The earthquake in Japan

     Now that I am back in Gonder I’m learning about the earthquake in Japan. It takes forever to open links on slow internet connections here, so I only glimpse at headlines for now. I’ve traveled in that area twice. A funny story is here. I’ve heard Japanese say that the region, Tohoku, is the “real” Japan. Sometimes I think they mean it as a backhanded compliment, that it never changes, and there’s a brain drain of young people to Tokyo, but I’m sure everyone is anxiously glued to the news. I met a Japanese couple today from Tokyo that looked a little shell-shocked.
     My impulse is to go over and help (if there’s no radiation), but after a catastrophe, do they just rebuild? What can I do? Any suggestions?

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The earthquake in Japan — 5 Comments

  1. Every outlet for “how you can help” says the same thing – they need money but not people. Huge problems supplying power, food and water to the people that are there. Maybe in time they will need people to help rebuild but not yet.

  2. All I come up with regarding how we can help right now is by donations. It’s not the most creative answer, but collectively, even small amounts can have an impact. Here is a link to a list of relief organizations provided by the folks at UC-Berkeley:

    http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/03/15/how-to-help-relief-organizations-aiding-japan-quake-and-tsunami-victims/

    And before they rebuild, I think they’ll have to find somewhere to put the surreal amount of debris. For all the photos and names of different areas affected, I can’t help but think there’s a good chance you’ve passed through these same places with an entirely different memory. All because of your great pictures and stories, I developed a newly found appreciation for that unique country. I hope your cast of characters is safe. Someday I will go and give back firsthand and it will be entirely influenced by what you have shared here on your website.

  3. I’ve heard that the government isn’t helping individuals much, just trying to look in control of the big picture and leaving survivors to fend for themselves. “What?!” you say? “The Japanese trying to make a problem go away by ignoring it?! Never!” “I KNOW,” I say, ” but that’s what I’ve HEARD!”
    Anyway, all inappropriate flippancy aside, since most people didn’t have insurance I’d guess a lot of people are going to be left trying to rebuild their own houses, especially in rural areas. I can imagine you showing up and offering to help hammer nails, etc. You could make a real difference for a few families.

  4. and those awful, flimsy japanese houses, maybe they can build something better next time? Can’t say that they’d be much match for a tsunami, but for an earthquake….?

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