tap tap

We finally made it back to Matthew 25 after a very stressful day of trying to travel.

Parts of Jacmel were so beautiful, so it was worth it. I forgot to mention that out back of our hotel was a courtyard with and old tree that had completely been taken over with vines of orchids.

Yesterday we hopped on the back of a motorcycle (so us and the driver on one bike) to go to a nice hotel we'd heard about. They had a little alcove beach that was truly something from a story book. So we ate there and hung out all day. By the time we were ready to leave it was raining. It stopped just long enough for us to hop on a motorcycle back to town. It was dark and the bike was tiny but the driver went slowly for us. My muscles were so tired from gripping Daniel's knees so tight the whole time.

I took my malaria pills yesterday and they make me feel sick. I had horrible night terrors last night- so bad I am thinking about not taking the pills anymore. The air pollution here is so bad but my asthma is just now bothering me. They burn all their garbage so you can just constantly feel plastic in your lungs and black smoke from the back of the pickup trucks they use as taxis.

I was so ready to be back this morning, but it turned out Vlad couldn't drive us. Time for an adventure. Willie (who worked at our hotel) drove us to the bus station in the rain and we jammed into a tap tap with at least 30 other people. I am certain it was the most miserable experience of my life to date, but an experience nonetheless. Daniel was shoved up against the open window, second from the back, with me next to him. We both had our huge bags on our laps. There's not really much of an aisle and what there was of one was filled with a sketchy dude carrying a bird he had tied up that he kept resting on my knee. He eventually fell asleep on me, as did the girl behind me. It was raining so weird smelly water was dripping on us which made the bus extra hot and muggy. Dan got spit on at one point and when I finally got out a bag of potatoes was thrown from one of the many passengers on top of the bus into the dirty street/sewer water below, splashing all over me.

Our local phone ran out of minutes when we got into PAP after hours of winding mountain roads, so we had to find someone who would sell us minutes. Then we walked to the palace of justice in the middle of town to wait for the matthew 25 driver because the station is too crazy/hectic/dangerous to be standing around. But the walk itself was insane. Here we are- two white kids with giant backpacks- walking through the downtown area. A guardian angel found us- a kid who had studied in the US and spoke english walked us there and our ride was there within minutes.

I kissed Sister Mary and offered to scrub the floors and wash the pots because I was so happy to see here. After a cold shower, it has started to rain and I am anxious for dinner.

Just a day in the life in Haiti.

There's a saying here in Haiti- "how many people fit in a tap tap?"
"Always one more."

Well, that's fine and good, but I won't be getting on one again. If we make it up to Cap Haitian to do more interviews we will fly.

We're learning so much. But Friday couldn't come fast enough.