Well, Yesterday i was in Yokohama working. I was teaching a class of about 8 kids about 5 -6 years old. I feel very lucky that i was at this certain kindergarten and class as they are one of my favourites so easier to handle.
Anyway, i was teaching when the earthquake started to happen. I thought it was just a small one and would pass so i kept teaching. But it got stronger and stronger and then the loudspeakers crackled and said something. Instantly all the kids got up and ran to me. I had no idea what to go so i told them in Japanese to follow me. I wanted to see what the partner teacher (Eri who was covering for Satsuki for that day) but i heard her calling my name. I saw her in the doorway with the other kids so i did the same. Sat down in the doorway with them around me. Some went to Eri and i had the others. It was very very scary. Everything was shaking violently. My heart was racing and i could feel my body shake as i was so scared. But on the outside cool as a cucumber. Check me out (: P) One kid was screaming but the others were okay. A few were looking around worridly but, yeah, the others were fine. One of my kids Mio who went to Eri was even smiling! While it was happening, I smiled at Mio and gave her the 'are you okay?' hand signal, and she gave me one back. What a ledgend.
It stopped and then we got the kids outside. But one of my little girls Sakura, came to me as we got up to get the kids outside. I was still on the floor and she climbed on my lap and wouldn't let go. She wasn't crying or anything but she was still pretty scared and her face broke my heart a little. Luckliy it happened at the end of the first set of lessons so the mums were outside. But not Sakuras. The other mums called her and she was at the shops and later said that everything was falling of the shelves.
After the first big one, we went inside but a few minutes later. An aftershock ( i guess) or anoter small one happened. We went outside where everyone was in the playground. It was very weird as you could feel (and see!) the ground shake. This happened (going in out and out of the building) a few times. We still continued with lessons but only 5 kids turned up for the rest of the 8 lessons and i didn't do much work tbh. Well for some of the kids anyway. The aftershocks continuted with various thoughts of 'how worried should i be?'.
After work we went to the train station but all transport had stopped. We were there for two hours before deciding to walk to another station. Eri left me quite a bit on my own for various reasons (but i was not happy about just being left for 20 minutes when she said, 'stay here i'm going to the toilet' and then i see her wondering about'. But i'm just happy that she stayed with me as i think that she sorted her own way back. still. While i was waiting. A guy asked me if i was okay as he spoke really good english. It was only then that i got an idea of how bad things were. He said that his mother is a nurse in a hospital near Shinjuku and that it was overrun with people.
So after 2 hours we walked to the station we needed and by the time we got there (about 10pm) the trains were just starting on the line i needed (sotestu) I managed to get on the first working train so i was very lucky. It took twice as long to get there as the train was going so slowly. But i can't argue.
When i got to Ebina (about 10.40) the Odakyu station was taped off. I'm very lucky as i can walk home but the station was completely rammed with people stuck there.
I didn't really sleep last night as i kept getting aftershocks. Also your phone gives off an earthquake warning alarm. So that kept going off during the night. When that first happened my friend turned up at my door and i was happy to have someone else there for the night. Bunked in my living room and watched tv and tried to sleep.
I'm still in my clothes from yesterday (didn't want to get dressed for bed incase anything happened) and am a bit scared to have a shower as aftershocks are still happeneing. But the little ones are fine. But i'm going to grow a pair and get washed.
Here is a video i found of the earthquake in Yokohama so show what it was like.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/mar/11/yokohama-earthquake-japan-video
But as an end note - i'm okay and i feel so lucky to have so many friends and family who love me. : )
xxxx
