The Last Day

Today marks the twenty third day of this year’s first month: January, year 2015.

It is a lot of pressure to write the last blog of this epic trip. The sum of my past endeavors does not remotely compare to the challenge that lay before me; ne’er have I faced a task so daunting. I’ve no idea if there’s a better way to record such a big day like this, but now I’m just going to recall all the moments that made today so special.

It’s amazing to feel and believe in that the world is moving forward thanks to the efforts made by the people with global awareness. This was what I thought at the meeting room of Fonkonze, who holds the mission of lifting Haitian women and their families out of poverty. They achieve this goal through a system that enables women in poverty to progressively become self-sufficient and financially sustainable.

After indulging in a hearty midday meal of pumpkin soup and enjoying the good company of my brethren, the group engaged in our next activity. We talked with a Haitian investigative journalist and discussed the current climate of journalism in Haiti. It is ridiculous hearing that foreign journalists can get information easier than local journalists simply because they are “foreigners”. I kept wondering what could be the reasons behind this fact, and if it was a typical Haitian situation.

My ponderings on the matter came to a screeching halt when the time for farewells was nigh. The occupations of my mind transitioned to rehearsing and eventually perfecting our performance of the “Farewell Song”. Our rendition of this timeless classic incorporated elements of spoken word, hip-hop, and acapella to deliver an impressionable musical experience for dear Ted and Katherine.

Well, the last blessing at the end of the day may be the sky full of stars. Look at the stars. Look how they shine for us, for our trip in Haiti, for the world.

Sincerely, from two voices of a generation,

Xinyi and Brian

Timkatek

Today, our visit to the Timkatek school(s) for street children broke up the landscape of stunning and frustrating poverty which we've seen and discussed in PAP. We toured the original school first, where boys considered most vulnerable progress from grades 1-4 and given free meals, uniforms, classes, and spots in the dormitory. Once they graduate from there, they can learn plumbing, masonry, agronomy, or other trades to enable them to support themselves at Timkatek 3 professional school for boys. They can also choose to work instead of taking classes and continue to live in a part of the girls' school- as long as they're in by 6 pm.

This is where our tour moves next, giggling filling the air as we enter the . Rachel, the school director, leads us through full classrooms of uniformed young girls in the same first to fourth grade classrooms as their male counterparts. A posted class schedule includes communication, drawing, and "savoir vivre." Upstairs, girls who have graduated into the professional school learn sewing. The cooking classroom has several stoves and girls of 18-20 take notes on recipes. Everyone is friendly and the girls exude happiness - to see the director of the school, to see us, to sing a welcome song for us. To me, these factors speak of the real hope in their lives. We learned that one of our cooks at MCC was a graduate of this school. The girls who learn to sew sell their products on the street. On the highest level a roof has been recently constructed

I would say Port-au-Prince is a nice city for me, if we did not have the chance to have a city tour this morning; now, thanks to the city tour, I have to say, the personal feelings the city gives me make me feel connected. The city tour reminded me of a Chinese city, Qingdao. The houses we stopped by in Port-au-Prince were built by French colonizers hundreds of years ago, and they function as the visiting sites in the city now; there are some good spots for sightseeing in Qingdao which attract the majority tourists in Qingdao, a Chinese city famous for its tourism, were built by German invaders around the year of 1900. It is ironic if you think about that the main sites in the city do not belong to the city itself. In the same way, some artifacts which used to be possessed by China were plundered by those foreign invaders and are currently on display in foreign museums - as some of their top objects in their archives.  

Remembering

Today was the day that we went to Na Sonje, which means "we will remember." Carla one of the coordinators took us to the porch and showed us this incredible view. We could see the mountains from a far, the trees, and plains of land. Then she began saying “Now imagine before this was a planation of sugarcanes and indigo. This plantation was the foundation of France’s empire.” We where then welcomed from the actors at Na Sonje with the beauty of music. “We don’t speak by mouth but by sound.” They sang us a few songs, one which was the national anthem. We then had a chance to talk to Ron, the guru in the mountain. Ron was a very interesting man who had even more interesting ideals. Ron described capitalism as a growing cancer, which simply expands until it kills its host. I thought it was interesting in that he was alluding to the United States and the wide misdistribution of wealth. Ron spoke of socialism as an ideal, where the people share a voice and care for one another’s needs. While I am not so optimistic of this utopian society I also dream of this world. Where we all sit around a circle and sing koom-biya. Ron was an awesome dude to talk to and I think the world needs more people reflecting his ideals. After our talk to with Ron, we were able to watch community members performed in the historical meme named “Three innocents and a spirit”. We were able to learn about the history of Haiti through the arts. At the end we were asked on what we were going to do now and how we will remember Haiti. At the end of the drama, I was touch and felt that I was taking an ought that I cannot forget what I learned about Haiti’s history. When people talk negatively about Haiti, I hope to challenge them to think in another way and gain a different perceptive. Through that new perspective hopefully they will look at Haiti in a different light.

Throughout the day there were quotes that individuals said that stood out to me:

-“We know it is hard but not impossible”

-“Our country concerns goes beyond our own county”

-“There is something we are looking for…we need this universal conscience”

-“The truth is not found in the textbooks”

-“ We are physically independent but mentally we are still enslaved”

- “I feel lost because I am actually found”

-Melissa and Michael

History

History is a funny thing.
Today we spent a lot of time and thought learning about and reflecting on Haiti's history. We were privileged to spend a morning with Nixon Bumba, an incredible story teller and historian. Below are some of the insights and complexities we dove into today. (Side note: Bumba recently wrote a really great article in the Washington Post about the impact of aid and "development" since the earthquake.) 

History starts with what you know.
In US and North American history, our history books and classes start in detail with the infamous 1492. While some mention of the numerous tribes and communities of native peoples may be mentioned- it is often only as a supporting actor or reference in a plot line led by Europeans. When thinking about the decades, centuries and generations of leaders, culture, migration, and stories of Native Americans or Ayiti's Taino peoples, so little is told. Instead we start our history with 1492, not the "discovery" but the invasion of the Americas and the year that would begin the world's greatest genocide.

History is written by the winner.
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I would say history is as well. The dominant narrative that forms classrooms, books, even national holidays is often the one who has the access to teach, to write, and to make decisions. Stories of wars and occupation are told from the perspective of those with with the force to instigate them not those left in the rubble. The history of Ayiti in most schools today is the French one, not the Kreyol one of the masse.

History is not about intentions but about power and force.
With a winner's narrative, it is easy to believe that history characterized by dominance and exploitation was warranted, justified or even needed. It is even easier to perpetuate the conception that the winner, the holder of power, is actually superior. Whether intentions are pure or not, the methods of power and force are reality. Ayiti was paradise to the colonizers who first landed here, with some of the world's greatest resources. They turned it in to a hell, diminishing the Taino population and kidnapping Africans to utilize as machines in torturous labor. On the backs of slaves, France was enriched and 75% of the world's sugar was produced.

History often repeats itself.
In a lot of ways, the history of Ayiti is not its own. It is one plagued by foreign interjections and influenced by a string of international puppets. In the 1800s, it was the 150 million Franc debt imposed on the first free Black nation in the world to gain independence. The debt, charged to Ayiti in order to repay France for "lost property" (aka themselves as slaves), would debilitate the young country's ability to develop internal infrastructure for a hundred years. In 1915, enters a U.S. military occupation introducing industrial and economic oppression. In the late 1900s and early 2000s, international parties place Haitian leaders in and out of political office to serve their interests. Now so many sectors of the country- social services, government, agriculture, rebuilding after the earthquake- all seem to be shadows of foreign entities. This cycle, never allowing Ayiti to just 'be', was very frustrating for our team to realize.

The best way to understand how to move forward is to know history's effect on the present.
Haiti can't be understood without first taking a look into history. Within the country are 2 languages, 2 worlds, 2 cultures, 2 religions that date back to French colonization. From the Code Noir to the Code Rural, the life of the masses (characterized by Kreyol, Voudou, and agriculture for sustenance) has been repressed and hidden by the life of the elite (French, Catholicism, and production for export). (e.g. Only a couple of decades ago, the constitution was written in Kreyol and government documents and processes began to be completed in Kreyol.) The history of Ayiti gives us a much better narrative for the single story so often perpetuated by today's media. The current situation in Ayiti are not the result of a people who are unable to develop- it is the crux of country who has never truly been set free by the rest of the world.

-Courtney

A few photos

New Sights

Today is our fifth day in Haiti.

While we all knew that we were going back to Port au Prince this morning, it was very evident that no one was truly ready to leave. Kristin our MCC coordinator did not resist shedding some tears as she said her final good byes to the Dezam team and we contributed by singing our farewell song. 

Once we got on the road our hearts felt less heavy. We were all excited for the beach, a part of the trip that most if not all of us were probably looking forward to. Because Haiti is frequently called "the poorest country in the western hemisphere," many people would perceive Haiti as only one image: undeveloped, uninspiring and even indigent. During the drive however, that image quickly disappeared as we saw amazing farms being cultivated by self sustaining people, mountains of great power that stood far in the horizon and showed a Haiti that is independent and strong. The road wasn't short of people who sold all kinds of foods and other self made goods. 

Being in Dezam, we had experienced a very simple Haiti, but arriving to Ouanga Bay showed us that Haiti was also a place of not only money but power. We had the privilege to go to a family owned beach. Away from the bazaar and the noisy animals we were used to in Dezam, we experienced the peace and tranquility Haiti has to offer. At the beach we were welcomed by warm smiles and hospitality from the workers. We were surrounded by clear blue water, coconut trees, and some lively Kompa music. It was great to see everyone take this time to relax and enjoying themselves. Some people snorkeled and stayed in the water all day, while others enjoyed the sun rays while reading a book.

Being in this amazing environment, we had to take the time to realized and recognize that this trip is arming us with life lessons and relationships that we would not have developed anywhere else. The relationships we are forming as a team as well as the ones we make each day individually are the things that make each of us and shape us. We are blessed to experiences the beauties of the world that Haiti hides so well and sharing this with you is my message to you. Pick a stereotyped place, find its beauties and talk or write about them.

-Melissa & Andrea

Saying So Long

Today was our third and last day of teaching classes at EPD. Despite the brevity of our stay, the after class celebration seemed to fit a visit of weeks or months. Many people- from Remal, the director of the school, to students, to members of our own group- expressed the common idea that something in these past days touched their hearts. The sincerity of the speeches given dispelled some of the trepidation I’ve felt about making relationships at the school- ones which can’t be practically continued for more than this short time, and which have had so little time to develop. Yesterday when we sang our students a song about meeting again, one of our students, Yvane, questioned the reality of this statement. None of us, including I, can commit to student’s questions of whether we’ll come back to EPD. But the emotion and connection I felt when our van pulled out of the compound to waving hands helps me to understand the emotion in students’ speeches and to believe that the significance of our time here transcends its limits in time and verbal communication. Also, I need to work on my French!

 -Helen