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
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