Boudha without its top

After damage from the earthquake Boudha is without its iconic top (see the image at the top of this page and here). However, there is an impressive structure of bamboo scaffolding and piles of bricks so hopefully there will soon be a new one.

Back in Kathmandu

After a summer back in America we have returned to Kathmandu for our 4th school year.

If you are thinking "they went back after the earthquake?!", you aren't the only one. We got asked a number of times if we were going to stay in the states (though, to be honest, we get that question every time we return - "well, now that you are pregnant"; "now that you have two kids"; "now that you've gotten that out of your system"; "now that....."; "you'll stay home, right"?).

Yes. We're back, and excited to be. We've even had a few aftershocks.

So here's to another year of exciting culture, learning, adventure, friendships, and travel.

Showing off her henna

Bubbles

After a big shake last Tuesday, in which we evacuated school and took a day off for buildings to be reinspected, things have calmed down.  There are still aftershocks here and there, though it's getting to the point that sometimes people feel them, sometimes they don't.

In our community nerves are raw; focus is lacking.  But we're in our houses.  We're back at work doing pretty normal things.  Sure, there have been changes, but for us, life is pretty normal.  Go to school, come home, play, eat dinner, read books, kids' bedtime, read books without pictures in them, go to bed.

Temporarily rebuilt

Except the knowledge that we are in a bubble.  A bubble of resources, of options, of support.  Expat.  Privileged.

It's hard to live in that space.  It's uncomfortable on many levels.  We've picked up our pieces, and there are so many without any pieces to pick up.


As a school we are supporting our local community and beyond. We have received numerous questions regarding donations. A PayPal account has been created: Lincoln School Kathmandu Earthquake Relief Fund through our business manager Janne (Shah) Gadegaard.

Money collected will go through a process of thorough vetting of needs to rebuild homes, provide medical and supporting the communities. No administrative costs will be incurred. We are sharing how the funds are distributed through our website and our Facebook page.

Saturday April 25th, 2015: A week later

We must be creatures of habit. Minutes ago Jeremiah left the house to go to school, I have just put Liam down for a nap upstairs in his crib, and Tegan and I are hanging out downstairs. Exactly what we were doing this time last week. Until about noon, that is, when the ground started shaking. Luckily Tegan was already in my lap, I held her tight, avoided the shelf that crashed to our right and frantically thought about how I was going to get upstairs to Liam. I knew I couldn't make it up the stairs right then, I couldn't even take a couple steps without falling. Tegan was terrified.

After what felt like ages the ground stopped shaking and I got a text from Jeremiah that said "get out now!".  I put Tegan outside, told her to stay there, and raced to get Liam. I'd known we'd placed his crib in a place that no furniture would fall on it but had no idea about the structure of our house.  I walked into his room and saw him just waking up and with great relief I grabbed him and raced down, snagged some shoes for all of us, and sat in the yard with both kids on my lap.  Jeremiah met us just a few minutes later - he'd made his way down from the 3rd story of our school building and ran home.  Aftershock after aftershock hit.  Neighbors gathered in our yard, a space that is away from things that can fall.  People were gathering in the streets.  I emailed my mom "we're ok", knowing it was the middle of the night there but that this would be on the news when she woke.  I tried to call our friends.  Nothing would go through.  I sent texts.

We decided to go to school - just a few minute walk.  Jeremiah went into the house to grab essentials to pack a bag.  And we booked it.

At school we met up with other folks who were either on campus for school-related activities or those who were nearby and made it to school as we had.  No one was hurt.  Hugs, tears, shaking; we sat for awhile.  We hung out in the field and tried texting, calling, skyping, to account for everyone.  Turns out facebook was the easiest thing to use, when texts or calls wouldn't go through, a facebook message would.

We pulled out snacks for everyone.  Water.  Blankets.  After awhile we determined we would sleep there.

We slept in a tent that night.  Aftershocks continued.  They still continue as I write this exactly a week later.

Our school is well equipped, we felt safe and well supported.  Folks that lived nearby grabbed food and supplies from their houses.  Friends helped with Tegan and Liam.  People checked in regularly so we'd always know where everyone was. It was a scary and difficult time, but we have good people around us here.

Food set up in the middle of the basketball court

Making a house out of sidewalk chalk

In the coming days we would sleep in a classroom, on a friend's ground floor, on our own ground floor and finally 5 days later in our own beds upstairs.  We slowly got back cell service, power, wifi.  We are still waiting on our water, but who cares at this point?

For the first 4 nights I slept with clothes and shoes on.  And was glad I did as we evacuated for aftershocks.  We've had a bag packed by the door ready to go with money, passports, diapers, wipes, snacks, water, headlamps - what we've come to realize are the essentials of our life right now.  In seconds I could go from asleep to scooping up Liam and ready to go.  As we slept with groups of people everyone strategically placed our layout so everyone could get out quickly.  Every time I was indoors I knew how we would get the kids and get out if needed.

Doing dishes

Things are settling down for us.  However, for so so many people of Nepal life only continues to get worse.  Living with that gratitude that my family is safe with the heartbreak that others are not is a daily struggle.

Many have asked us how to help.  There are a lot of forces at play here that are barriers to getting help to those that need it.  I won't go into all that here, but our school has set up an account that will allow us and folks connected to the community to help in effective ways with no administrative costs.  On our website you will find a link, with the following information: 

"As a school we are planning to support our local community and beyond. We have received numerous questions regarding donations. A PayPal account has been created: Lincoln School Kathmandu Earthquake Relief Fund through our business manager Janne (Shah) Gadegaard.

Money collected will go through a process of thorough vetting of needs to rebuild homes, provide medical and supporting the communities. No administrative costs will be incurred. We will share how the funds were distributed through our website and our Facebook page later."

Earthquake update

Day 6 - We have been back in our home a few days now, and last night spent the first night upstairs after sleeping on our ground floor a few nights for quick evacuation from aftershocks.  Our power and internet were back after 3-4 days though we are still without running water (our pump is broken; we are getting bucketfuls of water from our ground tank).  We had a day at work today to prepare to start school back on Monday, we are excited to see our students.

Much of Nepal is still quite devastated and in need of resources. Perhaps I will have more words about this whole experience, perhaps not, but for now, we are safe and thankful.

Just a little rattle

Wouldn't have even guessed it was an earthquake if someone hadn't said something on facebook.  Our windows rattled, enough that I looked at them, but not enough to think more of it.

Shake, rattle and roll

I guess news of this morning's earthquakes has reached the states. All is ok here. We felt the first one; I was on the third floor and definitely felt the building moving. The rest have been much smaller and haven't been felt, by me at least, in Taichung.

image from Central Weather Bureau

Earthquake

6.4 earthquake hit the east side of the island this evening. More info here and at the Central Weather Bureau. I didn't think it was as bad as the last one, but we were sitting on the second floor loft of a store and I had to fight the urge to run down the stairs.

Home alone

I was home alone for this earthquake that just happened, and awake for that matter. The last earthquake happened in the middle of the night and when Jeremiah asked me what we should do, I replied: "wait and see if it gets worse." Apparently my desire for sleep took precedent over worrying. Today it felt exponentially worse because I was able to devote full mental capacity to the worse case scenario and no one was with me, so, I stood in the doorway. That's what you're supposed to do, right? Get under a desk or in a doorway. That's what I've practiced tons of times both as a child and as an adult in the drills at school. I went with instinct. Luckily the doorway wasn't needed, and after a few aftershocks everything is back to normal.

(picture added by jeremiah and found here)

you heard it here first

*update* 1:52am  6.2 about 60 miles from us

1:40am  well, if you read our blog you did.  just felt our first earthquake in taiwan.  was big enough to wake allison up, but she is a light sleeper.  made things rattle.  will update when we know more.  off to sleep.