Julia's Blog

We've all heard about the blog posts of students regarding the tragic shooting and death of 32 at Virginia Tech University. Here in the Philippines, blogging jumped into the news also because of Julia Campbell, a US Peace Corps volunteer who went missing around 10 days ago in a barangay in Bananue, Ifugao, right in the area of the world famous rice terraces.

Yesterday, a body was found just 30 meters away from path which tourists usually take, and which appeared to have been hastily buried. In all likelihood, it is the body of the US Peace Corps volunteer. Last night, a tv news program reported about her blog and how it gives us a glimpse into her mind.

Searched for the blog this morning and found it downright haunting. In the heading she dedicates her blog to "those who could not be convinced to follow me into the Peace Corps" and welcomed them to her new adventures here in the Philippines. Her last post is entitled "buhay pa tayo".

From her blog, it appears that she's been here for some time, knows how to speak Filipino, was in her apartment in Legaspi, flooded up to the her waistline, when typhoon Reming ravaged the Bicol area and later on troubled by activities of the famous Mayon Volcano. She even wrote about the visit of her parents who took the time to see what she's been doing here.

No doubt she's a good person. It is so sad that her stay here in the Philippines had to end in death, possibly violent. For those curious, read her blog at Julia in the Philippines. Please don't forget to say a prayer for her after.