Wow so I just realized I could talk about the bombing in Delhi and the earthquake that both happened in the same day...How I forget something like this I don't know, but I'll explain.
I was having a bad day (Wed, Sept 7) and decided that I would skip morning classes to rest and go out with my roommate in the afternoon. This was the plan until late morning when I my friend texted to tell me that there had been a bombing, and to stay around College for the day. The bombing was outside the High Court, and according to my friends (haven't checked this but it seems to be true), the rain washed away most evidence and of course India doesn't have video cameras outside the High Court. 12 people died and 76 were injured.
So needless to say our plans of exploring a new place were put on hold. We instead went to Pizza Hut, which here is a sit down restaurant with a beer and wine menu, and I got hot chocolate cake and ice cream.
A day later, we thought, why don't we go to Sarojini? (A big and cheap market we like to get clothes at). But this idea was vetoed by a friend who said to stay away from metros or crowded places for a week, in case the bombing was to be part of a series.
Its really odd, most people seemed to be more excited about the news than concerned. It still seemed like an event that happened far away, that you hear on the news, not something that happened within the city you live in. No streets were closed, no school cancelled, no moment of silence, nothing. Just continuing with an added bit of excitement: did you hear? The only seriousness seemed to be to stay away from metros and markets for a few days, but even with those stipulations, it has already slipped from our minds. It almost wasn't real until my history teacher told the class that the husband of a retired professor was one of the injured.
Then, that night, we had an earthquake. I was sleeping. I am used to earthquakes; I live in California. I know the shaking entered whatever dream I had been having, but it was a huge crashing that woke me up...which might have been the sound of a hundred girls screaming. I immediately reverted into fire drill mode. See, generally, when I'm suddenly awoken in the night, the situation is that someone set off the fire alarm, and its winter in New England, and its gonna take the fire truck an hour to get here. My first thoughts: shoes and sweater. I didn't quite realize I'm in India and its not below 80 degrees, I was looking for my sweater when I realized I didn't need it. I looked in the hall, saw lots of people, realized it was an earthquake, and promptly got back in bed. Its like my dad has described. When an earthquake happens, first you think, What is this? then you realize its an earthquake, then its over, and there is nothing you have to do. So I went back to bed.
I don't really know what it was, I've heard 4.2-6.6. I'm guessing more on the 6 side; it was nearby, and it was strong.
But I guess the ending to this post is that despite a bombing and an earthquake, I slept fine.
I was having a bad day (Wed, Sept 7) and decided that I would skip morning classes to rest and go out with my roommate in the afternoon. This was the plan until late morning when I my friend texted to tell me that there had been a bombing, and to stay around College for the day. The bombing was outside the High Court, and according to my friends (haven't checked this but it seems to be true), the rain washed away most evidence and of course India doesn't have video cameras outside the High Court. 12 people died and 76 were injured.
So needless to say our plans of exploring a new place were put on hold. We instead went to Pizza Hut, which here is a sit down restaurant with a beer and wine menu, and I got hot chocolate cake and ice cream.
A day later, we thought, why don't we go to Sarojini? (A big and cheap market we like to get clothes at). But this idea was vetoed by a friend who said to stay away from metros or crowded places for a week, in case the bombing was to be part of a series.
Its really odd, most people seemed to be more excited about the news than concerned. It still seemed like an event that happened far away, that you hear on the news, not something that happened within the city you live in. No streets were closed, no school cancelled, no moment of silence, nothing. Just continuing with an added bit of excitement: did you hear? The only seriousness seemed to be to stay away from metros and markets for a few days, but even with those stipulations, it has already slipped from our minds. It almost wasn't real until my history teacher told the class that the husband of a retired professor was one of the injured.
Then, that night, we had an earthquake. I was sleeping. I am used to earthquakes; I live in California. I know the shaking entered whatever dream I had been having, but it was a huge crashing that woke me up...which might have been the sound of a hundred girls screaming. I immediately reverted into fire drill mode. See, generally, when I'm suddenly awoken in the night, the situation is that someone set off the fire alarm, and its winter in New England, and its gonna take the fire truck an hour to get here. My first thoughts: shoes and sweater. I didn't quite realize I'm in India and its not below 80 degrees, I was looking for my sweater when I realized I didn't need it. I looked in the hall, saw lots of people, realized it was an earthquake, and promptly got back in bed. Its like my dad has described. When an earthquake happens, first you think, What is this? then you realize its an earthquake, then its over, and there is nothing you have to do. So I went back to bed.
I don't really know what it was, I've heard 4.2-6.6. I'm guessing more on the 6 side; it was nearby, and it was strong.
But I guess the ending to this post is that despite a bombing and an earthquake, I slept fine.
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