This has been a long week. A VERY long week. The children are doing remarkably well considering the circumstances. I have been with them 24/7 this week; and we are still alive:)
Robert has been working every day, he is at work even today and will go in tomorrow. The frustrating thing is that what he is doing a lot at work is reading a book. I know! That's what I am thinking....They have cancelled their patients and are doing tasks that need to be done randomly. Med. group people are also not allowed to volunteer for clean-up.
Two days ago (wow! seems like forever), our base commander announced voluntary departure ("evacuation") to all dependents to the states. Voluntary is just that--if you want. Many people have been complaining of how nervous they are about earthquakes, how kids are shaken up, how it was cold without power, not being able to cook food, etc. So, the DOD decided that to ease our hardship, we could be offered a free ride to the states and back. The deal is that we'd have to stay in the states for 30 days at least, and then, if things get better, we'd be able to come back. And they needed our decisions FAST so they could count how many planes to order to come in. From Misawa, we'd be taken to one "safe haven" location, such as HI, AL, Guam, Korea and then from there with a short or long (couple days) layover, we'd be flown to the states, and then to your final destination.
When it was announced, the schools were still closed, we had many unknowns about in what manner everyone will be able to leave, for how long, how we'd be able to come back, etc. It was a lot to think about. We had a lot of questions on our mind. Why they would offer a "voluntary" evacuation? Do they accept the conditions on base, around Misawa to get worse? If they do, how much worse? How would the departure of many people/personnel from base would change the base? What about our food supply if Yokota (a base in the South, where our bread comes from) is evacuating as well? What if the schools don't stay open?
Our main question was also how safe we are from the nuclear plant disaster. At this point, our comfort about that issue lies in the fact that we are 235 miles away from the Fukushima. That is around 380 km. The air around Misawa is sampled continually, and we have the winds favoring us at this time of year--NW winds blowing from the land into the ocean.
Believe me, this is a very hard decision to make. And the fear to make a mistake is horrifying to me.
After considering all the factors, talking it over and praying, we have decided to stay. For now. If anything changes for the worse with the radiation, my choice will be obvious.
We went out to lunch today--off base. Things are almost back to normal, at least they seem. Gas lines are still very long, some restaurants are closed. But everything else looks the same.
Please continue to pray for the Japanese people to recover from this disaster soon and for those who lost everything.
Robert has been working every day, he is at work even today and will go in tomorrow. The frustrating thing is that what he is doing a lot at work is reading a book. I know! That's what I am thinking....They have cancelled their patients and are doing tasks that need to be done randomly. Med. group people are also not allowed to volunteer for clean-up.
Two days ago (wow! seems like forever), our base commander announced voluntary departure ("evacuation") to all dependents to the states. Voluntary is just that--if you want. Many people have been complaining of how nervous they are about earthquakes, how kids are shaken up, how it was cold without power, not being able to cook food, etc. So, the DOD decided that to ease our hardship, we could be offered a free ride to the states and back. The deal is that we'd have to stay in the states for 30 days at least, and then, if things get better, we'd be able to come back. And they needed our decisions FAST so they could count how many planes to order to come in. From Misawa, we'd be taken to one "safe haven" location, such as HI, AL, Guam, Korea and then from there with a short or long (couple days) layover, we'd be flown to the states, and then to your final destination.
When it was announced, the schools were still closed, we had many unknowns about in what manner everyone will be able to leave, for how long, how we'd be able to come back, etc. It was a lot to think about. We had a lot of questions on our mind. Why they would offer a "voluntary" evacuation? Do they accept the conditions on base, around Misawa to get worse? If they do, how much worse? How would the departure of many people/personnel from base would change the base? What about our food supply if Yokota (a base in the South, where our bread comes from) is evacuating as well? What if the schools don't stay open?
Our main question was also how safe we are from the nuclear plant disaster. At this point, our comfort about that issue lies in the fact that we are 235 miles away from the Fukushima. That is around 380 km. The air around Misawa is sampled continually, and we have the winds favoring us at this time of year--NW winds blowing from the land into the ocean.
Believe me, this is a very hard decision to make. And the fear to make a mistake is horrifying to me.
After considering all the factors, talking it over and praying, we have decided to stay. For now. If anything changes for the worse with the radiation, my choice will be obvious.
We went out to lunch today--off base. Things are almost back to normal, at least they seem. Gas lines are still very long, some restaurants are closed. But everything else looks the same.
Please continue to pray for the Japanese people to recover from this disaster soon and for those who lost everything.
I'm so glad everything is fine with your family! Must have been difficult! I'd be keeping Japan in my prayers. All my friends and you and your family too!
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