March 11, 2011

Friday afternoon at 2:45 (the time of the earthquake) I was actually in a conference with a student's parent. We talked as if nothing had happened, because for us, nothing really did. I continued to answer emails until about 3:30, made a quick jog to the bank on base, and came back to the school by about 4:00. At about 3:00 I had heard a siren go off, which I later learned was the tsunami warning siren, but I had no idea what it was. So like anyone would, I ignored it. Yes, mom, I know better NOW! The vice principal met me as I walked by the main office. She asked me if I had felt the earthquake and I told her I hadn't, but I thought, How bad could it be if I didn't feel it? Must be one of those small ones. I didn't think much of it and proceeded to my friend Christine's office. We had planned to ride together to Cindy's house and go for a hike in the hills behind her house. All the staff from her building were crammed in the office, glued to the television. I saw that this thing was obviously bigger than I had initially thought, but the news was only showing the fires that had started. From the looks of it, it still didn't look THAT bad to me. A few fires...we can handle that. No talk of a tsunami. I knew everyone would be terribly worried, so I quickly gave my mom, dad and Matt a call to let them know I was safe (but getting a hold of Matt is a whole other story).

Christine and I eventually wound up heading over to Cindy's house and hanging out almost as if nothing had happened. It wasn't until later the next day that I realized just how bad things were. We don't get any TV reception at our house (Japanese or American) so I feel totally cut off from the world. That's one thing I have learned from being over here, I shouldn't take for granted the availability of information (in your language) at home. Usually I like the media silence, but in times like this, it is crippling when you don't have it! I was relying on hear-say and snip-its from my family and friends. I researched a few things on the Internet to get a better picture of what was really going on. The pictures of the sweeping tsunami took my breath away. I couldn't believe I had been so naive to think it wasn't as bad as it was. I felt and still feel a lot of guilt about that. I called Tomoko, my good friend and neighbor, who had told me she had family around Tokyo and Sendai. Her family had all been located and were safe, but she still hadn't heard from a few of her friends who lived in Sendai (the hardest hit region). She broke down in tears when she told me she couldn't contact them by email or phone.

Today, as the students came back to school, we had a little pow-wow about what happened. There are few things that are sweeter than six and seven year olds coming to terms with a disaster like this.

From the mouth of babes...

"Maybe we could help them!"

"I am so so sad about this Mrs. Wilson (starting to cry). The people in Hawaii died and I was born in Hawaii. I don't want them to die!" (Don't worry, I reassured her.)

"I saw all the moms and dads with their children. They were trying to save them."

"I saw on the news that a mom was holding hands with her child and her child got swallowed up by the waves." (This one made ME cry.)

"I don't have much dollars, but I have a LOT of pennies. I could give them those."

"I'm going to sell some food and give them the money!"

Today, Tomoko emailed me at work and let me know she has now located all of her friends. Many of them are without food, water and electricity, and there is no way for anyone to get supplies to them. The Japanese don't have stocked pantries like us Americans. They expect to be able to go to the store every few days, so a disaster like this poses a real hunger threat. The roads are blocked to private vehicles so people can't provide supplies themselves. We are looking for ways to get around this. Until then, to use Tomoko's sweetly profound words, at least "we can report courage to them."