C'mon Patty BLOG! Gah! Yes, So, I know I was supposed to blog about November. So much to blog about- Cholera- Hurricane Thomas. Actually reverse that order. It should be Hurricane Thomas- THEN cholera. But now I have something else. Elections.
Let's start with that shall we?
Oh, chaos. I think we all knew that something would happen. I mean, have you ever been to a third world country where there isn't some protesting of some kind after elections? Yeah, I don't think so. Well, elections were held on the 28th of November. We had a no-fly time- as I had r&r schedule on until the 30th- but got an extra day. Things seemed surprisingly calm....until they revealed the results.
There is one candidate- Jude Celestin- that is backed by the current president- Preval. And he has a LOT of cash. Supposedly, he stuffed the ballot boxes thus putting him in 2nd place-for the run-off due to happen January 16th (I think). So, those who support Sweet Mickey- who came in 3rd- but again supposedly and kind of likely- really came in 2nd are angry because he isn't in the runoff. when things like this happen, people aren't happy. When people aren't happy- this isn't good.
So, we were thus on lockdown for 4 days as tires burned, people shot off guns, the airport was shut down and people showed their unhappiness.
The 4 days on lockdown proved to be quite boring. And i was also somewhat disappointed in lack of knowledge of what was happening. I do understand that the news probably doesn't show much- because no one cares about Haiti anymore- let's be honest- it's quite true. And I guess- that's why I figured out why I should blog more often- to be a source of information. But during this time, it was quite as I responded to e-mails acting as if nothing was really happening, because I was really thinking, "if you really knew what was happening or what life here consists of -considering i just celebrated my 10th month here 4 days ago) it would probably cause your Western mind to completely explode because you will never understand"- yet, I didn't say that- I refrain :).
On day 4 (or was it day 3) of lockdown- I got to go with some people down the street to get more chicken. It was eerily quiet. Not one Pap-a-dap (a huge bus) or tap-taps (trucks that take people places-similar to a kombi or a taxi- it's just a truck that has wooden boards on the back so many people can sit) in sight. we go down the road and you can see the remnants of burnt tires in the middle of the road. We come across a roadblock and we had to stop. At first they said they wouldn't let us pass- but they knew our people and as they moved the blocks- we said, "we'll be right back!". We go to get the chicken- and there's only a handful of people out and about. It was probably the oddest feeling that I had felt from being in Haiti. It was like everyone deserted the entire country.
I come back and call my staff to tell them no work and they tell me that shots were fired in Leogane (where we work) and where they live.
Certain airlines are finally starting to fly. Although we aren't sure if the demonstrations are going to start again tomorrow- because they don't want recounts- as that won't help if the ballots are stuffed.
I leave for vacation on Saturday to NYC! whoo hoo! I've never been- so state number 37 ( I think) is off the list and I get to visit one of my friends-personal tour of NYC- in the winter. Let's hope I don't freeze to death. Hopefully I'll make it through this week- cause mentally- I am definitely ready for vacation!
Peace in the middle east,
Pat-c (my ex-pat Haitian name)
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
i guess i should go back to october....
I must admit. i feel quite guilty. i haven't posted in months. each time something happens, i think about how i should post- and then just put it off- when i find myself in need of 4 or 5 blog posts. so, here we go, one major event at a time shall we? I guess one major thing that happened work wise is that we finished our 10,000th temporary shelter!
yeah! 10,000 families out of the rain. not too bad. we've been blessed with materials. so it's nice that other organizations are vamping up as we are slowing down.
so, in October- we had a couple of 3 day weekends. So, on Canadian Thanksgiving, a couple of friends and I decided to go to Dominican Republic and spend some time in Santo Domingo. We managed to get on the last UN plane (if UN employees don't fill the plane, they leave extra seats open for relief workers). and all 4 of us got on! It was my first UN plane ride, but it was so much nicer than riding a typical airplane. First, you just show up and get to avoid all the other stuff that seems to take up so much time. so, we get there and in line start talking to a guy that works for the UN. He's American and interested in our shelter program. So, I talk to him a bit about it and his family is coming to pick him up because he travels back and forth from the DR to Haiti. And he so kindly offers us a ride to where finding a cab will be much cheaper than from the airport. God Wink!
Then, we get to our hotel- in the middle of the Colonial Center in Santo Domingo, and it's beautiful! and they have the best coffee ever. Plus, they have a pool....on the roof! So, the first day was amazing. we went and saw probably every single thing that can be considered worth site seeing and even things that weren't. so, at one of our last stops, the ruins of San Francisco, we thought it was time to get creative....
and became probably my favourite picture ever. we hung out at night at the square, ate good food, and just had a BLAST. i have to say it was my favourite vacation ever too. our 2nd and last night, (we were all complaining about how much we DIDN"T want to go back) we ate at this cave.
okay- let me back up. Julie decided to come with this lonely planet for Haiti and the DR. the rest of us hated that stupid book- but i must say because of it, we ended up doing quite a lot in the book. so, "the book" as we came to call it recommended dinner in a cave and it was so cool as seen above. definitely worth it. but i guess something funny that happened was that on our way back, there was only one taxi. and he wanted to charge us something ridiculous. so we said no and kept on walking. the guy was trying to convince us that it was "dangerous". Dangerous? we said....please, we live in haiti. so we keep walking and Andrew is trying to flag down a taxi, while Julie is asking whether or not we should go back while I'm adamant about how we WILL NOT go back if we have to walk all the way back to our hotel. yet, the further we keep walking, we're thinking....hmmmm....we may never find a taxi- yet we can't go back. Literally....it was like something out of a movie.yet it was funny as about 4 minutes later we find another taxi for a reasonable price. so. yes. best. vacation. ever. with awesome people.
k. that is the update for most of october. hopefully november will come tomorrow
yeah! 10,000 families out of the rain. not too bad. we've been blessed with materials. so it's nice that other organizations are vamping up as we are slowing down.
so, in October- we had a couple of 3 day weekends. So, on Canadian Thanksgiving, a couple of friends and I decided to go to Dominican Republic and spend some time in Santo Domingo. We managed to get on the last UN plane (if UN employees don't fill the plane, they leave extra seats open for relief workers). and all 4 of us got on! It was my first UN plane ride, but it was so much nicer than riding a typical airplane. First, you just show up and get to avoid all the other stuff that seems to take up so much time. so, we get there and in line start talking to a guy that works for the UN. He's American and interested in our shelter program. So, I talk to him a bit about it and his family is coming to pick him up because he travels back and forth from the DR to Haiti. And he so kindly offers us a ride to where finding a cab will be much cheaper than from the airport. God Wink!
Then, we get to our hotel- in the middle of the Colonial Center in Santo Domingo, and it's beautiful! and they have the best coffee ever. Plus, they have a pool....on the roof! So, the first day was amazing. we went and saw probably every single thing that can be considered worth site seeing and even things that weren't. so, at one of our last stops, the ruins of San Francisco, we thought it was time to get creative....
and became probably my favourite picture ever. we hung out at night at the square, ate good food, and just had a BLAST. i have to say it was my favourite vacation ever too. our 2nd and last night, (we were all complaining about how much we DIDN"T want to go back) we ate at this cave.
okay- let me back up. Julie decided to come with this lonely planet for Haiti and the DR. the rest of us hated that stupid book- but i must say because of it, we ended up doing quite a lot in the book. so, "the book" as we came to call it recommended dinner in a cave and it was so cool as seen above. definitely worth it. but i guess something funny that happened was that on our way back, there was only one taxi. and he wanted to charge us something ridiculous. so we said no and kept on walking. the guy was trying to convince us that it was "dangerous". Dangerous? we said....please, we live in haiti. so we keep walking and Andrew is trying to flag down a taxi, while Julie is asking whether or not we should go back while I'm adamant about how we WILL NOT go back if we have to walk all the way back to our hotel. yet, the further we keep walking, we're thinking....hmmmm....we may never find a taxi- yet we can't go back. Literally....it was like something out of a movie.yet it was funny as about 4 minutes later we find another taxi for a reasonable price. so. yes. best. vacation. ever. with awesome people.
k. that is the update for most of october. hopefully november will come tomorrow
Saturday, September 11, 2010
7 months later...
Well, it's been quite a while since i've updated...i know a lot has happened, so let's try to remember it all shall we?
first, i celebrated my birthday here. for lots of reasons, i'm not a fan of celebrating my birthday, it's usually just a let down. this year i figured it would pretty much be the same. that night, they had made me a cake that said, "Happy Birthday Patty the Hut" along with a Korea cake because it was Korean independence day too. That was so awesome! Being Korean- Korean independence day means a lot to me. Cause without it- I guess I wouldn't have my mom :).I also got some Goldfish- as that's the best snack ever- and some cards and best of all- a new workout DVD- I love workout DVDs. It was probably the best cakes ever though as you can see below:
We also moved another community in. This made our 6th full community. I believe we have over 500 families moved into communities and over 7000 shelters that are already built between communities and through our partners who build on the land that beneficiaries already have. 7000 families out of the rain. so, at this specific community in Darbonne- where we were the first NGO to build, I get there and see this:
the community had put up balloons and streamers to celebrate the move in day!!! all by themselves! gosh i love that community.
And I guess in other news: We had tried to start a new site near this amazing site that I'm talking about. Well, that place is so desperate for shelter, that about 125 more people than were supposed to showed up and started a mini riot. Long story short, our security and the UN came out as our first site dealt with the angry people to protect us. So, fearing that the worst, I was trying to give out flashlights to security committee. And the UN kept waiting for me to leave. and then our security guy said, "we have to get a hold of Patty". and Monica replied, "Oh, no one can get a hold of Patty". That made me laugh.
so, the next day, we decided to go back to put up a community board in order to somewhat cooperate with the community. i ended up finding the president of the community and talking to him about his concerns. we ended up negotiating decided that we'll come back. that was nice.
i ended up going back to the first community too, just seeing if they had any problems. turns out they didn't. and now monica and i are "THEIR blancs" (blancs is a term for foreigner). and how THEY were the ones who protected us, which is so true.
but after talking to the community, i finally realised something. that the loud, annoying, typical haitian-i don't understand them or their warped way of thinking- the reasons i despise this country.....i understood a part of them. i almost cried. they were only yelling because they are an uneducated people, who have no idea how to tell me about how they really feel. they can try talking to me, but i can't speak their language. i felt like that moment was what i really needed to somewhat get them. to stop being frustrated with them. it only took me 7 months. :)
Love
p
first, i celebrated my birthday here. for lots of reasons, i'm not a fan of celebrating my birthday, it's usually just a let down. this year i figured it would pretty much be the same. that night, they had made me a cake that said, "Happy Birthday Patty the Hut" along with a Korea cake because it was Korean independence day too. That was so awesome! Being Korean- Korean independence day means a lot to me. Cause without it- I guess I wouldn't have my mom :).I also got some Goldfish- as that's the best snack ever- and some cards and best of all- a new workout DVD- I love workout DVDs. It was probably the best cakes ever though as you can see below:
We also moved another community in. This made our 6th full community. I believe we have over 500 families moved into communities and over 7000 shelters that are already built between communities and through our partners who build on the land that beneficiaries already have. 7000 families out of the rain. so, at this specific community in Darbonne- where we were the first NGO to build, I get there and see this:
the community had put up balloons and streamers to celebrate the move in day!!! all by themselves! gosh i love that community.
And I guess in other news: We had tried to start a new site near this amazing site that I'm talking about. Well, that place is so desperate for shelter, that about 125 more people than were supposed to showed up and started a mini riot. Long story short, our security and the UN came out as our first site dealt with the angry people to protect us. So, fearing that the worst, I was trying to give out flashlights to security committee. And the UN kept waiting for me to leave. and then our security guy said, "we have to get a hold of Patty". and Monica replied, "Oh, no one can get a hold of Patty". That made me laugh.
so, the next day, we decided to go back to put up a community board in order to somewhat cooperate with the community. i ended up finding the president of the community and talking to him about his concerns. we ended up negotiating decided that we'll come back. that was nice.
i ended up going back to the first community too, just seeing if they had any problems. turns out they didn't. and now monica and i are "THEIR blancs" (blancs is a term for foreigner). and how THEY were the ones who protected us, which is so true.
but after talking to the community, i finally realised something. that the loud, annoying, typical haitian-i don't understand them or their warped way of thinking- the reasons i despise this country.....i understood a part of them. i almost cried. they were only yelling because they are an uneducated people, who have no idea how to tell me about how they really feel. they can try talking to me, but i can't speak their language. i felt like that moment was what i really needed to somewhat get them. to stop being frustrated with them. it only took me 7 months. :)
Love
p
Thursday, August 26, 2010
silence is golden
the weirdest thing happened to me today. some people were sitting around talking and i was asked if i am an introvert. immediately, i got offended. what the heck? who are you? i wondered. i've never been asked that in my life. then, i became insecure. i tried not to show it, but oh, i did. i spent the next 10 minutes processing this in my head. i'm not an introvert!! all of these thoughts flew through my mind that "these people just don't know me", "these people are crazy, so of course i seem like an introvert"
then i got mad at myself for thinking this way. i know, i know, i'm in haiti, i'm supposed to be talking about the cool stuff i get to do all day long. but, while in haiti, i've done quite a bit of processing. as i get older, i realise that i HAVE become more of an introvert. is this bad?
but then i think of why. what has happened to me? i used to talk a lot. i guess i always felt like i had to- to make myself look better, or etc. kahil gibran once said, "you talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts". i think this is true. when i made the effort to stop interrupting people and to listen (which i had a major problem with) i realised that talking didn't really seem that important anymore. it's not that i stopped trying per se, but i realise i don't need to compete for whatever it was i may have been looking for before.
then, when i became comfortable in my own skin again, i could also be quiet and not mind. so, do i need to be offended because i'm looked at as an introvert? maybe it's a compliment, or maybe, i'm just growing up :)
~P
then i got mad at myself for thinking this way. i know, i know, i'm in haiti, i'm supposed to be talking about the cool stuff i get to do all day long. but, while in haiti, i've done quite a bit of processing. as i get older, i realise that i HAVE become more of an introvert. is this bad?
but then i think of why. what has happened to me? i used to talk a lot. i guess i always felt like i had to- to make myself look better, or etc. kahil gibran once said, "you talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts". i think this is true. when i made the effort to stop interrupting people and to listen (which i had a major problem with) i realised that talking didn't really seem that important anymore. it's not that i stopped trying per se, but i realise i don't need to compete for whatever it was i may have been looking for before.
then, when i became comfortable in my own skin again, i could also be quiet and not mind. so, do i need to be offended because i'm looked at as an introvert? maybe it's a compliment, or maybe, i'm just growing up :)
~P
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
back to life.....back to reality
why does so much happen in between blogs? oh, well. the fact that i'm not really bothered by it that much makes me feel better about it. well, i went home and surprised my dad for r&r for his birthday. we were changing our r&r policy from the last time he saw me, so he wasn't expecting me home until Christmas. it was fabulous. gosh, i love my parents. they really are great. my dad had such a good time that he said, "I should have a birthday every 3 months!" although we didn't really do much, we did. just having the opportunity of BEING with them, is the best thing I could ask for.
i am back in haiti now, and i must say, it feels pretty good. being at home, i love being with my family and it's nice to hang out with people, but as a relief worker, it's hard to find where you belong. when i go home, i realise how much of my life is NOT normal. you can't relate to people and it's just hard because I can relate to everyone else, but no one can relate to me, so it seems like they don't care, when i know that they know that they don't understand, so that's probably why they don't ask. it's kind of a hard place to be, but....this is my life and i love it.
so, back to work today and i was out in the rain for a while running through the mud trying to get places on time and tools dropped off. less disasters this time than when i went away last time which is a good sign. so, back to life, back to reality!!!
til next time,
-P
i am back in haiti now, and i must say, it feels pretty good. being at home, i love being with my family and it's nice to hang out with people, but as a relief worker, it's hard to find where you belong. when i go home, i realise how much of my life is NOT normal. you can't relate to people and it's just hard because I can relate to everyone else, but no one can relate to me, so it seems like they don't care, when i know that they know that they don't understand, so that's probably why they don't ask. it's kind of a hard place to be, but....this is my life and i love it.
so, back to work today and i was out in the rain for a while running through the mud trying to get places on time and tools dropped off. less disasters this time than when i went away last time which is a good sign. so, back to life, back to reality!!!
til next time,
-P
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
what can i even say....
This morning, it was hard to wake up. I woke up a little later than normal. So, I finally got myself out of bed about 6:40. It started as pretty much a normal morning. I was headed to the office to print off some papers before breakfast, when I noticed commotion. Our short term medical staff was running. They were looking for our head nurse. Something about an accident. Just up the driveway of our compound. Our staff had seen it happen and 4 of our national staff were actually in the accident. They ran down the road calling for us to come help quickly.
There aren't signs in Haiti, no stoplights, except in Port Au Prince and no lines really. So, they drive super crazy. Upon hearing there was an accident, we didn't know much about it. Then, we heard that it was really bad. The nurses and our rubble team had already gone to the accident. We say a quick prayer before we decide that since the ambulance hasn't come and since it will take forever, we would probably need to take people to the hospital. I hop in one of our trucks with Ruco and drive up the driveway. We decided that i would jump out and see if they needed more trucks. when i got out, it was like something out of a movie. It wasn't just an accident, it was a bus called a Pap-A-Dap with along with another bus type truck called a Tap Tap. They had collided head on. I had never seen mass casualties. When I got there people had been thrown from the truck all the way into a ditch. on the other side. It was good timing because right when we got there the first truck had just left for the hospital.
Our other staff were there too- looking at who was already dead from those who had a chance. We got our truck full of people, we laid as many as we could in the bed and went to MSF. i was somewhat flustered and forgot for a second where MSF was, so I pulled one of our workers in the truck with us and off we went.
As we came to Dufort, the city between us and what is officially Leogane, I remembered that it's Tuesday, market day. Oh, no, I thought, how are we going to maneuver in the market? Praise the Lord that it wasn't that bad. I managed to wave a couple of tap taps out of the way and I could hear the people in the street see the people in the back of the truck, some screamed and some would just moan. One person said, "the Good Samaritan's are taking care of them".
We made it to MSF and had to unload the other trucks first. MSF called all of their staff- but I think they only had one OR, and more than one person definitely needed surgery. We finally unload everyone and come back to base. We once again checked if there was anyone else, and there wasn't. The team had already respectfully covered those in the tap tap that didn't make it with a sheet. We came back and debriefed for the rest of the morning.
Our team pulled together though. Took 8 trucks to the hospital. But it made me realise how short life is. That this morning, those 18 people that lost their lives today didn't know that it would be their last day. Did they know God? I don't know. Were they people that crossed my path that I should have showed them God? I don't know.
I don't know why it happened, but I know that God was there. The fact that it happened in front of our compound, where they could get help quickly. The fact that had the accident occurred 20 minutes later, we would not have had 75% of the vehicles that we had on hand.
Lots of thoughts.
Quite the day.
-P
There aren't signs in Haiti, no stoplights, except in Port Au Prince and no lines really. So, they drive super crazy. Upon hearing there was an accident, we didn't know much about it. Then, we heard that it was really bad. The nurses and our rubble team had already gone to the accident. We say a quick prayer before we decide that since the ambulance hasn't come and since it will take forever, we would probably need to take people to the hospital. I hop in one of our trucks with Ruco and drive up the driveway. We decided that i would jump out and see if they needed more trucks. when i got out, it was like something out of a movie. It wasn't just an accident, it was a bus called a Pap-A-Dap with along with another bus type truck called a Tap Tap. They had collided head on. I had never seen mass casualties. When I got there people had been thrown from the truck all the way into a ditch. on the other side. It was good timing because right when we got there the first truck had just left for the hospital.
Our other staff were there too- looking at who was already dead from those who had a chance. We got our truck full of people, we laid as many as we could in the bed and went to MSF. i was somewhat flustered and forgot for a second where MSF was, so I pulled one of our workers in the truck with us and off we went.
As we came to Dufort, the city between us and what is officially Leogane, I remembered that it's Tuesday, market day. Oh, no, I thought, how are we going to maneuver in the market? Praise the Lord that it wasn't that bad. I managed to wave a couple of tap taps out of the way and I could hear the people in the street see the people in the back of the truck, some screamed and some would just moan. One person said, "the Good Samaritan's are taking care of them".
We made it to MSF and had to unload the other trucks first. MSF called all of their staff- but I think they only had one OR, and more than one person definitely needed surgery. We finally unload everyone and come back to base. We once again checked if there was anyone else, and there wasn't. The team had already respectfully covered those in the tap tap that didn't make it with a sheet. We came back and debriefed for the rest of the morning.
Our team pulled together though. Took 8 trucks to the hospital. But it made me realise how short life is. That this morning, those 18 people that lost their lives today didn't know that it would be their last day. Did they know God? I don't know. Were they people that crossed my path that I should have showed them God? I don't know.
I don't know why it happened, but I know that God was there. The fact that it happened in front of our compound, where they could get help quickly. The fact that had the accident occurred 20 minutes later, we would not have had 75% of the vehicles that we had on hand.
Lots of thoughts.
Quite the day.
-P
Saturday, July 10, 2010
singing songs of hope to me
First, should i wish everyone a happy 4th of july from me and my friend kristi from Jax Beach (oh and Happy Canada Day too). It was a fun time, we made red, white and blue cupcakes and a Canadian Flag and USA flag cake too. We invited some other NGOs, but the best thing ever....
was....the makeshift slip n' slide! Totally great times!
let's see, to say that i'm ready for r&r is definitely an understatement. but alas, it is not coming for awhile. i think i'm just stuck in a funk. it happens sometimes, this i know. but it just usually doesn't last this long.
this week has just been one of those weeks. where i just want a break and one is far away in sight, every day this week has felt like a monday in that there has been a fire of some sort to put out every day, and to top it off, i don't even really like this country. these people are getting on my nerves.
so, today, on my final work day of the week, i went to go somewhat calm down a situation at one of our potential sites. i met with the committee and we solved the problem. i only had to wait about another 30 minutes, so i sat in this corner, under these huge beautiful mango trees. when one kid came up to me....then another. one kid, his name is Schnaeder (pronounced Snyder) started singing me a song- "we are happy that you have come. you have come. we are happy to see you". first in kreyol, then somewhat in broken english. i doubt that he knows that that song currently brings me to tears. As he and his friends in that community sang to me- little did we both know that that's what i needed to feel like this week wasn't worthless. hmm.....from the mouth of babes. maybe one day, i can be like schnaeder too. see, God used that boy to wink at me. What's a God wink you ask?
it's a moment where God "winks" at you, because He says, "you know what Patty? I got you. I see you. I hear you. I have you. I'm still here...right next to you".
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven"- Matt 18:4
was....the makeshift slip n' slide! Totally great times!
let's see, to say that i'm ready for r&r is definitely an understatement. but alas, it is not coming for awhile. i think i'm just stuck in a funk. it happens sometimes, this i know. but it just usually doesn't last this long.
this week has just been one of those weeks. where i just want a break and one is far away in sight, every day this week has felt like a monday in that there has been a fire of some sort to put out every day, and to top it off, i don't even really like this country. these people are getting on my nerves.
so, today, on my final work day of the week, i went to go somewhat calm down a situation at one of our potential sites. i met with the committee and we solved the problem. i only had to wait about another 30 minutes, so i sat in this corner, under these huge beautiful mango trees. when one kid came up to me....then another. one kid, his name is Schnaeder (pronounced Snyder) started singing me a song- "we are happy that you have come. you have come. we are happy to see you". first in kreyol, then somewhat in broken english. i doubt that he knows that that song currently brings me to tears. As he and his friends in that community sang to me- little did we both know that that's what i needed to feel like this week wasn't worthless. hmm.....from the mouth of babes. maybe one day, i can be like schnaeder too. see, God used that boy to wink at me. What's a God wink you ask?
it's a moment where God "winks" at you, because He says, "you know what Patty? I got you. I see you. I hear you. I have you. I'm still here...right next to you".
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven"- Matt 18:4
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