A Few Haiti Photos

Haiti - Part II

We arrived in Jacmel and went to our friend Emmet's home. Emmet is an American and works for an NGO called ACDI-VOCA. He has been in Haiti for two years now and his organization focuses on sustainable practices such as fishing, farming, clean water, and health care for local people. They are doing great work, and our group donated some tools for a program for Haitian men and women to learn how to build earthquake and hurricane proof housing.

Emmet's home was a welcome respite after such a long journey. It was open and airy, on a cliff overlooking the ocean and had a swimming pool in the back. We all had a swim and a nap and felt much better by the time Emmet arrived home from work. We had a delicious dinner together with he and some friends he had invited over that included stuffed squash, salad with avocados as big as a softball, bread, rice, and fresh lime and rum . It was a great chance to talk about Haiti from a local's point of view and talk about the politics of what's happening there. We stayed up late into the night talking and watching the heat lightning in the sky. I have never seen so many stars in the sky before my first night in Haiti.

The next day the three of us (Laurie, Lisa and me) jumped on the back of motorcycles, which are the local taxis, and headed out to visit the different places where our group would volunteer. The first trip we took could have been our last, but we were definitely being looked after.... All three of us were on a bike with the driver (what were we thinking?) and zooming down the dusty streets of Jacmel, when blam! the front tire blew. The driver was really good and knew just what to do. He got us safely to the side of the road and before we had time to even think about it, 3 more taxis had pulled over to take us on our way.

We visited a man named Jacques who runs a small orphanage in Jacmel. He has about 15 kids that we met and made arrangements to go back later in the afternoon and play with all the kids at the community center. Next we met Sister Bonite, who has a home very near a large tent city and feeds 250 children each day. She also collected donated clothing and other items for the people in the tents. She is an angel who cares for people in such a beautiful way. She is Haitian but lived in NY for 40 years and worked as an RN, but after the earthquake she says she was called by God to come back and take care of her brothers and sisters. She invited us to join her and the community at church services that Sunday.

We were starving by that time so stopped at a little shack on the side of the road to get something safe to eat. I had to laugh when I saw the sign because it has the famous golden arches on it. I think it was called "Millies". We got a grilled cheese sandwich and a bottle of Coca Cola to go and ate them as we rolled on down the road on the back of our motorcycle taxis.

We met up with Jacques and his kids and spend an hour singing some songs and playing games. It was very hot and were pretty tired by this time, so didn't have a ton of energy that day. But the kids are wonderful and sweet and so loving. They get a meal each day at the community center and get help with homework and time to be together in a relaxed way with other kids from the neighborhood. We told Jacques we would bring our group back and have some fun art projects and do yoga with the kids.

We made one last stop at the main tent city in Jacmel where Lisa volunteered earlier in the year with The Global Volunteer Network. She has some friends who are still there and they were so happy to see her. It was great for her to make those connections again and was fascinating for me to see the tent city up close. I still had so many questions about what life must be like there....

One of my favorite moments from Haiti

My friend Joseph. We didn't speak many words but communicated on a much deeper level. He is a very smart, very special boy.
Photo by Nicole Litchfield

Haiti - Intensity in Tent Cities - Part I

What to say about Haiti? There is so much.....

The whole trip was surprising to me. I was surprised by how beautiful Haiti is. I was surprised by how incredible, generous and loving the people are, I was surprised by the surprises that awaited us each day.

I went to Haiti with a group of 13 women and 2 men who are all connected through our yoga practice. Our teacher has been to Haiti earlier in the year and wanted to take a group back to do some volunteer work. It was a wonderful group of people. We all bonded in a huge way. 

I went two days early with two of the women to make sure things were in order. We took a red eye flight to Miami and arrived at 2 am California time. We had a short layover and then were on the 1.5 hour flight to Port Au Prince. It was raining when we arrived and was very warm and muggy. The baggage claim area was small and crowded and chaotic. But we had someone there to meet us which was such a help and a relief because there were throngs of men outside the door yelling and wanting us to come with them. 

We got our things and loaded up in the truck, six of us in the double cab and three men in the back sitting on top of our suitcases. We began the 2.5 hour journey to Jacmel where we would be staying with a drive through the heart of Port Au Prince and the devastation left by the earthquake. 

It was difficult to wrap my brain around all that I was seeing. Homes and businesses were totally collapsed. Huge piles of rubble everywhere. Gigantic slabs of concrete roofs laying sideways. And the huge white presidential palace flattened on itself like a pancake with only the majestic dome sticking up. There were huge rivers of muddy water that we had to cross. Piles of garbage everywhere. I would not have been the least surprised if I had seen bodies by the road. It was like a scene out of a sci fi movie.

And then there were the tent cities....acres and acres of tents upon tents. We passed so many "neighborhoods" of tents. Tents in the public parks, tents on the median strip in the middle of the road. It's hard to imagine what life must be like living shoulder to shoulder with 50,000 other people in tents. The heat must be unbearable. I wondered where people wash themselves, or take their garbage, or cook their food. I wondered about the crime and about the sense of family among them. I wondered where their kids go to school and where they go for urgent medical care. I wondered if they have lights to read or sew by or to find their way home.We were all pretty quiet in the truck as we drove through Port Au Prince. All of us contemplating what we were seeing. 


It took most of an hour to drive through the city and finally we were on the more open road to Jacmel. It was a beautiful drive with winding mountain roads, lush trees, fields of sugar cane, cows, children, chickens, motorcycles and people everywhere. It seems that the people in the mountains had it much better than the people in the cities. More open space and room to breathe....

Technical difficulties

Sorry about those last posts. Was sending via text message and didn't realize the limitations.

It's 2:30 am California time and we just landed in Miami. It's going to be a very long day.

We are meeting a woman from the orphanage hereand she will be on our flight which is nice. We will get a ride with her once we arrive in Port Au Prince and visit ine of th orphanages with her today in Jacmel.

It all feels dreamy and floaty and not real yet. I guess that's because it's the middle of the night and I haven't slept. Hopefully I'll catch up tonight. Were staying at th home of an American man who does work in Haiti and is a contact of lisas. He sounds like a wonderful guy.

Eat Pray Love Yoga

Haiti

I'm gearing up for my trip to Haiti and feeling some trepidation. I'm not sure if it's just in the getting ready or something more. I know it will be an intense, important journey and don't really know what to expect. But that's ok. All I know is that I will be with a wonderful group of people and we will do a small part in helping out people who's lives have been so devastated. I wonder what they will be like? I wonder who I'll meet along the way. I wonder what it will taste like and smell like? I wonder how my life will change after this trip.... 


We had a benefit last week at the Cruising Club and it was fantastic. Lots of people came out to support us, we had a fun silent auction, good food and amazing music. The full moon rose up over the water and added a nice vibe to the evening. 

This Sunday we will be doing another event called Eat Pray Love and Yoga. It's at a private villa that has been donated and will have live Haitian music, 2 hours of yoga, wine, food and new friends. It should be great. 

I've been so busy with these events plus working on the Bali Film Fest and my volunteer work at Bread & Roses, I'm not even sure which way is up half the time. But I'll get it all done, all will be fine and all will roll out exactly the way it's supposed to. 


I have way too many clothing and other items to fit in one bag. Guess I'll have to take two. I want to bring as much as I can to help people there so I'll make it work. 


One week from tonight I will be in the air, on my way to a new land. I'm very excited and honored that I get to have this experience. 


Thank you to the universe and to the path that I'm on. And thank you to all my friends and family who are linking arms and supporting me as I navigate the unknown....


Namaste

Labor Day

I had a very fun labor day weekend that was full of surprises. Some great and some not so great. But that's the way life is and it seems that there are twists and hairpin turns on the road sometimes. It's in the learning what to do with those changes and bumps that's important (for me).

I went to a nice event at the DeYoung Museum with friends on Friday night. Live music, short films, henna tattoos and a special exhibit of Impressionist Paintings from the Musee D'Orsay. I was lucky enough to see these paintings on a trip to Paris a few years ago and they are still breathtaking. 

Saturday I rested up and worked at the Cruising Club at night. It was Girls Night (aka lesbian night) and it was a lot of fun. The ladies were great, all had a good time and most importantly were excellent tippers :)

Sunday was a lazy day spent on a sailboat, behind the main stage of the Sausalito Art Festival. I got to hear one of my favorite bands from the 80's, The Tubes as well as Dave Mason perform. It was a great perspective so nice to be on the water. I have found a new fascination with being on a boat and hope to do it more often. 

On Monday I listened to some excellent blues at the Marin City Blues Festival with many friends. Sugarpie Desanto and Pete Escovedo were the highlights. We all danced, ate good food and enjoyed the sunshine.

Now it's back to work for a short week before my friend Amber comes to town. Better get rested up for that!

September

Wow, here it is September already. 

It's now officially been one year since I packed everything up and have been living out of a suitcase. Last September I put everything in storage and lived for a month at my dear friend Sabrina's before leaving on my travels to Asia. I would have never predicted that a year later I would still be in travel mode, but I have had absolutely no desire to settle down and to get a place of my own. I feel nervous to sign a lease again after the disaster of my last apartment experience.  There is still more I need to do before I settle in somewhere. It looks as if I may be spending several months in Bali and I'm so looking forward to that. I feel like Bali is such a spiritual place and there is definitely something there for me. It so interesting how this opportunity presented itself to me. I had not heard anything about this job or this film festival before the job was offered. It feels very much meant to be.

I am still housesitting in Marin and it's all going well. I have been at a nice quiet place in the Peacock Gap area of San Rafael taking care of a huge yard of plants and trees and one little kitty. It has allowed me to get a lot of work done and to explore this beautiful area that is near the water at Point San Pedro. 

I'm looking forward to the holiday weekend and all that's going on here. I'll go with friends to the Sausalito Art Festival and the Marin City Blues Festival this weekend. Lots of great music and art to be had. 

I've been working at the Sausalito Cruising Club a few times a month and enjoy it there. The people who come there are all of a gypsy spirit like me. It reminds me of my days in Wyoming when there was a lot of oil drilling going on and there were free spirited people coming and going with the tide of the oil search. I have been out sailing a few times with friends I've met at the club and I just love it out on the water. There is a peace there and a calmness with nature, even when it's blowing like crazy and the waves are slapping me in the face. 

I have been working hard on the Bali Film Festival and getting ready for my trip to Haiti. I have a slight uneasiness about the travel to Haiti and hope I can get comfortable with it before I go. I think it's mostly because I haven't focused on it enough yet. But I have so much support from my friends for the trip and I'm sure it will be an amazing experience. 

My life is happy and blessed and I continue to be grateful every day.

Thank you for the support!

The reception for New Light India Friday night in San Rafael was fantastic. So many wonderful people stopped by to say hello and find out more. It was very sweet. We had wine and food and Indian flute music, photos from India and the quilts all sold within the first hour. I was happily surprised.

Thank you to everyone for your support (monetary, emotional or otherwise :) The money donated will go so far in Calcutta to support the programs of New Light India, and will make a huge difference in the lives of the women and their children in the red light district. 

I hope to get more sari quilts soon. They are such a wonderful piece of art.  Not to mention a little slice of comfortable heaven!

The Global Social Change Film Festival

I have just accepted a job as Associate Director of Programs and Development at the Global Social Change Film Festival and Institute.  The festival will take place in Bali next year, and in different places around the globe in subsequent years, like London, Madrid, Sydney, New Orleans, etc.

I can't tell you how happy and excited I am for this opportunity. It is exactly what I asked the universe for; a job where I could get paid to travel and do what I am passionate about. I am so grateful.

Beautiful Sari Quilts From India

I just received a shipment of 12 beautiful quilts from India. They are made from six layers of recycled saris and are hand quilted and just gorgeous. They are made by the women in the Kalighat District of Kolkata. These women work in the Red Light District and are hoping for a better way to make a living. The Quilt program was started by New Light India, which supports the women and children in the area with nutrition, medical attention, micro loans and care for the children. You can see more at www.newlightindia.org

I am hosting a reception on Friday, August 13 at Pleasures of the Heart store in San Rafael, as part of the monthly San Rafael ArtWalk from 5 - 8 pm. Please come by and take a look at the quilts and learn more about my travels to India and the work of New Light. These quilts are available for purchase and 100% goes back to India to help the artisan women who made these quilts with loving care.
Each quilt has the name of the woman who made it stitched into the corner.

New and exciting things

Lots going on since I last wrote. I have been continuing to do housesitting since I got back to the Bay area and have been in beautiful friend's homes in Mill Valley, and Tiburon and next up is San Rafael.

I celebrated my 47th birthday on Saturday with lovely friends and with being outdoors. I slept late, then went for a long walk in Fairfax and to a small music festival there. I bought a lovely new blouse to wear to my party, which was held at the Sausalito Cruising Club. (I'm working there part time, bar tending and doing some marketing and event work for them). Its a great old barge on the water in Sausalito and has a good vibe. About 14 friends came and we had dinner and chocolate cake and margaritas and danced until midnight or so. Everyone was so kind and generous and fun. I am very blessed with dear friends in my life. 

I have decided to make a trip to Haiti with a group of compassionate women from the Bay area. We are all connected through our yoga practice with our lovely teacher, Lisa. Lisa has organized this trip and we will spend 10 days helping out at two orphanages in a tent city in Jacmel. I feel really good about this trip and look forward to doing all I can. We will be focusing on children and the thought of playing with them, sharing stories and games with them and bringing lots of love is overwhelming to me and makes me feel good. I want to bring a little joy where I can. I feel like it's a responsibility in my life. 

Haiti is still very much in need of help after the huge earthquake a year ago, but have been forgotten in the media, and therefore in the minds of most of us. I will be so interested to experience what it's like there and get to know the people. 

I was contacted by a friend of mine and asked if I would be interested in working with a Global Film Festival that will take place in Bali next year. Sounds pretty great to me. I spoke with the founder by phone and will meet with her and others on the team tomorrow. I'm very interested in working with them and hope it works out. I feel good about it.