La chica antisísmica, or anti-earthquake girl. That is what my friends are calling me, and it's true, I have been incredibly lucky in missing two very large earthquakes in the two countries that I have been in most recently. It is a little unnerving - like these natural disasters are following me around, but I guess I mustn't think so much of myself, it has nothing to do with me, right?!
It is not a pleasant sensation, reading that first message on the Mercurio website that says something like "massive earthquake in NZ" There is a rush to the NZ news website which has of course crashed, and then the feeling that oh my god I am on the other side of the world and something horrible has just happened to everyone I know and love. Of course it is never that bad (at least not so far), but the feelings of isolation and helplessness are not connected to the part of the brain functioning with reason. The thought is how do I contact people, do they have power (the main phone on the farm only functions if there is power, and my parents never hear the other one), and that I can't call on my cellphone so where is the nearest call centre. Then my dear friends in Chile start calling me, worried for my family, and asking questions that I simply can't answer. Leaving work in a hurry and finding the call centre I rapidly punch in the number incorrectly the first time. When I get through my Dad answers with his customary "Are you there??" The conversation follows something like this:
Karen: It's Karen, are you OK?
Dad: We're fine, why?
K: Didn't you just have a big earthquake?
D: Oh yeah, there was a bit of a shake, why, did you feel it over there?
K: No Dad, I live on the other side of the world.
D: Oh yeah that. Umm, how did you know about it then?
K: It was on the news.
D: Why were you watching the NZ news at four in the morning?
K: It's not four in the morning here. It's lunchtime.
D: Oh yeah, I forgot. Do you get the NZ news over there?
K: Yes we get the NZ news, its called the internet.
D: Ahh yes, the internet is amazing.
K: But I saw it on the Chilean news.
D: On the Chilean news? Really? Do they get news from NZ?
K: Yes Dad. It was quite big. Half of the centre of Chch is destroyed.
D: Hmm, that is quite bad. I might go and turn the tele on.
K: Do you have power?
D: Ahh no. I might go and turn the radio on.
K: OK, as long as everything is OK. I will go.
D: OK, take care. Be careful in Chile.
K: Because of the risk of earthquakes??
D: Yes, they have big earthquakes over there.
K: OK, bye.
Yes I have dramatised this somewhat, but not a lot. And it is worth noting that it was 6am and I probably woke him up, but it really was quite hilarious. My parents didn't even get out of bed, so I guess it wasn't that bad. Mum said it was really scary, but she still didn't get out of bed. Needless to say, I wasn't so worried after that conversation. I didn't remind him how he woke me up with the news of the Chilean earthquake by telling me and I quote "there has been a massive earthquake in Chile, and Chile is gone". Nothing like "good morning, I have some bad news, would you like a cup of tea, now, there has been a bit of an earthquake in Chile, don't panic it's not too bad". No, nothing like that, just "Chile's gone". And then reminding me every five minutes about how unsafe Chile is because it has earthquakes (I haven't told him about the volcanoes that erupt over here). Anyway, I hope that this wasn't some kind of karma... and quite honestly I hope my friends are right, and that I really am anti-earthquake girl, because I really hate earthquakes.
