MISCHA AND CRISTINA'S PLANS

Cristina? If you only have a minute, i have lots of info for you.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: It's all on my facebook page and in central form on my blog. Is mischa back?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Go to airport if you can. no info on road conditions.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Claire?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Are you there?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: YES

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It's your brother.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Good.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Where are you and how long do you think you have.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I have tried to get all updated info in one place for you.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: First, although conditions are dramatic, we are FINE.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I saw your updates.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Yes, I know.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: They are all innacurate and outdated, unfortunately.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: We are now going to logbase.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Give me accurate info so

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I can pass it on to other people.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It's not important.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Trust me.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: It is to a lot of people

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: The important info is thi:

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Yep:

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: We want to go to logbase; if at logbase the can evacuate us,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: we'll be evacuated.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: If not, we'll go to the American embassy.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: My choice however is to drive to the DR.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: The road is open and undamaged.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: In any case, my big worry is evacuating Pites.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Which road would you try to take, and what car would you be driving?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Yes, I'm working on that.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: There is oly one road.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Our car.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Licence number?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It doesn't matter.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Trust me.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: YES IT DOES.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I don't know.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I am not just improvising, I swear.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I know.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It's just that unless you're here, it's hard to understand how absolutely useless that information would prove.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Hey! How are you?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: How are you on Internet now?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: How are your cats doing without you?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Scrabble?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Obviously I'm on the internet now.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: OI 01529

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: That's the license.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Fine, fine, not often we get Grandma to stop thinking about the quality -- HOW are you -- of her hospital care.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK, good.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: How ar eyou going to try to go to Logbase?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I understand there's not much gas to be found.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Could youput our plan on facebook.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: How is Grandma?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: She would not like it her now at all.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: here, I mean.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Are you still there?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Of course I am.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: No, all the gas stations are open.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Yes, I will.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Are they?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Except the ones that exploded.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Yes.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I walked fifteen miles this morning to find Rose.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK, haiti task force says do NOT drive at night.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: They had very long lines, though,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: and I don't know how long the gas will lat.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Is Bruno okay?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Well, that's swell advice.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Who the hell drives in PAP at night ever?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Mischa, I have not been real happy with the quality of advice from State and UNhqs.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Claire, there is NO UNHQ in PAP.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It's gone.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Absolutely gone.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: In New York, it's still there.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: An eight story building with all of Critina's colleagues inside.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I am well aware there are no hqs in PaP.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Remember, we saw those photos BEFORE we heard you were alive.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: There was a very tetchy several-hour interval in between.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Sorry about that.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: But we were trying as best we could.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It was a miracle we got in touch at all.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: No worries. Glad you're okay. I know.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Are you speaking to me from a computer w. internet access or an iPhone?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Computer.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Where are you?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: But I only have Skype, for some reason.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Nothing else works.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: At home.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: On the couch.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Our internet is back.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: In the house? Aren't you worried about aftershocks?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: They're saying outdoors is safer.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Our house suffered a 7.3 quake without a scratch.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: NOTHING.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: The architect came and inspected it.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: He said it's fine.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Doesn't mean it doesn't have major damage and won't fall in an aftershock.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: No, I'm not very worried.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: In any case, Claire, walking down the road is fucking dangerous.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: If there is a quake.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Yes, thanks for reminding us.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Walls tumble, buildings fall.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: We had no idea earthquakes could be dangerous.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: This house is very safe.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: It had never even occurred to me that you could be at risk.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Hey! I'm the one under severe stress.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: You shouldn't be snitty.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: This could be our last IM, you know.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: THen you'd feel awful.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: No, you're the one who is 4,000 miles from Grandma.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: With 8 million hysterical Haitians.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And a fucking freaked cat.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Leo is doing great, though.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I'm really proud of hm.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Tell me honestly: Would you change places and be the one trying to assure Grandma, who is watching the earthquake on television, that you're JUST FINE?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I duno.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: That's a toughie.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: If it weren't for Leo, frankly, I'd stay.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK. Given that communication could go out again any second, give me any more information that could possibly be of use if we do not hear from you again.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I'd get on the next plane there if I could. So there's your answer.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: This is Jean-Alain's number:

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: 33 1 4322 95 36

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: He is our neighbor here.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: That's his mother's number.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Call her and tell her he's FINE.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: The kids are in the DR with Pascal.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: He's staying here for now.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: We are calling right now.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: What is her name?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Marthe Godet

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Who else is safe: I want to give people good news. They are so desperate.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: No, but that doesn't mean others are dead.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It just means we don't have many contact.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I know.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Look, can we agree on what I should do if you do NOT show up at the logs base: Where should I tell people to look for you.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Please don't dismiss these questions as kind of annoyingly anxious, because really, you've got to believe me, if you are in trouble, I am YOUR ONLY HOPE.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Tell them we went to the American embassy.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: If not then we went to the DR.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And keep trying to call us, because we can't call you.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: C|,

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK. Do you have any other cellphones or numbers with you.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: No.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: You have them.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: What time do you plan to leave, and once you arrive, would you try to get word somehow?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: This is IMPORTANT

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: CALL ROSE's SISTER

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Number?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: 00 33 47 426 0692

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Not to worry, Mischa, I do kind of understand that this is important.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Deedeen

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: That's her name

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: She's in Marseilles.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Message is Rose is safe. Anything else?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Everyone is fine.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Everyone is fine.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And kids.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And house.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And husband.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: You'd think our Pop, owing to the gravity of this situation, would put on his reading glasses and learn to operate his celllphone.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: But no!

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Jeez.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Like I said, Mischa, I'd swap with you in a heartbeat.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: If it weren't for Leo, I'd stay.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It is without a doubt the worst feeling of my life,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: leaving right now.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: The internet has only Skype.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: What have you learned?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: What's happening here?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Well, you know, it's probably not quite as bad as when we saw the photos of the MINUSTAH building.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK: What we know is estimates of maybe 500,000 dead.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Hotel Montana crushed, as you know.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Claire, do not try to minize the relative horrors of our experience!

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I understand how trying our parents and grandparents can be.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: You did know you were alive.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: But I had to take a cold shower yesterday.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And many people here have not even had that luxury.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Can you imagine the smell?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Anyone else safe? It makes our Pop very happy to make these calls.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Has he made them_

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: ?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Yes.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Messages?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: They are so fucking happy.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: No, just hysterical blubbering and thanks to God.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Anyone else alive?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: The UN peacekeepers cried with joy when I told them you were alive.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: It was the first such call they'd gotten.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: You still there?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Evely Etienne Severe in North Caroline.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Phone?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: If you can find her, Julie is fine.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: God only knows.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: OK!

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: What city.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: We'll betouch soon.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Who the hell knows?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Are you leaving now?

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Yes.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I just came from this route.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It's quite calm.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: OK. How long do you think it may take to get to log base. I will try to call you to confirm you got there.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: And so did Jean-Alain.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Claire, I know you're stressed.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I'm not the only one --

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: But it adds to OUR stress the necessity of staying in strict contact.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: Look, I know,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: It makes us ignore real necessities,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: like feeding Leo,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: or getting fresh water,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: or food.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: We'll be in touch as soon as we can be.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: don't do that, but be aware that if you're in trouble, and really, you COULD get in trouble,

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: But feel free to keep calling our cells.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I am not unaware of our situation.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Please also let Cristina's family know what's happening, OK?

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: it isn't likely anyone will know or care or try to send help to the right place unless I get them to the right place.

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: So don't STRESS about staying in contact,

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: but let's TRY to work out a reasonable plan, according to the very limited information we have.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: mikee@hotmail.com

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: That's the email of the woman in north carolina.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: I need to go.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Cristina wants to contact her family.

[01/14/10] Cristina Iampieri: Bye!

[01/14/10] Claire Berlinski: I am pretty aware of what's happening over there, I think, and I know that no one is apt to help if you're in trouble unless I am really -- okay. Good luck, and I'll call before nightfall.