Haiti: The Journey There

Day 1 

28/1/2010 to  29/1/2010

Maybe the trip shouldn’t count as a full day, but I feel it deserves its own entry. The schedule time of arrival at the meeting place was ten pm. I got there thirty minutes late and the organizers where still registering the volunteers. We where suppose to leave by eleven but in the Dominican Republic being on time is never a reality. In the end we finally left around midnight. We got a lecture from a priest/psychologist about handling stress (it wasn’t a very good speech at all) and we waited to see if more of the volunteers who signed up would show up. They didn’t , only 12 of the 20 did.

During the lecture a Haitian national that studies psychology in Santiago told us that based on what he had seen while in Haiti ( he worked for the red cross from January 13 until the 20^th) right after the earthquake the death toll will be larger than anyone can imagine (he actually said 500,000!!) He said the rescue efforts focused on the buildings and houses in the main areas but that little help was reaching the small communities. By the time those far away places are finally reached the death toll would probably be higher than expected because some of those deaths could’ve been prevented with a faster response.

Our exodus from Sto Dgo was slowed by the Escogido celebrations. It was annoying (Licey Campeon!) but I understand their shock at such a feat, like someone said on twitter “the last time they won Luke Skywalker still didn’t know who is father was”.

By 2:30 am I was up. Sleeping on a bus is not something I do well. I played with my aunts BB for awhile until we reached Jimani. There we waited a lot then finally got our vaccination shots before getting ready to cross the border

Daylight came as we crossed to a place I was both anticipating and dreading. The drive to Leogane was longer than expected due to traffic but the biggest surprise to me was the lack of chaos on the streets. The TV made it seem like I would find Armageddon there, but I didn’t. I found tent camps everywhere, most of them made out of sticks and curtains or sheets; but mostly it was clean streets full of military personnel and lots of traffic. We saw a lot of broken down homes but they didn’t impact me as much as the colorful buses and how I finally saw a country where most drivers where as crazy as in the Dominican Republic.  In the end I went back to napping until we reached the camp in Leogane.  Little did I know then that what I would experience in  the grounds of the Hospital Cardenal Leger would change my life forever.

Word count: 470

Day 15: Following your heart

The past couple of days I've been getting ready to go to Leogan, Haiti, to help with the logistics of a medical camp. My family has been very supportive, a little worried but they understand my desire to help. After the first couple of days I stopped looking at the graphic and I've chosen to only read stories of survival and courage. Survival. I am not trying to pretend things in Haiti are anything but horrendous. I understand that right now the entire country is covered in grief, in blood, in tears, in fear. I understand that but I choose to focus on the opposite end of this tragedy.

I choose to celebrate the seventeen year old girl who was rescued fifteen days after the earthquake

I choose to celebrate the French rescue team that is still searching for people alive instead of removing bodies, even though the official rescue efforts have been called off

I choose to celebrate Elisabeth, a 23-day-old baby, is rescued from the ruins of a house in the devastated town of Jacmel rescued 8 days after the earthquake

I choose to celebrate all the work many Dominicans are doing not because they have to but because they can

I choose to celebrate my brother who went to Haiti on a one week trip and chose to stay an extra week because they needed the help

I choose to celebrate all the people that are opening their homes to those who have none

I understand that as a whole what I will encounter will probably be so painful ill find it  impossible to describe but I as I see it this is my chance learn what I am truly made of. I have always been a very loud, very opinionated person but this is the first time I can put my money where my mouth is. I used to  dream I would  change the world,  I used to dream that I would  make a difference but I've never done anything to actually turn those dreams into a reality. This is an opportunity for me to grow, a chance to discover the real meaning of hope and an opportunity to learn more about myself.

Obviously because of this trip I’m taking I won’t be able to post regularly (not that I've been doing that in the first place) but I am taking with me a blank notebook and two pens. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep writing every day while I'm there. When I come back ill try and type up all my experiences if I can. In the meantime I leave you with these inspiring words…

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when?"

Rabbi Hillel

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."

  Groucho Marx

     Word Count: 523

Day 14: Life Keeps getting in the way

Life keeps getting in the way in more ways than I thought. I refuse to give up this project even when it looks like I already have.

This super long weekend I had to work and even though I am very disorganized in my personal life my work related events run like clockwork. I am very anal about the pre cooking process and how timed my mise en place should be. Due to this obsession I spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning shopping for everything I would need for an event I had scheduled for all day Monday.

Sunday night all hell broke loose.

My client calls me up and lets me know that everything we had planned will need to be rearranged. The first coffee break will just be cheese, muffins, a variety of breads, coffee, tea and Juice. I didn’t have muffins or a variety of breads, so I had to run out Monday morning, an off day, to get it. The lunch was changed twice before finally settling on what I had first offered minus one dish. The last dish was to be used for dinner and we would need to add two salads and an upgrade to the dessert.

The entire day was chaos. I ran late all day and to top it all off at the last minute I had to add an extra item because of the guest couldn’t eat eggplant!! It was not a good day for me. I am grateful I’m a fair enough cook to pull it off without anyone puking or hating everything, but I still did not have fun.

This has officially turned into a rant and I don’t like the fact that is my second one in less than two weeks. I guess I whine a lot more than thought. I shouldn’t be complaining at all. I understand how blessed I am, specially lately.

My brother left for Haiti last Saturday. He is working at a campsite providing food and health care to anyone that goes there. Yesterday he finally wrote an email and even though he didn’t go into much detail he let us know that the people of Haiti are going through so much and that every little thing helps. So if anyone is able to get off work for a week please contact 

CAMPAMENTO COMISIÓN DE SALUD DE LA PLATAFORMA DE AYUDA A HAITÍ DE LA SOCIEDAD CIVIL DOMINICANA

La Comisión de Salud ha establecido un campamento médico en Puerto Príncipe que está necesitando personal:

SE NECESITA VOLUNTARIADO!!:

-Personal Médico: Médicos generales, psicólogos, pediatras, ortopedas y  ginecólogas.

-Traductores y Apoyo logístico (que sean proactivos, con capacidad para coordinar, ofrecer todo tipo de soporte, que busquen soluciones a situaciones de búsqueda de alternativas).

INTERESADOS:

Por favor enviar su nombre, cédula y pasaporte (dominicanos, si tienen  y extranjeros obligatorio), e-mail, teléfono formación y área de apoyo en el que puedan ser útiles) a los siguientes correos electrónicos:

n.camino@codetel.net.do
estibalizladron@yahoo.es
Chelsea.mcguire@gmail.com

I will follow my brother later this week and even though I won’t have internet access, I’ll take my notebook and lots of pens so that I can try and write my five hundred words every day I’m there. As soon as I’m back ill try to type everything and post it.

Tomorrow I have to get everything ready but I’ll try to post again before I leave. If not, be well, laugh hard, love without strings and enjoy every moment of your life.

                                                                                                                                                                      Word Count: 576

Day 7: Diary of a Mad Woman

Today was a better day at the volunteer center. I got in late, around ten thirty in the morning, and already it was fuller than last night. Because of a previous engagement I could only stay until two pm but I am grateful I was able to help. Thankfully we got a lot of water and medicine, in today’s donation effort and hopefully the next few days will only mean more supplies for the people of Haiti.

I always prided myself in being a well informed person that can be rational in the face of ignorance, that can be calm in the face of adversity and that can be willing to drop anything in order to help people with bigger needs than my own. I finally realize that I am only capable of helping others but that I can’t abide ignorant people or stay calm in the face of something I consider unjust.

This horrible tragedy that has befallen the people of Haiti is not a joking matter. It is real. As we speak, people are homeless, fathers & mothers are childless, children are listless as they wander the destroyed streets of the only home they’ve ever known. Yet all over the country you hear the snide comments underneath the pleas of help. I can hear them loud and clear and it shames me to the core that my fellow Dominicans can be so petty at a time like this.

I know I am not a typical Dominican person, my family is not religious, my parents don’t think the most important role I’ll ever have in life is to be a wife and mother, I don’t care about the in crown or the latest clothes so maybe the things that affect me seem strange to the rest of the world; but as usual I don’t care. I can’t stay quite in the midst of all the stupidity I've encountered in the past two days.

I can understand that not everyone is as emotional or intense as I am and maybe because I’m both to the nth degree everything affects me more than other people, yet I am proud of that. I am not a hypocrite that sends out cans of food while condemning and entire country based on the color of their skin. I am not building with hands to later destroy with words. I don’t stand around preaching to God while saying that “Haiti is cursed...because of a pact they made with the devil”

I hope I am not alone in my anger. I hope I am not alone in my shame towards those radio personalities that want to focus so much on how great we are for helping but that we must help over there. I am not saying we need to open the borders but I don’t believe we can condition our help. Do you condition your love? The people of Haiti need everything, as their neighbors we should be willing to do for them all we want them to do for us if we were in need. 

Word Count: 511

Day 6: A Chronicle of Grief

I am volunteering at one of the first centers that opened to receive all donations for the devastated country of Haiti.  Today I am writing this as I wait to inventory the medicine that is donated. I don’t want to  judge my fellow Dominicans because the earthquake only happened last night and right now is only five twenty so people are still at work, hopefully  the slow response is due to the workday.

The anti-Haitian sentiment that has permeated this country for so long is quiet, no one is bashing our neighbors today but unfortunately not many are helping either. Let’s hope that before my shift ends I can see the goodness of my fellow Dominican.

Its six fifteen and so far only a German man has come in, he thankfully donated 60 packs of 60 bags of water.  Right now an American woman who came to volunteer has gotten the center to set up a PayPal account so that more people outside of the Island of Hispaniola can donate easier

Its six forty five, nothing has come in. I really hope is because there are so many open places where people are going to drop their donations that they don’t make it here. I feel like crying. There is Haitian-Dominican coming into the center to hear any new news, it’s sad to see them coming in but not many people are coming to donate.

Seven pm Price Smart called they will donate 3 containers with non perishable foods; the donation is valued at six million pesos.  A local pharmacy Etnopharma came in and left five boxes full of medicine and medical supplies!!! My heart is getting lighter. I’m going to be optimistic and say that before I leave a lot more donations will be coming in.

Yay we just got another big donation from a transport company. Three more containers of food. Its seven forty six pm.

Its eight ten right now, we are starting the process of closing down the center and maybe

I’m to much of an idealist but I was expecting a better response, maybe it’s the fact that I’m one place and I’m not really aware of the rest of the places where people are going to donate and everywhere else is packed with donations I really hope.

I’m so sad, is so hard to believe that everyone isn’t as heartbroken as I feel, that everyone isn’t interested in making a difference as small as it might be for the people of Haiti.

I can’t help but think of Edma, an employee I use to have when I opened my restaurant in Bavaro. He was my best employee, helpful, eager to learn, polite and today I kept thinking of him and what he must be going through right now. The anguish of not knowing if their families are alive, the impotence of being so far away and not be able to help his own people. He is the reason I am here today. I am so grateful to him for all the great work he did for me once that the least I can do today is lend a hand in the effort  to help the people of Haiti.

Word Count: 534

P.S this was posted on January 13, It had to be reposted today due to some style errors. I did not skip a day :p

Day 5: Of Brothers & Earthquakes

I have to admit that when the first earthquake hit I felt nothing. I was in the bathroom getting ready to take a shower.  Then my brother almost breaks down my door, screaming, yelling at me to put some clothes on and get out NOW!!. I didn’t understand what was going on. He kept on walking and screaming and telling me to hurry. When he finally stopped and told me that the earth shook not once but twice and that I should get downstairs, I laughed.

I put on some clothes and slowly walked out of my room, as my brother kept repeating “we need to get downstairs now, don’t use the elevator, but you need to go outside” and if any of you has ever met my brother you know he was probably voted “most likely to exaggerate anything” so I of course ignored him and proceeded to walk towards the edge of the balcony and mock everyone outside.

Still laughing I returned a call to my mother and as we gossiped and mocked  my brother’s hysteria, she gets a call and hangs up and I turn on the radio; everything stops being funny.

A seven point three earthquake with its center ten miles outside of Port-au-Prince had hit, two more aftershocks of five point nine and five point five would follow less than an hour later. The joke was one me. For once my brother had the right idea.

Now the entire Island plus Cuba and Bahamas were on Local Tsunami Alert; and the people of Haiti are once again in the midst of a major tragedy that won’t help their already poverty stricken land. It’s so sad that this country gets hit so many times. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy nothing happened to my fellow Dominicans but I can’t help but feel sad for the people of Haiti.

Hopefully in this time of need for our neighbors, this country will forget their constant irrational hatred (at least in my mind) towards the Haitian people and come together so that we can help them in this time of need.  I hope that even though things are dire in own country everyone can look into their pantry’s and closets and pick out a few things that you might be able to part with. At this point the people of Haiti need anything we can spare, so please look into yourselves so that you can part with those extra things they might need.

Hopefully all the aid that will arrive will reach the hands that truly need them and not end up lost on the black market being sold to the same people who were meant to receive them for free. Let’s pray that the constant political corruption that is so constant in our world takes a back seat in these trying times and that everyone can find it in their hearts to help a country so poor that needs help all year round and not only when tragedy strikes.

 Word Count: 502

P.S. El Centro de acopio será desde el miércoles a las 8am en el Edificio Centro Bonó ubicado en la Calle Josefa Brea No. 65, casi esquina 27 de Febrero, Mejoramiento Social, Santo Domingo. Las donaciones se realizarán a traves del consulado dominicano en Haití y de la Cámara Dominico Haitiana. Tel (809) 686-6688 ext 2381 y 2584 o llevar a departamento Relaciones Públicas en Listín Diario.