February 23rd -Day 16

Throughout the night I was awoken by aftershocks. The rumble made my closets clatter, my water bottle fall over, and even moved my bed from the wall. As the rain pounded at my window pane it was a constant reminder of a day that I will never forget. I woke up and started my daily routine. As I was blow drying my hair I felt the ground shake, it was another aftershock. I'm starting to wonder when things will get back to normal. Between the hours of midnight and 7:00am we had 32 aftershocks. And as of midnight my friend Felix, from Germany, was still missing. He had gone into town for a pair of shoes. But no one from the university heard from him. I have a lot of things on my mind, everything just seems so surreal at this point.
This morning I worked on my blog and kept reading articles about the tragedy. I fell so over whelmed and yet I feel like I'm living a dream. I didn't actually experience an earthquake....or did I? Liza knocked on my door and we decided to head for the super market. When we got there, there was a line out the door just to get inside the store. We waited about ten minutes before we got in. Once we did, people were running around like headless chickens filling up their grocery carts. There was no bread, little milk, and carts were piled miles high. I felt like they knew something I didn't. Was I supposed to stock up after such as tragedy? I stood in front of the milk case. People running past me grabbing everything they could. Grabbing things from one another...I just stood there, wondering what milk to even buy. The clerks were running around busing carts of food to stack on the shelves. It was an experience I wont forget. At the time it just seemed like a small earthquake...but yet the scale was a 6.3. I'm still trying to fathom the destruction this had caused.
I get back to the dorm and unload my milk and dish soap. There was a meeting at noon to discuss the earthquake and the halls of residents. People slowly pile in and fill the room. They first start off by telling us the housing rules and policies, I'm starting to get nervous. I can't help but wonder why they are stalling the news about the quake. Then they tell us that campus will be closed the rest of the week. We will have registration and orientation starting on Monday. Classes are not a definite yet. Then, they say that Christchurch wants to use the schools rugby field to put up tents to house 400+ police officers. I'm not really sure what to think, the whole island is in shock and it feels as though there is soo much other people could do to help. It's really starting to hit me that this is happening and it's not a  movie, nor a dream.
After the meeting I go have lunch in my dorm and start "skypeing" my family. Before I talked to Dad and Mom I couldn't help but think about Felix. He is still out there, and no one knows where he is, or even if he is alright. Then I can't help but remember that I was supposed to have gone with him. I start to feel guilty that I didn't go. That I should have done something, that if something did happen to him I'd blame myself. I keep reading all of these articles about how many are still missing. I have a break down...its finally hitting me that everything in a mater of a few seconds can simply be destroyed. I was able to get in contact with my parents. We talked for an hour, which is our longest talk thus far. I told them all about the things that are happening and that I'm still in one piece. It was good to talk to them. I really needed to see them, and actually see them smile.
Then suddenly.....there is a pounding on my door....I opened my door....and it was Felix!!! He had made it! I felt so relieved and happy. He told me all about his experience. He had been off the bus for a minute when the ground shook and he was eventually able to find a mother and daughter who were trying to get to the university. They let him stay in their hotel and he ended up catching a taxi to Lincoln. He showed me the pictures he took of all of the aftermath, it was soo heart wrenching it seemed like the pictures couldn't possibly be real.
Its now 8:00pm, I've felt one aftershock since this morning. Things are starting to calm down. I want to get tho the city as soon as they allow. The army is now in place and have evacuated the square of Christchurch. People can't use water for at least a week. They encourage people to leave the city until everything is calmer. There are 75 fatalities and over 300 that are still missing. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the island. Please keep them in yours.

This is just one of many lines to enter the super market.

 One of the buses that was destroyed.

Listening for any sign of life....

As the day comes to a close I'm starting to learn the importance of family, community, religion, and the value of a human life. The sounds of an innocent scream are so powerful, and yet so silent in the face of danger it is numbing. May we come together and help the innocent who can't or can no longer be heard.