premye esperians (first experience)

I wrote this my first night here while trying to sleep...

As I lay here listening to the waves crashing against the shore and the insects chirping in the garden, I am inundated with thoughts and unable to go to sleep. I decided to get up and write down some of the thoughts swirling about my heard instead of continuing to aimlessly lie awake, staring at the light coming through the rafters from the room across the hall and the white mosquito net above my bed.

The morning started with adventure as we tried to find the airport. I had spent the night at Scott and Martha Brittons' home at ECHO Global Farm where Scott works. Scott had graciously agreed to drive me and a carload of the items the Carlins and I would be taking back to HAiti. My knees were jammed against the dashboard, while Scott and I laughed about needing Mike to shoot up a flare for us to find the airport. The difficulty in finding our destination came about because we were looking for the private airport in Fort Myers. We found the desired location and proceeded to unload the vehicle. Nicole and Mike had met us outisde. Nicole escorted me to where I could get free coffee and cookies to start my day and took my Camelbak to place with their carry-on belongings. I got a cup of coffee and marveled at how nice the treatment was already. I then began my short search for where Nicole had disappeared to. She was seated with the children in reclining leather chairs in front of a large screen television watching the magic school bus. We spent about an hour just watching the show and appreciating the novelty of our experience. Sophie Carlin came out of the bathroom at one point in awe over the availability of free mouthwash (I too was excited, particularly after 2 cups of coffee haha).

The experience certainly did not end there. We were transported the 200 feet on a large sized golf cart directly to our plane. Seven steps later we were inside the cabin debating on who would sit where. Ultimately, the Carlins all sat in the captains' chairs, which left me the couch to myself. We got situated while our pilots instructed on safety precautions and closed the door for take-off. I made the comment at one point that I could grow accustomed to that lifestyle, but quickly realized that I don't think I could stand it for long without thinking of all the people who had so much less and then what things I could do without.

Our flight from Fort Myers to Port-au-Prince lasted roughly an hour and a half, during which we snacked on the provided breakfast of coffee cake, strawberry muffins, banana bread, and a variety of fruit including mango, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, raspberries, star fruit, etc. (It was my first taste star fruit, although I was informed it was not ripe and therefore not as sweet as it could be... but still quite yummy). We all switched seats at least once and played games or read the on-board magazines/newspapers. The seats swiveled, the couch pulls out into a bed, and the window shares were controlled by a button. I'm fairly certain that I surpassed my bucket list goal of one day flying first-class.

As we neared Port-au-Prince, our altitude was low enough that we were able to see the island our our windows. It was a hazy day, which made us wonder if it was rainy but I'm now guessing that the haze was due to the smoke from the numerous fires we passed. Military personnel directed the plane to its parking place once we landed. We unloaded the plane, gathered all of our belongings on three push carts, and headed to customs.

Customs consisted of a desk manned by two individuals who stamped our passports and took the paper we had to fill out to enter the country. We walked through a hallway. The children commented on the devastation and the difference from their first trip to this one. We were met outside by Clement, Guito, Mimi, and Leek (four of the staff from the compound) who helped us load the truck. We then climbed in the back of the truck using the tires for a boost and sat on two wooden benches that are positioned back to back and face out to the sides of the truck bed.

We then had an hour and a half drive to L'acul which is approximately 25 miles from Port-au-Prince. My legs quickly tired because they were propped against the edge of the truck bed holding me onto the bench. When I could I would stretch them out, but I didn't try until we were outside the city. Before then, people would pass as they pleased (usually close to the truck), creating lanes of traffic at will because there were no lines dictating otherwise.

I did not take any pictures of our drive from Port-au-Prince to L'acul because today was the third day of national mourning in Haiti for the victims of the earthquake. I just did not feel it was appropriate to document my travels today. However, the pictures on the news are accurate. Devastation and destruction are everywhere. Streets were lined with tents and with make-shift "shelters" which really only acted as relief from the sun. We also passed a number of groups which had obviously gathered to honor their brethren. They marched the streets, singing and waving branches. I found myself struggling to hold back tears a couple times, as I am certain we all have when viewing images of this tragedy.

The road was cracked in half in places that Nicole reports it wasn't before the earthquake. We were able to clearly see the fault line that runs below this portion of Haiti because there was a crack in the earth that ran alongside the road we traveled for a good length of the journey. The mountainsides had visible collaspes even from sea level.

As we drove, I was struck by the number of smiling faces I saw. Many people sought to make us smile during our journey, and others waved hoping that we would wave back. In particular the children we passed were interactive with our group. The questions that kept running through my head as we drove was "what must the people be thinking as 7 blancs pass them with seemingly a truck full of stuff?" That is a question that I haven't answered yet and one I am certain to face at different points or in some variation during the course of my stay here.

The countryside is beautiful. I was able to meet some of the Haitians with whom we regularly have contact. I viewed our grounds and buildings. We made a decision about which "apartment" space I will call home for the next year (although it is not ready yet for me to inhabit). I set up my current space and then began helping with unpacking/organizing in the Carlins' space until dinner which was followed shortly by a shower and bed (at least until I woke back up and couldn't return to sleep... and consequently this long description of my day). Right before dinner, I also took a few pictures of the water and mountains that surround the compound.

There is much work to be done, but the next couple of days have been designated for resting and regroupings in preparation of what is to come.