2 in La Gonave: Back at it -

We arrived back on La Gonave late Monday morning, October 29, after a smooth trip in from Miami. That night was our monthly "Talking Night" with the advanced students. We welcome English-speaking guests into the group to provide an environment rich in speaking and listening, question and answer time, sharing of information - all in English. It is a greatly anticipated event by the Haitians and before long into the night, our guests are always impressed by the speaking ability, intelligence and wit of our students.

Students working on a project in a beginner class; the ladies are giggling; the men are feigning seriousness.

We decided to put our fatigue aside and keep the schedule. We tackled the phone list and found delight in the students' voices when we told them we were back in town and the scheduled event was a "go"! The guests - two who were visiting from the states and five who live on the Wesleyan compound - were all set.

And, like a well-spiced dish, the questions from the Haitians always include a kick or two!

I had anticipated questions about the national elections in the states. One of the students keeps close tabs on American politics and he is keen on any insider, first-hand info! I had to call a quietus on the inevitable, "who will you vote for?", reiterating that voting is by secret ballot and preferences aren't always shared publicly. When the query about how many electoral votes did our particular states have, I realized I needed to brush up on my government savvy! Fortunately, one of the Americans quickly checked google for accurate answers!!! We now know how many electoral votes Florida, Michigan, Indiana, California and South Carolina have. Those states were represented by no-longer-ignorant registered voters at "Talking Night"!

Our British hospital project manager got the question about how government structure differed in England from America. So, we all got a lesson in British government. He also fielded a question about what kind of workers the Haitians employed to work on the hospital were, with a very positive response about solid work ethic and good attitude along with ability and teachability for the project. That honest observation was well-received.

But the next question was the real kicker! "I want to know more about Shakespeare!" It was asked of the Londoner, but he deferred to our former actor from California who did a great job in answering him! Again, we all learned something - either new or in review.

The hour+ flew and before we knew it, it was time to draw the evening to a close. The famed bard said it well: "Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow". It was another memorable gathering and one enjoyed by all. The atmosphere was vibrant in the room as the post-event hand shakes, comments and chatting happened easily among guests and students. Impressions of Haitians were shifted from the media-enhanced to the personal experience for the non-Haitian participants. These are men and women who dearly love their country, want to see change and progress, and want to be part of making it happen. They see a command of the English language and an understanding of countries and governments outside their own as vehicles to enable them to participate in the change. Great men and women!

Oh, yeah - another positive outcome of the October Talking Night - I now have a willing and able thespian to lead a poetry class! Shakespeare, here we come!