Week 22

" Everything happens for a reason . . . "

FLOODING IN LIBYA . . .

On September 10th, 2023, two neglected damns collapsed in Dema, Libya. The cause of the breakages was both poor management of the damns, as well as the large abnormal amount of rainfall that has drenched the area from storm Daniel. Storm Daniel has taken several thousands of lives and it won't be the last storm to do so.

Would the damns have likely broken on their own? Possibly and probably. But despite warnings and a certain level of knowledge that the incident would happen, there was still little attempt to avoid it.

The build-up of water behind the damns which added pressure to the walls and the continuous ignoring of the warning signs for the management were the tipping points of the scale, which overall caused its downfall. As 30 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to 8 billion gallons, rushed from behind the damn down the valley through the city of Dema it destroyed everything in its path. While destroying 25% of the city it also took a confirmed 11,300 lives with it but there are several thousands unconfirmed and the number will continue to climb as they continue to find the missing family members. It is a disaster that stole the attention of the media for mere moments while the media switched their gears back to other news. As the world collapses around us and lives are lost, cities are swallowed, and people are silenced when will the matter become "pressing" enough for the media to truly shed light on it? Climate change is affecting these disasters by increasing rainfall, making storms more harsher and intense for countries that are not properly prepared for them.

What is going on with me . . .

As my time here in Serbia slowly comes to a close with only one more tournament I am both excited to be moving on to new adventures and sad that this book is going to be closed for a bit. My next adventure is going to be off to Croatia where I will be meeting my mom who will get the chance to watch me play doubles competitively for the first time in so long I ca

nnot even remember. After that, we will get a couple of weeks to complete everything we need to do in Europe before making the overseas trip back home. After what will be almost three months away from home getting to sleep in my bed, hug my sister, and goof around with my dog will be the most fun thing to happen in a while.

Last week my singles was a loss but also a major learning moment. Playing a match like I did last week reminded me once again that I am still learning to walk in tennis and I need to be patient with myself. After being here for two months I have felt my focus begin to waiver and decline and it has been a real test to myself to try my best to keep it up. Every practice, every match, and every shot becomes a defining point, not only for myself but for everyone following my journey. It becomes a chance to prove that I want this and that I am willing to give it all.

My doubles match had some better news, I was partnered with a girl from the States again and we hit it off so well in the first second we met. A huge part of doubles is having fun and all I can say is we did that beautifully while also fighting and playing our hearts out. The draw however was not our bestie and we were put against the number two team, they were very strong and solid players which made every point and game we won even more exciting. Slowly learning to walk. Slowly.

This week I am playing again both singles and doubles and I am both excited and nervous because it is my last tournament here. But only time will tell whether my nerves beat my excitement or I conquer them both. . . See you next week!