Thursday, January 6, 2011

You Can Eat Out in Haiti

Suprisingly to many including myself you can go out to eat in Haiti. Tonight me, Ann, and a young lady named Marsha went out to eat. We drove about an hour to go to the restauraunt which I guess is really only about 15 minutes away but the traffic is horrific because there are no laws and there are always people walking right in front of you too. I mean it's crazy i always feel like we are gonna hit someone or something. Ann said that we know eventually we will run into someone or something its bound to happen with this driving. You just kind of go on faith that someone will stop for you or hope no one will run out in front of you where you will harm them. So, I was really excited to be able to take some pictures tonight but sadly I didn't take any. I feel pretty guilty taking pictures of people in poverty so I can show the world. I mean I feel like I will offend them, because I feel like I would be annoyed by some rich white girl taking pictures of me in my poverty. However, there was much to be seen tonight. We went to a part of the area I had not been to yet. It was up farther in the mountains. We saw much of the same just in larger magnitudes of poverty and sadness. I saw one man just laying on the street, feet filthy, just looked kinda sickly. My heart broke just knowing he has nothing, and no one can help him. Like we see homeless people in America but I at least feel there is an amount of hope for them. There condition is like paradise compared to some of these people. The streets here are filled with garbage and it runs along right side the markets. It's no wonder people are getting sick all the time right? We Americans really can't fathom how people could even be ok with living that way. We are so blessed beyond measure its incredible. I stilll am having the hardest time wrapping my heart/mind around it all. For example tonight we went to a really nice restaurant, it was beautiful and you'd think we were on a tropical dream trip not right in the middle of poverty. We sat and ate our food in a candelight porch setting, it was beautiful. Then, we walk out to our car and we are literally across the street from a tent city. Yes a whole block of people living in tents, that is their life, that is their home. I hope to get some more pictures at some point but I just can't even begin to explain what this place really looks like. I hope that out of this experience I at least carry with me the unimportance of material possessions and just having the love of family and friends. Plus despite that I know that even if I had a horrible job that paid next to nothing I'd still have more than 95% of the population of Haiti. Anyway, I hope those of you who read this don't get sick of my ranting and raving about the atmosphere and experience of Haiti. This is kinda my live journal since I'm a much better typer than writer.

1 comment:

Kim and Zak said...

That's crazy, Abby! Just be safe! It definitely does make you appreciate everything and everyone you have in your life, doesn't it? It's so sad that people actually live that way. It is hard to wrap your mind around it, isn't it? Keep writing daily; I look forward to reading how your trip is going! I've made it a habit to check Blogger everyday to see if you've written a new post about your daily experience. Miss and love you! Kim :)