I really enjoyed the trip to the office of the mayor of Cap Haitian. I stood as the translator for him because he is a very soft spoken gentleman. I stood as the translator for the Mayor. He is a very soft spoken gentleman some it makes it difficult to understand him. It was a conference style setting where the interns sat in a semi-cycle around the mayor who sat in front of everyone. He made great emphasis on the exaggerated rumors and warning s made to the international community about the dangerous situation in Haiti to detract tourists from entering. Humorously he commended the interns for having the courage to face the dangers and encouraged us to take the responsibility to diffuse these myths.
Three other interns and I met with the director of local popular radio station director who is very knowledgeable of the NGOS operating in Haiti about his feelings and experience with them. He felt strongly about them not prioritizing the right issues to be alleviated that would lead to all other ills in the Haitian society to follow suit. For example the AIDS awareness campaign is undermining and deteriorating the values of respect and monogamy once felt in Haiti. The condom has replaced all of this. Religious centers are also preaching the use of condoms which further deteriorates cultural values as well. Instead of preaching Jesus, he says, they are preaching about condoms.
Additionally there is the almighty dollar where many NGO figure heads have the nice cars and are working here in their best interests under the guise of working for the community. Negotiations are struck between the government officials and directors of these initiatives and no follow up/through procedures are taken to see if actual sustainable work is being conducted. Many efforts are publicity stunts, where shirts are given and visible work is done but not managed and kept for long like the cleaning of canal that do not stay clean after a rain shower. Haitian government allows the entry of these NGOs with no measures implemented for accountability or measures to supervise them. It is refreshing to hear that a law has been drafted that is to be approved by the Parliament and later approved by the president of Haiti this month that will put some progressive limits upon the workings of NGOs in Haiti. There are no penalizations codes in it, but it does itemize what are the procedures, policies, and so forth that NGOs must follow or have there certification revoked. A governing document I believe is surely a good step to addressing issues of accountability towards the government and its constituents from the NGOs.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008- Rainy Day, Presentation by SOL staff
Today was a very raining day. I did not think that we came during the raining season in Haiti. It has been raining a lot lately. Our plans were canceled due to the rain, which is usually the effect on case with everyone’s plans, the market, school and local businesses. The roads become unmaneuverable, and dangerous. We had great a discussion with the staff of SOL that was very enlightening about NGOs and non-profit organizations operating in Haiti. A major player of NGOs working in Haiti is USAID that funds organizations excluding the grassroots organizations which I feel strategically fails to strengthen the civil society in Haiti. They pick and choose whom they want to fund on a very politicized basis that does not aid the defavorize (disenfranchised) peoples that live depressing lives. Every action or choice has a political agenda behind it. The Haitians have no voice in how development in being “brought” to and given to them, instead of facilitated by themselves. Many of the development projects being brought to their communities are simply symptomatic relief of the issues that the masses deal with. Its like taking Nyquil for a cough, the symptoms of the cold are subsided but the viral or bacteria cause of the cough still is in the body to later show itself.
A transformation if communities and transformation of disempowered people is necessary for change. There is a psychology of disempowerment that leaves people feeling like they have no voice and cannot be actors to change their lives. Educational programs in one medium to empower communities to promote positive participation where one lives. Lack of funding and resources inhibits this, thus repeating the sad story of poverty and dependence. I learned today of many barriers that non-profit organizations face when in the start-up phase, such as: building trust, cultural barriers, setting up infrastructure, maintaining joy/interpersonal relationships, funding, local advocacy, building a team, framing a unique idea, drafting a focused mission, etc. just to name a few. Building community relations with community leaders is easily facilitated in Haiti by foreigners because they “stand out” and are often invited to events, also friendship s have been created with journalistic intents before these community leaders became elected into office. Knowing if SOL members cause them to be elected is a real unanswerable question.
A transformation if communities and transformation of disempowered people is necessary for change. There is a psychology of disempowerment that leaves people feeling like they have no voice and cannot be actors to change their lives. Educational programs in one medium to empower communities to promote positive participation where one lives. Lack of funding and resources inhibits this, thus repeating the sad story of poverty and dependence. I learned today of many barriers that non-profit organizations face when in the start-up phase, such as: building trust, cultural barriers, setting up infrastructure, maintaining joy/interpersonal relationships, funding, local advocacy, building a team, framing a unique idea, drafting a focused mission, etc. just to name a few. Building community relations with community leaders is easily facilitated in Haiti by foreigners because they “stand out” and are often invited to events, also friendship s have been created with journalistic intents before these community leaders became elected into office. Knowing if SOL members cause them to be elected is a real unanswerable question.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Sunday, January 6th, 2008- Trip to Labadi, Aristide: And the Endless Revolution
I would have never believed that opting to stay apolitical and neutral to the environment in which a NGO works in is very limiting. I do see how this makes sense in retrospect because as a nonprofit organization the NGO must be very aware and in tune with the needs of the constituents and seek to marry the competencies of the organization with the opportunities in the environment so that the mission and vision do not become obsolete are nonresponsive to what the people really need. I would think that this is especially true in preset day Haiti, where recently a popularly elected president was forced out of government by U.S. politically and militarily backed thugs. Being a foreign organization one cannot step into a country and not pay attention or acknowledge the crimes and injustices felt by the people that you are trying to aid, especially when these memories are very fresh and the wounds have not yet healed. Apathy does not demonstrate that you are impartial but relates to the ones that are hurting that what happened does not matter. Ignoring the problem does not necessarily mean that it will solve itself with time. Because of the atrocities and abuses NGOS should not remain apathetic. Paul Framer for instance does not support a politician per se because of the platform or because of the party affiliation, but he supports a politician or party because this person is widely supported by the majority as a person that works in the populace’s interests. Additionally taking a stand about something in an organization that the surrounding community also feels strongly about boosts its reputation and fosters trust relationships. This also leads to more accountability to the people served.
Something else that I feel is important to note here that I learned today are some issues that hinder long term sustainability development work that I have never considered before. Infrastructure and human lives are often destroys with political unrest and upheaval. This causes programs to be abandoned due to safety. Such NGOs are the Peace Corps or Fulbright Scholars unfortunately. Political instability is a tired story in Haiti. It seems to be a vicious and endless cycle. Makes me think that maybe sustainability is not possible here, but that would be a defeatist attitude.
We went to the beach today in Labadie. The countryside here in Cap Haitian really deceives you into thinking there is no deforestation in Haiti. The mountains are covered in such much green and it’s really quite beautiful. It looks “untouched” as a tour guide might say. The road is very rough and bumpy, so it took a while to get to the beach on a hotel resort. Many cruise ships have this as the stop for Caribbean trips where they characterize this location as quaint and untouched for hundreds of years. I attribute the lack of development on the roads because of this attraction of tourists to this quaint Haitian beach town. Ironically remaining “underdeveloped” brings tourists, making a spectacle and attraction of the “backward” ways of the Haitian people. I wonder what impression the other interns will leave with from their stay here for just a couple of days. Most of them are here for the first time and abject poverty in comparison to the comfortable lifestyles in the United States makes me ponder what message they are going to bring back home. As a Haitian at times I feel embarrassed about the lack of infrastructure, poor road conditions, deplorable market conditions and living standards of the places that we have seen. But I would hope that they realize that these conditions are consequences of a long history of neglect from the hands of the government, international rape, and poorly guided and greed intended practices from the very top. Nothing is wrong with us as a people, as Haitians. We are proud of who we are, as blacks, as rich in culture, and as relentless pragmatic collectives. The pictures they have taken show otherwise, the questions they ask me about how I must look like a foreigner because my hair is tamed demonstrate otherwise. I would hope the images of prideful uniformed school children, well pressed and eager remain in their thoughts. The conditions here are regretfully nasty, but to live in them with grace and still feel dignified is hellacious. I hope they leave with the message of how important community is, and what resilience and friendship is built upon.
Something else that I feel is important to note here that I learned today are some issues that hinder long term sustainability development work that I have never considered before. Infrastructure and human lives are often destroys with political unrest and upheaval. This causes programs to be abandoned due to safety. Such NGOs are the Peace Corps or Fulbright Scholars unfortunately. Political instability is a tired story in Haiti. It seems to be a vicious and endless cycle. Makes me think that maybe sustainability is not possible here, but that would be a defeatist attitude.
We went to the beach today in Labadie. The countryside here in Cap Haitian really deceives you into thinking there is no deforestation in Haiti. The mountains are covered in such much green and it’s really quite beautiful. It looks “untouched” as a tour guide might say. The road is very rough and bumpy, so it took a while to get to the beach on a hotel resort. Many cruise ships have this as the stop for Caribbean trips where they characterize this location as quaint and untouched for hundreds of years. I attribute the lack of development on the roads because of this attraction of tourists to this quaint Haitian beach town. Ironically remaining “underdeveloped” brings tourists, making a spectacle and attraction of the “backward” ways of the Haitian people. I wonder what impression the other interns will leave with from their stay here for just a couple of days. Most of them are here for the first time and abject poverty in comparison to the comfortable lifestyles in the United States makes me ponder what message they are going to bring back home. As a Haitian at times I feel embarrassed about the lack of infrastructure, poor road conditions, deplorable market conditions and living standards of the places that we have seen. But I would hope that they realize that these conditions are consequences of a long history of neglect from the hands of the government, international rape, and poorly guided and greed intended practices from the very top. Nothing is wrong with us as a people, as Haitians. We are proud of who we are, as blacks, as rich in culture, and as relentless pragmatic collectives. The pictures they have taken show otherwise, the questions they ask me about how I must look like a foreigner because my hair is tamed demonstrate otherwise. I would hope the images of prideful uniformed school children, well pressed and eager remain in their thoughts. The conditions here are regretfully nasty, but to live in them with grace and still feel dignified is hellacious. I hope they leave with the message of how important community is, and what resilience and friendship is built upon.
Saturday, January 5, 2008- Citadel, Palace of San Souci
Today was a great day. We had plans to go see the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’, The Citadel, which was built by King Henry Christophe. He was the first ruler of Haiti after the war for independence from France was won. His intention was to build a fort that would rival the magnificent forts of Europe and also to protect the island from re-enslavement. Ironically he already completed that task of forced servitude by forcing Haitians to endure back breaking labor to build this fortress. Undoubtedly, I believe the Citadel in its former grandeur to have compared with the European forts.
The weather was not kind to us today. It was very rainy since the beginning of the day, which is not a great day for site seeing. It was unbelievably foggy at the top of the mountain as well. So we initially had the goal of just going to see the Palace of San Souci, and then if the weather was fair to go on ahead and climb the 7 kilometer mountain to the top. To get to the mountain, we had to drive through the town of Milot. That was super fun. I love people watching, and I am sure they were people watching us, although it would have been so much more enjoyable if it was not sprinkling so much. It really puts a damper on the mood of everything.
Once we arrived at the Palace of San Souci and I got to see the statue of King Henry Christophe I thought about a book I read called Silencing the Past which is like a philosophy book about how history is something created and often written by the “victors” of historical events. Most people hear the name ‘San Souci’ and think of the Palace. However, there are records and archives that talk about an African born slave, a Bossales, that was at odds with the Haitian revolutionary leaders- Toussaint, Dessalines, Christophe, and Petion, especially Christophe who supposedly murdered San Souci at the location that the Palace is built. His contribution to the revolution with his excellence in guerilla war tactics is crucial to the history of the revolution and I think that this history suffers from this silencing. His story as a revolutionary leader has been lost, purposely, with the betrayal of Christophe who has replaced his memory with a palace. I would question why was this man so important that Christophe would go to such measures to erase him from history and the narratives known as the past. That is a sad thought but a very real reality where power and how what we accept as the past is all a carefully strung together tale.
It was kind of amusing to see all of the impromptu tour guides willing to take us up the mountain. There were many merchants attempting to sell us their handy crafts and artwork. All of us decided to hike up the mountain as apposed to taking a small horse. Each person in charge of the horses followed us up the mountain any how believing we would tire along the way. Rightfully so, because half way I was definitely wheezing. It’s amazing how the horse owners run along side the horse all the way up the mountain along steep hills the entire way. They’re in good shape. Two other interns and I, who took a horse, made it first to the Citadel while the others continued hiking. Away from the others in the fog and the cold, it was very eerie, as if one could feel the souls of the estimated 20,000 Haitians who died making this wonder. The fog was a good effect, but it did take away from the grandeur of the Citadel. Citadel was great.
We ended the day right with a party. Last night they killed a goat for us, so we had fresh meat! I love goat. The party goers were many of the young folks from the community of Shada. It let me see how essential it is to build community trust and friendship when conducting developmental projects. Friendship is very sustainable. Our Haitian Idol performed: Rosemand Jolissant and our little Lucky Dubby- Benik. All in all the night was awesome, good food, good music, and good company. I was tired from the hike, and this night was the best night’s sleep that I have had yet on this trip.
The weather was not kind to us today. It was very rainy since the beginning of the day, which is not a great day for site seeing. It was unbelievably foggy at the top of the mountain as well. So we initially had the goal of just going to see the Palace of San Souci, and then if the weather was fair to go on ahead and climb the 7 kilometer mountain to the top. To get to the mountain, we had to drive through the town of Milot. That was super fun. I love people watching, and I am sure they were people watching us, although it would have been so much more enjoyable if it was not sprinkling so much. It really puts a damper on the mood of everything.
Once we arrived at the Palace of San Souci and I got to see the statue of King Henry Christophe I thought about a book I read called Silencing the Past which is like a philosophy book about how history is something created and often written by the “victors” of historical events. Most people hear the name ‘San Souci’ and think of the Palace. However, there are records and archives that talk about an African born slave, a Bossales, that was at odds with the Haitian revolutionary leaders- Toussaint, Dessalines, Christophe, and Petion, especially Christophe who supposedly murdered San Souci at the location that the Palace is built. His contribution to the revolution with his excellence in guerilla war tactics is crucial to the history of the revolution and I think that this history suffers from this silencing. His story as a revolutionary leader has been lost, purposely, with the betrayal of Christophe who has replaced his memory with a palace. I would question why was this man so important that Christophe would go to such measures to erase him from history and the narratives known as the past. That is a sad thought but a very real reality where power and how what we accept as the past is all a carefully strung together tale.
It was kind of amusing to see all of the impromptu tour guides willing to take us up the mountain. There were many merchants attempting to sell us their handy crafts and artwork. All of us decided to hike up the mountain as apposed to taking a small horse. Each person in charge of the horses followed us up the mountain any how believing we would tire along the way. Rightfully so, because half way I was definitely wheezing. It’s amazing how the horse owners run along side the horse all the way up the mountain along steep hills the entire way. They’re in good shape. Two other interns and I, who took a horse, made it first to the Citadel while the others continued hiking. Away from the others in the fog and the cold, it was very eerie, as if one could feel the souls of the estimated 20,000 Haitians who died making this wonder. The fog was a good effect, but it did take away from the grandeur of the Citadel. Citadel was great.
We ended the day right with a party. Last night they killed a goat for us, so we had fresh meat! I love goat. The party goers were many of the young folks from the community of Shada. It let me see how essential it is to build community trust and friendship when conducting developmental projects. Friendship is very sustainable. Our Haitian Idol performed: Rosemand Jolissant and our little Lucky Dubby- Benik. All in all the night was awesome, good food, good music, and good company. I was tired from the hike, and this night was the best night’s sleep that I have had yet on this trip.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008- Project Pierre Toussaint, SOL project toilets, Cry for Freedom
According to my observations and personal intake of the organization I believe Project Pierre Toussaint (PPT) to be an innovative outreach center for young street children that have no one really to care for them located in Cap Haitien. A man by the first name of Douglas is the founder and acting director of the organization, who graciously picked up the intern participants of SOL and transported us to the residential site for the young boys. The site is very inspirational and meets most of the practical needs of the residents. On site is a trade house where they can learn wielding, sewing, and mechanical maintenance. These trades are important for those that are neither really receptive nor apt to the Haitian schooling system which is primarily in French. There was also the launching of a project to build an onsite primary school.
There is a lack of certified teachers and educators in this country. Many of those in the profession of enriching the minds of the young have very limited to no training at all, or degrees in education. This further hinders the intellectual growth of the youth and continues this cycle of mis/education. I am optimistic of a future where there can be incentives for many of the educated Haitian diaspora and many of the exported intellectuals to return and have a hand in the changes that can be made in the education, health, sanitation, infrastructure, and many more systems in Haiti. This brain drain has really caused some unrecoverable consequences on those that live on the island. The population is overwhelmingly young, and do not have the privilege of attending school. What kind of future is at stake with an aging, undereducated population? And yet so many people of Haitian decent in the United States, France, Canada, and elsewhere have degrees and certifications ranging from registered nurses to teaching.
At PPT, I saw my first dry toilet. The idea is actually quite ingenious, where two chambers are kept for each type of human excrement and later used as fertilizer and compost. It like facilitates the cycle of life where nutrients are lost from the body but reused in soil fertilizer to grow crops to nourish the body. A major issue that I find with this idea is the concept of how to make this something that is sustainable and able to perpetuate itself without the aid the founders of the initiative. Kevin, the co-founder of SOL, mentioned the goal is the have the idea become a for profit business incentive for entrepreneurs when the positive causal effects of using human excrement (which is abundant and easily accessible and contained) fertilizer are recognized. From this, the project theoretically should take a mind of its own. As a great example, SOL built a toilet in a community and the municipal government there felt it to be such a positive contribution that they have decided to have ten more toilets built there after the first one was destroyed. This case example is advantageous for community members. The toilets do not smell bad like most public toilets and are easily maintained. Additionally the benefits of using composts in gardens are endless. The return in crop growth and then selling agricultural products in the market can make a real difference.
Despite all of the positives I feel that the likelihood widespread adoption of this in the near future leaves me a bit clouded. I feel that this may take years to decades, which I do not find to surprising in order for real development projects to become a stronghold in any community/nation. Primarily in order to create commerce would possibly require that the first years of entrepreneurial businesses ventures be subsidized for the first couple of years until the back products and its benefits are presentable. As a start-up organization I do not think that the resources to do this will not be available until much later. Also much educational outreach I feel will be needed for the population to understand the benefits that these toilets ultimately have on the economic well being of communities. That usually is the number one problem for nonprofit organizations: an endless list of demands and activities that need to be done with a limited amount of resources. What augments this lack of funds even more is that grant proposals are municipal requests and many of the monies come from Port-au-Prince. There is a lot pressure felt by the Haitian government to support and fund programs for sanitation purposes because of a widely publicized $5 million foreign aid assistance, but that money has not made it yet and unfortunately not available to the different departments.
I enjoyed a great film this evening starring Denzel Washington who is THE handsomest actor I should shamelessly add. It’s called Cry Freedom. There were many similarities in the movie and the situation here in Haiti about a suffering disenfranchised people. Both are countries of blacks run by a small white minority. I enjoyed the movie because it talked about how institutionalized repression and racism continues the cycle of poverty and marginalization of many black nations where “whether smart or dumb, he is born to stay in the condition he is in.” True, education is the greatest equalizer, but education is not something easily accessible and is something often “given” to marginalized communities with a paternalistic intent or afforded to minorities through organizations in the form of scholarships that cannot reach as many people as they wish they could. Something I did not like about the movie was that I felt the majority of it was not spent on conveying the message of freedom and respect of human rights, but rather more of a sensationalized escape epic for a journalist. The story of the murdered black activist was confined to a short part of the movie.
There is a lack of certified teachers and educators in this country. Many of those in the profession of enriching the minds of the young have very limited to no training at all, or degrees in education. This further hinders the intellectual growth of the youth and continues this cycle of mis/education. I am optimistic of a future where there can be incentives for many of the educated Haitian diaspora and many of the exported intellectuals to return and have a hand in the changes that can be made in the education, health, sanitation, infrastructure, and many more systems in Haiti. This brain drain has really caused some unrecoverable consequences on those that live on the island. The population is overwhelmingly young, and do not have the privilege of attending school. What kind of future is at stake with an aging, undereducated population? And yet so many people of Haitian decent in the United States, France, Canada, and elsewhere have degrees and certifications ranging from registered nurses to teaching.
At PPT, I saw my first dry toilet. The idea is actually quite ingenious, where two chambers are kept for each type of human excrement and later used as fertilizer and compost. It like facilitates the cycle of life where nutrients are lost from the body but reused in soil fertilizer to grow crops to nourish the body. A major issue that I find with this idea is the concept of how to make this something that is sustainable and able to perpetuate itself without the aid the founders of the initiative. Kevin, the co-founder of SOL, mentioned the goal is the have the idea become a for profit business incentive for entrepreneurs when the positive causal effects of using human excrement (which is abundant and easily accessible and contained) fertilizer are recognized. From this, the project theoretically should take a mind of its own. As a great example, SOL built a toilet in a community and the municipal government there felt it to be such a positive contribution that they have decided to have ten more toilets built there after the first one was destroyed. This case example is advantageous for community members. The toilets do not smell bad like most public toilets and are easily maintained. Additionally the benefits of using composts in gardens are endless. The return in crop growth and then selling agricultural products in the market can make a real difference.
Despite all of the positives I feel that the likelihood widespread adoption of this in the near future leaves me a bit clouded. I feel that this may take years to decades, which I do not find to surprising in order for real development projects to become a stronghold in any community/nation. Primarily in order to create commerce would possibly require that the first years of entrepreneurial businesses ventures be subsidized for the first couple of years until the back products and its benefits are presentable. As a start-up organization I do not think that the resources to do this will not be available until much later. Also much educational outreach I feel will be needed for the population to understand the benefits that these toilets ultimately have on the economic well being of communities. That usually is the number one problem for nonprofit organizations: an endless list of demands and activities that need to be done with a limited amount of resources. What augments this lack of funds even more is that grant proposals are municipal requests and many of the monies come from Port-au-Prince. There is a lot pressure felt by the Haitian government to support and fund programs for sanitation purposes because of a widely publicized $5 million foreign aid assistance, but that money has not made it yet and unfortunately not available to the different departments.
I enjoyed a great film this evening starring Denzel Washington who is THE handsomest actor I should shamelessly add. It’s called Cry Freedom. There were many similarities in the movie and the situation here in Haiti about a suffering disenfranchised people. Both are countries of blacks run by a small white minority. I enjoyed the movie because it talked about how institutionalized repression and racism continues the cycle of poverty and marginalization of many black nations where “whether smart or dumb, he is born to stay in the condition he is in.” True, education is the greatest equalizer, but education is not something easily accessible and is something often “given” to marginalized communities with a paternalistic intent or afforded to minorities through organizations in the form of scholarships that cannot reach as many people as they wish they could. Something I did not like about the movie was that I felt the majority of it was not spent on conveying the message of freedom and respect of human rights, but rather more of a sensationalized escape epic for a journalist. The story of the murdered black activist was confined to a short part of the movie.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Wednesday, January 2nd 2008- Entry into Haiti
What a morning I experienced today. Since in the American Airport I experienced the unreliable, confusing, unprofessional service rampant in Miami, and common in Haiti by a charter plane airline called Lynx Airline. This ticket terminal must have been strategically placed in the most inconvenient and isolated spot in the entire airport just for the strategic effect of introducing its passengers to the everyday unexpected and unpredictable nature of business and personal operations of Haitian life. When you want to hear a Haitian laugh, tell him your plans because the majority of the time plans never go as predicted.
The airport signs signaled that Lynx Airlines was to be found at Terminal E. Once there I was told that it was in terminal J. From terminal J there was no indication that Lynx airlines was in the vicinity. Mind you, my flight was scheduled to leave at 6am and the time was now approximately 5:15 and I still hadn’t checked in or gone through security. Panic soon sunk in after asking several airport employees for where this ticket terminal was and many referred me to the map that showed its location as terminal E, while other workers responded to mu inquiries with scrunched up faces of confusion that they have never heard of this airline. The dread of registering for another class and suffering its agonizing and tedious assignments throughout the semester swelled tears in my naïve eyes. All my plans if I were to miss that plane.
I wanted to obtain an emic perspective from within a sustainable development project in Haiti, as I to wish to pursue a career in helping Haitians help themselves. I fell that a transition is necessary from dependency to self determinism of livelihood instead of this dreadful dependency on foreign aid from all to familiar white faces set on bringing them “modernity,” “civilization,” and “teaching” them how to govern themselves because by popular belief the small black nation has noy been able to get it right since their independence in 1804. In reality it seems that foreigners rather than the Haitian Government have been the only ones making visible efforts to propone change, which has yet to come after dozens of decades of developmental initiatives. I am very ignorant of what goes on here in this arena. Specifically, who are the actors? Who are the constituents of each organization? The activities of marketing, outreach, etc? Of course each non governmental organization/ nonprofit organization whether in the start up, growth, or mature stage, has its own culture and differing activities. Hopefully I can gain a sense of what those activities entail and it repercussions and consequences, so that I may ploblematize the situation as an academically interested student about any type of theory into practice. This trip serves some selfish interest as well. I am writing my Master’s thesis which in a nut shell wished to address and evaluate issues of accountability of international NGOs in Haiti. I am returning during Spring Break to conduct some actual fieldwork (once that fieldwork has been clearly defined by myself), so this trip is to basically scope out the territory.
Returning to my airport experience, I want to make it clear the frustration and the utter feeling of helplessness I felt about how I was not in control of the situation. I literally walked up and down the airport terminals between E and the very end of the strip, running at times with tears in my eyes. I was directed to the first floor, which was baggage claim where in a final desperate attempt to make my flight I asked a Haitian baggage handler where Lynx was located. It was all the way at the end around the corner, and the very last ticket terminal. It was basically located in no man’s land. The checks in tellers were in a conversation and totally ignored the two women that were in line ahead of me. After a couple of minutes of waiting for them to finish their o so important conversation I interjected and told them I felt it un courteous to have us wait while they told jokes and conversed amongst themselves. We waited another 5 minutes before checking in.
The plane was a small vehicle that fit approximately 16 people snugly. Upon arriving at the airport in Cap Haitien I remembered the last trip that I took to Haiti previously in May. The smells, the sights, were all familiar to me. Nevertheless I still felt the anxiousness that I attribute to the very over exaggerated rumors and half truths about the dangerousness of Haiti for visitors and foreigners. I cannot help but be a product of this paranoia and fear of kidnappings and being held for ransom. For a second I was split apart for the group and thoughts of being lost forever in Cap Haitien with my very “heavy” American accented Creole seemed like a very frightful, daunting, and uneventful real incidence. Cap Haitien in comparison to Port-au-Prince the capital has much less trash and litter in the streets and the streets are better managed here, although far from being classified as acceptable according to good infrastructural standards. I’m back in Haiti. Good times.
The airport signs signaled that Lynx Airlines was to be found at Terminal E. Once there I was told that it was in terminal J. From terminal J there was no indication that Lynx airlines was in the vicinity. Mind you, my flight was scheduled to leave at 6am and the time was now approximately 5:15 and I still hadn’t checked in or gone through security. Panic soon sunk in after asking several airport employees for where this ticket terminal was and many referred me to the map that showed its location as terminal E, while other workers responded to mu inquiries with scrunched up faces of confusion that they have never heard of this airline. The dread of registering for another class and suffering its agonizing and tedious assignments throughout the semester swelled tears in my naïve eyes. All my plans if I were to miss that plane.
I wanted to obtain an emic perspective from within a sustainable development project in Haiti, as I to wish to pursue a career in helping Haitians help themselves. I fell that a transition is necessary from dependency to self determinism of livelihood instead of this dreadful dependency on foreign aid from all to familiar white faces set on bringing them “modernity,” “civilization,” and “teaching” them how to govern themselves because by popular belief the small black nation has noy been able to get it right since their independence in 1804. In reality it seems that foreigners rather than the Haitian Government have been the only ones making visible efforts to propone change, which has yet to come after dozens of decades of developmental initiatives. I am very ignorant of what goes on here in this arena. Specifically, who are the actors? Who are the constituents of each organization? The activities of marketing, outreach, etc? Of course each non governmental organization/ nonprofit organization whether in the start up, growth, or mature stage, has its own culture and differing activities. Hopefully I can gain a sense of what those activities entail and it repercussions and consequences, so that I may ploblematize the situation as an academically interested student about any type of theory into practice. This trip serves some selfish interest as well. I am writing my Master’s thesis which in a nut shell wished to address and evaluate issues of accountability of international NGOs in Haiti. I am returning during Spring Break to conduct some actual fieldwork (once that fieldwork has been clearly defined by myself), so this trip is to basically scope out the territory.
Returning to my airport experience, I want to make it clear the frustration and the utter feeling of helplessness I felt about how I was not in control of the situation. I literally walked up and down the airport terminals between E and the very end of the strip, running at times with tears in my eyes. I was directed to the first floor, which was baggage claim where in a final desperate attempt to make my flight I asked a Haitian baggage handler where Lynx was located. It was all the way at the end around the corner, and the very last ticket terminal. It was basically located in no man’s land. The checks in tellers were in a conversation and totally ignored the two women that were in line ahead of me. After a couple of minutes of waiting for them to finish their o so important conversation I interjected and told them I felt it un courteous to have us wait while they told jokes and conversed amongst themselves. We waited another 5 minutes before checking in.
The plane was a small vehicle that fit approximately 16 people snugly. Upon arriving at the airport in Cap Haitien I remembered the last trip that I took to Haiti previously in May. The smells, the sights, were all familiar to me. Nevertheless I still felt the anxiousness that I attribute to the very over exaggerated rumors and half truths about the dangerousness of Haiti for visitors and foreigners. I cannot help but be a product of this paranoia and fear of kidnappings and being held for ransom. For a second I was split apart for the group and thoughts of being lost forever in Cap Haitien with my very “heavy” American accented Creole seemed like a very frightful, daunting, and uneventful real incidence. Cap Haitien in comparison to Port-au-Prince the capital has much less trash and litter in the streets and the streets are better managed here, although far from being classified as acceptable according to good infrastructural standards. I’m back in Haiti. Good times.
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