Japanese Lesson of the Week: Intermission.

I'm a day late but that can be forgiven, right? I've decided to take a break from lessons this week - you can learn the "do nots" of eating out next week. This week I thought it would be best to focus on the natural disasters that struck Japan last week and what we can do to help.

If you're not up to date on the disaster zone that is mainland Japan, you should be. First the awful earthquake that was classified as an 8.9 but this week was changed to a 9.0. A tsunami that has killed thousands of people with thousands still missing. Now they are facing a dangerous crisis with one of their nuclear plants.

I read a statement that said 250,000 people are in shelters right now, homeless because the tsunami took their homes, their livelihoods, their friends and families.

Our FRO sent out an email asking for each family to donate one blanket so that they can be sent from here to there for those that survived but have no place to go. Mainland Japan doesn't have the balmy temperatures that Okinawa is blessed with during "winter" so it is downright cold.

A great thing happened, though. Within hours of receiving the first email, I received a second saying that they were overwhelmed with a large amount of blankets and donations would need to be put on hold until further notice.

You may be wondering what you can do to help. Here are some websites to get you started; if any readers know of any other way to help, pleasepleaseplease share!

InterAction has compiled a list of places that are accepting donations to aid with the relief effort in Japan.

The Red Cross offers a myriad of ways to donate, the easiest and most popular probably being the texting option. If you text REDCROSS to 90999 $10 will be added onto the next cycle of your bill. This is a handy service but I've read that the money can be slow to get to the Red Cross since it has to wait until the next billing cycle and then who knows what the process is after that. Still though, if you're super busy and have no time to click on a website to donate, that may be the option for you.