things were alright and we should all try to relax. I actually had a short outburst of laughter. "Now, relax? That's a good one."
After emailing my friend Duda, a Brazilian Rotary exchange student, I found out that she was also in Maruzen! After some texting, we finally found each other. She had been in Maruzen looking at cards when the earthquake hit. She then quickly knelled and huddled with three old Japanese women around a pillar.
I have to admit that I was probably in one of the best places when this 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit. The only place better would of been a park, or school's soccer field. It's best to be outside in an open area; you don't have to deal with falling debris, or the terrorizing situation of having everything falling around you. The worst place would be a tall, old building; old buildings weren't built with as good of technology. They take the earth's movements a lot harder. To be in a building like that, with shelves, pictures, books, everything, thrown off the walls would be a horrific experience. Although a tsunami isn't much better.
We went to the atrium of AER and waited there for a bit, talking. Some foreigners came up and talked to us, even offering us a ride home since all the trains and subways were out. Duda and I thought we would be okay, so we respectfully declined. A heavy snow began falling in Sendai. People now entering AER had heavy a dusting of snow on their head and shoulders. Heavy snow is usually unusual in Sendai, but for it to come in this amount, this late in the season was. . . untimely.
After waiting together in the atrium through some of the aftershocks, which were frequent, sometimes only minutes apart, we decided it was time to move on. My host mother was in Tokyo at the time, and my host father and host sister, Saori, both worked at Tokiwagi. Since I knew probably no one would be home, and I definitely wasn't going home by myself, I decided to go with Duda, who was going to visit her host mother's boutique.
The streets and sidewalks were crowded. There was heavy traffic on the roads, moving slowly, and huge numbers of pedestrians. Lines for the buses went all the way to the end of the block, since it was the only mode of public transportation that still worked. People's cars were stuck in Sendai's vertical parking, which needed electricity to run. I pulled out my umbrella to protect Duda and I from the falling snow. We had to be extra careful walking with the number of people and bikers on the sidewalks. Oftentimes I had to pull Duda out of the way when she was right in the path of a bike or group of people walking in the other direction.
We walked in front of a broadcasting station with a large crowd around their outside television showing the news. I pulled Duda over and tried to get a peak, but I could only see half the screen, so we moved on.
When we walked past Kotodaikoen Station, we saw our first real structural damage to the city. Japan has very high building regulations. They build them to move and sway with earthquakes. Most of the building damage came from broken windows and pieces of the exterior that had fallen off. Outside the station however, there were parts of the sidewalk that had cracked and sunken in. It was also closed off, so no one was allowed in. Duda and I both worried if parts of the subway were damaged, which is most likely.
We got to her host mother's boutique, cut the door was locked, the lights were off and no one was inside. The store had some china and delicate items inside, some of which had fallen and broken. Most of the merchandise, luckily, had remained intact.
We decided to soldier on and go to her house. While walking by the Ichibancho shopping arcade we heard a, "Duda!?" It was Duda's host mother! Duda, a brunette Brazilian, wearing a sailor uniform was easy to spot for her host mother. At that same moment, she was being picked up by a family friend in their car, so we all hoped in with her.
That was the first time that I was really able to see the news. The small television in the dashboard of the car showed footage of the earthquake: inside NHK, outside with the rattling traffic lights (all to familiar with me). When a new tremor came, the reporters in studio would stop and say, "It's come. . . . it's a strong one."
It took a long time to get to the house, because of the heavy traffic, but we did finally arrive after sundown. Duda's host mother entered the house first, then told us to stay outside, because is was, "Dangerous." After flashlights and candles were found, we were able to peek our heads inside. A large mirror that hung on the wall near the door had fallen off and smashed on the floor. We all put on house slippers and helped clean up. Some figurines and glass ware were broken in the kitchen and dining room. Most of the house however, went unscathed. The family dog was out of the cage, and couldn't yet be found. After making sure we were all okay, the friends said goodbye and were on their way.
Duda's host father and host sister, Rika, both returned home. Duda's host father had come after the earthquake and picked up Ryutaro, the family dog. Rika had come back with supplies, like teas and instant soups. That night we had a nice coal barbecue outside: roasted garlic, sausages, large gray shrimp. It was a great meal, but really melancholy. We were all still on edge, especially Duda's host mother, who was constantly nervous, saying, "Jishin, Jishin!!" whenever an earthquake would come. Duda, Rika and I tried to keep positive, making jokes about us three voluptuous women causing the aftershocks, talking about boys, how cold it was outside. All of us tried to comfort each other.
I think the worse thing that can happen to a person during a disaster like this is to be left alone. In the end all really need is family, friends, someone who we can be there for, who can be there for us. When the earthquake hit, I didn't think if my clothes, my computer were going to be okay. I though about my friends, my family here in Japan. Possessions will forever be replaceable. People never are. That is a fact that we must all remember.
I feel that I've written enough for today, actually this one took me a couple days to peel out. I hope all of you won't forget that many people's story is worse than mine. Keep Japan in your thoughts. Happy Easter.
On March 11, 2011, Tokiwagi was having the last day of finals before spring vacation. My class, the second year International Class students, were having the Classical Japanese and Health tests. Instead of subjecting myself to two hours of test in full kanji, who's questions and subject matter were completely over my head, I went and played around in the computer lab and studied some Japanese.
We were let out early, before lunch time, so after homeroom I grabbed the stuff I would need for the weekend and went home.
I was planning to meet a friend in the afternoon at Sendai Station, so I hung out at my house, took a shower, changed, then walked to Kita-Yobancho Station and boarded the subway for Sendai Station.
I got there, got some money from the post office ATM and began walking to the AER Building just on the north-west side of the station. I got the green light to walk across the street towards Maruzen Bookstore on the bottom floor and began to walk. As I was walking, I felt kind of sick to my stomach, like when you start going over a hill on a roller coaster. I thought I was going to faint. I didn't want to conk out in the middle of the street, so I quickly ran across. That's when I first heard it and looked; the traffic lights were just rattling and shaking. Everything was. I've never seen anything like it in my entire life. The first thought that came into my head was, "Oh shit."
Luckily the Sendai Rotary Club and my host families had well prepared me for such disasters, giving me multiple pamphlets and guides on earthquake and tsunami survival, which I had all read. When the earthquake began, I knew I shouldn't be right in front of a building, because of the possibility of falling debris, so I quickly ran into the four-way intersection between the AER and the Ichibancho Shopping Arcade.
At first about twenty others ran into the street with me. Soon some crossing guards started to herd everyone else off the sidewalks and into the streets to get them away from the buildings too.
No one knew what to do. We just all stood in the middle of the street looking around while the earth continued to shake violently. These are one of the few situations where you feel completely helpless. You can always sit down, hid under a table, but really you just have to wait it out. Just deal with the long agonizing wait.
When an earthquake comes, a warning text comes to all the phones, giving off a blaring siren and vibrating. It must of come only seconds before the earthquake struck, because I only saw it on my phone after. The warning system is incredible high tech though. Areas like Tokyo had a full minute warning. It also gave Sendai a 35 min. warning for the tsunami.
The movements got stronger quick. You could see the road heave and swell. Some women began to sit down and soon others were thrown to the ground. I had to step back and keep my footing, standing like I do on the public bus when it's about to take a turn. I just looked around me, watching the 31 floor AER swaying slowly from side to side, an old man clutching a twenty-something year old boy who was sitting with his bike in the middle of the road, a girl with blond dyed hair, a mini skirt, and thigh highs, holding her small dog, who was shaking uncontrollably. One woman had clearly run out of the hair salon, because she still was wearing the cape and had dye all over her roots. Looking down the Ichibancho Shopping Arcade, you could see people running off the street. It slowly began to clear out, until it was completely empty.
It went on for about five minutes. I didn't think. I was just taking everything in. My senses were on edge. Adrenaline was running through my entire body. I just kept looking up and around, hoping AER's hundreds of glass windows wouldn't break and fall on us.
Soon the force of the earthquake began to slow down and then stopped. Everyone seemed to just stay where they were, glued in place. After some debate I decided to head into the Maruzen bookstore and wait there. The destruction in the store was unbelievable: thousands of books were thrown off the shelves, a small store near the entrance that had perfumes and incense had tons of broken glass that were being swept to the side by workers. I just got in the door when an aftershock came. I sat down near the entrance with about seven other women and waited. A young woman kneeling next to me grabbed my arm and said, "Sorry." I laughed and told her it was okay. I understood her feelings. To be honest, I wanted to grab onto someone too. Even when the aftershock ended, we stayed where we were and waited. I looked in the corner of the store and saw a costumer, who had taken a small panel of wood from a display and was wearing it like a hat to protect her head from falling debris. The young woman woman who was holding my arm saw her too. We both looked at each other and started to laugh. I think we were all looking for someway to relieve the tension. The other women curiously looked at us and smiled, not understanding our joke. Through the aftershocks, I talked a little with the other women. We all agreed how scary the earthquake had been. I told them that it was my first big earthquake. They said it was their first big one too. What I didn't yet realize was that this was one of the biggest earthquakes in centuries. No one alive today had ever felt something this huge. It was a first time for all of us.
Some Maruzen employees then herded us into the middle of the store with others. They escorted people to the bathroom, got them water, and hand warmers when it began getting cold, because the electricity was out and the Maruzen doors stayed open (a rule of earthquake survival if you need a quick escape). This is when I began emailing my friends and host families, responding to emails about my condition and asking if everyone was okay. Calls wouldn't go through, and texting was kind of spotty; sometimes it would work, sometimes it wouldn't, but I usually had to wait awhile for it to get sent out. I didn't have the cell phone addresses of my host father or sister, so I just emailed my host mother, telling her I was alright, hoping she would relay the message. Some friends out of the city emailed me, asking if the tsunami waves were reaching me. I thought that was a ridiculous notion and told them no. Sendai Station was about 7 miles in from the coast. The tsunami came in about 5 miles. I didn't learn about the destruction it had caused until a couple of days later, when I was finally able to see the news. I was just as surprised by the extent of damage as everyone else back in Minnesota was.
I sat with tens of others for awhile. I kept thinking, "If there was a time to start drinking, I think now would be it." It also seemed like everybody had somebody: friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, parents, co-workers. I was just by myself. I'm usually a more introverted person, but if there was ever a time where I really wanted someone there with me, that was it. A worker at Maruzen gave an announcement that things were alright and we should all try to relax. I actually had a short outburst of laughter. "Now, relax? That's a good one."
After emailing my friend Duda, a Brazilian Rotary exchange student, I found out that she was also in Maruzen! After some texting, we finally found each other. She had been in Maruzen looking at cards when the earthquake hit. She then quickly knelled and huddled with three old Japanese women around a pillar.
I have to admit that I was probably in one of the best places when this 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit. The only place better would of been a park, or school's soccer field. It's best to be outside in an open area; you don't have to deal with falling debris, or the terrorizing situation of having everything falling around you. The worst place would be a tall, old building; old buildings weren't built with as good of technology. They take the earth's movements a lot harder. To be in a building like that, with shelves, pictures, books, everything, thrown off the walls would be a horrific experience. Although a tsunami isn't much better.
We went to the atrium of AER and waited there for a bit, talking. Some foreigners came up and talked to us, even offering us a ride home since all the trains and subways were out. Duda and I thought we would be okay, so we respectfully declined. A heavy snow began falling in Sendai. People now entering AER had heavy a dusting of snow on their head and shoulders. Heavy snow is usually unusual in Sendai, but for it to come in this amount, this late in the season was. . . untimely.
After waiting together in the atrium through some of the aftershocks, which were frequent, sometimes only minutes apart, we decided it was time to move on. My host mother was in Tokyo at the time, and my host father and host sister, Saori, both worked at Tokiwagi. Since I knew probably no one would be home, and I definitely wasn't going home by myself, I decided to go with Duda, who was going to visit her host mother's boutique.
The streets and sidewalks were crowded. There was heavy traffic on the roads, moving slowly, and huge numbers of pedestrians. Lines for the buses went all the way to the end of the block, since it was the only mode of public transportation that still worked. People's cars were stuck in Sendai's vertical parking, which needed electricity to run. I pulled out my umbrella to protect Duda and I from the falling snow. We had to be extra careful walking with the number of people and bikers on the sidewalks. Oftentimes I had to pull Duda out of the way when she was right in the path of a bike or group of people walking in the other direction.
We walked in front of a broadcasting station with a large crowd around their outside television showing the news. I pulled Duda over and tried to get a peak, but I could only see half the screen, so we moved on.
When we walked past Kotodaikoen Station, we saw our first real structural damage to the city. Japan has very high building regulations. They build them to move and sway with earthquakes. Most of the building damage came from broken windows and pieces of the exterior that had fallen off. Outside the station however, there were parts of the sidewalk that had cracked and sunken in. It was also closed off, so no one was allowed in. Duda and I both worried if parts of the subway were damaged, which is most likely.
We got to her host mother's boutique, cut the door was locked, the lights were off and no one was inside. The store had some china and delicate items inside, some of which had fallen and broken. Most of the merchandise, luckily, had remained intact.
We decided to soldier on and go to her house. While walking by the Ichibancho shopping arcade we heard a, "Duda!?" It was Duda's host mother! Duda, a brunette Brazilian, wearing a sailor uniform was easy to spot for her host mother. At that same moment, she was being picked up by a family friend in their car, so we all hoped in with her.
That was the first time that I was really able to see the news. The small television in the dashboard of the car showed footage of the earthquake: inside NHK, outside with the rattling traffic lights (all to familiar with me). When a new tremor came, the reporters in studio would stop and say, "It's come. . . . it's a strong one."
It took a long time to get to the house, because of the heavy traffic, but we did finally arrive after sundown. Duda's host mother entered the house first, then told us to stay outside, because is was, "Dangerous." After flashlights and candles were found, we were able to peek our heads inside. A large mirror that hung on the wall near the door had fallen off and smashed on the floor. We all put on house slippers and helped clean up. Some figurines and glass ware were broken in the kitchen and dining room. Most of the house however, went unscathed. The family dog was out of the cage, and couldn't yet be found. After making sure we were all okay, the friends said goodbye and were on their way.
Duda's host father and host sister, Rika, both returned home. Duda's host father had come after the earthquake and picked up Ryutaro, the family dog. Rika had come back with supplies, like teas and instant soups. That night we had a nice coal barbecue outside: roasted garlic, sausages, large gray shrimp. It was a great meal, but really melancholy. We were all still on edge, especially Duda's host mother, who was constantly nervous, saying, "Jishin, Jishin!!" whenever an earthquake would come. Duda, Rika and I tried to keep positive, making jokes about us three voluptuous women causing the aftershocks, talking about boys, how cold it was outside. All of us tried to comfort each other.
I think the worse thing that can happen to a person during a disaster like this is to be left alone. In the end all really need is family, friends, someone who we can be there for, who can be there for us. When the earthquake hit, I didn't think if my clothes, my computer were going to be okay. I though about my friends, my family here in Japan. Possessions will forever be replaceable. People never are. That is a fact that we must all remember.
I feel that I've written enough for today, actually this one took me a couple days to peel out. I hope all of you won't forget that many people's story is worse than mine. Keep Japan in your thoughts. Happy Easter.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A Little Bit of 寂しい (lonely)
Ten days after the devastating earthquake in Japan, I was sent home to Minnesota after eight months as an exchange student in Sendai, Japan.
Before I left, I had said that I would write a blog every week, telling my family, friends, and anyone else who happened to stumble across my blog, about my experiences as a Rotary exchange student. Well. . . . as many of you have probably noticed, that didn't happen. If it's one thing you'll learn about me, it's sometimes I'm just talk.
Although, I did keep every scrap of paper; ticket stubs, pamphlets, itineraries. Even though I'm no longer in Japan, I hope to still document my experiences. It's better late than never. Perhaps my first blog will be the incredible. . . joys. . . . of reverse culture shock. This is what I've been experiencing the past couple of weeks, and the battle has just begun.
My situation is somewhat unique compared to those of most exchange students. I had survived a record natural disaster (I'll be giving more details about that experience in a future blog). Radiation however, is a whole different monster. After discussion with my parents and Rotary country exchange officers, Tom and Jeanne Tamura, it was decided that because Sendai was closer to the Fukushima nuclear power plant, I would have to return. I was able to accept Rotary's decision to pull me out; the situation with the plant was sort of unclear. Things would of either been perfectly fine, or the overheating could of led to a meltdown. If the latter were the case, leaving the country probably would then have become impossible, because everyone would of wanted to leave.
I was also more willing to go, because the Tamura's said that we could watch the situation with the plant. If it did get better in the next month or so, I could probably return to Sendai. This has been my ray of hope. It keeps me from falling into a depression, staying in bed all day. The situation isn't looking good though. The nuclear plant workers are preventing a nuclear meltdown, but the reactors are still overheating and releasing radiation into the air. Thousands of tons of contaminated water is also being pumped into the ocean, causing a potential restriction of seafood.
I keep hopeful. The outcome is still unknown. I try to make plans, stay busy, and keep my ears open. If the cooling system gets fixed, I'll be calling the Tamura's to get me on the next plane over. I've already been deprived of two weeks of my exchange. There's no way I would miss three more months. Although I love my family and Minnesota, I still long to return home, to Sendai.
So everyone: continue donating to help those in Japan, keep them in your thoughts and (for those of you who are religious) your prayers. Japan is nowhere near recovery, so they still need our love and support. Thank you
photo by Eugene Hoshiko
Before I left, I had said that I would write a blog every week, telling my family, friends, and anyone else who happened to stumble across my blog, about my experiences as a Rotary exchange student. Well. . . . as many of you have probably noticed, that didn't happen. If it's one thing you'll learn about me, it's sometimes I'm just talk.
Although, I did keep every scrap of paper; ticket stubs, pamphlets, itineraries. Even though I'm no longer in Japan, I hope to still document my experiences. It's better late than never. Perhaps my first blog will be the incredible. . . joys. . . . of reverse culture shock. This is what I've been experiencing the past couple of weeks, and the battle has just begun.
My situation is somewhat unique compared to those of most exchange students. I had survived a record natural disaster (I'll be giving more details about that experience in a future blog). Radiation however, is a whole different monster. After discussion with my parents and Rotary country exchange officers, Tom and Jeanne Tamura, it was decided that because Sendai was closer to the Fukushima nuclear power plant, I would have to return. I was able to accept Rotary's decision to pull me out; the situation with the plant was sort of unclear. Things would of either been perfectly fine, or the overheating could of led to a meltdown. If the latter were the case, leaving the country probably would then have become impossible, because everyone would of wanted to leave.
I was also more willing to go, because the Tamura's said that we could watch the situation with the plant. If it did get better in the next month or so, I could probably return to Sendai. This has been my ray of hope. It keeps me from falling into a depression, staying in bed all day. The situation isn't looking good though. The nuclear plant workers are preventing a nuclear meltdown, but the reactors are still overheating and releasing radiation into the air. Thousands of tons of contaminated water is also being pumped into the ocean, causing a potential restriction of seafood.
I keep hopeful. The outcome is still unknown. I try to make plans, stay busy, and keep my ears open. If the cooling system gets fixed, I'll be calling the Tamura's to get me on the next plane over. I've already been deprived of two weeks of my exchange. There's no way I would miss three more months. Although I love my family and Minnesota, I still long to return home, to Sendai.
So everyone: continue donating to help those in Japan, keep them in your thoughts and (for those of you who are religious) your prayers. Japan is nowhere near recovery, so they still need our love and support. Thank you
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)