riri

As someone who survived a devastating earthquake in 2016, which left me with severe PTSD at the age of 12, I know a little of what so many people there are experiencing right now. I know what it's like to jump at every vibration, to be terrified of sleeping indoors, to wait for the next aftershock, and to feel like the ground beneath you can never truly be trusted again, and to desperatly wait for your family members to walk through that door alive. What happened in Venezuela isn't "just another earthquake." On June 24, the country was struck by two extremely powerful earthquakes, a magnitude 7.2 followed just seconds later by a magnitude 7.5. That second quake hit before many people had even processed the first, causing catastrophic damage across northern Venezuela, especially in La Guaira and parts of Caracas. Rescue teams are still searching through collapsed buildings, and the number of victims continues to rise as more people are found. My heart especially aches for the children, because disasters don't only destroy buildings, they leave families separated, people displaced, and children at a much greater risk of exploitation and trafficking. In moments like these, fear and desperation become opportunities for predators, which is why protecting vulnerable people must be just as important as rescue efforts. The picture below you is an actual child/people trafficking disguised as online shop, please take a look at it:

To everyone in Venezuela: your grief is seen, and your fear is valid. And to those who are spending another night outside because they're too afraid to go back into their homes, I hope you know that people around the world are thinking of you. If you've never experienced an earthquake before, please don't tell survivors to "just calm down." Trauma doesn't disappear once the shaking stops, sometimes the hardest part begins afterward. Here are some links that I've seen so far to help.

Caritas Venezuela (LINK HERE): Known as the helping hand of the Church that reaches out to the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized, regardless of race or religion, to build a world founded on justice and brotherly love.

Diviendo Voluntariado (LINK HERE): A civil association that brings together efforts from the private sector and adds value to corporate social responsibility initiatives, in partnership with social development organizations, authorities, agencies, and communities, with the aim of promoting actions that improve the quality of life for people in Venezuela.

Yummy Rides Donations (LINK HERE): A ride-sharing mobile app that operates primarily in Venezuela, designed to book safe and affordable rides by car or motorcycle that joined the cause.

Help find their mascosts: TWITTER POST HERE

THIS WEBPAGE was created by a Venezuelan with certified channels to help (donating, voluntaring, look for people, food and clothes.)

GOOGLE DOCS with links as well in both languages SPA/ENG

CURRENT TWITTER POSTS THAT UPDATE LINKS TO HELP VENEZUELA (will update this everytime i get):

POST #1

POST #2

seonghyeon fell for you rather quickly—in his book he thought so, your presence one that captivated him. you walked to classes together everyday without fail, you walked home together, walked to school together. you ate together, studied at the library together. every second spent with you felt like a dream. it wasn’t anything special: spending time with your friend doing things friends always do.

but to seonghyeon it was so much more.

it wasn’t immediate—but not long, his feelings for you. they grew silently with this vehemence he learnt to express quietly. in the smiles he flashed you every time you made a joke only he’d understand. in the snacks he got you every time he saw your hungry face. in the hushed moments when there was nothing more but silence and your being. he grew accustomed to it. he got used to the butterflies.

the fluttering in his stomach that made the heat rush to his ears, the one that made his heart race. the butterflies he only felt when you were around. you were blissfully unaware of the fact that you kept him up every night. oblivious to the way his eyes lit up when you called him by his name so sweetly.

it only took a month for him to name this feeling love. only one month for him to realise what he wanted forever. one month of memories money couldn’t buy. all because one day you decided he was your friend without saying the words. just showing up every time, giggling at nothing, calling seonghyeon your favourite boy—he was, loving him out loud without the frankness of it. you didn’t need to be candor to know it was true.

“y/n.” he called your name gently. you looked up from your notebook, the softness of his tone tugging on your heartstrings.

“yeah, hyeon?” you breathed out.

“do you know what it’s like to fall in love?” he questioned, out of the blue, inquisitive.

“mm, maybe a thing or two. why?” you hummed, resting your cheek on a palm.

“do you ever look at someone and feel butterflies?”

“um… may…be.” you stammered, rather bashful, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear as you smiled apprehensively.

“is it okay to be sure that your heart yearns for someone even if it feels too soon?” seonghyeon was never this cheesy, not that you knew of. he was soft, he was gentle but he was never warm in a way that lovers were.

“hyeon.”

“i think i’m in love with you, y/n.” he said, affectionate in a way that made your heart melt like an ice cream.

“you are?” you asked, auspicious and hushed—slightly incredulous.

“i know we’ve only really known each other for a month but i just can’t help it when i’m with you.” his hand reached for yours, his fingers threading through yours slowly.

“really?” your heart pounded.

“there’s nothing i haven’t felt more sure about in my life.” he held your hand to his chest, almost as if he wanted you to feel just how much he loved you, his lips twitching up into that smile you’ve always loved.

“kiss me.” you giggled, your eyes glittering with love and infatuation.

“what?” his eyes widened slightly, his breath catching in his throat. kiss you? the girl of his dreams wanted him to kiss her?

“kiss me, silly.” your smile grew at the sight of his flushed cheeks, your eyes widening as well when his lips pressed against yours.

he didn’t rush—neither of you did, his lips simply moved against yours, warm and soft, like he would never ever let go. you shifted just enough for your lips to fit perfectly, deepening the kiss. his other hand landed on your waist to pull you closer, yours cupping his cheek to tilt his head better. the both of you didn’t want to pull away, you only did because your lungs burned with the need for oxygen.

your foreheads were digging into each others, your chests heaving with deep breaths and the love that lingered in the air.

“i do look at you and feel butterflies, hyeon. and this, it’s okay.” you breathed out, another giggle slipping past your lips when he buried his head in your neck, his arms embracing your body in a hug.

maybe it was a little bit rushed but it was love and that didn’t need a timer.

旋律 >_< hi guyssssssss… finally i can write something short because i was genuinely convinced i lost all abilities to write short works. anywho, i’ll definitely be a little more active but i am still unfortunately on my semi-hiatus. but, it is okay, i will post when i can and try to get some stuff out every now and then. i hope you enjoy, hugs and kisses mwah!