Phi Phi Post-tsunami-->volunteer Work And Pics

[dee057]

To start off with, i have found it difficult to recall some of the events that happened when i was working and many which i would rather not go into detail about for the readers sake.

My name is Dylan Resnekov from Australia and I was fortunate enouGh to be in the right place at the right time when the tsunami hit. After many friends convinced me to stay in Ko Pangang an island south east in Thailand, for the full moon party i think i learnt the true meaning of being in the right palce at the right time.

While many of my friends were in the area and missing at the time, i felt it was my duty to go over and a) find them, as well as help out with what ever i could. Having stayed in phi phi for over 2-3 months last year, i was worried about how many friends both thai and foriegn had been affected. My friends and i ran around the beach in Pangang asking people to donate blood at the mobile blood area near the peir, but we felt that wasnt enough despite the incredible response.

Within a few days of the tsunami my friend steve shapiro from south africa and i went over krabi town with a letter in thai explaining we wanted to help out with what ever we could. After struggling to communicate with the red cross coordinator, we finally met 4 foriengers that were in bright orange vests and invited us to join their team. We were unsure of what the task was, but we knew we were going to help out with as much as we could on phi phi island.

So the next day we took a navy ship over to phi phi with the reality of the situation only hitting us once we stepped foot on the battered peir. Bodies awaited us some wrapped, others well....in what ever they could find.

We soon found out our teams task was to transport the bodies from a designated area onto the navy ship. As far as i know the last statistics we heard was that 1500 or so bodies came off phi phi.....6 foriegners and a few thais.....tough work... but we did well.

Besides moving the corpses which were so badly decayed , we also assisted search and rescue teams, went on long walks with food supplies piled on our backs which we took to the locals. We also collected cats to be put in cages which were taken up to bangkok where a shelter awaited them.we assisted clean up crews burning what ever we could get our hands on and acted as contact for many foriegners who were missing friends family etc....

We did anything and everything in our spare time as we knew their was always someone that could be helped.

It was both mentally and physically exhausting and despite the lack of equipment and safety gear towards the end of our work, we kept eachother together the entire time.

Times were tough, many corpses were seen/carried,lack of sleep(1-3 hours a night) and very little food. This was mainly out of choice due to the fact that the temporary kitchen on phi phi island was....well by aussi standards and most international countries....contaminated. On one side of the pier we had the bodies that werent exactly sealed, the other side the food supplies open.....we mainly lived off mentos and biscuits when we had a chance.

We spent many hours a day performing various tasks (mainly moving the corpses) and i will always rememebr the feeling of being lonely as i stood in the middle of Phi Phi Island with no one in sight, thinking of all the good times i had when i lived there a few months before the tsunami, all the amazing people that worked at the cafe's, shops or hotels....the friends who i made i promised i would come back (which was meant to be on the 27th of december after the full moon party) and i kept my promise.....

It was a very depressing 1-2 weeks, our team was fabulous and i was lucky enough to find one of my good thai friends alive and roaming around. We gave him some supplies we bought from the main land and am still in contact with him today. Some of my aussi friends set up an account for him and payed for his dive master course and we all hope he will be able to support himself from now on.....miss u deeo, ur a champ.

I still find it amazing how strong the thais are. Many of the thais i spoke to or tried comforting told me that they were sad, but life goes on and everything happens for a reason. WHile some nights i cried my self to sleep i kept telling my self over and over that this is jsut another life lesson......we should never take things for granted.

The Tsunami victims barely got a chance to take their last breathe, let alone say goodbye. Let this be a lesson that we never know which day is going to be our last. So when you see an opportunity, take it, because tomorrow ppl may remember you for what you did today.

We did some amazing things. Bonds were made never to be broken (stevo, miss u man......u kept me together....will always be thankful), mitzvot (good deeds) were done and huge responisbilities were put on our shoulders....for a 19 and 21 yr old anyways. we met many people from all different walks of life along the way and we tried our hardest to help those who were looking for loved ones.....i am so sorry we couldnt help everyone.

Many of the memories are ones i wish i could leave behind but it truly is amazing what one can do if they put their minds to it.

I am currently in the process of posting up all my pictures i took.....for now, here are the ones on a site....they are mainly the ones with us in it.....The rest are all comming.

I Assure you the smiles were not of joy, but shock.....nothing was glamorous about what we did.....but an experience i will never forget and has changed me for life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Already 2 months on and the memories are still so fresh. At night when i close my eyes i still smell the contaminated air, remember the site of the bodies, the feeling of being lonely while going on hikes (search and retrieve/Missions) on the almost lunar landscape and the quite moments after a long days work knowing we would have to wake up at 6 the next morning to do the same thing.

That is why i am posting this up in hope that others will realise there were people, average people doing everything they could to find survivors and help families in need.

Every one has it inside them to help, it doesnt have to be on a scale such as what i went through, by simply helping a friend in need, a stranger nearby or even an organisation, we can all make the world a better place.

I remember explaining to a young foriegner who asked my why i woudl to go towards danger or a palce which was deemed a health hazard, so i told her this,,,, "The world is a very difficult place to change by your self, but if we all do a little bit, then we are one step closer"

The site with some of the pics are:

http://photos.yahoo.com/chatich_1 they are under the phi phi album, the others are jsut travel pics...irrelevant....before the tsunami.

The government suggests that Australians should try avoid tsunami affected areas such as Koh lak, Puket etc.. However having friends that are in the current area, i can tell you that there is so much beauty one wil miss out on if you do avoid these areas. Not only do the locals need the support as their seasonal income slowly depletes at a rapid rate, but the areas them selves have so much to offer. I encourage people to continue with any plans to visit these areas and support the Thai economy at a time in need.

Lastly, thanks to my family, friends and most of all Rachel and Stevo who were with me in phi phi, for being so supportive since i have been back in sydney. Very few people understand what we went through and how hard we pushed ourselves knowing we were putting our health and other things at risk. I also would like to say how amazed i was seeing everyone put in their fair share and being so thoughtful, to strangers they barely knew anything about.

Life is very different now and most mornings i wake up as if the volunteer work i performed was yesterday.

Every meal i eat tastes so that much better, every person i see i try smile and make an impact on and every night that passes, i remember those who perished knowing that in some way or another, they gave to those around them ...whether it be inspiration, a future or even happiness.

For further information, queries or simply just a chat regarding The tsunami feel free to email me at [email protected]

For those who passed, RIP.......for those who were affected, i still pray every night for you.

regards

Dylan

.........To take, is easy, to give is a priveledge!

--24/3/05

I look back at my experience and now after recieving some prof. help, i have become alot stronger and seeing things in a more positive manner. I have the ability to use what i learnt from my volunteer work and try leave behind the nasty and negative things we experienced. ALready i have spoken at some schools about my volunteer work and how it has had a positive impact on my life. The teachers and kids found it inspiring, adding to my strength knowing i can help others with what what i experienced and knowledge i was taught.

Edited March 28, 2005 by dee057

[rockojr]

Hi ya,

Just read your experience over in Thailand and think you are great for doing what you did- I take my hat off to you.

Myself and my boyfriend want to travel to Thailand in October this year- we where a little worried as they say lightening never strikes in the same place twice- its already happened hasnt it after the second earthquake but reading your experience has really made me look at it in another light- If its meant to happen its meant to happen and im meant to be part of it.....I cant live my life on what if's!

So Im going to the travel agents after work to book my flights - like you said the Thais survive on the tourisim and if we all stop going to Thailand because of " What might happen" they how on earth are they meant to rebuild their lives?

So im going to support their cause and have a great time aswell as experience something that you cant buy! I cant wait!

If you have any info on cheap accomodation etc it would be much appreciated?? We plan to travel on the 26th October 2005 and would like to go to as many places as possible - including Koh phi phi, Koh Sumi, Krabi and pretty much every where I can - so travel hints would be great as im new to all this traveling light and for cheap!

Well just wanted to say- well done you are an outstanding person with a heart of gold and you should be proud.

Roxy!

To start off with, i have found it difficult to recall some of the events that happened when i was working and many which i would rather not go into detail about for the readers sake.

My name is Dylan Resnekov from Australia and I was fortunate enouGh to be in the right place at the right time when the tsunami hit. After many friends convinced me to stay in Ko Pangang an island south east in Thailand, for the full moon party i think i learnt the true meaning of being in the right palce at the right time.

While many of my friends were in the area and missing at the time, i felt it was my duty to go over and a) find them, as well as help out with what ever i could. Having stayed in phi phi for over 2-3 months last year, i was worried about how many friends both thai and foriegn had been affected. My friends and i ran around the beach in Pangang asking people to donate blood at the mobile blood area near the peir, but we felt that wasnt enough despite the incredible response.

Within a few days of the tsunami my friend steve shapiro from south africa and i went over krabi town with a letter in thai explaining we wanted to help out with what ever we could. After struggling to communicate with the red cross coordinator, we finally met 4 foriengers that were in bright orange vests and invited us to join their team. We were unsure of what the task was, but we knew we were going to help out with as much as we could on phi phi island.

So the next day we took a navy ship over to phi phi with the reality of the situation only hitting us once we stepped foot on the battered peir. Bodies awaited us some wrapped, others well....in what ever they could find.

We soon found out our teams task was to transport the bodies from a designated area onto the navy ship. As far as i know the last statistics we heard was that 1500 or so bodies came off phi phi.....6 foriegners and a few thais.....tough work... but we did well.

Besides moving the corpses which were so badly decayed , we also assisted search and rescue teams, went on long walks with food supplies piled on our backs which we took to the locals. We also collected cats to be put in cages which were taken up to bangkok where a shelter awaited them.we assisted clean up crews burning what ever we could get our hands on and acted as contact for many foriegners who were missing friends family etc....

We did anything and everything in our spare time as we knew their was always someone that could be helped.

It was both mentally and physically exhausting and despite the lack of equipment and safety gear towards the end of our work, we kept eachother together the entire time.

Times were tough, many corpses were seen/carried,lack of sleep(1-3 hours a night) and very little food. This was mainly out of choice due to the fact that the temporary kitchen on phi phi island was....well by aussi standards and most international countries....contaminated. On one side of the pier we had the bodies that werent exactly sealed, the other side the food supplies open.....we mainly lived off mentos and biscuits when we had a chance.

We spent many hours a day performing various tasks (mainly moving the corpses) and i will always rememebr the feeling of being lonely as i stood in the middle of Phi Phi Island with no one in sight, thinking of all the good times i had when i lived there a few months before the tsunami, all the amazing people that worked at the cafe's, shops or hotels....the friends who i made i promised i would come back (which was meant to be on the 27th of december after the full moon party) and i kept my promise.....

It was a very depressing 1-2 weeks, our team was fabulous and i was lucky enough to find one of my good thai friends alive and roaming around. We gave him some supplies we bought from the main land and am still in contact with him today. Some of my aussi friends set up an account for him and payed for his dive master course and we all hope he will be able to support himself from now on.....miss u deeo, ur a champ.

I still find it amazing how strong the thais are. Many of the thais i spoke to or tried comforting told me that they were sad, but life goes on and everything happens for a reason. WHile some nights i cried my self to sleep i kept telling my self over and over that this is jsut another life lesson......we should never take things for granted.

The Tsunami victims barely got a chance to take their last breathe, let alone say goodbye. Let this be a lesson that we never know which day is going to be our last. So when you see an opportunity, take it, because tomorrow ppl may remember you for what you did today.

We did some amazing things. Bonds were made never to be broken (stevo, miss u man......u kept me together....will always be thankful), mitzvot (good deeds) were done and huge responisbilities were put on our shoulders....for a 19 and 21 yr old anyways. we met many people from all different walks of life along the way and we tried our hardest to help those who were looking for loved ones.....i am so sorry we couldnt help everyone.

Many of the memories are ones i wish i could leave behind but it truly is amazing what one can do if they put their minds to it.

I am currently in the process of posting up all my pictures i took.....for now, here are the ones on a site....they are mainly the ones with us in it.....The rest are all comming.

I Assure you the smiles were not of joy, but shock.....nothing was glamorous about what we did.....but an experience i will never forget and has changed me for life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Already 2 months on and the memories are still so fresh. At night when i close my eyes i still smell the contaminated air, remember the site of the bodies, the feeling of being lonely while going on hikes (search and retrieve/Missions) on the almost lunar landscape and the quite moments after a long days work knowing we would have to wake up at 6 the next morning to do the same thing.

That is why i am posting this up in hope that others will realise there were people, average people doing everything they could to find survivors and help families in need.

Every one has it inside them to help, it doesnt have to be on a scale such as what i went through, by simply helping a friend in need, a stranger nearby or even an organisation, we can all make the world a better place.

I remember explaining to a young foriegner who asked my why i woudl to go towards danger or a palce which was deemed a health hazard, so i told her this,,,, "The world is a very difficult place to change by your self, but if we all do a little bit, then we are one step closer"

The site with some of the pics are:

http://photos.yahoo.com/chatich_1      they are under the phi phi album, the others are jsut travel pics...irrelevant....before the tsunami.

The government suggests that Australians should try avoid tsunami affected areas such as Koh lak, Puket etc.. However having friends that are in the current area, i can tell you that there is so much beauty one wil miss out on if you do avoid these areas. Not only do the locals need the support as their seasonal income slowly depletes at a rapid rate, but the areas them selves have so much to offer. I encourage people to continue with any plans to visit these areas and support the Thai economy at a time in need.

Lastly, thanks to my family, friends and most of all Rachel and Stevo who were with me in phi phi, for being so supportive since i have been back in sydney. Very few people understand what we went through and how hard we pushed ourselves knowing we were putting our health and other things at risk. I also would like to say how amazed i was seeing everyone put in their fair share and being so thoughtful, to strangers they barely knew anything about.

Life is very different now and most mornings i wake up as if the volunteer work i performed was yesterday.

Every meal i eat tastes so that much better, every person i see i try smile and make an impact on and every night that passes, i remember those who perished knowing that in some way or another, they gave to those around them ...whether it be inspiration, a future or even happiness.

For further information, queries or simply just a chat regarding The tsunami feel free to email me at [email protected]

For those who passed, RIP.......for those who were affected, i still pray every night for you.

regards

Dylan

.........To take, is easy, to give is a priveledge!

--24/3/05

I look back at my experience and now after recieving some prof. help, i have become alot stronger and seeing things in a more positive manner. I have the ability to use what i learnt from my volunteer work and try leave behind the nasty and negative things we experienced. ALready i have spoken at some schools about my volunteer work and how it has had a positive impact on my life. The teachers and kids found it inspiring, adding to my strength knowing i can help others with what what i experienced and knowledge i was taught.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[dee057]

Dear Roxi

Thank you for your reply...

Although there has already been a second earthquake nearby, i am unsure as to what the future holds. I only prayer that there isnt one....

As for your plans to travel to thailand, dont let people scare you away.

It was ironic how a couple i know of when i was in thailand refused to attend the full moon party on the 26th of december last year due to "SECRET information " they had heard through sources that there was going to be a terrorist attack. Meanwhile they went to phi phi a few days before and were very lucky to be unaffected.

Alot of people i knew cancelled their tickets because they were affraid of attacks....and to be honest they missed out on an incredible holiday.

ITs a good attitude to adopt, live life each day as if it was your last......People told me to stay away from phi phi after the tsunami and i stood my ground and went over to help, sufferd in the Short term but now bieng better, i dont regret a thing.

I currently have a few friends there right now and every few days i read their emails telling me of their snorkling trips, adventures, people they met, sites they saw and great times they will always remember. As i said the Thai people need us to continue our plans to travel to thailand in order for them to generate some income.

Your doing the right thing roxi and if you get a chance, try visit puket, krabi, Koh Lanta and KohLak....There is still so much beauty around some of those areas.

If you feel generous, there are a few organisations that you can help for a day or two ...it can be quite satisfying after lazying around for a few days.

As for travel tips, feel free to email me at [email protected] because there are jsut so many. SO many places to stay, go, thigns to see, ways of getting ripped off etc etc....let me know a little closer to when ur planning your trip and ill help you with what ever.

Thanks again for the email, appreciate it.....

Take care

Dylan

[kevinlovegrove]

I've just come back from my third trip to Phuket since December 16th. Phi Phi island is still a mess, but there are many volunteers there helping out.

There is plenty of accomodation away from the damaged area, and the atmosphere is so wonderful, with people of all nationalities taking it in turns to spend a day on the beach or a day sweating buckets pushing wheelbarrows around, etc. Food and Drink are in plentiful supply.

I could not recommend more that you visit and enjoy both a beautiful holiday, a very satisfying experience, and the chance to make many new and wonderful friends.

If you contact Help International Phi Phi (email [email protected]), they can give you any travel information you need. They are a wonderful bunch and I can't speak highly enough of them.

Their website is at www.hiphiphi.com

Regards,

Kevin Lovegrove

Bahrain

[OliverWard]

Hi Dylan,

Words almost fail me, you are a shining example of unselfishness and kindness, when you could have been in a safe place 'dining out' on stories of your close call, you were in the thick of it.

Tourists must keep returning to help the local economy. I am going to Khao Lak at the start of May for 3 weeks, it has probably been cleaned up a lot by now, but I'm sure I will be shocked by what I find, however I have been going there for the past 3 years and I would not desert the people there now.

Best regards,

Oliver Ward

[dee057]

Thank you kevin for the information....i know msot of us live so far away and feel helpless because we have commitments we cant jsut put aside, but for those in thailand touring, take a day or 2 out and lend a hand....

Even walking amongst the ruines with the smells and devastation, there was still such beauty when ever i looked at the light blue water. It brought a few minutes of peacefulness into our days.

Thank you for the kind words Oliver and an attitude many should adopt.

In general after being back from thailand and after 9/11 people are so concerned about "What might happen" then actually enjoying themselves. Of course be sensible and cautious, but as i have said before,

"So when you see an opportunity, take it, because tomorrow ppl may remember you for what you did today".....live life, dont jsut skim it.

Dylan

[khall64au]

Thank you kevin for the information....i know msot of us live so far away and feel helpless because we have commitments we cant jsut put aside, but for those in thailand touring, take a day or 2 out and lend a hand....

Even walking amongst the ruines with the smells and devastation, there was still such beauty when ever i looked at the light blue water. It brought a few minutes of peacefulness into our days.

Thank you for the kind words Oliver and an attitude many should adopt.

In general after being back from thailand and after 9/11 people are so concerned about "What might happen" then actually enjoying themselves. Of course be sensible and cautious, but as i have said before,

"So when you see an opportunity, take it, because tomorrow ppl may remember you for what you did today".....live life, dont jsut skim it.

Dylan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes there is still so much to be done on Phi Phi in particular. Volunteer crews are still cleaning the place up as the government has not bothered with this. Divers are also out retrieving rubbish from around the reefs. There is a mountain of stuff to do.