We need to celebrate this special day. There are 10 people (blans) here today. Noel says he will go to the lotto today- with these numbers how can we miss the 'big' one!
Actually, the team that is here now is out for the afternoon and so Mike will BBQ brats for Camille, Fi and I. We have some good french bread, corn on the cob and avocado and chips.
We'll have our own little festivities to mark this day.
Today we went to Giants...the big new supermarket. You have to remember where we are in terms of supermarkets and size- but it is big and it does have a large variety of food stuff!
My son left on Wednesday morning. This kid has been to a lot of places including Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Africa and Japan yet it was just as hard to say good bye. We had some fun. Monday night we went out to the Oloffson Hotel where he met Richard, the leader of the band, RAM. On tuesday night we went to Magdoos for Camille's birthday. This is a Lebanese restaurant in P-V. Camille had a very large birthday candle. Before we finished, it started to storm- thunder and lightening and hard rain. It continued and we were finally forced to go out into it to get into the car. The streets were running with water and Al was driving. Since it was so hard he took us home rather than have me drive which was nice for the other passengers including Andy. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of water that flows in the streets.
Friday, we had a meeting to go to on the other side of town. We left the workshop at 11:30, plenty of time to get out to Santos 19 in Croix des Bouquets before 1 pm. right....
Well at 1 pm we were stalled on the road, most likely due to the car over heating in the stop and crawl traffic. After determining, no flat tires and all fluids intact, we were able to start the car again and head out, only with the heater full blast with hot air to try to keep engine cool. We finally arrived about 2:15. almost 3 hours after we had left downtown and I would guess travelled about 10 miles. Time and distance here do not correlate and when people ask why, you can only respond by saying TIH (this is Haiti) and we are on Haitian time. Most everyone realizes and expects you to be late. When you have a morning appointment, they will expect you before noon-ish; an afternoon appointment - well sometime before they leave for the day.
The best news is that we are planning to open the clinic on Wednesday October 13. We have patients scheduled to see the Dr. We have been working towards this day since May. It will be exciting and most likely confusing and I really should have bought a bottle of champagne at the store today.
Tuesday marks the 9 month anniversary of the earthquake. Some of us will take a moment to realize how far Haiti has come and how far it has to go to return to the pre quake status but with the hope of improving it as progress continues in all its baby steps. Preparations are underway for Presidential elections. There are 19 candidates- including 2 women. This person is going to have tremendous pressure from the constituents of all parties. Once again the Lavalas (Aristids party) appears to be out in the cold. This is a large body of the population, most at poverty level. The government has denied them voting rights as they have in other elections- last years senate race for example. Many people lost their identification and voters' card and the government says they are doing their best to help people gain their voting rights prior to the elections, word is that they won't be prepared with polling sites or with completion of cards. People report waiting in line all day to be told they can't get a card. If people are denied to vote in this election, they will cry fraud and be inclined to protest who ever is 'elected'. What a job this will be. Mr. Preval hasn't been seen as very effective, certainly since the earthquake there is a lot of criticism of him. TIH...Haitian time folks. He doesn't have time to make any progress. The next president will be under a microscope from the Haitians and International governments and organizations. It would be my hope that with such scrutiny, there won't be the graft and corruption and maybe there won't be at first....but TIH- With a senate also slated to be held with one third of the senate to be replaced it will still take time to think about the plight of the people. The very basic service have to be restored; infrastructure, jobs, housing, education, health services...How will the people view it to be valid? They will think if their choice for president is not elected, will they see interference from International governments? Will they feel further despair or hopefulness for a better future? It remains to be seen. TIH.
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