Zanmi'm Ayiti: My Friend Haiti

My Haiti Story

Hello: Bonjou
How are you: Kouman ou ye?
Not so bad: Pa pi mal.

These were the salutations of my everyday life from August 2006-June 2007. I spent those months as a volunteer teacher at Louverture Cleary School in Croix-des-Bouquets (a neighborhood just outside Port-au-Prince). It was an amazing and life-changing experience, and I really am forever indebted to this country.

My mom cried the first time I told her I was going to be living in Haiti, and now every time I tell her I'm going back to Haiti, she just asks in subtle bewilderment, "Why?" And, I can't really tell her why, but I think it has something to do with what Linda Weber of Heart to Heart International said to me last year during my most recent visit to Haiti, "Haiti get's into your blood" and even though I have left the country, Haiti has never left me.

I have been able to go back for a couple visits in the past few years and will be returning this summer for 6 weeks working at clinics throughout Haiti. So, I write this blog to hopefully inspire a few people and maybe future colleagues to go and visit Haiti and share the indelible impression that this country can have on a person.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Dokte Blan yo

Okay, this is now my 3rd attempts at a post. My first 2 (by the way, the first one was very long and thoughtful just to let y'all know) were accidentally erased by my thumb because I think my trackpad is too hot. Anyways....I'm going to officially take that as a sign that I need to go to bed! Bon nwit tout moun! Good night everyone!

P.S. Tomorrow I will be going to the Belair clinic. So, I should have a much more interesting post and pictures of the renovated clinic!!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Bienvini!!

So, I officially made it in one piece to Port-au-Prince (PAP) today. I'm settling in nicely into the volunteer headquarters of Heart to Heart (H2H). I may be taking on a project down in Belle-Anse in the South East region where cholera is still running rampant because of the lack of access to any health care. I would be working with a doctor and his wife who is a nurse on training people on cholera prevention and treatment. More to come on that next week. Until then, I'll be hanging out in PAP getting to know the more administrative and logistical side of community health projects in Haiti with Steve Weber (Country Director of H2H) and hanging out with Duane Spaulding (Medical Director of H2H) learning the more medical related side of things. I'll also be checking out the clinic down in Belair and I'm excited to see the new lab set up and pharmacy. Pictures to come. Anyways, it's time to wind down with one of the many books I brought with me (courtesy of my amazing girlfriends from college) and be happy for a regular routine again! All smiles here!