tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52099222886015746492024-03-14T04:13:12.247-07:00Higgins' Haitian HiatusMariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-77091853817661888982008-09-21T21:34:00.000-07:002008-09-21T22:01:16.846-07:00Immediate Hurricane Help!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU8l_G-Qa0J7tgVZ_pyDdAHv33ZQ9i2JXtXSQnCEfG5FKDWqd0DGLXKealECDVh3c2XQF6ElZqXlY9gaZJzt6YXy0MVhqtOcUbL47MpxyeleiF6LgB9yF8dgCzbYRf3USaWeAuBvDMa9l/s1600-h/DSCN2612.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU8l_G-Qa0J7tgVZ_pyDdAHv33ZQ9i2JXtXSQnCEfG5FKDWqd0DGLXKealECDVh3c2XQF6ElZqXlY9gaZJzt6YXy0MVhqtOcUbL47MpxyeleiF6LgB9yF8dgCzbYRf3USaWeAuBvDMa9l/s320/DSCN2612.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248705100891658450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZvdOwy5AK6bwtzwHLgPS_Tm0ZZMdLqeRoU0vFxneFTvtlgHgVvhE35UyQsb4LqozyGfS-Wrsb60RDnICphpjb2XKm4_c8brtIEqh_TyhOu1QVtgucaj5T55BiewXImycLDREIyTnx4x7/s1600-h/DSCN2607.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZvdOwy5AK6bwtzwHLgPS_Tm0ZZMdLqeRoU0vFxneFTvtlgHgVvhE35UyQsb4LqozyGfS-Wrsb60RDnICphpjb2XKm4_c8brtIEqh_TyhOu1QVtgucaj5T55BiewXImycLDREIyTnx4x7/s320/DSCN2607.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248705109426290786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3PTLyZfoIcRw9cjL8FQVrkbEz62TSh7W4PBcHvaQmKegdJ9rQ7lr8ybG3Yss95zDXD6lCGC2ulVx63tFQ7mGq1RoTqBBKHTgB8MZz1G9mhoHITlBrOonLyxhoKbn6hQDog63A_HGwxrm/s1600-h/DSCN2372.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3PTLyZfoIcRw9cjL8FQVrkbEz62TSh7W4PBcHvaQmKegdJ9rQ7lr8ybG3Yss95zDXD6lCGC2ulVx63tFQ7mGq1RoTqBBKHTgB8MZz1G9mhoHITlBrOonLyxhoKbn6hQDog63A_HGwxrm/s320/DSCN2372.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248705110331132626" /></a><br />Hello and Bonjou,<br /><br />Dear friends and family we have finally heard from the village of Matenwa on Lagonav, Haiti. The mountain top community has been devastated by the succession of violent hurricanes.<br /><br />In the sixteen years we’ve known and been involved with Chris and the Matenwa Community School there, we have never received such bad news or such an outright appeal for immediate aid.<br /><br />Abner, the principal and co-founder of the school fears children will soon die without food aid. While we were there this summer we witnessed many children eating every other day or if they went to school, the meal they were served there at lunch was the only food they had had that day. As you can imagine these kiddos have very little reserves. <br /><br />Fortunately the infrastructure of the school is sound, they are still able to cook and serve food but the cost of procuring food (mostly rice and beans) is extremely high. Fifteen dollars will feed a child breakfast three times a week for a month.<br /><br />Thirty-nine of the poorest families have had all or part of their homes wash away. Food crops, already scarce have washed away, as well as many of their precious goats and chickens. Five hundred dollars will rebuild a room on a home.<br /><br />We still have some of the incredible embroidered artwork and gorgeous silk batik scarves of the Women’s Artist Collective of Matenwa. We would be happy to hook you up with tangible evidence of the creativity, resiliency, power and love that these people put out into the world.<br /><br />Max is launching a bake sale and presentations at his school. Please log onto our travel blog website for more information about our trip to and about Matenwa. There are many photos of our strong, kind, generous friends there.<br /><br />I realize you may be besieged with constant pleas for assistance from many deserving venues. Please disregard this message if you are at all uncomfortable with our direct asking for monetary help. We have built relationships with the children and families of Matenwa, Haiti just as we have in Portland, Oregon. We only hope to be bridges of education, respect and friendship. Thank you, sincerely, for your consideration.<br /><br />Peace,<br /><br />Mariam Higgins<br /><br />mariamhiggins@blogspot.com<br /><br />maxshiatianhiatus@blogspot.com<br /><br />Please feel free to give generously directly to the Matenwa Community through Beyond Borders:<br /><br /> <br />On-line at www.BeyondBorders.net <http://www.beyondborders.net/> - scroll to the yellow "DONATE" box on the home page and make a credit card donation. <br />In order to direct your donation to Matènwa scroll to: Please let us know where to direct your gift and click on Matènwa Learning Ctr (school) or Matènwa Learning Ctr (Breakfast). <br />By mail to: Beyond Borders/MCLC , Box 2132, Norristown, PA 19404. <br />Your check should be made to: "Beyond Borders/MCLC"<br />15 dollars feeds a child breakfast 3 times a week for a month. 500 will rebuild one room of a house.<br /> <br />Thank you for your generosity at this time of exceptional need.<br /> <br />Christine W. Low<br />Abner Sauveur<br />Co-Directors, MCLC<br />www.matenwaclc.org <http://www.matenwaclc.org/> <br />617 543 8844<br />Please contact me if you would like to do a service learning project at your school.<br />Please consider sending this note on to your friends.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-25996230103692488302008-07-31T09:00:00.000-07:002008-07-31T09:14:35.007-07:00Embroidery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO27XxqgCF_RSdMEiYjpf8DnCGIKvtggOLjjP3UmJCChkfYluR7Hap2B9bzOMPLCawxmlf4U2YSoOpO_k_r_CjgXOFn_f7-0gl76NJZmMn5frbSc69wL6DtyfGoyEdOBe-jTeBZZHq5oXp/s1600-h/DSCN3143.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO27XxqgCF_RSdMEiYjpf8DnCGIKvtggOLjjP3UmJCChkfYluR7Hap2B9bzOMPLCawxmlf4U2YSoOpO_k_r_CjgXOFn_f7-0gl76NJZmMn5frbSc69wL6DtyfGoyEdOBe-jTeBZZHq5oXp/s320/DSCN3143.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229212183153167106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eN4LEBFO8LbToZFyB7ahBSXjxPDcHOW1ZSe7iP1yUHuENngULtPtkJOYJMfJOftgStxqgrpYQHHh4xGeLvr9bKroiczqdG3pQobrHj1P3e66AqM_RQ1vucpNLH16ET7kV9J-sQqAI8G5/s1600-h/DSCN3128.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eN4LEBFO8LbToZFyB7ahBSXjxPDcHOW1ZSe7iP1yUHuENngULtPtkJOYJMfJOftgStxqgrpYQHHh4xGeLvr9bKroiczqdG3pQobrHj1P3e66AqM_RQ1vucpNLH16ET7kV9J-sQqAI8G5/s320/DSCN3128.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229212184140470482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3QALIpvQ2GunapAIyRdzzzYnUXKx1YjR5INAPmNIJe6v07QC2RHDt53bS_YnkEcsa5dkYA1JTF8OIz-g6I0bgojoRQm3wDk8Y4qtKZjP-pQnl49xigr_UZFrYOpqM1zLbIH8_A6s6hw3/s1600-h/DSCN3129.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3QALIpvQ2GunapAIyRdzzzYnUXKx1YjR5INAPmNIJe6v07QC2RHDt53bS_YnkEcsa5dkYA1JTF8OIz-g6I0bgojoRQm3wDk8Y4qtKZjP-pQnl49xigr_UZFrYOpqM1zLbIH8_A6s6hw3/s320/DSCN3129.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229212188816788546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CqxZwDtu_e6LE9P_9UyTTzc5BDktbnU9LpoQtIhEbYdw6AHcdy0n_nvKjhsoGX3xW46PYbfEQ-wsNvAN3qyfcJmfwYzFa9Rq0yO8FP6q3GEP1LA1ciNP6jtNH52I4ARMMY7MTeN53dPp/s1600-h/DSCN3145.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CqxZwDtu_e6LE9P_9UyTTzc5BDktbnU9LpoQtIhEbYdw6AHcdy0n_nvKjhsoGX3xW46PYbfEQ-wsNvAN3qyfcJmfwYzFa9Rq0yO8FP6q3GEP1LA1ciNP6jtNH52I4ARMMY7MTeN53dPp/s320/DSCN3145.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229212189024490930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOFlvpmdfFJ1NY1dx4Y_WJlUgwRBI85K9d5bw5jiF_hci2aYqJSElrQgzIqsqVgzTJ4X2kNV_Z50KKVHpX9pLRfgUfcX6XSi2Yp_KyOrS5lTvY3AfLQH21xYeGVh7QDiTzDUWncfS9D_m/s1600-h/DSCN3127.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOFlvpmdfFJ1NY1dx4Y_WJlUgwRBI85K9d5bw5jiF_hci2aYqJSElrQgzIqsqVgzTJ4X2kNV_Z50KKVHpX9pLRfgUfcX6XSi2Yp_KyOrS5lTvY3AfLQH21xYeGVh7QDiTzDUWncfS9D_m/s320/DSCN3127.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229212188970513474" /></a><br /><br />The images in the embroidery are vibrant renderings that depict the animals, lore, and lives of the people that live on the island of laGonav.<br /><br />If you'd like to purchase artwork or simply contribute to the Women's Art Centre, Courageous Women Theatre Group or the Matenwa Community School for Development please contact me or go the the school's website to connect with Chris Low directly.<br /><br />www.matenwa.org<br /><br />Again, the youtube video really captures the spirit here as well.<br /><br />www.youtube.com (search Matenwa)Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-85261664526021651832008-07-31T08:34:00.000-07:002008-07-31T08:51:08.460-07:00Art Centre and Work<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqz_nH_YYqNJLhB57sR5lT0NW4l-dWDfb0-D-nUdAPQAjbCoHsT_t2mPOrni9vyTQLfAo6lIaWoymVrW3PZ0uoOR1VX2d1e6HjXQJ2eFG3qHRuW0ixcIvGfGRmHSd48MkBmdL99HmbzqHi/s1600-h/DSCN3161.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqz_nH_YYqNJLhB57sR5lT0NW4l-dWDfb0-D-nUdAPQAjbCoHsT_t2mPOrni9vyTQLfAo6lIaWoymVrW3PZ0uoOR1VX2d1e6HjXQJ2eFG3qHRuW0ixcIvGfGRmHSd48MkBmdL99HmbzqHi/s320/DSCN3161.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229206090890776306" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin84Vmpq7Put76gaoHTFe2waEnxsTg2l8BA4rZxdoh8HzOesRI_OjxYtixrUzIXaZJPqlIiGuk9ATsFvwp7sGg6PQG8zpqlbYQzNO7sGUdqPHkRgleVOK44XBcd6g4Cup3S-NofG4zk-di/s1600-h/DSCN3149.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin84Vmpq7Put76gaoHTFe2waEnxsTg2l8BA4rZxdoh8HzOesRI_OjxYtixrUzIXaZJPqlIiGuk9ATsFvwp7sGg6PQG8zpqlbYQzNO7sGUdqPHkRgleVOK44XBcd6g4Cup3S-NofG4zk-di/s320/DSCN3149.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229206091387036114" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTKVknQZ0oBjWzdDnzauSPG1d1YAjSQll6DG_hXq0JmMcfGsqpNF2SjPwHJPoJEgqUgaUD36Hy2sXG-ICDohdPZ3nk2JZ7fkm_Ymh6bQoyoR6n9t3arHYu6glx9BAjcRqmMjl00PSu449/s1600-h/DSCN3146.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTKVknQZ0oBjWzdDnzauSPG1d1YAjSQll6DG_hXq0JmMcfGsqpNF2SjPwHJPoJEgqUgaUD36Hy2sXG-ICDohdPZ3nk2JZ7fkm_Ymh6bQoyoR6n9t3arHYu6glx9BAjcRqmMjl00PSu449/s320/DSCN3146.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229206091496426242" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHJrJBS_N6C8jPySSdhUX1F74qV07wI_4dkSBwv0amzaHHtpsokoZ9tfqgssCCuOVezFpwR3o1Q_xfsnycpv4dbVn0BxsG3JkvDDFpOl4NQiiHd8TD0kwgJlTk462XGOS3MlictAWKpnR/s1600-h/DSCN3154.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHJrJBS_N6C8jPySSdhUX1F74qV07wI_4dkSBwv0amzaHHtpsokoZ9tfqgssCCuOVezFpwR3o1Q_xfsnycpv4dbVn0BxsG3JkvDDFpOl4NQiiHd8TD0kwgJlTk462XGOS3MlictAWKpnR/s320/DSCN3154.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229206099688251538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZivyZVmtDoMvw-SnOETZYWTJTUuqeTLIB1sDrMfgTa_U1_AXr6GxZPgAMQ-PQ7QmE3vJ1kdHu1pyJvu6EzzIVtnQhbvqlJ7nJScaphyJToaBd7ChAHOSdP1rDPEK0RVupOxf1HRjmDqEt/s1600-h/DSCN3177.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZivyZVmtDoMvw-SnOETZYWTJTUuqeTLIB1sDrMfgTa_U1_AXr6GxZPgAMQ-PQ7QmE3vJ1kdHu1pyJvu6EzzIVtnQhbvqlJ7nJScaphyJToaBd7ChAHOSdP1rDPEK0RVupOxf1HRjmDqEt/s320/DSCN3177.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229206095751580642" /></a><br />This building was skillfully built by the wise, calm, capable hands of Boloslo. There is a picture here of him holding one of his six daughters. He is also the area's bone setter, gently working to set the broken bones of people, as well as all animals. He is a master craftsman and gentle, kind soul.<br /><br />He, as well as any men, are welcome to attend the meetings and productions of the Women's Art Centre. Abner Saveur, the head or principal, of the Matenwa School was also a regular here.<br /><br />There are two rooms above the studios that house visiting artists, educators from around the world.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-25993298615932663332008-07-31T08:00:00.000-07:002008-07-31T08:33:57.282-07:00Art Centre and Work<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgJ7yROjtjoTHTSxnJQFB168aQsHVAWjEydPhxAO-HZoy6doGvJVxAMDO24nRwO-rZ4yXFbq3j_RCK8_VcZKKKBgwfeRuOZLex35i9tOILfcr39vm9GDCGgvgGEjneMY_Vz634VGgPDfE/s1600-h/DSCN2550.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgJ7yROjtjoTHTSxnJQFB168aQsHVAWjEydPhxAO-HZoy6doGvJVxAMDO24nRwO-rZ4yXFbq3j_RCK8_VcZKKKBgwfeRuOZLex35i9tOILfcr39vm9GDCGgvgGEjneMY_Vz634VGgPDfE/s320/DSCN2550.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229201787656737986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ08CprWzE_hqR1v708rNT-Ng414XF9QcV0nazny5kBHnL5KIJrB2tnVBx91-KySbB2U0O52fxg1zGtn3alE6MJwGHEGFfBxyN-acmExl1mALu6zsQmHHjW4i7mQBFbiDsKIzdxmfnVEgE/s1600-h/DSCN2551.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ08CprWzE_hqR1v708rNT-Ng414XF9QcV0nazny5kBHnL5KIJrB2tnVBx91-KySbB2U0O52fxg1zGtn3alE6MJwGHEGFfBxyN-acmExl1mALu6zsQmHHjW4i7mQBFbiDsKIzdxmfnVEgE/s320/DSCN2551.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229201789729456082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7uLfLUW4OE1ISZMOu2LJzu4TtoARLJV8mU78OoGBUWODppUTOp0tfrbHPZBPTDYnwEfsPOBNKhhvqynWYgpJ9_KgVcoKnnnE3OjVbO5eUc1ULB6QwPYauTZchymI5Hl2N1z9qyIBaxDL/s1600-h/DSCN2552.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7uLfLUW4OE1ISZMOu2LJzu4TtoARLJV8mU78OoGBUWODppUTOp0tfrbHPZBPTDYnwEfsPOBNKhhvqynWYgpJ9_KgVcoKnnnE3OjVbO5eUc1ULB6QwPYauTZchymI5Hl2N1z9qyIBaxDL/s320/DSCN2552.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229201795418809810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76ucgIl_y0a7cKszixz9kimcSG88xZzUE4NexfZDboQwkiNGkeFFZXV3u4DvdwRFF-091QYoJTR6rrIkxfAkEM-Pt7QSidi8bH9I2rlF652M57tA61fCZKIlvsrnWjGXr5GH2NO3fwpwl/s1600-h/DSCN2557.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76ucgIl_y0a7cKszixz9kimcSG88xZzUE4NexfZDboQwkiNGkeFFZXV3u4DvdwRFF-091QYoJTR6rrIkxfAkEM-Pt7QSidi8bH9I2rlF652M57tA61fCZKIlvsrnWjGXr5GH2NO3fwpwl/s320/DSCN2557.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229201795284747570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A7LG9rwHCfbKn_frvprE5VbvxOLTmTvLKSOdX0Ys6RY4WP4cT2pLKvJ4bca2IYLz_cfY7PVj_4Vm7AqiByXRFw6oljml0wCegAtyy2F95ElfpIvU-d2mN9Ti2SvRewdtxlsh11Aq4j2y/s1600-h/DSCN2558.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A7LG9rwHCfbKn_frvprE5VbvxOLTmTvLKSOdX0Ys6RY4WP4cT2pLKvJ4bca2IYLz_cfY7PVj_4Vm7AqiByXRFw6oljml0wCegAtyy2F95ElfpIvU-d2mN9Ti2SvRewdtxlsh11Aq4j2y/s320/DSCN2558.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229201798366302098" /></a><br /><br />A fifteen minute walk through cornfields and past the yummy kanape tree the winding path opens up to the colorful women's art centre. It was founded as a venue for local women to create artwork, thus generating self-sustaining income for themselves and their families. Traditionally, men work outside the home leaving little recourse or livelihood, for women and their children, who do not have a (reliable or employed) man in their lives.<br /><br />The art centre got off the ground with collaborative assistance from Ellen LeBow, artist and educator. When we visited last, six years ago women were painting large silk scarves with designs indigenous to the region, animals, mermaids, plants, birds. The production back then took place on Chris' back porch. Whenever these women come together to make art, meet, practice or perform, they sing a powerful, moving, self-written song of strength, endurance, thankfulness and love.<br /><br />This new, gorgeous, spacious centre houses a music room where guitar playing is taught and composed, songs are written and sung and theatre practiced. Another room functions as the basis of the spectacular scarf making. While we were there we watched, fascinated as huge silk banners commissioned by Vassar College were gracefully completed.<br /><br />The next building has two airy rooms where the detailed and well-crafted embroidery work is done. Haitian sequined 'flags' are probably the most well-known of this islands' art. The intricate beading and minute stitching are sparkly masterpieces.<br /><br />Our host mother, Josyen, heads the embroidery group, teaching and keeping accounts. We were thrilled to be able to bring back to the states the embroidery work that was finished to send on to a gallery in Boston. I'm finishing up some basting and ironing and will send them off next week. <br /><br />I've been in touch with the gallery owner and she's allowed that we could purchase what we'd like and send her the rest. If you see something you'd like to own, directly supporting the women of Matenwa, in these photos or want to stop by and take a look at the whole collection please give me a call, soon!Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-44177245057346371922008-07-30T17:12:00.000-07:002008-07-30T17:23:11.965-07:00Social Justice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oGBR1e230etPSME3mBG6MaahW6mGrjvCsQ5Qrx5UBnHXdCSiqqdoHVHT4O4KerLG-jT1r1Ho7BXoYrP0LTK-C80UNIoAJDSjEsAsOc-j1_lXPtrMW8Vpxw_xPbO7pNjPs4Xy6Hxj-x4E/s1600-h/DSCN2434.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oGBR1e230etPSME3mBG6MaahW6mGrjvCsQ5Qrx5UBnHXdCSiqqdoHVHT4O4KerLG-jT1r1Ho7BXoYrP0LTK-C80UNIoAJDSjEsAsOc-j1_lXPtrMW8Vpxw_xPbO7pNjPs4Xy6Hxj-x4E/s320/DSCN2434.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228967052343822754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBENunGx9dzXyLpYYQYVZ5OocZohIIuhsCnG7QwtTfi0fPlYWUC1kdA0F7U0wv3pHWjtuLtipVFJOlbd355652Dq0BDpclRTDvWrwLwVRJQhXnmGAwgmxYd13FG9DBEMmO6Q7iQ2uhsJBg/s1600-h/DSCN2541.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBENunGx9dzXyLpYYQYVZ5OocZohIIuhsCnG7QwtTfi0fPlYWUC1kdA0F7U0wv3pHWjtuLtipVFJOlbd355652Dq0BDpclRTDvWrwLwVRJQhXnmGAwgmxYd13FG9DBEMmO6Q7iQ2uhsJBg/s320/DSCN2541.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228967055437771730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OiT3ojJFmo2e8ROd5me-1K58cMQU0IYaaHEvT7yaSUH9v1Pioz5fw_1LYKXC_zFQcMrkrHHXZWvS7_4tyoAWqyyEpCLgV198h8A7lqj3JIV88cxbLvWWL1hY-gEUKbttbklaXfY8TuX0/s1600-h/DSCN2366.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OiT3ojJFmo2e8ROd5me-1K58cMQU0IYaaHEvT7yaSUH9v1Pioz5fw_1LYKXC_zFQcMrkrHHXZWvS7_4tyoAWqyyEpCLgV198h8A7lqj3JIV88cxbLvWWL1hY-gEUKbttbklaXfY8TuX0/s320/DSCN2366.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228967060723085442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPeULe31ICRXLcFVbMklkDzTvkxD59yPUdDCBLvILrzefhgAuQ6uMA5iSKsU4jLJQiOE52xApDk97vhnJOY4Ik65XJ8Oq7ZDUwGe4VAkatWeIJPoVWXCtzK1sfxhh5FeDx3_GPga5TmB-/s1600-h/DSCN3246.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPeULe31ICRXLcFVbMklkDzTvkxD59yPUdDCBLvILrzefhgAuQ6uMA5iSKsU4jLJQiOE52xApDk97vhnJOY4Ik65XJ8Oq7ZDUwGe4VAkatWeIJPoVWXCtzK1sfxhh5FeDx3_GPga5TmB-/s320/DSCN3246.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228967064418851826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeK7LsrWCqUW1ilocpdhbK4BNkf5JVRX6nqyxq1iC9_0Zi61oeFukwurL4l1p4wWl3MukmIpttIZ0Rl19ZtV5-QQCOfgtRCJh4QQTFclvusLjYg96omjY7XXnQj_h6UZIr3VPua_JUAYp/s1600-h/DSCN3170.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeK7LsrWCqUW1ilocpdhbK4BNkf5JVRX6nqyxq1iC9_0Zi61oeFukwurL4l1p4wWl3MukmIpttIZ0Rl19ZtV5-QQCOfgtRCJh4QQTFclvusLjYg96omjY7XXnQj_h6UZIr3VPua_JUAYp/s320/DSCN3170.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228967065347581474" /></a><br /><br />Our arms and aim are a little better with regular throwing practice. Rock throwing is a very useful skill. One uses it to seek revenge at night, knock down yummy fruit, keep a creepy dog away, crush a tarantula (sorry, just can’t put up with them watching me from inches away while using the latrine) and regularly amuse youngsters with our (my) ineptness. <br /><br />On another note, we heard an anecdote about how the culture of the community has changed since kids started school at Lekol Komunite Matenwa. A neighboring family would discipline their small children by throwing rocks at them, which unfortunately wasn’t uncommon. After her kids have been going to school for several years, she now brags how if her daughters don’t go to the market to buy the soap she needs, she leaves just their laundry unwashed. Natural consequences and non-physical punishment are the norm here now. Parents and students learn and teach about human rights here in Matenwa, and very specifically that children have the same rights as adults. Social justice is intrinsic in everything this school community does.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-41851708641382751122008-07-30T17:11:00.000-07:002008-07-30T17:12:41.179-07:00Swimming Superstition and FactOn our way to Grand Sous, we would dutifully greet every passerby and household with the requisite, singsong, BONJOU! When folks stopped to talk to us and found out we were going to Grand Sous, they would issue dire warnings, tell us their heads hurt and hearts would stop if we went on, because they would be worried sick about us. “Only put your feet in, please!” urged the well-meaning grannies. “The water is deeper than the banyan trees high” “The current is strong like hurricane!” protested the old uncles. Several months ago, a boy died there, struck by another high jumping youth who cracked his head open, horribly, their heads hit under the murky water. The local superstition that it was somehow cursed and our extreme caution, absolutely no current, coupled with our ability to swim well, created a place where we had a little paradise, mostly to ourselves.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-47887376895209993782008-07-30T17:02:00.000-07:002008-07-30T17:09:43.044-07:00Valencia and friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-zFPMM9MlwDEDnSqFuGnhLvukbs6keKX7N-5UmtEkWyvrYPiHRczgNA1tlX0pO168SmgCf6leo_S1FPet8j8e9FtVM4m3gta0LxE23nsnE_9aS1dnsPbLbhCAaSTrU9m5gqnrZ-h5C7F/s1600-h/DSCN2523.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-zFPMM9MlwDEDnSqFuGnhLvukbs6keKX7N-5UmtEkWyvrYPiHRczgNA1tlX0pO168SmgCf6leo_S1FPet8j8e9FtVM4m3gta0LxE23nsnE_9aS1dnsPbLbhCAaSTrU9m5gqnrZ-h5C7F/s320/DSCN2523.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228963636994056370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhow1QzLoYsqcP5znvMCBg3eb7Ff1-CRT55UHCcz8sfqKyxdpenzFq-JSf96UreGWuFoWhPxrXDZ0jVH55g0C1ZW_-tjNXU7jqHpnei-n6I2of6d8gP5l2QNzMMG3b2Ddw1uj8LoRTdZYIU/s1600-h/DSCN2437.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhow1QzLoYsqcP5znvMCBg3eb7Ff1-CRT55UHCcz8sfqKyxdpenzFq-JSf96UreGWuFoWhPxrXDZ0jVH55g0C1ZW_-tjNXU7jqHpnei-n6I2of6d8gP5l2QNzMMG3b2Ddw1uj8LoRTdZYIU/s320/DSCN2437.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228963641618022162" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVXXl3A7zZ7Nxv1H3ns-bgRulL2cCSt8jB1_AIKwvNboGzmNC0FdTXv_ZXItxsbL7vk41Jcim3znzSz07O6IyDVqo2yMmK8VE_-D5nFE9dxUEcPPedStZrsWIGJV7nxAcfygdTaJXj6Bd/s1600-h/DSCN2470.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVXXl3A7zZ7Nxv1H3ns-bgRulL2cCSt8jB1_AIKwvNboGzmNC0FdTXv_ZXItxsbL7vk41Jcim3znzSz07O6IyDVqo2yMmK8VE_-D5nFE9dxUEcPPedStZrsWIGJV7nxAcfygdTaJXj6Bd/s320/DSCN2470.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228963641272911378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetanOmTvQ7eMzJIQt5addQYoyDpn9FW7azyGQADt0zzM7fO6Dc2bLnMfk2wA1_dDtCpr-eYSiwnXUa7NiAmzuekI8Et1e-4_XRQzHvFm7ZxHVihx2w81K0lx13JHItAEKu77yaO59Xt2n/s1600-h/DSCN2522.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetanOmTvQ7eMzJIQt5addQYoyDpn9FW7azyGQADt0zzM7fO6Dc2bLnMfk2wA1_dDtCpr-eYSiwnXUa7NiAmzuekI8Et1e-4_XRQzHvFm7ZxHVihx2w81K0lx13JHItAEKu77yaO59Xt2n/s320/DSCN2522.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228963645332264114" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2lpL7wgfSIUCRiD8oneCMdGB-L2M5S7BM44FchpLhkIDEwGdAU6L3dpfpOdF5i-EhNgnXLD2E6KrKtejSctAdQg5w_vsdZnhf-ZyuV_FnvLzwZ1s4CzGHWcngUYg9qyZe87VTQrFpbvi/s1600-h/DSCN2391.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2lpL7wgfSIUCRiD8oneCMdGB-L2M5S7BM44FchpLhkIDEwGdAU6L3dpfpOdF5i-EhNgnXLD2E6KrKtejSctAdQg5w_vsdZnhf-ZyuV_FnvLzwZ1s4CzGHWcngUYg9qyZe87VTQrFpbvi/s320/DSCN2391.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228963653323518018" /></a><br />Valencia, Libne’s thirteen year old sister is Matenwa’s ‘foutbal’ star. Like many girls of Matenwa, she participates in the daily foutbal games and practices but she is the only girl to play with the teenage boys’ team. She is ferociously outstanding. As we went to market with her one day she explained all the trees we passed and plants, opening up a whole new scenery to us. We went swimming with her, which was a riot, as she didn’t know how to swim but was very, very eager to learn. There is a saying here that Haitians don’t swim if they can’t see the bottom. Most people have never swum before. Of course, Valencia gleefully plunged in (with a life jacket) and within the hour was trying to dive. When she swam at you or laughed, she did it powerfully and with abandon!Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-28014412633607769092008-07-30T16:38:00.000-07:002008-07-30T17:02:18.200-07:00More Grand Sous<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPt5qwvXPYQsh_LTlm-5AzLBRQp_mCivcJGxU8IfcHl0kiN2wGKOGAY-ecrBeYO090TIpIGEUeqSnFVIwlV2VyFY7qYRCe74e9ub2FIapkIHkI9B7n2vjvM88yelIiTtXvudCITjivVbEx/s1600-h/DSCN3287.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPt5qwvXPYQsh_LTlm-5AzLBRQp_mCivcJGxU8IfcHl0kiN2wGKOGAY-ecrBeYO090TIpIGEUeqSnFVIwlV2VyFY7qYRCe74e9ub2FIapkIHkI9B7n2vjvM88yelIiTtXvudCITjivVbEx/s320/DSCN3287.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228961629926872994" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0sdzlHgJlXBgsJ09RGFfafw9Q41vyMCk0WyVrTk82-HaMsA3VanAf82utyY94aH5ATCFQHrDa-kY02g0zQAbbHKhoS8v0jx6c9zR9irr923hEgzEw5cVQu_vapf1_LIKdp_vnTIotzt6/s1600-h/DSCN3280.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0sdzlHgJlXBgsJ09RGFfafw9Q41vyMCk0WyVrTk82-HaMsA3VanAf82utyY94aH5ATCFQHrDa-kY02g0zQAbbHKhoS8v0jx6c9zR9irr923hEgzEw5cVQu_vapf1_LIKdp_vnTIotzt6/s320/DSCN3280.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228961628377832354" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWU3pmAmGYLXytFitoCLRlF6v7CPUlroJ8qpydq1k5VmRtktiXJNrxhe0My3vOzzdqppm-mOheUbOu_sdVPKLNMb6VFnXM9jwcHDFNU1RwKNVpYWLw8fMoocKUGb0FW92sBftvOMxh5gi/s1600-h/DSCN3284.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWU3pmAmGYLXytFitoCLRlF6v7CPUlroJ8qpydq1k5VmRtktiXJNrxhe0My3vOzzdqppm-mOheUbOu_sdVPKLNMb6VFnXM9jwcHDFNU1RwKNVpYWLw8fMoocKUGb0FW92sBftvOMxh5gi/s320/DSCN3284.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228961626118151602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIz1B5FWneudZDuPBOPGwYC2IkeFcugex-bx5d3GGDqSKNsQpm9ESs-MSUlJUW4PSqd7e6cWqCrSM1P-qed3njU-bK8Ibwzlqd7UIf53YDSHpfh0i3A-I9x6Ch3qsZ4w4ZtBb8I2NTNu8B/s1600-h/DSCN3295.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIz1B5FWneudZDuPBOPGwYC2IkeFcugex-bx5d3GGDqSKNsQpm9ESs-MSUlJUW4PSqd7e6cWqCrSM1P-qed3njU-bK8Ibwzlqd7UIf53YDSHpfh0i3A-I9x6Ch3qsZ4w4ZtBb8I2NTNu8B/s320/DSCN3295.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228961633742530178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpigXE_K6PDwZ2DNh_TbmQT4SyLSz4hAwyYu6mWdU0ZsO2oRaGJ7Sobnn7BY9sgjmMRM-sf2cNxarvvOvo_Elpqm4gSezHYiT2cs1ASlmm2z41Wu2dPahWD1umeRbgGP_9eoaakxQ5awhw/s1600-h/DSCN2456.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpigXE_K6PDwZ2DNh_TbmQT4SyLSz4hAwyYu6mWdU0ZsO2oRaGJ7Sobnn7BY9sgjmMRM-sf2cNxarvvOvo_Elpqm4gSezHYiT2cs1ASlmm2z41Wu2dPahWD1umeRbgGP_9eoaakxQ5awhw/s320/DSCN2456.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228961641709947266" /></a><br />On our way to Grand Sous, we would dutifully greet every passerby and household with the requisite, singsong, BONJOU! When folks stopped to talk to us and found out we were going to Grand Sous, they would issue dire warnings, tell us their heads hurt and hearts would stop if we went on, because they would be worried sick about us. “Only put your feet in, please!” urged the well-meaning grannies. “The water is deeper than the banyan trees high” “The current is strong like hurricane!” protested the old uncles. Several months ago, a boy died there, struck by another high jumping youth who cracked his head open, horribly, their heads hit under the murky water. The local superstition that it was somehow cursed and our extreme caution, absolutely no current, coupled with our ability to swim well, created a place where we had a little paradise, mostly to ourselves.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-13901986409345222492008-07-30T15:58:00.000-07:002008-07-30T16:36:53.174-07:00Grand Sous<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3zzdtL2C40m3d0PZYUMGH-CZdgluqle04O_HCi0XSxEw-kWP8-lcX3Uq__rbRhqUvMk6cEusIbJJ2L5H5zPKfHES5MtadkkufuYTNr6V5zf455wD9y8kit__CWl2rnCSk8gyCuFbYtgQ/s1600-h/DSCN2450.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3zzdtL2C40m3d0PZYUMGH-CZdgluqle04O_HCi0XSxEw-kWP8-lcX3Uq__rbRhqUvMk6cEusIbJJ2L5H5zPKfHES5MtadkkufuYTNr6V5zf455wD9y8kit__CWl2rnCSk8gyCuFbYtgQ/s320/DSCN2450.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228955031506098786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxphOdiWdtUY61RvFhfbFlSZv3BPdlz-0LFuYVUnmITzTmEVtvDOtIXT21CzV-w2JZhbrNEwDiguG2VKS9oR8Mp7RgtS6LOy3m2YLvt7uYNQ0yfrzpk4llCVPECLl7Lxam3swkVUQD-e3i/s1600-h/DSCN2455.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxphOdiWdtUY61RvFhfbFlSZv3BPdlz-0LFuYVUnmITzTmEVtvDOtIXT21CzV-w2JZhbrNEwDiguG2VKS9oR8Mp7RgtS6LOy3m2YLvt7uYNQ0yfrzpk4llCVPECLl7Lxam3swkVUQD-e3i/s320/DSCN2455.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228955037273936818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibklOMEaB7WEmKSXuckJAWhwCSKewHDLALylU8JqZ2Za2kxF2w7XBL5RC0EeyoN2wJoCqfq5uHKe_uxpir9D1BsQC6CSCz9kRx2cuL-PPrQZqnI_5SsHcg6lT8W64lVyhPydHkBOxHwpT2/s1600-h/DSCN2526.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibklOMEaB7WEmKSXuckJAWhwCSKewHDLALylU8JqZ2Za2kxF2w7XBL5RC0EeyoN2wJoCqfq5uHKe_uxpir9D1BsQC6CSCz9kRx2cuL-PPrQZqnI_5SsHcg6lT8W64lVyhPydHkBOxHwpT2/s320/DSCN2526.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228955039191159714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NKYkZ7gBXOEmIX_XkzbY5L7dYf6z5hFwBvz5fYFbnPjZqb2EW8bkMzWLd-4jGWE4apKQLI1xy3_FbQe0LPx2vQaFW6oyAVj0mk6wo7jwk3kAHufX19c9A7K9C4H1mEz1BmX1aplvVLWI/s1600-h/DSCN3282.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NKYkZ7gBXOEmIX_XkzbY5L7dYf6z5hFwBvz5fYFbnPjZqb2EW8bkMzWLd-4jGWE4apKQLI1xy3_FbQe0LPx2vQaFW6oyAVj0mk6wo7jwk3kAHufX19c9A7K9C4H1mEz1BmX1aplvVLWI/s320/DSCN3282.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228955039465560818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdej6JlgOWp5QIjth218O96CqWnSG-IETN7-m8kly56_gOND-TXJ-xPpQgEYevAvUtLGz7-7I492Dx-iQnECVs5L1I6lJwhTBJI2gXxjcmtp49kNasX35aZMCXmu6OK75PW7zjWlsKsVYW/s1600-h/DSCN3285.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdej6JlgOWp5QIjth218O96CqWnSG-IETN7-m8kly56_gOND-TXJ-xPpQgEYevAvUtLGz7-7I492Dx-iQnECVs5L1I6lJwhTBJI2gXxjcmtp49kNasX35aZMCXmu6OK75PW7zjWlsKsVYW/s320/DSCN3285.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228955041912042354" /></a><br />We gratefully found an idyllic pool of water, near Grand Sous, our last week of our stay. It took an hour walk through the relentless heat, past ogling children, down into a lush ravine where a spring fed stream tumbled over a small waterfall. There were huge banyan trees, breadfruit trees, birds, butterflies, a tantalizing glimpse of what Haiti had been before massive deforestation. We spent three glorious visits here. To actually submerge in water was an indescribable pleasure. We had to clamber down a rock face (Max spotted us) to the 7 ft. deep pool of water. While we were mostly the only swimmers, bringing two or three kids with us from Matenwa, whom we tried to teach to swim (Genevieve, instructing en Francais and Max gamely standing in the deep parts for children to swim to and from). We, of course, were never alone. Irritatingly, even here, we would be trailed by several boys, even men, who would stand around, trying to engage or tease us. If we could ignore them for a couple of hours they would eventually saunter off. In the end, it was all worth it, to sun, cool off, jump and dive from the rocks and splash around in the abundant water.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-37009013822988207132008-07-30T15:48:00.000-07:002008-07-30T15:57:44.471-07:00New Friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO-Z90PaAqSpwU6OS9nFtIFybN8wHBESUWM1Dx7-vdTIuLMQvuNT4OQvMFDbRYR43IV4n1Q_WbssZA3GNAeZ_o9bruTLZzmk9JOho9ne_o4WM72euK8oZPBbHX6ivKYBDZ89kuFN-ZlbP/s1600-h/DSCN3244.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO-Z90PaAqSpwU6OS9nFtIFybN8wHBESUWM1Dx7-vdTIuLMQvuNT4OQvMFDbRYR43IV4n1Q_WbssZA3GNAeZ_o9bruTLZzmk9JOho9ne_o4WM72euK8oZPBbHX6ivKYBDZ89kuFN-ZlbP/s320/DSCN3244.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228945084293045458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDe7pALyqqkB2niU3ULiuZdlrh7djJVBbO5SUfoLbNlViVAfDgYc2l7k9yUoqH20MoJN8u2fMahLykuc3A1v7utDXVZYBChX2nVu-0ULNew9P12zRonZLfK_7STnYjLN1yU7UTkYyEfrB/s1600-h/DSCN2442.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDe7pALyqqkB2niU3ULiuZdlrh7djJVBbO5SUfoLbNlViVAfDgYc2l7k9yUoqH20MoJN8u2fMahLykuc3A1v7utDXVZYBChX2nVu-0ULNew9P12zRonZLfK_7STnYjLN1yU7UTkYyEfrB/s320/DSCN2442.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228945082431282178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEG9KndaPPV5ZiICKEYTDEGjeJb5w2-G3hPaXPmFU9aYzH4i_xRZU6aS-YpazMsvbwVljfCqxOrHe4bk99pqOXztdCNYdpm452DLPpQmECbaJNXcvOe5f3SS1yMcd2NZ3yM4djVwujP8k/s1600-h/DSCN2508.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEG9KndaPPV5ZiICKEYTDEGjeJb5w2-G3hPaXPmFU9aYzH4i_xRZU6aS-YpazMsvbwVljfCqxOrHe4bk99pqOXztdCNYdpm452DLPpQmECbaJNXcvOe5f3SS1yMcd2NZ3yM4djVwujP8k/s320/DSCN2508.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228945087024023378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fKWXpD-_hmdVggSPZ0MiDDoKsDoADBxxMFybCdABkco_o-8vmXtSgZIDUkjjtMKFsAaUQuLfEoEwTXVm23Raf1J2FryakNOnhyq4Ies5agMhwIte5GRF7pbeoliBa3ErwgJYTpylRmgb/s1600-h/DSCN2517.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fKWXpD-_hmdVggSPZ0MiDDoKsDoADBxxMFybCdABkco_o-8vmXtSgZIDUkjjtMKFsAaUQuLfEoEwTXVm23Raf1J2FryakNOnhyq4Ies5agMhwIte5GRF7pbeoliBa3ErwgJYTpylRmgb/s320/DSCN2517.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228945087698298674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDzp6lYq09Sy6jWHkV6ilW8cuxi_emoZzU3lIWOyE_DJXLK_ANgc0THYXNxqvefazTj39iIUGj6BrQNNcpZSeJnG9G21Pxgq0eAEIA7ezedTm3uXafpUJvpF0HvCYy4o5w7LEp0j-zTbN/s1600-h/DSCN2537.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDzp6lYq09Sy6jWHkV6ilW8cuxi_emoZzU3lIWOyE_DJXLK_ANgc0THYXNxqvefazTj39iIUGj6BrQNNcpZSeJnG9G21Pxgq0eAEIA7ezedTm3uXafpUJvpF0HvCYy4o5w7LEp0j-zTbN/s320/DSCN2537.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228945094483332034" /></a><br />As we pick up a little more Kreyol and familiarity, we’ve started to hang out with more neighbors. We went to the market with Libne (Leeb-nuh), a gorgeous, gregarious eighteen year old, who is visiting home from her last year of high school in Port au Prince. Strolling in her celebrity-like wake, we admired her enthusiastic embraces of grandmothers and aunties, she was quick to pick up babies, and graciously tolerant of much male attention. Libne would walk hand in hand with Genevieve, asking her to repeat phrases in Kreyol until she got it perfect, then quizzing her ten minutes later. She also trustingly accepted Genevieve’s offer to help carry laundry back from the stream. Eve learned how to precariously balance a thirty-pound metal basin (towering with clean, wet clothes) while walking up a rocky path.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-62360636666010298042008-07-30T11:53:00.001-07:002008-07-30T11:54:09.172-07:00Communication DisconnectOur internet connection has lapsed the last few days of our stay, sorry to cut out on all you three faithful readers! It feels odd not to correspond with Nick, checking on the cats and garden, hearing about his crazy work load, as well as crazy play load. But, it was way opportune, it being the link that needed to be severed, giving us a chance to really live fully in another culture and land. When we first arrived, we were careful not to trip in the dark, for fear of getting injured and not having access to medical help. The last week, not only did we not stumble in the dark anymore, (well, not very often!) we felt less afraid, and more capable and confident that we could manage, without our rather imagined safety nets.<br /><br />Before we left and enroute I felt rather panicked about not having a cell phone that would work in Haiti (FYI, Verizon does not offer international service). Nick, always so helpful, researched what could be done and had his World Edition Blackberry enabled for our trip. Unfortunately, it too did not work outside of Miami. For future reference our best bet would have been to purchase a phone in the Port au Prince airport and phone cards, while we were there, Voila and Digicel were working, albeit sporatically. There isn’t postal service within or to Haiti or any organized, public transport other than taptaps (taxi-like pickups) and the dangerously overcrowded buses, so people rely on the spotty cellular communication even in the remotest locations. <br /><br />The so-called 11th department of the Haitian Government (there are officially ten departments) is the vast diaspora, Haitians living outside of Haiti. Their monetary contributions to remaining family, schools, villages accounts for the largest percentage of Haiti’s economy.<br /><br />Along the roads and at every junction are small, well-built, colorful kiosk-like shacks with enticing names like Perseverance, Lott, Salvation, and the Solution Center. We thought, maybe we could exchange our US dollars here but found them only to be lottery/pay day loan type establishments. One can not exchange US dollars for Goudes (their monetary unit) in a bank in the US, at the Miami airport’s currency exchange, nor even the Port au Prince airport. Eventually, we would write a check or give dollars to the treasurer of Lekol Matenwa and he would drive a motorcycle into the town, where he could deposit it and withdraw goudes from the school’s account. (39 goudes to the US dollar)<br /><br />The going rate for a full day of farm work was about 500 goudes a day, around 8 US bucks. Regular work like that was hard to come by. <br /><br />en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_HaitiMariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-21731748967563925632008-07-30T10:28:00.000-07:002008-07-30T10:43:43.567-07:00Reading<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLLGHpYgfG35Xtm2uAk3RnAwGLg7hsR25OeCcC9sVu3xh3uBSGEv6wOJfS1btxxDtevYWCPMLShvt_gT1LDwNwONXYbXWjsqVheZL9wf4EjALp1BtDP_-wfge8Y3eQga24ZDFXpMOFejy/s1600-h/DSCN2298.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLLGHpYgfG35Xtm2uAk3RnAwGLg7hsR25OeCcC9sVu3xh3uBSGEv6wOJfS1btxxDtevYWCPMLShvt_gT1LDwNwONXYbXWjsqVheZL9wf4EjALp1BtDP_-wfge8Y3eQga24ZDFXpMOFejy/s320/DSCN2298.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228864014643158002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-w21aId2e3QIWWFtUs_w52E_ZqsaKOSKVsVdXJMrk1hqq6JU6Xs9c-MpjjtbEqKfSZtf_y1MKo-X1ohEYryFZKdC0C313gAXaTGlaEkQ5ayeVhUEHQUr_zhvyv_zDvSe2SDsbtGVMVYN1/s1600-h/DSCN2302.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-w21aId2e3QIWWFtUs_w52E_ZqsaKOSKVsVdXJMrk1hqq6JU6Xs9c-MpjjtbEqKfSZtf_y1MKo-X1ohEYryFZKdC0C313gAXaTGlaEkQ5ayeVhUEHQUr_zhvyv_zDvSe2SDsbtGVMVYN1/s320/DSCN2302.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228864031179428722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0zRTtqdyjkJ2EU1fBMTJy_06SrBEB6ZWYUOq4aoQDZAMldDEhT6b9PNG5EIwLCCe3o4lLu5cgOCU7KiSVYMZ-bHkvBqThW3k3DI3r05DDuXO-RFnTRZK17iE0h8-ifCvw99Ffc1aCAzb/s1600-h/DSCN2380.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0zRTtqdyjkJ2EU1fBMTJy_06SrBEB6ZWYUOq4aoQDZAMldDEhT6b9PNG5EIwLCCe3o4lLu5cgOCU7KiSVYMZ-bHkvBqThW3k3DI3r05DDuXO-RFnTRZK17iE0h8-ifCvw99Ffc1aCAzb/s320/DSCN2380.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228864050204364482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4gN2c2HXg0CPO8Mylf8qU6L5CzyJ3ToOe3ou8_qhHyO2q22IXRorZwzdpj2xSVVZlLdEnrGWNABexia1asy4qlbrFBsI92bXtUGOeUb0VxVNFdI8me0eFj_WevYOskHLIE1FUCa8msgr/s1600-h/DSCN2513.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4gN2c2HXg0CPO8Mylf8qU6L5CzyJ3ToOe3ou8_qhHyO2q22IXRorZwzdpj2xSVVZlLdEnrGWNABexia1asy4qlbrFBsI92bXtUGOeUb0VxVNFdI8me0eFj_WevYOskHLIE1FUCa8msgr/s320/DSCN2513.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228864075386303234" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcQ43qHpuToV_Nw1Pi24iQfFqWCBiyioYl74_siRgNmzZ9C9NVwoqv5js7EkmBdHQD7fCQ90IX-OI498X0V0GsYvAYQb8EZCIUIREsUQPvrLD8heESlyuWmbGMNoerl7OSy9wrJ-4O0aZ/s1600-h/DSCN3204.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxcQ43qHpuToV_Nw1Pi24iQfFqWCBiyioYl74_siRgNmzZ9C9NVwoqv5js7EkmBdHQD7fCQ90IX-OI498X0V0GsYvAYQb8EZCIUIREsUQPvrLD8heESlyuWmbGMNoerl7OSy9wrJ-4O0aZ/s320/DSCN3204.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228864120106300690" /></a><br />We do still have something in mass quantity…reading time. Here is the entire list of our digested literature so far: The Last Life by Claire Messud, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Ender’s Game and Speaker for the Dead, both by Orson Scott Card, The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin, Franny and Zooey and Catcher in the Rye, both by J.D. Salinger, The Comedians by Graham Greene, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, The Dispatches by Michael Herr, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, Krick? Krak! and Breath, Eyes, Memory, both by Edwidge Danticat, “A” is for Alibi, “C” is for Corpse, “D” is for Detective, and “G” is for Gumshoe, all by Sue Grafton, Dreams of My Father by Barack Obama, and My Unwritten Books by George Steiner, Sometimes a Great Notion and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez and finally, The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason. Nearly all of these books have “cross-pollinated,” among us, and all have been satisfying, to say the least. We found some new favorites this trip. Mariam adored The Piano Tuner and is really enjoying My Unwritten Books. Genevieve takes the award for crazy fast reader, recommending both Poisonwood Bible and The Piano Tuner after downing each in two days flat. Max likes to talk about what he has read, including his faves of the trip, The Dispossessed and, surprise, The Piano Tuner.<br /><br />An apt quote we read during our trip was this, about traveling:<br /><br /> I am a part of all that I have met;<br />Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’<br />Gleams that untravel’d world whose margin fades<br />For ever and for ever when I move.<br /><br />-Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “Ulysses”Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-29970092290906263102008-07-30T10:08:00.000-07:002008-07-30T10:28:25.508-07:00Live Simply<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWvgU6dNerFB_BHzyNUjkgmyM6W_XaISVV_9sNvyYje0AZl9gINRtQL5iYcchD7Mh4HVV2DDHpl5jmCNWBBRCIXrMVO41XXUsRkLb7vmbGqi1IvPq4DJeveRUBXx84V2isZV_VoV3voyW/s1600-h/DSCN2405.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWvgU6dNerFB_BHzyNUjkgmyM6W_XaISVV_9sNvyYje0AZl9gINRtQL5iYcchD7Mh4HVV2DDHpl5jmCNWBBRCIXrMVO41XXUsRkLb7vmbGqi1IvPq4DJeveRUBXx84V2isZV_VoV3voyW/s320/DSCN2405.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228860218292518450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYl7cesxvgxLcLp9jEa5oKrjU21K6LvDNQV3HsfgqZdA8RH1520zgmNgNH0nT1hkcTdS83My0xRL-jX-jbcYcvQAK59qvMvm1RN5hnJUAv3LYEW0ZGJS1Vk5KWdiL7ev4-yotAIJMzmIWG/s1600-h/DSCN2445.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYl7cesxvgxLcLp9jEa5oKrjU21K6LvDNQV3HsfgqZdA8RH1520zgmNgNH0nT1hkcTdS83My0xRL-jX-jbcYcvQAK59qvMvm1RN5hnJUAv3LYEW0ZGJS1Vk5KWdiL7ev4-yotAIJMzmIWG/s320/DSCN2445.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228860222627764482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSqCZaagS1VbXKYprcD9dfZ5vBE7boYPo2TPrtdNAwfRMM7ti7v1F3b92M-UxLUcux2L2Mp_V238-7hm4G0_O-Klr_LxU8-dRmuAvH68KIvhyEbeZ7a6fsMnwnF4t20HQMeVL1gZxcuq0/s1600-h/DSCN2439.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSqCZaagS1VbXKYprcD9dfZ5vBE7boYPo2TPrtdNAwfRMM7ti7v1F3b92M-UxLUcux2L2Mp_V238-7hm4G0_O-Klr_LxU8-dRmuAvH68KIvhyEbeZ7a6fsMnwnF4t20HQMeVL1gZxcuq0/s320/DSCN2439.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228860222698527506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDlc2q2uDi6zjA7Ww3osuAIHXUcyLYNpB-96OLzm6gB9qGQgqljKMU_LH8yNkPPxe_sHcOMBXN_qCVpoQk4NsHL70AVt9R-myHkh0O75XHCivBKuU6J7fumFRDnosEko_3gxEAnhDfO2p/s1600-h/DSCN2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDlc2q2uDi6zjA7Ww3osuAIHXUcyLYNpB-96OLzm6gB9qGQgqljKMU_LH8yNkPPxe_sHcOMBXN_qCVpoQk4NsHL70AVt9R-myHkh0O75XHCivBKuU6J7fumFRDnosEko_3gxEAnhDfO2p/s320/DSCN2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228860224310489938" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2EryFyZioA33PJiE1_xul5IPHkAQ0fLM2CXDV0EDjZJ6F-Z6DDqfRGY_b5qq1Zvu4EkoJkKxj28cub34FXuzc1id6zDIEVbc47TK9SsAvKE_87bv8_CFtI3KD8Dg8073UqYMtoqkVUTB/s1600-h/DSCN2540.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2EryFyZioA33PJiE1_xul5IPHkAQ0fLM2CXDV0EDjZJ6F-Z6DDqfRGY_b5qq1Zvu4EkoJkKxj28cub34FXuzc1id6zDIEVbc47TK9SsAvKE_87bv8_CFtI3KD8Dg8073UqYMtoqkVUTB/s320/DSCN2540.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228860226341120498" /></a><br />I suspect when we return, we will relish a few feasts of longed-for food. (Chinese/Thai food, milkshakes, waffles, apples and margaritas, top last night’s list, we torture ourselves nightly with this question, “What do you miss most?”) After our initial binge of cravings, I then hope we will settle into a less packaged-and-prepared, more healthful-and-Haitian-like diet. We’ve certainly lost some extra weight, and we feel a bit hungry most of the time but have enough water and snacks that we packed (jerky, trail mix, power bars) to stave off real irritation and fatigue. We have noticed that people share what they have, offering something to anyone who comes to their porch, especially water and roasted corn, being the necessary staples. Hopefully, like Gail Alexander (Laura’s wise Florida friend) predicted in our heartening last minute conversation , we will return home with a greater appreciation for what we have and choose to live more modestly, resulting in a more balanced, informed lifestyle. Live simply, so others can simply live is a profound and relevant adage.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-8155132965847345952008-07-30T09:46:00.000-07:002008-07-30T10:08:26.735-07:00Food and Swine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57GcHwcG_4nzlCUwPhQ4yCoyjzm14QfBHC7KxQUTv3ziccgD73bkHdw_IdnOhzhsMMwXOqtrFWJ54mBQr1FIPmEkBNKfUjKVPT-g9LzrIAHMXBWV8nnyWd-Rw4_h2s8Uzf18YCgMww8pV/s1600-h/DSCN2397.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57GcHwcG_4nzlCUwPhQ4yCoyjzm14QfBHC7KxQUTv3ziccgD73bkHdw_IdnOhzhsMMwXOqtrFWJ54mBQr1FIPmEkBNKfUjKVPT-g9LzrIAHMXBWV8nnyWd-Rw4_h2s8Uzf18YCgMww8pV/s320/DSCN2397.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228854901572339890" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtZESCrhndOeYc6zdYyuPBV9RG_lRzMiZ83zZ28BVvY45NyVWCrBsdGME3xW_KkNjavQsTvCyVL0pXzvzK6iM_3I65Uf7c1YKmpFOSuawc3WkRc5bxYkyudmrNEKMv3sX6eEvoDB9j-On/s1600-h/DSCN2411.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtZESCrhndOeYc6zdYyuPBV9RG_lRzMiZ83zZ28BVvY45NyVWCrBsdGME3xW_KkNjavQsTvCyVL0pXzvzK6iM_3I65Uf7c1YKmpFOSuawc3WkRc5bxYkyudmrNEKMv3sX6eEvoDB9j-On/s320/DSCN2411.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228854908304612210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bs2B7YpVzK5MOJ3JwOK0exzIsNbA4tgiWklIDf_VUzshDqIPaMCLiYqlmbV5U4ER_cDW05x93FsR-FWSL5khlhdahXHictN3Rgvj1Cdc6Fy07V4skurpCW-H8HxgiDsYKpKGvshkp6-H/s1600-h/DSCN2428.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bs2B7YpVzK5MOJ3JwOK0exzIsNbA4tgiWklIDf_VUzshDqIPaMCLiYqlmbV5U4ER_cDW05x93FsR-FWSL5khlhdahXHictN3Rgvj1Cdc6Fy07V4skurpCW-H8HxgiDsYKpKGvshkp6-H/s320/DSCN2428.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228854908512172818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgxke12JW0CUPdeEwlmxp07D3q9wTLmW0tTd6G8Z_0VsRBmqwH1cAEECAvs_yVQcdnCiI2PT913nabtmXl7lODM06r32OYqIVFEfxOqpQFAtZ0BTYcSRQJR8KrjiyEH5YN0KS42dFbkZn/s1600-h/DSCN2444.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgxke12JW0CUPdeEwlmxp07D3q9wTLmW0tTd6G8Z_0VsRBmqwH1cAEECAvs_yVQcdnCiI2PT913nabtmXl7lODM06r32OYqIVFEfxOqpQFAtZ0BTYcSRQJR8KrjiyEH5YN0KS42dFbkZn/s320/DSCN2444.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228854912047142274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHn6WJF3h9cjgPghhyphenhyphenCnt7cTo-XJ4jXwEVo6w9yoC64dDQ9Hc5tocGIpBL09J7jKKS_nTvSsymjMLcUDUKCsBUneGvTEQ3IUTPoMMQXHowQPtZwBKClOJ8DKEWPPUMyKRGo8DxHh2ScX-6/s1600-h/DSCN2518.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHn6WJF3h9cjgPghhyphenhyphenCnt7cTo-XJ4jXwEVo6w9yoC64dDQ9Hc5tocGIpBL09J7jKKS_nTvSsymjMLcUDUKCsBUneGvTEQ3IUTPoMMQXHowQPtZwBKClOJ8DKEWPPUMyKRGo8DxHh2ScX-6/s320/DSCN2518.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228854913951734610" /></a><br />Our teeth are crazy white, like everyone’s here. There is a lot of natural fluoride in the water. And our diets, like the people here in Matenwa's, consists of whole grains (corn, polenta, rice), lots of vegetables, (carrots, potatoes, yams, tomatoes, eggplant, many spinach like leaves), beans and fruit. Sugar and salt are local, readily available but not overused. Little oil or fat is used to cook; food is mostly roasted or boiled. Our family eats fish two or three times a week, but meat only once every two weeks or less. We wonder if we will eat and crave less meat and diary after this experience? Luckily for us, our host family never cooks pork. <br /><br />Pigs here in rural Haiti are like savings accounts, you have one if you can afford it, but use it only when you really need it. Some history, USAID gave well intentioned but misguided help when human cases of African Swine flu were diagnosed on the island in the 80’s. USAID had peasants exterminate every native creole pig. An entire species wiped out. Later, a few inappropriate, non-indigenous hogs from the US were delivered. These large, pink swine couldn’t forage like the small dark native pigs, needed lots of water, and therefore were a huge burden to rear, costing more to feed than a child or adult. During this trip we have occasionally seen small, darker pigs, which have either been relocated from another island or reintroduced.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-87343682186550821102008-07-22T15:12:00.000-07:002008-07-22T16:08:21.330-07:00Flora and Fauna<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcrzGDgtO-DADBj5rr6risKH0a70QFLvilfTAgkiYfJZCu9ckv01g8Igi4nfoO_qJja3JBNxLDX-R6aTxuavPy4XB_oZ9_ZuqUG3vtqpJVae6TwMcbL25d_4NboonJY9-aREMXWv_lOup/s1600-h/DSCN3215.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcrzGDgtO-DADBj5rr6risKH0a70QFLvilfTAgkiYfJZCu9ckv01g8Igi4nfoO_qJja3JBNxLDX-R6aTxuavPy4XB_oZ9_ZuqUG3vtqpJVae6TwMcbL25d_4NboonJY9-aREMXWv_lOup/s320/DSCN3215.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225978191139893826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Zg1bonqpT_QQvvjJIHqCr_sL_S5Ll7eOCeNKtJcUWm4rNWk0gvG7vu5DPMnglfc-qdu-q7VBlJ7paUfSWi9oCLVgRx3d9fftb_GBowBF-QF6wJq2u8fceKDEfBgpL_hwwZQQiw2L3cNj/s1600-h/DSCN3219.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Zg1bonqpT_QQvvjJIHqCr_sL_S5Ll7eOCeNKtJcUWm4rNWk0gvG7vu5DPMnglfc-qdu-q7VBlJ7paUfSWi9oCLVgRx3d9fftb_GBowBF-QF6wJq2u8fceKDEfBgpL_hwwZQQiw2L3cNj/s320/DSCN3219.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225978191255654066" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd05JyhmLyAVJwSoMR4tHkXV_rIEgo6eqP5i1zP0RIy5slvjLKFyS6YD2oXh_7aWdzJv_22f2hjWxgXuZVeEhPc7VYodAXq6-JXua-w14D5iak49FOlK3h6kraXkCUpLWtrx_vkGWhOmhx/s1600-h/DSCN2293.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd05JyhmLyAVJwSoMR4tHkXV_rIEgo6eqP5i1zP0RIy5slvjLKFyS6YD2oXh_7aWdzJv_22f2hjWxgXuZVeEhPc7VYodAXq6-JXua-w14D5iak49FOlK3h6kraXkCUpLWtrx_vkGWhOmhx/s320/DSCN2293.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225978193461413826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRzMNpubYBIICxU9HmaWrA6mq8g93KQYj_-pGDvMRFdj-1uznl0IpjmeXuHfB_KCMo7BTw_I_ht4vaU1fNyB6qTikIhWcYtmrv1372SVoVgOGgb2f30r7RL2kLZCJt-MXa5XM9wuNBZhy/s1600-h/DSCN2325.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRzMNpubYBIICxU9HmaWrA6mq8g93KQYj_-pGDvMRFdj-1uznl0IpjmeXuHfB_KCMo7BTw_I_ht4vaU1fNyB6qTikIhWcYtmrv1372SVoVgOGgb2f30r7RL2kLZCJt-MXa5XM9wuNBZhy/s320/DSCN2325.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225978196992080018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_USq5yxs0UioFAbUeU742GfoQ4SOQNgTl68Zry-npXCySFM6bEtybMwTXSpYYI8Zb7YE7Xx7B053jLXywc0KTwy7118aqLg0OsbVM3TeDPsWI5PPnFYbY37n4qOhJo0FUgzSedDV-fQ6/s1600-h/DSCN3196.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_USq5yxs0UioFAbUeU742GfoQ4SOQNgTl68Zry-npXCySFM6bEtybMwTXSpYYI8Zb7YE7Xx7B053jLXywc0KTwy7118aqLg0OsbVM3TeDPsWI5PPnFYbY37n4qOhJo0FUgzSedDV-fQ6/s320/DSCN3196.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225978199930891666" /></a><br />Matenwa, from the French La Terre Noire is a recovering rainforest on the island of laGonav, (wiki) It is impressively biodiverse. When we came here last, six years ago I remember the children writing stories about the rocks growing, what we call observational science. The teachers couldn't convince their students otherwise, they had no experiential proof, that trees grow, rather than rocks. <br /><br />Well, that is the first thing that struck us upon arrival. We had to pull our feet into the pickup bed because the road way (term used loosely) had so many shrubs (albeit thorny ones) and trees along it. As we approached the Matenwa Community School the road was even shaded in places by flame colored flowered, lacy leaved flanbwoen trees. These trees have a lovely habit and are a gorgeous gauntlet as you come up the mountain. The school grounds have about ten different varieties of trees, including almond. On our way to market we pass the folowing trees, mango, avocado, canape (small, green fruit that look and taste a bit like peeled grapes inside), citwon, apwiko (a distant relative of apricot perhaps?), coconut, banyan, breadfruit, gren (with a green, slimy pomengranate like fruit), banana and cherry mango. You pick fruit by hurling rocks and catching the fruit or if you're lucky, having Max around. He may not put his all into being a center playing basketball but you should see him shoot up for a ripe mango!<br /><br />The school here, as well as local agronomists, have been intentional in educating children and their families about erosion control and self-sufficiency that fruit trees provide. They give students trees to plant at home. The have also designed and gardened here with beauty in mind as well as practicality. There is colorful foliage here I haven't seen anywhere else (outside of the indoor plant department of Fred Meyers).<br /><br />I find myself drawing unusual seeds, roots, blossoms and nuts more than anything else.<br /><br />Hmmm...the animals, where to start? Humans seem the ultimate predator, as usual. The largest animal is an occasional cow. Most families have a donkey, couple of goats, and chickens. Some may have a small pig. There are many scrawny, flea-bitten dogs, but they aren't kept as pets. Our family has an adorable partly lame one that hangs around, comes when whistled for, barks when someone unfamiliar or a rooster comes into the yard. Our host mother even plays with it but the kids will kick it and it doesn't have a name. This has been probably the most difficult thing to deal with here. We try not to judge, realizing it is a different culture, but to watch kids throw rocks at dogs, hawks, birds and cats... often breaking a wing or leg, then tying them up to 'play' with or taunt before eating or killing them days later. When we found our dental floss used to hold the leg of a juvenile black bird, Genevieve and Max had it. They went out at night, using their scissors on their Swiss army knife to cut the strings attached to birds, kittens and helped to feed an injured hawk lizards until it could fly again.<br /><br />The best part of the day, the cool wind gusts through our windows bringing the sounds of birds, roosters, and donkeys to awake us.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-69661575640498501062008-07-20T15:39:00.000-07:002008-07-20T16:12:20.009-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHS3-rjk42Mf2Nm1zZyczsqqphTJ3ii4tz9lfzx3vVkmFdMEZEqadTdO34vpKc9CNUFsC2UA1X3E09AuJpgFA_xlJFcShkRDcOay-lojjPW0satAa76qA4Q32K3xQU09OwRAwgGo5mnwo/s1600-h/DSCN2313.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHS3-rjk42Mf2Nm1zZyczsqqphTJ3ii4tz9lfzx3vVkmFdMEZEqadTdO34vpKc9CNUFsC2UA1X3E09AuJpgFA_xlJFcShkRDcOay-lojjPW0satAa76qA4Q32K3xQU09OwRAwgGo5mnwo/s320/DSCN2313.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225237954275418722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSvzg8eNYqft8U-W7gzudS53AXsj5FZaBMA-8QQD2FudNRvCxgN-DxeL-Dp6OS06OnvXJY4NCmdx1cnbFiiLenGrGAokJzW3RP8nYUtC1Za9S34F1ASlZA7CCBd34sU-Hv0HQkeKPgt9t/s1600-h/DSCN2351.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSvzg8eNYqft8U-W7gzudS53AXsj5FZaBMA-8QQD2FudNRvCxgN-DxeL-Dp6OS06OnvXJY4NCmdx1cnbFiiLenGrGAokJzW3RP8nYUtC1Za9S34F1ASlZA7CCBd34sU-Hv0HQkeKPgt9t/s320/DSCN2351.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225237958477423202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz5gTbCtTziWJWjJoxJTzOZ-3CntEKjlrUvyfcysXH1pfFgn6iXihyphenhyphenBYDQs0-1hyJhbRxisq3MKsZdMdrP5EQWG7TAGI-Dn8k-VMD9ELBRnzk7Kj_e1S0wTSY6oHAc7W3vMew_m8Pow5n/s1600-h/DSCN2906.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz5gTbCtTziWJWjJoxJTzOZ-3CntEKjlrUvyfcysXH1pfFgn6iXihyphenhyphenBYDQs0-1hyJhbRxisq3MKsZdMdrP5EQWG7TAGI-Dn8k-VMD9ELBRnzk7Kj_e1S0wTSY6oHAc7W3vMew_m8Pow5n/s320/DSCN2906.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225237959496790962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp9JjOHKWDp600ZE1r2Ghyd10LFghZQR5ZzaDCDvLI_Z4ZxQGitzSdljinTIaxWF9DErTkTD2NVt6Ld-faoXrCPLpZ_Ir-uyjLGtRDOYBgYQzEJT3sUgBMIvXPpShzuAI4uxBBT5J6xg_/s1600-h/DSCN2850.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp9JjOHKWDp600ZE1r2Ghyd10LFghZQR5ZzaDCDvLI_Z4ZxQGitzSdljinTIaxWF9DErTkTD2NVt6Ld-faoXrCPLpZ_Ir-uyjLGtRDOYBgYQzEJT3sUgBMIvXPpShzuAI4uxBBT5J6xg_/s320/DSCN2850.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225237960363005986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyf2gXKlOiACfCmPXIFOUvTFc1ptA3Mv17cz9s_4BZrTIlRmzRmQyZdKsz12KO6OYJ4nR7S1-RKNAnfj0u9R5xgq3u_dFS7phJKqLbCfV90oQvrSHhsqfK9ri0xqa2feP5e0J3oJWCNcq/s1600-h/DSCN2360.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyf2gXKlOiACfCmPXIFOUvTFc1ptA3Mv17cz9s_4BZrTIlRmzRmQyZdKsz12KO6OYJ4nR7S1-RKNAnfj0u9R5xgq3u_dFS7phJKqLbCfV90oQvrSHhsqfK9ri0xqa2feP5e0J3oJWCNcq/s320/DSCN2360.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225237962535986114" /></a><br />I, unfortunately, haven't been able to figure out how to put captions with these photos. But that won't stop me from uploading more!<br /><br />We are chugging away, 2/3 through our visit. Our stay has had its ups and downs. Learning to make coffee, really from scratch (up), watching birds felled by wildly accurate rock throwing boys (down), being witness to two performances of Courageous Women, a community theatre group that writes and performs plays that deal with the relevant issues people face here (up), every minor scrape or cut becoming infected, slow to heal and a source of great interest for small black flies (down), indescribably gorgeous, high, regal white clouds cresting the horizon in an endless field of blue sky (up), seeing mosquito larvae at the bottom of your water bottle you just chugged (down), reading ten books in two weeks (up), knowing that something more complex than being tired is wrong with your host mother and not having the words to communicate deeply (down), having a gorgeous view of a lush ravine with grazing goats and nearby donkeys while you use the open air latrine (up), realizing same latrine is clearly viewed by the foutbal field on higher ground (down).Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-73813029870075113102008-07-20T15:24:00.000-07:002008-07-20T15:34:45.211-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gaKMMOrkrPdDMT62i1P1vPEavsJlpgr7mITA8F8zIFpudAo95V4eZ4Vy_yaZh2JN4FXT-OwxXqDHGEADi_ZIxKbiZ9ZSPP1eIBYPiMBD_qqCEMniAKeJzjixQ8Dog0AwpuMc92xfw9bw/s1600-h/DSCN2279.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gaKMMOrkrPdDMT62i1P1vPEavsJlpgr7mITA8F8zIFpudAo95V4eZ4Vy_yaZh2JN4FXT-OwxXqDHGEADi_ZIxKbiZ9ZSPP1eIBYPiMBD_qqCEMniAKeJzjixQ8Dog0AwpuMc92xfw9bw/s320/DSCN2279.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225227896741404738" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJTOfXHTVfydW_V8LqyB3M70sXlwh9gre6d_SONvDPlgSfugLiXYsT822QpWvXBwk2A1Uh09xb51C-lOvfKKFQJ6vBeWP8_JuM8sff_0yYjfIxGiomxTmxvgAPz_9UZovN_LNsxg9QRfP/s1600-h/DSCN2280.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJTOfXHTVfydW_V8LqyB3M70sXlwh9gre6d_SONvDPlgSfugLiXYsT822QpWvXBwk2A1Uh09xb51C-lOvfKKFQJ6vBeWP8_JuM8sff_0yYjfIxGiomxTmxvgAPz_9UZovN_LNsxg9QRfP/s320/DSCN2280.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225227895848541778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FoVvNGGWP6jLKTR3PwKtfeGh1yamM-sUZk3ELifULJ5WxjqNxzIuowWXftDBWhHtoAnkUzmT267VQ01CxHfvpvh_qGyoZ837CauMrgP8otlWR1oV-WqMBJXgK70f2eqFuT_0GHG9aXjW/s1600-h/DSCN2326.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FoVvNGGWP6jLKTR3PwKtfeGh1yamM-sUZk3ELifULJ5WxjqNxzIuowWXftDBWhHtoAnkUzmT267VQ01CxHfvpvh_qGyoZ837CauMrgP8otlWR1oV-WqMBJXgK70f2eqFuT_0GHG9aXjW/s320/DSCN2326.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225227897626012322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7T9qQ8b3H9Zy5MAqUkenLMB200EAPIFGVXgMMMqgjLmXwALd_WehCeA3ZEly7I-rwcFemKoqhxY4dlUR85VXdRYFGP92BsR5Stn3DFydJs-EV5f9rsyNt7Kw0rNRHzzdjZber5i6GBOH/s1600-h/DSCN2345.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7T9qQ8b3H9Zy5MAqUkenLMB200EAPIFGVXgMMMqgjLmXwALd_WehCeA3ZEly7I-rwcFemKoqhxY4dlUR85VXdRYFGP92BsR5Stn3DFydJs-EV5f9rsyNt7Kw0rNRHzzdjZber5i6GBOH/s320/DSCN2345.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225227902469056034" /></a><br /><br />More photos of our arrival and homestay. <br /><br />We awake nearly every morning (depending on if we remembered to put in earplugs) to the rooster's crow around 5 am. The sky is a gorgeous pink, the breeze is, for a couple of early morning hours, almost cool. Everyone, including the three year old rolls out of bed and tries to get the morning chores out of the way before the sun is scorching. The goats and donkeys are watered and relocated. Corn is picked, rooms swept, laundry and dishes done and breakfast (roasted corn, spaghetti or eggs with fresh bread) prepared before 8:00 am.<br /><br />We've had a couple of tarantula encounters. Genevieve discovered by flashlight a beauty in the doorway of our bedroom, we've stepped over a couple on a path, as well as a tarantula war in the latrine, also late at night. Our host family laughs uproariously when we get the least bit upset about the spiders, bats or three-inch cockroaches. They shout, "But they don't bite!" This coming from the people who are terrified of frogs, lest they jump on your face, pee in your eyes, causing blindness! <br /><br />The best story yet is of a friend of Chris' who called her gardener to 'take care' of the eight-inch tarantula in her shower. He came in, took off his shoe and STOMPED with his BARE foot on the creature, explaining, "These are new shoes."Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-28092334852805574522008-07-18T14:41:00.000-07:002008-07-18T15:02:54.426-07:00http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yYFzHfYRzCNI03ux4Fp3u1HBo0CuVH5DUdie8uUGPfobJwLA7bFye2icOl7Pct_X8m0_d8yWa80hxiYS9K3njPPcL3Tf4F2Q_XgO6yaV4aPS6POb7DgWg0eJi_Cq028jp8oGtdWoKd6v/s1600-h/DSCN2358.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yYFzHfYRzCNI03ux4Fp3u1HBo0CuVH5DUdie8uUGPfobJwLA7bFye2icOl7Pct_X8m0_d8yWa80hxiYS9K3njPPcL3Tf4F2Q_XgO6yaV4aPS6POb7DgWg0eJi_Cq028jp8oGtdWoKd6v/s320/DSCN2358.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224477905574717458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NBrVFbLk1tc3039wV3hFzcUCa1KhYTfpYD2OOmKfh2yM3SZvpkYpvdW6SMppObpuyvf1IHiCaWfKcUrVLu4k0qmO99DGoRSsJ26I18hif5-0ksqt8Y5jt6-X9A__C0PgwaKf0AVsShCP/s1600-h/DSCN2307.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NBrVFbLk1tc3039wV3hFzcUCa1KhYTfpYD2OOmKfh2yM3SZvpkYpvdW6SMppObpuyvf1IHiCaWfKcUrVLu4k0qmO99DGoRSsJ26I18hif5-0ksqt8Y5jt6-X9A__C0PgwaKf0AVsShCP/s320/DSCN2307.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224477907115456866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawOUY_uJAJJlg7szVkiY-R7FyZZdtx9TPxgT2BoJcXrZpcpD8kUfqiEtN7b3OdphLBLPOnRTz-vc7DcD6vAalsmmudTaOqtF_RpkLpUllzeSYTUGMYvwjmnLW6zoL37cq_Zv9geHKXeaF/s1600-h/DSCN2924.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawOUY_uJAJJlg7szVkiY-R7FyZZdtx9TPxgT2BoJcXrZpcpD8kUfqiEtN7b3OdphLBLPOnRTz-vc7DcD6vAalsmmudTaOqtF_RpkLpUllzeSYTUGMYvwjmnLW6zoL37cq_Zv9geHKXeaF/s320/DSCN2924.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224477910480551826" /></a><br />This school continues to amaze and inspire us. We've spent many hours in the new computer lab and library. My favorite hangout spot is on the balcony, in the corner to catch the elusive breeze that comes up from the tantalizingly out of reach, but not out of sight, ocean. Summer school is in session which has allowed me to observe and participate in many classrooms and their daily, afternoon professional development. I've spent days exploring Cusinare rods, the updated Investigations curriculum, reflections circles as a way of learning and Maria Montessori's science theories. Outside of Lewis and Clark's theories courses I've never encountered so much dialog about the educational theorists Piaget, Regio Emilio and Paulo Frere.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.matenwa.org"></a><br /><br />Or better yet, go to www.youtube.com and search Matenwa for the most encompassing glimpse, with song of this incredible place.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-19219895007341337842008-07-18T14:26:00.000-07:002008-07-18T14:41:10.234-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEunysLnLpXmpRMCnzB3V4GDtKbnClzRSmvLxBBjVeiDc9e6p7ulnyBTWVLMyWw8C_0-ChNmjOTxRQ9TIfACdMBBgdY1nptVpfXfVOu-w4pe5vyaM0CZMHBQ_CGaUJ_CZclUsAnz4GVmpY/s1600-h/DSCN2314.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEunysLnLpXmpRMCnzB3V4GDtKbnClzRSmvLxBBjVeiDc9e6p7ulnyBTWVLMyWw8C_0-ChNmjOTxRQ9TIfACdMBBgdY1nptVpfXfVOu-w4pe5vyaM0CZMHBQ_CGaUJ_CZclUsAnz4GVmpY/s320/DSCN2314.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224472232243951090" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifm7S3rA4AID-c_0rafUc6POrbemutCXjPhlWDNmQLz94BNVeUDBeLNJ8PVo_uzZAHfmQf91sCfcS5UZiyjzmcXysvxjJcLmuk2VR4Fs4Dvx3hTRZkO2-mmrqKDq8v5h4DMjDNK1o6PieK/s1600-h/DSCN2336.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifm7S3rA4AID-c_0rafUc6POrbemutCXjPhlWDNmQLz94BNVeUDBeLNJ8PVo_uzZAHfmQf91sCfcS5UZiyjzmcXysvxjJcLmuk2VR4Fs4Dvx3hTRZkO2-mmrqKDq8v5h4DMjDNK1o6PieK/s320/DSCN2336.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224472235650839042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOx-bU6nlzBvXtlimsJylK8offJyUU0wj34uDHJsxS_YglnYvOCAe_HhOA8dcxw1WwsVoOMFqYv_j7GVrTaXgOzTjQcE4VMPc53vMK74PCnORb-lmhOY64DygJDvC_26vfHnKxMqZ9dMfV/s1600-h/DSCN2308.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOx-bU6nlzBvXtlimsJylK8offJyUU0wj34uDHJsxS_YglnYvOCAe_HhOA8dcxw1WwsVoOMFqYv_j7GVrTaXgOzTjQcE4VMPc53vMK74PCnORb-lmhOY64DygJDvC_26vfHnKxMqZ9dMfV/s320/DSCN2308.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224472239977699554" /></a><br />We made plans with a boy visiting here from Port au Prince, who speaks French and English fluently, to go out and explore a local bat cave and the area's water source. We followed thirteen year old Emanuel, and several other younger boys down a twisting path into a ravine that led to a many caverned cave where tons of fruit bats were napping the morning away. It was kinda creepy, hunching over to get into the inner caverns without touching anything or getting plopped on from population above.<br /><br />We got out of there with some great pictures and footage! We continued on to the village's water source, a spring where everyone goes to bath, do laundry and get drinking water. Chris Low has been working with an engineer from Concern International (?) to construct a concrete and brick area that would withstand the yearly floods, which contaminate the drinking water supply. The project has been started and we were eager to see the progress.Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209922288601574649.post-49066654855068667562008-07-18T13:56:00.000-07:002008-07-18T14:26:07.518-07:00Haitian Hiatus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BU2zV4V8z-LsorBCdnE2TeCXCAv5kYICZfnS4aUR-xy0cCsSkqpesJIHIMs5j3ux43WeRNMcPZMuAuGzcG5hAHnRWRkGqS4aAiM7_bGhQU7v6JVp78TvM4NalS1-uBQn9Nwf6-tASHdX/s1600-h/DSCN2864.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BU2zV4V8z-LsorBCdnE2TeCXCAv5kYICZfnS4aUR-xy0cCsSkqpesJIHIMs5j3ux43WeRNMcPZMuAuGzcG5hAHnRWRkGqS4aAiM7_bGhQU7v6JVp78TvM4NalS1-uBQn9Nwf6-tASHdX/s320/DSCN2864.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224468090937041538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfmn4VOL1ZqH2MtYbtEGab-UTmj_XQ0uFFMBtvOalDWYNW8xE5J-lpkBOxH6ifwEpokdBH-UjHdW8yLeODfv7zAmtvLdRQrdvFLF9uYn-_LNfyJzUMYxek5ug5FFnHcg-adKyW5iiNb_0/s1600-h/DSCN2278.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfmn4VOL1ZqH2MtYbtEGab-UTmj_XQ0uFFMBtvOalDWYNW8xE5J-lpkBOxH6ifwEpokdBH-UjHdW8yLeODfv7zAmtvLdRQrdvFLF9uYn-_LNfyJzUMYxek5ug5FFnHcg-adKyW5iiNb_0/s320/DSCN2278.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224468094559429362" /></a><br />We arrived in Port au Prince after a few hour delay in Miami. At Laura and Jack’s Ft. Lauderdale home we had spent two lazy days, adjusting to the time zone, heat and relishing our last days with flushing toilets, swimming pools and air-conditioned movie theaters. (We enjoyed ‘wall-E’ and ‘Hancock’!) <br /><br />Haiti from the air looked more lush, and organized, with geometric fields than we expected. We haven’t been in Port au Prince but for the airport. Our family made a brief visit to Haiti six years ago, and it left a strong, intriguing impression. I must admit we were quite apprehensive, after reading our State Department’s website on travel to Haiti (it did not bolster our confidence. What party poopers.) Neither did reading Graham Greene’s The Comedians. <br /><br />Fortunately, customs, baggage claim and the dreaded exit from the controlled airport was easy, especially compared to Miami. The local preschool teacher, Vanna, from the school we’re visiting, was waiting to escort us to a van. She held a sign with our names, gave us each kisses and took our hands to lead us through the throngs without speaking a word of English. I love preschool teachers!<br /><br />We were whisked, expertly, through the busy Port au Prince streets. It was quite an interesting dance, weaving past pedestrians, potholes, motorbikes, colorful, jam-packed taptaps (taxi like pick-up trucks) and armed UN vehicles. <br /><br />The sights (that we were too shy to photograph) along the way: miserable slums, filthy with refuse, naked children perusing the sewage banks with the hogs, beautiful, haughty-looking women nobly balancing fresh produce, enticing Lotto shacks, and UN soldiers studying and buying Haitian crafts. Imagine all this accompanied by the soundtrack of loud shouting and honking. We tried to observe the bustle while swerving through chaotic traffic in a van with gaping holes in the floor.<br /><br />We made a bee-line to the Ouanga Bay Beach Hotel near the port of M….. Years ago we had spent a memorable night here. Again, a very surreal experience. A lovely beach hotel, seemingly deserted but for an elderly desk clerk (who miraculously accepted Visa!) It had the same thrumming disco music blaring in the lounge, elegant tropical gardens, and immaculate beaches but not another guest in sight, very Hotel California-esque. As the sun went down, we took a lovely dip in the calm, azure Atlantic under the stars (zetwol) and again, in the morning, as the sun rose. We were grateful for our room’s shower, our last, of the month.<br /><br />The next morning we lugged our heavy five large bags carrying school, art and computer supplies to the ferry launch. There awaited us a welcome sight, a newer, bone-fide ferry. One with life-jackets for everybody, a ticket taker and a crew that was insistent that the passengers stay in their seats (including the live roosters in their pillowcases). It was very crowded, very late in departing, and very hot, but it felt capable. An added bonus was the deliciously interesting people-watching that we used to keep us entertained for the 2 ½ hour boat ride.<br /><br />We landed on the island of Lagonav. The crowd that awaited the ferry made the one at the airport look like a receiving line. We got separated for a few terrifying minutes, but then the driver (who was to take us up the mountain to Matenwa, our destination) took us by the arms and pulled us through the masses. The people of Haiti speak creole (Ayitian Kreyol), a phonetic mixture of French and African, little of what was shouted was understood by us. We relish, tire, thrill and are frustrated in trying to figure out what is happening by gesture, intonation and expression. I find the still faces hard to read but welcome the passion of the intimate conversations and lively, teasing dialogue. The eyes are really where I get the most meaning. I don’t think I look to the eyes, to understand, in the United States. I wonder if I will when I get back or will I drop it, knowing the words?<br /><br />Our precious cargo went into the center bed of the truck and fifteen people ringed it, sitting on the rim of the truck bed, adding their belongings to our pile. There were three people in the cab, as well as two babies. I had a six year old girl (who didn’t look too sure about being so close to this blanc) on my lap, my legs over the wheel well, watching with pride/apprehension as Genevieve and Max balanced precariously over the deeply rutted, washed out, dusty rock track. The weight this truck carried made the trip less bucking, nonetheless, we were left bruised, scratched, a little sunburnt, and sore for days!<br /><br />Finally arriving at the Matenwa Community School for Development (www.Matenwa.org) we were warmly welcomed by founding member, Chris Low. We dropped off our bags for the school and went to meet our host family. <br /><br />There is a solar powered (16 auto batteries) satellite wireless connection here, wild. Our only link to the world. We have to walk an hour to a spring for water, take out the goats at five in the morning but can wiki anything. Heaven.<br /><br />Genevieve is helping to set up their library, Lisa Ellenberg would be so proud. Dewey Decimal lives on! A card catalog, she's never seen before. She's learning about it online while trying not to scratch the 108 mosquito bites she has, not that she’s counting!<br /><br />We are okay. Getting a bit tired, hot, and hurt. Lots of reading, walking and hanging out. We wake up swaddled in sweat, mosquito bites, nets and sleeping liners. Often to crying, arguing and early morning tempers of our host family. Not sure if part of my disappointment is the let down of coming here and being not truly helpful in any real way. We are learning, observing and appreciating, making do, bucking up, being self-reliant but I guess it is getting a little old. The whole village seems concerned about the sheer quantity of our mosquito bites!<br /><br />Max, on a long walk jumped over some thorn bushes, driving a two inch spike into his calf. Thank god I was with him and had a knife. We got that out, as he said, "Thanks to the corn cob Eve had" with her, to bite down on. I had to incise using a needle (sterilized through a flame) and a thorn from another plant, later, another thorn in his toe (of course) with his headlamp and the whole family watching. They said if you leave any of that 'pekan' in, his foot/leg would balloon up. <br /><br />We washed our laundry yesterday, took the three of us three hours but was fine. We are low efficiency machines BUT we used only five pails of water. Max, being a boy, got a little teased for helping (I don't think he still understands a word here) but is great about being above it all, not afraid to set a different kind of example. Other than tend to the animals in the morning, I can't see that most males do squat around here. You can imagine how much I love that! :) He's played soccer a bit with school's boys, they are simply amazing foutbol'lers, but is laid up with his leg and toe still sore. They play on a short, dusty, rocky playground which emphasizes foot control and quick aggression. As does the 'coach' who makes the younger boys do push-ups, on their knuckles, on the rocks when they screw up (back talk, flub a drill, or are late).<br /><br />None of us have made any real friends, to hang out with, but we pal around with a 13 y.o. boy, Emanuel, visiting from Port au Prince who fluently speaks English, French and Creole. He is very polite and has stayed on longer, to 'show us around.' I hear he is the grandson of a very famous Haitian writer, Jean Price Mars.<br /><br />Our host mother, Jocienne, is fabulous. She has her hands full with six or so kids and us not understanding much of what she says. She is patient with us, a great sport and cook. She goes WILD watching her team, every other evening or so play ‘foutbol.’ She brings them water, juice and washes their jerseys. It is a blast to be in her circle of friends, who seem like loud, fun, powerful women.<br /><br />Jocienne is the ‘pwofese’ (teacher) of the local women’s art centre embroidery group. Their work is simply gorgeous, depicting local imagery and color. I’m trying my damndest to purchase some, which has been commissioned by a dealer in the US. This same women’s art collective paints silk batik scarves also displaying indigenous symbols, animals and color. We watched as they completed four banners commissioned by Vassar.<br /><br />Her mother, lives next door to us, raised fourteen children and is just as exuberant. She is an amazing gardener. We seem to really crack her up!<br /><br />I've started teaching twice daily English classes to adults, mostly teachers. It has been fun, especially, when we role play! I make up games and we laugh. No books, but everybody writes down everything I put on the board and is very focused. Trying to learn and understand Kreyol, as they learn English, puts me in a very sympathetic position. A surprising amount of our learning involves a combination of what feels like speech therapy, body language and sheer willingness to repeat mistakes, over and over.<br /><br />Eve is chugging away at this library, putting in two or more hours a day, which is nice. She’s reading a lot, just finishing her seventh book. She is getting quite a bit of attention for her beauty. When we go on walks people mistake her for a 'bonita' (Dominican babe). She is close to my side but is holding her own and is apt to pick up a few phrases.<br /><br />Max has loaded language programs and word programs onto their computers. He is trying to sort out the 'administrator' function and individual passwords on each computer. He also shows the 'Planet Earth' films to a standing room only crowd on Wednesday nights. He has the French subtitles but the footage and narrative is so engrossing he has huge audience turnout. It is screened in the main building of the school, with a DVD player connected to a projector that projects onto a sheet over a large blackboard. It is so cool to watch images of the world's jungles and rainforests in the dark, with all the sounds and promise of a recovering rainforest just 20 feet away.<br /><br />We trekked to the market yesterday, so felt like we had a 'Country Fair' experience. Dusty, lots to check out, hot, yummy, crowded, overwhelming, colorful and more expensive than you’d think!Mariamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00844981692368533622noreply@blogger.com0