Lawrence students contact families in Japan

APPLETON - Several Japanese students attending Lawrence University in Appleton are using social media to stay connected with family and friends in back home in Japan.

"I'm actually very thankful for facebook," said Sae Goto, a senior at Lawrence University.

Goto had no luck making phone calls back home to Japan after hearing of the earthquake and tsunami. But she did get through on the internet, first to see images of the devastation and then to communicate with family.

"I guess I can't believe it. It still looks like I'm watching a scene from a movie or something because these are places I've been to," said Goto about the scenes from Japan.

Goto usually travels home in the summer, but arranged months ago to head home this weekend for spring break to look for work after graduation. She says her focus now will be on helping family and friends.

"I know there are some risks in Japan, and including Tokyo, having more earthquakes, but I'm really glad I have the opportunity to go back home and be with the people I care about," said Goto.

In addition to Goto and a few other full time Japanese students, Lawrence University also has 15 Japanese exchange students on campus from Waseda University in Tokyo.

"Luckily they have all been able to contact their families and their immediate families are all okay," said Cecile Despres-Berry, the director of Waseda Exchange Program at Lawrence University.

Many of those students also relied on the internet using facebook and skype to contact those in Japan.

"First I contacted my parents via skype and it was going well my family is fine," said Shun Yamamoto, a Lawrence exchange student.

Others though are worried about those they couldn't reach.

"No not yet I couldn't get contact so," said Aiko Maenohala, a Lawrence exchange student.

The main concern for Maenohala is a friend in the hardest hit area of Northeast Japan.

"I'm really worried about her," said Maenohala.

And yet as this horrible ordeal continues to unfold, the search for answers continues.

"It's nice to receive messages and see people sending messages to other people to check up on them and make sure they're going okay," said Goto about facebook keeping people linked.