camping out

The earthquake started when I was at home at around 2:30. I was sitting in my big chair that faces the window when it began to shake. I initially thought Xiao Qiang was scratching my chair so I hit the padding a few times to scare him away, but when he didn't stop I got up to push him away. It didn't occur to me it was an earthquake until I saw the cat cowering in the corner and the windows in the apartment building across from me waning back and forth.

Last night was the most peculiar thing about the earthquake. Clearly no one in Nanchong had experienced anything like this. Understandably it was quite a shock. When I went to go meet Li Jia Li at the middle gate of the school, students were already leaving their dormitories in hordes and flocking to the playgrounds, stadium, and streets. Most of the people I had talked to explained they were afraid their dormitories would collapse when the next earthquake struck, and had taken to the streets to sleep.

It was actually quite funny, really. It was as if there had been some enormous war and people were forced out onto the streets, forming makeshift refugee camps wherever there was open space. Everyone and their grandmother (literally) was outside last night, rolling out his or her bamboo mat on the ground, a pillow, and a blanket. Out near the dormitories in er qi there was hardly any place to walk around. People stayed up to all hours of the night, some playing dou di zhu, ma jiang, or just talking. Most of the stores never closed (especially those near my house and the middle gate), selling drinks, crackers, and other items that people needed. When I checked the store closest to the middle gate, almost all the drinks and ice cream had been sold and the boss was holding a large plastic bag full of money. Along the street towards the teacher's apartments, people had taken their cars out of the garages, parked them near the stadium, and passed the night sleeping inside. Even I was out there for a bit before I convinced Li Jia Li it was ok to go back inside. Another minor shake that lasted a few seconds took place around 5:00 and we immediately ran outside, but quickly decided to go back indoors when the tiredness hit us again.

This morning people and students were still camped outside, talking and eating food. Classes were canceled for the day, so it'll give me some time to do some work on the site and whatnot. Last night was really something to see though, it was like the great Chinese camp-out.