A week and a half after the Japanese earthquake: If the events we endured during the past couple of weeks were a heavy weight boxing match, we were out matched and out classed from the start. Our opponent was too big, too strong, and came prepared. What ever we did in training to ready ourselves was somehow not enough; we faced a fighter who attacked with impunity. If this were a prize fight we were knocked down in the first few rounds.
As the bell rung for the other rounds would have been desperately ducking punches and weaving our bodies in and out of harm’s way. Our gloves and arms pulled close to our faces and torso to weather the onslaught. Our backs pressed against the ropes. In our corners we heard guidance and advice which did not seem to work. When we tried to punch and hit back we were punished again. Each round, each time we got back up, we were knocked back down.
We were beaten, we were hit hard, and we were blinded by what seemed like an relentless force. In the mid rounds of the match our eyes would have been swollen shut, face bruised, bleeding, ribs hurting, and our breaths stung in exhaustion. Or legs our and our hopes stumbled heavily inside the ring. In this fight however the crowd was cheering for us. If I were to use a prize fight as an analogy for the past week, it would seem like a losing fight. But it’s now round 9. We’ve somehow regained composure.
Collected ourselves and we have started to make positive gains in the fight. I believe in this round we were able to figure out the challenger. We are now seeming to be able to gain control and attack back. In a boxing match this is called a second wind and or a turning point. It’s truly been a tough 9 days, but I’m starting to believe we are at this turning point. I’m starting to feel optimistic. This is a fight, this is a fight we have to win. So on this day I read that workers had cabled power lines to the reactors.
It appears that 3 reactor have regained their cooling systems although there is 1 still very dangerous. It’s going to be a tough few more rounds and the next 48 hours will determine the course of the nuclear crisis. There is some radiation in the air and in the drinking water but so far none of it is noted as harmful. Milk and agricultural products from the areas near the reactor have been contaminated. Winds are blowing away from Tokyo which is keeping us from danger. As for earthquakes and aftershocks. A few did hit today, but in Tokyo we did not feel any. The weather is warming and it is easing the burdens to those in the hard hit areas. Rescue efforts continue. We all cheered some good news about an 80 year old woman and a teenage boy being rescued after 9 days. As for shortages. People in Tokyo are still enduring them. It’s still darker here than usual but it is not unbearable.
What is an interesting fact to note is that I’ve noticed less foreigners here. It appears that most of the expats left the country to evade the crisis. There’s still a lot of people who need help and there’s a long and difficult road ahead. It will take years in order to build and recover. There’s a Japanese saying that I will share it with you. 七転び八起き! It means “Get Knocked Down 7 times, Stand Back Up 8 times. Never give up. So on this note, I’m taking the chance today to be optimistic. As tomorrow is the Spring Equinox; I’m hoping that there will be brighter days ahead.
Linh Vien Thai is Amerasian, born in Dalat, South Vietnam, where he continued to lived during the war. He left for the U.S. and is now an American living in Tokyo. He enjoys adventure traveling and doing what’s right to make the world a better place.
