January 3, 2005: Charlotte Observer: Kazakhstan RPCV Diana Aljets safe in Thailand after tsunami

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Thailand: Special Report: 2004 - Tsunami hits Southeast Asia: December 31, 2004: Headlines: COS - Thailand: COS - Kazakstan: Tsunami: Charlotte Observer: Kazakstan RPCV Diana Aljet's voice was shaking when she called her parents from the coast of Thailand Sunday morning: I've got some cuts and bruises and lost some belongings, but I'm OK. They have not heard from her again and have posted a description of their daughter on a CNN.com message board : January 3, 2005: Charlotte Observer: Kazakhstan RPCV Diana Aljets safe in Thailand after tsunami

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-43-253.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.43.253) on Wednesday, January 05, 2005 - 9:18 pm: Edit Post

Kazakhstan RPCV Diana Aljets safe in Thailand after tsunami

Kazakhstan RPCV Diana Aljets safe in Thailand after tsunami

Kazakhstan RPCV Diana Aljets safe in Thailand after tsunami

Families collect good news, aid

Charlotte-area kin learn of 2 survivors of Asian disaster; Indian community dedicates service to victims

CARRIE LEVINE

Staff Writer

Gary and Carol Aljets got a short call from their daughter on the coast of Thailand on Dec. 26, saying she had some cuts and bruises, but was fine.

Then they waited, the days ticking by with no more word from Diana, 26.

Finally, five days later, they got an e-mail.

"We laughed and cried," Carol Aljets said.

The Aljets were one of several local families waiting to hear from loved ones caught up in the natural disaster that has decimated parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India. The death toll in the region is expected to hit 150,000.

[Excerpt]

In her e-mail Friday, Diana Aljets told of how she had just arrived on a tiny Thai island called Koh Hong when she turned to see a giant wave bearing down on her.

She ran, she said, but was swept away in the water.

"I was under water and some instinct told me that this is like an avalanche," she wrote. "Curl up in a ball. ... This is what I did, and it saved me a lot of cuts. When the wave finally let me down I kept running."

Diana Aljets had gone to Thailand after a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in Kazakhstan. She planned to stay in Thailand until she received a visa to Vietnam, according to her parents.

In her e-mail, Diana Aljets said she was canceling the rest of her trip and coming home after a stop to see family in Seattle.

Gary Aljets said his daughter, a Providence High School graduate who has traveled widely, had been looking forward to visiting Vietnam.

He and his wife said they are waiting until their daughter gets home to tell her how worried they were last week.

The disaster, Diana Aljets said in the e-mail, was God's way of telling her to come home.

"I don't think I've ever been so scared in all my life, but the funny thing is, I never once thought I was going to die," she wrote.

"I know God was with me and I'm thankful for that."





When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Peace Corps issues appeal to Thailand RPCVs Date: December 30 2004 No: 354 Peace Corps issues appeal to Thailand RPCVs
Peace Corps is currently assessing the situation in Thailand, anticipates a need for volunteers and is making an appeal to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps. Also read this message and this message from RPCVs in Thailand. All PCVs serving in Thailand are safe. Latest: Sri Lanka RPCVs, click here for info.

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Story Source: Charlotte Observer

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Kazakhstan; COS - Thailand; Tsunami

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