TAP TAPS and MOTO-TAXIS

Yes, my dears...As the title suggests we rode in the tap tap AND the motorcycle taxis.

We slept in as best as we could. The loud church two buildings down is EXTREMELY proud of their sound system, and blast music and the sermon as loud as they can. The only thing worse than a 7-11 worship song is one sung in a language you can not understand. One song went on for 8 total minutes with the crowd singing/chanting the same three word phrase over and over and over and over. The lack of fans made the sweltering heat enough to move us from our beds.

We waited until noon, then headed out to find lunch. Abe had purchased Haitian cookies and Tampico the night before for our breakfast. Not the most nutritious, but you can bet the kids ate them all! It felt good to be outside. Once we found a place to eat with FANS I was able to be internally happy instead of just faking it. ;-)

Davidson, Kentye, and Jon- three of Abe's crew met us at the restuarant and then proceeded to take us to the beach! First we walked. Oh my goodness, did we walk! As soon as I was sure I could fall asleep and my legs would continue on without me, Davidson stopped us and I looked up to see six motorcycle taxis crowded around us. Before I could protest, each man loaded one of my babes between them and the driver and I was ushered to a motorcycle. I clung for dear life as I heard the giggles and happy shrieks of my babes around me. We looked like a Biker Gang with choeffeurs!! We made it several blocks away to a Tap Tap stop. The babes were breathless and begging to ride again, but the idea of riding in a Tap Tap for the first time delighted them as well. I was grateful we were in the little town of Jacmel. Had we been in Port Au Prince still, such delights would be forbidden for the white family. :)

A small pick up truck with the makeshift bus back stopped and we piled in. Before taking off we had a total of 20 people in the back. Yes, I said 20. Adults sat on laps and hung out the back and two courageous young men sat on the top. The joys of Haitian public transportation.

We arrived at the beach a bit frumpled but happy. The worst part? I left my Camera at the house. Davidson said that was best because it would have been stolen. I am still disappointed in myself. I will make up for it, later!

The ride back was much less enjoyable as everyone was tired and hungry-but the Tap Tap ride was less crowded. There was a lot of yelling going on between some very drunk young men and our friends. We never did find out why, but after we got off the Tap Tap, Davidson was very stern with Abraham and told him to call Matthias immediately. "Demand a truck." he said.  "Every day demand a truck for yous to drive on yous own. Dis is no way for your family and Madame to travel. Also, you tell Matthias you must stay at the hotel where you work. Travel from Jacmel is no good. No good."
I like Davidson.

Days 19- JACMEL

Saturday morning we rose early and ate pancakes. I once again claimed the kitchen and after Friday night's pizza success, Melinda was actually nice about it.
Cliff picked us up at 8. We left Port Au Prince at 1pm. Sigh. Nothing is EVER quick in Haiti. We had to go to the Kaytech plant to pick up supplies and material for the job at Jacmel. And Cliff had a dozen other errands, ALL in heavy bumper top bumper traffic. Abe was very frustrated, but the kids were calm and happy. Once we were on our way, crowded people, piles of trash and loud traffic was replaced by farmers with cows on ropes, open fields and tall green mountains with steep valleys.
The road was long and rough. At one point the entire road had been blocked by huge piles of sand and rock that had fallen from the side of the mountain. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long as the tractors and back hoes were hard at work. And another landslide didn't decide to target out truck.
As we passed through tiny villages we noticed several wedding parties. Cliff did his best to explain that due to the holiday weekend, many people were getting married. I am still unsure what the holiday is for...
We made it to Jacmel by 7pm. Abe's crew (the first one he ever trained) was busy working and were very excited to meet us. The hotel is about 20 miles from Jacmel along the coast. The views are amazing.
We were taken back to Jacmel to the house we were to stay at and... WoW. It was super clean, which probably added to my admiration. The smallish two bedroom house is beautiful. There was furniture but a disparaging lack of kitchen supplies. The view from the back deck is amazing. I will post pics soon.

Day 18- Stupid white woman... :-D

Hello from Jacmel!
I suppose when you have to look at a calendar to see how long it has been, perhaps life HAS been busy enough to distract you from counting the days spent in Haiti...
Today is day 21 but let me fill you in on what you missed. 


DAY 18
Hot as usual, but we had power. Melinda informed me that we needed more money for food. There must have been a misunderstanding when we used an interpreter to arrange the household and food money. I told her my newest, most favorite phrase, "Abraham fix it."
Abraham called and told me to pack up for a week-end in Jacmel. There is a hotel that one of his crews is building five new bungalows at. The owner is getting fidgety to have it all finished and Abe is needed to show the guys how to set the roofs and get things tied up. 
I decided it was time to take control in the kitchen- Pizza Time!!!
I gathered all the ingredients then called Abe to see if he could pick up some yeast on his way home. Sadly he had three more hours of work and it was already 4:30. I asked Melinda to go to the market and buy some, but she looked at me stupidly. I even said what I thought was the Creole word for yeast and bread, leven and pen. Still ineffectual. Finally I called Abe and told him if he didn't hear from me in one hour I was kidnapped and he needed to start gathering ransom.
I grabbed 100 gourdes. (Enough for a treat for the babes, too)
I told Melinda I was going. (She at least understood to watch the petites.)
I opened the gate. (That sucker is heavy!)
I waved to the guard. (Who just stood there and shook his head.
I walked down the street, around the corner, down the block...
I bought the yeast.
I returned.
Did I die?
Sadly, yes.
But I lived. ;-)  (Due homage to Ice Age. Corny, yes but funny.)


The pizza was delicious, by the way.

Tackling the Wash Tub

Yesterday, Day 15
I did it. Amongst much giggling, pointing, scolding, and splashing. I washed laundry. Outside. In a tub. I must say, the Art of Washing Laundry the Haitian way is complex and time consuming. I was envisioning throwing all the clothes into a tub of hot water, adding soap and stirring. Haaahahahhaahaha.
 Melinda had six tubs carefully organized with different types of soaps in each one. She sorted the laundry and threw the appropriate clothes into the tubs. When I finally got the point across that I wanted her to show me how, she pointed me to the tub of underwear. She filled it with water from her huge tub and took a ball of white hard soap. Rubbing the underwear vigerously with the soap ball, she proceeded to do this little squeeze/rub thing with it over and over and over and over and over... She then squeezed the water out and tossed it into another tub with a blue liquid that I was SURE would stain our whitey tighteys an eternal shade of blue, but she kept saying "blanc, Belle!" I grabbed a pair, eager to show I could do the same.
I couldn't.
 My hands ended up slipping all over everything while I attempted to rub and wring in the same fashion. Finally Ed, the groundsman came over laughing and tried to show me that you should rub the soaped up cloth on your wrist, then twist it in the water. I tried. They laughed. I giggled. Lather Rinse Repeat. The gate guard even came over from his post to check out the hoopla. It all ended with Abe calling me (FINALLY!) and I was relieved of the attempt to type up a work email for him.
After Abe came home from work, I grabbed Carolanne and we headed towards the Market. Still unable to haggle in Creole, my main shopping is done at a local indoor market with prices clearly marked in Gourdes, the Haitian form of currency. We buy a few things on the street market, but usually ask Melinda to gather the goods from the muck. Soon I will be haggling with all the other Haitian Mamas. :-) Carolanne, it was decided, came with us. We are going to have the kids take turns coming shopping with us each week, as keeping track of four gorgeous traffic stopping kids is a full time job. No brain space left for checking prices and watching the list...
I managed to get everything we needed for the exact amount Abe gave me. That is until I got home and realized we forgot three items. A short walk out the gate to the nearby market fixed that oversight after we got home.
After shopping we went to Abe's job site- the Catholic school. Carolanne was the Belle of the Ball handing out her newly acquired Sweetarts to the workers. Son Son was there as he is the evening crew leader, and he held her nearly the entire time- pausing his work to throw her into the air a midst fits of giggles. Both his AND hers. It is so neat to see someone Abe trained earlier this year, take the initiative and become a crew leader. The positive repercussions of Abe's work are already showing.

Today
Abe took the computer to work and I only have a few more minutes before I need to tuck my babes into bed. Night has fallen and the thick sweet smell of the tree blossoms are all around me. Unfortunately the mosquitoes have also decided it is dinner time. Ick. Any ideas on a natural home made repellent? I try so hard not to use DEET, but the past few days I have just to give my little ones relief. Adam counted sixty bites the other day. Some new, some just scabs left from the scratching. We have the eucalyptus spray, the candles for night time, the all natural spray from a health food store I picked up- these pesky insects just bite right through!
I successfully set up a play room downstairs in the cool of the basement. Every now and then Adam and Carol race up the stairs and grab Dawee (Melinda's son) and pull him downstairs to squish a particularly menacing looking spider. They KNOW better than to call for me. Dawee doesn't mind and his little 7 year old chest puffs up with pride after each kill. Anyways, Abe was impressed with the lack of toys in the "adult" space when he came home today. The kids LOVE the new area.
Today we learned that Ed's real name is-Blah. Yip. Blah. Kind of appropriate as after I hear him scolding the kids in Creole I asked Thaddaeus what he was upset about. Thad answered perplexed, "I don't know. All he ever says is Blah blah blah blah blah." :-)

Day 13 and 14-today

The babes are noisily playing downstairs with Roosevelt, our housekeeper's 7 year old son, and the little neighbor girl who comes over every day to play with Carolanne. They have all seemed to have overstepped the barriers of language, race, and working class and have become fast friends. It makes me very happy, proud, and hopeful for their future here in Haiti- as well as in the world.
There seems to be the most views on my post with pictures, and I know I am very fond of picture books, so this entry will again be filled with pictures. :-) (no, I never intend to fully grow up and it is a shame that some of you have.)
Yesterday, Day 13, we dressed and prepared for church. Our driver was outside waiting and Son Son (Abe's "adopted" brother) came over to ride with us. The driver was new and let me tell you- I MISS CLIFF!!! Cliff, it turns out, is a Baptist minister as well as protective guard/driver. He informed Matthias that if he had to drive again on a Sunday, he would quit. So we got a new guy named Dominic. He was the worst driver I have EVER experienced. Abe said Dominic would calm down and realize not EVERYONE is out to kill us after he has gotten more experience. I am willing to bet it will take 50 years- that is how long it will take for my muscles to relax after a day of driving with him. We honestly traveled about a fourth of a mile with another pick up truck two inches- I said TWO inches- from ours. We lost a side mirror needless to say. Shudder.
ANYWAYS! Dominic took us to the wrong church so the times were off and, once again, we were unable to go. Abe was very upset, but as there was no way to yell at the driver and have him understand,  Abe decided to press on.
We picked up Son Son's girlfriend and headed for the beach. The babes first dip in the ocean! While I have some pictures of our first trip through down town Port Au Prince, I did not get any at the beach for two reasons... 1. There was no where to leave the camera if I HAD taken it to the shore. 2. Any pictures taken would have included the locals and therefore would have been close to, if not pornographic. We are going to pay the 800 gourdes required to go to a more secluded beach next time. Lesson learned!

There are so many words I would like to say about what I saw on the way to and from the beach, but I find myself speechless and will allow the pictures to do the talking...

The marketplace in down town Port Au Prince.

Another view. The sellers have umbrellas advertising the various cell phone companies.

Behind the markets are the houses. Or dwellings. They aren't much like houses.

A truck filled with tiny sacks of drinking water. When you buy the water, you bite off the corner and suck the water out. My babes giggle every time and say it's like they are nursing babies.

I know this picture is sideways...
(I loaded it wrong and loading each picture takes about 8 minutes here. Your necks get to pay for my lack of time. )
Its a glimpse of the MANY tent cities we passed that are still in full use. The concrete rubble from the earthquake over two years ago is still present.

 Tent city-children's clothes hung out to dry.

 Thought this was humorous. You really DO have to specify if you drive an  Ambulance or are a Medic. (it is a hearse made out of a pick up truck parked in front of a funeral parlour.)





  Yes, it is ALWAYS that dirty. Even on our street. Depending on the day it can get much, much worse.

 If you look closely into the dark doorway you will see the tiny home. An entire family lives inside the tiny, dingy box. I pointed it out to Adam and he humbly replied, "Mom, I don't think our new house in Penye will be so very small after all."  Indeed.

                                              Burning piles of trash along the side of the road.

 Abe and Son Son rode in the back so we ladies and the Babes could be comfortable. And somewhat safe.

Too much fun in the Ocean <3

Always ready for more!!!!!!

                                                                          My little Princess
 Thaddaeus can also been seen in this picture, but my arms were too full of a sleeping Isaiah to get a good shot of him.

Saturday-our 12th day living in Petionville, Port Au Prince, Haiti

It is 1:30 now and my babes are playing quietly around the house. This morning we ate a hasty breakfast and dressed in a rush as Cliff, our diver, was outside waiting for us. We all got to go see Daddy's work! Abe is in charge of building a new Catholic School where the old building crumbled to pieces during the earthquake. Abe said that during the first week it was a struggle to get the men motivated and really working quickly, but he had them organized now for peak productivity. :-) Most of the workers are the students that he taught while he was here in March-June. It is so awesome that Abe was able to employ men from the school. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life!!!

After we stopped at the job site Cliff took us through PetionVille, PetroVille and CanaraVille (spelling?) to Penye... where our new house was getting the walls mudded and painted and the toilet installed! The Babes gave a general consensus of approval, although I think the several tall climbing trees and two friendly Haitian boys may have swayed their votes.

On the way to Penye The streets are always filled with men and women balancing heavy loads on their heads. The Babes always stare and exclaim in wonder at how strong they are. Today we saw one tiny woman with a full culligan bottle on her little head. Isaiah is sure I am just as strong, but I know the truth! Oh, and the metal fencing is quite common where

 the concrete and razor wire are too expensive.

Happy travelers! It's hard to stay in one house all week! They are always SO excited for the weekends! Carol has decided smiling isn't chic.

I took these from inside the truck, as it is unsafe to stop. The businesses are all painted bright colors and there is a great amount of graffiti on nearly every wall.

As we got further from PetionVille and Petro Ville, the traffic lessened and the hills were visible. You can't see it in the above picture, but the hill is completely covered in houses stacked on top of eachother. Very unsafe for earthquakes or Hurricanes.

Here is a close up of the buildings on the hills. So many people and not enough space.

There are several road blocks of fallen rocks and crumbled buildings. Cliff is very skilled at twisting down roads and allies and finding our way.

Inside each concrete square is another fmaily dwelling. I tried to get pictures of the tents as well, but they are too far in the distance. There are still several tent cities, although the country has been working hard to clean them out.

Again, hard to see, but the pile of what looks like dirt is actually a huge pile of trash. Very common along the streets. There is a pig in the right lower corner of this picture.

OUR STREET, although I have no idea what it is called.

The inside of our new house! They are standing in the living room and behind them is the bathroom. I am taking the picture from the front door. To the right is the kitchen and back door.

The back yard. :-) Very small, but the communal front yard is very spacious

The front of the house. All of the windows are the small slats that open

and close with a twisty thingy. :-)

Headed to the restaurant for lunch and ice cream. Quite a treat!

Cliff walked in with us and helped me corral the babes. They were esctatic to have pizza and french fries instead of rice and beans!!!

yummy! Carolanne always gets the funniest looks and exclamation when they see

 her long pretty hair and blue eyes. :-)

The place became so busy we ate the ice cream on the way home.

An excellent ending to a wonderful day!

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!

The water man!
The blessed water truck finally arrived this afternoon and I paid the driver, fully expecting
them to drag the hose to the roof. Melinda grabbed my arm and pulled me out to the back
yard and I saw this....

A fire hose was filling a HUGE compartment UNDER THE HOUSE in the basement
full of water. No wonder we can't drink it! 

The kids were enthralled, as was I! Thaddaeus remembered our Bible lesson this morning and
informed me that "God would let the Haiti man flood the house, but not the whole earth."

Now the floors are mopped, faces washed, toilets flushed and everyone is HAPPY!
YAY for water!!!

DAY 10

School was a no go for half my babes today. We stopped just before the point of frustration and made chocolate chip cookies for dinner with Abe and Son Son. The kids are especially dirty today and the allotted bath time came and went. I went to the bathroom to give them myself when I discovered there simply was no water. I went outside and asked Melinda what was going on. She pointed to the roof and said "D'glo fini." Hateful words. I had noticed large black plastic cylinder tanks on the roofs of everyone around me, but it never dawned on me what they actually were. I just assumed the plumbing for the Capitol of Haiti would be like any regular American city. WRONG!!!!! Apparently a large water truck comes round and uses a long fire hose to fill up the water tanks placed on top of the houses. That is the water that flows through the pipes and into our sinks and toilets. When the tank is empty- there is no water. Sounds simple. Learn something new EVERY MOMENT!!!!! Abe has contacted the company who is supposed to keep the house running for us. Something else we need to consider when we move into our new house in Penye. 

I tried to get us a ride to the job site to see Abe, or to our new house-anything to get the kids out of the house. But the driver was busy with extra people in from the states and couldn't be spared. Ready to steal a car ;-)

Half way through the day Abe called and said the Boss requested him and I to join another employee in wining and dining a visiting architect and engineer from Virginia. They are the two that created the blue prints for the school Abe is currently constructing. While that meant no dinner with Son Son, the kids were still delighted when he came over and visited for a while anyway. We shared our chocolate chip cookies with everyone and even Melinda melted and exclaimed "Bon!" upon tasting them. I spend nearly an hour scrubbing the black off of my feet and dressing to impress. Around 8 pm our driver arrived and we were taken to a very nice place with live jazz/kumba music. The food was very good, everything ordered was imported. There were small bags of water hanging from the rafters and it made me giggle. Even in one of the finest restaurants here they used the hick backwoods way of keeping flies away!!!

DAY 9

All three boys wet the bed last night. ALL THREE. I was so happy when I woke up this morning and found that NO CHILDREN WERE ON MY FLOOR! They all slept hard and didn’t wake up. Which meant they all peed the bed. I suppose that’s the price one must pay for a good night’s sleep-at least the boys all share a bed so there was only one to clean up.

This morning Melinda was busy sweeping and mopping before the kids got up. I pay Melinda the equivalent of $210 per month which covers our complete household budget (soaps, napkins, cleaning supplies, Haitian food) AND pays Melinda to clean the floors every day, make one Haitian meal a day (our noon meal) wash all of our laundry, (my wrists are eternally grateful) clean the dishes (I DO try to wash the ones I use making breakfast and lunch but get scolded a lot) and bathe the kids every other day. Yes, I do feel spoiled. Once we move to our new little home I will miss Melinda and her services. I was told I will have to hire someone to take her place once we move, but a servant usually sleeps at the employer’s house and our little matchbox certainly has no space to spare. I tried to explain this to Gaile and tell her I would be fine doing it alone but she scolded me severely. I should focus my time on the children’s school and on my self, she said. And emphatically added that SHE would find someone who lived close to our house who could walk there every day.  How funny it is that my battles include trying TO work and not trying to get OUT of work.  It will be nice to find someone that the children like that I can trust them with,though.  I have been itching to meet the staff at the local children’s hospital. 

We finally have the internet today. Victory dances have been completed. The babes are watching Ice Age on the other laptop and Abe is ready to push me off this one so he can manage his accounts and prepare for work tomorrow. 

Son Son, Abe's co worker and adopted brother came by today and planted big kisses on my cheeks asking "How is my sister today?!?!?!" He is such a happy joy to have springing into our lives. TOmorrow Abe invited him over to dinner and I have *hopefully* successfully told Melinda to make the Haitian meal at five instead of noon. Son Son speaks rather good English and is fun to visit with. Abe is hoping he will accompany us to our visit to the beach Sunday-the Babes FIRST swim in the ocean. :-) 

DAY 8

Last night the power kept turning off and on making our house look like a bright twinkling Christmas ornament. Needless to say the fan also went on. And off. And on. And off. And on. And off. I would have hunted down the source of the problem but even thinking about moving made me sweat even more. The mosquitoes were back with a vengeance after being forced away with the wind and rain earlier in the day. It was the most miserable night I have had in Haiti. I feel sorry for my husband who had to listen to me whimper and whine.

This morning the power was on. I went through the house and plugged the fridge and freezers back in. All of our ice has turned into messy puddles. Despite my fears, nothing caught on fire through the night and while today’s humidity levels are off the chart, we have our trusty fan back.

 We have also started school full force. The little bit we did on DAY 2 was deemed unsuccessful and Abe and I decided the kids needed a week to settle in properly. This morning I talked with the kids and we made the joint (and mommy guided) decision to start school. I have been busy writing up charts and organizing lessons. Isaiah and Thaddaeus completed two subjects and have been forced to take a recess so Adam and Carol can continue in peace. Carolanne is breezing through her work and concentrating beautifully. I am beginning to understand the only complaint Adam brought home from his teachers in Public school. Blank stares and off the subject conversation rule his mind. We are going to work on staying focused. Any ideas on how to keep the busy mind of a seven year old trained on the task at hand? I am trying to keep his lessons short-spending no more than twenty minutes on each topic...

DAY 7

Today Melinda has been including me in meal preparation. Telling me the names for foods (she is still in awe that I want to learn Creole) and teaching me how to prepare vegetables and Balets. (meatballs, although I am completely unsure on the spelling.) In return I pulled out my vegetable peeler, whisk, knife and slicer from my bag and showed her how to use them. She giggled tremendously while trying each tool and has since grown severely attached to the peeler.

It is easy to lose track of time and day here. Sometimes I feel like the princess locked up in the tower with time relentlessly marching on.  Being so cut off from everything and not allowed to even take a walk with the babes is so foreign to me. The babes become restless now and then, but this house is big enough that  they can usually wiggle it out.  They are still anxious to go to the beach. Once We have been paid and catch up on bills, Abe said I may hire Wilman to take us to the ocean.

DAY 6

Today there was a mix up with the drivers and we  missed church. I had a small emotional melt down of which I am neither ashamed nor proud. Once we finally got our driver we went to Giant Market which is a two story supermarket with an elevator. It is not as big as it sounds and the prices for our usually ordinary items were very high. A container of yogurt was $7. But we were able to get some cereal,  canned milk, mayonnaise, cheese and other items which are not available on the street market. After my pancake disaster Friday (no, it is NOT possible to cook pancakes in a boiling pot) I was sure to purchase a frying pan. When we were finished shopping at the market, our driver dropped us off at an Italian pizzeria. We tried to persuade him to come eat with us, but he would not. The distinction between classes here is poignant and unavoidable. I am blessed to have a husband who blatantly steps across the line and consistently treats all men as equals. The pizza was exceptional and the appetizer of fried plantains, while not in the least Italian, was tasty too. The kids were excited to have a taste of home.  I need to figure out how to ask Melinda to buy eggs at the market.  Abe said he ordered a dictionary from someone at work, but it will be a couple of weeks before we get it. Everything takes a long time. We still don’t have Internet or phones. :-p

FIRST DATE IN HAITI

We also met Wilman today when he came over to the Guest house to visit Charlie (the other American here to work). He was a driver for Kaytech (the company Abe works for) before he asked for a raise and subsequently quit when he was refused. From what I can gather from Charlie, Wilman was the best driver they had. He speaks very good English and just applied and passed the entrance exam to be a police officer. I congratulated him and told him how I respected someone who would go into a selfless job and care about the people…and he laughed.

 “No,” he said. “You don’t understand. I work for police academy because I need the money. I never take bullet for anyone. It is a bad job but I do it because I do not have any other job to do.” 

Apparently that is the common mindset. Wilman is currently still unemployed, waiting for the Academy to tell him he can spend six months training. He later showed us the line of unemployed men who took the entrance exam at the Academy and were checking the approved list to see if they were in. There were thirteen pieces of paper with names listed in tiny print hung on the wall by the Academy gate.

 Until we have a car of our own provided by Kaytech, we have Cliff and his truck every Sunday. The misunderstandings abounded today, however, as after we went to the market he left us at home for the afternoon. When we called him back later in the evening to take Abe and I out to Petroville he said he was too busy. I was rather upset but Abe soothed my temper and reminded me that a small misunderstanding like Cliff not knowing he was our driver the entire day, would surely lead to him being fired. So, I asked Wilman if he would be our guide and show us a few places. Again, Wilman laughed at me (he enjoys doing that) and said if we do not have a car, we can not go. Abe asked him if we could take the Tap Tap (the local mode of taxi/bus which Adam accurately described as “Tons of people squished like sardines into the back of tiny pickups”) And Wilman became VERY serious.

 “It is far to dangerous for a white woman to go in a Tap Tap. You see my skin? I am Haitian. I have no fear, no worries. You are a white man and every bad person who thinks you have money will stop you and take your possessions. And your lovely woman, a white woman will be taken-kidnapped in no time. No time at all. You must be in a car and you must have a guard.” Upon seeing my fallen countenance Wilman kindly continued. “You see, Madame, When you are riding in a car with driver we have been trained in school to be very cautious. Very safe. We weave in and out of traffic and travel very fast, as fast as we can and never stop the car-never idle in the car. Because when bad man want to kidnap someone, one car in front stop and another car behind stops so the driver can not move. Then they break the windows and grab the people. When you white, they think you have a lot of money to pay ransom.” Well. Even though my hopes were dashed at ever being able to ride in a Tap Tap, at least I now understood why Cliff always drove us like he was high on Crack. ANYWAYS, Wilman borrowed a car from his brother and we paid his brother in extra fuel. Wilman took us to the best place for chicken wings in Haiti and also to sneak a peek at…

 OUR NEW HOUSE.

I must admit to shedding a tear of disappointment after the initial tour. It is NOTHING like I had expected.  Our new house is in Penye. Yet another subdivision in the hilly portion of Port Au Prince. It is quite a drive from the guest house and the area is occupied more by farmers and herders. Goats, cows, pigs, chickens and donkeys were everywhere. The road was like many Haitian roads we have been on so far- A four wheeling adventure that would rival the trails in Moab with deep ditches, huge rocks and flowing water, lined with people. Always TONS of people. Settled off to the side is a security gate with two armed men. Once we entered the gated community,  we were greeted by seven small houses facing each other, all  surrounded by tall cement walls with razor wire. At one end of the area were several tall trees offering shade to what would soon be a communal park on one side, and a sunny clothes washing area was on the other.  The houses on the right had peaked roofs of cement. Abe directed me towards what will be our home- a 30x30 square.  The entire building has hard, shiny tile floors. The small porch on the front of house, I have decided, will be our dining room as there is no room inside for a table. Once you enter the house you can easily spit from one side to the other.  Two minuscule bedrooms are on the left and a single bathroom with a shower is dead ahead, still awaiting a toilet and sink to be squeezed in. Off to the right is a kitchen the size of a minibar-still lacking the cupboards and fridge. Although I am not sure where they will fit. It honestly is like a tiny hunting cabin. But, it is new. It has running water and electricity. All of the windows have screens. And it is ours free- for as long as we need it.  I remember Gayle telling me the housekeeper I MUST have would need to sleep at our house and it makes me laugh. I have a feeling I will be shocking several of my neighbors by becoming super mom AND doing my own laundry. Outside. In a tub. 

DAY 5

THE HILLS

Today was an exceptional day. God either decided to bless my spirits, or He grew weary of my inner whining. Early- so early we had to leave breakfast on the table- Cliff, our driver, picked us up and we headed to Matthias’ home. I had no idea what to expect but as we continued to drive farther up the hills and far far away from the heat, smell and noise, my mind cleared and my heart grew light. The countryside is so beautiful-if it had been my first glimpse of Haiti I should have fallen in love immediately.  Tall trees bloom all year long in a rainbow of colors. The air is cool, clean, and smells of blossoms. Along the streets were the same ever present markets and shacks, but there were fewer piles of black sludge. Peasants with goats on leashes and chickens on their heads walked by large green fields.

The visit with Gayle, (the wife of Abe’s employer) and his two teen age daughters was wonderful. The ever present guard and shot gun met us at the gate and we were immediately greeted with the usual kiss on the cheek and bright smiles from the two daughters. The house was encased with beautifully kept gardens. Gayle gave me a tour and told me, in perfect English, all about her husband’s rise to fame and riches from a simple street worker. The kids were in heaven as they watched movies on their big screen and ate cookies and french toast. The girls spoiled and played with the babes while Gayle took me on a tour of the area. It was so refreshing to be in the  mountain air and talk with someone who understood me. Our visit ended with Gayle taking us near the top of the mountains to a baptist mission and hospital. A small zoo was there and the kids ran free and had such a good time. Isaiah and Thaddaues cried when they learned we were heading back to the guest house. Once we have been in Haiti for a year or so and have worked off our debt from the States, I want to live in the countryside. I WILL live in the country side. J

DAY 4

Last night was filled with my temper tantrums, I am ashamed to admit. It stormed and rained a little bit. All of my babes ended up in my bed upstairs. I lay in sweaty misery with itchy burning mosquito bites, still no phone or Internet, no drinking water (again), no way to speak to anyone, loud music playing obtrusively outside, the neighbors baby screaming at amazing decibels, and, as I glowered at the filthy walls of my room, my mind started to chant the following mantra, “I don’t belong here. I don’t belong here. I don’t belong here. “

This morning I made chocolate milk and allowed the babes to have tasteless Haitian cookies for breakfast. The order I placed for fresh fruits and vegetables is still not here- It’s been four days since we have eaten anything fresh/raw. I really wish the gummy vitamins had not been placed in the bag that was lost.

  The Babes are currently sitting around me at the table drawing pictures of their new home for Grandma Ueland. Isaiah’s house drawing  is “every color” which is an accurate depiction I decide as I look around. There ARE a lot of colors in here.  A few extras have been added… “Mommy, I put a window on da doowa becuz I wike the doowa with a window in it.”  “Mommy, dere is no bawas on de windows becuz becuz becuz becuz I wike to see no bawas.”  Isaiah has an adorable new trick. When asked to speak Creole (as Melinda often requests of him) he opens his mouth and the most amazing complicated gibberish pours from his little lips-complete with several tongue rolls.  It makes me laugh so hard to think that in his little mind, everyone here just makes random nonsense sounds all the time to fill the silence!

The babes are restless today. As am I. It might be a good idea that I do not have a car to myself yet. I am certain I would venture out too soon. As it is I am itching to go for a walk. Ill advised, but so tempting. Nadine, of of the secretaries at Abe's work is supposed to bring me a phone today. And perhaps the Internet.  Tomorrow we have been invited to the boss, Matthias’ home. I have the clothes set out ready and bath plans set. I really should put off our first big walking adventure until after I impress the Boss. It would be harder to impress with one of us missing. 

DAY 3

EATING DOG...

Abe went to the other side of the island early this morning and we are left to the mercy of Ed and Melinda until Sunday. While I am not sure she has forgiven me for breaking the hot water, (Abraham was NOT able to fix it. Needs a plumber. So now we have a bucket situated under the cupboard to catch the sink water.)  she has tried to include me in several things today-mainly cooking. I try not to stand statue still and look like an idiot while attempting to decipher her words. I am almost certain I do not succeed. She showed me several herbs and brought fresh peas from the market. She boiled water and oil together and put in green onions, bell pepper and the peas. She used a mortar and pestle to crush boiled garlic and what smelled like curry. Every thing is boiled or fried here. Melinda chattered estactically as she pulled half of a masticated animal leg and breast bone, about the size of a small hound, out of a plastic bag. She kept trying to tell me what it was but even if I could remember it there is still no Internet so I could look up the meaning. She looked very proud of her purchase and kept pointing to the dog and saying “Petites”. Either she was warning me against my children feeding the meat to Dog, or we were in fact going to eat dog. The stray hairs on the flesh attempted to confirm the latter. I am hoping it is goat.

BIG DADDY’S

Last night Abe got under the sink to look at the pipes and chuckled as he asked “YOU were down here messing with pipes?” I was slightly indignant at the idea that he thought I was unable to handle simple plumbing issues… until I caught the peculiar tone in his voice. “Why?” I asked. His hasty never mind coaxed me to prod him further. “Oh, there are just about 20 little guys just sitting here under the sink. They must have scurried away when you were messing with their home.” My stomach turned a bit as I realized what he meant. A big daddy stink bug could have plopped on me at any time. Shivers. 

I have seen a total of five Big Daddy’s so far, and yes they have all been in the kitchen. MELINDA’s kitchen. I have no problem losing that turf war-especially when she has hundreds of 2-3” flying beetles as militia. I had to leave most of my shoes behind in the states, you know.  I try to stay out as much as possible, although today she has dragged me in several times to show me how to cook dog. I mean goat.  I was able to put together some cookie dough and while she watched me quite skeptically her boys enjoyed the “chocolat” and she smiled once she realized the extra propane I used to heat up her kitchen was to a good end. Well, a sweet one anyway.  I did see another Big Daddy, perhaps the largest one yet, scurry from under the oven to join his family in the cool under sink. I must say his long antennae make him seem slightly less fearful. I half expected him to stand up and lecture me about excessive heat usage. Or at least dance a jig.

DAY 2

Day 2-

THE BEAUTY OF D'GLO

This morning Abe woke up at 6am and got half dressed. I barely noticed as it was finally cool enough to sleep. He laid in bed until we both heard the honking- Universal symbol meaning, “I am here!” He rapidly pulled on his shoes, grabbed four dollars and kissed me as he ran out the door. Back to the fray.

I rallied my spirits, and pulled myself out of bed. No Big Daddy Stink Bug to greet me in the bathroom this morning. The kids woke up one by one, each in much better spirits. Time for breakfast. After finding clothes I stumbled down the twisty stairs. The carton of milk was in the fridge and, true to Abe’s warning, was slightly above room temperature. The corn flakes were bug free but in small supply. I silently went through what food we had left and started the day long battle of weighing the consequences for and against braving a trip to the market. Which way down which street? The loud ring of sirens blazed by the house and the urge to go retreated. For a while.

Breakfast brought my hungry babes to tears. It appears milk that was processed and bottled two months ago and served at room temperature did not tickle the taste buds. And the corn flakes of two ingredients, Corn and ???; while I was delighted with with their organic simplicity, the difference in texture and taste was yet another disappointment. Isaiah proved to truly be a Sweet baby when he drank all the milk in his bowl and then requested more. Thaddaues, who had refused to eat the spicy peanut butter we had on bread last night was a trooper and ate all of his AND  Carol’s while making the most adorable “yucky” face. His tummy won out over his taste buds. Adam ate half a bowl and then tried to feed the rest of his to the poor gimpy pup, only to be loudly scolded by Melinda and two Haitians I had never met before. I suppose feeding the dog is off limits. How in the world did it get so fat? Several different fruits I had seen at the street market paraded their sweet juicy selves through my mind. Another wound on not braving Haitian streets.

A man is down stairs working in the basement with power tools and every time he uses the saw my fan slows and putters. A microwave is indeed, NOT as good of an idea as I had hoped it would be.  I am sure an air conditioning system here would drain power from  half the city. I am crossing my fingers for another fan.  After breakfast I went in to wash the dishes and the sink was completely stopped up. I got a coat hanger and snaked the drain with no effect. Melinda caught wind of what I was doing and rushed into her domain. She seemed to understand my intent and reached under the cupboard and started pushing  and yanking on the pipes as if to dislodge what ever dammed it up. Her astonishment was expressed in shrieks as nasty water and food fell out of the connector she pulled loose. I took a wire hanger and was able to remove a wad of sticky rice from the right sink drain-the culprit. She grabbed a bucket and rag and went to work mopping it up while I reattached the pipe. One side of the sink still didn’t drain. She roughly pulled at the sink and somehow loosened the hot water connection causing it to spray  everywhere. I twisted the main hot water valve off and she pointed to the valve while scolding away. I sighed and stated “Abraham” while pointing to it. Abe will fix it. For now at least we have one good drain. If only we could get a refill on our drinking water. It had run dry during the night and our little American tongues grow parched so quickly here.

Fan situated at the table. Crayons lined up in the center. We completed our first lesson and learned about the importance of the Bible. Now math books were pulled out. It did not take me long to realize that our school would consist of SEVERAL recesses and breaks. It was a struggle to get them to complete one lesson in one sitting, but we did it. Distractions as well as a lack of drinking water may have been an issue. Buddy (Melinda, our housekeeper’s son…we do not know his name so he has been dubbed Buddy.)  ran his cars along the edge of the table nearly the entire time, enticing the boys and silently asking with his big brown eyes for them to come play. And half way through, his mother Melinda came in with two buxom Haitian women and all three loudly laughed and cooed over my babes and touched Carol’s hair. They again  counted to four in Creole and smiled wide with amazement just as many strangers had done yesterday. Are American’s thought of as one child per family people? Or  I am to conclude that a family with four healthy children is a blessing here? J

WATER!!!! The guard,whom I have delightfully decided to call Ed, just opened the front door with two large bottles of delicious Dglo. I hope my babes’ choruses of delight were enough to show him how much we appreciated him. My visions of Abe coming home to five puddles of salty skin with clothes nearby melted away. One more point for NOT going to the market. But now our bellies were rumbling. The battle rages on.

   

Ed wanders around a lot of the time and tells my children to stop doing what ever it is they are doing. Climbing the wrong side of the stair banister, slipping food to the dog, yelling too loudly, or leaving toys on the floor. He always corrects  them in gently spoken creole while smiling which leaves my babes standing in a sort of stupor trying to figure out if they are being encouraged or reproved.  I wonder if we shall ever know Ed’s real name…

TO MARKET TO MARKET TO BUY….

Abe arrived home at seven thirty and was gracious enough to walk with us to the store and get us enough food to last until he is home again Sunday. Despite his promises to be with us during our first week in a third world country, he is going to spend the next 4 days across the island in Jacmel.  Melinda cooks one hatian meal a day- Rice, Beans, and Meat seasoned differently each time.  We managed to get to the nearby corner market without being hit by traffic-a feat that actually ended with a man on a motorcycle yelling angrily at us. I looked everywhere for a crosswalk. Perhaps a large white woman with four babies in tow standing in his lane of travel was just not on his schedule for the evening. I am eternally grateful to him for stopping traffic for us, though. Even if he was probably swearing at us.  There was a distinct walking path amongst the uneven gravel beside the road. One side of us was lined with concrete walls topped with barbed wire and the other lined with a black festering swamp of wet garbage and feces. We managed to make it without falling into either side, although I yelped a bit when Thaddaeus tried to walk on my feet to avoid the mess.  The store we went to was as small as a gas station and had a small variety of food available for what we discovered was rather pricey. There were no fresh fruits or vegetables as any sane Haitian would buy those on the street market. Abe promised he would find someone to teach me how to barter next week so we can save our money and get some fresh foods. I was able to find some peanut butter without chilis in it and the sacred ingredients to make peanut butter cookies. J

AFTER BED DELIGHT

 

Thaddaeus was the first among us to have the privilege of meeting the Haitian Cockroach. I heard him climb up the stairs in his sleepy state and open our door to tell us he needed to go potty. I incoherently directed him to go across the hall and use my bathroom. No sooner had I rolled over than high pitched shrieking greeted my ears. “A Big Daddy Stink Bug!” Louder screams… “The Biggest Daddy Stink Bug is… MOOOOOOOOMMEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!” Needless to say I did not leap and run to his rescue as my wonderful husband beat me to it. He ran to the bathroom and lifted Thaddaeus up and over the offending insect and deposited Thad into my arms. I soothed and kissed him and told him the lies I certainly have never believed. Cockroaches MUST have some evil insignia to destroy all of the human race. Why else would they be here???

GAMA,HAITI, and the Guest House

GAMA

Abe’s company is far more sophisticated  than I expected. Yes, I consider the guard at the door welding a sawed off shot gun and a metal detector sophisticated. At least I know if I am to get shot, it will be by someone in uniform. Thaddaeus, I suspect, will grow to be a pacifist. He refused to walk passed the guards and had to be carried. Abe’s boss Matthias is a short, small, funny looking man. Don’t any of you learn Creole and tell him I said so. Everyone appeared to be terrified of him, but honestly the way he yelled and screamed at his secretaries and choffeurs was rather humorous. Like a little salamander  squeaking at wincing crocodiles. I think I shall like him very much. He was very courteous to Abe and fawned over my children for a brief moment. He counted to four and looked at me like I was a goddess. He smiled and started asking me how the trip was and apologized deeply for not having a house for me. My heart stopped for a split second until he continued to explain in rather good English that his men were still working on the cupboards and final plumbing in our NEW house. I almost didn’t hear his continued apologies that I would have to live in the guest house for 22 days or so. Our own home. J

Matthias’ secretary ushered us downstairs and stood us in front of a white screen. She finally got across the fact that we were indeed NOT going to be shot one by one with the gun at the guard’s side, but rather with his little red camera.” Insurance cards.” she said. Thaddaues and Isaiah had to be held as they both were surprisingly wary of the now sweet and smiling armed man. After pictures were snapped another woman who spoke very good English sat us down with pen and papers. “You will have insurance for you and Mommy,  and your petites. The hospital in the hills is very nice. Very Nice. I give them your information.” She spoke with a heavy French-ish accent.  I stopped listening and tears threatened to overspill my tired eyes. Health insurance. And she was rattling on about life insurance on us all. She invaded my overwhelmed thoughts with a hand on my arm. “You will be safe, Mommy. I get your phone number to the pediatrician for the petites. The driver will show you where the hospital is and give you a map. I will give you a blackberry with all my numbers on it soon. I am here to help you with everything.”

HAITI

The first comment Isaiah made about Haiti once he was coherent was “Mommy, it smells bad here.” Yes. As Cliff weaved the truck in and out of traffic on the streets an aroma resembling day old diarrhea stung our noses. The pictures we had seen online of Haiti have so far not been misleading. Two story dirty buildings line both sides of black sludgey streets. There are a lot of people…walking, sitting, riding, staring. All of them staring at the white Mommy with four Petites. Everyone did seem to have some sort of shoes on and none of the children were naked. I was reminded of the time Abe and I accidentally got turned around on our way to Canada and ended up in the slummy, scary neighborhood of Chicago.  Abe told me several times as we drove that this was PetionVille. The nicest area of Port Au Prince.

THE GUEST HOUSE

The house we are staying in a rather big. A locked gate opens up to a well kept driveway.  Bars are on all the windows which unfortunately lack screens, leaving one to wonder if the still hot air is worse than the mosquitoes. That is probably the worst part of Haiti for us. The mosquitoes. All of my babes look like they have the chicken pox. And the bites don’t just itch, they burn terribly and swell to the size of quarters or silver dollars. ANYWAYS there is one bedroom on the main level that has two twin beds. The kids will have that room. Abe and I have a room upstairs that is small but adequate. There is a living area inside and another outside. There is another bedroom upstairs and a small sitting area, but they are reserved for another American that will be here in a couple of days. Charlie. The kitchen is in the back and opens to the back door and the servants quarters. We were met by an older man who is the gate keeper and security guard and a woman in her 20’s who is the housekeeper. Her name is Melinda and she and her 7 year old son live in one of the shacks in the back yard.

I would like to say we saw much of the area and learned a lot of things, but honestly, we went to bed shortly after arriving at the Guest house. Hot, sweaty, grouchy and exhausted.

DAY 1

ADAMS ACCOUNT OF THE TRIP

We went onto two airplanes. It was fun. On the first plane to Florida we slept. At the airports we rode on trains. We ate breakfast on the second plane. It was nicer than the first plane. Good bye!

HAITI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

We landed in Haiti and I roused my sleeping babies who, by now, were definitely finished with traveling. We left the airplane and walked down a long corridor to an outside door where a small bus was waiting to take us to immigration. Abe commented on how different this international airport was compared to Vegas or Miami. My gaze wandered to the piles of rubble and old buildings that lined the lane we drove on. The perimeter of the airport was lined with short fences topped with razor wire. Various uniformed guards with shot guns rambled idly about. Very different.

 The bus stopped at a large tin roofed building with white metal walls and large fans inside that helped keep it from turning into an effective crock pot.  A band played Haitian music boisterously loud as we were herded inside towards a long line. Six green papers were thrust into my hands by a grouchy woman with hair styled to resemble a rooster. I asked her for a pen but she turned on a huff and stormed off while loudly complaining in Creole about Plumes. I turned to Abe with a “what now” look and exhaled slowly while looking around Furtively. A few moments later Rooster Lady  tapped my shoulder and pushed a pen my way. She almost smiled at my “meci”. Perhaps I pronounced it comically.

 Green cards were soon filled out and my hand quivered with my arm muscles which gripped Isaiah on one hip and my bag on the other. Another line. Passports stamped. Another line. Baggage tickets issued, then we moved to the part of the building that reminded me of movie clips I had seen depicting trading stocks and bonds on the floor in New York City. Loud shouting mingled with bodies pressing and hustling to get all of their luggage. An appointed guard had to check and mark each bag’s tag before one could take it away. It still did not prevent one of our bags from being either stolen or misplaced. We spent an extra hour waiting while Abe filled out paperwork reporting the lost bag. I was suddently gripped with gratitude that it was merely a bag and not one of my children. Abe payed the man who helped up gather the bags and ignored his argument that Abe was “big time boss” and needed to pay him “more big time money”.  $20 was more than enough in my mind for 30 minutes of work. Two men helped Abe push our carts piled high with our bags down the street to where our driver was waiting for us in a pickup truck. My whole body quivered with exhaustion from carrying Isaiah and tugging the other three along.  Abe winked at me as many people smiled, pointed at me and said, “Mommy”. One man took $2 from Abe and ran across the street returning with cool bottles of water. My four little puddles of sweat were so grateful and soon resembled children again. We piled into the truckand  I sighed in relief that the journey was over.  Finally.

Our driver, Cliff spoke absolutely no English and was very professional in his addresses to me and Abe. He nodded. Never spoke, just smiled and nodded. Once on the road the kids and I stared at the throngs of people walked on the trash filled streets. Adam and Carol marveled at many of them who carried large baskets and boxes on their heads. Isaiah slept on my lap, Thaddaeus whined that he was hot and I held on for dear life as Cliff darted in and out of traffic, barrelling down the streets without even so much as a pause at melding intersections. I still do not know how we did not collide into at least fifty vehicles at any given time.

 Traffic system in Port Au Prince- Take a road that in the US would be designated as a two lane highway. Add bumper to bumper traffic consisting of large busses, small pick up trucks and mid sized SUVs  that at any moment can fluctuate from four lanes of two way travel to six. Pepper generously with pedestrians. No painted lanes. No traffic lights. No road signs. No turn signals. There. That’s it. I have a gratitude sprung from terror for our diver Cliff. I have no idea how we made it any where alive. A part of me felt that should I be forced behind the wheels we would merely stay put with all the other vehicles pushing and screeching madly by. Another part itched with the  desire to try it. Everyone drove amazingly well under the conditions. And where I was sure to see nasty fender benders, crunched bikes and flattened pedestrians everyone rather gracefully drifted around eachother. Honking is rampant but not in the way I expected. I would turn towards the horn pusher and expect angry words and middle fingers flying but instead it seemed the horns were used solely for the polite purpose of saying “Im here! Please don’t hit me!”