Getting out of Haiti wasn’t without adventure- of course! I had all my bags packed to the brim (and max weight limit); I had 2 bags to check and two carry-ons. Now that doesn’t paint a very clear picture… the 2 bags to check weighed 50 lbs each and one of the (the one without wheels) was as big as me. My two carry-ons where a rather large mirror all bundled in paper, which kindly left a trail behind me along my journey, and a rolling suitcase that had to weigh more than 50lbs as it was full of books and the “heavy” stuff! I left the house that morning at 8 with all the people headed to work, filling the back of the truck up with all my luggage causing a couple of us to sit Indian style. I had about 4 hrs to wait until my ride to airport arrived. Matt and I had an early snack and split my last “plate of the day”. It is weird how excited you can be to leave a place and go back “home” only to realize that this really has been home for the last 2.5 months and that despite the way things turned out part of yourself is here. It is a place I see myself returning to in the future! Well back to the adventure. My ride came to pick me up and as I was loading my belongings a guy that matt had met earlier that week came to bring me a few gifts. It was a complete act of generosity without expecting anything in return, which is so rare in Haiti. He gave me a Haiti bracelet, a beautiful necklace and matching earrings. I put them on immediately which seemed to make him as happy as I was for receiving them! My ride left and to the airport we headed rather uneventfully. I arrived and of course the vultures were circling waiting for their opportunity to “help” (without so much as asking if I wanted their help). I had no Haiti money left (Matt had given me some to tip the driver) and only had a $100 and $20 American bill. I told them this upfront but they of course did not listen. I tried to take care of my own stuff as I literally only had to move it about 15 ft total but I finally gave in. They brought me a cart which cost $2 to rent at the airport so I figured I give them at least $2. They followed me all the way in even after my stuff was on the cart, which means all I was doing was pushing the cart (the remaining 10 ft) and they were walking beside me. Then when we reached the check in point they couldn’t go any further so they just stood waiting and kept saying you American give me good tip. I laughed and said I did not want you to help but I will give you $5 for getting the cart but I need change. They refused at first saying there was no change. I said either you get change or you get nothing… magically the change appeared instantly in their wallet. I’d like to learn that trick… it would come in handy! :) So I hopped in the line to check my baggage and at this point have 1.5 hours until my flight left. There were only about 10 people in front of me so I figured I be through in no time…. I forgot I was in Haiti! After 35 minutes and still not moving at all I started to get a little nervous that I may not make it through in time at the rate things were moving, but I decide to just keep waiting patiently. After 5 minutes later the power went out. I couldn’t believe it. I really thought I may not catch my flight, but after about 5 minutes they got the power up and running and eventually the line moving. Well I finally got up to the counter and hand my passport to the lady and begin to unload my bags onto the scale. The man next to me (checking in-I think) takes my bag literally out of my hands and places it on the scale. While he’s doing that I start to unload the next one but he does the same thing. I thank him and think nothing more of it. I receive my ticket and head to the gate only to feel a tapping on my shoulder. It was the man again, he was saying something I couldn’t understand and I told him that. Finally he holds his hand out and says money. It NEVER ends. I know for anyone reading this I sound so terrible but this is what it is like ALL the time. You can’t trust anyone to do anything nice for you without expecting something in return, but it’s not even that. I didn’t need help, I didn’t want help, and I didn’t want to have to tell him to get lost, but I had to and i did. I was more shocked than anything. I mean he TOOK the bags out of my hands…. Ah I digress. So continuing on, I make it through customs without an issue- thank goodness! I find a seat at the gate (one of two gates at the airport) and settle in. I sat down and began to read. I heard an announcement over the loudspeaker in Creole that I couldn’t understand except that they were saying names and they needed to come to the desk. I though t I heard my name so headed up there and was asking the lady if they called my name when a loud gunshot noise went off very close to me. Ladies were screaming, I thought oh geeze… I was so closed to getting out of Haiti. Nobody moved but everyone was looking around but there was no gunman. Slowly we figured out what it was. A guy pushing a dolly loaded with water bottles had just rolled in the gate area and the tire on the dolly had blown and had sounded just like a gun. Following was a bunch of nervous laughter from the 100+ people in the waiting area. My heart rate finally slowed down enough to find out that they hadn’t called my name after all.
Eventually we loaded the plane and set off. I was sitting in the middle of a family taking up the entire row across, with the children on the left side of the plane and myself and the parents on the right. The children on the left were coughing up a storm and all I could think was TB. The pilot then comes on the intercom to say were preparing for landing – or so I thought- but instead to say that weather was bad in Miami so well be circling for the next 1.5 hours. So I settle back into my book when all the sudden I realize the boy next to me (probably about 10 yo) is throwing up non-stop but trying to catch it in his hands. He had tears rolling down his face and was obviously upset and embarrassed. I tried to find one of those throw up baggy things but couldn’t find one. I headed to the bathroom to get paper towels etc. I felt so bad for him. We got it all cleaned up and taken care of but I felt so bad for him as we continued to circle for the next hour.
We finally landed and got off the plane to head toward customs. If you haven’t ever had to go through customs in Miami, consider yourself lucky. Fortunately for me I was in no hurry as my flight for NYC didn’t leave until 6am the next morning. After about an hour I finally made it through and headed to find a place to eat and then a place to hole up for the evening. I forgot how cold air-conditioning could be, especially as this wasn’t something I have had to deal with for the last few months. I found a somewhat comfortable chair and took my bagel and settled in for the night. I pulled out every piece of clothing I had in my bag, which wasn’t much since my check on was full of books and souvenirs. I tried my best to sleep but it was spotty, so I eventually just got up and decided to get ready for the day. It was 3 am. Dunkin Donuts was open so I headed to get some breakfast. Apparently many others had the same idea! Once I got my breakfast I decided to head closer to the security check (which opened at 5 am) and sit and read. As I’m waiting all sorts of characters that are at the airport at 4 am begin to reveal themselves. One lady comes huffing and puffing to the gate and is irate that it wasn’t open and decides to take it out on the people sleeping on a bench. She wakes them up to say she wants to sit there… I watching this unfold thinking all hells about to break lose… and I was right. The people on the bench just ignored her at first but she was not going to give up so easily. Eventually one of the ladies sat up (still half asleep) and asked her what she needed. Quite loud and obnoxiously she yelled I need a seat, I have a disability (I didn’t notice anything physical but the psychological was quite apparent). The lady kindly said "but we're sleeping here and there are many other seats available". This only set the other lady into a rage; she started yelling that she wanted security etc. Meanwhile I’m thinking this airport is huge, how did I pick this area? I just go back to reading my book trying to ignore all this but also staying alert to any needs for someone to step in, although not quite sure what I was going to do. I’m not sure what ended it all but eventually the crazy lady walked off leaving a nice quiet void behind her. The gate opened about 30 early which led me to believe the person at the gate would be in a good mood. I was wrong… I’m not sure what was in the water that morning. I got up to the gate and she insisted that my bag was too big to check on, too heavy maybe but not too big. It hasn’t ever been a problem and it fits overhead like everyone else’s. I tried to tell her I just flew yesterday and it wasn’t a problem but she wasn’t having anything to do with it and was very rude about it. After trying to be nice about it I digressed. I told her “you know I’m just going to go to another gate and check in there” she didn’t seem happy about it but that’s exactly what I did without any problems other than after putting it through the x-ray machine I couldn’t get the handle back out (that’s karma for you) which posed quite a problem for getting around. It was too heavy to carry and I wasn’t able to roll it without rolling over my foot every step without the handle. I’m sure it was quite a funny site! I decided to use a string to try to pull it along which was a little better but not much. I had to stop about every 15 ft to rest, I felt like I was running a marathon as I kept giving myself landmark goals to get to before resting! J The flight to NYC was nice and actually uneventful… finally! It was the 4th of July and such a treat to fly in over the statue of liberty that day.
I arrived a few hours before sarah was supposed to arrive so I set up camp with my 4 huge bags in the food court. I was sitting there minding my own business when all the sudden one of the workers at the counter across from me throws down his spatula and jumps over the counter. He and another guy (customer?) start yelling at each other and pushing each other. Day two round two… and I thought I was out of Haiti! Finally security came and put an end to it…
Sarah finally arrived and we got her luggage and headed out to the curb to hail a taxi. We hopped in and told him where to go and we went back to chatting. He starts talking on his phone while sarah and I were talking. All the sudden I realize hes speaking in Creole… what a crazy world. When he got off the phone I asked him if he was Haitian (in creole) and he about pulled to car over right then and there in the middle of the highway! We had a good laugh about it and I told him I was just returning from Haiti. I think it made his day! We then pulled up to the hostel we were staying at and right across the street was a Haitian church… the world gets even smaller! I couldn’t believe it.
We then got checked in eventually to our 5th floor walkup Harlem hostel, which actually wasn’t too bad even by American standards. We then head out to enjoy the 4th of July in the Big Apple. Sarah had a friend from high school who lives in the City and he had invited us to his friend’s place/party. It was on the rooftop of a 33(?) floor (luxury) apartment building and the view was incredible. You could see in all directions and it was fabulous, both the view and apartment. I quickly had to tell sarah to flush out the memory of the apartment because tomorrow the ones we will be looking at will be in a whole different category :) The next day she found out exactly what I meant!
Well ill cut to the chase on the apartment search… We found a place! A 5th floor walkup (anyone considering a visit should start training now! haha) that was recently remodeled running a total of 1800 a month for about 300 ft2 (and I think that’s generous). Anything under 500 ft2 they don’t tell you the footage… understandably and for all those prone to depression! Overall im very excited although my checkbook is not! We are in a great location : 5 minute walk to Cornell and 3 blocks from subway, so that should definitely be nice. Ill keep you all updated with any new developemtns or exciting stories and I hope that my crazy (but completely true) stories made someone chuckle today!
Mandy :)