“What is demanded of man is not…to endure the meaningless of life, but rather to bear his incapacity to grasp its unconditional meaningfulness in rational terms.” – Viktor E. Frankl I left Haiti abruptly last month for personal reasons; although everything is fine, thankfully, after having a need to step away, I’ve been grateful for … More Reflections: Returning Home After Haiti
Translator’s serve a critical role in facilitating conversation between people who speak different languages, absolutely. But do we really recognize the full scope of a translator’s responsibilities? Having a solid command of multiple languages is hard enough, but in order to be truly effective, a translator is also responsible for bridging the gaps between two … More Why Hiring a Translator Isn’t a Free Pass for your Organization
Dèyè mon gen mon. This well-known Haitian proverb is probably not new to you. Behind mountains there are mountains; you move past one trial or obstacle only to find a new one. In my experience at least, the more Creole I learn, the more mountains appear. It’s easy to feel really good about that first … More That’s not what I meant: On goats, peanuts, and exercise regimens in Haiti
Growing up I had a friend whose parents were non-native English speakers; whenever they wanted to hide the content of their conversation from us (for better or worse) they’d drop the English and switch to their first language. Whenever they did this, little red flags would go up for my friend and me. The decision … More What would you say if no one else could understand you?
This is no longer a valid excuse. Not an excuse. Even just a few words can have a big impact, and everyone is capable of bringing a few words of Creole with them to Haiti. Making the effort to speak Creole in the community that you’re visiting speaks volumes to those around you. It says: … More We just didn’t have the time
Non! Tout rad nou yo dezyèm men. [No! All our clothes are second hand!] We were having a conversation about clothing and style in Haiti. She disagreed with me when I said that people here dressed differently compared to my community at home. Standing there in a muted selection of fairly shapeless neutrals I elaborated … More Conversations on style and shopping second hand: Haiti’s Pepe Trade
Walking into the Epidor above the Tabarre Delimart, we began to speculate about what the NY Sandwich might be, or what exactly is the sòs franse, and why would it somehow accompany the NY Sandwich? I at least, was a bit confused. Mid way into our conversation, the man in front of us turned around: “Where are you guys from?” “LA.” … More What do you talk about in a sandwich shop in Port au Prince?
“Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything… we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a … More Reflection
I know this isn’t a unique situation that I find myself in; many of you have traveled extensively, both to Haiti and other areas of the world, so you already know that even short trips leave you with a lot to think about. This last visit to Port au Prince was a whirlwind of a … More Feelings of a Foreigner in Haiti: “The Follow Up” Part 2
So, how was Haiti? During the last seven days I enjoyed conversations that opened doors, and at night I watched the gates to the guest house lock a part of Haiti out in order to keep us safely inside. From inside the walls of the guest houses I could hear the loud music, animated discussion and … More So How Was Haiti? The Follow Up.
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