1. Sugar cane is used in all Coke products rather than high fructose sugar. It's delightfully smooth here!
2. I once tried to shoo a dog out of a building saying "Get! Get!" then realized it only spoke creole. The correct shooing terms are "Sorti, Sorti".
3. Hot water does not exist in Haiti unless you boil it. Cold water showers all the way!
4. Culturally, men prefer their women thick here. If a Haitian man were to see some of the stick thin women in America they would think they were medically ill. A thicker wife shows a successful husband because it means he is able to provide more than enough food for his family. We run in the mornings and Haitian men will tell us alongside the road to not get too skinny.
5. All food is organic.
6. Direct eye contact is considered rude when talking to someone.
7. Haiti has motorcycles mainly intended for taxi rides.
8. There are white native Haitians.
9. Cockroaches like to hang out in our showers and toilets.
10. Without a horn, your car is nothing. One short honk indicates "I'm here, I'm passing you". One long drug out honk means "MOVE. IF YOU DON'T MOVE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE".
11. EDH= City Electricity. We have no idea what it stands for but we do know it turns on only when it feels like it. A full day of electricity in Haiti is non existent.
12. We don't have AC but we do love our fans (When EDH is on!).
13. There are no traffic laws. No stop signs, no passing lanes, its a free for all.
14. The currency in Haiti is called a gourde. 40 gourdes=$1 American. The Haitians have made a Haitian dollar. It doesn't exist physically. $1 American= 8 Haitian dollars. Don't ask me how they get from gourdes to Haitian dollars.
15. Our water is filtered through a chlorine generator 4 times before it is safe to drink.
16. The water truck plays the Titanic song.
17. After the loss of a loved one Haitians not only deal with the painful loss mentally but also physically. It is not uncommon to see a Haitian throw himself to the ground, roll around, and cause physical pain to help deal with all of the mental pain.
Enjoy intern photos below:
Alex and Dukenz
Our latest intern, Crystal
Steph trying to be Haitian
Ginette and her beautiful future child.
Alex and Ginettes child
Andrea and I
Coloring with Dukenz
Stephanie and Kerline
Enjoying the sunset
First project: build a filing cabinet. Took Tipap, Andrea, and I three hours.
Hey Bre,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to drop by and say that I've really enjoyed reading all of your posts so far. Sounds like an experience you will never forget!
Austin Hartman