Shake Rattle and Roll

I keep getting questions about the earthquakes… Are you okay? Did you feel it? Are they bad? Etc, etc…

In the past 24 hours we have had three shakes close by (6.2 - 5.2 – 5.1) all of which I have felt one way or another. Because of this I am keeping watch through an app called QuakeWatch. This app uses different databases to compile a list of earthquakes around the world. As I watch to see the size of the quake I just experienced, I have grown to notice that there are many many quakes and the world on a regular basis. Most may say, ‘well duh’, but there are many more than I ever considered.

Example:

In the last 24 hours there have been three earthquakes in Japan which are over 5.0, so we have felt them… However, in the last 24 hours there have also been over 18 earthquakes in Southern California. What??? You say. Yes, but they are all under 2.0 in size so you don’t really feel them.

The bottom line is that the world is constantly moving. No matter where you live in the world, there you are! Although it is very strange to wake up in the middle of the night because you’re in the middle of a 5.2 quake, you don’t let it disturb the rest of your life. It will pass like most things. You still have to go to work in a few hours so you might as well go back to sleep! J

For more earthquake related information visit: 

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/

Ways to donate: CLICK HERE

First Times a Charm!

I had my first Japanese lesson today!! I can read/write some Hiragana.

Let me explain…

The Japanese language is made up of three different written languages; Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Most people have heard of Kanji because that comes from the Chinese language. However Hiragana is original to the Japanese language and Katakana comes from foreign languages (i.e. words that are not original to Japanese).

Get it?

Lesson for you:

こんにちは

Konnichiwa

(ko-ni-chi-wa)

Hello

If that’s too easy…

おはようございます

Ohayou Gozaimasu

(Ohio-gozi-mas)

Good Morning!

Try using it with one of your Japanese coworkers! Let me know how you do! 

Kids Say The Darnedest Things

The other day one of my coworker said, "Just continue to be you!"

Another one of my coworkers told me today, "Thank you for being Stephanie."


It sounds even cuter in a Japanese accent!

Going Green..!

Many of my family and friends have asked me about radiation. More or less they have said, ‘don’t come back green’ or ‘you may never have children if you drink the water’. Although these things are very scary to consider they need to be, especially with everything that has happened in the past months here.

Last weekend I spent Saturday at the beach with the Brazilians (IA’s)! They were BBQing it up like rock stars! The beach was just as crowed as it is in California! People swimming and playing… drinking, eating, and having a good time!  

A few of my friends headed into the water, which led to the question, IS THE WATER SAFE? It’s one thing to go to the beach and hang out but it’s another to go into water that you know could be filled with radiation.

I talked it over with one of the Brazilians which has lived here, in Japan, for the past 16 years. Her daughter wanted to get into the water and she seemed okay with it. I was concerned. After some discussion, and past conversation with some doctor friends, as long as you don’t drink the ocean water you are okay.

The thing about radiation is that you can walk through an environment with radiation (i.e. ocean, air, etc…), take a shower and it will wash off. The time to be extremely cautions is if you drink it, eat it or digest it in anyway. Once it’s in your system, it’s hard to get out.

The purpose of this post, simply, is to say, life continues after trauma.. People are not letting the tsunami or earthquakes dictate how they live their lives. Yes, you have to be cautious and concerned but it should never stand in the way of life going on. 

Fact or Fiction

Everyone is shorter.

Fiction: I was in line at lunch and couldn’t see over anyone… even on my tippy toes!

(For reference, I’m 5’4 and there are plenty of cuties that are way taller than me! Actually I think when it comes to men, most people are taller than me!)

Everyone looks exactly the same.

Fact and Fiction: According to modern psychology it is easier to recognize differences in your own culture then you can in other cultures. So, yes, everyone may look very similar, but I challenged you to find two strangers who look exactly the same!

Everything is smaller.

Fact: Duh, everything is smaller! ...there is practically no obesity here!

When ordering coffee, there is small, medium, large, and American large! You take one look at a tray of food from Japan and think, well this is a nice snack, but it’s so filling. There is rice or noodles with every meal.

Worlds smallest iced mocha! Or at least it is to me!

 *Please note that the majority of this information is based off of my personal experience.