Every year when my teacher requires me to write about my vacation, I have a little tradition. Instead of just writing about what I did, which would seem boring and make little difference to others, I would just write about a catastrophic or joyful event and cover myself in humor. However, there will be no humor this year.

As everyone knows (or should know), south Asia was not enjoying a merry Christmas this year. A series of unfortunate events, from a massive earthquake to a devastating tsunami, the world is more unsettling than it's been during World War II. The death toll has surpassed 100,000 and will surely climb. Thousands are missing, and millions have been left homeless, threatened by diseases that are spread through dirty water, mosquitoes and overcrowding. I had a splendid time on a cruise, and I was in the highest spirits when I came back...