Morgan

If you're at all connected to me, AFS, or YES Abroad, you probably already know this news. I'm crushed to say that recently a member of our YES Abroad Indonesia family, Morgan Lide has passed away. There was an accident while she was swimming in Bali. 

Writing about someone who was so bright, and had such an incredible future ahead of her is so difficult. When someone this young dies without warning, everyone else is left to pick up the pieces, to try and find the answer to the simple but also extremely difficult question: 'why?'

We all have our own answer to that question. I guess I'm still searching for mine. Morgan was infinitely kind, giving, and passionate. I'll always remember her as the girl who kept me up until one AM talking while we shared a room in Washington, DC, who wanted to live it up as much as possible while in Indonesia, who gave everything to life. She was truly an amazing person, who was and is loved by so many around the world.

Being luckily sheltered from death of close friends thus far in my life, it's been a little difficult for me to make sense of the whole situation. All I know for sure are these things: first, that Morgan isn't gone, not completely. Her energy lives on, and so does her memory. Second, that tragic as it might have been, she died doing exactly what she wanted, and the way I see it if one has to die that's the way to do it. And third, from now on all of us in Indonesia are living for her. Every experience is done in memory of Morgan, who had such a short time abroad and in life.

If you want to know more, please read this article. It does a great job explaining the situation and explaining about the kind of person Morgan was, much better than I could ever do. Selamat jalan, Morgan, I know we'll encounter each other again someday.