Nagasaki, Japan with Video
My good friend from college Jordan came to visit this past weekend. He is an ALT in Seoul, Korea. Oddly, we now live geographically closer to each other now than when we were both U.S. residents. Wild. It was really nice not only to see a familiar friend, but also to simply interact with someone my own age at a fluent level. Not wanting to waste his trip, and also out of interest, we headed to the historical city of Nagasaki which is about three and half hours from my apartment in Kitakyushu.
Hypocenter of Nagasaki Atomic Bomb
Atomic Bomb Memorials
The various sites, museums, statues, and memorials dedicated to the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki to end WWII were all superbly done. Somehow I didn’t anticipate beforehand the impact of being in such a place. It wasn’t disturbing, but simply somber to realize the enormous suffering that occurred less than a century ago at the very locations we visited. A stat I still can’t fathom: 150,000 people died in either the immediate explosion or in the days after from burns or radiation exposure. The museum does its job well of presenting the case that the bomb was unnecessary. Having done a fair amount of research, I tend to lean toward this view myself. However, with such a momentous decision, asking “what if” may be the wrong question. The Nagasaki community outwardly seems quite open to foreigners. Never did I pick-up even a hint of lingering animosity, only welcoming hospitality.
Finding a Peer Group Nearby
Recently I’ve been on a semi-aggressive campaign to make friends with local Japanese people around my age. To this end I have been moderately successful. Throughout the day I have at least three or four acquaintances I mail from my cell phone in Japanese. The real rub comes when getting together in person. With the cell phone messages we can use in-phone translators to get the gist of the other’s meaning. However, face to face has proven quite difficult because of the speed at which communication must take place. My ability is increasing everyday, but I still greatly anticipate the day when it is no longer a struggle for others to interact with me.
Nagasaki Video
*Peace Signs*
OTHER PHOTOS
