Humbled by Haiti

I didn’t expect to sleep much the night before my flight to Port Au Prince. What with two of my checked bags just barely under the airline’s weight limit paired with the emotions I was feeling and all of the thoughts racing through my mind: “God, I hope I don’t sick or miss home too much.” “Do I have everything I need to teach my lessons?” “What am I forgetting?” “Now where did I put my passport?” “Did I set my DVR?” …I’m surprised I slept for a full 3 hours that night...

Hoor dropped me off at MIA at 4:00 AM where I met everyone in our group. It was nice to finally have a face with a name after our phone conferences and meet the individuals who I would be spending the week with in Haiti. After quick “hellos” we had to get our bags checked in. This was the moment of truth. My bags were just barely at the acceptable weight limit and we all know how the men and women working behind the check-in counters show no mercy. Luckily, one of my bags was just 5 lbs over and Sabrina graciously put the overage in her carry-on.

The two-hour flight to Port Au Prince was quick. I spent much of it trying to catch up on fall fashion and fitness tips. After going through immigration, the guys in our group collected the 20 plus checked bags and before we knew it, we were on our way to the mission house in Petionville. 

The sights, sounds, and smells instantly reminded me of India, but the poverty I saw was unlike anything I have ever seen before. 

We spent much of Monday, October 8^th organizing uniforms and school supplies for the students at the Genecoit Vertus School of Excellence. Each night our dinners consisted of traditional Haitian cuisine. Dinner on Monday included stewed lentils and peas with white rice and stewed beef with carrots and okra. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and getting to know one another. Some of our friends demonstrated a traditional Haitian dance and our friends from the Bayou taught us the Zydeco :) Later that evening we were given a run-down on how to shower with a bucket and a cup. This was an interesting experience because the power went out before everyone had showered (thank goodness for the flashlight app)! The girls compared their hair washing techniques afterwards and by the end of the week we were all pros! I was completely wiped our first night and it is without a doubt that I had the best night of sleep Monday night.

We all woke up early Tuesday morning thanks to the roosters! It was our first day at the school and we were very excited to finally see the students. After a quick breakfast, we were off, some of us in cars and some us in the “tap tap.” Sabrina and I rode in the car to school and experienced the “tap tap” on the way home. This mode of transportation was not a fan favorite, but I have to say it was an adventure. I’m just glad no one became car sick. Our “tap tap” was a pick-up truck that had built in benches and a hard cover over the top. Because the roads to and from school were not paved, we had an extremely bumpy ride both ways. Our “tap tap” even experienced car trouble two of the days, but the beautiful views of greenery and mountains made up for it! 

Once we made it to the school in Francois we were warmly welcomed by an assembly. The students sang for us and we were all given the opportunity to share a few words with the students and staff with the help of translators. We walked around the school grounds and Gene took us to his childhood home in the village of Francois. We walked further down the hill and saw where the meals were cooked for the students. After spotting coconuts in a tree, someone from the village volunteered to climb the tree and knock some coconuts down for us. We also found a machete-wielding man to open the coconuts so we could have fresh coconut 

water. Another moment that reminded me of India!

We eventually made our way back towards the school where I observed in Kindergarten and first grade. The bare classroom walls and limited resources came as no surprise. Gene prepared us for what we would witness, but it was still amazing to see how eager the students were to learn despite their surroundings. After our observations we served lunch to the students and staff. It costs $350 a day to feed all of the students and teachers at the school. During the week we were there, students had a hot lunch everyday. 

The next two days were spent teaching Kindergarten and first grade. With the help of Keshner as our translator and Sabrina as my co-teacher, we taught a lesson on story sequencing with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The students were so excited to hear the story and color with crayons, 

something that many of our students in the U.S. take for granted.  The next day the Kindergartners worked on answering comprehension questions and even made their very own caterpillars that they were very proud of! Due to time constraints, I was unable to teach my science and math lessons. Instead I gave my lesson materials to the teachers in hopes that they would finish teaching their students about the life cycle of a butterfly and bar graphs. 

Our last of school was my favorite because it was on this day we had key dignitaries from the capital visit the school and speak about the importance of education. I truly believe the young minds in that audience were empowered to become anything they wanted knowing they would have continued support. Later we passed out the uniforms, hygiene bags, and school supplies. The look on the students’ faces was priceless and is something that I will remember forever. It was difficult knowing we wouldn’t be returning to the school the following week, but we left with happy hearts knowing that we made a difference.

* * * * *

Our last full day in Haiti was spent relaxing on the beach. This was a great way to celebrate our accomplishments from the week. We all enjoyed ourselves, knowing the next day would take us back to reality away from our new-found friends. The individuals that attended this trip had the biggest hearts and I feel so lucky to have gone on this journey with all of them. Love you all! Sabrina, Skye, and Sommer, thanks for being amazing roommates!

The memories made and the laughs we shared will always stay with me. One night in particular was hilarious! As I was dosing off to sleep with my iPod on, I felt a slight tapping on my shoulder. I was pretty sure it was Sabrina letting me know I was encroaching on her space on the air mattress. The tapping continued and I screamed when I realized it wasn’t Sabrina tapping me! At this point we both sprang off the air mattress (Sabrina took a fall) and switched on the lights only to find a praying mantis on our air mattress. The thing was huge and was in my shirt! Gene came to the rescue and took care of our unwanted guest. Later in the week we were pretty sure we heard a critter inside one of the closets. After those two incidents, my nights included more of a nap than a regular deep sleep.

Another memorable moment was when Sabrina and I celebrated our birthdays Haitian style! We both agreed this birthday was especially memorable because of where we were and what we were doing. It was definitely difficult being away from family and friends, but I was doing something very near and dear to my heart. BFFH thanks for filling my bucket literally and figuratively this day and everyday!

Reflecting on my time in Haiti, I quickly realized that even though our classrooms look different and another language is spoken, we share the same hopes and dreams as the teachers in Haiti, which is to ensure children have access to a first-rate education that will transform them into life-long learners and contributing members of society. This was an experience of a lifetime and I feel blessed for having been chosen to go. The students who came running towards us each morning, who clung to us each day, asking to come home with us and who chased our cars down the mountain are forever etched in my memory. We made it clear to the students in Haiti that this was not a one-time thing and we would continue to support the students and teachers at The Genecoit Vertus School of Excellence. 

This experience has changed my perspective on life. The children and people of Haiti have touched my heart and taught me much more than I could ever teach them. Gene, thank you for all of your support while in Haiti and most importantly, thank you for sharing your passion and mission with us all.

This trip was very eye-opening for not only me, but the students and staff at my school. Currently we are collecting shoes for children in Haiti and in December our school will be collecting toys and making holiday cards. Here's to continuing our efforts to build a brighter tomorrow for the children in Haiti!

Headed to Haiti

How did a whole month go by without a single post? I know, I don’t have a good excuse other than being busy with school and the fact that there are so many different Real Housewives’ shows on (don’t judge)! In all seriousness my time has been spent on something wonderful!  I was recently selected along with 13 other Charter Schools USA employees to go to Francois, Haiti October 8^th – October 14^th on a mission trip. Our efforts will help the students and staff at The Genecoit Vertus School of Excellence. Currently the school has a little over 200 students and operates in a church without electricity or running water. Our main goal is to raise awareness about the school and bring supplies for the students in need.

My school here in South Florida has been collecting markers and glue sticks for me to take to Haiti and just this past Friday, many students donated $1 each to help the students in Francois. Between donations that were collected at school and sent to me by our families, we have raised close to $900! It truly is remarkable what can happen when we all pull together for a common cause!

While in Haiti, we will also be providing professional development for the staff and working with the students.  Two days will be spent teaching lessons of our choice. I naturally picked first grade and planned two reading lessons on story sequencing with pictures, a math lesson on bar graphs, and a science lesson on life cycles. Because the majority of the students speak French at the school, I will have a translator with me at all times to help with the lessons. We will end the school week with a field day for all of the students. This just may be the perfect opportunity to redeem myself from the epic three-legged race fail when I was in the fourth grade. We’ll see.

When I first heard about the mission trip at a conference in August, I was moved to tears and I knew instantly that I wanted to be apart of this amazing experience. I, too, wanted to make a positive impact on young children living in such a fragile country. I know this will be a life-changing experience for me and I cannot wait to share it with you all upon my return. 

Thank you to my loving husband for always pushing me to be a better person and thank you to my family and friends for your love and support from afar. It has meant so much to me and it will mean even more to those less fortunate than us.

Our First Year in South Florida!

It’s hard to believe it has been one full year since we moved to Fort Lauderdale. Somehow in this past year it’s only natural that I have accumulated flip-flops in just about every color. Aside from wardrobe additions, we’ve added many wonderful memories while in South Florida and I’m so glad that we have our blog posts and hundreds of pictures to remind us of all the fun we’ve had!

I’m not sure about Hoor, but I think I have experienced every possible emotion during this year of transition--sadness for all of our family and friends we left behind, fear-because of all of the headlines here and let’s face it, we’re all trying to survive on 95, frustration when we get caught in the rain without an umbrella and when there is really no point in wearing shorts due to freezing indoor temps, nervous to start over with friends and work, elation when our family and friends have come to visit us, excitement when we meet fellow Chicagoans here, happiness to know the Atlantic Ocean is just three miles away, and proud that we have established ourselves here and met so many wonderful people along the way!

I find it only appropriate to leave you all with our Florida Favorites:

Pass time – Paddle boarding and Hot Yoga

Beach – South Beach

Florida Getaway – Marco Island

Day – Any day spent at the beach

Hangout Spot – Our building’s pool

Restaurants – Basilica Vietnamese Grill,

Café Vico, Canyon, Rocco’s Tacos, Udipi Cafe, Zona Fresca

Happy Hour Spot – YUCA on Miami Beach

Drink – mojitos, prickly pear margaritas

Bakery – Sweeter Days Bake Shop

Favorite Cupcake – Red velvet (Zin), Double chocolate (Hoor)

Coffee House – Urban Brew

Amusement Park – Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios

Sports Team – World Champion Miami Heat

Shopping Mall – Aventura and Sawgrass Mills

Golf Course – Doral Golf Resort

Here’s to continuing our amazing adventure in the Sunshine State! Thank you family and friends for your ongoing love and support! We love and miss you all everyday!

Keeping Up With The Kapadias

 What a month it has been! We celebrated the Miami Heat's win (when in Florida, do as the Floridians do), our 6th wedding anniversary, and our very first Fourth of July in South Florida (watching fireworks over the Atlantic Ocean was quite the experience). Shortly after, my family came to visit for a week.We definitely feel better acclimated to South Florida, so we were much better tour guides this time around. During the course of the week, we took my family to our favorite taco joint, South Indian restaurant (for masala dosas) and cupcake bakery. 

Masala Dosas with Mom

We even squeezed in a poolside barbecue. Thanks for manning the grill, Ali!  Aside from food, which seemed to be the theme of their trip, we split our time between the beach and pool. Shariq and Sabreena just couldn't seem to get enough of swimming! We also took the Fort Lauderdale water taxi to dinner one night. It was fun to see the city and the beautiful homes from the water.

Last Monday, we packed a picnic lunch and headed to the west coast to Marco Island for a quick getaway. We spent the day swimming, collecting shells, napping, and kayaking.






 

We ended our beach day with a poolside happy hour and dinner at Mango's Dockside Bistro in honor of Hoor's 32nd birthday. We indulged in an assortment of sushi, crab legs, fish, and lobster rolls that night.
   
  

Deep Fried Birthday Pretzel

Later in the week we drove down to Miami. Unfortunately severe thunderstorms cut our beach day short so we spent the day in and out of shops on Collins and Lincoln Road. 


No trip to Miami would be complete without a stop at YUCA for the best mojitos. So naturally, we paid our favorite fedora-wearing bartenders a visit. 

We ended my family's stay with dinner at Rocco's Tacos to celebrate Ali's birthday. After dinner we walked around on Las Olas Blvd in Fort Lauderdale and checked out a few of the art galleries. My family's last night with us included cupcakes from Sweeter Days Bake Shop, shuffle board, ping pong, and pool. I see my family adding a game room to their home in the near future!



The week went by quickly, but I enjoyed every single moment with my family. It was an amazing week filled with a lot of laughter and many beautiful memories that I will always keep with me. Thank you family for being the best! We miss you!

Kickin' off our first summer in South Florida

Last Friday we drove down to Miami to see The Lion King. We were both excited to see the show ever since we found out it was playing at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami. I was twelve when the movie came out in theaters. The moment I heard the songs, I was instantly taken back to a time when life just seemed to be a lot simpler. Gosh, I miss those days!! The costumes were breath-taking and the set was imaginative. I still can’t get over the amazing performance. It is a definite must-see!

Later that weekend we made barbequed ribs, chicken, zucchini, and corn. A pitcher of mango-orange sangria kept us cool in the warm Florida sun while we grilled. On Sunday we celebrated our 6th “Nikah-versary!” Although we both celebrate June 25th as our actual wedding anniversary, June 10th is special to us as well. We share our nikah date with my brother and his wife. They just celebrated 11 years! Congratulations Zeenat and Ali!

Wine not celebrate??

We finally made our way down to Homestead (1 ½ hours from Fort Lauderdale) for a tour and wine tasting at Schnebly’s Winery. The wine we sampled was not made with grapes. Instead avocados, lychees, mangos, guavas, and passion fruits were used to create the unique flavors. Our favorites were the avocado and lychee wines. Lucky for us these wines can be found at our local grocery store in Fort Lauderdale!

We headed to Baltimore the following week for Nasir’s, excuse me, Dr. Bhanpuri’s graduation. After six years of hard work and dedication he received his doctorate in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. We couldn’t be more proud of the first doctor in the family!

Hoor’s parents flew back to Florida with us for the remainder of Memorial Day weekend.This was their first trip to Florida in over ten years and we were excited to show them our new home and all the fun things to do around town. Friday evening we walked around Las Olas Boulevard and had dinner at Wild East Bistro where we enjoyed various Asian tapas and sushi.

No visit to South Florida would be complete without a trip to the Everglades. So, it was without hesitation that we ventured west for an afternoon with alligators. Later that evening, we boarded the Fort Lauderdale water taxi for a beautiful tour of the city. The homes we saw were anything but modest. The yachts docked in front the homes were appropriate accessories and deserved all of the “oohs” and “ahs” they received. We eventually made it to Fort Lauderdale Beach where we walked around for a little bit before we traveled back via waterway to downtown Fort Lauderdale for dinner. The next day we drove north along the ocean where we had lunch at Aruba Beach Café. The restaurant is located right on the beach as the name suggests and features delicious Caribbean cuisine. We enjoyed our lunch with refreshing ocean breezes and sounds of the steel drum.

Next month we welcome back the Kapadia family to South Florida!

Happy Summer Everyone!

Mojitos, rain, mojitos, rain, mojitos, rain!

March and a good part of April kept us busy with Nasir and Michelle's wedding celebrations in Chicago and North Carolina. It was so wonderful to celebrate with so many family and friends from near and far. The Oh-Bhanpuri wedding goes down as the most beautiful and fun wedding ever. Hands down!

By the time soreness from all of the bhangra and shuffling wore off, we began preparing for our next set of visitors. Kerrie and Peter made the long journey from L.A. and Joy flew in from Chicago at the end of April.  Living in Florida, you automatically assume that  the majority of the fun will take place at the beach. Unfortunately, dark clouds and heavy rain forced us to change our plans. Before the storms came we were thankfully able to get in Stand Up Paddle (SUP) lessons on the intracoastal. 

This was a first for all of us and everyone did well. It truly is all about balance. While on the water we all had a great view of different planes and jets doing a practice run for the Fort Lauderdale Air Show. After paddle boarding we hung out on Fort Lauderdale Beach before dinner.

Even though we knew the sun would stay hidden all day we decided to spend Saturday in Miami. We hung out on South Beach for all of ten minutes before the storm rolled in. As it poured outside we enjoyed mojitos at YUCA.

 After the rain diminished we walked around Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Road and had lunch (and more mojitos) at The Tides. Sunday was rainy as well, so we went to the Miami Marlins game. That evening we had dinner at Catalina, a Cuban Spanish restaurant. We all agreed that the food—garlic chicken, empanadas, grouper, desserts, and mojitos, were delicious, but the service was, well different. Let’s just say we won’t be going back. Monday was another rainy day, so we spent the afternoon at the outlet mall. We made plans to go downtown for dinner, but the rain never let up. So we had “Leftover-palooza,” watched the NBA playsoffs, experimented with different mojito recipes and played games. 

Luckily we were able get out to The Everglades on the last day to see and hold gators!

 

 I know the Sunshine State didn’t live up to its nickname while you all were here, but to have you all come visit meant the world to us! We miss you and look forward to our next trip! Vegas, Austin, Elgin?? Who knows!