MnB

Well said Persephone....thankfully its been deleted so at least some other unsuspecting, concerned person won't be subjected to such insensitive, offensive c**p!....thanks Mods!
B x

scrubbedexpat094

This is what I wanted to say but was being too polite . You go girl

annabel1

Hi Chippy,

I am so so pleased that your guys are safe, I read your posts yesterday and my heart went out to you, x x

Lets hope that many more are found safe, our thoughts are with you x

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I watched the QLD floods unfold in recent months, and parts of QLD and NSW were getting inundated for the second and third time within a couple of years. I asked myself at the time "how often do people keep coming back for more"

Now God forbid that Christchurch could get hit like this again, but this is two major quakes in a short space of time. What happens if there is another big one? How many people are thinking of relocating?

BEVS

Actually they have been dealing with much more than that since September.

Some people are thinking of re-locating. There is your answer.

shirl

It affects people on different levels, one of our grandchildren is affected really badly, I myself feel like giving up and going home, BUT, we have lives here, who would buy our houses now, all our money is invested in our lives here and we have just started our own business as well so even if we wanted to, we couldn't just up sticks and go. For a start there are air fares, accommodation in a new country or location, then there is property to sell. It is a good job my husband is more level headed than me. I would be gone by now I can tell you that much.

Then there is the guilt feelings, the questions that come up in your own head day after day, why have I been a lucky one, why have I escaped destruction in 2 major earthquakes in such quick succession. What is God's plan for me after this? Why are so many suffering so close to where I live and yet I have food water power sanitation etc etc. Why should I need trauma councelling - why should I take up valuable appointments when others will need it more.... can you see where I am coming from people. Yes we can all do our bit and help out or offer accommodation etc but some people say thanks for the offer and prefer to sit it out and hang in there for whatever reason. The human spirit is tested to its limits. The Heart breaks for those who have lost loved ones and homes and we fear for what is coming next. It is like living your life in a movie at the moment, very surreal.

So the answer would be yes probably in most cases but the reality is a very different thing.

chippy64

Shirl, what a great response! One of the first things I said to my husband, when he finally got through to me (after checking both he and Sam were alive and safe) was 'when are you moving out of ChCh?'. He had no hesitation in saying that that wasn't an option. He said that everybody needed to pull together and that there was such a fantastic effort from everyone, that it just wasn't right to walk away. I will however freely admit that right now I would prefer to live elsewhere when I make the move.

Big hugs and love to all who are suffering out there.

dannigirl

I don't think ANYONE would blame or judge people for wanting to leave, on the surface it seems a good option, but as you point out people have entire lives they just can't walk away from. Well done Shirl for thinking of other people in such tragic circumstances, but make sure you look after yourself too. Sounds like your grandchild is lucky to have such a strong family around him or her!

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Totally agree. Must be exceptionally hard though if you have a business and its taken apart twice in a short period. Would you come back for more? I'm not sure I would. I think I'd be taking the insurance money and looking to establish elsewhere.

THR

Not all the people in Christchurch are people who have moved there from somewhere else; for some people it is their hometown and they won't leave their home because it is their home.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I lived in Manchester for over 30 years.. I still left and it didn't take an earthquake to make me move. People leave their hometown all the time. This board is a testament to that.

ray2nz

My wife and I are relocating to Christchurch. Well, were. We leave London on 26 February, arriving Auckland 28 February.

ray2nz

Christchurch is a city in grief.

Am Loolah

Oh dear, what are your plans now then? Has your accommodation suffered? What about your place of work? What an upheaval, you must be very concerned and stressed.

THR

So, in other words, you had a narrow escape. Must be a similar feeling like first missing a plane and then hearing that the plane you have missed has crashed.