Moving in!

So the time has come my friends....to leave the walls of luxury and move into our new apartment! Here we are getting ready to load em' up (that's Melanie, my supervisor, and her son Amani---my new surrogate brother, for the time being).

I bid farewell to the pool and to the warm, balmy nights dining by moonlight....
And to my new little friend here.....he is in the process of being adopted, so his new parents have to make frequent trips to Haiti to visit him until the paper work is completed. He is almost three years old, but looks much younger due to illness and malnutrition. He's doing much better now!
Hitting the road is one of my most favorite things to do. Especially when you can do it in style. I never cease to be amused by the various forms of transportation people come up with. In Haiti, this is the most common form---called "tap taps" (although this is not really an authentic one--but you can get the idea).

I'm guessing its because you 've gotta bang on the roof (or give a little "tap") to signal to the driver up front that you want to stop. That's my best guess.
But it you're really lucky, you might get to ride in my new favorite form of transportation. They are more like pieces of art-work on wheels. All hand painted, mind you. (By the way, anybody know who "Pere Tantan" is?)
So we made a pitstop at the grocery store to stock up on some essentials. You know, camping- type food to get us by, until Melanie's shipment from the states (with plates, spoon, the basics) could be unpacked. Although we did hit up the super-nice, ex-pat store, we also stopped at this little joint to get beverages.

As you can tell, it was looking a little sparse. Sadly, this is the reality here though. Haiti has to import absolutely everything for the time being, and sometimes this leads to problems in the grocery aisles (by the way, there was no ice-cream in the ice-cream box, I had to satisfy my fix elsewhere).

So here we are entering my new neck of the woods. This is the view you see while driving down the road to our apartment.

While I was out walking here yesterday (it is safe right around my house--don't worry), I met up with some more new friends. Although they spoke Creole, and I spoke warped French, we still managed to communicate and have a good laugh. Honestly, I can still not figure out the head-water balancing act. Something to aspire to I guess.
The people here are definatley full of life and are so fun to be around (tip: if you want to make instant friends, show your camera to little kids. This group got the biggest kick out of having their picture taken. I think they thought they were going to end up in some American magazine).
Ok, so I've realized why everybody drives SUVs. It's out of necessity. The roads here are pretty rough--right by our driveway you will find not a pothole, but a large indentation in the earth. Trust me, this picture does not do it justice. If you get a running start, and the right angle, you can get over it pretty well.
It's people like these fine, young men who make it easier for me to sleep at night. There is an emabassy of somesort right by our apartment, so we get double-duty protection. I swear, more people find jobs here in Haiti in the security and personal-driver businesses than any other place I've been.

Home sweet home.

Time to unpack the shipment.....
Me and a local friend, Ketty, spent an afternoon helping Melanie tear into boxes and get somewhat squared away with the bare essentials (ie, the tv, large-stuffed dog, and decorative pillows). The lanterns and large water buckets would also come in handy, I would soon discover. Why might you ask? Although I got my own bathroom, it did not come with light, or a flushing toilet. Easily solved. Shower by moonlight, and dump a bucket of water down the toilet. Did you know it makes it flush?!!
For those of you who know me well, you'll understand the great joy I felt when discovering I had my own room here (what can I say, I like my space!) I do however get frequent visits from my newest pal, Amani. He's just starting to get used to me, and finds great entertainment in running in and out of my room.

This is the kind of shot you post when you know your mom is reading your blog. I've got a virtual pharmacy on my dresser--I wonder what the housekeeper thinks.
Behind our apartment, I've discovered "heartbreak hill." (picture does not do it justice). This is a great little spot to let out some of your pent-up energy. Try a couple of sprints up this bad boy and you'll be feeling if for a few days.

One of the hardest things for me here is getting used to the lack of physical activity in my day. Since you can't really go out walking around town, and are constantly carted from point A to point B (literally door to door) in a car, sometimes you just want to move. After several hill climbs, I also discovered "the stairs." I love em' and I hate em. But my newfound stairclimbing hobby did lead me to my most newest "find-"

The view on top of our roof...

I'm usually up here at sunset every day after finishing "the blessed stairs." It is the most incredible panoramic view....When I'm up here, everything is ay-okay.

Last, but certainly not least......here's a little introduction to the culinary adventures I am experiencing on a daily basis. Our housekeeper, Joanne, prepares dinner every night. When I say adventure, I mean it. But we all know, I'm not one to shy away from a new food. Here was her latest creation...

One question:

Why don't we use this little device in the States? I'm going to have to pick me up one for sure.
So I usually take whatever main dish Joanne prepares, and add some of favorite additions to make my infamous, "anything goes -in-or-out- casserole." Mix, and stir, and you're in for a treat. Here was my latest creation: "Goat Hash."

Goat Hash is an ingenious culinary innovation, and a new personal favorite. Watch out for hard pieces of bone and cartilage though.

Be sure to stay tuned next time for more recipes, tips, and lessons from the kitchen!

Thanks for coming along with me for the big move in. Coming next week (or whenever internet is good), a slice of working life and my trip around Port-au-Prince to visit our project's various youth centers within the zone. It was a rip-roaring, and very authentic good time!