The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have left a group exchange students in Vernon, B.C. struggling to deal with their grief far from their families.
Teacher Tatiyanna Kolesnichenko has found herself playing the role of loving parent to the nine Japanese students since the earthquake hit northern Japan on Friday.
"They have been really strong. They're very patient. They haven't panicked," Kolesnichenko told CTV News.
Student Misaki Takahashi's hometown was hit in the tsunami. She's learned that her family is okay, but little else is.
"There is nothing in my hometown now, and I can't contact my family," she said. "There is no trees, houses."
The students have been watching the unfolding events in Japan on television with shock and disbelief.
"I think that I'm watching a movie," Taku Matsushima said.
Their grief is hard to express in the language they came to Canada to learn.
"I can't describe my feelings because I know thousands of people were killed," Mio Fukuchi said.
Some members of the group have been making paper origami cranes to sell as part of a fundraiser. They're gathering money and materials for emergency packs they hope to send home to Japan.
The students are tentatively scheduled to return on Saturday, despite the fact that many have no way to get to their hometowns. They say they'll stay with relatives in other cities until they can get home.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Kent Molgat
