I don't even know where to begin. It has been such a long exhausting week. So on Sunday night we arrived in an- Sanpete Haiti (located five minutes from the DR) where Sadhana Forest is located. Sadhana Forest is a NGO that is focused more on the environment and mother earth instead of the community and the people. Its original location is in India for the past 8 years and they just started their Haiti location about two years ago. So we arrived there and late Sunday night and I felt like I took a step out of Haiti and arrived at some retreat center for alcohol or drugs or something. It was very zen and relaxed. Hippie central which is the only word I can use to describe it. So I was in complete culture shock again. Monday we arose to a guitarist wake up call. It was great, but groggy since it was at 5 am. It was really cool going to bed under the stars and waking up before the sun to watch the sunrise. Ate breakfast (Vegan) and then headed out into town to build some mounds, such hard work. It took like five hours to build 12 mounds which is just 12 spots for trees to be planted. After that we came back and literally lounged out. It was very hard for me because my whole time in Haiti so far has been about going going going and all centered around people. There is was like yeah, lets work three hours and then relax the rest of the day. Lets barely talk to the community. Its not about them its about the tress. Which was really heartbreaking to me because the Haitians have really touched me. And I just felt soooo out of Haiti. I hated that part. And I felt that they were just SO lazy. The hippies actually asked us if we were athletes because we work hard. Ha. So that was pretty much my days there. I told you about the chanting circle already. That was an experience. On Thursday we left the forest and traveled to the Domincan Republic. It is SOOOO crazy how a simple line or border can completely change everything. One step into Haiti and its pure poverty and nothing. A step over to the DR and there are established buildings with WINDOWS, and AIR CONDITIONING units. Girls driving motos. Something you do not see in Haiti. It was just so established. Baffled me that that could literally be in Haitis backyard. We went to a protected wildlife/beach there and camped out on the beach. It was so beautiful. We swam ate sea food on the beach, and then took a midnight swim. Then sat on the beach just being serious, talking, and just getting to know each other a little bit better. I haven't really said much about the team I am with yet, and thats because I have still been getting to know all of them. Each of them brings something really unique and insightful to our group. I'm really lucky to have such a diverse yet wonderful team to work with each day. So I fell asleep to the waves in the background (which made me had to go to the bathroom the whole night, and I actually had to stagger over at 3am because it was too much. Side note -semi flushing toilets! I'm sure you appreciate my toilet updates. Ha) But we woke up in the morning and five out of the ten of us were out with food poisoning and then myself and another girl were (me not so bad) had a flu/cold. So we were at this beautiful place, finally a day to be spoiled and relaxed but more than half of us were out for the day. Thankfully I wasn't so bad, so I still got to enjoy the freaking screen saver beautifulness. Another weird note the beaches in Haiti and completely Haiti style. Ghetto. Rocky. But a step over to the DR and its a beautiful Caribbean island treat. I completely forgot that we were in the Caribbean. The beach was so beautiful. We arrived back to the forrest on Friday night and on Saturday spent the morning actually planting the trees and then in the afternoon we had a Meranga Festival (which is the tree that we were planting. Apparently it is the most nutritious vitamin filled plant that works miracles.) Where the community was finally invited to our base and we talked about the trees and has lots of different courses with the meranga plant in it to explain that you dont have to eat the leaf that you can incorporate it in you meals. (Because they think we are weird that we eat leaves.) So that was fun. This morning we left at 6 am and arrived in PAP at about 3:30 pm. It was a long bumpy, hot, ride on non paved roads. We blew a tire, took a half hour to fix that, then we got pulled over and our driver didn't have a license so he had to bribe the cops not to arrest him, and then we blew our tire again. Travel in Haiti is insane. And very uncontrollable. It was a long day. When we arrived back on base in PAP we were warmly welcomed by our HC staff with giant hugs. It just felt good to be "home". Its crazy how a place can feel like home after such a short time. I'm really excited to see my students tomorrow and visit my orphans. I have missed them all week. One of my projects that I will be working on this week is creating a long term curriculum for the orphanages we've been working with. So that when other volunteers arrive they know where the children stand and what they know and where to go. Instead of just reteaching and reteaching the same things. Today is my half-way mark. Its bittersweet because I miss home a lot. But I really love PAP. Its just grasped its hand around my heart and I'm unsure if I will be able to break free. I know I say this every email but this has been SUCH the experience which I am so grateful for. I couldn't have even imagined this if I tried. I really feel that everyone should have this kind of mind blowing moment. I catch myself missing some of my homely pleasures and feel so utterly selfish and disgusted with myself for doing so. But I look at others whom have been to third world countries for longer periods of time and you all gradually resume to your normal life. An I understand that life goes on, but its just hard for me to understand that I personally cannot do more than I already am. What more am I capable of? I wish it was so much more. Love you all and your updates. They keep me going and stable. Thats a week update from me. Also, sorry last note, I've noticed that my writing abilities have severely diminished. Because teaching english as a second language all day everyday you take out the unimportant words and stick with basics. So even talking its very short slow and direct to help my students to understand and follow what I am saying. So sorry if I sound like a kindergartener writing to you. Love love love.
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