Arrival in Haiti!

Last night, my older sister Kelli was nice enough to allow me to stay with her at her apartment in Boston so that I would be closer to Logan Airport for my 6:45 AM flight. I have always been the one who is nervous for the first day of school or to try out new things, but Kelli’s hospitality coupled by my excitement led to a restful night sleep. With a 4:00 AM alarm and one last shower, my day of travelling began.

At around 5:15 this morning I met Deacon Moynihan, President of The Haitian Project and head of Louverture Cleary School, at Logan Airport. After checking in, I was introduced to two of his children who were also making the flight to Haiti with us. Both his son and daughter were so welcoming, eager to get to know me, and excited for the time that I will spend at LCS this summer. Our flight to Miami and our connecting flight to Haiti went off without a hitch, and before I knew it I was walking through Port-au-Prince Airport with the Moynihan family.

Port-au-Prince Airport was unlike any airport I have ever been to. Before we even made it to Customs, there was a band sitting and playing music for arriving travelers. It was so interesting and enjoyable to just take in the environment at the airport.

Immediately upon stepping outside of the airport, the warm weather was noticeable. Wearing jeans for my travel through the cold airports, I began to sweat the second we got outside. Luckily, we were able to quickly meet up with the staff who were sent to drive us to LCS. Remaining basically silent throughout the ride back to the school, I was able to truly see the poverty and destruction that engulfs most of the city of Port-au-Prince. LCS is not too far from the airport, so within a half hour Deacon Moynihan and I were walking through the gates of the school.

Once on the enclosed campus, I was immediately introduced to one of the long-term Volunteers who was able to show me around. I will be sharing a room with two other Volunteers and one Haitian woman who is the Dean of Academics at LCS. All of the Volunteers were eager to meet me, and welcomed me right away into their lives at LCS.

After a brief tour of the campus, I was able to attend a soccer practice for the school’s soccer team. The team is made up of about fifteen students ages 15 to 17, who all really enjoy the game of soccer. The practice that I attended today was extra exciting, as the team received their uniforms for their first match, which is tomorrow versus another team in the area.

Once soccer practice was over I was able to take my first cold shower, which was both refreshing and much needed after a day of travel. Afterwards I attended dinner, which was a traditional Haitian dish prepared by a fellow Volunteer, followed by a session of evening prayer with all of the other Volunteers. I already feel like I am at home at LCS and with this group of people, and I cannot wait to see how my next 24 days in Haiti will unfold. 

Tomorrow I will be sure to include more about the mission of Louverture Cleary School and the type of students who receive an education here. So far, I have been nothing but impressed by The Haitian Project’s staff and all of those working at LCS.