Time is a strange thing here. Sometimes it can pass so quickly... sometimes so slowly. Sometimes it can be of upmost importance... sometimes it can be of no importance at all. Sometimes a day can feel so busy... but not be filled with much accomplishment at all.
I'm trying to figure time out here. In Canada, I'm generally on time, even a bit early. Here, promptness isn't as important, although sometimes it is. It's hard to figure out when "we're leaving in 30 minutes" actually means we are leaving in 30 minutes, not in 2 hours from now.
This past week has been quite full. Last Thursday I was able to go with Dr. Manno to the community of Dendas - a remote village in the country past Cap-Haitien. He visits when he can as the there is not a full time doctor in the clinic there. It's amazing how much the environment can change from here to there. Here I am in the mountains, with lush greenery surrounding me. Dendas is in a flatter area and is quite dry and arid and has a very different feel then Limbe - it is definitely the country.
Last week I also met with the heads of the English Department here at the University and it looks like I will be teaching a couple of English classes next semester, which will be a great experience I think. I'm excited to meet the students, help them with their English and have them help me with my Creole. Last night I was able to attend the English clubs Christmas party, which was very entertaining.
Weekends in Haiti are all about relaxing and having fun, so I was able to go to the beach twice! Of course I was the only one swimming as it is winter here and it is "too cold" for my Haitian friends to swim. Oh well, I had a glorious time in the warm ocean and laying on the sand!
We've also been working on the logistics of receiving the container of medical supplies due to arrive within the next week. We were able to find a broker in Cap who will help a lot with that process.
2 comments:
Hey! How ironic. Two years ago Dr. Emmanuel Mareus (Dr. Manno) came to visit my school. A group from my community that belonged to one of the churches did a mission with him. He got to come back to Canada and I was lucky enough to meet him. He doesn't know it, but he influenced my life immensely. The realization has come more recently, but the effect remains the same. I feel that he will affect the world on a larger scale too, if I have anything to do with it. I am currently in a youth volunteer program called Katimavik. In Katimavik I go to three communities in Canada and do volunteer work for three months in each placement. Currently I am in my first rotation (Wolfville, NS). I am from Strathmore, Alberta, by the way. I have been working on starting a non-profit organization. My organization deals directly with ending world hunger. The speech that Dr. Manno made to my class in high school has inspired me to do a run from France to Russia (in 2012... takes a long time to prepare), and to start this non-profit organization. Currently I am doing research, and by the end of Katimavik (January 16th, 2010) I intend to have a detailed description of how my organization will address this issue. I have plenty of ideas though. Lately I have been looking into incorporation and charities. Currently, my board of directors is like-minded youth (I am nineteen by the way). Do you have an address that I can write letters to? Any way that I could contact the Dr. Emmanuel Mareus?
The reason that I want to contact Dr. Manno is that I would like to learn more about hunger issues in Haiti, and to gain some insight into his ideologies and how I can improve myself and my own ideologies. Lots more to say, please contact me at boyorange@live.com.
Peace and love.
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