1 year

Patrick and I on the morning of our departure to Haiti 10/28/2008

Exactly one year ago, Patrick and I stepped off the plane into hot, heavy Haitian air ready to start a new chapter of our lives. Today is our one-year-in-Haiti anniversary. In some ways, we feel like we’ve just started, in others it feels like we’ve been here for years. When thinking of what we were doing over a year ago--residency, living in Denver, stomping through snow, doing church itineration, pulling extra shifts at the psych hospital, packing up, living out of a suitcase, giving last hugs goodbye to family and friends--life feels like it has taken us millions of miles away.

Is it possible so much can be packed into a year? Learning a language, navigating a city, learning to drive shift, treading in a new culture, becoming a parent, trying, failing, trying again, laughing--so much laughing, crying, witnessing, observing and trying to tell the story as we go along. Its enough to make my head spin.

A good friend of ours in the school told me yesterday that my face had changed since our arrival. I found that to be an interesting comment. "Prettier or uglier" I teasingly asked. "More Haitian," was her reply.

Interesting to think that this year might already be read on my face. Sure I'm a little more tan than I was before, although my Irish complexion makes me more of a "wouj" (red). Maybe its resolve in my eyes, experience tinting my reactions, patience working a bit of relaxation through muscles that used to be hyper alert in ready-to-go-ness. Are the things I've seen treading the pools in my eyes? Marionnette-ing the expressions on my face and the way I move? Likely it was just V's way of saying we're one of the gang now. And I'm glad for the inclusion.

Certainly we are changed in a year. And I'm glad to be where I am now, some of the biggest hurdles behind us in this Haitian adventure. I'll never forget how alone one feels when finding yourself in a place where you can't speak the language, don't have a clear idea of the job you are expected to do, get lost going home from work, and don't know where to find a mechanic or a plummer. I'm glad that our feet are wet, our initiation over and the work underway.

What did I do on my anniversary day?

I got up early, made extra-strong coffee to shake the fogginess from my mind. I got in the Monty and drove to Carrefour for my clinic day. I sang out loud to music along the drive and was glad to see some of the trash from last week's rain being cleared with dozers and dozens of street workers.

Walking along the alley to the clinic, I passed a goat, hung by its neck being skinned and cleaned. I didn’t even dry heave. Last week it had been a pig.

I had a meeting with the Carrefour clinic staff about setting up a small lab there as they finally found a technician willing to put in hours sans pay for a little while. All were happy and energetic with the plans. We start next week.

The doctor there and I commenced to see a waiting room full of patients with the true family-practice array of symptoms. I saw my last tiny patient in the mid-afternoon, congratulating mom on a happy, chunky baby which is such a treat and a joy to see here. Great last patient of the day.

I drove to CONASPEH to pick up Patrick who has been solicited to teach more classes through the week and to commence on a physical education (basetball) class that will evolve into a school team. Go Coach P.

We came home this afternoon to a happy little face waving to us on our balcony, the happiest welcome ever. After taking Silvia home, we lit candles around the house since the electricity hadn't yet blinked on for the night. We then spent the evening playing with blocks on the porch with Mr. Solomon who was amazing us with his streaming baby talk, his incredible upper arm strength as he pulls himself up to look over the balcony wall (thank goodness for a higher wall iron lattice that will keep our toddler from tipping over for a few more months), his contagious giggle, and his fascinations with tiny ants crawling on the floor (picture baby sprawled out on his stomach tracing an ant's path with his pudgy finger). He tries to eat them, of course, but so far, the ants (and Mom) are a little too quick. :)

A year in a life. A big year. And tonight I set an alarm to wake me up for the beginning of the next.