Okay, so it's really been about a month + a week. Some days, when the memories are really fresh, it seems more like it's been only a few days. On other days, those five weeks feel more like five months - SO MUCH has happened.
Over the past few weeks, a lot has been going on in our city - roads and infrastructure being repaired, stable buildings being approved for use, unstable buildings being demolished. It has been interesting to see the buildings marked by S&R (search and rescue) crews from all over the world - QLD (Queensland), NSW (New South Wales), JPN (Japan).
Overall, the superficial recovery has seemed quick. Roads that were undrivable just after the quake are now level (gravel, but level). But we learned from the first quake last September that it's what is underneath that counts. Slowly, as we enter the long-term recovery stage, the damage that lies below the surface - from broken pipes to broken families - will begin to make itself known. It's during this phase, the one that is to come, that we will be tested. And the need for electricity, clean tap water, and smooth roads will be replaced by the need for the less tangible but just as important resources of community, positivity, and hope.
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