Finding a Voice

In the summer of 2001 I led a team of college students to teach English at Tanghu Middle School in Chengdu, China for 5 weeks. What a surreal feeling to hear about the devastating earthquake there last week and wonder if the people I met in 2001 are doing okay. The internet gives me some small assurance:

Seemed like an eternity
My name is Ed Foy from Canada and I am an English teacher at Tanghu high school here in Chengdu, China. Yesterday when the earthquake struck, I was teaching a class, when the entire building I was in shook violently for what seemed like an eternity. All of the students and teachers at our school (3000 students in all ) rushed from the school buildings and to the front of the school. No one was injured in the rush to safety. Last night the school had everyone sleep on the school sports field as a precautionary measure as aftershocks continueed throughout the late afternoon yesterday and overnight last night. School has been suspended here in Chengdu until further notice.

Since the quake our cell phone cannot phone out to speak with anyone which has heightened fears among the parents of the students. Shortly after the quake struck here in Chengdu, many parents showed up at the school in fear that their child or children were injured or killed from the quake. I saw many of them as they arrived and they were visibly upset and feared the worst. Fortunately all of the children and staff are safe albeit very frightened from what took pace during and after the massive earthquake yesterday!
—Ed Foy, Chengdu

When I was there we played many, many games on that sports field, including a wild and colourful water balloon fight. Strange to think of people sleeping there. At least they’re safe …