Former Mass resident in Japan

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - Former western Massachusetts resident, UMass graduate is living in Japan working as an assistant language teacher. David Foley is live on the phone to tell us about the current situation in Japan.

Hey, thank you for having me, ashley. Tell me about the current situation where you are right now in japan. Well, currently, where i am living, a current gasoline shortage. I'm not able to leave my house until i get word where i can fill up mys gas tank. That is the most local news for me.

That must be so difficult.

Yeah, it is. Yeah, it is. Fru stritting.

How are you getting around?

Not really getting around too much right now. I have just enough food to last me, maybe another week or so. Then i hope that the situation starts to change. I heard it might be changing slowly from friends. I am hoping to get that word.

I hope so, too, for your sake. Have you been affected at all, actually the land, has anything, the structure of the buildings, is that affected?

Personally, my house, my stove, my heater unit was disabled. It was shaken up by the earthquake and had to get that repaired. A friend helped me fix it. The air, my area itself was not too affected. Two 6-foot tsunamis an boats tossed upon shore and wave breakers crumbled.

Were you able to talk to your family, once we heard about this here in western massachusetts, they must have been panicking. How long until they got to talk to you?

Well, i was able, i was trying to call all day but the phone line were so busy with everybody trying to confirm whereabouts. Yeah, it took me about 8 hours to get a hold of my father. I woke him up in the middle of the night. I was lucky to get a hold of him so soon. After that, 6 hours after the disaster, able o get a hold of them.

Must have been the best phone call in the world for them.

Yeah, i didn't know the severity of the problem. We just suffered we suffered an earthquake. You guys knew about everything going on before we did.

This is true. Very true actually. What was it like for you when -- did you hear anything on the news it was coming? Any idea this was going to happen?

The japanese emergency procedures are very, very high quality, high standard and we had alarm sounding say it is tsunami coming. Two minutes after the earthquake struck. And i was near the bay at that time. I headed as far inland as i could. Fortunately, the tsunami didn't hit my area as hard as it could, the area you seen on the tv.

Wonderful it didn't hit you so bad. Do you know any family or friends in japan that have been affected?

Actually, yeah. At the moment, from what i hear through my work, my program, two members of the program who are missing right now. Two american citizens that have been missing for, i think today is the 11th day. Maybe the 12th day. And, it is really unfortunate that they haven't been located yet. Both of them working close to the coast down in a place where i frequent myself for vacation.

Oh, i'm so sorry to hear that. It must be so difficult for you. At least you know that you and your family are safe. You just wish that hopefully we hear about them. Maybe they will be found, you know, still not too late.

Yeah, we we are all praying over here for the safety and we hope that thy other people out there that are still unlocated can be located quickly. Everyone over here is praying for that.

Absolutely. We all wish you well and are happy to hear that you are safe and thank you so much for your time this morning, david.

 

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