I know there are plenty of stories, a plethora of photos, hours of footage on the net. It has been over three weeks now and I want to write about what happened in my own words. I suppose as a way to process.
I had my first day at University, came home, ate some eggs for lunch, sat down with my laptop and started talking to Dad. I remember a rumble a split second before the noise of the house as the movement intensified so quickly I barely got up. Dad yelled at me to follow him as he ran through the kitchen, into the garage. My memory is mainly of the incredible amount of noise as the kitchen cupboards all started swinging wildly open and glasses came falling out. The sound of a house being shaken violently with all of the contents (including us) being rattled around is something I will never be able to forget - it created layers and layers of sound that was all consuming. I think my fear made me move while my head felt like it was observing from somewhere else. The doorway was too narrow for us both to fit into it and Dad barely stayed standing whilst the contents of the office threatened us by flinging around. It kept going - it felt like it was never going to end. I had to keep shoving the door because it kept trying to close on me whilst I was braced on it and I so clearly remember just staring at my Dad - wanting him so badly to make it all stop.
It finally did. As seasoned earthquake victims we knew not to move from where we were, and with the house still shuddering back into place and the tinkles of glass still falling we waited for more. We were in complete shock - a total understatement for anyone involved I'm sure. After a sizable aftershock we navigated our way through the back door and around the side of the house onto the street.
People slowly came out of their houses as well, a woman across the road offered her lawn to sit on and I walked around randomly thinking that nowhere was safe to be.
I by no means had the worst experience and would never pretend to. My Gran lost her home of over 50 years that day. Not a house, her home.
As lucky as we are to be alive that doesn't take away how incredibly cruel, intense and devastating it feels to be living through it.
And now I feel guilty because the people of Japan are going through hell right now and I've just written a blog entry.
