Allison DePasquale, a friend of mine from UCLA, is in Haiti right now. The following is a conversation that she had with Meredith Pierce, a mutual friend. Meredith deleted her own dialogue, leaving just Allison's words about what was around her, and I found it very resonant and wanted to share it. If you feel the same, please donate to help in the relief efforts.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/university-of-fondwa/earthquake-relief-for-fondwa/283604090756
[1/21/10 2:39:27 PM] Allison DePasquale: its starting to feel like reality, the first week was a dream
[1/21/10 2:40:54 PM] Allison DePasquale: i kept thinking i just had to get through that one day, and then i would wake up and port au prince would be back
[1/21/10 2:41:11 PM] Allison DePasquale: but now its hit that this is the next several years + that this world is like this
[1/21/10 2:42:49 PM] Allison DePasquale: it was one minute, and everyone's life is changed
[1/21/10 2:42:53 PM] Allison DePasquale: i cant comprehend it
[1/21/10 2:43:58 PM] Allison DePasquale: haitians are very religious
[1/21/10 2:44:16 PM] Allison DePasquale: and every shock we have, the whole city would scream "jesus, please jesus" in creole
[1/21/10 2:44:30 PM] Allison DePasquale: and i swear, it felt like it was god shaking the earth, and i dont even believe that
[1/21/10 2:44:51 PM] Allison DePasquale: we were helpless little humans
[1/21/10 2:45:42 PM] Allison DePasquale: yea, before this, i wanted to take away their religion
[1/21/10 2:45:47 PM] Allison DePasquale: because it seems like it hinders their liberation
[1/21/10 2:46:07 PM] Allison DePasquale: and makes them accept their suffering by rationalizing that the next life will be better
[1/21/10 2:46:21 PM] Allison DePasquale: i still think that, but emotional, and personally i would never take away their religion ever
[1/21/10 2:47:03 PM] Allison DePasquale: i dont know what they would do if they didnt have it
[1/21/10 2:59:06 PM] Allison DePasquale: sometimes its hard being here because i feel sort of useless without some skillks
[1/21/10 2:59:38 PM] Allison DePasquale: but my objective at this point in my life is #1 learn what life is like here, on the ground, with the people and #2 learn creole
[1/21/10 2:59:50 PM] Allison DePasquale: i need to sit here and be patient awhile to do those two things
[1/21/10 3:01:52 PM] Allison DePasquale: it has been so helpful to have your support
[1/21/10 3:02:00 PM] Allison DePasquale: and to see everyone caring so much about whats going on here
[1/21/10 3:02:31 PM] Allison DePasquale: on wednesday morning, around noon, i started crying out of anger because people were dying, just dying, bleeding, and screaming, and i expected something, someone to come save them
[1/21/10 3:02:36 PM] Allison DePasquale: an ambulance, a plane, something
[1/21/10 3:02:38 PM] Allison DePasquale: but the sky was silent
[1/21/10 3:02:49 PM] Allison DePasquale: and no one came
[1/21/10 3:02:55 PM] Allison DePasquale: i was so angry
[1/21/10 3:03:11 PM] Allison DePasquale: i am still angry, but to see so many people care makes such a huge difference
[1/21/10 3:03:47 PM] Allison DePasquale: yea i know, i know that no one coming on wednesday wasnt a lack of caring
[1/21/10 3:04:40 PM] Allison DePasquale: well its really a lot of the fault of the haitian govt
[1/21/10 3:04:47 PM] Allison DePasquale: they didnt make a statement for days
[1/21/10 3:05:02 PM] Allison DePasquale: except the pres who said in an interview that he lost his house and he didnt know where he would sleep
[1/21/10 3:06:19 PM] Allison DePasquale: yea, but at the same time, all the govt buildings were destroyed and around 30% of govt officials were missing
[1/21/10 3:06:29 PM] Allison DePasquale: not that im justifying it, but thats just how wiped out this city is
[1/21/10 3:08:11 PM] Allison DePasquale: i was inside, luckily the building didnt collapse
[1/21/10 3:08:17 PM] Allison DePasquale: because i didnt run
[1/21/10 3:08:25 PM] Allison DePasquale: it was just me, and i didnt realize how bad the earthquake was
[1/21/10 3:08:40 PM] Allison DePasquale: until i ran outside, and the 5 story school building that i usually see wasnt there anymore
[1/21/10 3:10:10 PM] Allison DePasquale: i ran out into the street, and was shaking, there were some men trying to pull them out
[1/21/10 3:10:14 PM] Allison DePasquale: and i ran to help
[1/21/10 3:10:23 PM] Allison DePasquale: but i swear i lost all my creole
[1/21/10 3:10:33 PM] Allison DePasquale: and i couldnt speak coherently
[1/21/10 3:11:12 PM] Allison DePasquale: so i just ran and got a shovel for them to use
[1/21/10 3:13:07 PM] Allison DePasquale: okay, well thanks, im really okay though
[1/21/10 3:13:26 PM] Allison DePasquale: i just run though what happened often just to make everything seem real
[1/21/10 3:15:40 PM] Allison DePasquale: yea, because like i said, at first it seemed like a dream
[1/21/10 3:18:48 PM] Allison DePasquale: [my mom] sends me emails …every day
[1/21/10 3:18:59 PM] Allison DePasquale: i feel so bad, because i know it must be so hard
[1/21/10 3:19:03 PM] Allison DePasquale: but i just cant leave
[1/21/10 3:22:03 PM] Allison DePasquale: yea, i cant leave them now
[1/21/10 3:42:13 PM] Allison DePasquale: i wish you could see where i am right now
[1/21/10 3:42:15 PM] Allison DePasquale: im in the middle of paup
[1/21/10 3:42:22 PM] Allison DePasquale: with like 20 people
[1/21/10 3:42:24 PM] Allison DePasquale: sitting outside
[1/21/10 3:42:27 PM] Allison DePasquale: in this new house they just made
[1/21/10 3:42:32 PM] Allison DePasquale: with electricity and internet
[1/21/10 3:43:04 PM] Allison DePasquale: and everyone is singing to this song that goes 'we are the ones, we are the children, we are the ones that make the world a better place, so lets start giving
[1/21/10 3:43:16 PM] Allison DePasquale: no, this is out in a now junkyard
[1/21/10 3:45:38 PM] Allison DePasquale: and making a sign that says "we need help" at the same time
[1/21/10 3:47:07 PM] Allison DePasquale: its just a neighborhood, they all lost their houses, so they are putting their things together to make a new little living place
No comments:
Post a Comment