Sunday - Day 1

So I didn't really sleep last night in anticipation of today. We headed to the airport at 6:30 am and arrived at 730. I was crushed to see Sammy cry. It hurts to know he doesn't really understand why I must leave for 2 weeks.

I breezed through security and spent an hour an a half listening to and reading Creole. I know so little, and I still have no clue how to ask Johnley if he needs to use the bathroom!
The plane got to the gate @ 9:28 am. We boarded about 10:20 and are sitting here waiting for people to sit down. A woman with a child who spoke no English was in my seat. She smiled a blank stare when I showed her my ticket and then realized and moved. We are moving away from the gate and I am on my way to finally meet my son.

I landed in Miami only to find the distance between gates was about the total distance of the Appalachian trail. Thank God my flight landed early! We were a little late departing, our crew was late coming in from Costa Rica. The announcements at the gate and on the plane were in English and Creole, but they might as well have been in English and Martian. I am sure I won't understand a thing anyone says to me.

The plane has quite a few white people on it. The ones I heard talking were all speaking french. I am assuming they are from Quebec.

I am getting nervous about Johnley. How am I going to let him know all I have to tell him? I dream of this great bond between my children but am beginning to wonder about all of Johnley's fears. I will be taking him from the only world he knows.

I arrived in Haiti a little late. The gentleman sitting next to me helped me fill out my forms to get into the country. Immigration was a formality and in a blink my papers were stamped, I had my bags and was heading for the door.

Monsour met me at the door and hurried me to the car. There were people trying to carry my bags. I let 2 of them put them in the car and tipped them.

Monsour's wife Reggie was with him. They are very nice and we had a great conversation on the way to the hotel.

Port au Prince is like many 3rd world places I've been . Abject poverty with sprinkling of wealth tossed in. The taxis, called Tap Tap, are colorful and individualized like snowflakes. The people are nice and it seems like it should be paradise.

The El Rancho hotel where I am staying is very nice. I will be here until Tuesday when we leave for the DHS interview. I will meet Johnley Tuesday morning.

I am off to try my Creole and attempt to get a bite to eat.

Had grilled pork and fried plantains both were over cooked and dry. They were served with a sort of coleslaw that was done in vinegar and laced with hot peppers (good stuff - though I don't think the rest of the family would agree)

It is a bit lonely and I wish my family could be here to experience this with me. I would probably be afraid for them if they were here. I don't know why but I would.