the big IF

I haven't been sleeping well. It seems like I wake up to some tremor or another every morning. This morning I actually slept through one but Brad didn't. And I woke up soon after and then we just didn't go back to sleep. So I'm tired, and it's getting more wearing than I thought it would be. This whole day it seems there is good news and bad news. We kept with our media timeout today and it definitely helped. I wasn't as anxious today as I was yesterday. It probably helped that we had regular classes today to keep me busy too. Although my teacher was doing some sort of demonstration today where he kind of knelt down in front of his desk like he was getting under it and my stomach flipped and I almost dove under the first desk I saw. That would have been a little embarrassing. :)

We are getting all of our information from the US Embassy in Tokyo. Because the media is completely sensationalizing everything and none of it is really relevant to us. Again, all we need to know is if we're safe right now, and if something bad happens, what do we need to do? Unfortunately those answers are hard to come by and it seems like they are keeping up to date on everything that we might need to know at the embassy website. (We are also registered with the US Embassy here to receive alerts and so they know we are here/where we are in case anything happens.)

Brad has continued to bike to work (25km each way) until he was finally able to take the train home last night, although it wasn't very convenient since not every line is working, and there aren't very many trains working. He tried to use the trains this morning but we had a scheduled power outage so he ended up taking a bus, and fortunately got a ride home from a coworker tonight. His commute is still a guessing game but luckily he only has 3 more days of school left. We have also been lucky in that it hasn't rained, although it has gotten colder.

I talked to some of my teachers today who are worried about the gas situation. Brad also passed a lot of cars waiting in lines at the gas station today. People wait for hours, and are lined up for miles just to get a little bit of gasoline. My teacher said the price is 150 yen per liter ($2 a liter). Now does $4 a gallon seem so much?

They have been giving schedules for mandatory power outages since this problem began but this morning was the first time they actually shut the power off. It was out from about 6:45 am to 9:45 am. I'm hoping they don't shut off the power like they have planned tomorrow from 4pm to 10pm because otherwise we're having a cold and dark dinner!  But we went to the grocery store tonight and things actually seem to be looking up there. They still don't have everything yet, and people are definitely still panic buying but we were able to get some bread and eggs! It still seems like they're running low on the bread, eggs, water, rice, and cup of noodles. Unfortunately because people are panicking around here it seems that it's making it harder on the people up north who really need the food.

Some people looking at the limited train schedule for the night, while a station employee waits to give directions. 

The usually full cup o' noodle aisle at the grocery store. 

OUR "PLAN":

This is our big "if" situation now. If this hadn't have happened, we would be moving out of our apartment on April 2nd with Brad's family. If the situation stays the same as it is now, we will be ready to leave sometime next week. We have already sold most of our furniture, but we still haven't started packing most of our stuff. People are picking up our things this weekend. If the situation gets better, meaning they get the nuclear reactor under control, there isn't any radiation leakage and the public transportation gets better then it would be nice to continue with our trip. If the situation gets worse, and with no regrets whatsoever, we will drop everything and leave.

I really hope that doesn't happen.

For many reasons...but this is a really sad way to see Japan and have it be one of your last memories of an all around great year.

I really want to thank all of you for your emails, calls and messages. It is really comforting to get all of the messages and helps make this whole mess a little easier. I hope you don't feel like I'm neglecting you by not returning an email to you. I'm trying! But I'm also kind of busy/preoccupied. At the very latest we will be back on Colorado soil in less than 2 and a half weeks, and we are so excited to see all of you!