Photos and More

So here are some pics from Chengxian of the results of the earthquake.

There are several photos of Jifeng Mountain, where I was when the event happened. We were on the pinnacle of the spire-like part of the mountain on the right. I took a picture of the temple as we saw it when the earthquake struck.

I included a shot of one of the many landslides that happened seconds after the earthquake finished. You can see the plume of dust rising out of the mountainside.

I have three shots of structural damage suffered around town. First is Michelle in the dining canteen trying to buy bread. You can see the broken ceiling above her. Second, There is one shot of a construction crane that was bent in half because of the quake. Finally, There is one here of our apartment building with the cracks running along the ground and up the wall. This isn't the least or worst of the damage to the building, but you can get an idea why we were sleeping outside.

Speaking of which, the rest of the photos are from our time outside together. There are a couple of pictures of students who are simply exhausted by the ordeal and a bad night's sleep. I also included a photo of a hospital patient evacuated outside who is receiving an IV, which is hanging from a tree above her.

Right now we are having a difficult time trying to get back to Chengxian, due to a lot of fear and internal politics. Out of all the Peace Corps volunteers in China (well over 100) we are the only two who have been evacuated. It is really frustrating and would be a terrible way to leave the country, so we are hoping for the best.

We are trying to stay positive in light of the situation but is really hard not to lose heart.

Thanks for all of your kind emails and thoughts. We miss all of you.