buildOn Student Scrapbook: Building a School in Haiti

We’re been discussing the recent school building trip to Haiti all week here on the blog. It was the first time that our US students ventured to that troubled country to live with its vibrant people and work with them side by side to construct a schoolhouse. Earlier in the week we heard reports from the actual build site, as well as testimony from students who were touched by the experience of living and working in Haiti. Today, we hear a few more student voices who have reflected on the small day-to-day pleasures and challenges of the Haiti trip.

Jorge Gomez: One night our host family said they were going to play Konpa music for us, and then took out 3 buckets and found some branches and started playing. There was a singer and 3 drummers making beats. We danced all night with our host family, making our host dad dance with our host mom. Our host sisters were cracking up.

Jamie Pelusi (Program Coordinator): I miss hiking mountains, wading in rivers, eating coconut, and saying “bon swaaaaaaaa” every 5 minutes.

Courtney M. Winterbauer: I was craving plantains yesterday odd enough! What if there is plantain ice cream. Yum!

Jorge Gomez: The Haitians laughed at us when we started working. But working with them and getting so much done showed that anyone could work together and do a lot.

Asha Vitatoe (Program Coordinator): Woke up craving grenadine juice and a coconut…

Courtney M. Winterbauer: I’m gonna miss waking up to 12 am roosters,
Or 3 am roosters…any-hour roosters,
And cicadas at night,
And thunder and lightening and rain storms,
Tropical storms,
And the river,
And crickets,
And unhappy donkeys,
And my host dad that snored,
And my loud sisters,
And the mostquito net,
And goats,
lol
and the quiet…

Ronah Baha …and speaking French in your sleep!