During the quake, Japanese and US students gave news to Angers friends

Safeguard measures at school

If Japan is far from Angers, nevertheless, links exist and become stronger even if years go on. Since 2005, an Angers family, among others, hosted, for a few weeks or a few months, Japanese students who came in that city in order to improve their skills in French and to discover another culture. So, when Emma, the host mother, learnt by radio and web an earthquake was underway in Japan, she immediately sent e-mails to the girls she welcomed in Angers.

Kobe Earthquake in 1995

"I am thinking of you. I would like to receive news from you as soon as things will be better. I am worried about you", she wrote. At once, she received answers from Akane, Aï, Eri, Lei, Rina (who just came back to Japan after a stay in Angers), Sayaka, Tomomi or Yayoi who are still in touch with their guest family. "I'm afraid of the secondary earthquake. I pray for the safeguard of everybody", says one. "I'm afraid. But don't worry", told another. An American student, native from Hawaï said she felt "the first signs of seismic activity. The tide and the waves rose a little bit. The districts near the shore have been evacuated and the school has been cancelled tomorow", added Rebecca.


And another one works at the 19th stage of a building called she had just the time to take an helmet and run to a more safe zone. One of the former students of the Western Catholic University, now stewardess, was due to take off today with destination to the city of Sendaï located at the core of the disaster. Her flight was just cancelled for other purpose! Even unvoluntary, the most revealing words of that horrible event were written after the quake had just occured : "terriblement de terre"...