It's only March 20th, but I write from South Dakota. If you have the internet or a television with basic, cable, or satellite service, then you know of the heartache that the people of Japan are experiencing. An 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck of the northeast coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. This triggered a massive tsunami which hit a part of the northeast coast and devastated the city of Sendai and surrounding areas. Aftershocks continue to shake Tokyo, some 200 miles south of the epicenter of the original quake. Experts are saying it's the 5th strongest quake in recorded history.
Otaru, my home in Japan, felt only a few small tremors from the 8.9 quake. I was in Taiwan at the time, from March 8th through the 15th, so I quickly made contact with my friends in Otaru to make sure they were okay. It was quite stressful to be in Taiwan and not know the exact status of Otaru, whether or not it was affected by the quake or subsequent tsunami. We had a break between semesters so many of the exchange students were out exploring Japan and other countries at the time the quake struck. Thankfully everyone was accounted for but understandable shaken from the unpredictable events.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has complicated things more. At this point, the news media is saying that potentially three of the nuclear reactors are in meltdown. Because of this, my home university is requested that I return home. It is a sad way to end what was supposed to be a year in Japan but I am thankfully for the amazing, unforgettable experience I had for seven months. The people of Japan have been amazing hosts and I will return again one day.
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