Dear Mom and Dad,

​

I’m writing this letter instead of calling because the cell towers are down from the hurricane. There’s debris from trees and plants are lining the streets as well as trash everywhere. I so badly wish that I could call you and hear your voices but it’s just not possible and won’t be for a while now. They’re saying that this was one of the largest hurricanes the world has seen and I’m just beyond thankful that I’m alive. However, I have suffered some injuries but nothing too bad especially with what you would normally expect from such a large disaster. I do have some cuts and bruises and think I sprained my ankle but I don’t want that to worry you as I know I’ll be fine. Unfortunately, the doctors won’t be much help to me as they’re preoccupied with other issues going on in the villages. There’s now news of thousands of people getting sick from a potential parasite that they think was washed in with the hurricane from the caves of Bermuda. The locals are the only ones getting very sick and I have some concerned that I’m going to come down with whatever sickness they have but it still seems that whatever it is, is only affecting the locals. And as sad as that is, I’m thankful it is not a huge threat to me yet. If the site from the hurricane wasn’t sad enough, watching all the locals die from this unknown parasite scientist are calling parasite X sure is. As of now, no one is certain what exactly is going on with the parasite besides the possibility that it might be linked to the drinking water, but they’re flying scientists and more doctors in in hopes to solve this. I’m praying these professionals can figure it out so I can come back home.

​

Besides from the bad news, I have met some amazing friends here, some tourists and some villagers. Luckily all the people I have been with have survived the hurricane and the illness so far and I’m just praying it stays this way. I am worried for my friend, Mirland, who is a villager. He’s told us that his cousins have come down with the sickness and it doesn’t look good at all. The early symptoms they have don’t necessarily sound horrible, but the late ones sure do which gives me another reason to be thankful that I have not come down with the illness. Mirland’s cousins started off with symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, fever, loss of appetite and a few others. But his cousins have progressively gotten worse with new symptoms such as bleeding into the skin, loose teeth, bulging eyes, and scaly, dry and brownish skin. At this point, I just wish I could help Mirland and his family as well as every other villager who has come down with this unknown parasite. Luckily, multiple first world countries are helping to provide hurricane aid as well as building a new water treatment plant, since the illness could possibly be linked to the water. I just hope they can figure this all out before the food sources run out completely and this illness takes over.

​

Anyways, I miss you guys so much and I wish I could come back home but I don’t even know when that’s going to be possible.  The fear is most definitely sinking in and I’m trying to remain optimistic as you guys have taught me, but as each day passes by, it’s getting harder and harder. I hope to see you soon but if I don’t just know I love you and I’ll see you someday. Make sure to tell everyone that I love them as well. If I would’ve known that that was going to be the last time I would have hugged you, then I would have hugged you a little tighter. Much love.

Love always,

Julia

​

P.S. I'm attaching some pictures from before and after the disaster so you can see what's going on.