Day 2- 5th Anniversary of Haiti's Earthquake

Monday January 12^th,

  Today is our second day in Haiti. The surprises have just begun. I am most glad that I had very few expectations because that has enabled me to take in so much of everything that I am coming across; the food, the people the music and just the vibe in general.  We discovered today that in the most unexpected situations are the best experiences. Originally we had anticipated starting to teach English classes at GASA EPD. However, due to the anniversary of the earthquake, today was declared a memorial day and most students stayed home. This gave us the opportunity to hear from Ramel, the founder and administrator at the school. Ramel was able to share with us about how original vision for the community of Dezamn and the country as a whole. His words resonated with all of us, were challenging, provoking and memorable. One of these inspirational quotes were “education is a manner, a behavior. It is a new way of thinking and not just a degree.” In his discussion, he explained how Haiti has a plethora of individuals who have gone abroad to Ivy league schools and gotten the best educations but then cannot make any significant change in the life of Haitians. He explains that his purpose is not to send people out of their native towns but to enable and empower Haitians to gain from the opportunities and resources they have available to them here in their homeland, to take action in making positive changes through community education and elevation.

Ramel also stated “Haiti needs actors that can change possibility into opportunity.” We have already seen the abundant possibilities, wealth and potential that lie here and his words helped us reflect on what might be disconnected between those resources and the current state of the country. Real change requires those willing to take on a hard, long journey full of challenges. Ramel is one of those actors who is truly creating opportunities through GASA EPD. He shared, “If I am giving my life to anything, I’m giving it to my community.” To be able to share in just a small part of his vision this week is nothing short of inspiring.

Today we were also able to connect with, reflect on and see the beauties that the country has to offer. In light of the 5th anniversary, this may contrast with what others are sharing. Yet we feel we are beginning to know that there is much more to Haiti. We went on an incredible river walk to caves through the lush Artibonite valley. This gave us a different view and story of Haiti than what is in international media. We are continuing to pay attention to what we are experiencing in order to form our own, true stories of Haiti and to erase the single stories that we have known thus far.

-Andrea & Courtney