Vicky's husband Seiju and team of 300 left home March 12 with 300 others on a search and rescue mission to Iwate near the Kuji River. On March 22, they cleared roads in the village of Taro. Vicky writes, "This town built a huge ten metre sea wall to defend itself against tsunami, but the wave that came last week was at least 20 metres high, and the wall did nothing. Seiju said he saw a house on top of a house today, and ships in the main street. He also said he has seen these junior high school boys who carry stuff to the shelters each day. Good boys!" She posted a video of the boys, which I copied to my blog as HEROES: Junior high boys help homeless recently.
okaasanandme.blogspot.com (Okaasan means mother, in this case her boyfriend's mother)
This British blogger has lots of posts describing every day life in Hokkaido during the crisis. Like many others, she feels guilty that things aren't so bad where she is and concerned about those more seriously affected and like others, she has shipped off care packages to those she knows who are in need.
On March 16, she posted pictures of "a silly, silly woman becoming 50 years old on Saturday night... How's THAT for inappropriate behavior while thousands die and are homeless? Life in Hokkaido is very strange at the moment."
Japan
Cecilia is a history teacher in Tokyo. I think she is from Australia. She has had interesting daily posts about the disasters and their aftermath, several of them on Sanriku, which is where the Justinianos have been delivering aid. Lots of photos.
Cecilia is a history teacher in Tokyo. I think she is from Australia. She has had interesting daily posts about the disasters and their aftermath, several of them on Sanriku, which is where the Justinianos have been delivering aid. Lots of photos.
The Buddhist Blog
James Ure calls his blog "a journal of my humble travels as I try to follow the
middle path of Buddhism. Take my hand and walk with me for awhile. I
have a university degree in U.S. History with a special emphasis in
African history. As well as a minor in World Geography." I don't think he is Japanese but he understands the Japanese spirit. He wrote a moving post,
"A wish of comfort for the Japanese people" (March 17)
From Japan With Love
This blogger writes, "While we are safe it has been just heartbreaking to see the news....to hear the stories. I finally got in touch with a friend in Tokyo...she is ok as is her family in Chiba but they live near the oil refinery that was on fire so they had to evacuate for a while.
It sure makes me grateful for everything/everyone in my life. I've been hugging my husband a lot and didn't let him out of my sight on Saturday as I have to admit I was/am a bit freaked out by it all.
My mom, needless to say, is freaked out not only by the earthquake and tsunami but also because of the nuclear reactor issue going on. We are far away but still....and also by the volcano that went off on our island-we are also safe from that but it is all a bit much for her.
I repacked and added to our earthquake bags we have prepared (since the earthquake we had here a few years ago). I hope we never have to use them but I sure felt better after I added more items to them.
Queen B
Bryn posted that hilarious, bittersweet video, "Nuclear Boy." I'm afraid Nuclear Boy may have passed more than gas this time.
Bryn posted that hilarious, bittersweet video, "Nuclear Boy." I'm afraid Nuclear Boy may have passed more than gas this time.
Illahee's blog
Illaee describes herself as "just a bewildered american woman stuck in
japan with a husband, a boy, a girl and another little boy. if you find
my sanity, you can keep it. i don't think i would know what to do with
it now!"
Gaijin Housewife in Japan (Gaijin means "foreigner")
Don't know her name but Gaijin Housewife and her husband DH drove from their home in Iwate in devastated northeast Japan to Tottori, down near Osaka. But she is pregnant and nervous and things are in short supply there, too, so she is going to fly back to her home in New Zealand for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile her husband is filling their car with containers of water where none is yet available and is heading back to Iwate, where his work resumes Monday. Their son Sebastian will stay with his father and Japanese grandparents.
Don't know her name but Gaijin Housewife and her husband DH drove from their home in Iwate in devastated northeast Japan to Tottori, down near Osaka. But she is pregnant and nervous and things are in short supply there, too, so she is going to fly back to her home in New Zealand for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile her husband is filling their car with containers of water where none is yet available and is heading back to Iwate, where his work resumes Monday. Their son Sebastian will stay with his father and Japanese grandparents.
Gaijin Housewife leaving Japan for home country
Katy at Gaijinwife
Katy is also from New Zealand and married to a Japanese man. They have 3 children. Katy's writing is raw and sarcastic, riddled with expletives, but she has a wonderful heart. She had just finished helping raise funds for her hometown Christchurch after their earthquake when the Sendai one hit. Now she is raising funds for Japan.
This is from News and Bum Bullets, March 24, 2011
Sitting watching the morning news. We started with news on radiation
levels on a variety of green leafy vegetables, milk through to fish and
squid. Low levels of radiation were found in the Tokyo water supply and
other areas. They had a chart explaining what you could do and be safe –
let your fish swim in it, water you verandah vegetables with it, drink
it and not pass any on through breastmilk to your baby etc etc.
A woman is at the moment going through her daughter’s office – or
what’s left of it. She hasn’t heard from her husband or daughter since
the 11th. She doesn’t have hopes for their life but she was hoping to
find some physical object. Another woman, has come home from delivering
their daily delivery of bread to people that can’t make the drop and in
walks two relatives – they hadn’t heard from them in 13 days and didn’t
know where they were or even if they were OK. Hugs and tears all round.
God it’s heartbreaking. People crying because they found a photo album
washed up in the remains of their house, 100 meters away from where it
used to stand, and I sit here with my wide screen TV on, a warm cup of
coffee, the internet obviously, and family whom are all safe and
accounted for. I’m procrastinating hanging out the washing when these
people would be joyous to have the chance to a) do a load of washing and
b) have a nice clean set of clothes to put on afterwards. . .
Part of me wonders when these reports will stop being on the news –
it’s heartbreaking. But the other part of me knows that for people
unaffected physically, like me, having these reports is a constant
reminder that thousands of people up North are roughing it (I know
that’s not a good way to say it, seeing as people have lost family,
homes, their way of life and aren’t just stuck out in the bush without a
tent) and we need to continue to do our bit. Even if that is just
turning out the lights, not having the rice cooker on all night, putting
on a jumper instead of the electric heater, putting our change in the
donation boxes set up at just about every counter of every shop.
Not spending so much time on the computer…
Best get to hanging out that nice clean washing.
Go turn off a light switch or two you lot.
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