Monday evening I had dinner with Celine and Hans and lovely visit. We didn't get to have sushi one last time before I left but hopefully we'll have another opportunity for this one day. She had only just returned from a trip to Miami so I was happy to be able to have the time with her before leaving.
She is a good cook...I should have taken greater advantage of this.
Tuesday afternoon we had a huge storm. While I had been hearing thunder most of the early afternoon, I wasn't prepared for the sudden cyclone that hit. I was just packing up my computer and getting ready to say good bye to everyone in the clinic. The fury of it pretty amazing- my friend John came from the guesthouse with an umbrella to help me back to my room. The gesture was so sweet but very funny. The water by this time was about 4 inches deep everywhere, the rain still going sideways due to the rain so the umbrella quite useless. We were completely soaked. I had to take off my flipflops to walk. The worst lasted only about 45 minutes but it continued to thunder and rain until early evening.
Saying good bye and leaving was bittersweet. Antonio sang in his baritone voice, his version of I left my heart in (San Francisco) Port au Prince. Many hugs, tears and promises before climbing into the van...some hot patay for my lunch from Mercia and I was on my way.
Going through airport in Port au Prince is usually a little crazy although the check in line was slow, it all was uneventful and with minimal waiting...
This was just the beginning of my 4 flights to get home.
Arrived in Fort Lauderdale fine, going through customs a very handsome agent, Levi welcomed me home. Obviously, the feelings were still tender as the tears came rolling down rather unexpectedly but he was very nice and said don't worry everything will be alright.
On the flight to Dallas, there was little boy about 5 in the seat ahead of me. He peaked around the seat a few times. Sometime later, and without a word, his little hand poked back offering me an orange peanut M&M. He did this about 3 more times during the flight. And near the end, just before landing, another little peak and a little bit of a smile.
In Dallas I had my longest layover and as a mexican restaurant was nearest my gate, I thought a little guacamole, chips, margarita and enchalada sounded good. When my food arrived, I started laughing. I had not even thought about it but my first meal back in the states included beans and rice! To top it off, the man at the next table kept receiving phone calls and his ring tones werre crickets. For a minute, I thought I really hadn't left Haiti, I was only dreaming all this.
My only problem occured in Las Vegas; I could not get off the plane quick enough, nor get across to the next concourse and gate to catch my Alaska connection. It was leaving the gate as I arrived. The agent was one of the nicer airline employeess encountered and immediately (even before the original flight) had rolled away, had a seat reserved on US Airways (clear across to the otherside of airport...He said please hurry and you'll make it on time and gave me directions to follow so I didn't need to go through security again. I just made it with 15 minutes to spare. However, my luggage never left Las Vegas. Hopefully, it will arrive today.
My family was waiting to greet me at nearly midnight, my dogs greeted me at the door but seeming as if I was not gone at all or just another person. Oh well, they know whats important...
So now I am home, time to reintegrate back into the family and the routine...and I hope it warms up soon.
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