Next week will mark three months now that I've been in Haiti. My year here is 1/4 of the way over! Time flies!! Living here has really made me think about some of the small things that I used to take for granted everyday living in the good old USA. For instance, transportation. I was just thinking the other day that I have not driven a car for three months. It is a very strange feeling. I used to drive everyday. I had my own car. Many Haitians cannot comprehend that. Many of them do not have a driver license, do not know how to drive, and could never imagine actually having enough money to own their own vehicle. In the United States, transportation is easy. You can always jump in your own car, hop on a train, hail a taxi, get a ride with a friend. It's easy. That's not the case in Haiti. Then there's always the tap tap option. Tap taps are the form of public transportation here in Haiti. They are kind of like taxis in the form of big trucks and buses that are all decorated and painted in bright colors. It used to be an option to walk to the town of Kenscoff (about a 20 minute walk from the orphanage ). But now there is a question of safety. There are many problems surrounding the presidential elections and with that comes road blocks and riots. Therefore, transportation is an issue.
Another thing that I definitely took for granted was electricity. It's not something we think about. Like where does our hot water come from? You wouldn't think that hot water would be a necessity in Haiti, but lately it is. Kenscoff is way up in the mountains and it gets cold here! The last four days, it has been in the 40-50s and raining. (I know, I know, I have no room to complain. There's a blizzard at home in Indiana right now). But, for an island in the Caribbean, 40 degrees is COLD! If we don't have electricity, which is fairly often, then we don't have hot water.
The other thing that I took for granted was seeing and/or talking to my friends and my family everday. Now that we have the internet, communication is so much better than it would have been a few years ago. I am very lucky to have Skype, and email, and Facebook to keep up with all of the news at home! It is so hard to believe that Christmas is ten days away! This is the first Christmas that I won't be home with my family. I am not sad, though. I am really happy to be here with the kids for Christmas. The orphanage does a big Christmas talent competition the week leading up to Christmas. There is a competition between all of the houses here at the orphanage. The kids dress up and they sing and dance, and then there is a prize for the house who delivers the best performance. It should be really cute to see!
As the holidays are approaching, and the year is drawing to a close, I must say that I am happy for all of the accomplishments I have done in 2010. This has been a year of change for me. I have learned so much about myself, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunities I've been given. Bring on the New Year!! I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!
Just read this over the phone to Catherine. She was very interested in hearing about your life there. Catherine wants to know how had is it to get food up there, and how many kids are at the orphanage (she would like to make cards to send them)
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