camps

Talking to some of the students, many of which are preparing for the college entrance examination.

As I toured earthquake-devastated parts of Sichuan last week, what struck me most was the continuation of ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances. 

Beichuan middle school was the site of one of the great tragedies of the earthquake.  The old building of the school collapsed completely and the new building pancaked, crushing the lower level.  About half of the 2,000+ students and teachers died.  Beichuan county seat has been completely abandoned.  The middle school has temporarily been relocated some miles away, on the campus of a training ground for a big appliance manufacturer.   The facility had some good classrooms to begin with, and new temporary ones were added quickly.  The students are living in tents on the grounds.

Approaching the mountains from the Chengdu plain along the main road to Beichuan County, red banners with large white characters expressing support for the earthquake victims and thanks to the rescuers, are strung across the road, as if creating an arbor for all to pass through.  Driving up this road doesn’t feel safe, even now, six weeks after the quake.  The steep slopes of the mountains on both sides of our vehicle loom above us.  Huge boulders are scattered everywhere on the mountain sides, landslides are all around, and I cannot stop thinking about the description given by a group of tourists of the moment the quake struck: “the mountains exploded as if hit by a megaton bomb”.