Hi there, Jocelyn just let me know people here had been asking after us, it means a lot, really. "OK" is a relative term here right now, but I can speak for the physical safety of myself, hazel, rosie (who's actually in canada right now) and Jude... There was a frantic couple of days of tracking down friends and family. I've never been so grateful for social media!

My family are shaken (heh) but safe, thank God, but I have some very traumatised friends... so much has been lost... I know a lot of displaced people, and a lot of people who've lost friends, family and livelihoods... Everyone here knows someone who knows someone, it's too small a place to escape that.  As a relatively "new" country it's devastating to see our heritage buildings destroyed. But they can be replaced, the people lost inside them cannot. The pervading emotion is numbness mixed with sorrow. I don't know when or if it will ever really shift. Not anytime soon.

As a kiwi I'm humbled and ever so grateful for the incredible Urban Search & Rescue specialists provided to us from around the world (America, Britain, Japan, Taiwan, France, and of course, Australia, who've been through enough of their own tragedy, have all provided extra hands on deck for our emergency services) we're all incredibly grateful. A week on there's still so many to salvage (as it stands, 155 dead, many still missing, the final toll is expected to be around the 250 mark once everyone that is able to be recovered is recovered...) I dread seeing the list of names... I just dread it.

Upwards of 15 billion dollars worth of damage has been done. In this tiny country, that's just unfathomable. I know everyone's doing it tough right now, so no pressure at all is intended by this next part, but if you have it in your heart to give, I can hand-on-my-heart profess to the good work being done by the Red Cross (www.redcross.org.nz) or if you'd like to personally know what happened with your money specifically,  http://adoptachristchurchfamily.com/ is a great option. The NZ Government also has an official appeal, information can be found here: www.christchurchearthquakeappeal.co.nz

I appreciate you guys checking in... Not much going down in Mayertown right now, so I hadn't thought to check in. The extended Mayer "family" are a special bunch that's for sure...

Much love and thank you,
Kylie

P.S. Canterbury's own Phil Keoghan (host of The Amazing Race) is reporting for CBS this week, if you get a chance to check out his spots he really understands the situation, and the people, it's wonderful to have him here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA9AOouq80w



 Already I can feel all that can perish, perishing in me
As so much has perished, and all will yet perish in these stones.
- Hugh MacDiarmid - On A Raised Beach

You can take all the tricks up my sleeve....

Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in... 

Last Edited By: styla73 03/01/2011 3:06 AM. Edited 3 times.