warnings

There was a warning broadcasted on the radio and TV last night that said there was a great chance of a serious aftershock in or around Nanchong. People again streamed out in hordes, occupying open spaces around the basketball blacktops and along the sidewalks near my house and the teaching buildings.

Apparently the Peace Corps had caught word of the warning and informed our school's foreign affairs office, who then forwarded the message to Ashley and me. I was encouraged by friends to spend the night outside, and even scolded by the local shop sellers that I shouldn't go back to my house. Ashley decided to come over to my house because all the other people in her building had vacated it to sleep on the street, and eventually we were able to convince Bo Tao to do the same. Li Jia Li was too afraid to come with us, and decided to stay near her house sleeping next to a guard station at the middle gate.

Needless to say, there was no earthquake, and all the paranoia-like fear that pervaded the campus yesterday has passed. The aftershock warning continues for the remainder of today, and classes have been canceled... again... I haven't taught now in over a week, and I feel as if I'm starting to lose track of where I am in relation to the end of the semester, especially in terms of what I have to do to finish/wrap up my classes.

There were a number of memorial services downtown that I was able to see at night after I finished my office hours. Some were more organized than others, but all were in central places with various candle arrangements spelling out 5/12 or "zhong guo".