Caterpillars & Butterflies

We had a team in from John’s Creek United Methodist in Georgia for a week at the beginning of the month. They worked in the school, on roofs in the community and on one of the playgrounds. As I work in the schools, I helped with the education portion on Tuesday morning. They went to all 3 schools during the week and went into each of the preschool classes with the book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to read the story and then do some crafts with them. They were very optimistic with (I believe) 4 possible crafts to do in each class. We ended up doing 2 in each room, one to create a caterpillar and one to create a butterfly. They were fun ideas and I know that the kids loved them. From big paper ring caterpillars, coffee filter and marker butterflies with pipe cleaner antenna, to caterpillar necklaces to glue on color butterflies. It was fun to see them and work with them in the rooms.

paper ring caterpillars

coffee filter butterfly

caterpillar necklace (comes with smiley face on the red bead!)

I’ve found that that is one of the best ways for groups to come in to work in the schools. A specific idea is needed and when it is focused around a book or story I think it also helps kids get interested in reading and the library (libraries in Haiti are very rare. Nadege says she thinks the number can fit on one hand!) The kids of course love to do crafts and they don’t have a lot of opportunity to do so. Groups bring down most of the supplies that they need since they can be hard to come by here and often the prep work is done in the states (not all of it by any means). One of my favorite parts is to watch the volunteers read it in English and the translators then transform it into French/Creole. Our translators are great and seem to enjoy working with the kids as well. Some of them were actually students in HOM schools—so they know how it’s done.

Praise Gospel

One Sunday afternoon there was a fundraiser/concert for the Praise Gospel choir. This is the children’s choir of Terre Noire. They had invited another choir (Fidelity Gospel who I listened to on Christmas Eve) and a quartet of girls who did some skit/dances to music. They also had Deborah Henristal to sing. She was almost 10 when she made her break into the big times by winning a televised singing contest here in Haiti last year. She is a great singer and had the audience in her hands. All of the performances were great and so much fun. The audience could dance and sing along with all of the groups. The groups changed places often so everyone could enjoy what was going on…no one was worn out from a too long performance. The concert was free but they were selling cds as their fundraiser for 100 Gourds (not quite $3)…I only found out later that they only had 2 songs on them but I’m enjoying mine anyway.

Playgrounds

Terre Noire

Cite Soleil

At the three compounds within Port-au-Prince proper we now have playgrounds! Colorful structures to play on. These were put in about 3 weeks before school ended so they are still pretty new. There are swings, slides, monkey bars, merry-go-rounds, and balance beams. The kids here actually had to be shown what to do with it. Things we take so easily for granted. They started out just looking at it all but once they were shown what to do they were all about it!  The different playgrounds opened on different days (I wasn’t actually able to be at any of the first time uses). Over at Repatriate they had some of the mothers watching…they also didn’t know what to do. When they got a chance on the swings though they were excited!  At Cite Soleil there is also a fort that was built. It is in the midst of being painted bright primary colors (I’ve been told). I think the kids are really going love this addition to the school day (and other days).

Funeral

The uncle of our Haitian Construction Project Manager was killed while doing his job about a month ago. It was a robbery and the men who did it knew that he had money and he had a weapon. I think that often they ask for the money without shooting but they knew of him or knew him and so they shot first. I didn’t know him but his nephew is a good guy and his son is a translator for us with the teams. We went to the funeral to show our support. I didn’t have any clothes befitting a funeral here as colors are not worn to a funeral—mostly only white, black or cream. I’ve now got an HOM button-down shirt. (Feels official.)

We ordered a tap tap to take us and the staff but it didn’t show up…after waiting for an hour we decided to take the truck even though we had too many people for that. We ended up with probably 10 in the double cab and many more in the bed of the truck. We had to take this round-about way to the church as there were stories of trouble in Cite Soleil…We were some of the first arrivals. The church was very large and we took seats near the back (as no one else was up front). There was an open casket that we filed by—I had mixed feelings about that as I didn’t know him, it felt a little gawky (odd word but I can’t find the one I think I want). There was some wailing by the family which was explained as real and cultural for them to get the attention and set the right tone. We were moved forward and the church filled up pretty well. There were multiple choirs who sang, his son read a short biography and there were some prayers.  The actual burial was the next morning in the village of his birth (about 6 hours from Port-au-Prince). 

I’m glad I went and glad I could support a friend and coworker, but funerals are hard ceremonies to attend. (stating the obvious)

Livre en Folie

May 30^th is a holiday in Haiti. It is Fete Dieu or God’s Holiday. I don’t know how it started (or anything at all about it) but there is a tradition to have a festival called Livre en Folie (Crazy for Books). They gather many authors to be available at the Sugar Cane Plantation (there is a museum and park) to sign their works. They  (I don’t know who ‘they’ is) also have many many books for sale that are discounted and evidently well worth it from the number of people that were there. Nadege took me along since she was going with her friend. After running some other errands we were on our way. The traffic was crazy around the Plantation so we parked and walked to the entrance…the line was at least 3 blocks long (as though I know what a block is really but still). This gathering must be really popular! We finally got inside and in order to anything there were more lines (of course) but nothing was straight forward…there were different tents where you could buy the books and you had to be at the right tent to get specific books and you would stand in line to get a paper that said you could get a book, another line to pay for the book, another line to pick the book up, then you would go to find the author if he or she was at the festival…we ended up not buying any books (kind of sad but not really). Getting food from the stand was the same way…one place to pay for your order and get your receipt which you then had to move to another place to turn the receipt in before they would serve you. I’m curious to know if it was that crowded all day long (we were a bit late) but as we were leaving there were still very long lines to get in and it was advertised to close in 30 minutes…I guess it was a Haitian 30 minutes?

Exams

The end of the year is here and in these schools that means exams for all of the classes. And it means an English exam because I think they hope that will help motivate the students to listen in class…I’m not sure that it does but I’m trying not to fight against the administration. I’ve learned that it doesn’t do any good.

So for the 1^st through 3^rd grade we did an oral exam on colors which we’ve been doing for 2 terms and shapes which is what we've done this term. 5 cards to identify the color and the shape shown. I suppose it didn’t go too badly though you can definitely tell when they have been relying on their classmates to answer most of the questions loudly in class…which is what they do always—shout as loudly and as quickly as possible even if it isn’t the correct answer.

4^th through 6^th grade has a written exam over the vocabulary that we’ve been over and over and over in class. And still…kind of hurts my ego to see how many of them just aren’t paying attention or studying at all…then you get the ones that know it and you watch them fill out the paper quickly and with confidence.

I’ll admit to being very very glad I’m done with that. now just to get rid of the tests that are still in my room—not sure where those go now that I’m done with them…suppose the teachers need them for grades.

Bugs & Benadryl

When traveling and/or living out of the country everyone gets worried about being sick and the strange diseases one may get. I for the most part have been very fortunate. I have been sick a few times but that is to be expected in anyone’s life. Since coming to Haiti I have yet to get laid up from any illness (knocking on wood now).

One of the biggest worries in these tropical places that I pick to live is malaria. Though I will have to say it was much more of a worry in Africa than it is here. It isn’t as prevalent here but we still take precautions especially in the early evenings when the mosquitos like to come out.

I woke up one morning with bug bites all over me. And they really itched. My back and my legs mostly but some on my arms too. They didn’t look like mosquito bites and I didn’t remember getting so many bites. The day before there had been some kind of an ant invasion…they were everywhere, in my clothes, on the desk, in my computer, etc. I wonder if they’d bitten me so much as to make this kind of reaction. Because they do bite and I didn’t have a better explanation than being bit enough to cause a bigger reaction…applied anti-itch cream and took Benadryl. The bites were still there for a couple of days but that did seem to handle it. Luckily the Benadryl only knocked me out on Tuesday morning after I’d finished my class…

I also got some bug spray and sprayed my room…I’ve since been finding one dead cockroach every other day which is disgusting but at least he is dead…

No worries now. I’m back to the normal number of bites and much less itching!

Three Hands is the statue at the nearest round-about to us. The Haitian island (not pictured) is quite large. The hands represent the countries that are helping Haiti.

Church visit

Last week while on a walk with Nadege, we walked past one of my students at his church and told me that he would invite me to come sometime. When would I come? I told him he would have to pick a time and we would see if it worked and we would talk about it at class (or after)…so at class he said that there are 2 services on Sunday—one in the morning and one in the evening. I was going to Cite Soleil church in the morning so I agreed to the afternoon service. When I asked him when he would come to get me he started writing times on the board…not the most conventional way to do this…especially as he was writing every possible time from about 4:30 to 7…saying that sometimes they start at this time but other days start at this time and they could last until this time or this time. Great. And when will you come to get me? Ok, so I’ll leave my house at 4:30 and will get here sometime between 4:35 and 4:40 to pick you up. 

It was looking pretty cloudy (and I’ll admit I was tired and decided that I was hoping for rain), but I went downstairs to wait. Chenyl was late, but that is what happens when it rains (or looks like rain). We walked down the street with him talking nonstop…asking how can I say this in English—not just vocabulary words but phrases which is good but can be a little exhausting when the translations aren’t easily there…at the church we are in the first 10 people there (so I’m guessing this was not a 4:30 start night). He asks if I am cold which I definitely am not and so we sit somewhat close to a fan and a door for airflow. He then says that he wants to put his umbrella away…I don’t know where he went but he was gone for about 10 minutes during which time the pews around me filled up as the ushers seat you from the front and fill the pews. So we didn’t sit together. There were announcements, some communal prayers, solo songs from about 6 of the congregation members and then a sermon that was a lot of shouting. Handshakes on the way out.

Overall it was a similar experience to the churches that HOM sponsor. (Less yelling at HOM, but it isn’t entirely absent). It was nice to go out with Chenyl though it wasn’t far away. 

Rainy Season

I think that rainy season has officially begun. Though it hasn’t rained for the last 2 days I think it rained every day before that for at least 2 weeks…This hasn’t been a big problem as it is usually in the evening or at night. I should say isn’t a problem for us as our roofs are mostly water tight unlike those living around us. It doesn’t usually rain for very long, sometimes only 15 minutes but often it is a deluge for that 15 minutes resulting in pools and puddles everywhere…in the roads, in the courtyard, in yards, etc. Last the rain was coming earlier than normal (so far it came after dinner and before bed). It rained from before dinner and with the winds blowing our al fresco dining was a wet affair though still full of smiles and laughter.  The winds have been blowing as well…I love it! It keeps the air moving and things just that much cooler. However, one night the wind was blowing in a different direction when the skies opened. This rain lasted longer as well and the hallway in front of my room and my room flooded…it was kind of entertaining to watch and was slow enough that I was able to move things out of the way as it took over most of my floor. Everyone claimed this was the first time that they’d seen this room flood…I don’t know whether I believe that really but ok…talking about putting drains in the hallway (there is one but has been blocked with concrete) and possibly building a little threshold (but they are afraid I might trip over it since it would be new).

Flag Day

May 18^th was Flag Day in Haiti. I’ve always seen Flag Day on the calendar at home, but never knew what it was other than (I think) a bank holiday.  Here in Haiti it is the celebration of the Haitian flag’s creation. There is a convergence on the small town of Arcahaie where Catherine Flor sewed the first flag. It is said that revolutionary leader Dessalines tore out the middle white stripe of the French flag (the colonists that had been overthrown) and had the red and blue sewn together.

So we had a small group head to Arcahaie to see what was happening there. Matt, Jemps, Max, Wahite Frick and myself. All we really knew was that we pass through Arcahaie on our way to the beach…When we got to the market area that is usually a traffic jam with all the people it was deserted. So we took a turn along what turned out to be a very nice road. It went on for quite a while (I was starting to think this couldn’t be right) when all of a sudden we came upon the multitudes. We found a place to park and started walking. We came upon the statue/art that shows Catherine sewing the flag and had someone take a group picture. We didn’t look at it until after and he had cut Jemps out of the picture…Today was to be the opening of an enormous market building. We continued to wander and follow the people and we ended up behind some high hedges with people crowded around. Come to find out that on the other side of the hedge was a parade and a grand stand where President Martelly was sitting. We pushed up far enough that we could see Martelly through a hole in the hedge still about 100 feet away but that’s closer than I’ve been to any other president! Since we couldn’t see much we continued to wander and then head home. it was a fun outing.

While wandering I took a picture of the statue of Dessalines and was then approached by a drunk man who wanted money for the picture. I assured him that he was not in the picture and would not get any money from me (which he still felt that he deserved) and I continued on. He then attached himself to Matt (the other blanc in the group) and proved to be somewhat difficult to get rid of, but in the end we were successful.

Martelly is between the bushes on stage in white.

walking

I’ve gone walking with Nadege in the evenings…kind of an exercise to aid in our digestion after dinner. She always leads (good thing) and we go in different directions to different places, maybe at some point I’ll know my way around this area. We’ve gone to visit a friend of hers who has two little girls—one is almost 2 (I think) and the other is about 5 months old. We stopped by for a short chat (I mostly listened/ played with the baby) and then continued around. We’ve been to the House of Hope twice now where I’ve gotten to see the bed time routine and helped with some homework. One night we wandered a way that she didn’t really know either. We found a large open space that could be traversed as a short cut to Cite Soleil (if you are on foot). There was a group of children playing under 2 trees to the side of the area. We went over and played for a bit. Some of the bigger girls had the face cards of a deck and were playing a team game of four in a kind—your partner has to call it when you get 4 of a kind…I won one hand but then got too paranoid about watching the other team…It was fun to play with them. I’m pretty sure they don’t get much interaction with strangers or adults who care or who have time to spend with them. We told them we would come back the next night (and bring cards) but it was raining cats and dogs so we have yet to get back to them.  I’m glad for rainy season for the water and cooler weather (for a little while) but sad that it cuts into our evening walks…

Online sermons

I have to admit that there are Sundays that I just can’t get myself out of bed and into church. Church here at Terre Noire starts at 6 am, but even more than that I find it very difficult to understand the services. They are a mixture of French and Creole and projected over a sound system that I’m pretty sure is turned up as high as it will go whether that is the best way to listen to it or not. And sometimes the preachers shout which only makes it worse. The acoustics in a concrete box with a tin roof don’t help either. But now I feel that I’m just making excuses and in part I am. Sorry. But there are some Sundays when it is just the time that I can’t handle and I tell myself that I can go to the next service…but by the time that service rolls around (9 am) it is really hot and I’ve talked myself out of it with the reasons above.

So I’ve taken to reading sermons online or listening to ones that have been posted. Some are from churches or preachers that I know and others are from the big televised ones. I usually go in pretty skeptical if it is from a big name or website but usually I’m able to get something out of it. I’ve listened to one reminding us that encouragement is something that we need to consciously do to those around us and it will help us grow (sounds so simple and common sense but still sometimes those are the best ones).  Thanks to all those preachers who post.

Oh yeah…and sometimes I even do both (go to church and listen to something I might understand)

Current Repatriate Church

Rebuilding the structure that was destroyed in the earthquake 3+ years ago.