Apparently in Haiti if it is your sweetheart's birthday it's your birthday too. I like this idea very much as today is Joshua's birthday - and therefore I celebrated.
I spent much of the morning on Skype hoping to catch a certain Birthday Boy but then I remembered the three hour time difference. Darn. But the day was not spent in vain, I was able to do some English editing and document formatting for Marika/PAZAPA and then at 3pm Patrick and PePe (in Haiti you would only need to write PP but since I want you my dear reader to understand the pronunciation, I shall write Pepe) arrived. I had not understood what they meant yesterday when they said that they would be by at 3 and then we would go visit Jacmel together so I was stinky and sweaty when they arrived to take me out and about to see more of the city.
I changed quickly and off we went, laughing at my misunderstanding. Our first stop was their church to grab a bowl of rice and beans and to go online. I was handed a mac and instantly went on Skype just to check and who should I find there but the beautiful Ashley Nelson available for a video chat. She met Patrick and PePe and we all shared some lovely broken English, both from translation and from internet connection. Nevertheless, it was a true blessing and absolutely filled me with joy!
We went down to the docks and caught a sunset and a futbol in the back (whoops!) and then we walked through the mache (market ) at dusk on a Saturday - which is veritably crazy. I came to understand that if you say "wheelbarrow" people get out of your way - just like in a kitchen if you say "hot" - regardless of whether you have a plate of hot food or a wheelbarrow - people seem to move!
We sat in a park and talked with a group of young boys, one of whom had a deformed wrist. We told him about PAZAPA and chastised another little boy for teasing him. Hopefully some good will come of that little encounter. I love how in Haiti if you want to talk to someone, you just talk to them, no matter if you know them or not. It makes for a very friendly, very talkative country.
We walked all over town and up past the cemetery and back to Marika's house just as it was getting truly dark. Not too long after I went with Marika e ti moun yo (and the kids) to pizza at the local fast food/wireless restaurant next door to PAZAPA. Truly a day of good friends and celebrations.
Bon Fete Mon Amour! I'm celebrating here in beautiful Jacmel!!
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