This week, I want to talk about the first trip that began my love of traveling. My Haitian experience inspired me to greatly reflect upon my life, the opportunities I have received, and to seek out new opportunities moving forward.
I Was Just Another College Student…
When I was a measly college student trying to stay afloat, I heard about this resident student organization called Students For Haiti. I had worked with another group that aided Haitian students during my high school french class. I was intrigued. It took me a year and a half before I would go to a meeting but once I did, I was in. I went to almost every meeting and within a few weeks, I became a board member. I was excited to be a part of a team that was making such a difference. At this point in time, it was just a few years after the devastating earthquake of January 2011. Haiti was still very much in need of relief efforts. As a student group, we did everything from benefit concerts, to involving a local jewelry designer to create our own line of wraps. All proceeds went to Haitians in need. This jewelry designer, Alyssa Kuchta, went on to do big things, and I’m proud to have worked with her in the past.
Bonus: Check out the link to see what Alyssa has been up to since! https://www.fybjewelry.com/
Our Time in Haiti
Our little group experienced Haiti for 4 days on an information-seeking trip. We visited the cities of Fonds des Blanc and Moulliage Fouquet. We wanted to meet the people and get to know what it was they needed as a community. Assuming what these communities need, has led other organizations down unfortunt paths. Paths that included creating buildings for schools and businesses among other things. Those buildings now sit empty and grown over with plant life.
To begin our journey, we flew from Newark airport to Port Au Prince. Port Au Prince was the smallest airport I’ve ever been to before and the most low key. Culture shock began right away. Security was very lax, and I was definitely out of my element. What followed was a 6 hour ride to the mountains in an old beat up truck the hospital used as an ambulance. We stayed at the hospital in Fonds Des Blanc run by the St. Boniface Foundation. We ate what the hospital cooked for the patients, and had internet access but no cell reception. I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many stars as we did sitting on the roof of the building, looking up into the sky.
The next morning we took a tour of the hospital to see the conditions. People were in line for medications from before the sun rose to the end of the day when they closed for the evening. Incredibly eye opening to witness. We took a tour of the town, the dirt roads, the few shops, empty buildings and homes. I’d never seen anything like it before. It really exposed me to how other people around the world live. Compared to my air conditioned home, my own room and bathroom while just a plane ride away whole families share one room huts and handmade homes.
The Beach Town
We visited Moulliage Fouquet, another town we were sponsoring a few hours away on the coast. As we had been traveling around we observed a large amount of wild goats. We made a game out of it by counting them there were so many! I think we trailed off somewhere after 145… we lost count. We met some families there who were so welcoming and sweet. I played with the children who went to work with their mothers working on textiles. Some sweet boys down at the beach showed us how to deal with the sea urchins after an unexpected debacle with them.
The next day we walked from the hospital to the next town over to meet the principal of one of the local schools we had been in contact with. There is wild sugar cane growing in his yard and we munched on it while he told us his restrictions in opening his school up to more children, and the costs they endure. I felt a little like a wild child chomping on that fresh cut sugar cane; more primal even for just a moment. On our way back, we needed to get our truck out of the mud and some locals were around to lend us a hand. In return, we bought some local avocados from them.
Reflecting
We were only there for a few days but those experiences can never be undone. When the power goes out at home, or while I’m traveling and I don’t have hot water, it reminds me of what life is like in Haiti. It’s a reality for thousands of people across the world. That knowledge and realization that other cultures, and others daily lives can be very different than our own, is what got me interested in traveling. Luxury travel can be magnificent, but there’s also those trips that enrich you, feed your soul, and open you up to aspects of life you’ve never dreamed of.
Still to this day, I think about my Haitian experience. I think of how thankful I am to have experienced their culture, and met their people. Haiti will always hold a special place in my heart.
*I’d love to update you on Students For Haiti and the work they are doing. I will absolutely do so when I have more to share*
Until next time,
Kembe Fem
PS: If you’d like to see more, check out my article on What to do When You Can’t Travel.
