My mind has been in a haze ever since I arrived at Haneda Airport (actually more like ever since I found out I had to leave). It didn't feel like I was about to leave, and it still hasn't sunk in that i'm not going back (for now anyway). The airport was packed with foreigners and Japanese alike either fleeing Tokyo or leaving Japan all together. I'm pretty sure that Tokyo is now free of all Chinese people (Air China was particularly crowded).
My host family are truly amazing people. Not only did they drive me to the airport, but they bought me dinner, forced me to accept an un-godly amount of money to take back with me to America (which I will pay them back ASAP), and stayed with me until I walked through security. No other host family i've had has even gone as far as the train station to the airport with me.
I had one friend come see me off as well (since I left so suddenly it was hard for people to leave their jobs and such --which shows how much people in Tokyo aren't letting this disaster ruin their daily routines). It was hard leaving them but like I said before --i'm not a crier.
I had five bags on me; all of which were over weight. Luckily though they had a deal going on in lieu of what happened to where they were only charging for one overweight bag. Still ended up paying 16,200 yen (about $180).
All day that day we hadn't felt any tremors. Might have been because we had grown used to them and just didn't notice or perhaps because they were small enough not to notice--I don't know. As I walked through security up to the customers officer however, the whole world started a-rumblin'. The overhead lights were swinging, cell phone earthquake alarms were blaring, airport intercoms were delicately stating "An earthquake is happening, an earthquake is happening" (oh that's what that is); even the customers officer looked unsure (to which I was like, oh Jesus, you ain't stopping me from running through here if this gets any stronger). But it stopped as promptly as it started, I finished with the wide-eyed customers officer, and ran straight to the TV.
Epicenter was very close to the coast of Chiba, but only about a 6.0. No Tsunami warning (thank. god.). The tremors are getting closer and closer to Tokyo which is very unnerving but logical from what I hear (since the northern most plate had such a huge shift now all the other plates are shifting as well; rolling down the coast line). I was shaken (and stirred) and extremely upset because I had cancelled my phone an hour earlier so had no way of contacting anyone to make sure they were okay (I have many friends who live in Chiba). There was nothing left for me to do though but wait, so wait I did. Boarded my flight and had the pleasure of sitting next to an American emergency response guy whose team was heading to Hawaii.
Me: "So are they pulling you guys out because the situation is stabilizing?"
Him: *gives me an oh you poor thing sorta look "they're pulling us out because they don't want the rescuers to become victims"
Me: "oh".
Him: "there's only about 50 men left to work on those plants and they're the true heroes. They're never going to have an easy life after this".
Me: "It's that bad? Where you there?"
Him: " No, I was at the navy base in Yokosuka helping with supplies to the North. The thing is that the (reactor 2 I believe) is still surrounded by four feet of concrete so getting water to it to cool it down is next to impossible".
Me: "Thanks for calming my nerves"
He then politely asked me what I had been doing in Tokyo. Told him I was on study abroad but that in sight of what's been happening my program decided to evacuate all students. I was worried about my friends and host family and didn't want to leave like I was. He informed me that it was better that I was leaving.
That was by far the longest flight I have ever been on. I landed in Honolulu at about noon. Unfortunately I had only less than an hour over lay (about a week over lay would have been just about right to even out the tan I got in Thailand). From what I saw of Hawaii though it looked like a place I would go back to in better circumstances. As soon as I got to San Jose and saw my mom waiting there, I couldn't hold it in anymore; I completely broke down (what is it about moms?). I tried skyping my host family when I got to my mom's house but they weren't home. Verizon however is having a deal right now where you can call/text Japan for free until April 11th so I texted my host sister and she replied saying she was shopping in Ginza. Okay, now I can sleep.
I contacted my school and have decided not to take Spring term so as to get my life back in order. I absolutely hate the fact that I had no choice in this matter of being evacuated but then again I actually got lucky compared to another student I know on a different program. She had gone down to Kobe to escape everything and enjoy spring break. Her program however promptly called her the day after arriving there and said that they had set up a flight for her for the next day. Couldn't return to Tokyo to close her apartment, grab her stuff, or say goodbye to anyone. Needless to say she's a bit angry and sad and lost (like all of us are but perhaps just a bit more than the rest). Luckily she lives here in Campbell California so I'm going to hook up with her later and have a little support group. I'm so mad about a lot of things. I had just started my job at Gaba that I had worked so hard for. I had just gotten into the music scene in Tokyo and was scheduled to play some more gigs. My Japanese skills were skyrocketing, I was making lots of neat friends, and life was just so great.
This disaster is so horrendous and has displaced so many people that it's hard to complain about my petty problems. I just wish (as does everyone else) that it hadn't happened and that I was still snuggly immersed in the city that I had loved to hate (I'm not a big city kinda person so me and Tokyo had a lot of disagreements, but at the same time a lot of found memories). Got to start looking for a job, car, and apartment in Portland now. Hello, life.
If any other students out there are feeling lost/angry/sad, and just want to talk to someone who's feeling the same then feel free to contact me.
Email: weloveme006@yahoo.co.jp
If you email me I can give you my cell number as well.
Here's to all those brave souls working on getting that plant under control
Jamie
My host family are truly amazing people. Not only did they drive me to the airport, but they bought me dinner, forced me to accept an un-godly amount of money to take back with me to America (which I will pay them back ASAP), and stayed with me until I walked through security. No other host family i've had has even gone as far as the train station to the airport with me.
I had one friend come see me off as well (since I left so suddenly it was hard for people to leave their jobs and such --which shows how much people in Tokyo aren't letting this disaster ruin their daily routines). It was hard leaving them but like I said before --i'm not a crier.
I had five bags on me; all of which were over weight. Luckily though they had a deal going on in lieu of what happened to where they were only charging for one overweight bag. Still ended up paying 16,200 yen (about $180).
All day that day we hadn't felt any tremors. Might have been because we had grown used to them and just didn't notice or perhaps because they were small enough not to notice--I don't know. As I walked through security up to the customers officer however, the whole world started a-rumblin'. The overhead lights were swinging, cell phone earthquake alarms were blaring, airport intercoms were delicately stating "An earthquake is happening, an earthquake is happening" (oh that's what that is); even the customers officer looked unsure (to which I was like, oh Jesus, you ain't stopping me from running through here if this gets any stronger). But it stopped as promptly as it started, I finished with the wide-eyed customers officer, and ran straight to the TV.
Epicenter was very close to the coast of Chiba, but only about a 6.0. No Tsunami warning (thank. god.). The tremors are getting closer and closer to Tokyo which is very unnerving but logical from what I hear (since the northern most plate had such a huge shift now all the other plates are shifting as well; rolling down the coast line). I was shaken (and stirred) and extremely upset because I had cancelled my phone an hour earlier so had no way of contacting anyone to make sure they were okay (I have many friends who live in Chiba). There was nothing left for me to do though but wait, so wait I did. Boarded my flight and had the pleasure of sitting next to an American emergency response guy whose team was heading to Hawaii.
Me: "So are they pulling you guys out because the situation is stabilizing?"
Him: *gives me an oh you poor thing sorta look "they're pulling us out because they don't want the rescuers to become victims"
Me: "oh".
Him: "there's only about 50 men left to work on those plants and they're the true heroes. They're never going to have an easy life after this".
Me: "It's that bad? Where you there?"
Him: " No, I was at the navy base in Yokosuka helping with supplies to the North. The thing is that the (reactor 2 I believe) is still surrounded by four feet of concrete so getting water to it to cool it down is next to impossible".
Me: "Thanks for calming my nerves"
He then politely asked me what I had been doing in Tokyo. Told him I was on study abroad but that in sight of what's been happening my program decided to evacuate all students. I was worried about my friends and host family and didn't want to leave like I was. He informed me that it was better that I was leaving.
That was by far the longest flight I have ever been on. I landed in Honolulu at about noon. Unfortunately I had only less than an hour over lay (about a week over lay would have been just about right to even out the tan I got in Thailand). From what I saw of Hawaii though it looked like a place I would go back to in better circumstances. As soon as I got to San Jose and saw my mom waiting there, I couldn't hold it in anymore; I completely broke down (what is it about moms?). I tried skyping my host family when I got to my mom's house but they weren't home. Verizon however is having a deal right now where you can call/text Japan for free until April 11th so I texted my host sister and she replied saying she was shopping in Ginza. Okay, now I can sleep.
I contacted my school and have decided not to take Spring term so as to get my life back in order. I absolutely hate the fact that I had no choice in this matter of being evacuated but then again I actually got lucky compared to another student I know on a different program. She had gone down to Kobe to escape everything and enjoy spring break. Her program however promptly called her the day after arriving there and said that they had set up a flight for her for the next day. Couldn't return to Tokyo to close her apartment, grab her stuff, or say goodbye to anyone. Needless to say she's a bit angry and sad and lost (like all of us are but perhaps just a bit more than the rest). Luckily she lives here in Campbell California so I'm going to hook up with her later and have a little support group. I'm so mad about a lot of things. I had just started my job at Gaba that I had worked so hard for. I had just gotten into the music scene in Tokyo and was scheduled to play some more gigs. My Japanese skills were skyrocketing, I was making lots of neat friends, and life was just so great.
This disaster is so horrendous and has displaced so many people that it's hard to complain about my petty problems. I just wish (as does everyone else) that it hadn't happened and that I was still snuggly immersed in the city that I had loved to hate (I'm not a big city kinda person so me and Tokyo had a lot of disagreements, but at the same time a lot of found memories). Got to start looking for a job, car, and apartment in Portland now. Hello, life.
If any other students out there are feeling lost/angry/sad, and just want to talk to someone who's feeling the same then feel free to contact me.
Email: weloveme006@yahoo.co.jp
If you email me I can give you my cell number as well.
Here's to all those brave souls working on getting that plant under control
Jamie
