I want to start by apologizing for not posting more often. To say that it has been a busy five weeks is an understatement. This blog will be in many parts, so please bear with me. I want to paint a mental picture of what the city of Port-Au-Prince looks like, what a day of English Camp entails, and talk about my experience. But to include all that in one post would be a small book so I am going to split it up.
Haiti is extremely different than America, which is of course common knowledge. But one does not really realize just how different they are until it becomes your reality. First of all, in the city many things are in a compound. Cement walls often lined with barbed wire or broken glass, completed with a large metal gate greet you pretty much everywhere you go. The distinct pang of someone knocking on the metal with a stone is a sound I have become familiar with. There is not much grass, it is mostly rocks, dirt, trash, and trees.
The streets are busy and traffic laws are non existent. If someone is going slower than you, simply pass them, who cares what the yellow lines say. Intersections? Just keep going and pray for the best. Motorcycles are weaving in and out of traffic, people are walking in between cars, and tap taps are stopping on the side of the road. The only reason the vehicle stops moving is because of traffic, not because of stop signs or lights. Tap taps are kind of like a bus, except it is just in the back of a truck. A person will flag the driver down and hop in. Their siding is metal painted in bright colors often with people painted on the side, common ones are Rihanna, Jesus, and Legolas. Also phrases like “merci Jesus”, “maranatha”, or different Bible verse references are common.
You pull on to the main road and see people just walking on the side of the road, often carrying large things on their head. There are sidewalks but many of them are populated by street vendors. What they sell is various, like food, clothing, and hygiene products. They are usually under sheets of metal or umbrellas to keep them from the sun. Buying things from street venders includes bartering which I am not good at. The places we have gone that have street vendors start off expensive and you have to be insistent on your price. It is not a talent I have possessed. Luckily, there are people here who are good at that to help me.
Along with the many people are skinny little dogs and goats, which are scrounging around the trash for food. The buildings that are not in compounds are generally colorful cement and different businesses like pharmacies and barbers. The streets have trash in the gutters and occasionally you will see a large trash pile by the road. Much of the trash here is burned because there is nowhere else really to put it.
Going outside of the compound is one of my favorite things. Even though we get stared at because we are white, I really enjoy being able to see the culture. I have not been incredibly immersed in the culture because I am living with Americans, but a few things have been different. Firstly, there is no privacy. Kids change for water games right where they are. People just pee on the side of the road. Also their way of greeting is different. Instead of “hello” you say “good morning” or “good afternoon”. Every morning as kids walk in we get kisses on our cheeks, which I really appreciate because it is really sweet.
I am sure there much more to paint for this picture, but I hope that helps a bit to have an image. It really is a lot different, though personally I did not experience a huge culture shock. I believe having friends come before me and seeing pictures helped me prepare mentally.
As always thank you all for your prayers and support. I cannot say how much I appreciate you all.
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