Aftershocks

I wrote in an earlier post about my experience of the huge earthquake in Chile a couple of weeks ago, and about how my group and I were extremely lucky to be totally unharmed except for a little scare. Ten days later though, I'm realizing that even though I wasn't physically affected in any way, and even though on the surface Santiago seems relatively unscathed, this earthquake is going to have deep ramifications for my life here and for the country as a whole.

First, and on the most practical level, the start date of classes at the university where I'm teaching has been pushed back once again. It's strange to think that by the time I start working, I will have been here for almost a whole month. I'm sure that the rest of the semester, and the work that my students and I do will reflect this shaky beginning. It's definitely going to be an important lesson for all of us in flexibility, which our coordinators have already stressed is essential both in this country and this job.

The happiness and excitement of finally finding an apartment was tempered by the news that one of my future roommates lost family members in the earthquake. She has been in Conception for the past two weeks, and the other two girls I'll be living with have yet to speak with her. All they know is that both her sister and cousin died in the quake, and that another of her relatives is still missing.

Even in the north of Chile, where I was this weekend, and where there was no damage, there was an air of solemnity. Every Chilean we met asked us, within minutes, whether we were here for the earthquake and how it was for us. And everyone seemed to know someone who suffered from it in one way or another, and their concern and sadness was really apparent. One of the most striking things we saw while in the north was actually a huge group of high school students collecting any and all types of goods--food, furniture, toiletries, etc--to be sent to the south. We were walking back to our hostel when we came upon them, loading up a tractor trailer with what they had collected. One of my friends went to take a picture of them, and they all immediately broke into a song/chant and excitedly posed for the camera. (Unfortunately I couldn't make out exactly what they were singing, but the closest thing I can relate it to is a sports fight song. Hopefully it wasn't a taunt to the gringos trying to take their picture. It didn't seem that way at least...)

It has been a surreal experience being here in the midst of this national crisis. On the one hand we are right in the middle of it, but on the other we are in many ways separate from the real catastrophe. But, as resident of this country, no matter how new, I feel really connected to Chile at this time of need. My group is exploring opportunities to help out with the relief effort, and we'll probably try to head down there once things settle down and they start to need more volunteers. If anyone has any ideas, please feel free to share them with me, and if you feel inclined to give in any way, trust me, Chile really needs it.