74443 <strong>Austin</strong> <strong>College</strong>_Layout 1 6/28/11 3:05 PM Page 50In Other WordsSound, Radiation, and ResilienceA Vignette of the March 11 Tohoku Regional Earthquakeby Will Radke“Duck, cover, and hold.” These words and their associatedimages adorn the hallways at my office. They are drilled. Theyare a part of our preparation. They were put to the test on Friday,March 11, <strong>2011</strong>.It was to be my last meeting of the day, before the start ofanother cool, winter weekend. At 2:30 p.m., a group ofcolleagues gathered in a 42nd floor conference room indowntown Tokyo. Fifteen minutes into the meeting, we all feltsmall tremors, which are typical in Japan. That didn’t last forlong, though. We all began to look at each other, not knowingwhat would happen. As the movement accelerated, somecolleagues ducked under the table while others quickly movedunder a large doorframe, taking a firm grip to avoid beingknocked to the ground. Adding to this violent shaking, I willnever forget the sound. From inside a building, the sound of thatentire building swaying a couple of feet in either direction isnothing less than horrifying. The fact that very little damage wassustained in non-tsunami-impacted areas is a testament to theincredible Japanese engineering and preparation.My colleagues all gathered in the “core” area of our buildingimmediately after the first earthquake and began exchangingstories of what it felt like while trying desperately to contact lovedones. Some of my colleagues expressed they felt seasick, theearthquake amplified by our level in the building. Unbeknownstto many of us sitting there and all along Japan’s easternseaboard, devastation wrought by theensuing tsunami would literally wipesome cities off the coast.As dawn rose on the following day,the full scale of the tsunami’sdestruction became evident. I stillremain speechless watching videos ofthat massive wave rush inland, sweepingaway any semblance of life.Little did I know at the time, but anew word would enter the globallexicon: Fukushima. The fight to controlradiation from the Fukushima DaiichiNuclear Power Plant will not be justanother bookmark in the annuals ofhistory for me. For the weeks after, thisnation was mesmerized by the struggleto contain the fallout and impact to ourdaily life. I stayed in Tokyo despite the flight of many expatriates,“fly-jin,” a play on the Japanese word for foreigner, gai-jin. Theinvisible threat of radiation exposure and contamination onlycompounded the uncertainty surrounding all of the events,which will surely take years to resolve.Crises focus attention on the basics of life. I had been fortunateenough never to have questioned if food would be available to meuntil living through these events. As news reported radiationentering the Tokyo water supply, a run on bottled water ensued.Today, stores post signs limiting your purchase of water to one ortwo bottles per person if they have stock.As memories recede, Tokyo today is a transformed city. Famedfor its energy, it feels as though it also is partaking in nationalreflection. Energy conservation efforts remain the most cosmeticsymbols: neon signs in many of the trendier districts are dark,Tokyo Tower lifeless at night, and “down” escalators turned off.Yet, it reflects the conflict I face in my daily life, unsure of strikingthe appropriate balance between compassion for the victimswhile becoming re-consumed with life prior to March 11.Nowhere was this evidenced more than the annual cherryblossom viewing parties, hanami, in early April. Despite calls bypublic officials for muted celebrations, which usually involvefood and drinks across the pockets of public parks, manyTokyoites enjoyed their impermanent presence, not wanting tomiss the display of a Japanese spring.Sadly, some of the greatest tragedieswere overshadowed by the pressingevents at Fukushima. As our thoughtsnow to turn the reconstruction of thisgreat country, my spirits are lifted by theresilience of those in Japan and aroundthe world. I would suggest the posters inmy office be amended: “Duck, Cover,Hold ... and Rebuild.”Will Radke ’08 is an associate at GoldmanSachs Realty Japan, Limited. He has been basedin Tokyo for two years and spent another yearas an analyst at Goldman Sachs Realty AsiaPacific in Singapore.48 | <strong>Austin</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2011</strong>
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