The things I would have never before considered “normal” are rapidly becoming the occurrences that make up my daily routine.
Awaking each morning to the crowing of roosters is pretty sensible, however the complete neglect of time or scheduling these roosters seem to live by also results in my being lulled to sleep each night by their screams.
Another oddity to which I have grown so accustomed that I now almost regard as mundane is the scampering of rats and mice throughout the entire house. Their games I first noticed in the kitchen. (Not an ideal location for rodents, I realize, but far enough from my room to keep me at ease.) As the weeks grew on I began to observe their hide and seek shenanigans elsewhere. In the living room, under my chair, right across my feet, in and out of bedrooms (not mine!) they seem to be having such fun that its almost enjoyable to watch.
One more scenario that I have found to be far from occasional is the attendance of toddlers to my college level English classes. On days when my students have no one to care for their children, the kids just tag along. As well behaved, as any children I’ve ever encountered it really poses no problem for me to administer an exam with a test taker’s baby on my hip.
Then there’s shower time. Upon first moving to Haiti and realizing that showering, as I knew it would not be happening…ever again, I experienced a brief moment of panic. Filling my five-gallon bucket with ice cold water every night, and pouring cup full’s over my body did not initially seem like an ideal circumstance. However, it was almost immediately that this outlook changed. The pivotal moment was my second day in the country, feeling especially filthy and covered in dust, I ventured into the bathroom to douse myself with water. One giant scoop of water poured directly over my face, and that was it. A feeling of refreshment I had never before experienced. It was so revitalizing that I could not help but to grin. I was sold. I now smile, every single night, as I shower.
The regular power outages would probably be considered the most inconvenient aspect of my new way of life, or at least by many standards. The frequency of blackouts in Haiti is the antithesis of sporadic. The timing of these outages can be accurately pinpointed down to the minute. This is because here in Haiti, we lose power, on the minute, every two minutes, for an average of 30 seconds. The loss and return of light at such a high rate of recurrence ensures that after one day of experiencing this glitch it becomes a part of the subconscious.
My favorite element of living with all these hassles is the total absence of frustration surrounding me. I can positively state that there is not one individual in Haiti who would throw up their hands in the face of these hardships. Roosters, rats, power outages, bucket showers, they are nothing. This of course is because there are far bigger fish to fry for the people of Haiti, but the ironic fact remains that their willingness to accept reality and still enjoy their days produces a far more relaxed and stress free environment. I’ll take it!
by: Sleigh Bells
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