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 8th 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!
I wasn’t always into seafood.
I clearly remember eating at restaurants with Hoor when we first started dating
and cringing when he would order any kind of fish, lobster, squid, or crab.
Somewhere in these last 10 years my pickiness faded and my desire to eat
different types of foods grew and I’m so glad it did. Living in Florida, we
have some of the best seafood. So naturally, when there is a festival that
celebrates seafood, one must go. Last month we walked downtown
to a stone crab festival. We sampled stone crab, scallop ceviche, Thai
shrimp, and crab gazpacho. The stone crab was obviously our favorite and the pomegranate lemonade wasn't bad either!
