An unexpected end.....

Like this demonstrator, you too might eat grass if you were going hungry due ever-rising food prices and extreme poverty.

I write this post from the good old US of A---where I can afford to eat (maybe too much) and don't live in extreme poverty. I sit at my desk, in my nice swivel chair, in my cozy apartment-- and reflect back on this past week. As you can tell, my stay in Haiti was cut short.

The people of Haiti have been hungry for quite some time. I can remember when I first arrived in the country, I was quick to pick up on my first phrase in Creole-- "Mwe Grangou," or "I'm hungry." My teachers were street children, hoping that the white "blan" (me) would have pity on them and supplement their meager diet of rice and the occasional "dirt cookie." With rising world food prices, many countries are facing similar crises. Sometimes the only way people know how to react and be heard, is through violence.

Last week, the people of Haiti reacted--and the situation came a little too close to home. Here are some snipets from my last week in the country.

During the days leading up to the unrest, we could tell a storm was brewing, as traffic on the roads was at a minimum; people were scared to be out. When we left for work Tuesday morning, the streets were especially bare and lifeless. The kids' school had also been shut down.

But we continued to the office. The tension in the air was masked by our own false sense of security. Little did I know it would be the last time I would make that trip to the office or see all my wonderful Haitian co-workers and friends. We went about business as usual--with the exception of a mandatory safety meeting for all IDEJEN staff where we discussed "silly things" like contingency plans for emergencies, telephone trees, and food storage.

Just after the meeting ended, we heard screeching brakes, blazing horns, and revving engines from the cars outside--all too eager to "get the heck out of there." You see, a group of rioters from the large slum above our office was getting ready to storm Petion-Ville (this was a first for the area). From the roof, I caught some of the action (slightly resembling the scene below of protesters ransacking the streets of Port-au-Prince). The road in front of our office unfortunately turned into one of many thorough-fairs for frustrated protesters--many of them fitting the IDEJEN clientele to a "T" (out-of-school youth with no alternative outlets in life).

At the sound of gunshots, I was kindly advised to go downstairs where the walls were at least enclosed. We were smart enough to take down the "USAID" and "IDEJEN" logos from the front of our office building. The other EDC office in Petion-Ville was not so lucky and received some damage from looters. Just after 3pm, we got word that streets were clear enough to make a run for it. We jumped in the car, buckled up, and sped home hoping for the best. The debris-filled streets were abandoned except for masked UN troops and the occasional local passerbyer, left staring at the mess in front of them and at the other fast-moving SUVs that were carting "very important people" home to their safe havens. We were lucky to only encounter a few minor road blocks such as big metal objects or dumpsters that had been thrown out in the middle of the road.
Here are some scenes from the week.....

The Presidential Palace and the surrounding areas of downtown Port-au-Prince were primary areas for protests. By the end of the week though, the scene had cleared up and rioters retreated for the time being.

Just two days before the chaos erupted, I decided to go out with a few other people from USAID on a mini "tour" of some downtown historical sights. (Great timing right?)

Looking back, I feel very lucky to have been able to see what I did, when I did (and come out of it okay).

The Presidential Palace----two days before the riots.

This statue was one of my very favorites. Although it represents a brutal period of slavery in Haiti's history, it also seems to symbolize triumph in the midst of struggle and hope for something better. The statue is equally beloved by many Haitians. It used to be a vivid gold color, but the government decided to paint it black (why? I don't know). Haitians were completely outraged and organized a protest, believing that it was a different statue all together, replaced by some government conspiracy of sorts. In order to set the story straight, the government removed a portion of the black patina on the foot--just enough to show the gold color underneath. The people were appeased--"their" statue was still there! Today you can see that bit of gold showing through on the foot.

It's supposedly good luck to touch the golden toe!

So my friends, what did the rest of the week entail for me??? This picture below pretty much sums up my little world from Tuesday through Saturday.

I've got two words for you: "Lock-down." Tuesday, the US embassy and State Department sent all employees home and all other Americans were advised to remain indoors. So we waited, listened to the radio, watched the news, and waited some more for the President to address the people. He didn't. So by Wednesday, it was more of this....

By this point, I got to know my room and house very well. I became especially grateful for a few key things: my full-sized bed, my never-ending supply of vitamins, internet connection, and a power outlet that still worked during peak hours of the day. I also became quite fond of the sunlit trees that I could catch glimpses of through my ground-level, non-barred glass doors with the broken screen (one suddenly becomes aware of minute details like these when unrest emerges and personal safety becomes an issue).

Since I could no longer go out and walk on the street behind the apartment, I resorted to walking the apartment stairs (as my daily reward). Up and down. Down and up. One stair at a time. Two stairs at a time. Fast. Slow. My legs and "derriere" have never looked so good.

On Wednesday, the President spoke and basically called for a more "long-term" solution to Haiti's food crises. Yes, a very valid point-- I'm all about sustainability. But this is not what suffering people want to hear now. The unrest continued on through Thursday, and we stayed indoors again. Outside, the sound of gunshots and blazing helicopters overhead kept me constantly reminded of the volatile situation and the hungry people that were in our immediate vicinity.

Meanwhile, I looked at my own little cupboard of quickly diminishing food supplies, and planned out how many days I could survive off of canned beans and tuna, some cereal and almonds, two dark chocolate bars, and yogurt. Oh, and some lettuce and two hard boiled eggs. And then there was my prized possession: a package of frozen vegetables (szechuan sauce included). I decided I'd better eat the perishables first in case the electricity supply gave out all together. (Side note: having food storage is not for "woosies" anymore. I will never"poo-poo" the concept of food storage again).

In the meantime, we kept ourselves busy. Besides working on project reports, I thoroughly enjoyed learning how to prepare and eat duck for the first time.

There was not a lack of bloody duck juice to go around for everyone. Sany is a master at preserving every last edible part of any creature. Nothing goes to waste.

The kids struggled more than the parents.....being cooped up for a week is no fun. Here, Nakati poses for the camera and I quote her, "I am so beautiful."

The littlest one kept himself entertained by fun things like push brooms and garbage cans with flip lids.

Thursday was much of the same. More of trying to stay sane and calm. By this point, I was contacted by my university and asked to leave the country ASAP. Now don't think the idea hadn't already crossed my mind. The problem was finding a window of opportunity and relative safety to leave the house and get to the airport. I contacted the US embassy and was advised to stay put indefinitely. By Friday, the scene had cleared up a lot and protesters had retreated. Our trusty driver, Stanislaus, said that this is very normal for Haiti. Everybody has to have a break--even in times of war. He said that Haitians are just used to it now. One day things will be completely fine, and the next--it's every man for himself.

We were able to make it to the store and back to stock up on all the essentials. I hastily filled my cart with PLENTY of food storage and Diet Coke to last me a month. Little did I know it would be my last day in the country.

EDC was great and somehow managed to get me on a flight out of the country the next morning. Roads were predicted to be clear in the early hours, and so I quickly packed my bags and hoped for the best. I said a hasty goodbye to my beloved roof with the view and my wonderful "host family." The roads to the airport were clear the whole way and I just barely made it on to the 9am flight to Miami.

It was a very bitter sweet feeling to have to leave. I was grateful to get out when I did, but sad to be uprooted so abruptly from a place that completely captivated me and a people that I grew to love so much.

Stay tuned for more posts as I make some final updates of my Haitian experience.