Bon Ane! Happy New Year

Oh how the time flies by!!

We are already well into January – hard to believe. Let me give you an update of what has been going on.

We had a nice, quiet Christmas here. On Christmas Eve, Ben and Shauna came over for a “Canadian” Christmas dinner. With help, I was able to prepare and fry the chicken Haitian style. Shauna brought boxed scalloped potatos and Stovetop stuffing from Canada. Added a precious can of sweet corn to the mix, and voila – Christmas dinner! It was very good and I probably overindulged on the potatoes and stuffing!

On Christmas Day, we had Cal's family over for a little celebration. We had bought a goat a few days before, so his mom came over with it and we prepared it and some fried plantain. Cake for dessert and it was a hit!

We were able to get to the beach a couple of times with Ben and Shauna and enjoyed some sun – I kinda forget what the sun looks like. It's been cloudy and rainy since last Wednesday!

Just after Christmas, we discovered that Cal had shingles – boo! Luckily we caught it early on and it started to clear up shortly after he started taking the medications. We are thankful that it looks like he won't have any lasting symptoms.

On December 30, our group from Wetaskiwin arrived, finally! The plane was due to arrive from Miami at 10 am, it didn't end up coming until 4 pm because the plane they were supposed to take had a crack in the windshield, so they had to wait for the Ft. Lauderdale plane to return from Haiti. It was a LONG day at the Cap airport. Cal and I had been dropped off at 9 am, so we didn't have an easy way to get into town to pass the time, plus we were never really sure when the plane was going to arrive, so we just stayed put. Luckily, there is a little restaurant nearby, so we found some food.

The group had a good time here. We started out easy – went to the beach on New Years Eve day. Everyone got to try some fresh coconut water and lobster! New Years Day, church started at 6 am and afterwards we gathered at the University to eat some traditional Independence Day pumpkin soup. Haitians eat pumpkin soup every January 1, to mark their freedom from slavery. While slaves, the French never allowed them to eat the soup as it was seen as too rich or refined for the slaves. So, once they received independence, Haitians have eaten the soup.

The rest of the week was spent at the clinic – doing some amazing cleaning and organizing in the depot (thanks to the large rubbermaids they brought) as well as constructing a little building that will be used to clean and treat stinky abscesses and wounds.

Unfortunately, the rain came on Wednesday, so it put a bit of a damper on activities. But, we were able to have a couple of Creole classes and be treated to a little concert by a couple of mens singing groups.

We got the group off to the airport on Friday am and had a nice relaxing weekend, catching up on sleep and relaxation.

I'll be back to work full force in the next couple of weeks, lining up things for the coming months. Please pray for patience for me as our internet connection has been lousy lately, and I'm working on a computer I'm not familiar with that doesn't allow me to compose and read emails offline. It's really frustrating. I was able to send my old computer back to Canada with the group and am hoping it can be fixed in time for my parents to bring with them when we meet them in Puerto Plata at the end of January.

Blessings on you as you begin 2012!

Tis the season...

It's December in Haiti (and everywhere else in the world for that matter) and Christmas is fast approaching. It's really hard to believe that this will be my 3rd Christmas here (much to my mother's dismay)! But really, can you expect a girl to go from +30 to -30 degrees? I do miss Christmas in Canada - the lights, the food and time with family, but I'm trying to make the best of Christmas here as well.

A Haitian Christmas is pretty low-key relatively speaking. I've seen a couple of houses with Christmas lights (those that have electricity) and I've started playing Christmas music on my laptop while I work at the office and in my kitchen. The kids in the community are finishing up their end of term exams and are excited to be on vacation. There is more Christmas music being played on the radio and we sing carols in church.

This year Cal and I are hoping to have a small Christmas celebration with his family - not something they ever do. Christmas is just another day of the year for most Haitians. So, we are hoping to buy a goat - yep, a goat - to have a little feast! Goat is seen as a delicacy here, it's more expensive than chicken or beef. It's actually really tasty as well. Of course I won't be preparing it, I'll leave that up to Cal's mom, but it should be a good time. And since Cal's dad isn't really fond of goat, we'll make sure there is some beef for him. :)

December also brings cooler days and nights. No longer do I break out in a sweat from folding the laundry or walking 5 minutes to the University - thanks goodness! Cooler days also mean much cooler showers - brrr!! Unless I've just had my workout, I've resorted to heating water for a bucket shower these days to make it bearable.

Blessings to you as you prepare to celebrate Christmas!

Batay Vètyè

Haitian public holidays always sneak up on me here. I don't have a calendar for them so it seems that out of the blue they appear and surprise, no work today! That's what happened today (or last night when I found out).

November 18 is to remember Batay Vètyè - or the Battle of Vertières which actually happened basically in Cap Haitian and was the last major battle before Haiti declared its independence from France. 


As today is a holiday, Cal and I had a leisurely morning at home - cleaning and making breakfast, all the while listening to the local radio station from Limbé. They spent a lot of time recounting the history of Haiti's independence, giving commentary to the current state of Haiti and its government, and playing songs encouraging Haitians to rise up and have pride in their country and pointing out how in the past 200 years, Haiti has not become what they once dreamed of.

Christmas

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Christmas in Haiti is definitely different than Canada. It’s amazing how quiet it is without the constant consumerism being shoved in your face – that doesn’t even enter a Haitian’s mind. In many ways Christmas is like any other day of the year, people are working to find someway to feed their family that day. I’m sure there will be more celebrating in the streets tonight.

Last night, Christmas Eve, there was a live Nativity play at the church across the road. What a show! There are definitely people here that like to entertain. It was the longest Nativity play I’ve ever seen (2 hours) but it was complete with a live donkey, so that made it worth it!

The rain finally let up yesterday morning, so we’ve been able to enjoy some sunshine, and more importantly get some laundry done! The visiting group from the States is hiking to the top of the Citadelle today. I’ve decided to stay home as I am just nicely getting over a cold here. Tomorrow, if the weather holds, we hope to go to the beach.

Merry Christmas to you all!

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.