SLIDESHOW- Ko Phi Phi, Survival

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The day after Christmas last year, Southern Thailand and India were rocked by one of the biggest Tsunami’s ever recorded. One of the hardest hit islands was the beautiful island of Ko Phi Phi. It is a very small island about 2 square miles with only half of that inhabitable. The islands population including tourists was at 8,000 at that time of the year and all live or were staying in that small area which has a beach on either side of it. The destruction was huge, over 2,000 people lost their lives, 104 children lost one or both parents, and 70% of the building were destroyed. Thai people do not use banks, so many lost all their savings that were stored in boxes or under their beds. Even though the international outpouring was huge, Thailand, a country which prides itself on its independence and its healthy distrust of western interests, refused any foreign aid. This had made things hard for the people as not one foreign relief agency such as Red Cross or Doctors with Borders ever arrived on the island. The only non-profit that has helped was one set up on the island by a foreigner called Help International Phi Phi. www.hiphiphi.com. They work they have done is incredible and they have organized the volunteer efforts that have been underway since December. We went to the island in order to volunteer and fuel the economy with our money as nearly 100% of the locals make their money through tourism. Upon arriving on the island, judging by the locals attitudes and demeanor, one would never suspect that these people had most likely lost everything, including loved ones, and that they were just getting back on their feet. This is evidence that their strong spiritual faith in Buddhism truly keeps them going. We were welcomed with smiles, and genuine gratitude from the people we met. The island is really coming along with new guesthouses, restaraunts, and other businesses opening everyday. If any of you are going to Thailand soon, I would recommend going there, even if you don’t want to volunteer, there is plenty to do with boat trips, snorkeling and scuba diving, and some great beaches that are being cleaned up everyday by people like me and you. If you would like to see some footage from the Tsunami hitting Phi Phi so you can understand the scale of the wave, you can find it at www.issuespotter.com
We had a very rewarding time on the island being there deepened my understanding of life, death, and change, the main ideas that I seem to be coming to grips with wherever we go on this journey.