As the majority of you know, Japan was hit with intense earthquakes and tsunami waves last week. Unlike most people here in the eastern region of North America, I was still awake at 3:50 AM EST working on my job search when I learned the terrible news on the internet. I then turned on the TV to watch the broadcast about that terrible natural disaster. I was just shocked when I saw videos of what happened over there. However, it's really when I heard on the news that a city named Sendai was hit with major tsunami waves that I went from shock to fear. Fear that something happened to one of my closest friends (Maxime) who lives over there with his wife. It was really until 4:40AM EST that I got a confirmation that they were OK. They were staying in a school gym which became an emergency shelter. Nevertheless, for the following days, I was still pretty worried for them especially with all the talk about nuclear plants exploding. Thankfully, I got news today that they are currently living at his father-in-law's house. I still don't know what they're going to do next (to either stay over there or to momentarily comeback to Canada).
Here are some pictures of his apartment and the streets near it (taken with his cellphone).
I'm so grateful to live here in Montreal, Canada where events like that have very little chances of happening. People here complain all the time about cold winters (which I absolutely love by the way). Let's hope that one day, they realize how lucky they are right here instead of always complaining about the weather.
Last but not least, a Xanga friend of mine
Nimbusthedragon started a
great initiative. For a donation of at least 10$, she will draw you a quick sketch of a head-shot of whatever character you'd like. She will obviously give all the money to charity (Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders). So I made a request for her to draw a sketch of my friend and his wife. She did a great job! Here's the proof :). I'm going to print & laminate that sketch and give it to them in person.
EDIT: Link on the Toronto Star about them.BON COURAGE MAXIME! JE SUIS DE TOUT COEUR AVEC TOI!
Comments (25)
man, I'm still in disbelief. I was sitting at church last night and we had this soup supper and these kids were complaining that there wasn't enough dessert to choose from. It hit me hard when I thought of how there are people in Japan that haven't eaten since the earthquake.
I'm glad your friend is fine. Losing people, no matter the cause, is a terrible feeling.
I'm also glad your friend is safe. I still can't comprehend & absorb the massive destruction that has happened. I just don't know how they will recover.
that is a wery good reaction of the disaster. Little acts help a lot to keep faith in life. His drawing is wonderful.
Je comprends que tu as dû avoir des sueurs froides quand tu as appris la terrible nouvelle. Quel soulagement d' apprendre qu'ils sont sains et saufs . Maintenant ils doivent aller loin de la source de radioactivité .
Bonne inititaive de ton amie .( dessin de Sachi et Maxime )
Amitié
Michel
OMG, I'm so relieved to hear that they are ok!!!!! ^_____^ That makes me so happy!!
Woah that's crazy ... I'm glad your friends turned out to be ok. Nimbus did a great sketch! News stories like this are a good reminder to appreciate the 1st-world life, that's for sure....
ps - In reply to your question - I've been on xanga since 2005 I think, tho I haven't been active in a really long while. Sure was different back then!
@godfatherofgreenbay - and how the rest of the world is. People are starving everyday and still we eat. I don't think we should feel guilty for having this life we were born into.
@Hinase - I'm not complaining about my life, I'm saying it really stung to have this vast spread of food and hear people complain that there wasn't enough of a variety or food to their liking.
@godfatherofgreenbay - I know you're not. People will always complain and be ignorant of things unless it's happening to them. If they don't know the hardships, then they take what they always have for granted. It does sting, that's why I never try to waste.
@godfatherofgreenbay - I think you have to be grateful for what you have in order to see things differently. Complaining is something human beings will always do. Sometimes, it's really useful when you're face with injustice but most of the time, there's always something you can do instead of complaining. That's just my humble opinion. :)
@Raymond_Tengen - No question about that. It's going to take a long time but I think Japan will be able to recover from that natural disaster.
@ElusiveWords - Thanks! The thing is, something like that will happen over and over again, that's just the way Earth has been formed. Scientists are saying an earthquake + tsunami combo will occur in the Cascadia region (Vancouver, Seattle, Portland). It's not a question of happening or not but when. It's really when things like that happen that we as human beings see how small we are when face with forces of nature.
@carlo - Yeah, that's a great initiative from her. She does have drawing skills.
@fauquet - Oui, j'ai eu des sueurs froides lorsque j'ai appris que le tsunami a frapper principalement la ville ou habite un de mes meilleurs amis. Je n'avais aucune facon de les rejoindre. Heuresement, j'ai eu des bonnes nouvelles sur leurs etats physiques et psychologiques. Je suis tellement navrer de voir la repercussions du cataclysme. Merci beaucoup Michel d'avoir commenter.
@nimbusthedragon - Once again, thank you very much for drawing that awesome sketch :)
@chantyshira - Yeah, very crazy. Glad they're currently stable. Still very sad about what happened over there. Nimbus does have great drawing skills. Well it's never to late to come back to Xanga right? ;)
Wow, the pictures from Japan have been intense. So many people have lost relatives and friends... whats worse now is the nuclear threat because if it poisons the land... then who can live there? Its awful!
@theladyofabundance - Yeah it's just incredibly sad what happens recently in Haiti, Chile, Japan, Indonesia. Nothing will stop things like that from happening. I'm so sorry for all the people who lost relatives and friends during those horrible natural catastrophe. I don't know how much time they need in order to contain the nuclear threat or fix its consequences ... I just wish they never lose hope.
That sketch is very impressive. When are they going to get it?
@Roadlesstaken - Yeah Nimbus does have some talent after all ;). They're going to get it when I'll meet them in person which is either this summer if they decide to visit Montreal ... or next year when I'll go there to visit them in Sendai.
It is hard to immagine what is like being in Japan and being hit by this disaster and then the Tsunami ... and then the nuclear problems. The picture brings us a little closer to the nightmare of this people and your friend.
They are brave people and they will recover, you can already see their way of thinking in his action of doing something to help the victims.
@carlo - Yeah it's very hard because we never experienced something like that. It's just through videos and testimonials that you can really feel all the destruction caused by that event. Yeah they are truly brave and they will recover. I just don't how much time it will take but they will recover.
J' ai lu dans le Toronto star qu'ils avaient l'intention de rester à Sundai . Est- ce bien prudent avec cette centrale nucléaire menaçante ?
Non seulement il ya eu 30000 morts avec tremblement de terre et Tsunami mais maintenant il faut faire face à une radioactivité croissante qui semble s ' étendre .
Espérons qu'ils en viennent à bout.
Amitié
Michel
@fauquet - Je ne sais pas si c'est prudent ou non. Je sais juste qu'ils prennent des décisions et ils vivent avec cela. Je comprends ses parents qui sont vraiment inquiets mais je comprends aussi Maxime pourquoi il veut rester là-bas. Cependant, je suis sûr qu'il va prendre la meileure décision si jamais la situation est vraiment critique. Je suis confiant que le Japon va se remettre de cette terrible catastrophe. Cependant je ne sais pas combien de temps cela va prendre.
Prends soin de toi mon Michel!
Alex