Excuse me, could you please tell me where the closest cash dispenser for VISA cards would be?
Apart from the ten years I have lived in Japan, I spent more than half of my life in Germany, a year in France and two in the UK - no earthquakes here. When I was 13 or so, there was an earthquake in Germany and I remember my friend telling me a story that there was an earthquake of about 2-3 in Hamburg - people called the police and asked what to do - this is how rare earthquakes are in Europe. Now Japanese reading this will probably laugh - a 2-3 earthquake, that's almost cute.
I am very glad that of all countries, I am in Japan.
First I got a lift from a friend. We picked up random strangers on the way, one of which had walked for six hours to get home. In Germany, I don't know whether two girls would give a lift to a random man off the road. But of course, Japan is a very safe country and it's also because Japanese have "omoiyari"
When I came home to my apartment, I talk to the granny living two stories above, told her where the evacuation area is. I also talked to somebody who wanted to know the whereabouts of my immediate neighbours and we exchanged whatever little information we had.
It helped a lot to be able to exchange info on twitter. People who sometimes retweet my tweets or comment on something I have tweeted have asked me how I am, and that really helped a lot.
Then on TV, I saw people queueing for the bus to get home - queueing in this kind of situation is only something that the Japanese can do! At home, it would be survival of the fittest and for sure there would be somebody claiming their wive was about to give birth and they had to board first. Not in Japan. Of all countries to be hit by such a disaster, I am glad to be in Japan.
Even in the supermarket, everybody puts the stuff they want to buy in their basked, goes to the cash register and buys. Nobody just runs off with the food. And of course it's all these people in the super markets who worked today! These people behind the cash register! I went to four different shops for shopping, and when the shop attendants said their "Thank you very much", I replied "Thank YOU. Thank YOU for working today!"
There is some hoarding but only to some extent. I have the feeling that people hold back, because there are still others who also need to buy. Reading twitter I heard about people who put things back in the shelf after another afterquake.
And of course there's the people who I have been with today and yesterday - neighbours.
It is very scary to live on your own.
When I was about to be hospitalised last year, I cried because I was so scared. If you see a foreigner walking somewhere, ask them whether they are alright. First ask them in Japanese, even if they don't understand, an "Okay?" will be understood. Use your hands and feet!
I am lucky enough to be able to understand the news in Japanese and can even complicated discussions about nuclear power (thanks to the stuff I've interpreted so far), but there are foreigners who cannot read or write, and not speak Japanese either. Those that cannot read and write, please read things out for them. Do not use complicated words like "hinanjo" - just say something like "a place where you can rest"
For those who cannot speak, just talk with your hands and feet. You don't need to speak English. Draw a picture. When you are on your own, you start having all these crazy thoughts and it helps to talk to other people.
Your kind words on twitter helped a lot - I am now feeling better, thank you! Please stay save everybody!