Christchurch is my home

It was a normal Monday evening, and there's never really anything exciting about a Monday night. I had arrived home from work, cooked some dinner, got my things sorted for the next day, chatted to my Mum, everything was great, I had a great day, I'd booked a trip to Paris for March, this was going to be a good week.

It's amazing how quickly a good week can turn into the worst week ever. I'd been asleep for a little under 2 hours when I got the phone call. At 1.50am I answered a call from Anna, my Christchurch friend who lives in Brisbane. I answered and all she had to say was "Julainne", my name, that's all she said and I knew instantly something horrible had happened, and for a split second about 20 thoughts went through my mind, but I wasn't ready for what was next. "There's been another massive earthquake in Christchurch. It's really bad, buildings have fallen down. You need to ring your Mum."

Christchurch, otherwise known as the Garden City, a tourist attraction with old buildings, picturesque gardens, a river which makes for a great stroll along any time of the day. A city where everyone is happy, vibrant, polite and friendly. Christchurch, my home, will never be the same again.

It took around two and a half hours to get in touch with Mum, by this time I'd already spoken to my Dad, he was safe and that's all that mattered. When I finally managed to get in touch with Mum I was in a state, it must have been around 4am, I can't be sure because this morning the time didn't matter. I'd been watching the news online live from New Zealand, they were showing all the collapsed buildings, people were being pulled out from under rubble, some with a few cuts and bruises, some not so lucky. I'd finally managed to get in touch with Mum and my sister and they were safe, my sister managed to leave the Cathedral Square where she works, but not before she saw The Press building fall down in front of her. Hearing both of their voices on the phone was a wake up call, it bought me back to reality of what really matters in this world. Family and friends. I didn't care about Mum's house, what I still call my home, I didn't care about what had fallen and what remained standing all that mattered was that those I love were safe.

The week went on like a blur. I was feeling so far away from home I could have been on another planet. I was anxiously trying to get in touch with friends to make sure people were safe. Hearing about houses falling or badly cracked from the damage, peoples homes, my Mum's home will never be the same. Most of the city now has power, this doesn't include my Mum's house, she is still in the dark. There are many homes that remain without water, again my Mum's house included. And as my Dad said "we're all just really shaken up." And with the typical sense of humour he followed that with "pardon the pun." It's good to know that there are still some smiles through this awful event.

One week on from the disastrous event that has changed my city for ever and I count my blessings, my family and my friends are safe, and despite all that is going on in their lives we can still make each other smile. My thoughts are with those who have lost someone or are still waiting for their missing loved one's to be found.

In a little over one years time I will return to a city I wont recognise, a city that I love and cherish. Most of the CBD will be gone, I think to date there are 1300 buildings that need to be pulled down. I will go home to a city that will most likely still be having aftershocks. This will be a city who's attitude will have changed, people will be closer, this catastrophe will have made for a stronger community, but will it make for a happier one?

Kia kaha x