Until Next Time

This will be my last blog entry before leaving Haiti, and I woke up feeling very nostalgic about the past two weeks. It seems like I've been here much longer and yet it has gone by so very quickly. I enjoyed waking up under my bug net this morning listening to the morning noises and the rooster that wakes us all up every morning around 4am. Last night, we had a trubador band come to the guesthouse and play music for about an hour and a half and with a few rum sours on board, I was able to get up and dance one last time.

I've been fighting back tears most of the day and I'm not sure why. I'm excited to get home and have a hot shower and wash 2 week old conditioner out of my hair that I have never quite been able to rinse out but sad to be leaving a group of amazing people that I've spent a considerable amount of time with this past two weeks.

We're all leaving with a part of Haiti, unfortunately for Sarah, she's leaving with a stomach bug that has her laid out flat right now. I'm leaving with an ankle that Dr.Moise tells me is likely fractured and all of us have far too many bug bites to count.

Haiti, I have a love/hate relationship with you.

Here are some of the most frequently heard comments on this trip:

-Just for giggles, let's wear our seatbelts
-Which is worth more points, a baby or a pig
-Hurry and wait
-TIH ( thisi is Haiti)
-Hey I can get that to fit in my hockey bag
-What is this in American money?
-It's haiti time
-Do you have a Haitian bellybutton
-Make sure Todd's looking at you
-Where's the "others"
-Is everyone here, how many of us are there?
-What happens in Haiti stays in Haiti
-Shithead/Asshole
-Whatever you do, don't drink the water! Keep your mouth closed!
-What's the ASL sign for beer?
-I owe you for how many Prestige?
-I should have brought my fishing rod
-Five Haitians and a mule
-When's dinner?
-How is it possible to sweat and smell this bag?
-Do you think I could wear this one more time?
-Good morning sirs, I love you.
-I'm fine.
-Sleep when you're dead
-Expect the unexpected
-If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down
-The "anchor" or it kind of looks like a dragon
-I don't know, we'll ask Gail
-I forgot to take my Malerone
-Crocs aren't good for hiking
-Who has the bottle of rum sour
-More Pikliz and Acra please!
-A-mule-lance
-I'll never get used to a cold shower
-I forgot to put on my Haitian purfume
-What's that smell?
-Team Canada: hurricane, earthquake, riots, broken ankle and maybe Cholera

We are hearing that there are riots in Cap Haitian against UN Troops as it is widely believed here that the Cholera outbreak was introduced to Haiti when UN troops arrived from Nepal. We are hoping that everything goes smoothly when we arrive at the airport later today, but so far Port-au-Prince is quiet.

Bon Bagay!