On May 14, I posted an email I received from a friend of mine who moved last year from San Francisco to Chengdu. His message was about the earthquake “seen” from Chengdu. In a new email I just received, he describes his actions as a volunteer for the rescue campaign. I am sharing for all the wonderful synchronicities that happen in life!

I am but an instrument in life.

I decided to live in Chengdu because of the good vibes I got.
I was leading a mundane life when the quake happened.
Soon after that, I was contacted by Beijing Rotary and Shelter Box for advice.
They said I am the only known Rotarian in the area.
I said yes, but they did not tell me what to do.
In the ensuing 3 days I realized the enormity of the request – site visits, logistics, storage, transportation…
I panicked. I am a one-man Rotary club here.

On the 3rd day, a friend from Chongqing showed up in town with no prior notice,
She said she would only be in town for a few hours.
So I dropped everything and had lunch with her.
There I got re-acquainted with a magazine editor Wendy.
I had not seen her for two years.
Wendy said her boss Jason, in his late 30’s, might be willing to help.
Jason is a software developer turned magazine and nightclubs owner.
Jason is now paying for the hotel bills of 4 Shelter Box members from UK and Australia (note: Shelter Box is a UK based charity that provides emergency aid for victims of natural and other disasters anywhere in the world.)
Shelter Box has run into incredibly huge red tapes.

With a history of at least 1,000 years in civil service examinations, the Chinese bureaucracy is the mother of all bureaucracies.
It’s an amalgamation of all the phone companies in the world… multiplied by 1,000 times.
Jason was at the airport today problem solving and negotiating with the officials of at least 3 agencies on behalf of Shelter Box. He was there from 11 am to 10 pm, with no lunch.
Without Jason, the negotiation would have surely failed and the project detrimentally impacted.
The issues are so unnecessarily complex I am sure I could win an award if I write the story out.

At my request, two English language students from Chongqing are up here to volunteer for Shelter Box.
I became their trusted friend after they volunteered for Interplast (non profit providing free reconstructive surgery in developing nations) in Chongqing.
One of them, Tony, is staying in my apartment.
It’s a new experience for me.
He got up this morning and promptly consumed one extra-large packet of instant noodle.
He then asked me if he could have another one.

Tomorrow I am going into the disaster area again.
I am responsible for finding a site for rebuilding a school.
A Shanghai Rotarian friend wants to start a new project: building a pre-fab steel school in two months, something that has never been done before in China.

I am but an instrument in life and I am grateful for that.

Bill

P.S. WE ARE TOGETHER- the mantra of this rescue and relief campaign. It’s everywhere; on T-shirts, billboards, and large banners on buildings…there is even a song.

Remi
www.outsourcing-vsc.com

China | 4 Comments »

The media have been covering the earthquakes in China quite extensively. I just wanted to publish here an email I received from a friend of mine who relocated last year from San Francisco to Chengdu. He was sitting in his 19th floor’s apartment when it all happened.

Here it goes:

I have been sleeping very well in the last 2 nights. During the day, we were often told by building security to leave the building, in anticipation of major aftershocks at certain time of the day. Coming back, I had to climb 19 flights to reach my apartment. That plus a beer put me to wonderful sleep.

Chengdu has returned to normalcy. There is not much damage in the city. The unthinkable have happened in the towns near the epicenter. Seeing on TV the frantic mothers wailing over the bodies of their children wrapped in plastic bags, I can truly sense the vicissitudes of life. And I am counting my blessings. The real danger in a high rise is not the structure but fire.

I have received lots emails and phone calls from people. So far so good, I am surprised at all the good wishes; none of them expressed any desire for my demise.

Chinese may seem non-caring or even rude to strangers, but they respond otherwise in time of crisis. Yesterday, I was in the biggest walking mall near my apt building. There must have been hundreds of people lining up to donate blood. Mostly people in their 20’s and 30’s they patiently and quietly waited in line (yes, they do not have the habit of talking to strangers.) It’s the first “orderly” queue I have seen in China, – no shoving and cutting in line. What a refreshing scene – there is hope yet for China.

This 7.8 quake was strong and a bit too long. The Loma Prieta quake was only a 6.9 (Note: the last major earthquake in San Francisco). I kept thinking, while standing under my bedroom doorway, is it going to stop soon? Everything in my apartment is intact, except for a couple of bottles. I think now I like low houses better.

There are still aftershocks, but they are of much, much shorter duration. Yesterday we had a 6.1, but only briefly.

I love earthquake geologists; they seem to be able to hold to a good job even though their predictions hardly ever come true. The other profession I like, especially in times of recession, is the Economist: “on the one hand, this…., and on the other hand……” We need one-armed economists badly.

Did I tell you about my future visit trip to Qiqihaer, lanzhou and Yining, among others? Yining sounds wonderfully remote; it is practically in Kazakhstan. They said it is beautiful. A Chinglish travel book describes the favorite recreational activities of the Kazakh minority in China, “……horse racing, girl-chasing, sheep seizing, and playing an instrument when singing.” I am not sure whether they do all four at the same time.

Remi
www.outsourcing-vsc.com

China | 2 Comments »