"The Spirit of Japan"

I noticed that most of the stories talked about their experience of the earthquake when it first happened, but one of them also talked about the result of the quake.  Marianne Riley from the American school of Japan lives in Tokyo and talked about what happened after the earthquake.  She also looked at the bright side of the tragedy.  She said, “But the way the Japanese reacted to this situation was unmistakably admirable.”  Even though her area wasn’t greatly affected by the quake, the people around her also panicked.  She said that everyone was rushing to go stock up on food and fill up on gas.  She said, “The lines at the cashier are elongated and we had to wait nearly ten minutes just to purchase our supplies.”  She also mentioned that limits on food and gas had to be made.

Through all of this, she was impressed that people still kept calm.  She said, “What we see though, is how the Japanese wear masks of composure and patience although they are terrified in reality.”  Marianne was also surprised that no one committed crime and broke into stores to get the food and supplies that they needed.  She also mentioned that because of the earthquake and tsunami, people were told that they had to do their best to conserve energy.  She mentioned how stores were closing at 7 P.M. and she also said, “ It amazes me to go down into Shibuya at night and see it dark. The flamboyant lights at the famous Shibuya crossing are shut off.”  

After the earthquake, people didn’t only try to look out and help themselves.  Marianne said, “For now, their greatest concern is not business but rather the well-being of Japan. At the time of crisis, the country acts as a whole and works for the greater good.”  She also said “And step by step we will all carry the country to recovery.”
This story really inspire me.  Even during this catastrophe this girl was able to see another side of it.  She saw it as her country of Japan forming together as one to help get through it.  She believes that people really cared about the greater good of the whole country, and not just themselves.