Yesterday I went to a part of Port-au-Prince called Delmas to find a guy up on a hill to give me a Thai massage. My ill health and distress gave me so much tension that I got an awful, immovable headache, which I could see past. I knew I needed someone to pummel my neck and to relax for a moment. Today I feel like a new person! Headache is gone! I am in such a good mood, and able to think through my issues here a lot more clearly! The experience of finding his house was amazing too. I was on the back of a motorbike, with my preferred driver Jean-Claude, and we drove round and round for ages. We ended uo in a really nice, rich area, where one house was completely flattened by the earthquake.. I tried to imagine it happening and hoped the house had been empty when it collapsed. It was a really nice house, kinda 1970s James Bond lair style, in a nice area... The earthquake certainly did not discriminate.
We continued driving up a dirt, very very steep track and quickly ended up in an area of slum-like cement houses, where a little bunch of outhouses proudly displayed the stickers of the Irish NGO GOAL. We went up and up and up, willing the motorbike forward, stopping to ask for directions every few minutes, until we got to the top and found the house. Daniel, the masseus, a really nice, gentle guy who has lived in Switzerland for the last 20 years was waiting and i spent one of my favourite hours here in Haiti, clearing my head of all the millions of thoughts, relaxing my muscles and healing.. It was great :)
I have been given permission to stay at the hospital in one of the volunteer houses for 2 weeks, during which time I will search for a room to rent. My only problem is financial. One thing is clear to me right now, i cannot, for my health and sanity stay in the office. It made me sick and I feel so uneasy there. But I so so so so so want to stay in Haiti!!!! I need to find a way.
I had a wonderful meeting this morning with one of our students, who is studying development studies. He has all these amazing ideas to help Haiti, to develop the country starting with the environment. I'm looking forward to seeing him work on those ideas and am so pleased to be able to help him to help his country.
Here are some pictures of the cathedral:
We continued driving up a dirt, very very steep track and quickly ended up in an area of slum-like cement houses, where a little bunch of outhouses proudly displayed the stickers of the Irish NGO GOAL. We went up and up and up, willing the motorbike forward, stopping to ask for directions every few minutes, until we got to the top and found the house. Daniel, the masseus, a really nice, gentle guy who has lived in Switzerland for the last 20 years was waiting and i spent one of my favourite hours here in Haiti, clearing my head of all the millions of thoughts, relaxing my muscles and healing.. It was great :)
I have been given permission to stay at the hospital in one of the volunteer houses for 2 weeks, during which time I will search for a room to rent. My only problem is financial. One thing is clear to me right now, i cannot, for my health and sanity stay in the office. It made me sick and I feel so uneasy there. But I so so so so so want to stay in Haiti!!!! I need to find a way.
I had a wonderful meeting this morning with one of our students, who is studying development studies. He has all these amazing ideas to help Haiti, to develop the country starting with the environment. I'm looking forward to seeing him work on those ideas and am so pleased to be able to help him to help his country.
Here are some pictures of the cathedral:
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