View from the HPCD office... you can see the mountains in the background!
Train from Bound Brook, NJ: 5:20am
Arrival at JFK airport via public transit: 7:30am
Check-in through security and arrival at gate: 8:00am
Boarding: 8:35am
Take-off: 9:30am
Arrival in Port-au-Prince: 1:10pm
I went from an airport with 8 terminals (JFK) to an airport with 2 runways and 1 gate.
I left rain and drizzle (I hear reports of monsoons in USA) to sunny and 90 degrees.
I flew over some of the most beautiful mountains where the elevation changed up to 5,000 feet. We then flew over the bay, where you could see the bright, blue Caribbean water and individual sailboats.
I went through customs where they only speak French, and they asked me additional details about my visit. I told them it was a pleasure trip (and I fully intend for that statement to be true).
The roads are paved yet dusty, and traffic is a bit of a free-for-all. No one ever collides with each other, but there are so many moments where we are keeping each other honest.
All cars are standard transmission, because they are easy to fix as the environments are tough on the motors and the transmissions.
There is a lot of commercialization: Coca-Cola, Goodyear, Kia, are just some of the brands that stick out in memory.
The people wear all colors of the rainbow. The buildings are more grey as most are made of cement, but the people wear their colors.
Mosquitoes are tame. Not much issue yet (let's wait until the evening).
First time in a nation where my language is not completely recognized. Thankful that most everyone knows at least a few words. And I am learning the traditional greetings.
There are so many lizards. Small ones... reminds me of the Geico ads.
I am living here over the next few days: http://www.eucalyptusguesthouse.com/index.html
Yes, there is a pool, and we watched a thunderstorm roll through for over an hour! Great big nimbus clouds!
Tonight I learned how to properly eat a mango... kind of resembles drinking beer out of the bottom of a beer can.
Tomorrow, I will learn more about HPCD: http://www.hpcd.org/incubation-programs.html
Tonight, there is much fellowship with the Haitians and other guests, nearly all from USA, and a few from Penn State!
For today's photos, click here.
Now I'm so excited for my trip in July! Though I don't speak French at all...I'll have to study a few phrases so I can get by in the airport.
ReplyDeleteI found that I did not need to know French other than to explain where I was going and what my purpose was in the country (which, of course, I did not know). Through broken English and a bit of charades, I think we were able to figure it out :)
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