melanie wright

I’m in Haiti!

melaniewright — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:24:12 +0000

Yes, I know this is nothing new, but to a large extent I have been living in a situation that is rather different from the Haiti I have formerly known. It is a different way of life here in the mountains and in my quiet little neighborhood. Today when we were driving down the road we went by a place where some people were cranking the Haitian music and at the same time I was struck by the sights and the smells and the feel of Haiti. I am in Haiti and I love it!

On top of the world!

melaniewright — Thu, 29 May 2008 02:18:21 +0000

Today, I finally went to Boutilliers, also known as the Lookout. This is one of those places that is a common “tourist” destination and most people here in Haiti are surprised when they would hear I had never been there. And today I finally went.

Boutilliers is basically a simple lookout point at the top of a mountain overlooking Port-au-Prince. There is an amazing view, and as we went on a fairly clear day we could see for miles and miles around us. (Actually, it kind of reminded me of what you would see from Google Earth.) We could see all the landmark sites in Port-au-Prince: the Presidential Palace, the airport, the UN headquarters, the slums. We could also see a ways out to sea and a long distance up the coast as well.

Because this is a place that attracts visitors, of course there were vendors there. I have, as yet, not bought anything from any of the vendors, but that does not always stop them from trying to sell me stuff. That usually does not stop them from trying to sell me stuff, no matter how many times I say that I’m not buying anything. They do lay off somewhat, though, when they learn that I have come down to Haiti for a year and that I will be the one bringing adoptive families and visitors around. (That is, in fact, why we were there today–an adoptive family was visiting and wanted to see the sights and do some shopping.) Overall it was a good experience, and I do look forward to the opportunities I will have to go back and see the view from the top.

Tap-tapping

melaniewright — Sun, 25 May 2008 02:48:07 +0000

Today I rode my very first tap-tap! A group of the volunteers wanted to go to Petionville to visit the street vendors and go to a store and do a few other random things, so I decided to join them. We waited at the tap-tap stop (there’s nothing particularly marking it as a tap-tap stop, you just kind of have to know where it is) until a tap-tap came that had enough room for all 7 of us. We climbed into the mostly enclosed back of a truck and bounced our way down the mountain. We made a few stops along the way, picking up new passengers and letting others off and a short while later we were in Petionville! Incidentally, it is always a bit interesting, or at least a little enlightening, to listen to the Haitians’ conversation when they are around a group of blan they think can’t understand Creole. After a few hours in Petionville we made our way to where the tap-taps were waiting to fill up and climbed aboard. Then we waited for more passengers and while we waited we were offered every manner of goods, from bottled pop and water to cookies and crackers to phone cards. As we did not especially want or need any of these things we tried to avoid them as best we could and wait until we took off again. Pretty soon we were headed back up the mountain and made it to our stop. The tap-taps get their name from the way people tap the back of the cab to let the driver know they need off. I had previously known that. What I didn’t know was what you did if you were all the way in the back and couldn’t reach–you simply say mesi, and someone sitting nearest the driver kindly taps on the glass for you!

By the way, the ride was a bit bumpy and a bit crowded (although not as crowded as it would have been with only Haitians because several people were ready to get on, then saw the tap-tap full of blan and decided to wait for the next one). Overall, though, I enjoyed the experience and it’s certainly a reasonable means of transportation as our trip to Petionville and back (about a 20 minute drive each way) cost less than $1.50 a person.

Flag Day

melaniewright — Mon, 19 May 2008 03:12:53 +0000

Today is Flag Day in Haiti. It’s actually quite a big deal. A bunch of us went to Petionville yesterday and there were lots of little flags for sale and big flags all over buildings. This afternoon we had a party at the Toddler House for Flag Day. All the kids got flags to wave and they had tamborines and maracas and drums and we had a parade down the street in front of the house. Then there were balloons and mass chaos and lots of fun!

pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3104&l=4fe61&id=1022368114

A Mountaintop Experience (literally!)

melaniewright — Mon, 19 May 2008 03:00:25 +0000

Today I climbed a mountain. There is a little church near the top of a mountain near us where Alex, one of the volunteers, and I went. She had been to the church on a previous trip here, and I was very excited to go with her. Now let me just say that this mountain was really a mountain! I’ve climbed a mountain or two before, but nothing like this. It was higher than anything I’ve climbed before and lacked the fancy steps they put in back home to make the path easier. This was all just dirt and rocks. Oh, and did I mention that it’s in a tropical location? So it was rather hot.

Alex and I left around 6:30 this morning to make the 2 1/2 – 3 hour climb. And the Haitians all put us to shame. I have a whole new respect for them and the lives that they live. We were passed over and over by Haitians of all ages, many of them carrying heavy loads on their heads. I was proud of myself for my one trek and they do this regularly! It was interesting to me to see the people who would “join” us on our climb. Other than one boy who openly walked and rested with us, the rest were more subtle. They would seem to be paying no attention to us, one girl almost seemed rude at one point (I later realized she probably just didn’t know how to react to us), yet would rest when we would and resume when we did. All this while maintaining a slight distance and without talking, except for a friendly farewell when our paths separated.

I cannot describe in words the beauty of the mountainside or the views we had during our climb, so I am attaching a link to some of the pictures I took: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3103&l=8faec&id=1022368114

The church service was also enjoyable. It was a conservative Baptist church, so it was much more subdued than I have been used to in Haiti, but it still had some of the Haitian culture and flavor. Alex and I were the only white people in the service, and the pastor asked one of the members to come sit with us and translate. I was pleasantly surprised, though, with how much of the sermon I understood on my own. I still have a ways to go, but my Creole is improving! After the service the pastor invited us to his house for juice and cookies. As a wealthy foreigner it is very difficult for me to accept the Haitian hospitality when I know that what I’m eating takes away from those who have so much less than I do, yet to refuse or to offer to pay them would just be insulting. They have such pride in having us in their home and in being able to serve us. So I sit and eat the food and drink the juice and pray that God blesses them for their sacrifice. I have a lot to learn from these amazing people and their humble attitude.

The rain is back!

melaniewright — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:23:54 +0000

Even though it is now officially rainy season, it hasn’t rained since the first few days after I arrived here in Haiti. Until today. I spent the morning at the Toddler House, where the older kids stay. A few minutes before I needed to leave it started to rain. Since it was a light rain and I was afraid it could turn torrential, I thought I’d go ahead and try to beat it home. It’s normally about a 15-20 minute walk downhill at a very steep grade. I learned today just what a foolish idea it is to try to walk on mountains in the rain. The road was very slick, and even though I was wearing new tennis shoes, I kept slipping repeatedly. (Luckily, I never actually fell!) I became thankful for every pothole and crack in the road as they gave me a more secure foothold. My trek downhill did coincide with that of one of the Haitians, and he was very helpful, showing me the best places and steadying me a couple of times when I slipped. He even had to take my hand a couple of times and help me through some of the worst parts of the road. It was somewhat embarassing and I felt like a stupid foreigner who couldn’t even walk as I watched other Haitians pass me going both up and down, but at least I made it back in one piece!

Who knew…

melaniewright — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:51:52 +0000

… it is so exhausting to take pictures of adorable little kids?! Well, actually, they aren’t always adorable and that’s part of the problem. Sometimes they just sit there and glare at you and you have to try to make them smile but if they’re just in a grumpy mood you’re out of luck. The past few mornings this week, I have taken pictures of the 90-some littlest kids here, age birth to around 2 1/2. That is an interesting experience in itself because they’re plenty moody or get distracted by the shiny coins that are a part of the background set. Or sometimes they play with the pirate hat they’re supposed to wear and end up putting it in front of their face instead of on their head and, really, what good is a picture when you can’t see the face?!

Then today I took pictures at the Toddler House. Slightly older kids, so they know what they’re doing more, but it’s still quite the experience. There were between 60 and 70 kids whose pictures I took this morning. I finished right around lunchtime, but it was very exhausting. Now I know. And next month I’ll be prepared. Not that there’s much I can do about it… but at least I’ll know it’s coming!

Outside the walls

melaniewright — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:39:26 +0000

Have I mentioned that I live in the mountains now? Because I do and that’s still rather strange to me, coming from the rather flat Midwest. I lived in Phoenix for a semester in college, but even though it’s surrounded by mountains, Phoenix is definitely in a valley. Now, however, I live in the mountains and anywhere I go is either up or down. Or both! Today I joined a couple of the volunteers here on a walk. We each brought a baby with us, strapped into a nifty baby carrier sling thing–yes, that is its technical name. It was so nice to get out from behind the walls and just walk around. It was warm and beautiful and nice to interact with our Haitian neighbors. We passed vendors’ stands and school kids in uniform and kids who aren’t in school and people sitting in a car just listening to the radio and palm trees and dogs and a little girl who asked to keep my baby. Haiti is an intriguing place and I look forward to taking many more walks!

Today’s Adventure

melaniewright — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:40:35 +0000

This morning I got to go to Kenscoff. I’ve actually heard that this will be a semi-regular thing for me, but for now it is new and unusual as I have only been in that area once before and that was 3 years ago as we drove through on our way elsewhere. Kenscoff is a bit further up in the mountains than we are and as it is the rainy season it is very green with grass and trees everywhere. One of the Haitian staff had business up there, so Chris–the guy who has held my position for the past 10 months and is now training me–took her up and I rode along. It is a somewhat narrow, winding mountain road. That sounds scary, but it has never bothered me, even though I tend to be scared of heights and there are rather steep drop-offs at places on this road. The view is amazing, though, in spite of the low-lying rainclouds. I’ve heard the view is even more incredible on clear days.

Anyway, we went up to the “courthouse” in Kenscoff. The building itself was quaint, reminding me of a historical site that you would visit back home from the Civil War/plantation era. While we waited for Magalie to finish her business with the judge, Chris and I walked along the mountain road and enjoyed the beauty and the friendly people we met. On our way back home we stopped at a street vendor and got lunch. For just under $3 US I got a plate full of griyo, banan pleze, patat and pickliz (fried pork, plantain, potatoes and their spicy “cole slaw”). Such good food!

I’m Moving…

melaniewright — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:08:52 +0000

… to Haiti!

Within the next month I will be moving back to Haiti to work at God’s Littlest Angels, an orphanage in the mountains above Port-au-Prince. I will be the update coordinator, which means I’ll be taking pictures of all the kids and putting together monthly updates to send to their adoptive families, as well as any number of other things that I may be asked to do as a part of the mission’s work. My commitment is for one year, although they would prefer that I stay for at least two years. As far as that goes, I shall have to wait and see how the Lord leads.

I look foward to this next adventure, and I welcome you to join me in this journey!