These past several days

I feel so behind on updating you all on my updates. So much happens in just an hour here. Lets see where to begin…

Well we have a different mixture of boys at the house now. No boys were kicked out, but some did decide to return to Haiti. I had mixed feelings on this at first, but I think Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz sums it up “there is no place like home.” Some of these boys were young and had not seen their families in several years. Little Alex just wanted to see his mother so badly. They know that we are always here for them and the choice to return was their own. I feel like we will see them again in the future, but I continue to pray for them. We did not send them alone. We bought them a few things to help them out, paid for transportation and send a guardian to ensure safe travels. I worry, but I know it is what they wanted. I guess a love one feels for those who are closest to them is great then the fear chaos gives. I think this even more true when one has nothing. I just pray that they are kept safe. Haiti is… dangerous is too weak of a word. Haiti is a place of despair that successfully kills the hope and joy of many.

Structure. What we are trying to implement. The idea seemed so easy sitting in the United States thinking about it. Here let’s talk about a challenge. Reality TV has nothing on the Project Esperanza house. Not that our house is fake drama or even real drama, it is just really exciting. We have teenage boys who have never really had rules before in their lives and now we are trying to put some. We are working on distribution of responsibilities and from this creating structure. There is chore rotation, shower hours, laundry days, meal times. All things that seem normal to me, but are a foreign concept to the boys. I am also beginning to understand why Haiti has the political climate it does. Not that the citizens of Haiti are at fault, but they have been conditioned. Our boys when they are not happy cause a chaotic riot. Boys get upset when they don’t even know what they are being upset over. For example, if a boy steals food then he is not served the next meal. Well a few of our boys had been caught stealing food (a big problem) and therefore the following meal they were asked to pay the consequence for their choice. The boys must then sit outside during meal time. Then one boy will say “They are starving us.” So a boy in the house tries to smuggle a plate and then when caught they say “but you are trying to starve my Haitian brother!” Chaos may or may not ensue. But being consistent is key. After a few days or a week the boys get the deal and it becomes something they expect. It is this way for every little thing though. This means it just takes a ton of time, a lot of effort and one must appreciate the small victories. I think the great thing is that I am here for the whole summer and I am able to witness the big change. I tell myself, “Cameron, if you can handle 20 unruly teenage boys, there is nothing that you can’t conquer.” That is a bit of an exaggeration, but it keeps me motivated.

I love the market! It is by far the favorite part of my day. Rosa and I have blast; we are normally chatting away and then cracking up about something. The other day a huge tour bus pulled into the market and the classic stereotypes of tourist got off. There is art and other Dominican trinkets at the market- it is not just food. So Rosa and I comment on the gringos and then we encounter a few. This one woman is speaking Spanish, but really slowly and very poorly. She would say one syllable at a time as if she was trying to speak to a person who did not speak Spanish. After Rosa and I began our walk back home we began to crack up. I would imitate the tourist for her and she would just laugh and laugh. Then she would imitate them for me and I would laugh. Then we moved onto Rosa learning English and me learning Creole. We laughed more at how poorly we were doing. It was all just little things, but it is like we are just good ol’ friends. I am not a gringa and she is not Haitian. We are just two people living in Puerto Plata for the summer. (Her home is outside of Puerto Plata). On other days Rosa will let me do the bargaining with the food. We also have to laugh about this. Because sometimes I fail miserably and normally just am like I give up I am too flustered. However, that is becoming more and more rare. So when that doesn’t happen and I get a good deal on something, the salesman normally just has this look of shock on his face. Rosa finds this highly amusing. Rosa also loves to be my posse. She snaps back at the nasty old men for me. I love this too. Although, the men at the butcher’s now treat me like a local. I don’t have to argue the price and they don’t hit on me. I might be straight up Dominican by the end of the summer. So the market is amusing, but it is also my own little arena where Rosa and I do-our-thing.
hopeful hugs from the DR!