Bang! Bang! Bang! “Who is there?!” "OPEN THE DOOR!" Bang! Bang! Bang! Music. I started tapping my foot. No one hears. “Wake up!” And I’m up. The mosquito net blocks me. I call out for help. Luckily, I have encountered such wonderful people because my roommate hears and answers my call like a vocation. She answers the door... the day begins.

Awake for now, we enter the room for breakfast. Eggs, and some bread. Some people made Nutella sandwiches like CHILDREN. Breakfast went smoothly, as I suspected. We then went to the nice lovely biblioteca -with air conditioning. ;) On a real note, we had a lovely talk with a Haitian gentleman. We then had Mass, which was amazing and lovely. Now I’m handing the computer to Davis to talk more about the Haitian gentleman.

Caleigh

Anyways... time to lock in. A man named Wendy, a Haitian-born Dominican, and human rights activist, came to illustrate the history of Haiti for us. He discussed the generational trauma that the country has undergone, which stems from European colonization. He told us of Haiti’s "7 Demons": Spain, France, the Catholic Church, the US, the European Union, IMF (International Monetary Fund), and the Duvalier Dictatorships. All these entities have continuously exploited the country for money and dehumanized its people.

Haiti carries these generational wounds today as it struggles to establish stability and safety within the country. However, they persist with optimism, friendliness, and profound faith. Time to unlock. Passing it now to Blessing, who will “bless” your eyes with her reflection.

I’m going lock in like Davis. The talk was truly impactful. It was powerful how Wendy emphasized forgiveness and how it’s the next step when it comes to Haiti healing from its wounds. What stood out to me the most was his talk about the different patterns of colonization and how they can hold a country back. For example, he compared the way France colonized Haiti to how Spain colonized the Dominican Republic, and how these histories of colonization have contributed to the division between the two countries. In language, in culture, and in beliefs. This reminded me of my dad’s home country, Cameroon, where a similar conflict is happening between the Anglophones (English-speaking) and the Francophones (French-speaking). The whole conflict is based on what was left after colonization that led to cultural differences that have led to division. This talk helped me realize that true progress and healing come from unity, and that building unity is difficult. But still, it is the only option and way forward. Anyways, on to Talya who’s talking about the Broncos rn.

Some people didn’t follow the phone cleanse (the boss) when they said they did, but we will forgive them for today. 😉 The speech was fire and my perspective was broadened: “67 to 1666!!!!!”

“Saludos!”

“Como estas,” says the random lady at the table.

“Buuen”

“Bien”

“Bueen”

“It’s Bien”

“Bien”

When we were getting ice cream, I got to have a small conversation with a Dominican lady. It was very short, but it was fun getting to talk the language.

It was experiential to immerse ourselves in the community via an excursion into the city. We saw some scenic views of the whole city from the top of The Monument. There were a lot of stairs. Our sanity may be starting to leave...

 

Consumerism is real,

Los Amigos