For the past two years I have been living in Banda Aceh, the area most devastated by the tsunami in December, 2004.
There are no words to describe how bad it was. We came after the major cleanup was done.
While living here I have seen and done things most American kids only experience through t.v. or books.
I have met and had to say goodbye to many people. I do have two very good friends though.
One is Tia. She is 14 years old and grew up in Banda Aceh. We work on language together a lot.
We definitely couldn't ride around double like this in the states!
What's great too is she is my height, which is unusual here.
These girls are typical of Achenese girls. They are all 9 to 12 years old.
The Indonesian people are petite and I sometimes feel like a fat giant. I am actually the size of the average man!
Amanda is 12 years old and an ex-pat just like me. I think we have a special relationship because we are the only two American girls who have been here these 2 years.
We had fun goofing around at a brickmaking factory, where they make them pretty much the same way as ancient Egyptians.
We enjoy swimming, lighting bonfires and catching crabs at this beach.
This rainbow was close enough to look for the pot of gold. We didn't find it, so I told my little brother that we must be at the wrong end.
It is amazing how fast this beach has returned to its natural state.
I visited camps where the survivors of the tsunami were living. They lived in temporary shelters which were wooden barracks or tents.
People still live in these shelters, but many have also moved to new homes.
In two years a lot has been done, but there is still a lot left to do.
Some of the moms asked us to teach their children a little English, and we did this weekly last year.