After a remarkably bad day of travel, I returned from the Dominican Republic last night, greeted by snow covered streets and sub-freezing temperatures -- quite a switch!! The DR was interesting, in good and bad ways. It was of course fantastic to see Stephane and spend some time together. It was not a particularly romantic time together, as it was spent mostly in a taxi driving all over Santo Domingo retrieving supplies and meeting with partners, but it was quite productive and it was good to feel like I was supporting Stephane and his work back in Haiti.
To update you on what exactly his work is right now, his agency has set up a tent clinic at an encampment of 12,000 people in Carrefour. They are providing primary health care, seeing 150-200 patients a day. They are also working on setting up a milk clinic for children. There have been efforts at coordinating the myriad health providers now present in Port-au-Prince, which is vital to ensuring an effective health response, but so far there seems to be a disconnect between what people say in meetings and what happens in practice. This is typical, but extremely discouraging -- and dangerous -- in this situation. However, it is still early in the effort (although it seems like an eternity since the quake, we are not even at the three week mark), things are still quite confused and fluid, so let's just hope that coordination improves from here.
Driving around Santo Domingo allowed me to see all parts of the city, including parts that I would never otherwise have seen. While it is still evident that Santo Domingo is the capital of a still developing country, I couldn't help but feel sort of upbeat about it -- the city is clearly heading in a positive direction. Looking at the large buildings in the city provided a fascinating contrast: Those built in the 1960s or 70s when the DR first started really working to become a modern nation appeared not only dated, but shabby and I was a bit suspicious of their structural integrity; they looked like poorly executed copies of styles that were trendy in the US and Europe at that time. The newer buildings, however, show a clear evolution of style and construction. Although reminiscent of buildings one might see in Miami or LA, these structures are not copies, they retain a certain Dominican aspect that makes them more interesting that they would otherwise be. Most importantly, judging by the works in progress that we passed, they are clearly investing in better building materials -- I saw steel frames and lots of rebar.
We stayed in the Zona Colonial, the oldest (and most touristy) part of town, which was quaint and filled with historical sites that almost rival those in Europe. The oldest working cathedral in the New World, dating back to the early 1500s, was just up the street, ruins of the first hospital in the New World were visible from the terrace where we breakfasted each morning, the foundations of the original fort are situated by the river, a few blocks behind the hotel, and every few feet you encountered either buildings or well-maintained ruins dating back four centuries or more. I was particularly pleased to notice that numerous reconstruction/rehabilitation efforts were underway or already successfully completed; the Dominicans are wisely investing in preserving these historical marvels.
On his last night in Santo Domingo, Stephane informed me that this visit had made him consider that maybe Dominicans aren't all evil, which is a pretty big step for a Haitian. heh. I think he was surprised to find that Dominicans and Haitians have quite a lot in common, though they are of course different. We were also fortunate to encounter a number of very nice, helpful Dominicans, all of whom seemed more than willing to do anything in their power to assist Stephane and his agency in getting things done in order to return to Haiti ready to help. Our taxi driver put in 12 hour days and did double or triple duty, serving also as an interpreter at times and a laborer at others. He was paid, of course, but his enthusiasm went beyond what money can buy. When I visited the cathedral on my own while waiting for Stephane to arrive, one of the historical association employees approached me and asked where I was coming from and why I had come to the DR. When I told him that I was meeting my boyfriend, who was Haitian and working in PAP, and that we had both survived the earthquake, he was not only in awe of the fact that I was walking around the cathedral, seemingly intact, he actually started to tear up and said that he was so sad to see the pictures of his 'neighbors'. Celo, the largest mobile phone provider in DR, had signage all over town telling people that they could text a number to donate money to Haiti, many with the slogan 'Helping Haiti: We Have To'. The Dominican Republic is by no means perfect, and the history of antagonism between Haiti and the DR is not easy to overcome, but it seems that at least some Dominicans are making an effort.
Stephane left Friday to drive back to PAP and arrived safely that night. Luckily, his two vehicles were able to link up w/a convoy of other aid organizations, so that provided a bit more security. The sheer number of aid groups moving in and out of Haiti through the DR is impressive. I saw many people from agencies large and small who were staying in our hotel. I was speaking to the hotel night manager my first evening in Santo Domingo, who told me that normally they hotel is around 70% full, but that since the earthquake it has been at full capacity or even overbooked, almost exclusively by people staging trips to Haiti. One day we walked back into the hotel to find half of the lobby filled with tall stacks of large bins filled with supplies for Haiti. Although there is definitely some price gouging going on in town as a result of the influx of aid agencies, our hotel's rates were and apparently will remain at their normal seasonal level; they are not trying to exploit the numerous people who need a place to stay for a night or two before crossing the border.
We were also able to see the family who are still staying in the DR, which was so nice. I was so happy to see Babeth, especially, and to see that Alex and Sarah and Junior are all safe. David (DX) and his family, along with Klaus and his girlfriend, arrived while we were there, but we did not get to see them. Everyone is working on getting to the US, so hopefully everyone will be Stateside soon. We're starting to consider what everyone is going to do after that, which is rather daunting, but it seems best to take it one step at a time.
On a non-DR note, my stepdad (who has been awesome at getting the word out about Haiti issues and did a great job letting people know Stephane and I were okay right after the earthquake -- thanks, Chester!) sent me the following, which he received from a friend involved in this project. It sounds like a great opportunity to help a great charity and to beautify your home (or someone else's):
Soulcatcher Studios has launched the "pictureHOPE" exhibition and sale of fine art photographs benefiting the people of Haiti through Doctors Without Borders. I have donated some of my work to this worthy cause. Soulcatcher is offering signed, limited edition photographs for just $50.00 each, and 100%of the proceeds will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
Tell your friends and family to buy some art to support the cause!
Direct link to exhibition: http://www.soulcatcherstudio.com/exhibitions/haiti/index.htm
To update you on what exactly his work is right now, his agency has set up a tent clinic at an encampment of 12,000 people in Carrefour. They are providing primary health care, seeing 150-200 patients a day. They are also working on setting up a milk clinic for children. There have been efforts at coordinating the myriad health providers now present in Port-au-Prince, which is vital to ensuring an effective health response, but so far there seems to be a disconnect between what people say in meetings and what happens in practice. This is typical, but extremely discouraging -- and dangerous -- in this situation. However, it is still early in the effort (although it seems like an eternity since the quake, we are not even at the three week mark), things are still quite confused and fluid, so let's just hope that coordination improves from here.
Driving around Santo Domingo allowed me to see all parts of the city, including parts that I would never otherwise have seen. While it is still evident that Santo Domingo is the capital of a still developing country, I couldn't help but feel sort of upbeat about it -- the city is clearly heading in a positive direction. Looking at the large buildings in the city provided a fascinating contrast: Those built in the 1960s or 70s when the DR first started really working to become a modern nation appeared not only dated, but shabby and I was a bit suspicious of their structural integrity; they looked like poorly executed copies of styles that were trendy in the US and Europe at that time. The newer buildings, however, show a clear evolution of style and construction. Although reminiscent of buildings one might see in Miami or LA, these structures are not copies, they retain a certain Dominican aspect that makes them more interesting that they would otherwise be. Most importantly, judging by the works in progress that we passed, they are clearly investing in better building materials -- I saw steel frames and lots of rebar.
We stayed in the Zona Colonial, the oldest (and most touristy) part of town, which was quaint and filled with historical sites that almost rival those in Europe. The oldest working cathedral in the New World, dating back to the early 1500s, was just up the street, ruins of the first hospital in the New World were visible from the terrace where we breakfasted each morning, the foundations of the original fort are situated by the river, a few blocks behind the hotel, and every few feet you encountered either buildings or well-maintained ruins dating back four centuries or more. I was particularly pleased to notice that numerous reconstruction/rehabilitation efforts were underway or already successfully completed; the Dominicans are wisely investing in preserving these historical marvels.
On his last night in Santo Domingo, Stephane informed me that this visit had made him consider that maybe Dominicans aren't all evil, which is a pretty big step for a Haitian. heh. I think he was surprised to find that Dominicans and Haitians have quite a lot in common, though they are of course different. We were also fortunate to encounter a number of very nice, helpful Dominicans, all of whom seemed more than willing to do anything in their power to assist Stephane and his agency in getting things done in order to return to Haiti ready to help. Our taxi driver put in 12 hour days and did double or triple duty, serving also as an interpreter at times and a laborer at others. He was paid, of course, but his enthusiasm went beyond what money can buy. When I visited the cathedral on my own while waiting for Stephane to arrive, one of the historical association employees approached me and asked where I was coming from and why I had come to the DR. When I told him that I was meeting my boyfriend, who was Haitian and working in PAP, and that we had both survived the earthquake, he was not only in awe of the fact that I was walking around the cathedral, seemingly intact, he actually started to tear up and said that he was so sad to see the pictures of his 'neighbors'. Celo, the largest mobile phone provider in DR, had signage all over town telling people that they could text a number to donate money to Haiti, many with the slogan 'Helping Haiti: We Have To'. The Dominican Republic is by no means perfect, and the history of antagonism between Haiti and the DR is not easy to overcome, but it seems that at least some Dominicans are making an effort.
Stephane left Friday to drive back to PAP and arrived safely that night. Luckily, his two vehicles were able to link up w/a convoy of other aid organizations, so that provided a bit more security. The sheer number of aid groups moving in and out of Haiti through the DR is impressive. I saw many people from agencies large and small who were staying in our hotel. I was speaking to the hotel night manager my first evening in Santo Domingo, who told me that normally they hotel is around 70% full, but that since the earthquake it has been at full capacity or even overbooked, almost exclusively by people staging trips to Haiti. One day we walked back into the hotel to find half of the lobby filled with tall stacks of large bins filled with supplies for Haiti. Although there is definitely some price gouging going on in town as a result of the influx of aid agencies, our hotel's rates were and apparently will remain at their normal seasonal level; they are not trying to exploit the numerous people who need a place to stay for a night or two before crossing the border.
We were also able to see the family who are still staying in the DR, which was so nice. I was so happy to see Babeth, especially, and to see that Alex and Sarah and Junior are all safe. David (DX) and his family, along with Klaus and his girlfriend, arrived while we were there, but we did not get to see them. Everyone is working on getting to the US, so hopefully everyone will be Stateside soon. We're starting to consider what everyone is going to do after that, which is rather daunting, but it seems best to take it one step at a time.
On a non-DR note, my stepdad (who has been awesome at getting the word out about Haiti issues and did a great job letting people know Stephane and I were okay right after the earthquake -- thanks, Chester!) sent me the following, which he received from a friend involved in this project. It sounds like a great opportunity to help a great charity and to beautify your home (or someone else's):
Soulcatcher Studios has launched the "pictureHOPE" exhibition and sale of fine art photographs benefiting the people of Haiti through Doctors Without Borders. I have donated some of my work to this worthy cause. Soulcatcher is offering signed, limited edition photographs for just $50.00 each, and 100%of the proceeds will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
Tell your friends and family to buy some art to support the cause!
Direct link to exhibition: http://www.soulcatcherstudio.com/exhibitions/haiti/index.htm
1 comment:
glad you made it back and that Stephane is well
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