Uprooted

The past days in Springfield have offered a much-needed opportunity to recover, rest and reflect. Each person deals with trauma in a different way; some need to talk about every aspect and feel guilty/scared/lucky, some need distractions from any mention of the subject. I spent my time feeling grateful to be healthy and whole and remembering that life goes on and the best thing I can do is to make sure that it goes on with purpose and appreciation.

While we ate home-cooked food and slept on firm ground, recovery efforts continued in Christchurch. We kept updated through the televised news as the official death toll rose above one hundred with expectations of it rising even higher.

Yesterday, we were informed that the university would not be reopening any sooner than the tentative date of 14^th March. Reluctant to completely cancel the specific experience we had signed up for, IES gave us a choice: stay at the University of Canterbury with the knowledge that it may take even longer than two weeks to reopen and the likelihood of future aftershocks, or transfer to Auckland before the weekend was over. Some made lists of pros and cons, pondered the unknowns or simply complained that it was too difficult a choice to make while some started planning travel to occupy the next two weeks. Some knew immediately that they wished to remain in Christchurch while others seriously considered Auckland. For me, the choice was clear. My gut instinct told me to stay in Christchurch, the place I had chosen and settled in, the experience for which I had prepared for over a year. Even though the city I had planned to live in is now leveled to the ground in places, having withstood this devastating event as one of its inhabitants I now wanted to be a part of the rebuilding journey. I didn’t want to feel like I was running away.

Today, matters were taken out of our hands. We received the message that all IES students were being pulled from Canterbury. We were all to be transferred to Auckland, with the hope that the move would be completed by the end of Monday, 28^th February.

I was upset, I am still in shock, but I cannot say that I am surprised, given the uncertain nature of education at Canterbury for the time being. My initial impressions of Auckland as a WWOOFer were not positive ones and I had chosen Christchurch and the South Island because I wanted a smaller-town feeling and a more authentic Kiwi experience rather than the international large-city experience of Auckland. On the other hand, my dear friends and former WWOOFing hosts Hilary and Jane live there and our temporary IES-provided supervisor Charlotte has been answering questions and telling us about perks of living in Auckland. I wanted to be on the South Island for proximity to the scenery and wilderness for which it is famous. However, one thing to remember is that within New Zealand nothing is all that far away from anything else and there is plenty to see and do all over the North Island as well.

At this point, it makes more sense to transfer. I can wish that it were to Wellington or Dunedin rather than to Auckland, but that sort of thinking is useless at this stage. It is upsetting because it is in this way that the earthquake is having a direct impact on my life and matters are now out of my control in a way that they weren’t before when my living space remained safe and intact and none of my friends or family were killed. I can hardly complain about moving when there are still so many people left without basic comforts. So, to Auckland I go for the time being. I do not yet know what my classes are, what my living situation will be like, or what sorts of opportunities will be available to me there. All I know is that it is time to prepare for my new home, knowing that I will be able to make more long-term decisions once I am settled there.

Tomorrow morning we return to our apartments one last time. I have the weekend to fill out the necessary paperwork, pack up my life (again) and say goodbye to the remains of this city I have come to love. More than ever, I appreciate the messages of love and support from all of you during this, the strangest week of my life so far

All my love,

Chloe