I Fought the Law...

Another aftershock last night. Word is that it was 6.0 at the epicenter. It was big enough to shake us up even in Tianshui.

The provincial leaders in Gansu don't want us to go back to Chengxian. We have spent almost 2 years working, building relationships, and a life there and it is all being whisked away as we were forced to flee in the night like rats. No goodbyes, just running.

We're fighting it though. Holding long meetings with the provincial officials over and over again. Trying to get them to understand how we feel and how inappropriate it would be to force us out after everything we have worked so hard to do there.

Yesterday was very disheartening. We were being badgered by government officials and had numerous calls going between the government, Peace Corps and ourselves. The worst part about all of it is that we are virtually powerless in the process and everyone keeps talking about how they need to finish it to keep their work schedules, like we were just a task to tick off on some list somewhere. Meanwhile, students are sending me messages about how much they miss us and want us to come back and our colleagues are fretting about how to fill the void we are leaving.

I'm down, but I'll be damned if I'm going to give in. If they want to get mad and yell, then let 'em. As long as I have a card to play in this game, I'm in. I won't give up without a fight. I care too much about my town, students, friends and colleagues to step away, even if it is easier. Years from now, I don't want to say I left people behind because it was too difficult to fight a bureaucracy full of frightened people.

I'm digging in.