24 June 2010 Thursday No water or too much
OK, my hope is that someone will be laughing by the time they finish reading this. When I got home Tuesday, I did my little dinner and went to the hotel next door to try to get on the internet. After over an hour, no luck. Started to leave, tried to ask the guard to watch me walk “home” (about 50 yards max) and a street vender started hitting on me. I just turned around, went back inside and approached 3 people speaking English in the bar (ok, they were drinking, too.) (OK the 2 guys were cute, too.) I apologized and gave them the Cliff Notes version of why I was interrupting them – I just wanted someone to watch me until I got the door open at my place, as it's quite dark. I did have on my evening jewelry – my head lamp around my neck. One of the guys jumped up and said absolutely, no problem. You shouldn't go out there alone. He walked me back AND the guard accompanied us, too! Did I ever feel safe. Turns out this guy is here on contract from the US Government looking at building BRIDGES!! I gotta find him and talk more about getting a couple of bridges out to Petit Trou! (that wasn't the funny story, just tragic, in my lack of success in getting connnected.)
Last night, I came home to no water. Luckily I had filled a large basin when I first arrived and was able to take a modified bucket bath. Then I realized I didn't have my phone. Not tragic, but I am here in this building pretty much alone – my worrying mind goes into action – what if there's another earthquake or if I get sick or??? Then I was silly and tried the internet at the hotel again. Not only did I not get on, I ran my battery down and my computer totally went to sleep. I was afraid that I had lost it, but I'm typing on it now.
Tonight, I came home wondering if the water was back (they had to buy diesel for the generator so the water could be pumped up to the holding tanks on top of the building). No water in the faucets, but the floor was flooded. I'm still not sure what happened, but I can tell you the floor is really clean now. I swept and swept the water out the door – thank goodness there's no threshold, so it just gushed out and down the spiral staircase outside my door. It kinda reminded me of last summer when we were sucking water out of my dad's basement in KC, in preparation for selling it. Gives some perspective. Anyhow, as I finished sweeping and set the fans blowing on the floor, I heard water GUSHING out of the bathroom shower. I couldn't believe it. Even when the water had been present, it had never come out of the shower head – and it was powerful! I jumped right in and am now quite clean as I write to you all!
Today, my sister got to talk with my friend, Priscilla's daughter, Ginny. Priscilla has been a friend for 33 years. Many of you know her. She'll turn 91 the end of this month. She is the energizer bunny with at least nine lives. Anyhow, her health tanked just before I left for Haiti and I was thinking about her so much this morning. My sister called Ginny for me and found that Priscilla is hanging in there, now with Hospice, but enjoying reading and such. I hope, Ginny, that you will be able to read this to her and tell her I'll come with my cello Tuesday morning the 6th of July to play music for her, ok? I think one of the hardest things for me about doing international work is being so far from the people I love.
Just one more thought about my water situation. Kitty-cornered from where I'm staying and directly across the street from that hotel I mentioned is one of the camps set up after the earthquake. It's in what they tell me was a beautiful park, probably like Washington Park in Denver. Now, it's wall to wall tents, tarps, little coal cookers, people vending trinkets, candies, some fruits, vegetables. Any little thing to try to make some money. How would I even dare to whimper about my water challenges? At least the roof is over my head, the fan is blowing cool air, I have screens in my windows, a clean tiled floor and a comfy bed. Oh, and coffee in the morning. I saw a guy sitting on the curb today, wiping his bare foot, looking at what I suppose was a wound...another guy was sound asleep on a long step. A bilateral amputee in a wheelchair at an intersection, I suppose trying to get money from passers-by. Oh, me.
Tomorrow, I have half a day off and may do a little fun shopping with the flute teacher who speaks great English. The other half of the day I'm going to edit an application to begin rebuilding the Holy Trinity church and the school. Bernadette is drafting it and I can polish her English. That will be great – makes me feel useful.
Bernadette and I shared some of the Malbec finally this evening. She told me that a week after the earthquake they went out and played in the camps. First half was quiet, solemn music and in second half they played fun, lively ones – even Michael Jackson! She said it was the first time that people smiled and danced. And she talked about working with the students, that she helps them feel the music, the joy, the fun, the fullness of it. She said “We need music to help heal Haiti.” I think I've found someone who cries as much as I do.
I talked to Bev last night.She's really enjoying working with the students of all ability levels. PaP itself is providing an environmental challenge to her: quite polluted, including men urinating in the street anywhere, any time.
ReplyDeleteShe thought things were great with her room water supply, simply using her UV pen to purify -- but green blobs started showing up in the water flow out of the faucet. A new guard at her location has located affordable bottled water for purchase -- she's very greatful.
The July 4th Haiti Philharmonic concert (in which she was invited to play)has been canceled due to a new charge of $2,000 for the concert hall. She's disappointed-- she played in the orchestra's 3-hour rehearsal on Monday, along with another 2 hours of playing. With the cancellation of the concert, she entertained thoughts of leaving earlier, but has decided just to stay with the July 5th departure date.
After teaching orchestra for 37 years, I am certainly thrilled that she is enjoying teaching -- including being thrilled at the enthusiasm of beginners! There's nothing like it!