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Haiti Day 9
“There she was”
This morning was full of the hustle and bustle of everyone getting ready to leave. Robert and I are teaching until 2:00, but at that point, we have been invited by Bernard to go to the mountains. We intersperse rehairs and thumb leathers with good-byes until the place empties out. From here on, we will dwindle from 5 to 2 people over the next three days. It will seem strange after having all of these folks laughing, talking and playing all around. I will miss them all, but mostly I will miss Kristen, a soprano who is here directing to Petite Chanteurs. She is flat out the coolest woman and we struck up a friendship near the beginning. She makes me laugh a lot and is someone I can talk to so I hate it that she is leaving!! But at least Bernard is still here!!!!
For lunch, Maline, the woman that works in the kitchen, brings us all HUGE plates of food. Up until now, all food was served family style and if you were late for a meal, chances were there would be nothing left! But here she came with a mountain of food for each of us. The night before, we had presented her with a large cash tip and a card thanking her for everything and today, I am thinking that this kindness is her way of saying thank you back. However, I cannot begin to eat it all, and of course, I am not doing the meat at all, so I pile a plate with tons of food and take it to my boys. They all smile and tuck in, calling me “Mom”. It is so funny to hear them all go, “Thanks Mom!!”. Of course, I answer with, “Who is your favorite teacher?!” and they all cry out, “Anna!”. J J Hey, I have to do something to make sure they don’t forget me!!
After lunch, Marie-Noel, one of the violinists in the camp, shows up with her SUV and Robert, Bernard, Cynthia and I pile in for a trip to the mountains. I am so ready for this! I need to get out of Port Au Prince, and since everyone keeps telling me that much of Haiti is not like what I have seen, I am anxious to see it for myself. Poor Robert is really sick, but he comes along, being a good sport. As we twist and turn up the curvy, narrow mountain road, I am constantly throwing my hands over my eyes. Marie Noel laughs and says that she is an excellent driver. I explain to her that it is not her that I don’t trust….it is the other drivers!! Every time we go around a curve, there is a truck or tap-tap in our lane headed straight for us!! They always swerve over just in the nick of time, but it is highly nerve-wracking!
We stop at one point, hoping to see a small museum, only to find it closed. Instead, a guard gives us a tour of a tiny zoo with one crocodile, one monkey and a bunch of chickens. He gives Cynthia and I giant flowers to wear in our hair and we pose for pictures with them before giving them to members of the staff that have shown up in another van. Somehow, these beautiful young Haitian women look completely natural with giant flowers in their hair, while us ‘blanc’ look a little silly. J
As we are leaving the zoo, we get swarmed by a bunch of men that have souvenir stands across the road. One man approaches me with two big machetes and I laugh, trying to explain to him that it is not the best way to approach a woman!! I also explain that I cannot carry a machete on the plane home and finally I accompany him to his booth to see what else he has. After some bartering, we all leave with a few small things, enjoying the process immensely.
Our next stop was a giant fort up on top of the mountain and after much negotiation with a local young man, they forced open an old wooden door so that we could go inside. I think he worked there. I hope he worked there!!! Walking around was really neat, and there are 11 giant cannons at the top, all pointed out around the fort. There had been 12, but the earthquake had done a lot of damage up here and one had fallen to the valley floor below. We had picked up several small children at this point, and I had a great time taking their pictures and showing them to them.
Finally it came time to make our way down the mountains. Bernard had noticed a wood worker on the way up and was hoping that he was still there, on the side of the road so that we could stop and see his work. As luck would have it, not only was he still there, but the building he was working next to was his workshop, so we stopped in to see what he had. As we walked down six steps into the dark interior of his shop, you could smell dampness and wood, lots and lots of wood. As my eyes became accustomed to the dimness, I saw that there were life size carving of men and women all around me. They were stunning. Here we were, in the middle of nowhere, and here was this little tiny old man, and this was all his work?! As we wandered through his workshop, each thing lovelier than the next, I knew that I would love to have something to take home. I looked and looked. Everything was gorgeous.
And then I saw her……
About a foot and a half high, a woman playing what was unmistakably a bass. Ok, well, it kind of looks guitar-like, but it is as tall as her, and she is standing to play it, so in my book, it is a bass!!!! My hands were actually shaking as I took it to him to ask him the price. I didn’t have much money with me, and I was sure that I couldn’t afford it. As Marie-Noel bartered with him in Kreyol, the others were whispering that they would loan me the money if I wanted it. I had approximately $40 on me. When Marie-Noel turned to me and said “1,350 gourds”, it took me a moment to realize that that translated to about $30! I couldn’t believe it!! The next thing I knew, he was counting out my change, chiseling his signature onto the sculpture and posing for a picture with me!! I am so happy!!!
The day ended with us all going to a nice restaurant, Middle Eastern, as a matter of fact. Who knew that you could get hummus in Haiti! J Pere David joined us and we all sat around laughing and enjoying bottles of wine. Bernard leaves tomorrow morning and my time here is quickly coming to an end. I know I should be sad, but for now, I am too happy. J
Bonswa,
Anna
We’re Gonna Dance Upon This Earth! |
