Settling in with time to spare - unexpectantly!

Well, this time last week, we were flying from Cap Haitian to Port au Prince, looking at the verdant, rainy season terrain from the vantage point of MFI's  DC3.  How beautiful the mountains were!  When I asked the pilot if we were going to be able to see the Citadel, he said yes - and he would fly the plane closer so we could get a good view!

Photo taken from our window on the MFI flight.

Later, when I checked with Google about this large mountain top fortress, I found it was built in the 1800's and is called The Citadelle Laferriere or Citadelle Henry Christophe, or simply "The Citadelle (in English, spelled "Citadel").  It is a large mountaintop fortress in Northern Haiti, approximately 17 miles south of the city of Cap-Haitien and five miles uphill from the town of Milot.  It is the largest fortress in the Americas and was designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site in 1982.  It has itself become an icon of Haiti.  The Citadel was built by Henri Christophe, a key leader during the Haitian slave rebellion, after Haiti gained independence from France at the beginning of the 19th century.

One day, perhaps we will be able to hike up and tour this impressive ruin.

Soon after this point, we landed in Port au Prince and, for the first time, experienced the new airport terminal which has been under construction as a result of the 2010 earthquake damage and had just recently re-opened.  How nice and clean and orderly it was!  We still had to have our game face on, however, because soon after we retrieved our crates from the luggage carrousel, we were besieged by MANY men wearing red shirts, elbowing and shoving each other in the confusing chaos to "help" us!  "Non, mesi"  and "Pa besoin, mesi".  Finally we were outside and "rescued" by Fre Judain, the mission's driver, who was there to help us get us through PAP, buy groceries, and on out to the Ortlip Mission Center where we were to spend the night.

How wonderful to spend the time with Dan and Joy Irvine before boarding the Wesleyanna for our Haiti home away from home. 

That is La Gonave in the distance in this photo taken by Dr. Steve Edmondson of  Starfysh ministry.

And, after setting foot on the Wesleyan wharf, after the smoothest crossing ever (Thank you, Lord!!), being greeted by our mission compound and Haitian friends,

we have been being about the work of settling in.  Larry says it feels like we never left!

The Information Night for the Wesleyan Institute for English Language Studies, English and Computer classes was ...
                                
                                                          a bomb!!

We had arrived about an hour ahead of time to wash the benches and the white board (leaving then sparkling clean and ready for the students), to clear the place of mosquitoes ( the mosquito racket-zapper is the best)

Larry and the zapper

and to organize the information hand-outs.  We were all set and excited and eager.  

BUT - we had forgotten that this is holiday week.  Bad choice for our start date.  These Haitians really know how to enjoy a holiday - and this year, Fete St Isadore ( important religious holiday for Anse-a-Galets) correlates with the National Flag Day, and the marking of President Martely's two year anniversary in office.   Schools are out,   no banks open, etc., etc.  

St. Isadore banner over the street

The town park dressed Red and White and Blue all around in honor of Flag Day.

And our students were about celebrating!

Our school treasurer assures me next week will find students in our classes, with holiday celebrations behind them and minds once again on learning!

Until then - this English teacher and this Computer Skills teacher can be found taking advantage of our unexpected holiday ( leisurely trips to the market to test out our rusty creole, visiting Sarge's for dinner one evening downtown, enjoying off-compound Haitian BBQ for the first time, re-connecting with mission and Haitian friends, checking out new stores and marveling at the civic and compound improvements just since December )  while continuing to prepare for opening day .....

     
with our class schedule now on Haitian time!