My alarm was not set Friday morning. I had major plans though...plans to sleep in! However, thanks to all my loving and thoughtful friends I was woken up early in the morning hours to phone calls, texts, emails, and facebook posts all concerning my well-being.
I had no idea what these people were talking about.
"Are you okay?!?"
"Are you still going to Japan?!?"
"How is this going go affect your travel plans? Are you scared to go now?"
Umm...WHAT?
Uncle E. stayed up all night watching the latest broadcasts only to call my parents in a frenzy demanding to know my whereabouts. My old boss gave me a wake up call explaining about the huge earthquake in Japan and resulting tsunami waves. Naturally I was concerned for my Japanese friends who lived there, but I know Funehiki is far enough inland to avoid direct tsunami impact.
I told him I was going to the Oregon coast later on in the day. He promptly informed me that Oregon's coast issued mandatory evacuations! The world is so small...
Naturally I was concerned for my brother, an avid surfer, living in Hawaii. I later found out that not only was he safe and sound indoors, but their all too-efficient tsunami warning system was keeping him awake at night, sounding a high-pitched siren every 30 minutes.
The situation grew worse when I learned that Funehiki is only 56K and due west of the nuclear power plant leaking radiation. If the winds don't change and blow east, they will have to prepare for more invasive damages indirectly caused by the quake.
How does this affect my travel plans? So far, the Narita airport in Japan is still functioning even though it was temporarily closed on Friday the 11th. Funehiki is suffering power outages and minor cleanup from the quake, but is otherwise in livable condition. Currently the main concerns are aftershocks and possible contamination from the nuclear plant. I figure there is nothing to stop this kind of thing from happening in the U.S., so why try to avoid it by staying here. As of this moment, all plans are still set and in motion.
Thank you all for your concern! If you wish to follow up on your concern and positively impact this situation, please make a small (or large) donation to a relief organization such as the American Red Cross. You've all seen the devastation in Sendai and surrounding areas from the tsunamis that will require lots of people and funds to clean up.
It's a small world; let's take care of our neighbors.
I had no idea what these people were talking about.
"Are you okay?!?"
"Are you still going to Japan?!?"
"How is this going go affect your travel plans? Are you scared to go now?"
Umm...WHAT?
Uncle E. stayed up all night watching the latest broadcasts only to call my parents in a frenzy demanding to know my whereabouts. My old boss gave me a wake up call explaining about the huge earthquake in Japan and resulting tsunami waves. Naturally I was concerned for my Japanese friends who lived there, but I know Funehiki is far enough inland to avoid direct tsunami impact.
I told him I was going to the Oregon coast later on in the day. He promptly informed me that Oregon's coast issued mandatory evacuations! The world is so small...
Naturally I was concerned for my brother, an avid surfer, living in Hawaii. I later found out that not only was he safe and sound indoors, but their all too-efficient tsunami warning system was keeping him awake at night, sounding a high-pitched siren every 30 minutes.
The situation grew worse when I learned that Funehiki is only 56K and due west of the nuclear power plant leaking radiation. If the winds don't change and blow east, they will have to prepare for more invasive damages indirectly caused by the quake.
How does this affect my travel plans? So far, the Narita airport in Japan is still functioning even though it was temporarily closed on Friday the 11th. Funehiki is suffering power outages and minor cleanup from the quake, but is otherwise in livable condition. Currently the main concerns are aftershocks and possible contamination from the nuclear plant. I figure there is nothing to stop this kind of thing from happening in the U.S., so why try to avoid it by staying here. As of this moment, all plans are still set and in motion.
Thank you all for your concern! If you wish to follow up on your concern and positively impact this situation, please make a small (or large) donation to a relief organization such as the American Red Cross. You've all seen the devastation in Sendai and surrounding areas from the tsunamis that will require lots of people and funds to clean up.
It's a small world; let's take care of our neighbors.
RSS Feed