Chile Quake Day 4,5,6

Passing the time, playing "Crazy 8's"

March 2,3,4, 2010

After 12pm, when we could leave, Rodrigo’s uncle and a cousin showed up with water and food. It was great to see them and hear everything with their families was fine. I’d been a little worried about the food situation. I didn’t want to eat much because I didn’t know when Rodrigo’s family would be able to buy something in a grocery store because everything was taken. I always felt a little uncomfortable eating… even though we had plenty.

Rodrigo’s uncle (the one we were staying with in Concepción) told me he was disgusted with how his fellow Chileans were acting. I said that would happen anywhere, especially when there’s not military to enforce the rules. Everyone was just frantic.

After we greeted everyone properly, Rodrigo and I rode bikes to Jaime’s house to see what his plans were and when he was going back to Santiago. We were hoping he wanted to leave that day, but he didn’t. There was no way for us to leave without Jaime because there weren’t any busses… nothing. He said we’d leave Thursday, so we went to Rodrigo’s grandma’s house… cleaned up a little bit (it’s still a huge mess), she packed her things and we left. Rodrigo’s grandma left with her son that brought us food because there wasn’t much she could do in Concepción… and it was so chaotic.

Everything was so much calmer since the military came, except for the replicas. We were getting replicas on Wednesday of 6.0, and I heard this morning (Friday) there was a 6.4 or 6.5 replica in Concepcion. One of the replicas, I believe it was 5.9, they sent out a tsunami warning that made everyone frantic. I wasn’t outside to see, I was writing in my journal, but Rodrigo told me that everyone ran as fast as they could on foot… jumped on moving vehicles… all to get away. He said it was like when you step on an anthill. A few moments later they said it was a false alarm. I wish I would have seen it… or gotten some pictures.

On Wednesday, I got to bathe in the lagoon. I was really dirty. It felt amazing, even though it was really cold. Many people were at the lagoon washing clothes, or bathing. By Wednesday night, we had running water, weak, but running water.

On Thursday, after the 12pm curfew, Rodrigo and I headed to Santiago with his cousin Jaime. Jaime had one of his employees meet us with gas between Concepción and Chillan. What normally takes 5 hours with good roads took 9.5 hours. There was devastation everywhere we were, but because Chile is so progressive, they were already busy fixing the roads. I was very relieved to see that.

When we made it to Santiago, everyone was very relieved to see us. I finally got to call my family, and tell my story. Everything here seems normal… Now I’m off to find a job!

I wanted to thank everyone for all of his or her support and prayers. My mom told me everyone was quite worried, and I really appreciate all of your prayers and help. Because of that, none of my friends or family in Chile, or me has been hurt. Only material things lost…

Love to all,

Maureen