Tap Tap! Waking up to my new life in Haiti: Getting Ready

Friday, January 22, 2010

Getting Ready

Last Tuesday, a wicked 7.0 earthquake shook Haiti, causing unimaginable loss of life and massive destruction in and around Port au Prince.

I had just returned from a two-week trip to Haiti on January 2nd feeling inspired by, in love of and indebted to a people and land of immense beauty, strength, warmth and diversity.

I first visited Haiti to work on an education project. Last year, a colleague approached me while I was begrudgingly grading Regents exams at International High School (Queens, NY). She had just visited Haiti and wanted to develop a professional training partnership with Haitian teachers. Immediately, I asked, "Can I join you?" The rest is history...

Tonight, after a long week of waiting, worrying, and working, I finally have definitive plans to travel back to Haiti on Saturday. I am starting to prepare myself intellectually, spiritually and physically for this upcoming journey.

I look forward to sharing my experiences, photos and video with you in the coming weeks...

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Byenvini

Hi and welcome to my blog. I am happy that you have meandered onto my site, and I hope you enjoy reading and commenting.

Here's a bit of background:
In January of 2010, I moved to Haiti to work on education and child protection issues for Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (AMURT). I had travelled to Haiti previously to do teacher training in Port au Prince with two teachers with whom I had worked in New York City . It was on that very first visit to Haiti that I met my fiance, Dharma, who had been living and working in Haiti since 2003. I had planned to teach in Philadelphia and then eventually move to Haiti, but as soon as the earthquake struck, I immediately rushed to Haiti to start working in the emergency response for children and be with Dharma.

Dharma and I have had quite a year together -- meeting, falling in love, living in a tent on a roof in Port au Prince, getting to know each other in the most unpredictable ways, playing charades, working side by side with survivors in camps, starting integrated education & healing programs for children & women, and learning how to support each other and our loved ones throughout all the intensity.

Please feel free to comment on the posts, and I look forward to many more months (or years?) of updating you on the twists and turns of life, love and work in Haiti.

In the meantime, here are a few handy Haitian kreyol phrases for you:

Sak pase? = What's up?
N'ap boule! = We're good!

Koman ou ye? = How are you?
Anfom! =I'm well.

Mesi anpil! = Thank you very much.