First DAY!

Wow I am here!

Right off the plane in Cap Haitian

I have had such an amazing first day; it really broke the ice for me! I arrived in Haiti today, flying into Cap Haitian, which I learned is the oldest city in the country. Getting off the small plane, we were lucky to have all our luggage ride with us on the same aircraft, so we did not need to wait! However, there was a wait to get the bags from our plane, and I learned how resourceful the people here are. A man wearing a lanyard (which was worn by many people to help them look official) grabbed our luggage tags and retrieved our bags for us. We ended up having to pay him a dollar for each bag!

Cap Haitian itself was very intense, especially near the airport, and I took some footage of the drive out of the city. Roads here work a little different, and you might see cactus plants used as fences, which are highly effective due to the harsh sting! Sorry about the sideways video, my fault for tilting my iphone.

Views from the road in the country

Leaving the city, a beautiful landscape opens revealing Haiti's natural beauty, which sharply contrasts the impoverish conditions of some of its people.

The grounds for the school and living quarters are nestled in a small country town. We arrived pretty early, so I was able to get settled in my living quarters, which is a very nice room by Haitian standards. The people here are so friendly and wonderful, and I cant wait to get to know everyone better. I met Dominique, who seems to watch over things on a daily basis, living in a home on the grounds. She is the daughter of Pere Bruno, who does a great deal of work in Terrier Rouge, the surrounding area, and Haiti in general. He well respected for his work in the community, and he manages the school and coordinates many projects around. I also met Barbara and her husband Rob, who is initiating a jatropha farming project.

From what I have learned jatropha is a native plant which initially was not very popular, aside from its function as a deterrent of grazing animals, due to its toxicity. It is also traditionally used as a laxative for the same reason! However, it was discovered to have excellent potential due to the oil of the seeds it produces. Jatropha oil is good for your skin/hair, all natural, and can be used to make soap. With minimal treatment, it can also be converted into a highly efficient bio-diesel fuel, which is great news for a country where fuel is very expensive and not affordable for many. The plant itself is very resilient, and can take the harsh climate.

 
My first Haitian meal was an amazing and plentiful lunch, which is the biggest meal of the day here. Red beans and rice, lots of fresh avocado, meat and delish gravy juice, and vegetable mash, mmmmmm. Red beans and rice are the staple food for most, so not too far off from southern Louisiana cookin! There are also lots of peppers around to get that kick if you like! I am very blessed to be able to eat so much food, as many people in Haiti live off one meal a day or less.

View of Jatropha field through cactus like plants

There happened to be a festival that day at a beach nearby, which was also the location of the old hemp rope factory and port. On our way to the beach, we drove along the large jatropha fields Rob is working on.

The beach is being slowly kept up by some local entrepreneurs, and there were clean covered places to sit. Along the waterfront were little shops set up, selling food and drinks (lots of rum). I was told the Haitian people in general don't drink much at all, and cant really afford to, but celebrations like this are an exception.

 A jatropha farming family set up shop selling their scented and unscented oils for body and hair. By the end of the day they ended up selling a decent amount and were very pleased. The festival was what you might expect from any such occasion: music, drinks, swimming, and dancing! Having spent a long day in my new, hot environment, I decided to jump in. The water had a beautiful turquoise tint and a soft texture, due to the limestone caked on the floor of the bay. I was able to practice my creole, attempting to make some conversation while playing with the kids.

After getting back to the school and a quick shower, we ate dinner which is usually leftovers from lunch and maybe one other dish, which was a sort of spaghetti bake, and bread from a local bakery. They also make a delicious tea from a mix of herbs in the garden.

Filled up on dinner, we took a walk into town to a small shop where we sat out and enjoyed the starlight with some refreshing Haitian beer. We visited and sang songs with a local pastor's wife, and learned a couple of simple Creole worship songs. The stars are magnificient here, since there's not much lights around aside from the occasional lightning flash in the distance.

It was a beautiful end to a long and eventful day which set my journey off to a wonderful start.