Whattup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the lack of updates but the internet has been really spotty. I havent had alot of time to write in the mornings since being back, and also just general laziness. So, I got back last monday. I was supposed to take a two week break, but I just couldn't stay away from the most amazing people I've ever met in my life. I had to find out when my angels were leaving and I made sure I was there for it. Wow, what an amazing decision that was. When I got back to Haiti I was embraced like I have never felt before. It was simply magic. I got more hugs than I have ever had in my life combined. It's a pretty amazing feeling to know you're loved somewhere so far out of your comfort zone. It just made me even more sure of my decision to come back and finish my mission. Even when I was home, I talked to HODR people the majority of the time. Everytime I talk to my friend Alex, she would just make me want to go back more and more and more. She, along with many other amazing people here really inspire me to go for it and live this experience to the fullest and not let a single moment bother me. I have had my highs and lows here, but mainly because I have lost people I have grown to absolutely love. The main thing I have had to drill in my head is that it doesn't matter that I lost them. I am just blessed to have met them. It has been a true honor to have met all of you.
People here tell me I am amazing, but I would be zero without any of you. You each have a special place in my heart, and it's nice to have an angel on each shoulder:) You have seriously changed my life and make me want to become the best person I can be. When people show up in Leogane its a very intimidating and intense experience. I feel like it's my job to make sure they get comfortable and feel safe and at home. I don't know if I will ever fully succeed in my mission, but I do know I will give it everything I have. Everyone that shows up here deserves it. It doesn't matter if theyre here for a week or a year. They all have given up time to come here and become apart of an amazing experience and joined a beautiful family. Everyone here works their ass off, and they deserve every single compliment they get. I hope that anybody I have shared this experience with knows they have changed the lives of many Haitian people and they will never be forgotten by them as well. Nobody should leave with their head down, because we have all put alot of sweat and tears into this project.
Enough about the HODr people though, let me just tell you that the reception I received from the Haitian people was just as warm, if not even more touching. People I didn't even know knew my name were coming up to me telling me they missed me. It felt like I was gone for years. It felt like the most beautiful of reunions you could dream up in your head. On the third day I was back I finally got to see Jermaise and he literally jumped off a mototaxi to come and give me a giant bear hug. I felt like I had found my long lost brother. We sat and talked for awhile and caught up, and he told me how he had started volunteering with us and was having a ton of fun. It was truly magic to see him so happy to see one person. It made me feel pretty amazing.
As far as the work we have been doing, we have been kicking some serious ass. We are still working on our second school and just about finished the first one. The kids have seen the first finished school, and they were absolutely blown away. I believe it will be ready for operation in the upcomming weeks, and we will be having a big grand opening for it. I cannot WAIT! Other than that, we have been kicking each rubble sites ass as every day goes by. I can't say enough about our team leaders and the people who rubble everyday. It amazes me how fit they are and the stamina they possess. Everytime I go out of the office and work with them I am in complete awe of the work ethic I see there. I am starting to get out more and more and see first hand just how amazing these people are. The girls swing around sledge hammers as if they were yoyo's. They can just toss them around and break up walls with their will alone. I could sit here and write five pages about each person who goes out everyday and completely murders these sites until their is nothing left but a beautiful slab for the people of Haiti to rebuild on. Alot of people who rubble don't give themselves enough credit. So, I am here to tell you, you are the heart and soul of this project. The legs that keep the machine running.
So, thats pretty much whats been going on. Teams are giving up a week of their time to go live in a tent and build more schools for the kids. People are out busting their ass everyday rubbling. We are making alot of progress in the city of Leogane alone, and you can see it happening over time. I am healthy and doing everything I can to make this a better place. I miss everyone from home, and even more I miss everyone I have met here and had to go. Your work here will never be forgotten. I love every single one of you, or at least the ones I added on facebook:P haha.
MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!
LOVE
Dan
Saturday, January 29, 2011
May 26th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Haiti is Home...
Today is the last day I wake up in Haiti. As I woke up around 5AM the standard rooster was already making enough noise to wake up a quarter of the people on base. I don’t want to leave, but I have to. This has been the most amazing experience of my life so far, and I don’t want it to ever end. The people I have met are absolutely amazing. From day one I have been surrounded by some of the most extraordinary people I have ever heard speak. Each person has their own little tale and it is amazing to hear how well traveled each person is. I have completely fallen in love with this program and the people involved in it. It is such an amazing experience to live with 100 other people you have never met before and watch them grow with you every step of the way.
I wouldn’t have made it without the first friends I made at HODR. I was on day three and in the hospital again and my best wonderful friend I have in here looked at me and said “You aren’t leaving Dan, we need you.” It’s like she could see inside my head, because I was seriously considering leaving at that point and calling it quits. Once she said that I knew I couldn’t go anywhere, and for that I will thank her for the rest of my life. I am going to miss every morning waking up and knowing Sarah would be the first person I conversed with in the office to get the internet up and running. I will miss having mangos with you and taking our walk to the beautiful egg sandwich lady, where I insist on making a fool of myself on a daily basis by attempting my awful creole accent. I’m gonna miss having you around as our personal local celebrity with all the children of Haiti screaming in their amazing accent “Sarah!!!!!” Most importantly, I am going to miss the fact that you were there for me every step of the way. When I needed a real friend, you were there. When I wanted to give up, you were there to walk me thru. I love you and I am gonna miss you more than I can express on a simple blog. I could cry right now just thinking about the memories I have produced in just the past month, and cry more from the excitement of what’s ahead of me.
After I became comfortable with some of the greatest people I have met in my life, even more great people came and went. About two or three weeks into my journey I decided I wanted to do a job that was called Save the Children. Basically, we got to drive around and grab supplies for the kids we were donating school supplies and first aid to. That alone was a satisfying feeling, but the person I got to work with completely dropped me to my knees. A red headed girl named Rachelle who was just absolutely one of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. I could not even bare to make eye contact with her by the time we were parting because I would have had to cry into her little arms. She stood maybe 5’4 at most but her heart was taller than myself. She was in her early twenties, but had the thirst for knowledge of how the world works as if she were planning on being the president one day, and she would have my vote. Before Haiti, she had spent time in Columbia living with IDP families. She not only did that once, but went back and lived there again because she had so much compassion for people in the world. Everyday, all the way up to the last day we spoke, she impressed me and made my jaw drop with every anecdote that fell from her beautiful mouth. Her quiet voice was the type you could listen to in order to fall asleep. Not only was she one of the coolest and sweetest people I have ever met. She was also the most beautiful red headed girl I have ever seen in my life. You have to understand, it is difficult to look good in Haiti, but she pulls it off. If I had to describe the word adorable, I would just tell you more about the angel we call Rachelle. It’s people like her that make this world a better place, and really gives me hope for the future. People that want to learn outside the walls of the US and point out the fact that our home land is far far from perfect. I would trust her with my life, and be honored if I ever saw her again. Something about her just made my heart melt every time I saw her. Never without a smile and always thinking positive. That’s how I will remember you. I love you friend. You inspire me to be a better person and realize that we as a country are far from perfect.
It would be hard to affect me the way Rachelle did, but like I said, these people are amazing. About two weeks into my journey a girl from Minnesota arrived. Reserved and quiet, yet a tower of power and beauty mixed into her little turtle shell. Megan was the definition of a workhorse who never complained and just went with the flow, with a wonderful smile to add to the equation. From the first day, she was too timid to even introduce herself to the group. I remember it, my friend Andi had to tell her to stand up and introduce herself. I didn’t realize at that point she was the shy phenomenon she is. It took her some time to come out of the shell, and my persistence also paid off. But once I got her to talk to me, I prayed she would never stop.. This girl is 5’10 and absolutely gorgeous. Her innocence amazes me. She has the build of a world class athlete and the heart of one as well. Everyday she would go out into the rubble and not complain, not once! The day I left, she was a team leader for the first time, and she was nervous, no matter how many times she told me she wasn’t. She is the type of leader who leads by example, not by words. Everyday, she looked like a hot version of the terminator. Bandana rapped around her head, and Oakley glasses firmly around it, waiting for the job to start so she could kick some serious ass and show the boys that girls are serious business. She could run a wheel barrow from Minnesota to Haiti if she had to, and wouldn’t complain once doing it. I wish her the absolute best, and pray to God I stay in contact with her, because she inspires me. Megan, I have more respect for you than you will ever comprehend. You are strong inside and out, and what guy doesn’t love a girl who loves to give people fist pounds…
These people don’t stop though. About three weeks into the program I became a base manager. People think it’s an easy job, but they really don’t know shit about shit. Jess US and Jess UK are some of the most underappreciated, amazing people I have ever met. Everyday they do their job with a smile, and don’t ask for any credit. They just do what they do. They are the people behind the scenes. They have taught me everything I know about HODR and how we operate. Without them, none of this is possible. They organize everything from the tap taps to the shuttles coming in and going out. They handle all the paperwork, as well as answering questions all day and night. The best part is, they are both great people as well. It is pretty amazing that we have two people with the same name and same job, and are just completely ridiculous at what they do. If you think it’s easy managing 100+ peoples questions, you have obviously never done so. Especially in a third world country disaster area, where questions are about as frequent as 100 degree weather. Aka, All day everyday. These two wonderful girls have been doing what they do for a long time now, and everyday I watch them they become more and more my hero’s. I can’t wait to get back and spend more time with them, and help them get a break in what they do, because they don’t get days off. They work around the clock. Everyone always has questions.
Before this trip, I had never gotten the opportunity to meet anyone from Europe. Holy shit, what a pleasure it is. I met an amazing couple by the name of Jim and Rebecca. Both of them are an absolute piss. They made me laugh from day one by calling me king, and introducing me to the proper English language. Teaching me about blokes and birds, and just generally being some of the most pleasant people I have ever encountered. Jim might be the funniest bloke I have ever met in my life, and his bird Rebecca is the tannest and most chipper person I have ever met from over the pond. Everytime you talk to the girl, she just makes you wanna smile and laugh with her upbeat attitude. Even when she is sick, she doesn’t want to let you know she’s hurting. She just wants you to be happy. I can’t wait to come out to Europe sometime this summer and have them show me what life is like over the pond. So far pretty much every euro I’ve met has been amazing.
This past month has been the absolute best month of my life. I could sit here and write fifty pages about each person I have met. I will never forget any of you. Even the people I never got a chance to speak to, you still have inspired me. The team leaders that rubble day in and day out have my complete respect. They do something I know I couldn’t, and without them none of this is possible either. Gage, Joa, English Sean, Geoff, Tim, Epic Ben, Clare, Steve, Ton, Bradley, Seido, Simon, and Dylan are all absolute beasts. I havent even spoken more than ten words to some of them, but they are all irreplaceable pieces to this awesome puzzle we are putting together.
More people I will miss that are gone now and will one day hopefully see again: Gina, Charlotte, AndI, Preeya, Fayth, Olly, Rueben, Nick T, Britt, Mary Kate and Scott, Jenny, Tom, Laura B and last but not least Carolyn. Everyone of you has helped me believe I am a good person and can accomplish what I am after. Thank you all so much for the support and hand holding of my first time out of the country.
And I can’t wait to come back and see my friends who are still there! I am not even a day away and I miss you all already. It just showed today more than ever how close we all do become. My friend Carolyn went out of her way when I had an eight hour layover in Miami to come pick me up and take me out to dinner. As we met up and talked we both agreed it felt like we had known each other for years. We had shared some of the most amazing experiences of our life. By the time we sat down for dinner, it took us about thirty minutes just to look at the menu before we stopped talking for thirty seconds. For the rest of my life I will have a connection with these friends that people from home just won’t be able to fully comprehend. From being sick together, to finishing jobs together, and seeing people who have nothing give us everything. It is really just a melting experience. Everything about what we are doing is beautiful. Also a special shout to my English friends I will be seeing in the near future! Becky, Sam, and Leah! Can’t wait to play some slam and have Leah teach me how to dance. HAHA!!!! I am just full of love, as I said at the most amazing dinner I have ever had tonight. You couldn’t slap the smile off my face.
I feel like I have finally done something in my life that meant something, and I feel like I have to see this to the end. I am going home for a small break and plan on coming back until the end of the project. I hope that as each week goes by I make more and more friends for life, and share these experiences with the new people that come and go. It doesn’t matter how long you come out to help for. All that matters is that you were there and worked hard while doing so. God bless you all, and I love you, you are my second family. I can’t wait to get back home…..To Leogane……
LOVE
Dan
I wouldn’t have made it without the first friends I made at HODR. I was on day three and in the hospital again and my best wonderful friend I have in here looked at me and said “You aren’t leaving Dan, we need you.” It’s like she could see inside my head, because I was seriously considering leaving at that point and calling it quits. Once she said that I knew I couldn’t go anywhere, and for that I will thank her for the rest of my life. I am going to miss every morning waking up and knowing Sarah would be the first person I conversed with in the office to get the internet up and running. I will miss having mangos with you and taking our walk to the beautiful egg sandwich lady, where I insist on making a fool of myself on a daily basis by attempting my awful creole accent. I’m gonna miss having you around as our personal local celebrity with all the children of Haiti screaming in their amazing accent “Sarah!!!!!” Most importantly, I am going to miss the fact that you were there for me every step of the way. When I needed a real friend, you were there. When I wanted to give up, you were there to walk me thru. I love you and I am gonna miss you more than I can express on a simple blog. I could cry right now just thinking about the memories I have produced in just the past month, and cry more from the excitement of what’s ahead of me.
After I became comfortable with some of the greatest people I have met in my life, even more great people came and went. About two or three weeks into my journey I decided I wanted to do a job that was called Save the Children. Basically, we got to drive around and grab supplies for the kids we were donating school supplies and first aid to. That alone was a satisfying feeling, but the person I got to work with completely dropped me to my knees. A red headed girl named Rachelle who was just absolutely one of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. I could not even bare to make eye contact with her by the time we were parting because I would have had to cry into her little arms. She stood maybe 5’4 at most but her heart was taller than myself. She was in her early twenties, but had the thirst for knowledge of how the world works as if she were planning on being the president one day, and she would have my vote. Before Haiti, she had spent time in Columbia living with IDP families. She not only did that once, but went back and lived there again because she had so much compassion for people in the world. Everyday, all the way up to the last day we spoke, she impressed me and made my jaw drop with every anecdote that fell from her beautiful mouth. Her quiet voice was the type you could listen to in order to fall asleep. Not only was she one of the coolest and sweetest people I have ever met. She was also the most beautiful red headed girl I have ever seen in my life. You have to understand, it is difficult to look good in Haiti, but she pulls it off. If I had to describe the word adorable, I would just tell you more about the angel we call Rachelle. It’s people like her that make this world a better place, and really gives me hope for the future. People that want to learn outside the walls of the US and point out the fact that our home land is far far from perfect. I would trust her with my life, and be honored if I ever saw her again. Something about her just made my heart melt every time I saw her. Never without a smile and always thinking positive. That’s how I will remember you. I love you friend. You inspire me to be a better person and realize that we as a country are far from perfect.
It would be hard to affect me the way Rachelle did, but like I said, these people are amazing. About two weeks into my journey a girl from Minnesota arrived. Reserved and quiet, yet a tower of power and beauty mixed into her little turtle shell. Megan was the definition of a workhorse who never complained and just went with the flow, with a wonderful smile to add to the equation. From the first day, she was too timid to even introduce herself to the group. I remember it, my friend Andi had to tell her to stand up and introduce herself. I didn’t realize at that point she was the shy phenomenon she is. It took her some time to come out of the shell, and my persistence also paid off. But once I got her to talk to me, I prayed she would never stop.. This girl is 5’10 and absolutely gorgeous. Her innocence amazes me. She has the build of a world class athlete and the heart of one as well. Everyday she would go out into the rubble and not complain, not once! The day I left, she was a team leader for the first time, and she was nervous, no matter how many times she told me she wasn’t. She is the type of leader who leads by example, not by words. Everyday, she looked like a hot version of the terminator. Bandana rapped around her head, and Oakley glasses firmly around it, waiting for the job to start so she could kick some serious ass and show the boys that girls are serious business. She could run a wheel barrow from Minnesota to Haiti if she had to, and wouldn’t complain once doing it. I wish her the absolute best, and pray to God I stay in contact with her, because she inspires me. Megan, I have more respect for you than you will ever comprehend. You are strong inside and out, and what guy doesn’t love a girl who loves to give people fist pounds…
Before this trip, I had never gotten the opportunity to meet anyone from Europe. Holy shit, what a pleasure it is. I met an amazing couple by the name of Jim and Rebecca. Both of them are an absolute piss. They made me laugh from day one by calling me king, and introducing me to the proper English language. Teaching me about blokes and birds, and just generally being some of the most pleasant people I have ever encountered. Jim might be the funniest bloke I have ever met in my life, and his bird Rebecca is the tannest and most chipper person I have ever met from over the pond. Everytime you talk to the girl, she just makes you wanna smile and laugh with her upbeat attitude. Even when she is sick, she doesn’t want to let you know she’s hurting. She just wants you to be happy. I can’t wait to come out to Europe sometime this summer and have them show me what life is like over the pond. So far pretty much every euro I’ve met has been amazing.
This past month has been the absolute best month of my life. I could sit here and write fifty pages about each person I have met. I will never forget any of you. Even the people I never got a chance to speak to, you still have inspired me. The team leaders that rubble day in and day out have my complete respect. They do something I know I couldn’t, and without them none of this is possible either. Gage, Joa, English Sean, Geoff, Tim, Epic Ben, Clare, Steve, Ton, Bradley, Seido, Simon, and Dylan are all absolute beasts. I havent even spoken more than ten words to some of them, but they are all irreplaceable pieces to this awesome puzzle we are putting together.
More people I will miss that are gone now and will one day hopefully see again: Gina, Charlotte, AndI, Preeya, Fayth, Olly, Rueben, Nick T, Britt, Mary Kate and Scott, Jenny, Tom, Laura B and last but not least Carolyn. Everyone of you has helped me believe I am a good person and can accomplish what I am after. Thank you all so much for the support and hand holding of my first time out of the country.
And I can’t wait to come back and see my friends who are still there! I am not even a day away and I miss you all already. It just showed today more than ever how close we all do become. My friend Carolyn went out of her way when I had an eight hour layover in Miami to come pick me up and take me out to dinner. As we met up and talked we both agreed it felt like we had known each other for years. We had shared some of the most amazing experiences of our life. By the time we sat down for dinner, it took us about thirty minutes just to look at the menu before we stopped talking for thirty seconds. For the rest of my life I will have a connection with these friends that people from home just won’t be able to fully comprehend. From being sick together, to finishing jobs together, and seeing people who have nothing give us everything. It is really just a melting experience. Everything about what we are doing is beautiful. Also a special shout to my English friends I will be seeing in the near future! Becky, Sam, and Leah! Can’t wait to play some slam and have Leah teach me how to dance. HAHA!!!! I am just full of love, as I said at the most amazing dinner I have ever had tonight. You couldn’t slap the smile off my face.
I feel like I have finally done something in my life that meant something, and I feel like I have to see this to the end. I am going home for a small break and plan on coming back until the end of the project. I hope that as each week goes by I make more and more friends for life, and share these experiences with the new people that come and go. It doesn’t matter how long you come out to help for. All that matters is that you were there and worked hard while doing so. God bless you all, and I love you, you are my second family. I can’t wait to get back home…..To Leogane……
LOVE
Dan
May 22nd, 2010, Haiti Blog: I Fell in love in Haiti...
If you know me, you know I love to love. I have completely fallen in love. I came out here alone not looking for love. I didn't know what I was looking for. I just knew I wanted to do something good. After enough weeks here though, you don't have a choice. You become close with people and eventually love is innevitable. Every morning I wake up I feel blessed just to know her. I am grateful for the fact that she has even given me a chance to get to know her. I love everything about her. Even on her bad days, their is still a deep inner beauty about her. Every single night I witness her doing something, and it just gives me the goosebumps. She is an amazing body of work from head to toe. When I need a hug, or feel home sick I know she is always there to support me. During the day we work together and it feels like magic. The beauty we create while were here is something I can't even put into words. Her brain is something I can't even comprehend. Each day something else blows my mind about her, and I start to understand a new component about her. Her talent and commitment to the project is like nothing I have ever seen before. She works so hard during the day that by the time night falls she doesn't mind a 10 o'clock curfew; because she is so spent, and just ready for the next day to take on the next challenge.
She makes me feel like I am apart of the team, even when I am drifting off in my own head. She is always there to talk to me, and make me laugh when I need it. I have never met anyone like this. When I feel alone, I know she will be there for me. She has the most broad spectrum of skills that everyday my mind is blown by suprise. Some nights I have trouble sleeping because I can't stop thinking about how beautiful she is. Her features start with the heart and the beauty doesn't stop from the inside out. Her name is Hands on Disaster Relief.
I am completely hooked. I think I have found something I want to do for a long time in my life. I wake up everyday just happy to be apart of such an amazing team of people. I live with a family of one hundred plus people now. My heart aches everytime someone I love leaves. At certain points during the day I wish Tuesday would never come, but I know I need this break to refresh my mind. 99% of the people here want to be here for the good of this suffering country. This country needs the love we are handing out. The smiles we get during the day are something that would make you melt at home. Their is something about this country that is infectious. Maybe it's the fact that you see smiles everywhere you go.
This country has been riddled with poverty for many years. Now it has been riddled with disaster and even more poverty. That doesn't stop the people of this country from feeling love. They have hope here, and you can see it everyday with every smile and every hug. They embrace us as one of their own. They speak to us as if we have been friends for years. They dedicate their time to helping us feel comfortable here as much as we dedicate out time to helping them recover. I thought I had a big heart before I came here. Compared to the people of Haiti I don't even have a pulse. I thought I had seen rock bottom in my life and than I came here. I won't even get into a total description of the destruction here, because I don't think I can do it justice without pictures. So, youll have to wait til I get home to hear about that element of this trip.
It melts your heart when people you don't know will give you everything when they have nothing to start with. This entire experience has been beautiful, and I have one last blog to write on Monday before I go home. I can tell you one thing though. I am in love.....
Can't wait to see you all. It makes me want to cry that I made it, and a bit more....
LOVE
Dan
She makes me feel like I am apart of the team, even when I am drifting off in my own head. She is always there to talk to me, and make me laugh when I need it. I have never met anyone like this. When I feel alone, I know she will be there for me. She has the most broad spectrum of skills that everyday my mind is blown by suprise. Some nights I have trouble sleeping because I can't stop thinking about how beautiful she is. Her features start with the heart and the beauty doesn't stop from the inside out. Her name is Hands on Disaster Relief.
I am completely hooked. I think I have found something I want to do for a long time in my life. I wake up everyday just happy to be apart of such an amazing team of people. I live with a family of one hundred plus people now. My heart aches everytime someone I love leaves. At certain points during the day I wish Tuesday would never come, but I know I need this break to refresh my mind. 99% of the people here want to be here for the good of this suffering country. This country needs the love we are handing out. The smiles we get during the day are something that would make you melt at home. Their is something about this country that is infectious. Maybe it's the fact that you see smiles everywhere you go.
This country has been riddled with poverty for many years. Now it has been riddled with disaster and even more poverty. That doesn't stop the people of this country from feeling love. They have hope here, and you can see it everyday with every smile and every hug. They embrace us as one of their own. They speak to us as if we have been friends for years. They dedicate their time to helping us feel comfortable here as much as we dedicate out time to helping them recover. I thought I had a big heart before I came here. Compared to the people of Haiti I don't even have a pulse. I thought I had seen rock bottom in my life and than I came here. I won't even get into a total description of the destruction here, because I don't think I can do it justice without pictures. So, youll have to wait til I get home to hear about that element of this trip.
It melts your heart when people you don't know will give you everything when they have nothing to start with. This entire experience has been beautiful, and I have one last blog to write on Monday before I go home. I can tell you one thing though. I am in love.....
Can't wait to see you all. It makes me want to cry that I made it, and a bit more....
LOVE
Dan
May 18th, 2010 Haiti Blog: HODR time, different than real time..
As each day goes by, our relationships grow by years here at HODR. If you don't know what that means, let me explain. WHen you are here, you build these relationships and they move at a rapid pace. Whether it be for the good or bad or the relationship, it moves at warp speed. Where else would you be discussing bowel movements within three days of knowing girls, guys, whatever. It's pretty funny how fast we all grow together. Just as fast as we grow together, we also learn more and more about people's personalities and can grow apart just as quickly. It's a shame, but it's reality. The rapid growing together though, is a thing of magic. I had really been close minded in my first couple of weeks here, and didn't expand my horizons fully due to the fear of not being accepted I guess? Everyone else here has already been fairly well world traveled and I am the straggler who has barely seen the walls outside of the US. Intimidation is the word I guess. As the days have gone by I realize that just as selfless these people are with helping the Haitian community. They are just as selfless at helping out our fellow family members. In the past few days I have hung out with people I thought disliked me in a big way. It turns out I am just a weirdo. No suprise to my people at home, but hey, I'm coming around...
A couple more really good people are leaving today. It gets really sad when some of your favorites leave. Like I said, if you have known someone here for three weeks, it literally feels like you've been life long friends. This experience has been the best of my life, and it is far far far from over. I will explain that in one of my last blogs before I go home on Tuesday!
It was strange to discuss some things with people, but it opened my eyes a bit. I got to hanging out with people that pretty much just rubble here and they feel like they are useless at times, and the work they do they didn't feel was gratifying enough. I explained to them that at one point I felt exactly the same way about NOT rubbling. We got to talking about it fairly deeply and came to the conclusion that HODR is an entire body of work. Each place has it's importance here, and without one the other would not be operating. It was shocking to hear that side of the sectrum because I would kill to be out in the field rubbling my face off. Although this week I am trying to get out of the office and do as much as I can in the field to take in the rest of this experience before MY BREAK...
A little update about my Haitian brother. He has been back and forth here for the past week, and I havent written anything about him because I was waiting to see what the deal was. He is finally coming in to live in Leogane, moving from Port au Prince to come work with HODR. I don't know if he will just be translating or working in the field as well, but I am super pumped for him, and I am so happy to have at least affected one persons life while I am here. I have made alot of local Haitian friends, but none of the others come up to hug me like they almost fainted without seeing me. Everytime I see Jermaise he tells me he had a dream about me, and misses me tons. It brings me to my knees once I get alone and think about it. People in America have their THINGS. People in Haiti have love. They have family. They have nothing else but hope. People in America, especially where I live replace their sadness with material things that really mean nothing in the big picture of things. To make up for peoples short comings at home, they think they need to buy a nice car to be accepted, or they need to goto the bar every night to show people how cool they are since they party with everyone. No, not here. Respect is the name of the game here. Show it and you shall receive it. Work hard and you will be noticed for what you are doing. Looks don't matter, our bodies are just shells. It's what's on the inside that makes the man(or woman :)). Thats what makes this place such a beautiful world. Not your bar tab. Not your car. Not your purse. I know it may sound redundant, but it just sinks in deeper with each day.
Some people here still don't understand that, but those are the people that form these small cliques and end up acting miserable for the time they're here. They goto bed early and wake up miserable anyway Enjoy yourself while you're here. This is the time of your life and you're pissed off? FUCK, that was me for a day or two but I snapped out of it. I have seen people progress into that miserable person I don't despise anymore. I just feel really bad for their souls. When I say go out and enjoy yourself too, I don't mean you have to go get drunk everynight like some people do. I just mean take in every single piece of beauty that your eyes catch in this wonderful country. Embrace the community and let them know that it is our honor to come help. Some of the people here are just absolute snobs, and think they are cool because they sit around and talk shit about the other volunteers, when in reality they are the ones who are being talked about. Because they come off as such pretentious assholes.
Enough about the assholes. Lets talk about the beauty. Monday night we all went out because we had off yesterday for Flag Day. After ten oclock curfew a bunch of us went onto the roof and just kicked it for awhile. Within a half hour of being up there a monsoon of rain poured down upon us. It was some of the best feelings I have ever experienced in my life. For the first time in Haiti, I was cold. The wind was blowing and the rain was falling. We all just sat and embraced it for a few minutes before we decided to crowd around underneath a tarp at someones tent. A group of about twelve of us just sat there and took in the rain. Laughing, talking, loving. It was just a scattered family of people embracing the beauty of this entire project. Where else does it rain and you are actualy fired up to be out in it? Everyone was so happy, and nothing was going to change that, for that minute. It was breathtaking.
Speaking of beautiful, as the days go by, you really see how much many people appreciate us. We walk the streets and just light up every persons smile with our broken creole and giant smiles. When we make purchases out here in the street, we are changing people's lives. Everything we do here feels good. Not for us, but for the people of Haiti. That's why we are here. For the people of Haiti. So, next time you are thinking about going out to get blackout drunk like some people do here on a daily basis. Think about the main reason you're here. Everytime you stumble out of the bar drunk you are just making a horrible example for the people on this island who just want a better life. Who cares about the fact you're making a fool of yourself. Think about the people....
I come home in five days and I can't wait to see the people I love. I don't know if it will be an embrace of hello, or just stopping in to say goodbye. Either way, I love and miss you all. You are the ones who make me want to be a better person for the world. Because I spent alot of time being that selfish asshole that only cared about what was going on with me. I am just thankful I found out at some point in my life that their is alot more to life than America.
LOVE
Dan
A couple more really good people are leaving today. It gets really sad when some of your favorites leave. Like I said, if you have known someone here for three weeks, it literally feels like you've been life long friends. This experience has been the best of my life, and it is far far far from over. I will explain that in one of my last blogs before I go home on Tuesday!
It was strange to discuss some things with people, but it opened my eyes a bit. I got to hanging out with people that pretty much just rubble here and they feel like they are useless at times, and the work they do they didn't feel was gratifying enough. I explained to them that at one point I felt exactly the same way about NOT rubbling. We got to talking about it fairly deeply and came to the conclusion that HODR is an entire body of work. Each place has it's importance here, and without one the other would not be operating. It was shocking to hear that side of the sectrum because I would kill to be out in the field rubbling my face off. Although this week I am trying to get out of the office and do as much as I can in the field to take in the rest of this experience before MY BREAK...
A little update about my Haitian brother. He has been back and forth here for the past week, and I havent written anything about him because I was waiting to see what the deal was. He is finally coming in to live in Leogane, moving from Port au Prince to come work with HODR. I don't know if he will just be translating or working in the field as well, but I am super pumped for him, and I am so happy to have at least affected one persons life while I am here. I have made alot of local Haitian friends, but none of the others come up to hug me like they almost fainted without seeing me. Everytime I see Jermaise he tells me he had a dream about me, and misses me tons. It brings me to my knees once I get alone and think about it. People in America have their THINGS. People in Haiti have love. They have family. They have nothing else but hope. People in America, especially where I live replace their sadness with material things that really mean nothing in the big picture of things. To make up for peoples short comings at home, they think they need to buy a nice car to be accepted, or they need to goto the bar every night to show people how cool they are since they party with everyone. No, not here. Respect is the name of the game here. Show it and you shall receive it. Work hard and you will be noticed for what you are doing. Looks don't matter, our bodies are just shells. It's what's on the inside that makes the man(or woman :)). Thats what makes this place such a beautiful world. Not your bar tab. Not your car. Not your purse. I know it may sound redundant, but it just sinks in deeper with each day.
Some people here still don't understand that, but those are the people that form these small cliques and end up acting miserable for the time they're here. They goto bed early and wake up miserable anyway Enjoy yourself while you're here. This is the time of your life and you're pissed off? FUCK, that was me for a day or two but I snapped out of it. I have seen people progress into that miserable person I don't despise anymore. I just feel really bad for their souls. When I say go out and enjoy yourself too, I don't mean you have to go get drunk everynight like some people do. I just mean take in every single piece of beauty that your eyes catch in this wonderful country. Embrace the community and let them know that it is our honor to come help. Some of the people here are just absolute snobs, and think they are cool because they sit around and talk shit about the other volunteers, when in reality they are the ones who are being talked about. Because they come off as such pretentious assholes.
Enough about the assholes. Lets talk about the beauty. Monday night we all went out because we had off yesterday for Flag Day. After ten oclock curfew a bunch of us went onto the roof and just kicked it for awhile. Within a half hour of being up there a monsoon of rain poured down upon us. It was some of the best feelings I have ever experienced in my life. For the first time in Haiti, I was cold. The wind was blowing and the rain was falling. We all just sat and embraced it for a few minutes before we decided to crowd around underneath a tarp at someones tent. A group of about twelve of us just sat there and took in the rain. Laughing, talking, loving. It was just a scattered family of people embracing the beauty of this entire project. Where else does it rain and you are actualy fired up to be out in it? Everyone was so happy, and nothing was going to change that, for that minute. It was breathtaking.
Speaking of beautiful, as the days go by, you really see how much many people appreciate us. We walk the streets and just light up every persons smile with our broken creole and giant smiles. When we make purchases out here in the street, we are changing people's lives. Everything we do here feels good. Not for us, but for the people of Haiti. That's why we are here. For the people of Haiti. So, next time you are thinking about going out to get blackout drunk like some people do here on a daily basis. Think about the main reason you're here. Everytime you stumble out of the bar drunk you are just making a horrible example for the people on this island who just want a better life. Who cares about the fact you're making a fool of yourself. Think about the people....
I come home in five days and I can't wait to see the people I love. I don't know if it will be an embrace of hello, or just stopping in to say goodbye. Either way, I love and miss you all. You are the ones who make me want to be a better person for the world. Because I spent alot of time being that selfish asshole that only cared about what was going on with me. I am just thankful I found out at some point in my life that their is alot more to life than America.
LOVE
Dan
May 17th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Winding down...
It has been quite the slow weekend. Yesterday literally was the longest day I have ever experienced. I couldn't goto the beach because of my leg and I had to stay on base for the day to give orientation for the new people coming in. I love doing it. I just also love getting out as much as I can and seeing what Leogane has to offer. Although, on Sunday everyone goes to Masaje, so I will probably never go there again on a sunday. Everyone is so cliche. Their are groups here that think they are cool, but they should realize we are here to help the people of Haiti, and not have a popularity competition. I wont allow myself to get caught up in it though. I am just going to enjoy the beauty of this place and the people I have grown to love.
Their are really so many amazing people on this base, and even more amazing Haitian people outside of this base. My new profile picture is of myself and my friend Dave who used to volunteer here for the local volunteers.
For my last week here before I take a break I am really going to focus on getting off the base as often as I can to just enjoy the culture of the markets here. Enjoy the people that want to make this country a better place, and make sure everyone I am with has the best experience of their life. It has been a long time here, and it has definitely worn on me, but it won't break me. Even though I have to work on the base during the day; I am going to make sure I get out there and soak in what is going on in this place. I have found a solid mix of people I love to spend time with and when I leave I know I will miss them more than I can imagine. I am just fortunate to even have this opportunity to have met such amazing people. I think the heat is one of the reasons I have been a bit grumpy lately. Yesterday it was so hot I really didn't know what I was gonna do. I finally took a bucket shower around 4PM and it changed my day around. It's amazing how the little things here can change everything.
THis has been quite the humbling experience. Mentally and physically. I have had many challenges during my stay here, and I feel like I have finally started to face them and conquer. Doing the duties of a base manager is tough because their is allllwaaayyyysss something that needs to be done. People are always asking questions, and you really don't get time off. Jess and Jess are some of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. They always seem to keep a smile and just keep on moving forward. I might have to type that in every blog I write because I think they honestly deserve to hear that on a daily basis.
This week we will be finishing up building the school for the city, and it will be our first finished school here in Haiti since the beginning of the project. It's pretty cool to see things built from scratch into an operational school that the children are going to love. Also, we got in a huge container of clothing for the orphanage and their are some awesome things in there for them. We are thinking of going over there in the middle of the night with black masks and just dropping the clothes off in front of their tents so that they will all be suprised in the morning. It is really cool to have the means to do things like that. We have so many different amazing projects going on and finished that when I step back and really look at it. Its pretty amazing that HODR has accomplished all of these things. Itis really cool to be apart of this and the experience is one I will be taking with me for the rest of my life. As well as the friends I have made here. We have shared a bond together that most people can't even comprehend. Alot of us are all experiencing things for the first time in our lives and it is hard to even put it into words.
I have a bunch of written outlines I plan on writing about once I get home, but while I am here it is really tough to put everything that has happened into words. I really needa break and than I will be able to proccess the information much better and put it into a readable format.
I gotta run to a morning meeting, but I absolutely love you all at home. Only one week left until I can be reunited with the people I love, and a slightly cooler climate...
LOVE
Dan
Their are really so many amazing people on this base, and even more amazing Haitian people outside of this base. My new profile picture is of myself and my friend Dave who used to volunteer here for the local volunteers.
For my last week here before I take a break I am really going to focus on getting off the base as often as I can to just enjoy the culture of the markets here. Enjoy the people that want to make this country a better place, and make sure everyone I am with has the best experience of their life. It has been a long time here, and it has definitely worn on me, but it won't break me. Even though I have to work on the base during the day; I am going to make sure I get out there and soak in what is going on in this place. I have found a solid mix of people I love to spend time with and when I leave I know I will miss them more than I can imagine. I am just fortunate to even have this opportunity to have met such amazing people. I think the heat is one of the reasons I have been a bit grumpy lately. Yesterday it was so hot I really didn't know what I was gonna do. I finally took a bucket shower around 4PM and it changed my day around. It's amazing how the little things here can change everything.
THis has been quite the humbling experience. Mentally and physically. I have had many challenges during my stay here, and I feel like I have finally started to face them and conquer. Doing the duties of a base manager is tough because their is allllwaaayyyysss something that needs to be done. People are always asking questions, and you really don't get time off. Jess and Jess are some of the most amazing people I have ever met in my life. They always seem to keep a smile and just keep on moving forward. I might have to type that in every blog I write because I think they honestly deserve to hear that on a daily basis.
This week we will be finishing up building the school for the city, and it will be our first finished school here in Haiti since the beginning of the project. It's pretty cool to see things built from scratch into an operational school that the children are going to love. Also, we got in a huge container of clothing for the orphanage and their are some awesome things in there for them. We are thinking of going over there in the middle of the night with black masks and just dropping the clothes off in front of their tents so that they will all be suprised in the morning. It is really cool to have the means to do things like that. We have so many different amazing projects going on and finished that when I step back and really look at it. Its pretty amazing that HODR has accomplished all of these things. Itis really cool to be apart of this and the experience is one I will be taking with me for the rest of my life. As well as the friends I have made here. We have shared a bond together that most people can't even comprehend. Alot of us are all experiencing things for the first time in our lives and it is hard to even put it into words.
I have a bunch of written outlines I plan on writing about once I get home, but while I am here it is really tough to put everything that has happened into words. I really needa break and than I will be able to proccess the information much better and put it into a readable format.
I gotta run to a morning meeting, but I absolutely love you all at home. Only one week left until I can be reunited with the people I love, and a slightly cooler climate...
LOVE
Dan
May 15th, 2010 Haiti Blog: My body is falling apart. I feel like my mind is next.
As you know, since I have been here I have gone from injury to injury. I never get hurt at home. It's a whole new world here. You geta cut at home, and you can just wait a few days and it'll scab up and just go away. Not here. If you have a cut, you better fix and clean that shit twice a day. I ended up with this horrible infection that will most likely last until it's time for me to go home. It's tearing me apart inside. I try not to let it, but I can see it affect my friendships here. I find myself becomming one of the people I despise. This is one of the most intense environements I have ever found myself in. Mntally and physically. If it weren't for one of my friends here having my back the entire time, I never would have made it through this journey. I have nine more days left and I really want to try to make the absolute best of them. Tuesday is National flag day here and we have off. Their will be a giant parade and such so that should be a really good time. We have a half day today because we're having a barbeque in the afternoon with the locals.
I have just felt like such a letdown the past few days because I havent been able to do much off the base, but I have tried to do anything I could for the base. They made me one of the base managers, which means I am responsible for pretty much everything that happens here, including making sure people have rides to and from work and greeting all the new people who come in and giving them a house tour and making sure they undrstand all the rules. Marc, the ruler of our kingdom tries to tell me that what we do on the base is just as important, if not more than what we do outside the base. Because if our base wasn't running properly, than nothing on the outside would be running at all. But thats just like when you tell someone who thinks they are ugly that they are pretty. You could tell them a million times, but they just need to actually believe it themselves before it means anything to them.
I gotta run I have to escort someone out into the market to grab some items for the base I want to write more about whats goin on inside of the camp so I will be updating this afternoon as well
Love and miss you all
LOVE
Dan
I have just felt like such a letdown the past few days because I havent been able to do much off the base, but I have tried to do anything I could for the base. They made me one of the base managers, which means I am responsible for pretty much everything that happens here, including making sure people have rides to and from work and greeting all the new people who come in and giving them a house tour and making sure they undrstand all the rules. Marc, the ruler of our kingdom tries to tell me that what we do on the base is just as important, if not more than what we do outside the base. Because if our base wasn't running properly, than nothing on the outside would be running at all. But thats just like when you tell someone who thinks they are ugly that they are pretty. You could tell them a million times, but they just need to actually believe it themselves before it means anything to them.
I gotta run I have to escort someone out into the market to grab some items for the base I want to write more about whats goin on inside of the camp so I will be updating this afternoon as well
Love and miss you all
LOVE
Dan
May 14th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Leogane, the city of angels...
As the days go by you rapidly get to know the people you live with here. Days feel like months of friendship and weeks feel like years. It's a big difference from the real world, but it's a beautiful thing. The vast majority of the people here are real life miracles. They each have an amazing story to tell that is their life. It sucks when people come in and go during the time I have been here, but such is life.
Last week we had sixteen Harvard business students come in and stay for a week. Some of them stayed within their own little clique, but some of them made sure they branched out and met other people while they were here. You can tell that those are the people who are individuals. The ones who branched out really wanted to be here, rather than the rest of them who just went with the flow. These are the people who make a difference in people's lives, and don't just base their value on how well they can give you a powerpoint presentation. Their fearless leader, Nick, is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Not only did he organize the entire group of Harvard students to come here, he also had worked with HODR in the past. He was a genuinely nice guy and made sure he got a chance to meet as many people as he could. If I had to explain to someone what cool was, I would show them a picture of Nick and his short shorts and their would be no need for further explanation.
The other person that really stood out what a girl named Charlotte. Maybe one of the sweetest people I ever met. She made sure from day one that she wasn't labeled as one of the Harvard bunch, and made it a goal of hers to go out and meet as many people as possible. Their is a stereotype of Harvard students that she broke for alot of people I'm sure. I remember her first day here she was just sitting there away from her crowd just looking to meet people. I got to sign up with her for a job and from that point on I really didn't wanna stop talking to her. We have the same interest in psychology, except she is actually executing it. If her brains and beauty were a horse race, it would be a photo finish to see which one outweighed the other. I wish she could have stayed longer, but thats the way this place is. You commit for a certain amount of time, and when it's your time to leave, you go. I pray that its not the last time I ever see her, because a week just wasn't enough. It's sad, but it's one of those things where you just have to be grateful you had a week rather than never meeting at all.
So, with that said, I have ten days left before departure. I know for a fact I will be sad to go, but my body is deteriorating. Yesterday I landed back in the hospital with a bad leg infection in two places and what is called cellulitis. Basically, my ankle and foot have ballooned up and it is making it hard for me to walk. My ankle looks like a newly inflaed air matress. I have to goto the hospital each day from here on out and get a shot of some type of anti biotic in my butt. So, in Haiti I have received my first IV ever in my life and my first shot to the butt. Welcome to the world huh? It's my fauly because I don't know how to take care of myself properly, but I am learning as the days go by. I did my first batch of laundry ever the other day, sitting on my knees with a tub of water scrubbing out dirt and air drying them as I finished. It's a pretty crazy transition I've made. I just wish I could stay healthy enough to enjoy it. My spirits are still up, but my body is just letting me down. I am going to make it to the end. I just don't know how much more physical action I can handle. I am going to take on any job they give me. Jobs on the base are just as important as jobs off the base. Without the base operating, their is no operation outside the base.
I can't begin to tell you how much I love this place. It is truly an amazing group of people and we are only as strong as our weakest team member. When I get home I will give you a description of each person, and what they meant to not only me, but the entire country of Haiti. Because each one of these people, regardless of whether they acted like an asshole or not, contributed alot more to this world than anyone who just sat in the comfort of their own home and decided sending a ten dollar text message was enough. Not that theirs anything wrong wth that. It's just that these people deserve to be recognized for the amazing work they have done, and I will make sure that at least the people who read my blog know what they did to make a difference.
Time to go to the hospital and get my butt shot. I love and miss my friends. God bless
LOVE
Dan
Last week we had sixteen Harvard business students come in and stay for a week. Some of them stayed within their own little clique, but some of them made sure they branched out and met other people while they were here. You can tell that those are the people who are individuals. The ones who branched out really wanted to be here, rather than the rest of them who just went with the flow. These are the people who make a difference in people's lives, and don't just base their value on how well they can give you a powerpoint presentation. Their fearless leader, Nick, is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Not only did he organize the entire group of Harvard students to come here, he also had worked with HODR in the past. He was a genuinely nice guy and made sure he got a chance to meet as many people as he could. If I had to explain to someone what cool was, I would show them a picture of Nick and his short shorts and their would be no need for further explanation.
The other person that really stood out what a girl named Charlotte. Maybe one of the sweetest people I ever met. She made sure from day one that she wasn't labeled as one of the Harvard bunch, and made it a goal of hers to go out and meet as many people as possible. Their is a stereotype of Harvard students that she broke for alot of people I'm sure. I remember her first day here she was just sitting there away from her crowd just looking to meet people. I got to sign up with her for a job and from that point on I really didn't wanna stop talking to her. We have the same interest in psychology, except she is actually executing it. If her brains and beauty were a horse race, it would be a photo finish to see which one outweighed the other. I wish she could have stayed longer, but thats the way this place is. You commit for a certain amount of time, and when it's your time to leave, you go. I pray that its not the last time I ever see her, because a week just wasn't enough. It's sad, but it's one of those things where you just have to be grateful you had a week rather than never meeting at all.
I can't begin to tell you how much I love this place. It is truly an amazing group of people and we are only as strong as our weakest team member. When I get home I will give you a description of each person, and what they meant to not only me, but the entire country of Haiti. Because each one of these people, regardless of whether they acted like an asshole or not, contributed alot more to this world than anyone who just sat in the comfort of their own home and decided sending a ten dollar text message was enough. Not that theirs anything wrong wth that. It's just that these people deserve to be recognized for the amazing work they have done, and I will make sure that at least the people who read my blog know what they did to make a difference.
Time to go to the hospital and get my butt shot. I love and miss my friends. God bless
LOVE
Dan
May 13th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Berlyne is not just a city and Venus is not just a planet.
So, as we live here with over 130 people now, we also have local people who work for HODR. Most of them are absolutely amazing and two of them really stick out. Our head cook/ laundry person/ amazing human being, Venus. She is unreal. Everyday she comes in here and cooks for over 100 people and does multiple peoples laundry. I don't know if she speaks much English but day in and day out she is in here just working her ass off. She is always smiling and it is one hell of a beautiful smile. I have seen people in this base do some of the most selfish retarded things when it comes to not being clean in the kitchen, but Venus always manages to just smile and laugh about them all. It is a truly beautiful site to see someone so happy all the time, regardless of the circumstances. She is also drop dead gorgeous, but I can't tell girls ages in this country. She could be 16 or she could be 30. I realy have no clue. I stopped tring to guess that stuff the first week I was here when some girl who looked like she was 12 told me I am just a little boy at 28.
Also on base we have translators. One of the most amazing people I have met here is a translator we have named Berlin. I had the honor of spending the day with her a couple days ago when I got hurt. We had the job of going into town and purchasing some items that HODR was in need of. She is just another ball of joy. I don't know, maybe she is just always laughing at me, but se is definitely always laughing. We go back and forth and she isalways teaching me some creole. Apparently I sound like I have some serious accent issues when speaking creole and it's always good for a laugh to all the locals, and usually some base members as well. Berlin is here everyday as well translating for all of us pour saps who don't speak a lick of creole but need to get from A to B. Without her their would be no getting to B. She loves us all, and finds time in her busy days to make sure she gets a chance to meet everyone. When it's time to go play at the orphanage she is the first in line, teaching the young kids how to dance creole style. You can just tell that she loves life, and when you're around her it's really hard not to be in a good mood. I won't even attempt to do it!
So today I slept in on accident and didnt wak up til 615am. YES!! First tme for everything I guess haha. Today I will be going to a few places to pick up kits for a "save the children" project. We have to drive around the city and grab a few things and thn eventually get them back to base. It should be interesting considering the ridiculous driving conditions here and the fact im sure my team has no clue what they're doing. As always though, it should be a fun day. Yesterday we got in a giant container of new tools and two bobcats!! That is huge for a place like this because the biggest tools we had before those were shovels and wheel barrows, which we also got new inventoy of.
I am starting to sleep real good here and I keep meeting someone i fall in love with everyday. You just have to let the assholes be assholes, and go out of your way to be nice to them so they feel like the assholes they act.....
Can't wait to see all my friends. We should have a little party when I get home at the pub or something so not just me can get together, but so we can all get together. Because we were probably all once friends at one point and maybe some of us have faded apart. Little things can tear us apart in the states. Big things should bring us together, like the celebration of LIFE.
I love and miss you all.
LOVE
Dan
Also on base we have translators. One of the most amazing people I have met here is a translator we have named Berlin. I had the honor of spending the day with her a couple days ago when I got hurt. We had the job of going into town and purchasing some items that HODR was in need of. She is just another ball of joy. I don't know, maybe she is just always laughing at me, but se is definitely always laughing. We go back and forth and she isalways teaching me some creole. Apparently I sound like I have some serious accent issues when speaking creole and it's always good for a laugh to all the locals, and usually some base members as well. Berlin is here everyday as well translating for all of us pour saps who don't speak a lick of creole but need to get from A to B. Without her their would be no getting to B. She loves us all, and finds time in her busy days to make sure she gets a chance to meet everyone. When it's time to go play at the orphanage she is the first in line, teaching the young kids how to dance creole style. You can just tell that she loves life, and when you're around her it's really hard not to be in a good mood. I won't even attempt to do it!
So today I slept in on accident and didnt wak up til 615am. YES!! First tme for everything I guess haha. Today I will be going to a few places to pick up kits for a "save the children" project. We have to drive around the city and grab a few things and thn eventually get them back to base. It should be interesting considering the ridiculous driving conditions here and the fact im sure my team has no clue what they're doing. As always though, it should be a fun day. Yesterday we got in a giant container of new tools and two bobcats!! That is huge for a place like this because the biggest tools we had before those were shovels and wheel barrows, which we also got new inventoy of.
I am starting to sleep real good here and I keep meeting someone i fall in love with everyday. You just have to let the assholes be assholes, and go out of your way to be nice to them so they feel like the assholes they act.....
Can't wait to see all my friends. We should have a little party when I get home at the pub or something so not just me can get together, but so we can all get together. Because we were probably all once friends at one point and maybe some of us have faded apart. Little things can tear us apart in the states. Big things should bring us together, like the celebration of LIFE.
I love and miss you all.
LOVE
Dan
May 12th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Hey Asshole, Smile, You're in Haiti...
As the days go by more and more new faces show up to our base. To the point where we now have close to 130 people and the max is supposed to be 100. I sarted out as one of the new people and as the tme has gone by I am becomming one of the people who has been here a little longer than the newer people who are arriving. One of the things alot of people say when they leave is to remind the people who have been here to maybe say Hi to the new people and try to help them out. It's really depressing to see some of the people who have been here for awhile and just how standoffish they act. They aren't obligated to be nice, or even speak to anyone, but it's sad to see someone who is selfless enough to volunteer to help Haiti, but doesn't have the patience to say hi to someone new who looks lost. It's only about 5% of the people here, but thats oo many in my opinion. We are all tired and we are all hot and annoyed. That doesn't mean you have to be a complete jerkoff.
It's funny though, to see the people who have been here a little longer and with that they think they are better than anyone else. I'm pretty sure it just means they have been unemployed longer than the rest of the other people and had a chance to volunteer sooner. Some of them are here for three meals and a cot, and they call this home, even though they don't speak to more than five people here. It's a real shame because most of us have this family mentality. Their's always one asshole in every family though, I guess. It just boggles my mind that someone can be nice enough to volunteer to come help Haiti, but not nice enough to introduce themselves to someone they are going to be living with for months to come. Some of the long term people are absolutely amazing, don't get me wrong. It's just funny, you would never see a new person come in here and be as pretentious as the ones who have been here longer.
Oh well, I am here for me anyway, and the people of Haiti, and I will continue to just kill them with kindness and joke my way through the next couple of weeks. I have made some friends for life here and each relationship I have made here is likea beautiful portrait of art. I know their are some people here who don't like me, and I'm really not concerned about them at al, because if you don't like me that means you must be one miserable fuck. Because I do everything I can to make sure everyone can at least crack a smile for thirty seconds a day here. I think they need to implement the 30 day mental health break rule to EVERYONE, because some of these people you can tell are just totally strung out and in need of some other type of life other than Haiti. The problem is, the people who don't leave for the break are the people who either can't afford it, or have nowhere to go because they have been cast out of regular society and found their only home here. I can call this place home, I also know I have a home with my real family as well. I have a feeling some of these people lack alot of love in their life, and they stay here because it's the only place where they feel like their life means ANYTHING.
Thats all for my rant of the miserable people. Their are too many people here I love, and so many awesome people here. Even the jerkoffs you have to respect, but I sure as fuck will never like them and I'm sure they won't like me. So, I am gonna continue to do me, while they look at me like im some kind of asshole. I'll keep on smiling.
Miss my friends. 13 days.
LOVE
Dan
It's funny though, to see the people who have been here a little longer and with that they think they are better than anyone else. I'm pretty sure it just means they have been unemployed longer than the rest of the other people and had a chance to volunteer sooner. Some of them are here for three meals and a cot, and they call this home, even though they don't speak to more than five people here. It's a real shame because most of us have this family mentality. Their's always one asshole in every family though, I guess. It just boggles my mind that someone can be nice enough to volunteer to come help Haiti, but not nice enough to introduce themselves to someone they are going to be living with for months to come. Some of the long term people are absolutely amazing, don't get me wrong. It's just funny, you would never see a new person come in here and be as pretentious as the ones who have been here longer.
Oh well, I am here for me anyway, and the people of Haiti, and I will continue to just kill them with kindness and joke my way through the next couple of weeks. I have made some friends for life here and each relationship I have made here is likea beautiful portrait of art. I know their are some people here who don't like me, and I'm really not concerned about them at al, because if you don't like me that means you must be one miserable fuck. Because I do everything I can to make sure everyone can at least crack a smile for thirty seconds a day here. I think they need to implement the 30 day mental health break rule to EVERYONE, because some of these people you can tell are just totally strung out and in need of some other type of life other than Haiti. The problem is, the people who don't leave for the break are the people who either can't afford it, or have nowhere to go because they have been cast out of regular society and found their only home here. I can call this place home, I also know I have a home with my real family as well. I have a feeling some of these people lack alot of love in their life, and they stay here because it's the only place where they feel like their life means ANYTHING.
Thats all for my rant of the miserable people. Their are too many people here I love, and so many awesome people here. Even the jerkoffs you have to respect, but I sure as fuck will never like them and I'm sure they won't like me. So, I am gonna continue to do me, while they look at me like im some kind of asshole. I'll keep on smiling.
Miss my friends. 13 days.
LOVE
Dan
May 11th, Haiti Blog: Halfway Home...
So, yesterday I had to get some xrays for my wrist because I was playing soccer on my day off and slipped on the concrete and landed right on my hand/wrist Just a slight sprain and should be out of this stupid splint in about two days. Beat street. Although, it allowed me to do what I do best. I got to go shopping for the base and pick up some stuff they needed to get. Today will be the same as I have to take it easy for a few days and than I plan on doing rubble for my last ten days here. I have been gone for two weeks now and have exactly two weeks left. I am pretty shocked at myself that I've made it and now that the time to go home is creeping up on me I don't know how I feel about it. I love the people here. Everyday I meet someone new that just absolutely blows my mind. I can't wait to get home and write about them all. It would be weird if I did it while we are all here because some of them read this and you know...
I have learned so much while I have been here. The one thing I have really learned is that the money doesn't EVER make the man. I have met some of the most poverty stricken people in the world that were also some of the most amazing characters I have ever met as well. The people in this country appreciate what we are doing and they really go out of their way to show it. I wasn't apart of this, but my one friend and her team spent three days building a village for people who were displaced during the quake. When they were done they threw her and her team a giant ceremony on the beach. These are some of the poorest people on the planet and they go out of their way to show us an amazing time. They had fresh fruit and vegetables and meats lined up for them. They tossed flowers on them and were even handing over babies. It's a beautiful thing really. Helping someone in need is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. I always liked doing it when I was home, but nobody really appreciates it quite like this. At home we think we things and assistance, but compared to these people, we are truly truly blessed. I don't think you will ever hear me complain again about my life or anything I struggle with because i will look back at this trip and remember everything I have seen and gone through. For those of you that know me, you know I don't forget a single thing I see and my memory stays with me forever.
It just feels so good being here. I havent accomplished much in my life that meant alot to me. I feel like this is one of the most important things I have ever done in my life so far. I don't think I will be able to miss another disaster that HODR takes on because I feel like it is now my duty to help, if even for just a couple weeks. When is the last time you had to worry about shelter because you couldn't even find a roof to stand under while it rained? Have you ever had to spend an entire day figuring out how you were going to get a single calorie into your body? Have you ever had to worry about where your next drop of water was coming from? I haven't either, and thats why I have such compassion for the people of this country.
Speaking of compassion for this country, my man Jermaise stopped by on sunday just to see me after he was done his shift at the hospital. He walked over to our base and informed me he will most likely be working here in the near future! He learned what chillen meant and wont stop saying it, which is absolutely hilarious to hear him say "I'm chillen like Bob Dylan" hahaha. We talked for a few minutes and at the end he told me he missed me lots. I almost broke down and was ready to give him a big Weissman bear hug, but I refrained. He will be back friday to come hang out and hopefully I get to see him a bunch of times before I go. I know I will talk to this man forever, he is my idol. The drive to want to learn is such a beautiful thing. It makes me wish I had tried alot harder at life to see where it could have taken me. I feel like I havent even worked hard yet and I hope that this trip will have changed that.
As the time has gone by here we have seen people in base come and go and you really get upset when some of your favorites leave. I lost one of my bests here the other morning and she was the most positive person I had ever met. A Canadian girl with a giant heart and awesome morals. You don't really think about stuff like that at home when you meet people, but here, everybody has some type of core value that makes you respect them in some way shape or form. No matter how standoffish they act.
So, in two weeks I will be one of those people who have come and gone. I hope I have made even half the impact that some of these people have made on me. They really try to help me out because of how uncultured I am and I truly appreciate every single ounce of help I have received. The best way I can describe this experience so far is that it has just been a beautiful story in my head. Everything that has happened seems like destiny and it gives me the chills day in and day out to know that people like the ones on this base do exist, and in numbers....
I love you all, and I miss my friends and can't wait to come home and reflect on what has happened to me here. I have made friends for life.
LOVE
Dan
THis is a really funny blog, considering I ended up staying until January 15th. Haha, I love looking back on this stuff...
I have learned so much while I have been here. The one thing I have really learned is that the money doesn't EVER make the man. I have met some of the most poverty stricken people in the world that were also some of the most amazing characters I have ever met as well. The people in this country appreciate what we are doing and they really go out of their way to show it. I wasn't apart of this, but my one friend and her team spent three days building a village for people who were displaced during the quake. When they were done they threw her and her team a giant ceremony on the beach. These are some of the poorest people on the planet and they go out of their way to show us an amazing time. They had fresh fruit and vegetables and meats lined up for them. They tossed flowers on them and were even handing over babies. It's a beautiful thing really. Helping someone in need is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. I always liked doing it when I was home, but nobody really appreciates it quite like this. At home we think we things and assistance, but compared to these people, we are truly truly blessed. I don't think you will ever hear me complain again about my life or anything I struggle with because i will look back at this trip and remember everything I have seen and gone through. For those of you that know me, you know I don't forget a single thing I see and my memory stays with me forever.
It just feels so good being here. I havent accomplished much in my life that meant alot to me. I feel like this is one of the most important things I have ever done in my life so far. I don't think I will be able to miss another disaster that HODR takes on because I feel like it is now my duty to help, if even for just a couple weeks. When is the last time you had to worry about shelter because you couldn't even find a roof to stand under while it rained? Have you ever had to spend an entire day figuring out how you were going to get a single calorie into your body? Have you ever had to worry about where your next drop of water was coming from? I haven't either, and thats why I have such compassion for the people of this country.
Speaking of compassion for this country, my man Jermaise stopped by on sunday just to see me after he was done his shift at the hospital. He walked over to our base and informed me he will most likely be working here in the near future! He learned what chillen meant and wont stop saying it, which is absolutely hilarious to hear him say "I'm chillen like Bob Dylan" hahaha. We talked for a few minutes and at the end he told me he missed me lots. I almost broke down and was ready to give him a big Weissman bear hug, but I refrained. He will be back friday to come hang out and hopefully I get to see him a bunch of times before I go. I know I will talk to this man forever, he is my idol. The drive to want to learn is such a beautiful thing. It makes me wish I had tried alot harder at life to see where it could have taken me. I feel like I havent even worked hard yet and I hope that this trip will have changed that.
As the time has gone by here we have seen people in base come and go and you really get upset when some of your favorites leave. I lost one of my bests here the other morning and she was the most positive person I had ever met. A Canadian girl with a giant heart and awesome morals. You don't really think about stuff like that at home when you meet people, but here, everybody has some type of core value that makes you respect them in some way shape or form. No matter how standoffish they act.
So, in two weeks I will be one of those people who have come and gone. I hope I have made even half the impact that some of these people have made on me. They really try to help me out because of how uncultured I am and I truly appreciate every single ounce of help I have received. The best way I can describe this experience so far is that it has just been a beautiful story in my head. Everything that has happened seems like destiny and it gives me the chills day in and day out to know that people like the ones on this base do exist, and in numbers....
I love you all, and I miss my friends and can't wait to come home and reflect on what has happened to me here. I have made friends for life.
LOVE
Dan
THis is a really funny blog, considering I ended up staying until January 15th. Haha, I love looking back on this stuff...
Ma 10th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Ouch
Gina you are amazing, we all love you to death and thank god everyday for blessing us with your size 12 heart. the biggest size ahahahah
LOVE
Dan
May 8th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Make it Rain, Haiti style..
So, up to this point in Haiti the coldest drink you can get is beer and soda. Both of which dehydrate you and have zero nutritional value. Yesterday I was packing school kits to give to the kids for the UN and I decided I had to make moves. I asked my driver if he could help me get money from Western Union here and if its difficult. Right after work he took me to the only working computer in the entire country of Haiti(or so it seems) and sure enough helped me get money. After that it was a free for all to the one store I have found that actually sells normal cold drinks. Now, I know to most of you Gatorade and Snapple isn't makin it rain, but in Haiti, hydration mixed with cold liquid is like GOLD. I had the driver goto the choochoo which is the only market in town and I literally bought every Snapple and Gatorade they had. Once I got into the store I just couldn't help myself. I bought a bunch of frozen snickers and Doritos and Pringles. It was glorious. I must have bought thirty drinks by the time I was done and at least twety bags of chips etc. I couldn't wait to bring it back to base and hook up my well deserving, hardworking friends. We have no fridge. We have no way to keep anything cold, so I knew I just needed to gve everything out that I wasn't going to drink in the next hour and just enjoy this early Christmas in May.
I don't think I've ever gotten a bigger hug. It's funny too, because sometimes we do little hugs but we are usually so sweaty. Okay, IM usually so sweaty that they arent the good bighugs. Not today, I thought I was getting bear hugged by a wrestler. I almost had to submit. If you know me, you know this makes my day. Nothing makes ME happier than putting a smile on someone elses face, especially if it's the little things in life. Food is fuel here, good food is premium fuel. Everything is so cheap though, I only spent about 50$ US dollars, which is nothing for what I got. 20oz Cokes only cost about 50 cents here and Gatorade is no more than a dollar. It's just a matter of finding them, and goodluck now since I bought every single one they had! Muahahahaha!!!
Today I am going back out and testing the sun. Going to dig out some rubble with my team and hopefully enjoy the day and get a serious work in. I am a strategic worker, making this my hardest day since I know I have off tomorrow to recover. And by recover I mean goto some kind of beach and float in the water like a dead fish. Gonna be a long day today I can feel it.
I am starting to become close with alot of people and it's sad to start seeing them come and go as I have been here for almost two weeks. You rapidly begin to love these people because you are with them 24 hours of each day. We talk about things I wouldn't talk about with people I met a home 5 years ago, but here we get so close every single inch of our body is fair game to discuss. It's an interesting change but It's totally my style. Today is the first day that a couple people I really like are leaving. They aren't people I spend everyday with, or even many days with, but I did have a day or two with them, and you grow to love each of them. One of them said it best for her going away speach. She said "I can't lie, 95% of you I have absolutely fallen in love with. The other 5% of you are complete assholes, but I still totally respect you" That is the perfect way to describe this place. Some of the people here are just totally unapproachable, pretentious fucking assholes, but god damn do I respect them. Not only for what they do here in Haiti, but for having the ability to stay an asshole through this amazing experience.
Monday I lose my first inner circle soldier from third street. She will be deeply missed, but I think we all gained a friend for life. Most innocent girl I've ever met, it's actually refreshing. I need to go get ready to work and attempt to stay alive today. I love you all and keep it coming with me. Almost half way home....
LOVE
Dan
I don't think I've ever gotten a bigger hug. It's funny too, because sometimes we do little hugs but we are usually so sweaty. Okay, IM usually so sweaty that they arent the good bighugs. Not today, I thought I was getting bear hugged by a wrestler. I almost had to submit. If you know me, you know this makes my day. Nothing makes ME happier than putting a smile on someone elses face, especially if it's the little things in life. Food is fuel here, good food is premium fuel. Everything is so cheap though, I only spent about 50$ US dollars, which is nothing for what I got. 20oz Cokes only cost about 50 cents here and Gatorade is no more than a dollar. It's just a matter of finding them, and goodluck now since I bought every single one they had! Muahahahaha!!!
Today I am going back out and testing the sun. Going to dig out some rubble with my team and hopefully enjoy the day and get a serious work in. I am a strategic worker, making this my hardest day since I know I have off tomorrow to recover. And by recover I mean goto some kind of beach and float in the water like a dead fish. Gonna be a long day today I can feel it.
I am starting to become close with alot of people and it's sad to start seeing them come and go as I have been here for almost two weeks. You rapidly begin to love these people because you are with them 24 hours of each day. We talk about things I wouldn't talk about with people I met a home 5 years ago, but here we get so close every single inch of our body is fair game to discuss. It's an interesting change but It's totally my style. Today is the first day that a couple people I really like are leaving. They aren't people I spend everyday with, or even many days with, but I did have a day or two with them, and you grow to love each of them. One of them said it best for her going away speach. She said "I can't lie, 95% of you I have absolutely fallen in love with. The other 5% of you are complete assholes, but I still totally respect you" That is the perfect way to describe this place. Some of the people here are just totally unapproachable, pretentious fucking assholes, but god damn do I respect them. Not only for what they do here in Haiti, but for having the ability to stay an asshole through this amazing experience.
Monday I lose my first inner circle soldier from third street. She will be deeply missed, but I think we all gained a friend for life. Most innocent girl I've ever met, it's actually refreshing. I need to go get ready to work and attempt to stay alive today. I love you all and keep it coming with me. Almost half way home....
LOVE
Dan
May 7th, 2010 Haiti Blog: Disney in Haiti!
So, for the past two days I have been packing 5 kilo bags of corn for farmers who live up in the mountains for the UN to distribute. Sounds boring right? Well, I thought so too until they asked me to go help them distribute them all the way up in the mountains. Oh, did I also mention that with their corn I also have to hand them a giant machetti and hoe. Now, maybe I'm a bit uncultured, but when I think of a machetti I think of Friday the 13th and lots of death. Apparently here and other countries its quite common to see little girls and boys wielding machettis instead of pencils. So, for the past two days I've handed out over three hundred machettis, hoes, and bags of corn to the local farmers so that they can eat and possibly make it rain if they have the good corn to sell.
In order to hand out the items we had to first survive the ride up the mountains. Imagine a hiking trail leading up the biggest mountain you've ever seen. No barriers or walls and when you look over the side its nothing but a dropoff of thousands of feet. If I had to describe it, I would say it was just like an amazing Disney ride without any rules or regulations. Basically, if the driver misses a clutch or break, we die. It was one of the most intense experiences of my life. You bounce around and it is astonishing that every single tire doesnt pop within the first two minutes of driving up these mountains. Their isnt a single ten foot stretch of flat land. Everything is rocks and debree. It takes about two hours to get up the mountain and as you go up, the view becomes more and more worth it. By the time you get to where you need to be, you are shoulder deep in clouds and head to toe in beauty. My words arent even powerful enough to fully describe it. Pictures will obviously be posted when I can, but as you know I can't do any of that when I am here.
Also, I have a bunch of pictures of me handing the locals the machettis etc. So, that should be some hilarious stuff as well. The ladies from the UN were kind enough to take them for me and take my email so you could see, this really happens haha.
Nothing else much has been happening. I have been taking creole lessons every night and by the time I'm done that I am barely making it into my bed before my eyes close for the night. We work from basically 7am to 5pm than a meeting at 6-7. A local kid and myself are doing the creole on our own and it's pretty much a one on one lesson everynight and it's cool as shit. He teaches me Creole and I'm teaching him how to make it rain. LOL.
I've made a few really good friends out here and their time is coming soon to leave. It's gonna make me really upset but I want to try and really stick it out and continue on the quest. The days are starting to blend together and fly by and it seems like I just got here yesterday. Soon, it will be two weeks! I think my return date will be May 25th due to the mandatory mental health break we have to take every thirty days. You think Philadelphia is dirty? I will lick the ground when I get home and compared to Haitian money, I would suck on american coins, because the Haitian money is so filthy. This entire country is a ball of dust mixed with palm trees and rubble. It's quite a site.
Can't wait to see my friends. Cant wait to see my family. Cant wait to see a flushing toilet and working shower head. Love you all and keep the love coming back.
LOVE
Dan
In order to hand out the items we had to first survive the ride up the mountains. Imagine a hiking trail leading up the biggest mountain you've ever seen. No barriers or walls and when you look over the side its nothing but a dropoff of thousands of feet. If I had to describe it, I would say it was just like an amazing Disney ride without any rules or regulations. Basically, if the driver misses a clutch or break, we die. It was one of the most intense experiences of my life. You bounce around and it is astonishing that every single tire doesnt pop within the first two minutes of driving up these mountains. Their isnt a single ten foot stretch of flat land. Everything is rocks and debree. It takes about two hours to get up the mountain and as you go up, the view becomes more and more worth it. By the time you get to where you need to be, you are shoulder deep in clouds and head to toe in beauty. My words arent even powerful enough to fully describe it. Pictures will obviously be posted when I can, but as you know I can't do any of that when I am here.
Also, I have a bunch of pictures of me handing the locals the machettis etc. So, that should be some hilarious stuff as well. The ladies from the UN were kind enough to take them for me and take my email so you could see, this really happens haha.
Nothing else much has been happening. I have been taking creole lessons every night and by the time I'm done that I am barely making it into my bed before my eyes close for the night. We work from basically 7am to 5pm than a meeting at 6-7. A local kid and myself are doing the creole on our own and it's pretty much a one on one lesson everynight and it's cool as shit. He teaches me Creole and I'm teaching him how to make it rain. LOL.
I've made a few really good friends out here and their time is coming soon to leave. It's gonna make me really upset but I want to try and really stick it out and continue on the quest. The days are starting to blend together and fly by and it seems like I just got here yesterday. Soon, it will be two weeks! I think my return date will be May 25th due to the mandatory mental health break we have to take every thirty days. You think Philadelphia is dirty? I will lick the ground when I get home and compared to Haitian money, I would suck on american coins, because the Haitian money is so filthy. This entire country is a ball of dust mixed with palm trees and rubble. It's quite a site.
Can't wait to see my friends. Cant wait to see my family. Cant wait to see a flushing toilet and working shower head. Love you all and keep the love coming back.
LOVE
Dan
May 6th, 2010 Haiti Blog: My Haitian Brother
Ok, so I just couldn't stay away after what happened yesterday. It's like everytime something happens in this place its a magic show. The people on this island deserve everything we give and more. As you remember I told you about the translator from the hospital. He only works on weekends because he has a two hour commute everytime and it's hard for him to work and study all week. So, yesterday I decided to do corn seed packing for the UN to distribute to local farmers up in the mountains so that they can eat. So, we start work at around 7AM and we go out front and wait for our tap tap or trucks to pick us up. As I'm walking out, who the fuck do I see????!!! My boy Jermaise Jean Claude! If I had a bigger smile when I saw him he may have thought I was gay. I almost hugged him. he walks up toward our camp and tells me he has been looking for me. WHAT?! AMAZING... He wanted to come thank me for the advice I gave him and that he is staying away from the girl so that she will miss him(gotta play the game). He told me he's so thankful and is staying strong. I could not believe it. This kid, no car, found his way to me all the way from his own hoe almost two hours away. We hung out for a little until I had to goto work and introduced him to the base manager and he is now going to start working for them in the next few days! HOLY SHIT!
I have "friends" at home that I've known for almost my whole life that don't even acknowledge I am still alive. This kid, I met once and made an impact on his life that stuck with him in some way. It's sad in a way but you have to look past the pathetic shallowness that we call home and llook at the beauty of the situation. Just another reminder of why I'm here and what this program does for the people who want to make it work in this country. It's nice to find a purpose in life besides who can drive the nicest car, and where you're going out on friday night. None of that really matters if you think about it really. Yet, at home thats really all that matters to some of you goons.
It's like this; in America, we pity these countries. In reality, who needs who more? Us or them? Do we ned them to make ourselves feel special? Or do they need us to help? Maybe a little of both. As you walk the streets you see poverty, but you see more smiles than you do in our spoiled ass country. Yeah, they work hard and don't have air conditioning and pediures, but they also don't know any better and don't need to. I guess it just depends on what kind of person do you want to be. Do you care about what you do on the inside, or do you just care that your purse and shoes cost more than the next bitch? Maybe its something you should think about and figure out what you really want out of life. Either decision is fine because we all make our own path, but maybe you want to feel a little more out of life and not just be an ego.
Ill tell you this much, when I come home I am going to know who my friends are. This trip makes me realize that I don't need to deal with anyones bullshit. I am who I am and I try to be the best person I possibly can, and if you wanna try and walk all over me than you can go fuck yourself. If you think you're too good, I wont cry anymore, I'll pray for you, because I honestly now feel bad for you. How sad could it make you feel to know that the majority of Haitians who don't even have parents to raise them came out with more core values than you? Let that sink in...
Dont mean to end on a negative note, but you know, gotta call out the truth sometimes. I hope you all have great day and please keep the comments coming. I love you all who have supported me. You make me want to continue to become a better person. Thank you.
LOVE
Dan
I have "friends" at home that I've known for almost my whole life that don't even acknowledge I am still alive. This kid, I met once and made an impact on his life that stuck with him in some way. It's sad in a way but you have to look past the pathetic shallowness that we call home and llook at the beauty of the situation. Just another reminder of why I'm here and what this program does for the people who want to make it work in this country. It's nice to find a purpose in life besides who can drive the nicest car, and where you're going out on friday night. None of that really matters if you think about it really. Yet, at home thats really all that matters to some of you goons.
It's like this; in America, we pity these countries. In reality, who needs who more? Us or them? Do we ned them to make ourselves feel special? Or do they need us to help? Maybe a little of both. As you walk the streets you see poverty, but you see more smiles than you do in our spoiled ass country. Yeah, they work hard and don't have air conditioning and pediures, but they also don't know any better and don't need to. I guess it just depends on what kind of person do you want to be. Do you care about what you do on the inside, or do you just care that your purse and shoes cost more than the next bitch? Maybe its something you should think about and figure out what you really want out of life. Either decision is fine because we all make our own path, but maybe you want to feel a little more out of life and not just be an ego.
Ill tell you this much, when I come home I am going to know who my friends are. This trip makes me realize that I don't need to deal with anyones bullshit. I am who I am and I try to be the best person I possibly can, and if you wanna try and walk all over me than you can go fuck yourself. If you think you're too good, I wont cry anymore, I'll pray for you, because I honestly now feel bad for you. How sad could it make you feel to know that the majority of Haitians who don't even have parents to raise them came out with more core values than you? Let that sink in...
Dont mean to end on a negative note, but you know, gotta call out the truth sometimes. I hope you all have great day and please keep the comments coming. I love you all who have supported me. You make me want to continue to become a better person. Thank you.
LOVE
Dan
May 5th, 2010 Blog 4: Chillen in Jacmel, Until the EAAARTHHHQUAKKKEE
First of all, let me explain something to you. We ride in these "taxis" called "tap-taps". It's basically a shitty pickup truck with a hood built onto the back of it that is pretty much made out of cardboard. They line the inner of the truck with bench types so you basically line the sides of the back with people. We fit 14 people on the back of these things and its the most uncomfortable thing in the world. These people drive like animals and the roads are all torn up from the quake. It's a zig zagging weave of roads, very similar to St. Thomas. It's a painful ride to say the least. The beach is only 25KM away, which isnt even 20 miles, yet it takes over two hours to get there. The ride in itself was a pretty amazing experience. I could have taken the ride, got there, hopped right back in and went back and it would have been still one of the wildest days I've ever had. It literaly feels like a disney ride going up and down these mountains, except their are no regulations. I have some really amazing pictures to upload once I get home of the ride, as well as some video I captured just to show you what his place is all about.
We got to our destination and finally it was time for some desperately needed rest and relaxation. Yu have to realize everywhere we go, we draw a crowd. They don't really see white people and when they do, they like to ask for money all the time. You cant give them anything or else it'll be like feeding time at the zoo and that shit gets SCARY. People are starving, it's not like its civil and they stand in a single file line to ask questions They push, shove, kick and screa their way to survive...
So, we get to our beach and we are pretty much the only ones there. It was a little private type beach that we had to walk about two miles to, but the beauty of it was well worth it. By the time we all made it into the water, their were about 50 Haitians just standing on a cliff staring at us. By the time we noticed that, another 50 were ready to come swim with us. It's strange at frst because you dont know how to react. Youre taught that its not safe here at all and to protect yourself, but on the other hand you want to learn and some of the locals genuinely do too. The vast majority of them are ecstatic that we're here. They come up and thank us repeatedly and are truly grateful for our effort. It's a nice feeling, one I've never really felt before. As the time went on we swam out a little further to a giant piece of coral sticking out of the water and decided to start jumping off for a little cliff diving adventure. It was cool because thats where we started that days bond with the locals. By the time two people from our group swam out to the rock, their were 5 locals following. We climbed to the top and immediatly exchanged high fives and started laughing. We all started jumping off, doing our thing and just enjoying the day. By the time I was done I had us all doing flips off of it and giggling like a bunch of school girls. For some reason, these people just love the gentle giant:)
When it was time to walk back, we wanted to do some shopping and I picked up some amazing art that I can't wait to plaster on my wall. It started getting cloudy and we knew we had to hit the road soon. By the time we were halfway home, the rain started coming, and boy did it come. It was like a hurricane that night, flooding everywhere. Our base is located at the bottom of all the mountains so by the time its done, we get flooded as HELLLL!! We finally made it home and we were pretty much all exhausted. After that day I laid in bed and thought to myself I could live here forever. I literally laid there for an hour just thinking to myself how much I love it, as I tried to fall asleep. It's not easy falling asleep here. You have to understand, we sleep in either tents or these awful bunk beds made of slabs of wood. They are lined up underneath this giant brick roofing and we go about 10 deep with 6 aisles. Its hard to explain but I will have a giant video tour of our base once I get home and edit my video.
When we first arrive they explain that if theirs an earthquake, you yell earthquake and everyone runs into the middle where their is no cover. That day it rained so it was slippery everywhere as our camp floods pretty much daily. We sleep with these mosquito nets around our entire bunk so we dont get bit to death so we each look like little cacoons. At night it's dark and all you hear is a mixture of farm animals making as much noise as possible. If it ever gets silent here, be scared. So, finally I fell asleep and within twenty minutes of that I felt my bunk shaking. I thought maybe my bottom bunker was just getting on and making a little rattle until I heard about fifty people yell "EAAARRRTHHHHQUAAAAKKKEEEEE!!!!" Holy shit, I've never jumped up so quick. I jumped right through my mosquito net and right off the top bunk, which is about 6 feet down. I sleep pretty close to the center, so as soon as I landed, about 8 people were sprinting at me and I got gang tackled like a streaker running onto the Phillies field during a game(yeah, I heard about it) Not to mention, it was like running on a slip and slide. It was so intense I realy don't even know how to desribe it other than SCARY. It's a helpless feeling to know the earth is shaking as you are trying to run from it. People were freaking out, screaming and yelling. We had only one minor injury, but that was one too many. People don't realize it doesn't help to panic, but as we all know, they do it anyway. One of the scariest moments of my life, and made me rethink living here for sure. It was only a 4.0, but still a quake nonetheless. That night I didn't go back to my bed. I just laid in the center on the concrete and slept right fuckin there. I'd rather have a peace of mind than prove to these people I am tough enough to go right back to bed in the same place that just shook me like an unloved baby.
It's exhausting here. Mentally and Physically. I am fighting to stay grounded and keep on moving forward. I dont know when my next blog will be. I dont wanna bore you with babble like I feel I did this one. I miss you all. I don't know when I'll be home, but I know now it will be sometime sooner rather than later. I am just going to keep on working as much as I can and do everything I can with the time I have here until I just can't fight for it anymore. When I do write to you next, it will be emotional for me. Because I am saving my last ounce of energy to explain the emotions I've went thru on this entire journey. I love you all and hope you pray for me. I know I pray for you.
LOVE
Dan.
May 4th, 2010 Blog 3 from Haiti: WHattup Haiti, I'm Here!!!
Where we live, it goes like you can pay for school, but you cant buy class. Well, here they cant pay for school, but some of these Haitians are nothing but class. So, last Saturday I spent another day in the hospital with dehydration but that was the last time I was in there. Dont panic dont panic, I havent been back since and I feel like a new man. As I got to lay in the hospital with the IV dripping I got to interact with alot of the Haitian workers. Most don't speak a word of English but they also have translators in there who do. EVery translator is between the age of 18-25 and is a Haitian male. These guys are the first magic I got to encounter since coming here, and I feel like the spark just gets bigger everyday.
As I lay there my man Jean Claude comes up and starts to chat with me in the english he knows, we laugh because I start talkin about how every Haitian just stares at me. He tells me because they have never seen anyone so big and they call me the snowman because im always melting. We joked around for a couple hours at first talking small about his favorite actor(Jean Claude Van Damme) haha and how much he loves Akon. He whips out a little ipod and starts asking me if I had ever heard of Akon or Snoop Dogg, I couldnt hlp but laugh. He plays the song "I wanna love you" by AKon and Snoop as if it didn't come out 3 years ago, but was lik brand new that day. It just put everything into perspective of how spoiledwe are. We bitch about the radio and how redundant it is and how songs are all overplayed and here is this kid LOVING a song that came out so long ago anyone of us would skip it. So, I whip out my I Touch and start going through my songs until I find him something I knew he would love and that was alot newer. He was OBSESSED. from that point on, him and I didn't stop talking for like five hours.
He began to ask me about standard practices between men and women in America, asking if we stood on the corner like they do and just howl at girls. I explained to him that American girls would knee him in the nuts if he did that where we live and h was laughing, but ompletely understood why. He started to tell me about how his girlfriend is 25 and wanted to have a child, but he didnt because hes not financially secure yet and still has two more years of studying before he was ready. He asked if he was right for doing that. I explained to him that he is in the smallest percentile, even in America, he is being RESPONSIBLE. I pointed out how many babies people have that they just arent ready for, yet they have them anyway and thn wonder why they cant make a better like for their kid than they did themselves. He understood the whole concept of take care of your own shit first, than you can have what you want in the end. He explained his girl left him because of it and is talking with another man. The way the words rolled off his tongue, no matter the accent, I know what pain sounds like. I told him to stay strong, gotta move on. You made the correct decision, you just have to face it that sometimes things just arent meant to be. He agreed completely. He loved it. I started giving him American cliche sayings such as :"Easier said than done" and "Just go with your gut instinct". It took a little bit of explaining but he got them. The connection was amazing. He started teaching me a bunch of creole so I could start talking to the nurses better and we kicked it for another few hours.
The most touching thing about all of this is the fact that he was so happy to learn and just as happy to teach me. He wouldnt stop thanking me for our help we do here and I just wanted to do anything I could to let him know that its ok man. We are all on this earth together, we just want everyone to get better. Its awesome. They all dress like us but have no meaning of any of the shirts they wear etc. He had on a Notre Dame T-shirt but had no clue what it was. It was cool to explain to him what it was, and he decided that his dream was to one day go there just to visit. He loved the little leprechaun guy hhaha. From that point on, my heart has opened up like a flood gate. I dont know if it was the IVs that got me pumped or the fact that I related with this man just as well as a life long friend. It was truly breathtaking and it started the cycle of interactions between me and the locals that wont stop until I am satisfied.
So, that was Saturday and Sunday we have off. I got out of the hospital at about 5pm but was allowed to walk back if I wanted to sleep in the AC(hahahahaha anyone suprised?)So, as everyone went to the bar to booze it up on Saturday, I walked to the hospital and watched sep brothers and slept soundly. The next day we had a beach trip planned to the city of Jocmel to finally get some Carribean beach dwelling goin on. The beach is exactly 20KM away, which isnt even 15 miles, but in Haiti, it takes about two hours. Sunday was the best day I have had so far, not because we had of, but because I got to swim with the locals and take in more and more of how they operate. My next blog will talk about sunday and the festival and art show we went to. Awesome awesome awesome.
I feel amazing, this experience has already changed me in so many positive ways. Obviously tired but i just want to put in as much effort as I can to learn as much as I can because in reality, I know I cant stay forever. It's a beautiful thought, but I miss my friends and family way too much.
I love you guys, and I thank you all for the support, texts, calls EVERYTHING. You guys make me want to learn just so I can share what I am doing. Today is Tuesday and I gotta work in less than an hour. I hope you all have an amazing day and enjoy that mid 80s weather. I hope by the time I get home I can endure the summer heat and never bitch about it again.
GOD BLESS
As I lay there my man Jean Claude comes up and starts to chat with me in the english he knows, we laugh because I start talkin about how every Haitian just stares at me. He tells me because they have never seen anyone so big and they call me the snowman because im always melting. We joked around for a couple hours at first talking small about his favorite actor(Jean Claude Van Damme) haha and how much he loves Akon. He whips out a little ipod and starts asking me if I had ever heard of Akon or Snoop Dogg, I couldnt hlp but laugh. He plays the song "I wanna love you" by AKon and Snoop as if it didn't come out 3 years ago, but was lik brand new that day. It just put everything into perspective of how spoiledwe are. We bitch about the radio and how redundant it is and how songs are all overplayed and here is this kid LOVING a song that came out so long ago anyone of us would skip it. So, I whip out my I Touch and start going through my songs until I find him something I knew he would love and that was alot newer. He was OBSESSED. from that point on, him and I didn't stop talking for like five hours.
He began to ask me about standard practices between men and women in America, asking if we stood on the corner like they do and just howl at girls. I explained to him that American girls would knee him in the nuts if he did that where we live and h was laughing, but ompletely understood why. He started to tell me about how his girlfriend is 25 and wanted to have a child, but he didnt because hes not financially secure yet and still has two more years of studying before he was ready. He asked if he was right for doing that. I explained to him that he is in the smallest percentile, even in America, he is being RESPONSIBLE. I pointed out how many babies people have that they just arent ready for, yet they have them anyway and thn wonder why they cant make a better like for their kid than they did themselves. He understood the whole concept of take care of your own shit first, than you can have what you want in the end. He explained his girl left him because of it and is talking with another man. The way the words rolled off his tongue, no matter the accent, I know what pain sounds like. I told him to stay strong, gotta move on. You made the correct decision, you just have to face it that sometimes things just arent meant to be. He agreed completely. He loved it. I started giving him American cliche sayings such as :"Easier said than done" and "Just go with your gut instinct". It took a little bit of explaining but he got them. The connection was amazing. He started teaching me a bunch of creole so I could start talking to the nurses better and we kicked it for another few hours.
The most touching thing about all of this is the fact that he was so happy to learn and just as happy to teach me. He wouldnt stop thanking me for our help we do here and I just wanted to do anything I could to let him know that its ok man. We are all on this earth together, we just want everyone to get better. Its awesome. They all dress like us but have no meaning of any of the shirts they wear etc. He had on a Notre Dame T-shirt but had no clue what it was. It was cool to explain to him what it was, and he decided that his dream was to one day go there just to visit. He loved the little leprechaun guy hhaha. From that point on, my heart has opened up like a flood gate. I dont know if it was the IVs that got me pumped or the fact that I related with this man just as well as a life long friend. It was truly breathtaking and it started the cycle of interactions between me and the locals that wont stop until I am satisfied.
So, that was Saturday and Sunday we have off. I got out of the hospital at about 5pm but was allowed to walk back if I wanted to sleep in the AC(hahahahaha anyone suprised?)So, as everyone went to the bar to booze it up on Saturday, I walked to the hospital and watched sep brothers and slept soundly. The next day we had a beach trip planned to the city of Jocmel to finally get some Carribean beach dwelling goin on. The beach is exactly 20KM away, which isnt even 15 miles, but in Haiti, it takes about two hours. Sunday was the best day I have had so far, not because we had of, but because I got to swim with the locals and take in more and more of how they operate. My next blog will talk about sunday and the festival and art show we went to. Awesome awesome awesome.
I feel amazing, this experience has already changed me in so many positive ways. Obviously tired but i just want to put in as much effort as I can to learn as much as I can because in reality, I know I cant stay forever. It's a beautiful thought, but I miss my friends and family way too much.
I love you guys, and I thank you all for the support, texts, calls EVERYTHING. You guys make me want to learn just so I can share what I am doing. Today is Tuesday and I gotta work in less than an hour. I hope you all have an amazing day and enjoy that mid 80s weather. I hope by the time I get home I can endure the summer heat and never bitch about it again.
GOD BLESS
May 2nd, 2010. My Second Blog in Haiti: Welcome to Haiti
So, the second day here I jumped right into the toughest job we have here. Cleaning out rubble from sites/houses that collapsed during the quake. The entire country seemed to be made of brick and rebar because the entire place is just fallen bricks. So, we go with wheel barrows, shovels, sledgehammers, and pick axes etc and clean out the wreckage. It's extremely hot and we take a water break every thirty minutes. I'm like a fuckin snowman out here, just melting... So as we goto these houses the families who once lived in them, now live in front of them in a tent or some type of tarp. They always come out and help dig out. It's really beautiful to work side by side with someone who's clothing and possessions you're pulling out of thousands of lbs of stone etc. It's amazing to see their emotion as each piece of belonging is recovered. They really appreciate what were trying to do and it's good to catch a glimpse of hope as you walk away from each site. We ride what's called a tap tap which is a Haitian taxi. We have about twelve of us on the back of a pickup truck that's already filled with tools. We line the entire outer rim of each truck, including three of us just standing on the back bumper holding on for dear life. It's INSANE. Just to give you a quick rundown of our days. Breakfast is 5-7am. Work from 730-1130. Lunch and break 1130-1. Work from 1-430. Dinner 430-6. Mandatory meeting at six where we pick out our jobs for the next day, such as rubble etc.(I'll explain them all as I go). Than from 7-10 freetime. Curfew at 10. Sundays off. Holla!
So, after a day of rubble on my 2nd day my entire body was cramping. It was like nothing I'd ever felt. My fingers were bending and wouldn't straighten out without my physically bending them. I drank plenty of water, but anyone that knows me knows I sweat during the winter. Imagine me working basically side by side with the sun. I sweat out so much I can't even just drink water anymore. I have to drink this special electrolyte shit. Tastes like fuckin bleach. So, after cramping from my gut to my legs fingers and toes they made me goto the hospital. Spent the night in a Haitian hospital, which is quite amazing. In the er I have already seen birth, death and many other things I never thought I would. Thankfully the USA has opened up these tent hospitals and they have an awesome team of doctors and nurses here helping train the Haitians on what to do. No americans on duty over night though. I had to get about five liters of iv fluid from dehydration over night and by the 2nd one I was hooking up my own iv bag, getting the air out of the stream and adjusting my own flow. It's insane. Infuckingsane. At that point I had still refused to eat the food. I know I know. I'm an idiot. Whatever I'm spoiled!
After my night in the hospital I felt like a newborn. Ready to take on the world! So I got back to base and enjoyed some fake corn flakes in powder milk and warm water. Mmmmmm. Everything we drink looks like it's gonna be cold than you goto take a sip and it's as hot as fuckin soup. It's such a letdown haha. After breakfast they wanted me to just laydown but it's fucking 100 degrees anyway so where the fuck am I laying. We don't run electricity all day so it's not like I have a fan or anything. Everytime you fall asleep you're prepared to wake up in a puddlbe of sweat. I have an air mattress but I get too hot in it so I've been sleeping on just concrete. Awesome... So instead of laying down I decided to just paint shit. Were building a school for the kids and as well as the actual school were erecting, we also made them tons of furniture etc. I helped paint all the furniture and by the end of the day we had about fifty chairs desks and benches done for the kids. I felt good during the day and even ate my first lunch which was spaghetti with ketchup. We get one piece of meat but I've still refused to try it so far. Oh, we also get like a few pieces of lettuce and tomatoes that I wouldn't even throw at someone in the US, let alone actually eat... For dinner it was rice and beans with the same lettuce and grass looking shit. Foul.
as the night went on it didn't get any cooler and I didn't stop sweating any less. By 4am I was wide awake drying myself off and puking violently. Anyone who knows how I puke can only imagine what my fellow volunteers thought when they heard me yacking at 4am in complete silence and echoes. I did that for about eight hours and couldn't take down any fluids. Boom, right back in the hospital. That was yesterday. I got my Iv, as I'm a pro now obv and was forced to lay around their all day yesterday once my fingers started going numb from the dehydration. It's not joke. We send at least three people ther a day. Holy shit, this fuckin heat.
On a side note. Today is Sunday so I'm headed to the beach bitches! Don't forget I'm still in the carribean, so I get to enjoy one day a week on an amazing beach.
Next time I'm gonna tell you the first real emotion I felt here. A connection between me and a 25 year old Haitian who's girl broke up with him the night before. He was asking me for advice etc and we connected as if he lived right next door. Fuckin awesome. The reason I'm here. To feel the beauty of life and hope and to gain the true understanding that we are all equal and most of us just want the same thing in life; happiness and love.
Hundreds of pictures to come but can't upload them until we leave. We only have x amount of Internet and no uploading photos etc.
Miss and love you all. You guys are what keep me going. I appreciate every single comment, message and thumbs up I get from all of you. It's what keeps me from quitting. Please don't stop. Your support for me is just as important if not more than the support we give here. Without you their is no me. God bless.
Welcome to Haiti.
So, after a day of rubble on my 2nd day my entire body was cramping. It was like nothing I'd ever felt. My fingers were bending and wouldn't straighten out without my physically bending them. I drank plenty of water, but anyone that knows me knows I sweat during the winter. Imagine me working basically side by side with the sun. I sweat out so much I can't even just drink water anymore. I have to drink this special electrolyte shit. Tastes like fuckin bleach. So, after cramping from my gut to my legs fingers and toes they made me goto the hospital. Spent the night in a Haitian hospital, which is quite amazing. In the er I have already seen birth, death and many other things I never thought I would. Thankfully the USA has opened up these tent hospitals and they have an awesome team of doctors and nurses here helping train the Haitians on what to do. No americans on duty over night though. I had to get about five liters of iv fluid from dehydration over night and by the 2nd one I was hooking up my own iv bag, getting the air out of the stream and adjusting my own flow. It's insane. Infuckingsane. At that point I had still refused to eat the food. I know I know. I'm an idiot. Whatever I'm spoiled!
After my night in the hospital I felt like a newborn. Ready to take on the world! So I got back to base and enjoyed some fake corn flakes in powder milk and warm water. Mmmmmm. Everything we drink looks like it's gonna be cold than you goto take a sip and it's as hot as fuckin soup. It's such a letdown haha. After breakfast they wanted me to just laydown but it's fucking 100 degrees anyway so where the fuck am I laying. We don't run electricity all day so it's not like I have a fan or anything. Everytime you fall asleep you're prepared to wake up in a puddlbe of sweat. I have an air mattress but I get too hot in it so I've been sleeping on just concrete. Awesome... So instead of laying down I decided to just paint shit. Were building a school for the kids and as well as the actual school were erecting, we also made them tons of furniture etc. I helped paint all the furniture and by the end of the day we had about fifty chairs desks and benches done for the kids. I felt good during the day and even ate my first lunch which was spaghetti with ketchup. We get one piece of meat but I've still refused to try it so far. Oh, we also get like a few pieces of lettuce and tomatoes that I wouldn't even throw at someone in the US, let alone actually eat... For dinner it was rice and beans with the same lettuce and grass looking shit. Foul.
as the night went on it didn't get any cooler and I didn't stop sweating any less. By 4am I was wide awake drying myself off and puking violently. Anyone who knows how I puke can only imagine what my fellow volunteers thought when they heard me yacking at 4am in complete silence and echoes. I did that for about eight hours and couldn't take down any fluids. Boom, right back in the hospital. That was yesterday. I got my Iv, as I'm a pro now obv and was forced to lay around their all day yesterday once my fingers started going numb from the dehydration. It's not joke. We send at least three people ther a day. Holy shit, this fuckin heat.
On a side note. Today is Sunday so I'm headed to the beach bitches! Don't forget I'm still in the carribean, so I get to enjoy one day a week on an amazing beach.
Next time I'm gonna tell you the first real emotion I felt here. A connection between me and a 25 year old Haitian who's girl broke up with him the night before. He was asking me for advice etc and we connected as if he lived right next door. Fuckin awesome. The reason I'm here. To feel the beauty of life and hope and to gain the true understanding that we are all equal and most of us just want the same thing in life; happiness and love.
Hundreds of pictures to come but can't upload them until we leave. We only have x amount of Internet and no uploading photos etc.
Miss and love you all. You guys are what keep me going. I appreciate every single comment, message and thumbs up I get from all of you. It's what keeps me from quitting. Please don't stop. Your support for me is just as important if not more than the support we give here. Without you their is no me. God bless.
Welcome to Haiti.
April 30, 2010. My first blog in Haiti
Some people are just hanging on the street dying. It's chaotic to say the least. Instead of curbs on the streets they basically just have a long line of trash burning up and down the streets. It smells worse than anything you can imagine. You can just smell the country rotting as the streets fill with trash and people. Just about every structure you see has some type of serious damage, most are just complete rubble. Families wait outside their broken houses for people like us to come dig out their posessions. Could you imagine? I can't. Now, let me walk you thru what I've seen..
The minute I step off the plane I Start dripping sweat. The heat is easily in the 110s as far as index goes. The sun feels like it's so close you could high five it. I had a shuttle I setup from the airport to camp and that was when I knew.... This is gonna be wild. I had a man driving me in a beat up jeep. The windshield completely smashed and he didn't speak more than two words of English. They drive like maniacs. No such thing as lanes here. This guy was cutting off everybody to get me there. I didn't realize til I got there that it was because of a high chance since I'm American I could be kidnapped. Mopeds own the road. Everyone is just honking as they drive and you rarely get over thirty km per hour. As you drive their are millions of people with baskets on their heads. Selling drinks to people driving and people will just stop in the middle of the street to buy them. As you drive, you just see poverty like you can only imagine. I felt like Leonardo dicaprio in body of lies in the middle east. It was a surreal site. I am still in shock. I got to the base, which is a half built nightclub that got ducked up during the quake and now live inside of it. No roof and constant farm animal noises. We have a backyard with roosters that cocoa a diddle doo all fuckin night. It's insane. My first night here was slow. Just chilled. Met a few people. Sweat alot. Puked once and called it a night. I didn't realize what I was in for the next day when I signed up to do rubble. I'll tell you what happened next time. Love you all, miss my friends and family. More importantly. It gives me the chills right now in this 100 degree weather just to tell you I'm so grateful for everything I have at home.....
God bless and pray for me.
Weiss. Out
The minute I step off the plane I Start dripping sweat. The heat is easily in the 110s as far as index goes. The sun feels like it's so close you could high five it. I had a shuttle I setup from the airport to camp and that was when I knew.... This is gonna be wild. I had a man driving me in a beat up jeep. The windshield completely smashed and he didn't speak more than two words of English. They drive like maniacs. No such thing as lanes here. This guy was cutting off everybody to get me there. I didn't realize til I got there that it was because of a high chance since I'm American I could be kidnapped. Mopeds own the road. Everyone is just honking as they drive and you rarely get over thirty km per hour. As you drive their are millions of people with baskets on their heads. Selling drinks to people driving and people will just stop in the middle of the street to buy them. As you drive, you just see poverty like you can only imagine. I felt like Leonardo dicaprio in body of lies in the middle east. It was a surreal site. I am still in shock. I got to the base, which is a half built nightclub that got ducked up during the quake and now live inside of it. No roof and constant farm animal noises. We have a backyard with roosters that cocoa a diddle doo all fuckin night. It's insane. My first night here was slow. Just chilled. Met a few people. Sweat alot. Puked once and called it a night. I didn't realize what I was in for the next day when I signed up to do rubble. I'll tell you what happened next time. Love you all, miss my friends and family. More importantly. It gives me the chills right now in this 100 degree weather just to tell you I'm so grateful for everything I have at home.....
God bless and pray for me.
Weiss. Out
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