This blan has learned a lot over the last two weeks, unfortunately kreyol has not been one of them.
- I have learned to where shorts under my dress when riding a moto... because I am blan when I get off and have not figured out a way to get off without "stretching my groin muscles"
- I have learned that when there is electricity... bring a flashlight into the bathroom when showering... (oh and maybe have a bucket of water in case the well runs out of water while you are in there.
- There is a lot you can get done in two hours when you know its the only 2 hours you will have electricity. I think this is a great motivator and creates some efficiency... especially in procrastinators
- Those Yeti coolers do not last 4 days in the Haitian heat with ice
- Ants can actually eat through and dig up the grout between floor tiles. And they find everything... even the things I cant see.
- I am going to need to buy some Fans and figure out a way to get them here (not so much because I am hot... because I can't sleep with mosquito buzzing in my ear. I have the fortune of not really being allergic... I itch for 10-15 min. But they just find a way to pester EVERYONE.
- Cockroaches have more will to live than I do. Seriously I have to hit them like 2-3 times before they actually die. One of them made it about 20 feet After I smashed the guts.
I have had more experiences than I expected as well.
- My first week here was the HEALTH FAIR: I love the week of the health fair. I get to learn so much from therapist that have been working here for years. My favorite thing this year was the moms. I have worked with special needs kids two previous times and each time I was asked if I would just take their child by at least one mother. NOT THIS TIME. This time many of the moms were on the floor talking, playing, touching, and loving there child. It give me tears and goosebumps as I write it. These therapist and other advocates of special needs children are teaching these moms to love and give dignity to their children. There is a ways to go in the country, but it needs to start with the families.
- Staying with a friend: I stayed with a friend in Port Au Prince last weekend. It was actually the whole family. It was a great time. I went to market with the sister/aunt and they speak very little English and I speak very little Kreyol. So we waded our way through the market and got stared at by everyone. I stopped at one point to try to point to something I wanted but didn't want the people selling to see me pointing. Literally all 16 surrounding booths were staring at me. I just started laughing and let it be. It really was a lot of fun and the family was great even if there was minimal verbal communication between some of us.
- Pickliz: I made pickliz and had it with fried plantains just about every day this week. It was fantastic... but I made too much and probably some is going to go bad. But maybe not its pickled so it may last a while. The biggest win for me was the fact that I did not get sick which means I cleaned things well enough.
- Moto Rides: I have successfully taken the moto for a week to and from work at the school. I am unable how ever to call the moto to pick me up. So I still rely on a friend to do that for me. Once I even got ice and got it back to the house on the moto... it was about 1/4 of a mile and one bag... but baby steps.
- Teaching: I taught the second year students adaptive equipment this week. Although teaching is not my thing we did it in a more discussion format and I think it went quite well. I think this is one course that is very important for the therapist here is Haiti to teach as they are able to make and use creative techniques for equipment and teaching the technology we have in America is not the most beneficial.
Please keep in touch I love hearing from people back home. If you are reading this and did not get my snail mail newsletter please let me know. I would love to get you on the mailing list.
^Life Foolishly
Rachel
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