Hello!
I don't really know what to update since nothing new or exciting has been happening, but I'll just give a quick one so that you all know I'm fine.
Recently we've been having intentional rolling blackouts in the north-eastern parts of Japan to help conserve energy. The last few in my town have been canceled because people have been saving enough energy on their own. That is one thing that I really have grown to respect about Japan, their sense of community and working for the greater good.
I am not leaving Japan as of now. Things are calming down, and I have no real reason to go home. I want to finish my contract, and I want to finish my goal of actually learning Japanese. If I left now, I would feel like I was giving up on my dream. If the situation gets worse, I will reevaluate the situation and change my decision. Nothing is permanent at this point, but I have no plans to leave as of now.
Elliott's contract in Ibaraki, which is a bit closer to the power plant and also closer to the epicenter of the original quake, ends in four days. He will leave Ibaraki in four days and move to Yamanashi, where he will start his new job at the beginning of April. This move to Yamanashi was planned months before the earthquake happened, but it is lucky that this change is happening now. He will be able to move further away from the power plant by moving to Yamanashi.
Try not to be too manipulated by the news. The majority of the coverage is of a very specific part of Japan, and these are the worst effected areas. Almost nothing has changed where I am, and further south it's like nothing ever happened at all. I am safe, and I will be flexible in my decision making if anything happens from this point.
I appreciate all of the warm e-mails, thoughts, prayers, and offers to send items if any are needed. Try not to worry too much, and I'll to my best to stay on the radar during this time.
Love,
Lana
Glad to hear everything is going well -- I really admire that you're staying in order to finish what you started, and I'm sure it's difficult to persist since lots of friends and relatives are probably hounding you about coming home ASAP.
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity, when is your contract up? Good to know that Elliott's moving away from Fukushima soon.
Take care! Thinking of you.
Alex
Thanks Alex!
ReplyDeleteMy current contract is up at the end of July, but I've already agreed to work here for another year. That would make my second contract up in July of 2012. Of course almost any contract can be broken with some consequences, but I think I'd like to stick it out until the end granted Japan doesn't sink into the ocean. I hope everything is well with you!
Thanks for commenting!
March 26-29 K’s House Kyoto 075-342-2444
ReplyDelete418 Nayacho, Shichijo-agaru, Dotemachi-dori, Shimogyo-ku,
Kyoto city, Japan 600-8142
March 30 Matsunoki Ryokan
Address: 19-1 Ekimoto-cho,Kita-ku Okayama-City 7000024 Japan
TEL 81-86253-4111 FAX 81-86253-4110
March 31-April 1st Backpacker’s Hostel K’s House Hirosima
Address: 1-8-9, Matoba-cho Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 732-0824, Japan
Telephone: +(81)-82-568-7244
April 2 Kobe Sannomiya R2
Address: 2-4-6Kumoi-dori,Chuoku-ku,
Phone: +81-78-891-3034