Sunday, March 20, 2011

Perspective

I am currently sitting on a Japanese style floor.  Properly known as Tatami mats, the Japanese style floor are bamboo mats.  Rooms, and whole apartments, are a measured by the number of tatami mats in them.  These floors are very sensitive to damage which is what has given rise to the Japanese tradition of not wearing footwear in the house.  It also explains why western style chairs are not common.  The repetitive motion of pulling chairs in and out would destroy these mats.  This lack of permanent furniture allows for the style of one room living.  Last night, we all stayed in a very nice Japanese style room that had a table, a desk and a dias.  To the side via the sliding rice paper doors, there was a sitting area to view the garden that was more western style.  It was beautiful (pictures to come).

It is very different to think that the as I sit here thousands of people are in a disaster zone, relatively close to me.  That said, to panic about this would be the same as panicking about forest fires at the edge of BC while living in Regina.  Or an earthquake that happened in Northern Saskatchewan, twice the distance away from Regina that Lac La Ronge is.  I understand why people are worrying, but as the Japanese in the south of Honshu are not panicked, I fail to see the point in me doing so.  As the way things stand, the only way I would leave is if the radiation levels become to a point that I believe are unreasonable where I live, if the Canadian government informs that they are starting evacuations, or if either of my universities inform me that I am unable to continue my stay here.  I really do thank everyone for their prayers and concern.  I am glad that to know that so many people love me enough to allow themselves to be concerned.  To calm your fears I am currently over 500 miles from the Nuclear reactor.  Sitting in the first city ever to be bombed by a Nuclear Bomb.  Very close to the hypercentre of the bomb, and I think I would be in greater danger of fallout (which is non-existent) than the reactor.

On that note, I went to the Peace Park today and it has changed my view on disaster.  There are thousands of thoughts that went through my head, and look forward to hearing about it.  As a warning, it won't be a happy post.

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