Sometimes when you are traveling, plans change, and if you go with the flow, interesting things can happen- yesterday was one of those days. I was glad to stay at the hotel with Neil while he got over the stomach bug he had. I was expecting a day focused on rest and recuperation, but Neil started to feel better around 9am, so we ended up having a great conversation instead. Around lunchtime we called Moises, our liason at the Good Samaritan General Hospital, because we were ready to work. He sent us to help a group of Americans and Haitians who were assembling food donations raised in the Dominican Republic. That evening the group was going to make the 12-14 hour drive to Port-au-Prince where they would distribute the packages to individual families: each package contained 2 bags of pasta, 3 bags of corn meal, 2 cans of sardines, 2 cans of vienna sausages, and about a pound each of rice and beans. Included in the group of volunteers was a woman named Natasha. She and her teenaged cousin had the opportunity to come to the D.R. through the help of American Baptist International Ministries because her cousin needed medical care. They lost their home in the earthquake and her cousin was injured by barbed wire that pierced his side. Natasha is staying in La Romana until she can figure out how to rebuild her life in Haiti, but she goes back with the group every Saturday to distribute food and medical supplies. She said that the Domincan Republic has been doing a lot to help people in Haiti- I know that hasn't been every Haitian's experience, and that some have been turned back at the border, but it was good to hear that she had a good experience. A couple other observations: La Romana is the site of the country's largest sugar refinery and it has a strong presence in the city, as it releases a thick, black billowing smoke several times a day. When we arrived, the whole city smelled like burnt sugar. Also, it was really cool to see MB students learning how to take blood pressure yesterday, a skill that many learn as first-year med students. I would love to write more but we are off for a full day in the bateys. I am sure we'll tell you all about it!
Marcela D. Hi everyone (to those that know me and those that don't)
Quick introduction, I was a leader on last year's trip, but now am a freshman at Northeastern. This trip is one of the best I have ever been on and I hope you will be able to come back and say the same.
I hope everything is going fabulously. I am sure it is because you all are amazing people, again sorry for those of you who do not know me, but I know that if you are from Moses Brown and are spending your spring break going on this trip, you truly are amazing people.
I read a previous post about someone saying "You will not come back the same," or something along those lines. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. This trip changed me and changed my career path (slightly).
Please take lots of pictures and observe and talk to the natives, even if you don't speak spanish, and talk to the translators and put yourself out there to learn and understand. From experience, I know that the memories may fade, but the pictures will preserve your memories. So even if you feel odd taking pictures, just do it anyways you will be so happy in the long run.
Also, become a little family. The closer you guys are to each other, the better the trip will be, I promise you.
Ok seeing as this comment is a very long one, I will end it by saying enjoy this trip, you may or may not get another experience like this, and this is one that you will have with you for the rest of your life. Make the most out of it.
Love,
Marcela (ps hi to everyone that I do know!)
pps. have a chocolate croissant for me from Trigo (shyloe)