I'm back

I've made it home safe and sound. I'll be continuing my studies at the University of Delaware for April and May and then will graduate at the end of the semester! My time in Japan was great and I will never forget it. I'm thankful to have had such a wonderful experience. This will be the last post of this blog, thanks everyone for reading!

Brian

I'm coming home

As many of you have already heard, I'll be coming back to America on Tuesday. While Fukuoka has yet to be directly affected by the disasters that have devastated Northern Japan, things have failed to improve over the past week and the future is still uncertain. My friends and family at home are concerned about the instability in the country right now and I am too.

About the Nuclear Power Plants that were Damaged by the Tsunami

I know many people are concerned about the instability of the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, especially with lines like "Japanese nuclear plant rocked by new explosion" on CNN's homepage. Remember the news industry is exactly that, an industry, and getting people riled up keeps the viewers tuned in. Here is an analysis a friend of mine wrote up based on his research online about the incidents.

I'm fine!

As many of you have probably heard, there was a massive earthquake in Japan, the 7th largest in recorded history. Since I'm in Fukuoka, we didn't even feel the tremors. As is a common result of earthquakes, a tsunami decimated the coastline of the Sendai region of Japan, and most of the east coast is still on tsunami alert. Fukuoka is on the western side of Kyushu though, so I am well out of harm's way. Picture a giant earthquake in the north Atlantic Ocean with enough power to severely damage Boston and sway buildings in Washinton D.C. In this analogy, I'm on the west coast of Florida. Yes I hear about it on the news constantly, yes I have friends with friends or family in the affected region, and yes my phone service has been a little shakey due to the high amount of traffic, but I'm completely fine.

There are a lot of people in Northern Japan who aren't fine though. I appreciate everyone's concern, but right now the people in Sendai are the ones who are in need. Direct your concern and prayers to those who lost their homes, families or lives from this catastrophic force of nature. I have heard that there was enough warning to properly evacuate a large portion of the population. Hopefully this has minimized the casualties of this natural disaster. It will be a long road to recovery, but I have no doubt that this tragedy will bring out the best in so many people who will work hard to rebuild what has been lost.

Coming From Mom and Dad

Julie and I enjoyed nine days in Japan with Brian.  We saw where Brian lives now, and also when he was in Kobe.  He took us to some of his favorite restaurants, too.  Japan is an amazing place, but the coolest part of the trip was seeing Brian completely interacting with the Japanese people.   His language skills are quite impressive, and his ability to navigate the subway and trains was amazing.  We saw a lot of neat things -  huge shopping areas, temples/shrines, the Peace Museum in Hiroshima, a ryokan on Miyajima Island, the spectacular aquarium in Osaka – the list goes on.  I would recommend to everyone a trip to Japan so that they can see how another culture lives.  I would, however, suggest taking Brian with you since he is a wonderful guide and interpreter. 

Thanks, Brian, for taking your spring break to take care of your parents.

Pictures after the jump

Coming From Mary

Hey Guys,

I am not only in love with Brian but I am now in love with Japan. I can see why he has such an interest in Japan and has come back for the third time. The country is beautiful, efficient, and all the people are extremely nice. While walking through the streets I have only come across a few pieces of trash since I have been here, the subway tracks are cleaner then our streets at home, and there is recycling everywhere. Plus every time you come into contact with a Japanese person they are bowing and saying "Arigato" which means thanks you, even though I am not so sure why they are constantly thanking me but I have come to learn it is a sign of kindness and respect.