What's Next?

A few things have happened during the last 5 hours. 

First, my dorm has enacted a restricted entry/exit rule for the next 1-3 days. Due to the radiation scare, students, parents, and professors are paranoid about the radiation levels. They are closing off the vents, turning off the air-conditioning, taping the windows shut, and refusing some students to return from outside. Seeing this intense fear of the air (even when researchers claim that Tokyo levels of radiation are not dangerous to human health) has me growing more and more fearful. I would rather not have to deal with such regulations and fears.

Second, schools in America and other countries have started recalling students to the states. My friends and I were huddled on the sofa when one of the boys received and email demanding the other 5 students from his home university leave Japan as soon as possible. Wittenberg has suggested that we leave, but has still left it our own decision since so many of my classmates are already in Kansai, however, there has been talk that they will also issue a summons back to the states.

Finally, some family friends from New York are going to the south and have offered me a chance to go with them and be with someone familiar. After the earthquake yesterday morning and last night, receiving requests from my family in America, and seeing the students becoming so frightened, I have decided that making the move to the south for a while would be the best option for my safety, health, and peace of mind.

Now, earlier at night I was laughing and joking with my friends, eating at a tabehoudai in Kichijoji. Then, when we got back to the dorm, and I saw the others students worrying, I was freaking out. Now, I'm not in tears, or jumping off the walls, but I'm getting a little antsy as to why my friends and I are some of the only ones who haven't gone to pieces from fear. We were having great time at dinner, when we got another quake. This time, we were all underground and the size of it was pretty surprising. By the time we got home, everyone had started freaking out, again. So, it looks like I'm off to the south (or west, depending on how you see it) for a little break. I hope that things clear over so I can come back for spring term. I'll just hang out down there for a while.