Crazy time. I've literally been running from one end of Port-au-Prince to the other the past few days. Yesterday we went to our fourth orphanage. Half of us went to a really bad one about forty minutes away an then the other half went to one about fifteen minutes walk away. Usually when we go over to the orphanage we prepare a mini English lesson plan and bring art and crafts to do. But at all the orphanages weve been too so far they are just so excited that you are there to give them attention that they don't sit still. They caress your hair and pull you around. Ten of them want to sit on your lap at one time. Which is no fun because it is a billion an two degrees outside. And youre in a room with no windows, no fans, no air circulation. So you're already boiling an then you have ten other people sweating on you. It's really hard. Sometimes I just wanna be like no don't pull my hair, no you cannot sit on my lap, no I don't want to constantly be holding you and be sweaty with your sweat pouring down me too. With your bare bum on me with potential to pee on me. You just so badly want to say all of that when the heat gets to you. But then you take a real look around and you just can't be selfish. You have to give them everything you can for that moment. In hopes that for just a second that one extra love embrace gave them a little more confidence in themselves. So we went to different orphanage yesterday morning and these kids walked in the room in a neat line, sat down (on the hard dirty cement floor of there house) and just waited for us to say something no running, grabbing, or stealing my camera. We actually got to teach them as a class. It was amazing. After we had a lesson we broke up into four groups of different levels of English and each of us teachers sat with a group to help them more personally. I had the younger kids. We made fortune tellers -like those origami paper things you fold- and wrote some of the letters on it that they were struggling with an drew a picture of a word that started with that letter on the inside. They loved them. When we were l leaving I tried giving all of them a hug goodbye an they looked at me like a crazy lady. They did not like the touchyness like the other orphanages. I was talking to a local lady on my way back to base about how it's really eye opening to work at orphanages because in America they don't have them. She was super shocked. An couldn't comprehend the foster care situation an adoption. Literally right after that I ran to my FCE test prep class. It's the more advanced students class just kind of like a SAT prep class. We go over practice tests they will be taking and give them test clues an hints on how to succeed. The students are so eager to learn and are really good at English. But as we were going over the test is was really frustrating because the Cambridge English courses are all very westernized. All the question have to do with western ways of living. Very English. So our students can read, write, speak everything pretty decent, but they cannot comprehend the stories because they are about windsurfing, fancy dentist offices, movie critics etc. in a place where none of that is known. How are they supposed to answer questions if they don't know what the subject of the story is about. They can read it but can't relate to it. It was just really frustrating. So hard to explain. But they are brilliant students none the less and I know that they will do great. After class came home to base ate dinner, and then our leaders had set up a scavenger hunt for us. They put us in teams gave us a list of items to buy, pictures to take, an trivia to answer. We had two hours an ran around the town like crazy ladies. It was really fun, my group didn't win but in haiti it's really popular to have an extremely long pinky nail. So one of the things I had to do was go to a nail salon an get a long pinky nail. It was so hard not being able to communicate an they thought I was insane but it was a good time. Walking home some boy started talking to me wanting to know every detail (Haitians looooove meeting new people, ESP blancs. They could talk for hours) and asked to come to me house (typical Haitian thing to say) they don't understand the term "maybe" so you just have to be straight forward an say no sorry. Which is hard for them to understand because everyone wants to be friend an meet new people here. So not having time for that is a hard concept but you have to be straight forward or they will literally be on your tail telling you that you said you would do something. for our nightly social event we played poker (for money!) on the first hand I leaned over an whispered watch this money disappear in ten minutes....I mean it was only 100 goude ($2.50 us) so no big deal. But guess who ended up winning?? Me! It was all or nothing do I won about $30! Sweet right! This morning we became tourists on our morning off. We went down to the market and walked around. In Haiti voodoo is very very big. So they sell a lot of voodoo stuff there. Then we went to the Haiti History museum. Which had AC and. Flushing toilet. I was spoiled. At the museum they had the Santa Marias actual anchor (since Chris Columbus actually landed here not America) as well as other Haitian stuff. Really cool. We got dropped of at the school for our conversation class with our students. Which went really well. And they actually surprised us, they have planned a big beach picnic for us next Saturday! How sweet an fun. On of my student Paul asked me for my phone number and wants to take me out hahah I was like oh how sweet but I don't have a phone sorry. But I'll see you in class! Hahaha oh Haitians. One thing I learned today as we toured the city today was that the population of port-au-prince on the day of the earthquake was roughly 1-2 million. The week after it was 3 million, even though so many people died. And the reason is because of the earthquake so many outside resources came into the city giving out free stuff that these families living in the country said hey we are super poor and they are giving free stuff out lets go get some. So the population greatly increased. Crazy right. I love walking the streets and everyone yelling "blanc!! Hey blanc! (kiss kiss noises) and staring at you. Really makes you feel at home. You would think you would get used to it but really it just gets so annoying. You're like yes, I'm white. Thank you I know. There is a sign I saw today while walking around town on the airport big cement fence that says "Do not cross, or risk of molestation an jail." hahahahha we think it is just poor translation but who knows. I'm not jumping to fence an risking it. Everyday is an adventure an I care more an more for the Haitian people and my base mates. It's hard to believe that I have already been here for about a week. I hope you all like my emails. I kind of do them selfishly so when I get back I can remember every detail I want. If you don't just let me know I'm annoying an will take you off the list. But otherwise I love hearing from all of you. Mom don't worry I'm safe an sound. Also I think I am becoming a Haitian because at night now instead of sweating to death I'm starting to get cold an need a blanket. Weiiiiiiiird. Also I'm getting my appetite back which is good exept for my body wants to make up for all the days of starvation. An in a city of no food that's kind of hard. Love to you all. Tomorrow no class or orphanages. We are going on a sailboat out to a private beach. Should be good an relaxing finally no more running/walking. Forward to gma please.
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