Passenger landing in Miami rushed to hospital for cholera symptoms - USATODAY.com

Passenger landing in Miami rushed to hospital for cholera symptoms - USATODAY.com:

"American Airlines confirmed Friday that a passenger arriving at Miami International Airport Thanksgiving night appeared to be suffering from cholera and experienced symptoms during the flight, according to the Miami Herald."

École National Louis Borno de Léogâne | Schools for Children

École National Louis Borno de Léogâne | Schools for Children: "École National Louis Borno de Léogâne
May 28, 2010 at 5:31 am | No comments

The Lycée de Léogâne is one of the 11 school projects that the CEFPI/SCW team will be working on in partnership with the Spanish Red Cross. This is a brother school to the École National Saint Rose de Léogâne. The original school was destroyed by the earthquake. The school served 338 students.

This is the school where some of our donations will be going and where I (tried) to teach math and English.

If you click through you can see pictures of the site and a discussion of plans for a new school.

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Life in Haiti's Tent Cities | The Rundown News Blog | PBS NewsHour | PBS

Image via Wikipedia

Life in Haiti's Tent Cities | The Rundown News Blog | PBS NewsHour | PBS

Pictures are from a few weeks ago but VERY well done!

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• Haiti facts of the day (marginalrevolution.com)

Haiti Video

In late May 2010 I was fortunate to travel to Haiti to volunteer with HODR (http://Hodr.org/). It was 4 months after their earthquake and many generations into their poverty.

Clearly there are many difficult issues to resolve in Haiti. Clearly there is corruption. Clearly there are problems with NGOs. But in the end of the day, the most important thing in Haiti is their people. And they need a helping hand.

None of us can end the poverty nor the corruption. But we can make things a bit better. Be it through donating school supplies, teaching a class there, giving money, or removing a pile of rubble.

I would ask you all to do what you can. For more information see http://Hodr.org/, or http://JustRespond.blogspot.com/, or http://BonaResponds.org/

Investing in Haiti

This was written on May 29th.  I misplaced it and am just getting around to posting it.

As you know, Haiti is a tough place.  It is hard.  It is very hard.  hard in many ways.  It has been for a long time.  This was made worse after the Earthquake, but even before January 12th, it was a difficult place to live, study, or invest.  Now, almost five months after the quake it is even harder.   Many hundreds of thousands of people, the best estimate is 1.5 million,  live in tents, under tarps or sheets, or with family or friends whose homes were not destroyed.

Economically the situation is even worse.  Getting accurate data is difficult in Haiti, but by some estimates the unemployment rate is about 70%, half the population (from Alertnet) is living on less than a dollar a day (40 Goude) (on the streets today I paid 10 Goude for a large banana).  The highest estimate I have seen online of per capita GDP is $1,300 (for perspective the same US number is $46,000).   According to Wikipedia, 30-40% of the Haitian's government's annual budget is from foreign aid.   I could go on, but you get the idea, the Haitian economy is horrible.

A nation's economy is a funny thing.  It is the sum of all individual business enterprises, but the individual enterprises all interact.   In class this goes by many names (multiplier, contagion, etc), but the essential element is that no business is an island in and of itself.  In other words,  Company X depends on the employees of company Y to buy their product.  WIthout a healthy Company Y, company X then shrivels and dies as well.  WIth this in minds, as part of today's economic class, I invite you to mentally travel to Haiti, a land where the lack of plenty rules.

This mental trip requires you to imagine ou live in a tent in the middle of a Displacement Camp of 400 families.  The area is muddy.  You have one tent (supposed to sleep 3) and have a cotton sheet draped over the entrance as a slight reprieve from the 100 degree temperatures.  Mud and standing water are your constant companions.  Since everyone in the camp cooks with wood and/or charcoal and burns garbage, the area is always a bit smoky.  Solitude is a dream.  You have no electric, no running water, no bank account, no indoor plumbing, no indoor anything.
You share meals with whoever has enough to share, but most of the time you are hungry.  You never have quite enough to satisfy your growling stomach.   You survive in part on handouts from NGOs, in part from selling small trinkets at the equally dirty and muddy outdoor market.

Most of the town lives in conditions not unlike this. Take some time and imagine the feeling of hopelessness that must arise in this world.  You and everyone you  know are trapped in this world where economic prosperity is something you dare not even imagine.

You are not happy with the way things are and want to "better yourself."  But how?

What to do?  Many have started their own small, no microscopic, businesses; some sell bananas, others are walking pharmacies carrying large cones of pills of every variety from Amoxicillin to Viagra and everything in between.  Others who have the good fortune of having an old refrigerator (remember there is no electricity), open a "bar" that sells soda and beer from the side of the road.  Still others cook for others (the egg sandwich lady, the plantain woman, the Coca Cola man, etc). But seemingly none of them are what one in the more developed world would call economically successful. 

To continue this mental exercise try to rise above this conditions.  Go ahead and really try.  How can you do it?  Get a good job?  There are few employers.  Government jobs are either low paying, temporary, or go to official family and friends.  Get an education?  Good start but then what?  That is why 80% of college graduates leave Haiti for better opportunities elsewhere.  Have an idea for a new company?  a new product?  Who can afford it?  Where can you get the capital needed to start it when most are living day to day.  Need a location?  You don't even have a home.  Want to advertise to tell others?  There is no local paper, no local TV, and internet advertising might as well be something from another planet.

These are some of the thoughts that have been going through my mind for the past ten days as we have cleared rubble, taught in schools, and toured the city of Leogane.  I have to say it can be depressing to look ahead.  One feels trapped pretty quickly.

So when Wesley, who is one of the people who we cleared rubble for,  told me he was interested in starting his own business in order to afford college and to get ahead, it was almost my moral duty as a finance professor to help him develop his business plans.  And so tonight, we met and spent about three hours developing a business plan for his proposed photography business.  We discussed why people would want to invest (in order to make more money);  we went over capital structure, risks, rewards, and competitive advantages.  We spoke of accounting, taxes, marketing.  In short for three hours I felt as if I were back in front of a college classroom, but this time a grade was not at stake, but an economic life.

It was economic development taken to the ground level.  It is what Haiti needs.

Handouts not the answer, says Haitian filmmaker

Handouts not the answer, says Haitian filmmaker:

"If aid continued to be just humanitarian - rather than for developing a sustainable future - the billions of dollars being spent would weaken Haiti and have been wasted, he said.

''Unless we are able to reverse the kind of thinking [on aid], we're going to spend the whole $10 or $11 billions on nothing … Haiti will have very little left to show for it.

''As long as you keep [only] feeding people, you're not giving them work, you're not giving them changes to rebuild their life.''

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Haiti's Latest Problem: Clearing Away the Rubble - Yahoo! News

Haiti's Latest Problem: Clearing Away the Rubble - Yahoo! News:

"Eric Overvest, Country Director for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says the lack of multiple sites slows down the already slow debris removal process. 'There's been very little rubble removal,' says Overst, 'The whole undertaking and the plan requires government leadership. It requires a government that designs a plan and a strategy of how we want to go about this.'

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Haitian Gingerbread

One of my favorite foods (along with vegetable mash) was the gingerbread. Here is a recipe I found online. I will have to try it soon.

Missions of Love » Haitian Recipes: "Haitian Gingerbread – Bonbon Jenjanm




Here is a picture of the salesman who came every day at lunch.

Back from Haiti

I have several blog posts from Haiti to still upload (and in two cases even enter into the computer), but just wanted everyone to know we made it back safe and sound.

Matt Lundgren from SBU will be getting there today for about 10 days to keep the SBU presence alive.  He took with him snips (to help disentangle rebar), fly paper, liquid hand soap, green scrubbies, and sponges from the Allegany Park and Shop.  

Plus some more notebooks for the kids at the "Gutter bar"  to continue their art work.

I went to an art show...and liked it!

I am not a big fan of art shows. I am sure they are great. I am sure that many people enjoy them immensely and that they convey a side of human nature that I am missing. (Indeed maybe it is why I get people upset so much).

I think it is because I always have something that is in my mind more productive to do. Sitting and listening to music, or wandering around looking at pictures is a form of relaxation that I generally do not allow myself.

But today I went to a free art show that probably made the whole trip in and of itself.

It happened after a brutally hot day of rubble removal (the AM was possibly hottest it has been since we got here) in which we now have filled more than 4 large dump trucks of concrete rubble that has been painstakingly removed from the remnants of a house in which three people died in downtown Leogone.

The truth be told, in spite of the fact that it is somewhat fun to swing a sledge hammer, I am not a huge fan of doing rubble removal. Essentially it involves going to a site that previously had been someone's home or place of employment but is now a pile of large cement blocks and, by hand (remember there is no power and VERY little heavy equipment) systematically break the large chunks of cement into smaller cement chunks which can then be hauled off the site into a large pile to await removal by the UN or other contracted group.

In Haiti, you get all of that plus rubbling has the additional charms of being “one hundred and Haiti degrees”, dirty, dusty, and with an audience of interested bystanders, many of whom are all too glad to jump in and help in bare feet or sandals.

Consequentially we were all hot, tired, and looking for any solitude one can find in a small camp of 110 people as we loaded up the tap-tap and headed back to camp through the narrow (and exceedingly bumpy) streets of Leogone.

About a quarter mile from camp we pass what is affectionately known as the “Gutter Bar”. Typically there are a handful of volunteers whose jobs finisher up early at the bar as the tap-taps second trips are completed. Good-natured yelling typically occurs between those on the tap-tap and those on the two outside benches.

Today was different. Maybe it was because we were earlier than normal but in place of volunteers (I have never seen a local resident there), were the children of the bar owners-the very children we had played with and given notebooks, pencils, and crayons yesterday. I am not sure who saw whom first, but quickly they jumped up and down and held up their notebooks for the world (or at least one v ery small corner of it) to see.

After unpacking the tap-tap we headed down to see them. It was great. In addition to a cold bottle of “Limonade” the kids gave an art show of all of the many drawings they had done (interspersed with few repetitions of multiplication tables for good measure).

The show went on through each of their notebooks.  Some of the drawings were in pencil, others in crayon.  They showed pictures of flowers, cars, and even James Bond—OO7 himself and as they did they were each carefully say what it was in Creole to help teach some of their language to us.

Then suddenly the page turned and instead of saying anything, they just pointed and giggled. On the page was a colored picture of ….me. Adorned in my long blue pants and long sleeve yellow shirt that have become almost my trademark. Oh and they also gave me the honor of having a full head of hair.

After that the budding artists used my camera to take pictures (“foto foto” of each other) as well as of the volunteers who were by now coming in for anything cold (the camp has no refrigeration) prior to dinner. Additionally the artists' mom, dad, and grandmother came out and spoke for a bit thanking us for the supplies and getting into various photos.

It was one art show I would definitely not want to miss!

Sayings

I usually like cliches and trite sayings. They are a fast way to sum up much knowledge and understanding in a few short words or story.

I use them in class regularly. For instance when firms have less debt than financial models would suggest as optimal we often say they are saving for a rainy day.

There is one saying you hear regularly in the volunteer disaster response business that I am not particularly fond of: Paying it forward. It is particularly popular after disasters that occur in the Southeastern US is “Paying forward it.” I have never been fond of the saying as it implies one is doing good only so that if something bad happens to you in the future, you will receive help in return for helping others. (Sort of the reverse of an “eye for an eye.”)

That said there is undoubtedly truth to it, some volunteers, especially after a disaster but most likely even in everyday service do their good works more as a down payment for future help in the event of a disaster in their area or payoff (Karma, Heaven, etc).

This return on investment may very well be true, but it just strikes me as too much a tit for tat transaction.

I got thinking about it today when I heard the phrase mentioned. And realized that service also more earthly rewards too. And from that perspective, paying it forward is really just the “saving for a rainy day”.

For instance, much of my time on earth apparently results in making people upset. I often think that if I am good at anything, it is making people upset; from family and friends, to students and University administration my daily day is most generally equal parts apologizing (which are all true, I do not mean to upset people) and reangering.

This really is not a good character trait to have. It is time consuming and stressful. When in the regular daily grind I am convinced the single word I type or say more than any other word is “sorry”. From sorry I cannot make such and such event (family/friends), to sorry I am not able to help you (BonaResponds), to sorry I put the display where you did not want it (family/the stores).

Yoga and workouts are my drugs of choice to escape from this continual cycle. But often a more effective treatment is to mentally escape to a highpoint from a past event or trip where I made a positive difference and things seem much better.

So in this way of thinking, 'saving for a rainy day' and 'paying it forward' have a lot more in common than is apparent at first glance. And I may have to reconsider my prior aversion to the saying.

Today I made a deposit in that mental savings account that should help me get though
First with the work. That was good in and of itself, although by now rubble is rubble and the incremental impact of a single day of hauling may not be enough to get through oh say a faculty meeting.

Good and Bad

It is hard to describe Haiti in a few paragraphs. Indeed I think it is impossible to describe it. On one hand, Haiti is so poor that they do not have enough money to buy shoes or in many cases food, but at the same time, these are these same people will give you food or the shirts off their back to one in need.

It is a country of beautiful beaches and mountains that could rival Hawaii, but also of cities so dirty and grimey that they make the slums in many nations look like vacation get-aways.

We saw some of the worst and some of the best of Haiti today.

In the morning Lisa (a nurse from Iowa who is working at one of the many small hospitals that are trying to cope with the immense need for medical assistance that Haiti faces ), Carrie, and I ran out to the “beach” that is down some dirt “roads”. The beach was littered and dirty, the roads muddy, full of pot holes, motor cycles, wandering goats, pigs, and people busy fetching their daily water supply or headed into town. And yet the views from these roads would make into any travel magazine of fog at the bases of mountains after miles of green fields full of sugar cane.

The binary trend of good and bad continued during our workday. It was a new site and none of us, save for the team leader April, had any idea where it was. So when the tap-tap stopped in front of a huge pile that partially blocked the road we just assumed it was to let a motorcycle pass, but when the truck did not start moving again we were struck with the intimidating realization that we were in front of the job. “Uh, yikes” was the most proper response I can put on a family-rated blog.

The road was narrow and crowded with traffic of all manners of movement from animal carrying bananas to market, to gigantic UN dump trucks hauling away some of the massive debris piles that litter Haitian streets. In addition street vendors hawked their wares and long lines of school children walked to and from schools.

The building had been either two or three stories but it was flattened so completely that I am still not sure after spending all day working at it. Regardless of its number of stories, debris pile a thing of pure dread. From the front it sported a pointed roof that had previously adorned the front of the building. This peak held fallen and hung suspended over a three foot open sewer and jutted out at least a third of the way into the already tightly confined street. Under the pile were layers of thick concrete, cleeche, metal, remnants of its pre quake existence, and twisted metal with pointed edges to either cut or trip up the less than careful volunteer. Oh and to make matters worse there was no where that we could easily pile the debris. It was a nightmare job.

After taking stock of the enormity of the job and reminding each other of the dangers of the location (traffic and theft to say nothing of the fact that we would be swinging sledge hammers, pick forks, in close proximity and climbing over rubble with rebar),

But we jumped in. April correctly decided we had to clear the street before anything else could be done, so four of use took turns whacking away at the roof which proved much thicker and stronger than most. Others began to remove any loose rebar, some put plastic soda bottles over the exposed metal for safety, while others were on traffic detail.


So what was the good part? The family we were helping as well as neighbors, and sometimes just passers by often jumped into help. Robinson (a HODR volunteer from Haiti itself) arranged coconuts for us, we bought bananas, and many many people said hi and stood and watched for a time.

And slowly, inch by inch we began to make progress. It took much of the morning, but we eventually had the pile off the street and a new mountain of debris taking shape on a side street..

As the day wore on (and days of nearly constant sledge hammering and hauling do wear on), a glimmer of hope rose in all of the volunteers--”Maybe, just maybe, this can be surmounted”. “maybe we can do it.”

I hope the owners, neighbors, and passer-byes took home the same hope as they continued on their road of survival and recovery.

One more slab cleared

Mission accomplished and great job by all as Rubbling at Desiree was completed two days ahead of original estimates. This was accomplished under the wonderful leadership of Weston and a solid hard working team whose nucleaus was Westin, Sam, Flynn, and Jerry.

“So what?” some might say, “so what...it is one house. Hundreds of thousands of buildings were destroyed and you cleared the rubble from one relatively small house. Big deal.”

And you know what? They would be right.

Oh sure, the strict pragmatist would likely note that physically we moved tons of rubble. That for about six days crews of about 12 people moved wheel barrels of cement at a rate of about a wheel barrel a minute for six hours a day. That each barrel load had between 23-30 shovels of debris (Sam-who undoubtedly made the most trips to and from the pile was on the high end of the range). Or that in the end we left a pile of rubble that was 84 feet long and 8 feet high at its peak. Based on these estimates we probably moved somewhere in the vicinity of 160 tons of rubble to the street and pushed several additional tons aside. Which is alot but the family now has a lot, and not a pile of debris on their lot.

But who cares? There are 280,000+ buildings you did one. It is like killing mosquitoes by hand. You work and work to solve one problem mosquito and there are thousands of others out there. But that does not stop anyone from killing the mosquito that is about to bite him/her.

I can tell you who cares that this job was accomplished: Wesley and his family care. They were so happy that they could barely speak when we finished clearing the slab and after Jerry and I gave them two tents to start them on their road to recovery. They cared so much that they (who had lost everything and could not afford shoes, invited the whole team to eat with them.

Of course we said no. We could not possibly take their food, but after many requests we yeilded only to have our ride arrive and we had to get to another job. This was when Wesley immediately insisted on bringing it to the base after we were done. And sure enough about 3 hours later he arrived with food for us all.

In the big picture we finished one lot today, but to Welsey and his mom, we finished the most important lot, their lot. And they can not start their comeback!

Fast update from last night

Written night of Friday May 21, 2010

Short update

• Second highlight of the day today (the first being the trip to the two schools mentioned in the last blog post) was a story retold by Larry who was working on building a school. Classes are currently being taught in a tent right next to the new building. As Larry stopped to take a picture on his hi-tech disposable camera, one little girl was peaking through the fence. He asked her is that was going to be her new school. She responded very loudly, “YES THAT IS MY SCHOOL”.  It made me smile.
• Our team made much progress on rubbling today.  
• Of our group, Jerry and I are going back to the rubbling team and Larry is again building a new school. Carrie is gardening on the HODR site and playing with kids on site.
• The nightly meetings get long when there are so many volunteers. Today my phone went off. Given that only two people know the number I was really surprised and slightly embarrassed. Jerry knows the number and he was sitting next to me, and Wesley who bought the SIM card (but not yet the one needed for international?) and has been working with us clearing his house. He was calling to apologize that he had missed the afternoon's work and to share that his band (pre earthquake he was a college student and was paid occasionally to perform at local clubs). Partially at Kate's urging, the group had cut a new CD which he wants us to listen to.
• Thought we had the phone thing figured out, but not yet. (see above)
• Really bored at night. And night comes early here...gets dark at about 6:40...
• Very much untired. The combo of extra sleep and poor workouts have definitely countered the work and heat.
• Looking forward to a smoothie. I love beans and rice and probably not all that bad for you (could be worse). We often have salads but I am afraid to eat them.
• On our rubble crew today: a doctor to be from Texas, a chemistry professor (Jerry), a MBA (Carrie), a management grad from Texas A&M who just got admitted for an MBA at American University, two UNC students, a graduate from University of Florida, a history major from AZ, someone from South Africa, England, and Australia, oh and a FinanceProfessor.
• There should be signs everywhere in Haiti saying “It's the Economy Stupid” Jobs are the biggest need by several orders of magnitude. Without them, even if somehow all of the rubble somehow magically disappeared tomorrow, the majority of the people could still not afford to rebuild.
• Rained really hard tonight with more expected in the next few days.

Update:  rain stopped sometime after midnight.  Felt almost cool sleeping.  

Longer run this AM.  Running is not good here by any stretch.  That said, today was the first day I had seen any other runners (besides Carrie).  4 or 5 Haitians ran by the camp.

These are the times that try one's soul

These are the times that try one's souls.

Thomas Paine wrote those words at the nadir of the American Revolution when hope was almost lost. I do not know who the Thomas Paine is of Haiti, but I do think he would write that “these are the days that tried our souls, and we passed that test.”

I can not explain how bad it is here. And please understand that nothing I write is meant to make light of the suffering that people in the Gulf Coast went through, but only to try to give some perspective how challenging life is here.

Try to imagine life after Katrina with hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed, infrastructure demolished, and many businesses forever put out of business with accompanying job losses and financial hardships. Once you get a mental picture of how bad that was, raise it to the tenth power and you have post Earthquake Haiti.

After Katrina it was horrible that people had to live in FEMA trailers; here the lucky ones have tents. After Katrina there were debris piles in the streets; here almost everyone burns their garbage in front of their tents. After Katrina it was months before some areas had electric; here there is no central electric in most cities and almost no one has a generator. After Katrina people had to use port-o-potties, here many go in the streets. After Katrina it was hot and many people had no air conditioning; here it is even hotter and people do not have refrigerators, fans, or running water. Add to that an unemployment rate which by some estimates is as high as seventy percent, and you have conditions that really can not be all that much worse.

So the Haitian people have every reason to be down and miserable. But you know what? They are not. They are upbeat and resilient.

Today's best example is from when Wesley (whose family house is where we have been rubbling) took Carrie, Jerry, and I to his former school to donate some pencils, crayons, and soccer balls. The school building was destroyed and classes are being held in open sided tents with a board at one end.

In the midst of a rudimentary English class, math lessons , and repeated reminders on the importance of education, pure and utter pandemonium broke out during recess as we ran, chanted, and Carrie led them in the Chicken Dance. I doubt I have ever seen so many kids laughing and jumping and high-fiving (ok, really pretty low-fiving as most were pretty small). If you had seen them you never would have guessed that their country is in ruins, their families economically ruined, and that many of them lost family members.

Yes, these are the times that try people's souls, and yes Haitians have passed that test.

Back streets of Leogone

Recap:

Good day.  Jerry and I went back to the same rubble site we were at yesterday while Carrie went to a different rubble site and Larry helped rebuild a school.  All are good.

I have a small cut on the back of right leg were the pedal hit me when I layed the bike down today. It bled alot more than it hurt, but given the filthy conditions I really over cared for it.  the rest of the group, other than Carrie's sunburn are tired but fine.

While I could write a while on the work, in all honesty, there is only so much you can say about breaking up large chunks of cement into smaller chunks which are then loaded into a wheel barrel and hauled about 65 yards and dumped into a pile.  And yes the careful reader will note that 65 yards is 5 yards closer to the house than yesterday, which is a sign of progress.

So short version of work.  It was REALLY hot in the AM.  We were working flat out and would be taking water breaks every 20 minutes or so.  We made great progress at our site (Ruble Desiree) but to anyone else on the street would say there is a VERY long ways to go.  But baby steps.

Lunch time...Lunches are much longer due to the heat.  They typically last about 2 hours.  Today instead of eating Jerry and I got a tour of the city as we tried to buy Wesley new work boots and a SIM chip for our phones.   It will no doubt be one of the most memorable times of the entire trip.

It started when the three of us were dropped off downtown and ran into an entire elementary class walking down the street accompanied by their teacher.  After many "hey-yous" and high fives, I talked to the teacher and mentioned we had some soccer balls to donate if they would like.  He loved the idea and invited us to come to his class tomorrow.  So our rubble day will include a hour break to go speak with the class.  Ironically, as we were not very close to his house, Wesley had had the same teacher when in elementary school and he will accompany us (and line up either a tap-tap (a taxi that is a pickup truck with everyone in the back, or a taxi (which is a motorcycle), act as translator, etc).  I am really looking forward to it.

After leaving the teacher we went to track down a SIM card with very limited success, but we are getting closer. By the time we leave Haiti I am very confident Jerry, Larry, and I will have a phone that will work.

Then we went to the "market" looking for his boots.  I was almost speechless (no small feat for me!).  It was dirty with hundreds upon hundreds of small vendors selling their wares sometimes on a table, but very often laid out a blanket spread on the ground feet from mud, animal droppings, rotting food, and who knows what else.

We went to each of the maybe 10 shoe "stores" and I am convinced that the majority were selling donated shoes.  We struck out on actual boots but at least got him a decent pair of heavy hiking shoes.  (better not perfect...and still working on the boots--size 9 if anyone wants to donate to him).

We then took the back way to camp to try and catch lunch.  Sad.  Went by house after house that was collapsed on to itself with people living in tents in fields shared with goats, chicken, and an occasional cow.  The people were all very nice with many smiles accompanied with "Hey you" from the children and "Bon Jour" from the adults. This as the temperature hovered near 100 degrees with a hot sun hanging seemingly directly overhead.

When we made it back to camp, lunch was done and no food left (we've run out for each of the first two lunches so I guess I better get to lunch sooner!)  We then went to the famous street vendor (well famous in HODR circles) who goes by either the Egg Lady or Sandwich Lady depending on who you ask.  Jerry and Wesley had a egg sandwich (think eggs, with spices, hot sauce, and even ketchup on a sub roll).  I got back to camp and had a Zone Bar.  So not exactly (or eggactly?) a filling meal.

When we got back to the work site we we met with a passing rain shower that was truly delightful and we all enjoyed immensely as it temporarily dropped temperatures and allowed us to work for about 45 minutes hard without a break.

***work details left out for time***

After work I went biking.  This time I went in the opposite direction of yesterday.  Fun as all the kids yell "hey you" as you ride by.   Not the best workout however as WAY too crowded, WAY too bad of road.

On the way back as I was returning the calls of "hey you", I turned back to yell, and the next thing I knew I hit a ditch in the middle of the road and went over on my side.  Nothing serious but the cut on my calf bled quite a bit.  It should also be noted that as soon as I went down, I had about 15 Haitians come running to me aid.   Very nice.

*Tonight there was a HODR talent show at Joe's a Local bar. I did not go as I have no talents, was sure there would be smokers, and just did not have time.  It sounds (the bar is right next door) like they are having a good time AND with everyone over there the internet is a bit faster.  So a WIN-WIN!

* not tired, but very hungry.  going to try and find something before lights out.

more tomorrow...

Leogane with HODR

* Made it to Haiti with no problems at all.  Leaving the airport a couple of people wanted to help haul our bags etc, but very orderly and a very strong police presence....was really excited to be met by David Driscoll at Airport.   He is volunteering with HODR for a week after many weeks in Port au Prince at the University Miami Hospital.

* After leaving the airport the trip got MUCH more interesting.  Two drivers were needed to pick up Carrie, Larry, Jerry and I plus David and Caitlyn (a volunteer who arrived on the same plane as us.  She is from Columbus Ohio).   Jerry, David, and Larry went in one and the other three of us went in the second car.  The two cars separated and agreed we'd see each other again at camp in less than two hours.

We got a fast tour of the Port au Prince.  I really do not know how to describe it.  The damage is clearly EVERYWHERE.  From the palace to homes in the slums.  So many homes and buildings were destroyed that the exact number will never be known (estimate is about 280,000 but there is little doubt this number is at loose estimate at best. )

That said, what we saw was much deeper than the earthquake.  It was a people of great strength, but homed in a country with severe (and I can not stress severe strongly enough) economic troubles.  Mile after mile of people living in tents at best and in conditions that are almost beyond the grasp of a resident of almost anywhere in the developed world in 2010: no running water, no electricity, no plumbing, and roads that can only be generously called in horrific condition.

While the amount of damage varied a little from neighborhood , what seemingly was always the same were the poor living conditions.

That said, it was almost as if the people did not care.  While our car winded through the hills of West Port-au-Prince, we stopped twice  for small parades in honor of Flag Day (a national Holiday that Hatians treat much more seriously than the same holiday in the US).

Then we hit beach traffic.  As part of the national Holiday and incredible heat, beach going seems to be a popular thing to do on May 18th.  As the day wore on, more and more people were coming back and the already bad roads were clogged to gridlock, about 20 miles of gridlock!  A drive that google optimistically estimates to take about 40 minutes, took us (in the second car) seven (yes 7) hours!!!  It was quite an experience.  Seeing so many people walking,biking, motorcycling, and just sitting in cars.   We definitely saw a side of Haiti that few get to see.  (and all learned that " Alli Alli Alli" means Go GO GO.

Needless to say the others (at camp long ago--there drive took two hours), got worried.  But we had no cell phones.  After about 6 hours, the driver got a call from HODR making sure we were ok.  And we were.  I think we all fell asleep (bets are the driver too, but no one is saying)  and lost about 10 pounds of water through perspiration and breathed enough CO and sulphur to last the rest of our lives, but we all arrived safe and sound at about 10:10.

Which is 10 minutes after curfew so no lights, no food, etc.  Which made setting up a mosquito net on the top bunk all the more of a challenge.  Needless to say sleep came easy.

______

Today Jerry and I cleaned around the base (w/ Erica) while Carrie and Larry went to a rubble clean up crew.   The camp is kept pretty clean for over 100 volunteers.  But another lesson learned: do not clean the camp after Flag Day (which was a day off for HODR as well).

Then in the Afternoon we joined the rubble crew.    It was pretty hard and not nearly as fun as gutting.  Mainly because we had to haul the debris about 70 yards down the road.  That said everyone worked really hard under Jim (with Hair)'s  (NOT ME) leadership.

Really enjoyed working with some local volunteers as well.  Amazing stories and good  to learn about Haiti.  Wesley was one such volunteer (and about the first person I met who could carry on a full conversation in English!).  He was out working in sandals. So at lunch tomorrow we are going to buy him new boots (size 9 if you were wondering).

I hate to single out any volunteer, but I do think Larry deserves special mention.  On a day in the high 90s with a rumored heat index of over 110, Larry (a retired accounting professor from SBU) matched us all sledge hammer swing for sledge hammer swing.  Really a remarkable performance.  
------

 Short takes:

1. The big meal is at noon.  It is cooked by Venus (a local that HODR pays to cook).  Today I had rice with black beans and then rice with a red hot sauce with potatoes.  While probably not Dr. Fuhrman approved (WAY TOO HIGH ON simple Carbs), both were very good.  
2. Toilet facilities are bad.  You do not flush toilet paper AND a saying hung on the wall says much more that you want to know: " If it's yellow let it mellow, if its brown, flush it down."
3. Recycling does not happen.  Indeed garbage collection does not happen in most spots so everything seemingly gets burned.  
4. Pleasantly surprised by lack of mosquitoes (knock on wood)
5. Everyone seems to get along really well.  It is a veritable UN here (well except that we do not carry rifles when directing traffic that is not moving and yelling "Ali, ali, ali".  
6. Doubt I have ever drank more water in a single day (and that includes 100 mile rides in above 90 degree temperatures).
7. I have been unsuccessful at getting a SIM Card.  But still working on it.
8. Went for a bike ride after work...it was not much (roads are muddy, crowded, and too dangerous for a real ride,  but fun.
9. Can't upload pictures.  Will have to wait.  But have been taking many
10. Showers are "sponge baths"

More tomorrow

  


The

Packing etc for Haiti

Busy busy past week.  With graduation events, trying to get ready for the trip, collecting shoes, computers etc for Haiti, dealing with normal school stuff  (oh yeah and spilling gas in my car and a weird rash from working in Allegany State Park), have had zero time to prepare or pack, so today I will be running around like a chicken with my head chopped off.

Good talk with Andy Hartnett who was one of the original BonaResponders (Biloxi 2005) a leader on our big trip, and a great guy who just happened to be a finance major as well!   He gave me a better idea of what to expect etc as he just left HODR a few days ago to come to SBU for his sister's graduation yesterday.

According to Andy, internet access is slow and spotty at the camp but I will update this blog as often as I can when there.

Haiti contingent for May trip

Carrie, Jerry, Larry, and Jim will be going to Haiti to work with HODR. This blog will be the place to look for updates etc. Since it is not a SBU sanctioned trip (we learned our lesson last time!!!), no BonaResponds tools will go, no BonaResponds money will be used, and we will not use the BonaResponds website/blog for updates.

There will probably be another non sanctioned Haiti trip (not guaranteed yet) for the first week in August. Stay tuned.

Rambler - Journal of a helping grad student in Haiti

From the Texas-Wesleyan school paper:

Rambler - Journal of a helping grad student in Haiti:

"Wesleyan graduate student Angela Smith traveled across the Gulf of Mexico and into the Caribbean to render aid."

Brief video and article on her travels immediately after the quake:

"As we slowly made our way to the hospital with our supplies on the back of the pick-up truck, I saw helplessness, extreme hunger, thirst and despair, but not one act of violence.”

An update from Andy

Andy Hartnett Home (Andy Hartnett):

"There are many roles for anyone who cannot necessarily swing a sludge hammer all day. I have noticed that I am fatigued much easier than normal, I was not in the best shape of my life but I can definitely feel the effects of the heat and the diet. I spent 3 days on a rubble crew this week and 2 days on a project at another medical staging area building showers for them, We build 8 outdoor shower stalls with concrete bases and proper drainage. The rubble crew is nice as it is not only a good workout but a good interaction with the community as they typically like to assist, especially the little kids."

CIDA’s Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund: millions raised, nothing spent - The World Desk - Macleans.ca

CIDA’s Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund: millions raised, nothing spent - The World Desk - Macleans.ca:

"When I was in Haiti, a 19-year-old American in military fatigues showed up with boxes of latex gloves. His heart was in the right place, but he didn’t really know what he was doing and had a nervous breakdown after picking up an amputated leg when he was asked to clean a hospital’s waste-strewn yard. He went home the next day.

Some of us had a good laugh about the episode. But at least he accomplished something. He gathered dirty bandages and let Haitians know they mattered to him. That’s more than CIDA has so far accomplished with the more than $100 million Canadians have donated to its Earthquake Relief Fund."

Philip Kiracofe · Adventure Capitalist

Philip Kiracofe · Adventure Capitalist:

"Every night after dinner we have a group “meeting”—updates from the field, news for tomorrow, special items like “don’t throw TP in the toilet” and cleaning duty sign-up for the next day.

The St. Bonaventure gents also use this opportunity to share a nightly “Top Ten List” with the HODRers.

For example “Top Ten Things Not to Say to the Egg Sandwich Lady.”"

Haiti Update Day 5 (by Katie) « Philip Kiracofe · Adventure Capitalist

another great update! Be sure to read the whole thing!

Haiti Update Day 5 (by Katie) « Philip Kiracofe · Adventure Capitalist:

"I want to devote a special paragraph here to the gentleman of St. Bonaventure for providing non-stop commentary, singing, laughter, games and Michael Jackson squealing all day long. All day. The whole time. They are karaoke on wheels. Plus, Rob was suffering from heat exhaustion yesterday (revived by Philip’s Cytomax and Cliff Shots—TriLifers, roll your eyes here), and what I thought was a really subdued, quiet guy from a farm in upstate is now a singing machine. With Phil at the wheel, there are now scores of Haitian children running around screaming “Jamona” (a phonetic spelling of a Jackson exhortation). The Bona guys also taught them red-light, green-light and how to skip rope. You have these moments when your back is breaking, it’s ridiculously hot and you feel like you’ve pushed the wheelbarrow a zillion times—and as much as you want to take a sledgehammer and go John Henry on one of them, all of a sudden a little Haitian kid grabs his crotch and does a Thriller spin—with big, hairy Phil next to him and it’s pretty impossible not to smile through the sweat, sunscreen, and Deet. Again, that’s something I wouldn’t be able to bring to the table—I guess we call it a Team (Baby Jesus) for a reason."

Katie in Haiti update 4 « Philip Kiracofe · Adventure Capitalist

Katie in Haiti update 4 « Philip Kiracofe · Adventure Capitalist:

"But not to fear, Phil (the very large, hairy guy from Bono) had us singing in the tap-tap on the way to the site.

He and his two friends ran a car-wash at their school to raise money for their trip—which included a marathon singing of “Hey Baby, won’t you be my girl.”

So, at the top of his lungs, Phil belts this out (and also note that he knows all of the lyrics, including the “hoo” “hah” intervals) and of course we all join in.

Soon, all the Haitians we pass on the street are singing and clapping—and for once, they are all smiles when looking at us.

The ultimate moment though, was when we pulled up behind the Canadian military guys riding in their covered tank—and they start singing along too."

HODR group photo 1 march 2010

group photo 1 march 2010
Originally uploaded by Hands On Disaster Response

As one who has seen the battles some of you had to fight to go help, let me thank you! Thank you from the Haitians you are helping, but also for all of us here who need to be reminded that we do not only help when it is convenient and safe.

To donate to HODR, please go to HODR.org.

Watching the Gold Medal Game in Haiti and more

Sunday in Haiti is not a work day, so today the crew had a day off. Here is their email from today:


Another update from TJ, Rob, and Phil:

"First we will begin with last night: we all traveled to the tiki hut with disco ball and had some Colt 45s outta the can. (mMMMMMmmm America!) We danced the night away with a Haitian in a cowboy hat and taught him and his friends the fist pump (because Jersey Shore needs to be brought to Haiti). There was a black light, disco ball, and wild dogs and hogs running about... pretty much the Haitian version of Fosters (pigs included) (Fosters is a local bar near SBU).

We made our way back to base before lights out at 10 and had our way with a cornucopia of powerbars.

This morning, we rose to the sounds of 1000 screaming hens and roosters. The morning air was cool, and the smell of burning garbage was rich in the air. TJ, Rob, and Phil couldn't get on the crowded "tap-tap" to the beach in the morning so we decided to have a walking adventure around the city. It began on motorcycles where we learned that you can in fact fit 4 people on a bike. Then, we exchanged our US money for Haitian Gourds... WE ARE RICH MEN! We met up with the other Phil, his girlfriend, and Ben to wander about the city. We were greeted by a full petting zoo of pigs, dogs, a cat, roosters, and one cow. (E-I-E-I-O). Also, dogs travel in packs here!

We found a kid playing "Frer iz jac ah" on the trumpet and rob learned that is a french song :). We stopped at the Canadian Army base talking smack about the game tonight. Rob played Frisbee with some Haitian kiddos.

The other Phil got interviewed by a lady from Brooklyn (?) ..... Eventually we were nearing our base camp and stopped for some delicious Haitian style egg sandwiches. Little girls laughed at the tape on Rob's boot. Some other kids had a home made kite that hit us in the face. Then nap time!!!

We woke up (Phil, 4 hours later) and drew lots with the rest of the volunteers to go to watch the Canada/USA hockey game back at the Canadian base. BTW TJ is now the master of the tight rope/slack line. Rob and Phil went to the base for the game, TJ went to the beach.

At the base, we entered half way through the 2nd period. At the gate the soldier asked "Are you here for the game of hockey??" We had to watch in their mess tent which was like a sauna! Nothing like sweaty men and the coldest game on ice! After we lost in OT, the Canadians fed us hot dogs and all was well. As we boarded our "tap-tap" a group of the men shouted "Wait! you forgot your silver medals!". Phil road shotgun back to camp as people on the side of the road asked for the score :(.

During this time, TJ went on a walk with other Phil, his girlfriend, and the girl form India. They walked about 5 miles with everyone shouting "Blah" or something and were followed the entire way by small groups of children. Stopped by some German water treatment plants and made our way into an IDP camp and met some more Hatians.

After taking a left 2 more miles down the road TJ came to the beach. A young Haitian woman led us there. After arriving we walked down the beach where thousands of conch shells lay in walls protecting the houses from high tide. Fishermen were busy and a group of about 10 children were constantly asking for their pictures taken as they posed. (The Haitian Grandma was not afraid to get down to the birthday suit for a bath).

We made our way back, waving down a taxi that was a rip off but comparably still very cheap.

We all assembled on the roof to exchange our afternoon experiences and saw this as a sign to never split paths again. Who knows what this night will hold. All we know is that we are having pancakes for breakfast.

As for our appearance, Tj still looks like a skin head, Rob is rockin the rambo look(probably scaring the **** out of a lot of Haitians) and Phil reminds those of the seventies porno industry.

Until next time. (*****) Haiti chapter out!!!

P.S. Heard about Sister Margaret's letter about us that was sent to everyone. Better than making the notice board! Respect!"

The Letter from Sister Margaret (who is the president of St. Bonaventure) to which they refer went to parents of all students. The letter's purpose was to disown the trip and to say that the University did not sanction the trip. This view was why it was not an official BonaResponds trip and why we created of JustRespond for this and future trips.

Rob, Phil, and TJ's update

Image via Wikipedia

From Rob, Phil, and TJ (in Haiti)

...woke up at 6 to get to jfk and got through security with no problem...we enjoyed mcdonalds breakfast, phill ordered the wrong thing: mcgrittle with only sausage no egg big mistake...orange juice is a hit but no chocolate syrup :(

....flight was good, little turbulent at the end, we saw the USS Comfort! got off the plane, last...and was crowded by all the Haitians from planes, about 200 ppl, saw the 82nd at the airport, was really cool...

went down the stairs to lobby that it had many cracked windows and was greeted by a band of Haitians with an accordion, guitar, macros, a box, and a bongo. got on a bus further down to luggage pick up, biggest [mess] ever, no baggage claim belt, just a pile of bags in crowed hot huge room,

oh ya and Phil ripped his customs claim form in half, the Haiti customs woman was not happy...right away met Abner who also is volunteering, noticed TJ's HODR shirt.

Then we walked outside, we were in a gated area where many Haitians men were trying to get money from ppl and offer rides, found a guy with paper that had our names on it, singled to him we were the ppl, and he got our bags, we then made our way through crazy crowd and were followed by about a dozen guys talking to us about how they can drive us or carry bags. They were repeatedly saying "good service", eventually got in the back of a blazer and tried to pull out, but guys surrounded the truck, everyone screaming at each other: "good service" and "we share". They all wanted money, our guy drove away as fast as possible but only could go about 10mph and got rid of about half, got up to about 30mph where two guys jumped onto the truck hanging onto the front windows!

While us three are in the back and two guys in front driving, drove about 400 meters trying to get him off the car, and swirving traffic and other debris in the road, finally we threw him a twenty dollar bill and he jumped off.

We made the way through the city and through traffic with no road signs or lanes. 1 hour drive people running in front and cars basically hitting each other everywhere.

Stuff on fire everywhere--people just burning everything. Recycle club would not be happy. Wild goats , pigs, dogs and cows and chickens just walk around everywhere. Got to Leogane and got to our camp. Giant castle like fort with high walls, gated windows and such.

We had beans and rice and chicken for dinner. Camp right near canadian army camp. Hatian guards on at all times, eathquake plan in effect. TSunami warning? Till tomorrow- Rob , TJ, Phil

P.S. little Haitian kid played with giant knife on dirt pile while creepy smile on his face. This is why we have guards.

An interview on the eve of our trip

The following was done as part of an email interview for the BV. Jerry Godbout (JG), Rob Ryer (RR), and Jim Mahar (JM) were asked six questions.

1) I was told that you are going to Haiti to help out but the school has nothing to do with it, why didn't the school want to be involved?

JG: I'll leave this one for Jim Mahar to answer, but I will say that I hope this question gets posed to SBU administration.

JM: Let me start by saying that Haiti is a risky place. Haiti was poor and poorly run before the earthquake. Now conditions are worse. The University is worried about the risks of such a trip. Indeed I am too. The day I stop being worried is when I should quit doing this. I teach finance and a core part of what we do is risk management. Risk management is not necessarily risk minimization. It is deciding when risks are worth taking.

Everything carries risk. Whether it is walking across a busy street, driving down an icy road, or getting up for class in the morning. What we do carries more risk. To help people, some risks have to be assumed. Gutting houses after floods, cutting trees after ice storms, salvaging personal belongings after a tornado, or even working in poor sections of cities all carry some risks. We each have to consider these risks and the benefits we can bring to the situation.

Indeed, we did not go to Haiti after their floods in 2008-2009 because the risk/reward relationship was not slanted heavily enough in our favor to go. Now the needs are so great that we can provide exponentially more so we are going. The university, which by design must be more risk averse, is concerned with that part of the equation.

It should be noted that like looking both ways before crossing a street, we are taking many precautions. We will be sleeping outside, we will have safety gear, we have all had many shots, vaccines, and are on anti-malarial medications, we are staying with a well established group (HODR) and we will be careful to not put ourselves in risky situations.

And in the weeks that have followed the earthquake, I have spoken and emailed with scores of volunteers in Haiti and every one has been of the opinion that risks seen from a far are greater than that on the ground. Indeed, my brother Pat commented that the most scared he was on the entire trip was when sitting in the Denver Airport getting ready to go.

It is for these reasons while I feel the risks are manageable.

RR: I have the ability, and desire, to help those, who need help....why wouldn't I help?

2) Since the school did not back you on your plans to help out, what made you still want to do this trip on your own time?

JM: I can only speak for myself, but there was never a real question I was going. We all have to make our own decisions and all have diiffernet abilities and demands on our time, money, and resources, but for me, I knew from day one I had to go. I have the experience, the ability, and know-how to do this. Indeed, all of our group does. We can and will make a positive difference. I have absolutely zero doubt in that regard. It is the right thing to do. I do not think I could ever look myself in the mirror if I did not go.

And I really do want to stress that going to Haiti is not for everyone. I read, and agreed with parts of the US State Dept travel advisory that the administration forwarded to us. But the difference is that that was written for those who do not take precautions, who do not know who to help after a disaster. We have now responded to floods, fires, hurricanes, ice storms, and tornadoes. We will not be a draw on the local community. We will not be a nuisance nor in the way.

Just for an example, suppose the university had sanctioned this trip, I can only think of a few handfuls of others that I would be willing to take on this first trip. It is not the time or the place for a group of 286 volunteers at once (like 6 month after Katrina). I do think however that it is the time and the place for us.



3) When exactly do you plan on going to Haiti and what do you plan on doing there?

JG: We are leaving for Haiti on Friday, 26 February and expect to arrive in Haiti on Saturday, 27 February. We will leave Haiti on Saturday, 6 March.


4) Is there any specific goal you have to accomplish while YOU'RE there?

JG: Only to help as much as we can for the short time we are there.

JM: I agree with previous answer but for me, I have much more planned too. This is a long term recovery and rebuilding project. One of my goals (in addition to helping with the immediate needs), is to forge relationships that will be beneficial in the future. For instance, I have some people who are skilled solar power engineers and water purification experts who want to go with us on a future trip. Sure they can come and remove debris, but their skills are better used in other ways. I consider it my job to make sure those potential volunteers get to use their skill set to help Haitians. I want to meet people who need these services and find places to stay on future trips.

Additionally I want to be sure the donations we are gathering (tents, crutches) are being distributed as needed.


5) Is there any possibility of you being able to convince BonaResponds to accompany you on the trip?

JG: It is not a case of BonaResponds not wanting to go. Everyone going on this trip is an active member of BonaResponds and have been on several disaster response trips. BonaResponds is not going on this trip because BonaResponds is an official university group, and the university has not sanctioned this trip. Stated another way - "BonaResponds" is not going on this trip because "BonaResponds" was not allowed to go. The fact that everyone going on this trip is an active member of BonaResponds is merely a coincidence.


JM: no comment on this one...the above answer is very good

6) Are you going alone or do you have some other friends who wish to help out as well in Haiti?

JG: We (the six of us) are going as a group. We will be working with HandsOn Disaster Response, an organization with which BonaResponds and several SBU individuals have previously worked.


JM: I will also say that in way we are going with many many others. We are early volunteers in what will be a long term volunteer response. Like those who have gone before us to help, we will be watched closely. Thus, by being fortunate enough to go now, Jerry, Steve, Phil, Rob, TJ, and I gain the responsibility of being role models.

Like every early volunteer who has been working so diligently in Haiti to keep people from starving to death, we will be watched by those at home and at other schools, churches, and groups around the world. They will watch to see if we return home safely. They will listen to our stories to discover what they can do to help.

And while some will no doubt want us to fail, the much greater majority will be cheering silently that things work, that after the horrible earthquake, Haiti can not only come back, but come back better than before.

Haiti coverage from the BV

Nice BV coverage by Ryan Lazio:

""Haiti was poor and poorly run before the earthquake, and now the conditions are even worse," he wrote in an e-mail. "The university is worried about the risks involved with such a trip, and indeed I am too."

Mahar wrote he understands the university's reasoning behind its refusal to support the trip, and the members of the trip have taken precautions for the risks they may face when they reach Haiti."

and later:

Ryer felt that even though there are risks involved in going to Haiti, the rewards outweigh them, and he is excited about having the opportunity to help out.

"I have the ability and desire to help those in need, why wouldn't I help?"