duck, cover... and log-in

Last Thursday, the Peace Corps held the evacuation drill for all PCV’s in Chongqing, a potentially useful thing to practice given the international instability right now.  In an emergency, all PCVs must gather at a designated evacuation point centrally located in each district.  Chongqing’s evacuation point is a 5-star, downtown hotel, relatively close to my university.  During non-rush hours, it takes a 10-minute bus ride, a 30-minute subway ride, and a 5-minute walk, all very straight forward.  But, because my last class ended at 4, I was thrown into the guts of rush hour, the trip took 2 hours, giving me plenty of time to wondered about the public transportation system during a real emergency, like an earthquake.  The earthquake a few weeks ago in southern China was felt in Chongqing.  I was sitting at my desk, and I thought, “Hmm, this is an earthquake.  I wonder what I'm supposed to do.”

...during an earthquake

The Peace Corps, being the full-on US government agency that it is, leaves nothing to chance, or to the follies of the enthusiastic, but inexperienced, volunteers.  Our summer training covered response/action plans for every possible disaster scenario, big or small, including earthquakes.  I attentively listened, I took a few notes, I read the exhaustive handbook(s).  Earthquake: “Stay inside, open the door, stay away from large falling objects,” and, I guess, hope for the best because the buildings are tough. We even the practiced running into an earthquake position.  Still, I wonder about it all working out. 

Not only do all PCVs need to submit a detailed, hand drawn map of their apartment’s location (what about GPS coordinates?), but there is also a PC “pillow law.”  Any night a PCV’s head is not on their pillow, we need to fill-out an online “leave log.”  It’s like having overbearing and intimidating PC parents: “Where will you be? Who are you with? What is the address and phone number? How will you get there? What is your route?  What time will you depart/arrive? What is the bus number?” On and on.  They want to know where we are at every minute.  Or, is it the Chinese government?  Both?  How do I feel about this?  Would they really come and get us in an emergency or political crisis?

China-Japan tension is boiling right now over the ownership of a few islands.  Many angry and violent protesters are gathering in cities all over China.  The Global Times, one Chinese English language newspaper, printed an op-ed with the title, “Backing off not an option for China:” 

“For China, triumphing will cement cohesion and public confidence in the country.  We cannot back off and we must win.” 

The US position: work it out.

PC China sent out a helpful reminder to stay away from these political protests.  Check.  The email concluded that PC China administration is going on a 2-day retreat, but not to worry because both the 24 hour medical phone and the 24 hour emergency phone will be active.  OK.

The PC email didn’t mention the current explosion of world tension between the US and Muslim countries.  China has a minority Muslim population, but I’m not seeing or feeling any tension where I'm living anyway.

On Friday night, I learned a big-city lesson when a pickpocket took my phone case out of my shoulder bag while I was in a crowded crosswalk.  In one of our safety briefings, we were directly warned about this common problem with many pictures and scenarios.  I felt it happening and turned but the human wave pushed passed.  Fortunately, he/she just got the case, not the phone, which was in my hand.  In the case was my collection of business cards from the many people I’ve met in the past few weeks, people whose names I need to remember.  Everyone gives business cards here.  Worse, on one card was the name and location of my school in Chinese, so I can just show to the cab driver to get back after 10:30 pm when the buses stop running.  At least my Chinese is good enough to get me home, thankfully.  Lesson learned.