Japan

I always get this feeling inside of sorrow and pain after a natural disaster, whether it affects me directly or not. The death and devastation of the 2004 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami, the 2010 Haitian earthquake, the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, or Hurricane Katrina gets to you. But this one is different for me. I have a connection to country. In 1996, I had the opportunity to study there for three months as a part of an exchange program while at North Side High School in Fort Wayne. Although the city we stayed in, Takaoka, was not directly affected by the quake, the bond the was developed between the people there and the country as a whole is undeniable. Many friends I met now live in Tokyo, which received substantial, but not devastating damage.

Me, Taku, and Shinya chumming it up

I've e-mailed with them, but have not heard anything back. As they were in Tokyo, I'm assuming all is okay as power and internet availability is scarce, if not completely out. I went back to visit in 2006, almost 5 years ago to date. I met up with my friend, Shinya Yamada, who stayed with my family when he was in Indiana as a part of his exchange program. He has become a good friend who I regularly write and chat with through the internet. I have not had the opportunity to make it back there to visit, as I now have a family. One day, I'd like to take my family there to share the wonderful experiences, culture, and people of Japan I have grown fond of.

This disaster will wear on them, but the Japanese show great resolve. With the country on the brink of nuclear disaster, something they have unfortunately have experienced before, they will fight back. The ingenuity, the smarts, and drive to succeed to become better will shine through and the rest of the world will truly be envious of how they come back on top.

God bless Japan.