An introduction to Haiti

Before things actually begin, due to sketchy internet connections, I am actually back in Santo Domingo, having had a wonderful few days in Port au Prince. There are going to be more than one article on this part of my trip - there is simply too much say, and too much that needs to be said for only one post. As well - I've had some trouble putting my thoughts into words, so there will be some time in coming. That said, let me begin.

As many of you know, one of the major things about my trip down was the time I was going to be spending with an American NGO called the Batey Relief Alliance (more on this in a later post) and members of Haiti's government - partly playing journalist (in a rather ironic twist to life, I was the photographer for the meetings), and partly taking the opportunity to see the diplomatic process in action, and learn something about a part of the world about which I know very little. But in order to get to the meetings, we first had to get to Haiti. 

Now, there are several ways to get from Santo Domingo to Haiti. You can fly, rent a car and drive yourself, or take the bus. In the name of conserving cash, we decided to take the bus. In the name of conserving what little of our sanity may, speculatively, remain, next time, we're flying. The trip from Santo Domingo to Port au Prince was about seven hours long, on an air conditioned bus, through some of the most beautiful scenery you can ever imagine.

People have long seen this island as paradise, and I can clearly see why. That being said, it's also a seven hour bus trip. The trip from Santo Domingo begins at roughly 11:00 AM (EST), and is a pretty straightforward bus trip, all things considered - they even fed us, and the food was excellent. You arrive in a suburb of Port au Prince (Petion-ville) at about 6:00 PM (CST), and then have the adventure of trying to find a cabbie. The government of Canada's travel advisories strongly suggest that travellers not use random cabbies in Haiti, but only reputable, known companies. We, however, completely ignored that advice, and picked the first cabbie who offered his services - a local named Rodrick. Here, we decidedly lucked out, as he was not only a safe cabbie with a reasonable fare, but we also found him exceptionally helpful in getting funds exchanged, giving advice on general tourist-y information as well as some commentary on the political state of the nation. He was also a thoroughly engaging conversationalist over dinner (he recommended a restaurant in Petion-ville called Coin des Artistes, and we invited him along - speaking of which, the food here is excellent, and I highly recommend dining here if you have the opportunity). Side note - for the beer drinkers amongst you - if you ever get an opportunity to try the Haitian beer Prestige, I suggest you take it. 

Haiti is a nation of great natural beauty and terrible poverty. Because of the latter fact, it tends to receive a terrible rep from world media as a tourist destination. So let me take a few minutes to go through things. First of all, Rodrick had some excellent advice. The country is perfectly safe for tourists - however know where you're going, and ideally have a local or someone familiar with the city to ensure you get where you're going. There are two reasons for this - the first is that, quite frankly, the city streets are thoroughly confusing - very windy, and very hilly. The second reason is that there is an extant risk of kidnappings in some regions. Rodrick explained that the kidnappings are no longer political in nature, but rather economic. With 70-80% of the population unemployed, some will turn to kidnapping as a means of trying to make some money. That being said, it is EXCEEDINGLY rare, and the same common sense and awareness that would be recommended in any unfamiliar location is equally recommended here, and should be sufficient to keep you safe. 

"Haiti is a destroyed country - everything has to be rebuilt." Rodrick's chilling words outline the most basic problem in the country. Decades of corruption, mismanagement, and war take time to undo. Sadly, the marks of past sins still lie heavy on Port au Prince, marring its beauty. Even so, there is hope. Through the actions of the current government, and with the assistance of numerous NGOs acting in the region, the nation is slowly but surely rebuilding, and will assuredly regain the stature that comes along with the beauty so inherent in the land itself, and in the city. There are numerous challenges ahead, but nothing that cannot be overcome. More on that next time.