another quake and tsunami

i probably wouldn't have still been there when the quake hit at 3:30-ish in the afternoon, but i would have just left on a bus to go back home. about an hour later, the tsunami would have hit shore at parangritis monday night. i was going to go there on sunday, and possibly spend the night. instead i ended up going to central java - the dieng plateau.

people are still shaken. a week ago, i went to see superman at the new theater. it's part of a mall that opened recently, and the theater had been open just for a month before the quake partially destroyed it. there were earthquake-type scenes, and the seats even shook a bit, and it was clear that people in the room didn't want to be reminded of what had shook their world just a month earlier.

quake relief is divided amongst big ngos, small locally-based groups, and then people simply trying to rebuild their lives. i wish i spoke more indonesian because there's quite a vibrant and engaged community of people working to rebuild the community, and many focusing on keeping the arts and traditions of the region alive - making sure that cultural traditions aren't lost as focus shifts to basic necessities.

i'm glad i'm here. hoping i can be of some small help. if you want to send funds to help, please email and let's go from there.