Hard Lessons

For a little over a week I've been sick from cold. Although now the symptoms are gradually dissipating, I copped it pretty bad this time.

My immune system is low due to the medication I've been on for a long time and once someone around me starts coughing, I pick up the virus almost on the spot, and the fact no one wears mask here in Australia doesn't help me either.
I really should've had the flu shot that my friends repeatedly told me to, now I'd have to hear her say "I told you so"...
You see Japanese people wearing masks everywhere during winter (now for the different reason as well), which looks probably weird to general public here. So I don't wear it either to avoid looking like a terrorist.

As for the other reason now my country people wearing masks; the high level of radioactive substances in the air - I think it's rather ridiculous since wearing mask alone doesn't prevent people from radiation exposure. They should really be covering most of their body AND wearing the mask to minimize the exposure, it shouldn't be too hard since it's still cold up in north.

Radiation permeates into their skin and hair from being outside, taking bath, etc., and enters their body from ingesting food and drinking water as well.

Here I start to wonder which is more risky, to avoid breathing in the contaminated air and eating contaminated food, etc., or eat and drink, going for a walk on sunny days as you normally would.
Wouldn't you think the latter is healthier than getting stuck inside and not eating and drinking or bathing enough?
Or should they all move out of the unofficial danger zone as well?
Sure there are people who need to move away from the area, like aged people, newborn or expecting mothers, but what will happen if everyone starts moving to other safer areas?

It's depressing and tormenting to read Japanese newspaper everyday, and having to listen to people around me talk and ask me about Fukushima nuclear power plant, besides my relatives live in Fukushima. As a Japanese I really appreciate all the help from people all over the world, but it can be hard sometimes to hear something as bad as this all the time.

March brought us too many catastrophes and pain, but April is time for a new start.
Probably we've learned a lot from tragedies and mistakes by now. Maybe we can put the new-born wisdom to good use.

Well, for me I definitely should get a flu shot.

Lessons are often hard to learn.