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 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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January 1, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Lesotho RPCV starts "Touching Tiny Lives" 1 Jan Guatemala RPCV was grassroots veterinarian 31 Dec Reginald Hodges will head Durham Literacy Center 30 Dec Ed Seidel is Director of Marine Resources Aquarium 30 Dec PC wants happy, shiny faces without felony convictions 29 Dec Newspaper says PC could go to India and Indonesia 29 Dec Tom Johnson choses to spend Christmas in Sierra Leone 28 Dec Barry Rosen helps compile textbooks for Afghanistan 28 Dec Dorinda Dove learned to appreciate midwifery in Africa 28 Dec RPCVs host Exhibition at University of Rochester 28 Dec Mike Tidwell calls on Sierra Club Official to step down 28 Dec RPCV says we can express patriotism as we see fit 26 Dec more top stories...

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The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

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