Sunday Afternoon...

With electricity! What a treat! It came on at about 7 this morning and is still going strong! It would be really nice if it would last into the evening... I won't hold my breath!
It is a quiet Sunday afternoon here. I should probably be napping or something, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity for electricity. I'm sitting in Dr. Manno's office at the university listening to the birds sing and the wind go through the trees. So peaceful!
I went to church across the lane this morning. Very warm, and very long, but I survived and was rewarded with a delicious Sunday dinner of chicken, rice, beans, fried bananas, tomatoes and fresh juice!
I still haven't been able to locate my Creole teacher - he seems to be hiding from me. I hope I can find him soon so that we can start formal lessons. I've enjoyed practicing with others, but i think some intensive studying will help.

Thanksgiving

I just got back from a Thanksgiving dinner at a radio station near Cap. It was good to meet some other Americans and Canadians working in the area. The contrasts of this country are so bizarre - that's all I have to say about that right now.

I made it!

Written November 26, 2009

It was a long journey, but I am finally in Haut-Limbe and it feels so good. I left Saskatoon on Monday night, flew to Calgary and then on to Toronto overnight. I wasn’t able to get as much sleep as I would have liked on the plane, so I was pretty tired in Toronto.

My flight to Puerto Plata, DR left later in the morning and I arrived around 4 in the afternoon. It was quite interesting to be on a plane full of vacationers ready to head to their resorts – I definitely was not going to one! Dr. Manno was there to pick me up and we drove to Santiago to spend the night as we would not be able to get to the border before dark.

The drive from Santiago to the border was probably a couple of hours. Crossing the border into Haiti was an experience. At that crossing, there is a river that separates Haiti for the Dominican Republic – the contrast on both sides is startling! The road between the two gates is horrendous – you definitely know you are entering Haiti! Clearing customs (as it were) was fairly simple – good thing Dr. Manno was there to speak Creole. The trip from the border to Cap-Haitien was about an hour and the roads were surprisingly good! The last bit of the journey from Cap-Haitien to Haut-Limbe was not quite as smooth – it seemed much worse from the last time I was here. Driving into Haut-Limbe was wonderful. It’s so good to see familiar places and people. I love the constant hum of noise around me – not traffic like in the city, but people talking, singing, roosters crowing – we’ve got it all! My first order of business it to start learning Creole. I was able to spend some time last night practicing with 2 of the girls that live at the house with Dr. Manno and his mom.

Thanks for all of your prayers for a safe journey – I really appreciate them.

Later that day...

I got to experience a Haitian wedding! I found out about it this morning and then found out what time it was at about a half an hour before we left. What an event! It was a long ceremony – almost 2 hours with lots of choirs singing and trios and solos. One thing about Haitians is that they love to talk, all at the same time! There was cheering and talking during the whole thing, people coming and going and more than just the official photographer going up to the front to take a picture of the happy couple. It was certainly a party!

Packing

I've started packing. It's very difficult all you will need for a year in two 50 lbs bags. I have items and suitcases strewn around my room trying to prioritize what will be a need, especially since i can't just run down to the local drug store or mall. hmm...

Tic Toc, Tic Toc

Right now I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Winnipeg, enjoying my morning coffee realizing that in 11 days, my reality will be so much different. Yes, I may be enjoying my morning coffee - but the view and sounds will be so much different. There won't be smooth jazz playing in the background - probably roosters, or dogs barking, or maybe even some old school Celine Dion blaring. Hmm... two different worlds - can't wait!