Preparation done by MEXT scholars before going to japan

I think that I'm radiation-proof, I'm an Iraqi

Still Going

Oh, great. Because people bombarded their embassies with inquiries about cancellation, now MEXT can cancel everyone's trip (no, they won't deal individually). Just great. Whoever was afraid, should have simply withdrawn. >_<

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:?
I'm not sure what you're talking about there. Why would MEXT cancel everyone's trip because we contact our embassies to make sure everything is going ahead? When I contacted the Japanese embassy in Australia the lady was rather pleased, as she had left a message on my phone earlier and needed to confirm that I still intended to go.

english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78865.html

They have the road clear to the plant now, water has been put on the holding pools by helicopter and truck, and electricity will be restored to the control rooms. No further explosions or fires, and dropping radiation levels. Based on what I've heard over the last few days it seems like there is real media hysteria over this thing that isn't supported by facts about what is going on, is likely to happen, or what might even happen in a worst case scenario.

The far bigger calamity are all those people freezing away in sports gyms with few supplies all up the coast. If people panicking over imaginary danger gets in the way of helping many thousands of people who actually need help, that's a real catastrophe imo.
@flidar - I wouldn't be so quick to attach panic to a culture/language. People are buying up pills and salt?? in Hong-Kong and elsewhere in China thinking that radiation is going to hit them. What dept. will you be studying in by the way? I'll be at 京大 too.

Danchan said:

:?
@Flidar - I wouldn't be so quick to attach panic to a culture/language. People are buying up pills and salt?? in Hong-Kong and elsewhere in China thinking that radiation is going to hit them. What dept. will you be studying in by the way? I'll be at 窶ｹﾅｾ窶佚･ too.

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Well, yeah, people here are busy buying salts and now every supermarket and stores are out of stock of the salts. In my opinion, it's a stupid thing to do and that the government and local media also reported now that there is no need to buy salts which are thought to contain iodium that would prevend ppls from radiation damage. I hope those ppls can stop stocking tons of salts in their houses soon. I just told my family that don't worry about it and we don't need to rush to buy salts. It's all kind of nonsense.
I'm going to study in the Department of Biophysics which is under biology in the Faculty of Science. My plane will arrive in Osaka at 6:00 am in the morning at April 4th. Glad to find another one who's going to Kyoto U.

Not long to go

Cool, I'm arriving on the same day, if a bit later on. Maybe I'll see you there.

I think the media will start to chill the heck down after you give them a few more days. Try to take everything you hear with a dose of salt guys (pun intended). An examples...
You have reports today of Britain, the U.S.A and Australia 'urging' people to leave Japan. At least if you were to believe some papers. Only, none of them did. They only suggested that nationals _consider_ leaving the Kanto area if they did not have reasons to be there. Hardly shocking given the outages of power and disruptions to transport, etc.

It's very easy for a journalist to write 'urge' instead of 'consider', or 'spews out' instead of 'leaks'. etc. etc. A choice of words can make a big difference in how things are perceived and many papers are making those choices in order to be sensational rather than on the basis of facts on the ground.

EDIT: Australian advice has just been updated for Tokyo region.

Media is crazy at the moment.
Agreed.
But let's keep in mind that media will sound sensational regardless of what really happens. It may not be as bad as it seems. BUT. It could be as bad as it seems.
Remember the story about the sheep and the wolf?

Personally, I think it's way to early to decide whether to go to Tokyo or not. Who knows what's going to happen in the next few days. It's all speculation right now. But there's a chance that it will get serious and believe me, you don't want to go to Tokyo if it does.

My mind tells me to believe every piece of information that gives me a bit of peace of mind. I don't want to give up my dream.
But then...facts don't care about how you want them to be. We've got to try to take the facts as they really are as soon as there is a bit more independent information. So let's see what happens and think about the consequences based on it.
This is not about dumping your life and your dreams, it's about saving them.

Hello
I was today at the Japanese embassy and I met a mext scholarship recipient from last year, She is studying in Tohoku University, yes she was in Sendai.
She and her friends were ok when it happened, they were very inland, where she lives the building stayed in place of course, but she lost a lot of electronic items, nothing important, she was is Sendai 'till 13th then her family told her to come back. She was telling me that she will go back to finish her studies there and help her other foreign friends to do the same. Her semester got postpone 'till may.

I've been told at the embassy today that there are not news about not going to Japan or postponing the arrival dates, we four Venezuelans will leave on April 2nd. That's how the things are here as for today.

FiFo said:

I think that I'm radiation-proof, I'm an Iraqi

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That's funny

I like your sense of humor