Ireturnedtotheearthquakezonealmostamonthsincetheearthquakestruck.Thingshavechangedimmenselysincemylasttimethereabouttwoandhalfweeksago.Mostnoticablewasthatpeoplearemakingahugeefforttorebuildtheirlivesandthey'rebeinghelpedbyvolunteers,bysoldiersandbyahugeteamofconstructionworkerswhohavecometotheareafromaroundthecountry.IwenttoBeichuan,oneoftheworstaffectedareas,wherehugetentcitieshavebeensetup.AndIalsowenttoMianzhu,whereoneoftheplaceswherethousandsandthousandsofprefabhutsarenowbeingerected.AndIalsowentbacktoMianyang,whichusedtobethebiggestrefugecamp,atthegymnasiumthere,andtherewasahugeimprovementthere.Whatyoustartedtoseewasmorethanhalfofthepeoplewhoweretherebeforehavebeenmovedout,sothepressureofcrowdinghaseased.Therewerepeople,volunteers,who'vecometoofferhaircuts,peoplewerebeingshavedforthefirsttimetheysaidsincetheearthquake.Andsomeonehaddonatedsometabletennistables,sothechildrenwerehavingagameofpingpongandseemedtobeenjoyingthemselves.AndifanythingIwouldsaythatthebigdifferenceisalthoughmanypeoplearestillinmourning,andmanypeoplearestillsuffering,therewerethistimesomesmilesandsomelaughter,andpeoplereallydidseemtobesortoflookingforwardratherthanjustbackwardsofthedisaster.
