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