haiti

it's been about a week since i said goodbye to new friends from damien and bigarade--villages in port-au-prince where our group of 27 from the states helped locals construct concrete tin-roof houses for residents there.

just one week ago. we rode on top of our bus, ducking beneath low wires and branches. we picked mangos from trees along the way. the sights, sounds and smells have lingered...

haiti smells like fire, dust and concrete. like fresh mangos, rose's spice cake and summertime...

haiti feels like thick air and the comforting press of people.

haiti tastes like cola corrone, "macaroni done right" (according to dimitri), and miriam's salad dressing.

haiti sounds like rattling tap-taps and conversational horn honks. like bleating goats and people singing songs that everyone shares in common somehow. haiti sounds like 'bonjou!' and 'sak pasé?' to perfect strangers.

haiti looks like Myco, Yolanda, Makenson, Pierre, Miriam, Phillipe, Frankel, Nadia, Patrick, Keddi, Jimmy, James, Samuel, Elifat, Frefre, Winsley, Daniel, Elisier, Jonas, Josianne, Redligne, Udle, Henson, Sonson, Tomas, Joel, Jenesse, Benedict, Stevenson, Ivan, Shadrach, Shadzar, Bernadette, William, "petit l'homme", Madam Estephat, Davidson, Roberto, Marie Jo, Fabian, Najla and Mitaille. haiti looks like Michaelson as our eyes well up with tears when we're saying goodbye.

haiti .... is too far away today.

mwen manke ou.