Here I am back in Japan.....during this unfortunate Coronavirus situation. I came back 3 weeks ago, I stayed at home for 2 weeks of self quarantine.
First thing I noticed and was hugely surprised was that everything is almost normal in Japan. Coronavirus news are on TV all day long. Yet, restaurants were open and people are still commuting on public transportations. Feeling of urgency is so different here and Los Angels.
I had been so frustrated and irritated to see this peaceful life, I was so worried it would get worse and deadly like other countries. As I am writing, I feel so weird as I should be happy instead of irritated to see people having a normal life, people at ease. Well, all I want is people won't get affected with this coronavirus.
A day before yesterday, I talked with my classmate from high school and we talked for hours. He works at a big city hospital with huge risk of infection. He told me a mask and other protective gears will be supplied only once a week so he has to re-use them. I told him how different I felt being in Japan and US, made me worried people were not taking it seriously. By watching TV and walking around, it looks like people are aware of it but the whole thing is somewhere not so close to them. This made me very nervous.
He had his frustration, his hospital ordered less non-urgent operations after Japanese government declared the state of emergency but now ordering again to increase a little for business reasons.
He wanted Japanese government to make a big move to help Japanese medical system. I totally understand that's what supposed to be done but we can't change our government in one day....I don't have such power nor connection. I remember one of my friends from another class is so active and I know she pushed her city to add a traffic light to where people were always worried about. I told him I will talk with her to get some idea. I also told hime I will post what I felt on my Facebook and it would be great if he can too. I thought hearing from someone we know, connected via FB so mainly our friends & co-workers etc, has more effect to make people think because it sounds very real, and it is real.
I wanted to help if there is anything I can do which seems none about his situation. I talked my other friend and she told me it is very important to raise a voice. She did so many good thing for her community and my home town and she is a regular person....but with great passion to do the right thing on what she believes in. She told me she pushed city officials many times, never gave up and they would eventually listen, understand and make it happen....together. She told me accusation is not good, which I understand, though I feel frustrated to be honest, and I'm willing to look into what we can do now rather than what went wrong. She emphasized if you believe something and keep raising a voice for it, people will come, come to help, and you will find someone to help you, help find a way to make it happen.
If I just thinking about it on my mind, no one knows. As I asked my doctor friend to let people know what he is experiencing, I wanted to share what I felt. Even if it were like me talking myself, it won't be zero (nothing), it is something no matter how small it is. I also decided to enjoy this situation and time, rather than living in fear. I have more time at home, taking a long walk with my mom, there are many things I want to do with those extra time. If I started thinking about it, I already have not enough time! There is always a positive side if you choose different point of view.
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