So, I’ve started a blog

Posted by faythk on October 9, 2011 · 7 Comments 

Here I am in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP). I figured I’d try my hand at blogging, at least as a way to keep everyone updated about what’s going on down here. Living in Haiti is new and exciting to me, so hopefully this won’t bore you too much. Just as I was beginning to get comfy with life back in Boston – okay let’s be honest, I was really just enjoying all the free time that comes with not working – it was time to head off to Haiti for my next big adventure. It was hard leaving the comforts of home, but excitement quickly took over once I arrived at Logan airport, even at 6:00 in the morning.

At the moment my return flight is booked for April, and whether that is a return for good or just a break is up in the air. Over the next six months I’ll be working with a small Haiti-based nonprofit, which I’ll just call GRU for the time being. My main goal is to get them some money, but since a lot of the core staff have already left or will be leaving soon, I could be taking on a bunch more responsibilities. Whatever those may be, it sounds like my daily Monday-Friday life will be very busy. I’ve already got my first meeting to attend tomorrow morning.

Life “on base” is pretty comfortable as long as you don’t mind living simply, but really I don’t actually miss much from life in the States. Yet. With electricity, wireless internet, clean water, and a comfy place to sleep, I can’t really ask for more. Oh, and the recent addition of the oven to GRU’s kitchen was a nice surprise. I was really bummed about having to live without my baked mac and cheese for so long, but this changes everything. Now back to the sleeping situation, since I know a lot of you are curious. David and I brought a giant 6-person tent with us, which will be great to live in when we eventually set it up, but why go through the trouble when you’ve got a posh container home to stay in for a couple weeks? It’s normally the home of another long-term volunteer who is away at the moment. This isn’t just an old, dark metal shipping container like you might be thinking of… it’s got electricity, a bed, couch, and a couple tables. A door and screened windows keep it surprisingly cool in the Haitian heat. So for now, this is home. Eventually we may end up in our tent or adopt someone else’s home, or maybe even build one of our own.

Okay, enough about that, it’s time to relax and enjoy the rest of Sunday. The plan for the rest of the day: shower, cook dinner (Sunday is our cook’s day off), and enjoy some couch time. Tomorrow is the first of many busy days!

This little guy also loves the container.

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