Of Some Confusion

TEPCO has been less than useful recently. We're told that the area around the Fukushima plant is high in radiation. Workers can only be in the reactors for a few minutes a time and there's radioactive particles in the water in the tunnels where they are working, compounding the issue. Furthermore, a warning bell went off which sent workers out of the reactor the other day. Then, we receive news that this was a malfunction in their system and the radiation actually wasn't that high. Other news sources such as Reuters, MIT, etc. report that even though the radiation is high near the reactor, people further away are fine. The radiation will be diluted by the sea and it will be so minuscule by the time that fish and other aquatic life consume it, it will be virtually nil. They tested water 30 km away for this. Radiation levels in downtown Tokyo are even lower than normal world averages. The water in Tokyo is safe another day for infants to drink, but that's not true in Chiba and some other prefectures that are closer to the reactor. It's gotten to the point here frankly the NY Times, CNN, FOX are just ignored for their continued "imminent doom" proclamations, and Reuters, MIT, and Nikkei are just releasing all information that they can confirm. This means that their reports often seem to be conflicting, but yet calming. The one thing that has risen out of this is the common belief that TEPCO needs to be more open, that the UN needs to help out more, and that everyone is infinitely grateful for those who have gone to the reactors to help. The workers and engineers there are not getting paid anymore than normal, and even though their families urge them not to go, they continue to go because their sense of duty to the safety of the country's people around them is their main priority.

Class schedules continue to be up in the air. We finally received the schedule today, and although everything seems to be on time, even things in Kansai are a little scattered. Students are arriving late, still waiting on their governments to give them permission to come. Some are coming even without that permission though.

I went out and bought the JLPT Registration form today. I've filled it out, and I'll take it to the post office soon to go get that finished. It's official: Level 2. Right now, I definitely can't pass it. But I'll study and do my best to try to be ready.

I have to register for classes back at Miami tomorrow. I can't even explain how far that seems from my mind at the moment.

The one thing that sticks out at the moment though is this recent dedication from everyone to scale back their excesses. Heaters are off, unnecessary lights are off, and people are gathering together to share energy. In a country where they coined the term "hikikomori" (引きこもり), literally, a person who shuts himself in his room to avoid contact with society, this alone is enough to really shock you. People who rarely if ever see each other are now sharing common areas. Although the conversations are coming slowly, the disaster has in a way made people closer and value what truly matters in life. I have to say, it's been a profound experience. And for this reason alone, I'm glad to have remained in Japan.