Oh Shit its an..... EARTHQUAKE!!!

Haha just kidding... we just had an earthquake simulation. It was pretty awesome, and considering how our group was second to last to go, our earthquake was a shallow one.... which basically means it starts off right away, and gets bad really fast. The simulation was done in a room that resembled a kitchen. As soon as we felt the tremors of an earthquake we had to cover our heads with a cushion... that was oh so conveniently on the kitchen table. Didn't you know? All families just HAPPEN to have a cushion on their tables... duh... our simulation was of a level 7 earthquake. Some pots even fell down. The last group to go experienced a blackout during their earthquake. Even though I was supposed to be frightened... it was pretty sweet.

Anyways, before the earthquake simulation, we had a simulation of a house caught on fire, and what you would do. To help us out with this, we watched an education film... where the main character died and passed out in almost every situation. Rather than being the 'how to stay safe' video, it was more the 'how many different ways can you die' video. So after the video each group went into a room where a smoke detector sounded. As soon as you hear that you have to crouch low and go towards the walls... also if you have any cloth, cover your nose and mouth. You have to make sure you crouch low or else a buzzer sounds saying you are too high up.

There are several doors in the 'house' but only the one we need is open (they try to trick you). The best part about these simulations is that you can see the group before you on a TV screen. Haha it's like a game show. There are cameras throughout the simulation so you can see everyone laughing from all angles. One of my friends brought a camera in with him, so when we watched his group on the screen, you can see several flashes go off. The smoke is turned on at the start with Group 1, so the later groups have a smokier 'house' to go through.

After those simulations, we were taught how to use the extinguisher. Instead of the white foam, they filled them with water. Then they projected a fake fire on a screen that we had to put out. At the end of all the simulations, we got to watch a video. It was supposed to be really serious, but everyone laughed. You probably would too if you heard a Japanese person's voice dubbed over in English with an Australian accent. Also the English lines were so limited... one of the characters kept asking this one woman "are you ok? are you ok? lets go." and "Pull yourself together." The woman was directing these questions towards a grandmother who was trapped under a bookshelf. Then the lines repeat again in the street ... and then again throughout the video. So.... that was the end of that.

By the way, today I joined the tennis team, and also the SISEC club :) There are like 15 different types of tennis teams, depending on how serious they are. Unfortunately I was rejected from 4 of them because I am here for only one semester :( So sad... oh well.