Christchurch

We have been back in Christchurch for four and a half weeks but I haven't told you anything about it yet! Our lives have been busy since we got back, we have jumped back into everything so quickly, school, socialising, commuting, (buying a house!) and lots more commuting, my feet have been moving quicker than my brain (no comments please!) and I can hardly keep up.

The other day, I went for an explore in town, to see what has changed. In some ways lots has changed - I read in a newspaper article that an astonishing 771 buildings in town have been taken down up to now and there are 178 left still to be demolished - but there is still so much to do, and a long way to go before Christchurch has a city centre again.

Here's one that I stood and watched for a while, along with some other passersby. The building next door is on the list to come down too.




And this is as much as the city of Christchurch can see of their beloved Christchurch Cathedral, which people are still lobbying to protect.








Many of the old churches are in this state now. Both of churches in our parish are closed, and masses are taking place in the church hall.




Of course, we have friends who are still waiting for repairs, still awaiting the fate of their homes - demolition or rebuild - which is agonizing for them, they are in a state of limbo, unable to move on, and plan for their future. One friend's home has been deemed unsafe by a structural engineer, but they are still living in it, still waiting for updates - they are now resigned and have given up complaining.




The clock tower stopped at 12.51pm on 22nd February 2011.







We had a big aftershock on Friday, a magnitude 5.2, which is pretty hefty, and on the website it said it was the 30th biggest quake since the beginning. Alex was in the office in town on the third floor. It was pretty big for him, he called me straight away, but I was outside and amazingly hadn't felt it. In fact, I have only felt two shakes since we got back (yesterday morning, good 6.30am alarm clock) which is very lucky for me. Those two did put me on edge for the rest of the day, but keeping myself busy helps, and trying to be logical about them, that is helping me to be brave. The good thing is that I am not thinking about them all the time now, like I was last year - I'm now down to down to a much more manageable sixteen times a day;)

But, the people are different now. It is not the same as when we left. People are definitely more positive, a period of grief and loss and anger has passed and has been replaced by acceptance. People are more optimistic, more focussed on the future and on 'other' things, not just the earthquakes. Last year it felt like that was all we talked about, it consumed us all, and with shakes on a regular basis, the earth seemed determined for us to keep remembering. But now, with aftershocks on a few-weekly basis, rather than few-daily basis, people are able to move on, are able to exhale and breathe normally again.

The strength of people is incredible. The Christchurch heart is beating and the spirit is strong, people are getting on with their lives - cafes and businesses are popping up in different places, innovation and flexiblility is everywhere and the community is looking after one another - in that way, Christchurch is a great place to live.




The city is beautiful in the Autumntime, we have to remember that nature is kind to us as well as not. The trees in Hagley Park are a joy, and strolling around them on a crisp Christchurch morning reminds me of why I enjoy this city so much.




Stay strong Christchurch, it is nice to be back:)

Love
Est xxx