Last Friday our day started kind of busy. In the morning I already had my day planned out.
First go to the Immigration office here in Davao. I told Bob that since I am going in that area me and my niece will swing by at the ukay-ukay place (they called UK here). But It took me awhile to go, I had some stuff going here in the house and also I am so hooked to the cooking show that before I went I watched the My Kitchen Rules show first. Oh well, that just comes on 3 times a week in Australia. Love the show though, can’t help it. ;-).
But before going to do my errands its about time to pick up my youngest son. Usually he goes home with AJ, since AJ had some activities in school, he can’t pick up Jared. So I told my nephew to just drop me off at usual gate that Jared would use and I will wait for him there. Jared told me that morning that they’re half day I was thinking he will be out before 12. I was wrong, he was out past 12, they had some activities in school. And the guards were pretty strict to not letting out anybody from grade school before the program ends. So I waited and waited. One of the parents there was aggravated by his daughter and he showed his feeling there. He really said his piece to his daughter in front of all of us. Me and other parents were just looking at each other wanting to say but decided not to.
Anyway, I got Jared just a little after 12pm. I brought him to the places that I want to go except I can’t tag him along at the UK place because if he is there I can’t bargain, they will know he is a foreigner. Anyway got all the stuff I wanted to do, I bought our lunch and we head home. While we were eating lunch that’s past 2pm I could hear Bob was howling at me so I went to the bedroom he was watching TV. He told me that theres an earthquake in Japan and its a big one too, he continue on saying that there is a tsunami alert there. So I just said really and told him I will finish up my lunch and be back in awhile. I was just sitting down on out dining table and I could hear Bob’s voice again calling me. I could hear him really calling me to come to our bedroom quick.
Just then I saw what happened in Japan. Just by watching I didn’t even finish up my lunch I was just so hooked to the TV and thinking the fear of the people there. They even have not much time to get away from the water. Just watching the cars, the boats, the houses being swept away by the tsunami, tears were just rolling my eyes. I can’t even fathom what those people think seeing the raging water coming to them. It’s so depressing to see. On top of that on TV they gave warnings to 20 countries and Philippines was one of them.
So then we switched to our TV stations here in the Philippines. The seismologist (PHIVOLCS) here list down all the provinces that might be affected by the tsunami and Davao del Sur is one of them. That must be around 4pm. Oh God, what now. Worried of course to the max. Now my head was spinning. I am so worried because AJ was at the beach for their farewell school party and its in one of the resorts here and near the Pacific Ocean. He was supposed to come home like 8pm. Jean’s not here she’s still in school. She didn’t know what’s going on. She asked Bob at around 11 if she can come home late because there was like a fashion show at her school and she wanted to see it. Bob told her okay.
Well, everything changed. After hearing the warning Bob and I decided to let Deo (my nephew) pick up AJ and just let him know whats going on. A few minutes after Deo left AJ called me on my cell phone and wanting his Kuya Deo to pick him up now. The teachers told them to let the parents get them now because there was a tsunami coming down to the Philippines. I told him that Deo was on his way to get him. While I was intructing my nephew, Bob’s been texting Jean to come home as soon as the class finished up. Right after I was talking to AJ, I called up Jean and asked her where she at now? She told me that the program was about to start and shes thinking of staying maybe just to see the beginning of the show. I told her to come home now. No time for that show. Maybe next time she can watch it. So the kids came home right about at the same time. The kids were watching TV with us. We could tell just by looking at Jean that she’s frightened. We explained to her that the reason we want her to come home so that we all be together here in the house. We don’t want that if the tsunami did hit here she would be somewhere we didn’t know. Thank God that the tsunami didn’t come all the way here.
It’s scary just thinking and looking back about it. The quake was bad enough even more with the tsunami. I really felt sorry for the people of Japan. Thank God for the cell phone and internet. It really keep us update of whats going there.
To all our friends and readers there in Japan. Our love and prayers for you. Stay safe and stay warm.
Hi Ms. Feyma, Tsunamis sure is super scary. Do you guys live near the the sea? It’s good to you got your kids to come home. And you’re all safe. One always has to be prepared in the event Tsunami will hit the Philippines. Hopefully nothing like what happens to the country.
Hi sugar – Really scary. We lived not to far from the water this time. Thank God no tsunami came. Gosh, I hope and pray to God that it will not happened here what Japan experience. Philippines is not ready for anything liked that. It’s really depressing watching the news. My heart goes out to the people there.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Take care!
Hi Feyma. Like you I hope the Philipppines never gets a Tsunami like Japan did. Unfortunately we never know what Mother Nature is going to do next. It has made us think about living on a hill somewhere.
Our hearts go out to those in Japan who have suffered so terribly.
Hi marjorie – Can’t agree you more.
Good to see you here. Thank you for the nice message.
Take care!
Hi Feyma
My family also live in Davao and when my wife saw the tsunami warnings on the news she was very worried.When she phoned me in Australia to tell me of the warnings i tried to comfort her by telling her that we do live on high ground and will be ok, but i wasnt certain of this. But at the time i thought it was best for her to stay there then maybe panic and find herself in a less safer place, thank god it never came. We actually got the same tsunami warnings for Australia, the warnings were cancelled about 2 hours later, which made me very happy because i beleive i would be in a much more vulnerable situation then my wife and family as i am very close to the coast. I wonder Feyma if sometimes these tsunami warnings are given on a just in case it happens basis , so that they cover themselves if they do come.
Hi David L Smith – Thank God that no tsunami came here in the Philippines and also in Australia.
I think they just want the people to be safe. They will be blamed later if they didn’t give any warnings. I’m glad they did, for us to be prepared.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Hi Feyma,
Extremely sad situation in Japan,just glad the Tsunami never reached the PH.
Some people have no choice but to live close to the Ocean,for those who have choices,choose wisely,as we never know what the future holds.
regards,
Chas.
Hi Chas – Yes really sad for the people in Japan. Glad that didn’t reached here. I guess now people just hoping that it will not happen again soon.
Nice to see you again Chas.
Take care!
Hi Feyma, it was really scary as you watch the unfolding events, waves rolling from the ocean and hitting the land mass. And the subsequent nuke power plant problem. Do you have an emergency kit ready just in case?, such as dried food, bottled water, flash lights, radio, batteries, first aid kit, etc just like what we do here in the east coast of the US for hurricane preparedness? Those large plastic storage is a good start to get a kit ready. Glad your kids responded. The prediction of arrival here in the west coast USA was accurate, there’s a lot of damage to pleasure boast and marina’s in CA and OR. Damages to houses and other properties were reported in Hawaii also,
Feyma, Mars Z
Good article Mrs Feyma. Its always best to be safe when your family is involved. You did the right thing. Mars i know about hurricane preparedness living here in Florida. It would be long until June 1st when hurricane season starts. We’ve been lucky for along time here. Hate to say it, but were long overdue for one. Have a nice day.
Hi Papa Duck (Randy W.) – Thank you…
Take care!
Hi Marz Z. – Its really hard to watched the news nowadays. Tears just rolling my eyes by watching the damaged, can’t helped it. Really feeling sorry for the people there in Japan. I don’t have emergency kit in one case. I have all the stuff for the emergency kit. We have the flashlights, batteries and others, its not put in a case its just from one cupboard to another. We have some food in our pantry. Now have to do all that stuff and be prepared.
Yeah big damage in the US too.
Thank you for stopping by and the good tip.
Take care!
Hello Ms. Feyma,
I was watching BBC when this news broke out last week and I just couldn’t believe it! It was like watching a Hollywood disaster movie and I was pinching myself if that was real. Then, the PH news announced the 19 provinces that was going to be affected by the incoming tsunami waves and one of those was Davao Del Sur. Now, I was thinking is that Bob’s place? It’s so surreal! Our country was so lucky it did not hit the that hard but since the PH have long coastal areas we have to be prepared if such disaster struck us. Thanks God everyone is safe, for now.
Hi jonathan – Yeah, its really unbelievable what happened. And yeah we were stunned when the news said that Davao del Sur was one of the place in danger. It was scary. We really are lucky that we were spared. Thank God for it.
You too stay safe.
Take care!
Hi, Feyma!
I have always considered Japan as my second country, as I always visit (or being deployed) there for business (our head office is there) and occasionally stay for a few days, or few months, or even up to a couple of years. It is indeed a wonderful country with amazing people and culture. Thankfully, our head office which is Kobe was unaffected but nevertheless, I am deeply sad for those in the northeast that was devastated by this unfortunate natural incident. It is a country where earthquakes are common, but this recent quake of great magnitude (the greatest for Japan since earthquakes were first recorded), was really unanticipated.
Yes, let us pray for the souls of those lost in this disaster and for the people of Japan that they may be able to recover soon and rebuild the devastated areas of that wonderful and amazing country.
God bless!
Hi JR – I really like Japan, very cleaned country. I’m glad that you and your office were not affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Its really a sad thing for a lot of the people that was affected there. My heart goes out to them. Gosh, just a few days ago, a quake hit Burma. I think over 70 people were killed and over a hundred people were injured. Its going to be an endless quake for all of us that belong to the Pacific ring of fire.
Yes, will continue praying for the people of Japan.
Good to see you here again.
Take care!