Last Day of Classes and the Teyat!

Another exciting day here in Haiti! Today was the last day of regular classes for the students, so they were all so full of energy. At 5:30 AM we heard clapping and cheers coming from outside. As part of their “last morning meeting” the Philo students decided to bring the whole school together. All of the students were gathered in a circle on the basketball court celebrating the accomplishments of the Philo students and the community that is LCS.

This mood only carried on as they day went on. As I went to finish up inputting my surveys and sending emails to plan for next week, the students headed to their classes for one final day of review. While this was happening the PC group participated in Work Hours, learning what life truly is like as a Volunteer for The Haitian Project. The group spent the morning digging out a trench and sifting through piles of rock, two of the many different kinds of tasks that Volunteers can fulfill during Work Hours.

During my time spent researching today, I received an email from my older sister Kelli. Her good friend, Nick Mikula (PC 2011) reached out to her with an offer to help me should I need any assistance. Nick works for a company in Washington D.C. which has great information and research on the world economy and foreign markets. As a result of Nick’s assistance, I was able to gain a greater understanding of the cell phone markets in countries similar to Haiti.

At around noon, it was clear that everyone was anxious for the next part of the school day. The “teyat,” or play, was scheduled to begin at 12:30, so everyone was rushing around making sure all was prepared for when the curtains opened. Since the entire school and a few of the actor’s parents were scheduled to attend the play, the play was held on the basketball court. A tarp was also set-up over the court as a shade, as the sun is a huge factor in Haiti. Once everything was set-up, the play went off without a hitch. Under the direction of two of the Volunteers, the students performed the play Guys and Dolls, however with a little bit of a twist. In order for the audience to grasp the whole meaning of the play, the entire performance was done in Creole, except the songs. Although the rest of the PC group and I were lost basically the entire time, the rest of the audience absolutely loved the performance. All of the students were truly focused on the play, watching silently and laughing when appropriate, that when the play was over the entire crowd applauded. The actors and actresses did a wonderful job, and were able to maintain focus even when one of the corners of the tarp collapsed. Everyone was so proud of their hard work and commitment that the last day of classes truly ended on a high note.

After the students left for the weekend and everything was cleaned up, the Immersion group and Volunteers attended Mass said by Father Cuddy. Mass was a great way to reflect on the past week, and what a positive experience this all has been. After Mass there was afternoon basketball as usual, except this game was held between LCS and PC. As a member of the PC team, I played a few minutes in the first game, but I realized how competitive each team was, and I decided to let the more experienced players take over from there. Although PC ended up losing, it was great to cheer on everyone and get to catch up with the other PC students on their experiences so far this week.

Before the game I was able to grab this picture of my cousin Molly and I to send to our family and as proof of both of our trips.

I was able to spend a little more time with the group at dinner over at the Moynihan’s house. I learned about their days spent in Miami volunteering, and what their schedule has been like this week. From what I have heard, each member in the Immersion Group not only had an incredible time, but was also able to take something away from their experiences this week.

PC at LCS

This morning I was able to see the PC International Immersions Group for the first time, and I have to admit I was truly impressed with their high spirits and excitement. Despite having a much shorter trip than expected, it is clear that each of the students are truly throwing themselves into the time that they have here. It was great to see the PC spirit in action at LCS, and to see a group of familiar faces. I was especially excited to finally see my cousin Molly, who I know will realize, like I have, how truly special LCS and this experience are.

After Morning Prayer the group was full of energy and ready to go. They were able to sit in on the first classes of the morning before they headed off to help out with the wall pour. A “wall pour” is the pouring of cement to stabilize an existing wall. This is not an everyday occurrence at LCS, so there was definitely an air of excitement to campus yesterday. Each member of the PC group was able to help in the wall pour, as an assembly line of tasks is necessary to make the process go smoothly. The group finished the wall pour in about three hours, which is a lot quicker than I expected.

As they were working on the wall pour, I was busy surveying the students on their own cell phone habits and usage. The Volunteers helped gather up students so that I was able to reach my mark of one hundred surveys rather easily. After inputting this data into my computer, I was able to spend the rest of the day prepping for the next steps of sending out my survey to people that represent the other demographics of Haiti.

In the afternoon, a Mass was held for the Immersion Group and whoever else could make it. It was great to feel like I was back at PC again with Father Cuddy in front of me saying the homily! Hearing him direct his message towards the Philo students, I was reminded of my own final days at PC a few weeks ago. Unlike the Philo students who will have finished their time at LCS, I still have to return to my second home at school in the fall, but the message was equally applicable. Father Cuddy reminded the students of the profound impact their education has had on their lives and the importance of acting in accordance with the values and spirit in which they were taught.

After Mass, I headed off campus with Deacon Moynihan and Sarah, one of the PC chaperones, to dinner to discuss my project with a knowledgeable insider of the cell phone industry. He was able to better explain the history of telecommunications in Haiti, and provide a different perspective to the future of the cell phone industry. He was also able to provide me with a better understanding of how cell phones in Haiti actually work and the roles that they play in the lives of consumers. Leaving the meeting I definitely felt well informed and prepared to further research the potential for cell phones in Haiti.

They Have Arrived!

The PC group has made it to LCS!!! After another flight delay of about two hours, the group finally made it to campus at around 9:15 tonight! We are so excited to have them here. I cannot wait to share my LCS experiences with them and see the great work that they will do here.

I will keep you updated on their trip throughout the next few days!

Classroom Visits

After a lot of planning, I was finally prepared today to start surveying members of the LCS community for my project. Early in the morning I was able to go into the two Segond classes (which would be like eleventh grade in the United States) and speak with the students about their own cell phone usage. Each of the students that I met today were so respectful and genuinely interested in learning more about my project and my own classwork in the United States.

What I find remarkable about each LCS student is their ability to communicate. Although most of the student’s first language is Kreyol, all of their primary school classes are taught in French. From an early age, each Haitian student is challenged to respect the potential for knowledge and thus learn how to communicate with their professors. Although Kreyol is heavily influenced by French, learning how to communicate in a new way is always unnatural at first.

At LCS, students are asked to rise to new, different challenges. Because many of the Volunteers here are the most comfortable teaching in their native tongue, all Teachers at LCS are asked to teach in their own language. For example, one of my roommates teaches Spanish and French classes here. Therefore, as an U.S. Volunteer, all of her explanations and directions in her Spanish and French classes are in the English language. Although this is easy for her, it amazes me that each of these students can easily switch from language to another. By the time that students reach their final year, or Philo year, at LCS, they are truly able to grasp different languages, and also understand the value behind a challenging education.

So, when I went into the class today I was shocked to discover how well each student could speak English. Even when they did not understand all that I was saying right away, they quickly grasped the concept once changed the wording of my explanations or spoke a little slower. I found myself admiring the thirst for knowledge that many of the Segond students possessed, as they were not afraid to ask for clarification when needed or ask for more information. I was even able to ask them some of my own questions, separate from the survey, about how to say certain things in Kreyol and what they thought about cell phones in general.

Not only was I able to speak with some students today, but I was also able to interview a few members of the LCS staff to find out how much they spend on phone plans and how much they use their cell phones. Hearing from both students and staff, I was able to gain a clearer picture of the Haitian community as a whole. Tomorrow I will hopefully be going into a Philo Economics class to discuss my survey and the demographics of Haiti. There are some amazing statistics about the Haitian population on which I am hoping the Philo students can help shed some light. 

Never a Dull Moment

Due to the hard work of the students and Volunteers of LCS, inside the walls of the school is a fully-functioning and self-efficient community. Much of the school’s repairs, cleaning and disposal of waste is performed by these community members, who recognize that, as Catholics, service is a necessary aspect of life. This service not only benefits the school, but teaches everyone the true value of hard work.

Although most work is done by students and Volunteers, there are some exceptions to this rule. About every 2 weeks, when LCS requests more meat for meals, a cow is brought to campus. This week, the cow arrived to the front gates of LCS on Friday, and was then led to the back field of campus where it was tied up. I have to admit, hearing the moo-ing sounds from across campus were a little disconcerting, however the entire experience is something that I will never forget. This morning, the cow was killed and then butchered by a local man and woman. Although I could not muster up the courage to watch the slaughtering, passing by the skull and its insides on the way to Work Hour made the experience that more real.

The craziness of the day only continued when I came back from Work Hour and learned that the PC group would not be making it to Haiti today. Unfortunately, at some point yesterday afternoon a Brazilian aircraft was damaged on the Port-au-Prince tarmac yesterday. The good news was that no one was injured, however the bad news was that the PC group would be delayed until Wednesday. With the entire group stuck in Miami, Father Cuddy and Deacon Moynihan made alternate plans for the group to do service in Miami until they are able to get a flight down to Haiti. Although I was disappointed they will be spending a few less days at LCS than expected, I am thankful that everyone is safe and that all of the hard work and planning of the group will not go to waste. These students have been meeting once a week for the past few months, so I am sure they are beyond anxious to get here and throw themselves into work here.  

The rest of the day was busy, as I prepared the survey on cell phones that I will start distributing tomorrow. With the help of Deacon Moynihan I was able to fine-tune some of my questions, and make sure that I am completely ready for tomorrow. I also spent a large part of the day preparing for phone calls and meetings with employees of a cell phone company here. It is my hope that after speaking with these people I will better understand how cell phones in Haiti work, and what their role is in the lives of Haitians.

I also was able to play basketball again today, this time not completely embarrassing myself. Playing basketball here is a great way to remind me that although my project is important, the temporary anxieties that I might have are ultimately insignificant. At the end of the day, it is necessary to remember to enjoy the people around you, and embrace their love and the community that you are blessed to have.  

My First Weekend

I apologize for not posting yesterday, but the weekends here a time to prepare for next week and relax. Yesterday I helped do some grading and made even more progress on my project. Due to Deacon Moynihan’s connections within the Haitian community, I was able to have many of my questions about Haitian banking and mobile money answered. Reports say that only about 10% of Haitians have their own bank accounts, so much of my research yesterday was figuring out whether or not this statistic is accurate and the reason behind this low percentage.

Usually on Sundays the Volunteers are able to sleep in and relax, but this weekend we went to mass at the Chapel of St. Toma, which is about twenty minutes away from LCS. Mass is usually held for the Volunteers on Saturday nights on campus, however this weekend was extra special. After mass today Deacon Moynihan and Father Isaia, who usually says the masses at LCS, baptized 121 children. We did not stay to see the baptisms, but during the mass prior to them we were able to see all of the little ones dressed up in their white dresses and suits.

Even though mass was in Creole, it was a great experience. During the mass there was a ton of singing, and whenever the music started playing people everyone in the church began to sing. It was an incredible experience to just take in. Even though the Chapel of St. Toma was recently built, the pews were packed with people celebrating their faith and praying before the Lord. Being at mass reminded me that no matter where I am in the world, I can always be at home with God and the rest of the Catholic community.

The mass itself was about one and half hours, so by the time we got back to campus we were exhausted. Most of the day was spent relaxing and preparing for the last week of classes. Tomorrow a group of about eight Providence College students accompanied by Father Cuddy, the Chaplain of Providence College, and Sarah Attwood, Campus Minister at PC, will arrive at Louverture Cleary School for a week-long immersion trip. I cannot wait for their arrival and to share with them my LCS experience thus far. I am also extra excited because within the group of PC students is my second cousin Molly DiDonato (Class of 2016)! I look forward to seeing this entire group fall in love with LCS.

Making Connections

Every day that I have spent here, I have taken away at least one lesson from the community that surrounds me. This morning's Work Hour taught me the value of experience. In many of my business classes I have learned about production and human capital, however never truly understanding the value of such labor. Sure businesses can assign numerical value to these concepts, but within these numbers and dollar amounts the determination, sweat, and hard work of the individuals who complete these tasks are lost. The hours that I have spent over these last few days working alongside students and Volunteers on the playground and yard have taught me more about production than I would ever learn in a classroom. LCS students and faculty serve their community every day, reminded of God's blessings and love by phrases and prayers posted on the walls around them.

After today's Work Hour, I went to work on my project. However, before I could start really analyzing most of my research, I needed a few Economics questions answered. President of The Haitian Project, Deacon Moynihan was able to reach out to a few of his connections in order to ensure that I had a great understanding of the topics I was dealing with. Deacon Moynihan's connections were unbelievable, and included Dr. Gregory Mankiw, Dr. Daron Acemoglu and a top advisor for the U.S. treasury. Dr. Mankiw is a top Economics Professor at Harvard University and a former economic advisor for President George W. Bush, and Dr. Acemoglu is a MIT Professor, has received a countless number of awards for his work in the field of economics and has recently received international recognition for his book Why Nations Fail. Having these well-respected economists help me with my project was an incredible opportunity, and I am grateful for their willingness to assist me. 

As a result of their help, all of my Economics questions were answered and I was able to move forward in my research and analysis. Using the GDP levels from Haiti and the United States and other additional statistics, I was able to come up with some interesting information. From comparing an estimate of the cell phone industry's revenues in 2011 and the amounts spent on health care, I learned that in the U.S. people spend 8.5 times more money on health care than cell phones; however, in Haiti people spend only 1.1 times more money on health care than cell phones. This information puts the amount of money spent on cell phones in Haiti in perspective with other spending within the country. It also raises a ton of new questions including: Why is cell phone spending so high? Is it that prices are astronomical or are people spending more of their income on their phones than they should be? Does the amount of money spent on health care suggest poor access to health care or are Haitians spending a proportionate amount of their GDP on this necessary expense? With the ultimate goal of answering the question of what benefits are Haitians receiving from their phone use and how are they paying for it, I cannot wait to see what I learn from the rest of my research.

Today was also a day full of performances. The Gospel Choir, ballet and hip-hop performances were earlier today before students returned to their homes for the weekend. Each performance was excellent, and it was so nice to see the proud smiles on each of the student's faces as they showcased their talents. After each performance, the love and support of the LCS community was apparent as the audience screamed and applauded their friends and peers. Tonight we were also able to watch a dress rehearsal of the student production of Guys & Dolls. All of the speaking parts are performed in Creole, however the songs are performed in English. As English is the third language of many of the students, I was thoroughly impressed with each student's effort. I cannot wait to see how the final production goes next weekend!