Researching about Okawa Elementary School and the tragic events in 2011 allowed me to gather information quickly and conveniently without feeling the emotional weight of the tragedy. Visiting Okawa Elementary School, however, was a completely different experience. Standing on the actual grounds of what used to be an amazing atmosphere made the tragedy much more real.
As we arrived at the school I could immediately notice the different atmosphere and landscape from the city. We were in a peaceful rural town that was surrounded by agriculture, hills, small homes, and towns. We met with a guide who would personally connect to the tragedy with the loss of his daughter at the school, allowing us to gather a deeper sense of what really happened. The school was in ruins, almost completely unrecognizable. There were broken walls and debris scattered all around. The school was well preserved, with the walls torn down to expose the inside of the buildings. This allowed for us to see what damage the tsunami caused within the building as it was completely engulfed. It was tough to imagine this as a place once filled with kids full of energy. The guide pointed out the different grades and ages of the kids that used to attend. Also, what side of the buildings would they study and play. It was all completely destroyed. The quiet atmosphere and surroundings made it more intense.
The personal stories from the guide about his daughter brought me to tears. I wondered why he would take the time out of his day to guide us through this horrific site where he lost his daughter. He would go on to stress to us that he does this to prevent the same thing from happening again to anyone else. There was plenty of time for the kids and teachers to escape, But because of a lack of safety precautions taken and taught, many important lives were lost. The guide would then lead us to a path up a hill that looked over the school. It was used for school activities. There was a sign that marked the height that the tsunami had reached. It shocked me that the hill was taller than the Tsunami. Many lives could have been saved.
Learning about Okawa Elementary School online gave me a broad and detailed overview. Meanwhile, Visiting the school provided a deep emotional impact that I can not get just from researching. Both are great ways of learning, but the visit made an impact that was much more profound.