I Really Hope my Bicycle Accident Yesterday Morning did not Cause the Earthquake

This is rather late, but I have been busy lately.  I also said it would be about things Japan has that America needs.  Well today’s events have changed that.  Let me start with the story of my day.

Well the day started off on an odd foot.  I crashed my bike in pole.  I was fine and walked right to the station.  Then I went to class like I normally do.  It was boring as it usually was.  Now usually I go out with my friends at around 2pm for lunch.  However, Airi wouldn’t stop laughing at my hair (I bleached it) and all I wanted to do was go home and dye my hair. I got on the train at 1pm and headed back to Koshigaya.  I bought some hair dye at the train station and biked home.  I arrived home at around 2:30pm.  I went on the computer to check facebook and other good stuff.

I started feeling tremors at 2:42pm.  I thought it was nothing at first.  The earthquake bells rang.  They sound like something out of a sci-fi film.  “Ring. Ring. Ring.”, but in some kind of alien bell sound.  The only reason I headed downstairs was to appease my host-mom and keep her from worrying.  Once I was downstairs, however, things changed.  At this point, you could really feel the tremors.  Items on shelves made a unique rattling sound.  Dolls fell down, cars shook left to right, and electrical wires swayed back and forth.  I squatted on the ground next to Megumisan.  Both of us were by the open door in case we had to leave immediately.  I saw in her eyes that she was scared.  This was no normal Japanese quake.  The earthquake lasted about 4 minutes. 

I enjoyed it.  It was fun.  Not once was I really all that scared.  Once it ended, I looked around, nothing was damaged.  Things fell and were a mess, and that was about it.  (Yay another tremors happening right now!)  We turned on the television to see that the earthquake hit the entire country.  It hit 7 on the Richter scale up north according to NHK.  I cleaned up a little, but I quickly learned my mistake.  Another tremor followed.  It was not as bad as the original, but still significant.  These tremors easily erased my traces of cleaning.  After this tremor, Megumisan started to worry about her children because it was about time for them to walk home from school.  She went to get them.  A few minor tremors followed.  I was fine. 

Then I checked to see if any American news networks would report this.  I didn’t think they would.  It was a big earthquake, but these happen often in Japan.  It didn’t seem that bad in Saitama.  I didn’t know how bad the rest of the country was hit.  My good friends at Foxnews were the first to mention it on their website.  At the time it was a breaking news bar that said “Earthquake hits Japan, 7.9 magnitude”.  I did not believe that.  7.9?  It was a little rough, but no 7.9.  Then I learned via the Japanese news stations that that number was not true…it was an 8.8. The pictures involving the damage to the north were limited.  I wish it stayed that way.

By the time Megumisan returned home safely with the children, the news swept across American news networks as the major headline.  As a family, we all sat in front of the television to get the latest news on the warnings.  We were prepared for evacuation…and still are.  Throughout the night, we continued to feel small tremors of aftershock.  A few woke me up. 

I know it’s hard to ask this of some of you, especially close family, but please don’t worry about me.  I appreciate it, but I will be fine.  I’m far from the tsunami, and far from the nuclear power plant.  God forbid a tsunami does hit in my area, water would have to engulf the entire city of Tokyo and 2 other cities in Saitama to even get my toes wet.  Keep praying for those in the north.  I have heard that my friends are ok.  If you wanna skype to see how fine I am, skype me at scotty-_-k.  Your prayers and support have helped me stay strong, and for that I thank you.