Adventures of kittymermaid: AAAAHHHHH! Real Earthquakes!

Earthquakes are a REAL thing here in the land of the rising sun. For someone like me, who had only experienced 1 earthquake before moving to Japan it is quite an eye opener to experience them weekly. It is also quite rattling (pun intended).

The number one rule in an earthquake is one that is followed so well here: stay calm. It seems simple but just staying calm & thinking rationally can literally save lives. Most earthquakes are nothing to worry about. Honestly, most people sleep through them. I on the other hand am not one of those lucky bastards. I wake up every single time and panic just a little. Then, I can't sleep for hours. There are a few things you can do to lessen the panic.

Know where your emergency evacuation location is. A nearby school, library, government building? Find out from your city's website.
Prepare an emergency kit at home. Some non perishables, a change of clothes, flashlight, spare keys, hard copies of maps & phone numbers, hard copies of important documents (passport, ID, insurance cards, credit cards), some extra cash if you can.
Do a drill. I know it sounds excessive but all those fire drills in elementary school weren't for nothing. Practicing what to do in an emergency beforehand makes going through it for real a lot less stressful.

On a lighter note: Check out the Chris & Kristen show while we talk quickly and lightheartedly about earthquakes & escape kits.