I want to let everyone know that I am ok and safe after yesterdays earthquake. Its hard to believe it has been 24 hrs since it happened now. Things are much more settled at the moment. Work was cancelled for me so I am staying home. I think trains aren't running anyway, I don't know if they will be back tomorrow. I am just grateful and glad to he home and safe. I have written my experiences from yesterday here so if you are interested feel free to read but don't feel obligated, it is rather long.
As I write this it has been less than 24 hours since the earthquake hit. I was in the middle of teaching a private lesson when we started to feel the shaking. It started pretty light and everyone expected it to pass after a few seconds as they usually do, but it didn't it continued and began to get stronger. We waited, some teachers trying to continue lessons but the shaking continued and got stronger and stronger. Eventually it didn't get stronger but the shaking still did not stop, the lamps were swaying and we heard things falling over in other rooms. We were on the 5th floor, I admit to being curious how it felt in taller buildings which I have seen swaying in some of the videos. Students and teachers were standing up, no longer sure what to do. We wondered if it was safer to stay inside or go outside to the street. Finally it seemed the shaking was beginning to subside, slowly slowly. During all this I did not feel afraid. When something serious happens my crisis mode seems to kick in immediately and I deal with everything very calmly, this state continued throughout the day, just kind of taking each thing as it came.
We had stayed inside but apparently a lot of people had gone out into the street instead. We decided to continue with our day and teach the next lessons, though we were already feeling the aftershocks. During my next lesson we had a big aftershock which again lasted quite a while though not quite as long. My student was very nervous about it and had trouble concentrating. After that I went to try to find some lunch, but many places had closed so I grabbed an overpriced sandwich from Starbuck's which did remain open, I ate my sandwich though I didn't really have any appetite. The elevator was no longer working so I had to climb the stairs to get to and from the school. We started hearing more news about what was happening at this point. We had internet access, even my phone had internet, though all other phone services were down for most people. Most of my coworkers have families and kept trying to find ways to get through to them. I had 2 lesson's cancelled. Many student's couldn't come because all the trains were stopped. In between lessons we'd try to get more news. We saw videos from Sendai, as the tsunami hit, and it seemed unreal.
After classes finished the trains were all still down and we were wondering what to do. We checked the websites and found that the JR lines were shutdown for the night and would not reopen. We all needed Tokyu lines though but there was no information whether they would open or not. My coworkers and I all went out to just see how things were out there. We went to an open supermarket near the station to get a few snacks, and we went to the station and asked about the status of the trains or the possibility of getting a bus. The line for taxis was immense. If anybody profited from yesterday it was the taxi companies. Many people were just waiting around outside the station, which had been closed off, just hoping the lines would reopen. We went back to the school. Apparently 4 million homes had lost power but our school was still warm and comfortable. None of us knew what we could do, some lived close enough to walk but a couple of us were pretty far, I think a walk would have taken me at least 2 hours, assuming I didn't get lost on the way. For the time being we stayed in the school. We contacted various friends and family through internet and landlines were working again by this time as well.
While we were out one of the most noticeable things to us was how calm everyone was and how organized things seemed to be. We imagined the same situations in our home countries and felt it was likely there would have been a lot more chaos, like looting and theft and just more chaos in general. But this is Japan, people remained polite and considerate throughout, though certainly shaken (pun not intended) and nervous. The aftershocks were continuing, though they were very small at this point, but we could feel them. This made us worry that they might not reopen the lines. However, a little before 11pm we heard that the lines we needed were opening. We were very relieved. We gathered our things and headed to the station. We got on our trains and began the journey home. When I got to the station, it looked like there were many people waiting for friends and loved ones to arrive at the station. So many people, stranded all day that could finally make it home. I walked home and upon arrival discovered that I did have power so there would be no more big difficulties. A few things had fallen over but there was no serious damage. I received a call that work the next day, today, was cancelled, so that I why I am able to write this to you now.
After getting home I started to feel the shock of it all. The aftershocks continued all through the night, even a couple bigger ones around 4am, apparently centered in Niigata. I have felt a few this morning but there seems to be fewer. I have contacted most people I know around here and everyone seems to be fine. To be honest, Tokyo did not seem to experience much destruction considering the strength of the quake, but this city was built to withstand this kind of situation and yesterday we were very grateful for it. Sendai got the worst with the tsunami hitting I think, it is the people in that area that will need the most help and hope.
There has long been talk that this area should expect a big earthquake soon because it had been such a long time. We all hope that this was it. It was terrible but we know it could have been so much worse, so if this was the "Big One" then I think we got off lucky.
There have been many disasters that I have witnessed through my tv screen but this time I am in the middle of it. It is a strange thing to be in that position and to know so many people in the affected areas as well. I am glad all those I know are safe and my thoughts go out to those in more seriously affected areas that were not so lucky.