A long time coming, I know

Hello all!

Sorry it's been so long since my last update. We're in the rainy season & it's been tough to cross the river to get to the internet café.

I have a lot of photos to post today so I've made a separate entry for Jay Michel's wedding & the new school... See them below.

The kids are on summer break so they are keeping me busy playing marbles, elastics, casino (card game) & pretty much anything else that involves me & 30+ kids :) My first few weeks were a bit tough adjusting to the heat, food, language & culture but I've been sleeping much better & so far no Haitian Happiness! I'm back into the swing & I feel very much at home. I've been getting lots of email about what my regular day is like. Everyday is different but here's what I did the last few days... So you have an idea.

Monday:
5am - wake up for morning prayer/singing
6am - weed & water garden w/ kids
8am - eat breakfast w/ Pastor Luc
9am - Kreyol lesson w/ Manno
10am - laundry... Haitian style
2pm - finally finished laundry & my hands are raw :)
2:30 - back to Pastor Luc's for more food
3pm - cooking school
6pm - school finished & hanging w/ the kids
8pm - a quick visit w/ friends @ Jay Michel's house
9pm - evening prayer/singing
10pm - bedtime

Tuesday:
5am - wake for prayer/singing
6am - back to bed :)
7:30 - breakfast w/ Luc
8:30 - gardening
10am - English lessons for the little guys
11am - English lessons for the bigger of the little guys
Noon - help prepare food for the kids (cooking for 100 kids takes a lot of hands)
2pm - watch the older boys play soccer with a neighbouring town
4pm - eat w/ Luc
6pm - English lessons for the oldest kids
8pm - a long walk in search of someone who still has some cold water for sale... It was a long, hot day
9pm - evening prayer/singing
11pm - bedtime after a long chat w/ the older kids

For those of you are disappointed I haven't written about any embarrassing moments yet... I fell as I climbed down the bank to cross the river this moment! The cyclone that passed Haiti flooded the river and cut into the bank, leaving it really steep. Oh yeah, and standing in the back of a pickup truck with a skirt isn't such a good idea... Sitting is a much better idea.

Thanks to my parent's amazing care-package I'm planning to spend the next few days locked in my room reading the new Harry Potter book and eating tuna :) Unfortunately nothing happens as planned in Haiti so I'll probably end up starting the book on the flight back to Canada... In 11 months...

Thanks everyone for the emails, phone calls & AMAZING support!!!!

Jay Michel's Wedding

They went all out! I was amazed at the preparation they put into it & really it wasn't that different then weddings back home. It started in the late afternoon (I've given up keeping track of the time... I just wait for the music to start for church or the kids to tell me I'm late for something) and the flower girls led the wedding party down the isle. After a few songs & some words from Pastor Luc the new couple had their "first" kiss and we headed upstairs for a reception. I can't describe the food, you'll have to check out the pictures below. They spent days preparing the food & fattening up the goats. The chef who prepared the food is also my new teacher. I had a great time but I was blown away with the effort they put into this wedding. I asked Pastor Luc after if all weddings are like this & he said no... Jay Michel pulled out all the stops this time.

Sorry these photos are out of order... the internet connection is really slow & it won't let me rearrange them!

The new garden

The garden today...



How it all began...






"Making" the seeds....