My personal experience with the March 11 disaster

Welcome to my new blog, relating to the Sophia University course Nature, Culture & Technology.

When the earthquake of march 11th hit Japan, I was at home in my bed in Oslo, Norway sleeping. I remember I woke up early in the morning when my father called me, asking if I had heard the news from Japan. My friends and family knew of course about my plans for going on a study exchange to Tokyo, and I was just going about my regular day to day business, waiting to finally take my leave. Then this happened. Not believing the sensationalist media back home, my first reaction was skepticism and calm - I simply did not think it was such a big deal. I was proven wrong however, and in the two weeks that followed my biggest concern was whether or not I was going to be allowed to leave for Japan or not. Being as far away and safe as I was, I could not simply grasp the severity of the situation, nor the horrible realities facing the people of Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunamies.

Things calmed down over the span of the next three weeks however, and when I finally got my good-to-go traveling confirmation I was relieved, but also filled with a kind of uncertain suspense that I had never felt before. I am not afraid of earthquakes, but the effects of nuclear spills on human beings is a fear deeply rooted in people today I think. Not knowing the realities of the actual situation, seeing as every different newspaper reported different things, also attributed to this uncertainty that I was feeling. Not uncertainty of coming here, but uncertainty of what was going to meet me.

What actually met me here surprised me a great deal, but in an unconditionally positive way. The people I met here were open, including and, it seemed, almost grateful to still have foreigners among their ranks. I do not know how the people of Japan were before the disaster, but what I discovered when I arrived was a warm sense of community and spirit.

These are just some of my thoughts on the events spanning the last month, and though I still can't begin to understand the scope of the disaster, or the tragedy of the Japanese people, I am truly honored to be a part of this very special time in Japanese history.