Rubble, Beaches, Mountains, and Tremors...
Hello everyone. Sorry, it's been difficult to get updates out. Mostly because I decided not to bring my own laptop to the Project. I figured it would have been difficult to keep charged. However, with a reliable generator supplying power to our camp from 6-10 each night, I would have been okay. It seems that almost everyone packed there laptops. I'm not sure what I am surprised. The other problem with updates is the intermittent Internet access and associated bandwidth limitations. I have so many photos I wish I could sort and share here with you in a timely manner. Of course, the major obstacle in providing updates is time itself. Our workday begins at 7:30 AM and ends around 4:30. Dinner is served over the 5 O'clock hour and we have a daily meeting beginning at 6 O'clock each night. During the evening, we need to find time to do laundry and bath. So, as much as I'd like to share so much on this blog, it has proven difficult. Especially with a communal laptop. With that said, let me try to bring everyone up-to-date.
My first full week of work in Haiti was very rewarding. I mainly enjoyed the rubble, having a hand in the completion of 4 projects. I was also involved in some light carpentry at a wearhouse on the outskirts of Leogane which is being converted to a Hospital to be used by a Multi-national volunteer force managed by a large NGO.
Saturday marked the end of our work week. Around 2 AM on Sunday morning, Leogane was awakened my another aftershock, the first since I've been here. It was nothing major. Just a reminder that we are in an active seismic area. Something we must keep in mind while working around collapsed structures that may be unstable.
I remember trying to fall asleep on Saturday night, however the barking packs of dogs that roam the streets made it very difficult. The noise of the dogs is something we deal with everynight. I hate to say it, but the barking usually leads to some very viscious sounding fighting, which eventually brings the perpetual barking to an end. Saturday night, it was different. It was more general, persistent barking. It wasn't until after the tremor did I recall the difference in animal behavior that night, including more verbal cattle. I can't qualify this in anyway. It was just an observation about the possible intuition of animals.
In case you were wondering, ear plugs are almost necessary for sleeping around the HODR, open air basecamp. If its not the dogs, the cattle, of the children, it will definitly be the roosters that keep you awake. The roar of thousands of roosters all around town every morning is pretty incredible. It is hard to describe.
Sunday morning, about 10 of us loaded a Taptap for the journey to Jacmel, a semi-tourist destanation about two hour drive south of Leogane. After waiting in line for almost two hours for Fuel, we began our ascent into the mountains which we had to cross in order to arrive in Jacmel. We ascended thousands of feet into the fresh, cool, clean air above. Very different then what I've become accustomed to here in Leogane. The mountain communities were amazing to see. The very fertile pastures perfectly cultivated on very steep hillsides were very, very impressive. This is an insanely mountainous country and there is not better way to experience it's beauty then on the back if a pick-up truck!
Finally, after about four very enjoyable hourse, including a flat tire, we eventually descended upon the vibrant community of Jacmel, with a beautiful river leading us all the wat ocean! For the most part, Jacmel was unaffected by the Earthquake. Unlike Leogane where there are a few buildings left standing, we only saw a couple of collapsed buildings. It was nice the Haiti outside of the Earthquake effected areas.
