Moments of the Day

Moments of the Day

“Perhaps we share we share stories in much the same spirit that explorers share maps, hoping to speed each others journey, but knowing the journey we make will be our own.” –Gloria Steinem

We ended our day with this quote and it forced us to reflect on the stories of the day. Here are some of the moments that stuck out to us:

            Aha!

·      We realized that we have begun to critically think about the statistics, objectives, and project outcomes of the many organizations we have visited so far in Haiti.

·      We visited the Apparent Project boutique and workshop that sells jewelry, handbags, and souvenirs that were made from recycled materials by local artisans. We learned that 60% of each item price goes to the particular artisan that made it (which is way higher than any commission we have received in the US!).

            Huh?

·      We visited the US Embassy in Haiti for a meeting with a representative from USAID to discuss the efforts that have been made in post-earthquake reconstruction in Haiti. During the presentation, the representative pointed out that USAID has built 900 homes since the earthquake (WHAT????? There was a budget that aimed to build 15,000 homes… Where are they? It has been 4 years!!).

            Ha-Ha! 

·      Before dinner, we visited a street market where paintings and wooden carvings were being sold. What an EXPERIENCE! Whoever said bargaining was easy has clearly never bargained with Haitians! We were humored by fun salesmen who wanted to sell their artwork for prices that were, of course, negotiable but were meant to get the most of their American visitors.

·      At Timkatec, a school dedicated to schooling and housing street children in Port-au-Prince, we shared some laughs with a group of graduating female students as we attempted to break down the language barrier.

            Uh-Oh!

·      While we were walking through a street clothing market, some team members became a little overwhelmed when winding through the rows and rows of second-hand clothing and Haitian workers that were speaking creole to them.

All of these moments are adding to our stories in Haiti. Whether they were “uh-ohs,” “ahas!” “huhs?” or “haha’s”, we are having a great cultural and learning experience!!! WE LOVE HAITI!! NOU RENMEN AYITI!!