Monday, July 12, 2010

Final Day.

I worked with BEAUTIFUL Haitian children. Little children. They love me. They love my chipped nail polish, my cheap earrings, my white teeth, my dusty hair, my face, and my smile. They constantly crawled all over me and tried to hold my hand and sit in my lap. I couldn't have been any happier.

After dinner a man was selling souvenirs.

Dad would be so proud of me because I bargained with at least 5 people's purchases. They would hand me the money (the most that they were willing to spend) and I would haggle!!! It was so much fun. It was like I was garage saling again! One time the guy told me the cost was $3 per cheap little trinket and Anna Katherine wanted 3 of them. So it would total $9 but I asked him 3 for $5? And he said yes! I got more than 50% off another sale and then it only got better after that! I loved it.






Today was an amazing day.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Long Post

Tomorrow is my last day in Haiti working with children doing a VBS. It feels like I just got here yesterday but once I start to think back on it, all the sweat (ooh goodness) all the laughs, all the annoyances (there are a few), and all the fun I've had it seems like I've been here a long time. In some cases I feel like this is my new life now, I'm just living with 5 other girls in a small space and sometimes the a/c dies in the middle of the night, and I'm eating with a huge family who all happen to love Jesus with a passion that rivals Chloe's love for tennis balls.

I've been thinking about what I'm doing to do when I get home. What's the first thing that I'll do, what's the first thing that I'll enjoy? Honestly, I'm going to appreciate the nice, paved roads. The roads in Haiti are horrible. I have bruises on my arm from my arm hitting the metal sides of the tap-tap (it's the equivalent of a taxi in Haiti. It's a truck and the bed of the truck has a top over it and narrow benches to sit on..it's basically like sitting up on the side of the truck but with a thin cover over us). The trash lines the "roads" and it piles up on the sides and spills into the water runoff and the runoff spills into the rivers and people play in the water and drink from it. I'm going to marvel at the roads and the dotted lines and the respect that people have for organization on the roads. At some intersections it is a complete free for all: People ignore street lights and run reds like they are green lights.

Of course I'm going to love constant air conditioning (we have to ration our a/c because the generator constantly goes out) and the fact that my water will never run out if I'm in the shower (I've always been worried about it running out here- it happened to another girl right when she got soap in her eye!)I have not really missed my telephone or texting-- It does not bother me to not talk on the phone or text.

My typical day schedule:

5:40-- wake up and shower.
6:30-- breakfast.
7:15-- devotions and prayer
7:30 to 9:00/10:00-- drive to site.
10:00 to 12:00-- activities with children.
12:00 to 1:00-- lunch. (it's only 30 minutes, but I have first or second "shift"
1:00 to 2:00-- finish up VBS.
2:00 to 4:30/4:45-- Drive home. Traffic is normally horrible at the point.
4:45 to 5:30-- pass out on bed, shower, change.
5:30 to 6:15-- Dinner.
7:00 to 8:00-- Group meeting with Chris Fuller and group.
8:00 to 9:30-- Write in journal, hang out with the rest of the group, go to bed.

Repeat.

Interesting facts that I have learned:
-People in Haiti make less than 20 dollars a day.
-People live in the MEDIAN of the street. That tiny median, that normally has trees and cute shrubs? Nope, families live there. Lots of them.
-The sea is a stunning blue that you always hope to see but never do see at the beach. Sadly, the beach is completely contaminated.
-Most males in Haiti want to grow up and be the President or a Pastor. Both are highly respected jobs in Haiti.
-I went through the epicenter of the earthquake.
-I was in a tap-tap and saw the gorgeous sea on my left and amazing, gorgeous mountains on the right.
-Some Christians are really bitchy and drive me craaaazy!
-Haitians eat cats.
-One time I introduced myself as "My name is Lisa. I go to college and study psychology. I like cats" and then I learned the fact above and freaked out thinking that the Haitian schoolchildren thought that I ate cats. Chris corrected them the next day and said that "I like cats, but I do not like to eat cats."
-Speedbumps are called "sleeping policemen" by Haitians.
-Most Haitians know all the words to the Backstreet Boys songs. And Celene Dion.
-Most males in Haiti prefer a woman with a "coke bottle shape"

oh, also, look below this post for another post because I was able to get online last night.





Saturday, July 10, 2010

Haaaaaaaaiti Again

Today we went to a new place for our VBS. We have been waking up every day at 5:45 and then I shower (navy style) and then we got on the tap-tap and went to a new location. That was over two hours away. It was a loooong tap tap ride. We got lost. We finally got there after about 2.5 hours on the road...and then we discovered that they had been there since 8 am and we got there around 10. They needed to go to lunch at 12 so we ended up only getting an hour with them instead of 4/5. And they were not children. They were adults. Sooo we scratched the idea of colouring sheets.

After we drove all the way back home and I had a great time heading back home on the tap tap. The translators are hilarious.

Dinner is in a few minutes and I have my testimony tomorrow :/

Quote of the day:
"The most we did we make out. It got really awkward when my dad walked in and caught us"
"He walked in and caught you making out?"
"Yes."
"hahaha. Oh man, that's awkward."


We have Church tomorrow and then VBS again on Monday. And then I'm heading home on Tuesday.
I took so many pictures and I have so many stories.



Friday, July 9, 2010

Haitiiiiiiii

Guess who is giving her testimony?
Guess who is giving her testimony on Sunday?
Guess who is giving her testimony on Sunday in front of a big 'ol Haitian Church?

Meeeeeeeeeee


On a side note: Haitian school children are crazzzy.
One little boy pulled me aside so he could give me his phone number. That little pimp!

My malaria medication makes me have ridiculous Alice in Wonderland type dreams, so that always leads for an exciting night.

Everything is going well, we have not gotten into any car accidents in the tap-taps, but I'm always thinking we will.
Drinking more water than a fish, peeing more than a racehorse.

Oh! I peed in a HOLE in the concret slab the other day. I laughed the entire time I was peeing and hoped the ants didn't bite my butt.

I'm so spoiled.
Love you, miss you.
Give Chloe a kiss for me, and enjoy your air conditioned car!!





Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Wow

Everything is going great. I think I've already lost water weight...oh my gosh it's so hot here! It's crazy. I can't express in words how amazing this one day has already been, but I'm writing it all down in my journal because it's mind blowing..





Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Final Countdown!

In 12 hours I'll be on a plane to Haiti.
Weird.

General update:
-Got my ticket to Hungary!!
-I'm co-teaching with Dr. Lindsay right now. I have to miss a week worth of class because of Haiti, but he said it's alright.
-Working for AmeriCorps right now. Yay federal job!
-Found a zen monastery that I may live in after I graduate for about 3 months before I move onto making money. I like the idea of gathering my thoughts, getting rid of noise pollution, living from a different perspective. Also, I think it'll help me when it comes to counselling.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Going to Haiti

in less than 48 hours!

Nope, it hasn't hit me yet that I'm about to go to Haiti.
It will eventually.