I’m In My Happy Place

Ah Haiti….Ah HATS…How can I ever express to you all how happy and blessed I am to be back? There’s nothing like the feeling of coming home. I truly do feel at home here, and I’m learning so much with every visit, and I’m gaining more and more confidence with each year.

It took no time at all for the kids to warm up and shower us with hugs and requests for “See my Playmate,” and “Criss Cross, Apple Sauce,” and games of “What Time is it Mr. Wolf?” and of course with Heather,” Jose’s Hair Salon” is always open. I love these kids with all my heart, and as my friend Julie remarked on Facebook, I’m in my happy place. As you can see, the kids are growing so much. JJ is now proudly taller than me, and Dieunel is well on his way, thanks to the good nutrition and love they receive here at HATS.

JJ taller now

Dieunel is catching up

Loving Friends

Jose and Beate

Speaking of gaining confidence, when someone had to pick up Luckner’s children on Sunday, that someone became me!!! Yes, Karen trusted me to make the short drive to his house all by myself. Actually JJ came with me, and good thing, because I missed both entrances to the neighbourhood and had to turn around. Sounds easy? Well, with Tap Taps flying down the road loaded with people and bagay yo (things), and motorcycles passing on the right and left, and bicycles, and people, and kids, and goats, and horses, and chickens on the side of the road, one has to have 360 degree vision. I kept reminding myself that, if I can handle a 5 lane highway at 120 km/hour, then surely I can handle this short trip. I felt like a 16 year old who was just given the family car for the first time: both exhilarated and scared to death that I would smash up the one and only family vehicle!!!! I’m not sure if I’m ready for the trip to St Marc quite yet though! Give me another 8 years and maybe????

I got the car!!!

I’ve also mastered doing the payroll…so, pay attention: the 100 Haitian Goud bill has to be counted as $20 in Haitian Dollars (not same, same), the 1000 gouds as $200H, the 500 as $100 and so on. If 100 Haitian Gouds have a value of $1.50 USD , then it is converted in Canadian which is $0.77 USD…But the value of $100 Haitian Dollar which is changed from the Haitian Gourde is at a rate of 5 to 1…or wait, is that 1 to 5???? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…..So IMAGINE this: We get donations from wonderful Canadians in Canadian Dollars…Dickie (our amazing treasurer), sends it to the bank in St. Marc in US funds. Then Karen gets it from the bank in Haitian Gourdes (yes, she has to keep track of that exact daily exchange rate), then the employees, food, expenses etc. get paid out in Haitian Dollars (remember not the same, same as Haitian Gourdes which is the printed money), then she has to write a report each month (as we are a registered charity) which accounts for every single penny spent and received with all of the conversions and exchanges AND it has to BALANCE!!!! Give me another 8 years and maybe?????