Alright, I just want to apologize to everyone for not updating the blog last night........I had written everything out, and had about 1 more minute of writing when the generator turned off, and since the computer I was on has NO battery I lost EVERYTHING I wrote! Out of frustration I decided to call it a night, and give it another try in the morning....which I am doing! So, this is an update from Friday!!!
So, right after finishing my blog on Thursday night, I walked across the courtyard to my bunk and looked up at the sky!!! What a sight....the stars were so bright and beautiful. At that moment I reflected on how amazing this was.....to be in a country with such different circumstances, and yet find something we all share that is so beautiful!!
Sounds of the NIGHT (Thursday)...gecko, yet another voodoo ceremony, rooster vs. dog yelling competition, more LOUD snoring and some random very OBNOXIOUS clapping or slapping (in which I have yet to determine where it cam from)! I woke up yet again at the crack of dawn...5 am....not feeling tired at all.....how I wish it was that easy to get up during school and work!!! While the waking up has become pretty easy......getting OUT of bed, was not quite that easy. The up and down squatting from Thursday created some VERY sore legs....as well as forearms (from holding the heavy equipment)! Also......I have given myself a new nickname....Bitten Bec!!! My legs have become absolutely DESTROYED from bug bites......yesterday I counted 100 bites on my legs.....and once I reached 100 I stopped counting! They're so itching all the time.....I try creams and keep bug spray on at all times, but nothing seems to work!!! Thus....I now know what I will be bringing back home with me.....Red Bitten Legs!!!
As for the actual morning....once I was able to get on my feet, everything went pretty smoothly! Ate some breakfast (granola bars), and got ready....which was VERY easy, because today was House-Keeping day for me!! Let's just say I'm not the biggest fan of house-keeping....but it went better that I had anticipated. As I told you yesterday I had volunteered to take the housekeeping position from another girl, so that I would be able to do Plaza Playtime with the kids!!! (Side-note: After volunteering for the position, I found out I had been ASSIGNED the position on Monday....Lucky Me!!) So, for housekeeping we had to clean the dishes, kitchen, bathroom, showers, sweep, mop, change the foot baths....and WORST OF ALL.....BURN ALL THE GARBAGE!!! I'm already not a huge fan of fires....but this especially. The process goes like this: you combine all the crash barrels into as few as possible; you then put them into the back of a big attachment, and bike them over to the fire pits....not too far (but seemed forever in the heat)! At the fire pit, you use cardboard, with some gasoline, and a lighter to get the fire pit going, and then VERY SLOWLY, piece by piece you put the garbage into the pit. The reason you have to go so slow is to avoid smothering the fire (that takes forever to start)! The worst part is just standing in the heat for 30 - 40 minutes while a hot fire is going!!! And, this completes house-keeping!!!!
There are some benefits to this job.....house-keeping is on base, so you get to have the entire lunch time here...2 hours. Furthermore, house-keeping usually does not take the entire morning, so you get some R&R time. Also, while cleaning on the base you're not in the sun the entire time, so this gives you a chance to cool down a bit! This being said, during my R&R time I was able to get a little cat nap, reflect a bit....and call my sister to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! (HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY JAC-A-ROO!!!))) I also had to complete lunch dishes for the second time, seeing as how I had signed up (thinking I needed to in order to do plaza playtime.....and later learned not to be the case)! After lunch is what I had been waiting for.......
It was time for Plaza Playtime...so let me explain!!! This is a time when we volunteers get local haitian children from tent camps to come a participate in activities with us for the afternoon. Tent camps are basically a large area, in which there are tons of tents that are the homes to Haitian families who lost their homes during the quake (we are not allowed to take pictures of the tent camps). To start off the afternoon I went with one of the local (haitian) volunteers, "Oliver" to one of the tent camps to gather some children....and I have to say experienced one of the most INCREDIBLE things. When we walked into the tent camp, I was flooded with so many emotions: first feeling very out of place....I felt as though all eyes were on me, and that I didn't fit in....a very eye opening experience. As I took a few steps in I was overwhelmed by the children....a whole bunch of young kids rushed at me and gave me the BIGGEST hugs.....the MOST AMAZING, WONDERFUL experience I have ever had! They wanted me to pick them up, and hold their hands. I followed Oliver through the camp, picking up children (whose parents approved) to bring them back to the Plaza for activities. The hugs continued as we walked through the camp.....an experience I will never forget. As we walked further into camp, there were some times that I felt a little uncomfortable.....on occasion some of the men would tell Oliver to tell me that they liked me. Further challenging the situation was the lack of common language....first language in Haiti is Creole and French....2 languages I no little to non of!!! We were able to gather about 20 children from this tent and bring them back.....and as we headed back I had kids latching to my hands and arms........and I have to say this didn't bother me in the least!!
When we arrived at the Plaza for playtime, I was again greeted with hugs from the children from other tents.....and then it was time for activities. We set up stations for the kids to choose whatever they would like to do......jump roping, coloring/stickering, english lessons, reading, rest area, or playing soccer. I stationed myself at the coloring table......definitely a great choice. I had one child that I had picked up at the tent camp, who didn't let go of my hand the ENTIRE time....she had such an amazing smile, and was just so happy! She sat on my lap at the coloring station, and made several pictures......it was very interesting actually! What she wanted to do was have me draw something, and then she would attempt the same picture. She was an AMAZING drawer (at about the age of 4-5) and it was so cool to get to experience this. My drawing table was surrounded by tons of children drawing, stickering, and just getting to interact with us, as well as each other. I decided to take out my camera to capture some of these moments.....and let's say that was not hard at all!!! The minute the kids saw the camera, I was rushed by kids wanting their pictures to be taken, so I have TONS of pictures. An interesting thing to note about the children when they take pictures......when you mine photos you will notice that non of the have smiles on their faces! Well, when they take their ID/school photos they are not allowed to smile....so basically they are trained not to smile for pictures!!! It was so interesting how the children we be so happy when I decided to take their photo, and then they would go stand in front of it, and put on a serious face! They all wanted to show off their pictures that they had made. By the end of Plaza Playtime I felt like I had been the EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME!!!! By far something that will be with me for the rest of my life! If I had to say the one thing that on my end was frustrating, it would have to be my inability to communicate verbally with the children......so pointing, and facial expression was alternative means of communication.
Following Plaza Playtime came dinner (more rice), and group meeting!!! We voted on a sport to play for Friday Sport Night......Dodgeball (which I LOVE)! However, when we came to the courtyard, it had turned into a Men's Intense Basketball game....so I opted out! Instead I got to learn some new volleyball skills, from some people who had just arrived on the base!!! I enjoyed another SPECTACULAR shower...and then sometime to plan the weekend. Some people had mentioned going to different places in Haiti....and I've decided to join in!!! I will be going to Jacmel...about 3 hours away via tap tap, with 13 other volunteers. There's beaches and waterfalls....and we are going to camp out on the beach for the night! (So, I will not be blogging tonight.....I will update on Sunday night)! I'm VERY excited for this. After I arranged my plans for transportation I headed for the blog.....which was taking me forever; probably caused by the many things going on around me, and my inability to multi-task while I'm writing. One of those distractions being a Canadian girl live streaming the Vancouver v. Bruins game.......that she turned off at the end of the third period!!! This had me really distracted.....because as I'm sure many of you know, I have been anti-Bruins!!! By the time I was just about finished with the blog, the computer turned-off and I lost everything!!! While it's just a blog.....my heart dropped....I had worked so hard.....so I definitely needed some time to regroup!!!
As I headed to bed, I recruited some help from a friend to fix my mosquito net (that apparently has not been doing the trick) and then off to sleep! Probably the best nights sleep thus far....didn't wake up once during the night, and slept in until 5:45am!
Answers to Questions:
1- I forgot to stretch after Hockey....and let me tell you I definitely payed the price!!!
2 - Still working on showing the video to the group....as of right now, I've just been independently showing different volunteers interested in it.
3 - Facing forward in the tap tap has been a tremendous help...thanks becca!! I will definitely be using this advice on my 3 hour ride today.
4 - Cara and I did do separate jobs....rubbling was draining on me, so I needed to try something else out for the day!
5 - Yeah, the Plaza Playtime was a major bummer....we both signed up for dishes (because you get first choice of activities) and thus we put our names under playtime....but then they said you needed to have a half day job...b/c their were only limited spots for those who already had only morning jobs! Thus, house-keeping was a morning job so they let me keep playtime!
Alright...that's it for now! I'm sorry if I've forgotten something....just post your questions!!! Heading out for the weekend and I'll be back Sunday!!
Love,
Bec
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