The last couple of days saw an outpouring of Facebook status updates and blog posts commemorating the 1st anniversary of the March 11 earthquake in Japan. Some were poignant, some were sappy, some were touching and all were written by foreigners or "Gaijins" as we are called here. The Japanese prefer to mourn in private, rather than wear their hearts on their sleeves...or should I say their Facebook walls!
I too, spent the better part of the 11th, alternating between reminiscing about that fateful day and wondering how best to put it into words. The 1st brought back memories I would not wish on my worst enemy (ummm...well....maybe a teensy lil bit!!! :P) and the 2nd left me in a state of total confusion. After all how could I...how could anyone put into words the sheer horror, the devastation, the utter tragedy that was March 11 and more importantly how could one possibly express the indomitable spirit, the courage, the silent strength and the immense will power that is present in each and every Japanese. I had watched in mute horror as a mother identified the lifeless bodies of her young children with a single nod and a bowed head. The stark image of a young woman, holding an infant, her head held high, while her house with all her worldly possessions collapsed behind her, is also one I shall never forget.
There is a famous song by Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto, called "Ue o Muite ArukÅ" - which best describes the typical Japanese mind set. The loosely translated lyrics mean "I look up as I walk, so that my tears won't fall"- the song and its meaning send shivers up my spine each time I hear it and it always reinforces my awe of this wonderful race. This "never-say-die" attitude and resilience has helped the Japanese through countless rough times and this time too, it is one of the main reasons that a mere one year after the horrific tragedy, life in Japan has resumed its usual frenetic pace, albeit with a few changes .
It's a given, that life has changed for us...in big and little ways. Prior to the earthquake, we would blindly buy produce believing that the fruits and veggies available here were second to none, in terms of taste and freshness; yet we now cast furtive glances at the place of origin...any produce coming from any prefecture near the nuclear disaster zone is hurriedly put back, lest mere contact contaminate us!!! Cooking with and drinking mineral water (at least for the Brat) has become a part of life. Friends have moved to other countries and we find our weekends empty of "adda" sessions, late night pizza parties but most importantly we miss the feeling of being a part of an extended family away from home. In what's becoming as natural to me as breathing, every time the earthquake alarm application on my iPhone (it is called "Yurekuru" for all those who want to download it) buzzes...I run a quick mental checklist... passports-check, money-check, various cards-check, Earthquake kit- check, Brat-check (as I am writing this another biggie is rocking my house...but by now I have learnt how to multitask- writing, mentally ticking my checklist, all the while assuring the Brat that we won't have to run down the stairs again are all a piece of cake for me now!!!!!!)
The aforementioned earthquake kit (given by my husband's office, but also available at various stores) is a veritable cornucopia of essentials like a solar powered torch-cum-radio, bottled water, energy bars, blankets, playing cards (to while away long hours at earthquake shelters), basic medicines and the most interesting of all a portable toilet with toilet paper...yet another insight into the eye for detail that is so typical of the Japanese. I know....I know, I am sounding like the brand ambassador of Japan but it is difficult to live in this country and not be awed by its people.
This is the country that saw me set up my first home, the country that saw me become a mother, the country that helped me develop a sense of independence and give birth to a braver me (believe me, climbing down 14 floors of a violently rocking high rise with a wailing toddler in your arms does make you dip into your inner well of courage). Sure this country has it's negative traits too...the inflexibility, the blind following of certain archaic rules and regulations, an almost unhealthy obsession with punctuality (what's with that anyways!!!!!! :O), clinging to their mother-tongue as if life was a rapid and the language their only lifeboat...but at the end of the day the positives still outweigh the negatives by a large margin and I still feel proud to call this country my second home!
So here's to Japan in all it's myriad glory- a country where hope springs eternal and the Sakura blooms forever.
