Tallest Man on Earth...u nice, real nice.
Do me this one favor? - love this guy, i know you will.
8.9.10
the BLANC from the blog
Just as a threatening but harmless dark cloud overtook the blistering heat, the classes of 2010/2011 trickled into the gated courtyard of our Universite. What the afternoon had in store would be a brief but entertaining orientation session. Unnerved by the thought of an initial meet and greet in kreyol I postponed my entrance as long as possible. I had hoped to deliver my introduction with confidence and successfully establish myself as a respected teacher. Attempting to do so in kreyol would no doubt produce an eruption of laughter followed by jokes. Almost all of these 350 students would be taking one of my 4 English classes, and the majority were at least my age or older. Upon realizing my hesitation, the dean of the school encouraged me to interact en anglais! The students were not only responsive to my American introduction, but genuinely excited. Relief set in, and so did the confidence. I was at ease…almost.
Soon we were gathering under a covered pavilion and to my surprise everyone immediately flocked to sit around me, the Blanc. As Pere Ajax, the Universite administrator, began to ramble swiftly I was once again at a complete lose with the exception of being aware that my name was being frequently interjected in his speech. As quickly as I recognized his mention of me, I noticed all eyes dart in my direction. Repeatedly he returned to the topic of English and the Blanc teacher. I eventually came to realize this was the reiteration of how fortunate my presences was for their university. “There are many many English teachers in this town. They are all Haitian, but ours…Ours is from the United States.” He echoed proudly. My lack of kreyol was a bonus in their eyes, requiring the students to, at all times, speak English with their kreyol-impaired teacher, and as a result, perfecting their conversation skills. The students graciously welcomed me periodically throughout the afternoon, most often inquiring about my marital status. As the orientation came to a close, I was approached one last time. The girl was small, her frame petite, her smile enormous, and her English understandable. She articulated that she had no explanation but upon seeing me she felt we had been long time friends. As she spoke the words I felt it too. Perhaps it was the lack of my having shared an English speaking interaction with another person in almost a week, or perhaps we really are destined to be zanmi. Regardless, the comfort and excitement I received from meeting my students provided me with a burst of energy and creativity which I have been desperately craving after a week of pouring over my kreyol English dictionary!
I hope you enjoy this Architecture In Helsinki song as I think it will be the inspiration for my next vocabulary lesson!
I hope you enjoy this Architecture In Helsinki song as I think it will be the inspiration for my next vocabulary lesson!
by Architecture In Helsinki
7.9.10
Low Blow
Weaving in and out of the densely populated and dangerously narrow streets of a crumbled Port Au Prince I observed the masses of meandering people coated in the white powder of cinder block rubble being churned up by the racing cars and motor bikes battling for road space. I quickly recognized the city I had visited a year prior to the quake. People lounging at their vendor’s stand, waiting for a breeze that might never come. Naked babies and goats roaming in heaps of garbage. It was all the same, and yet an additional devastating factor had very evidently been added to those already in existence. How could things possibly get worse I remember thinking a year before. This country could go nowhere but up, I was sure. And then, just like that, the dilapidated capital city, which yes, housed poverty, joblessness, and malnutrition but nevertheless served as some sort of foundation for this country, came crashing to the ground.
The density and range of destruction and disorder in Haiti since the earthquake of January 12th can hardly be portrayed in photograph, much less writing. There is fallen building upon fallen building and the streets are packed with crowds of people which is typical for Haiti, especially Port Au Prince, the difference now is these people are all living in tents. As I began my trek through PAP the magnitude of this disaster really set in…but it wasn’t until we had traveled 2 hours outside the capital city, still surrounded by tent villages for as far as the eye could see, that full on shock took hold. An entire country of tents…its unfathomable.
And yet, the screams of disaster have hushed. People are no longer running in panic. Instead, what I saw in the mist of the mountains beyond mountains of rubble were people laughing, people holding hands, people gathered around tables playing cards. The landscape revealed tragedy but the people within the landscape depicted a type of subtle and natural strength, that has allowed an entire country to continue to function, to survive, much like it miraculously did before but now with even fewer local resources.
The Lucky One by user2355813
by Au Revoir Simone
3.9.10
Bieber Fever en AYITI
Today I stumbled upon two little boys singing Justin Bieber's smash hit "Baby" feat. the one and only Ludacris, a personal favorite of mine...needless to say it made me feel right at home.
It was so nice to hear Bieber’s silky smooth prepubescent voice in the middle of the chaos of Haiti that I was only slightly bummed when the kids did Not seem impressed as I began to sing all the words...
Rather than hitting you with a little more Bieber right now, which would be oh so appropriate, I will instead share with you a track from the new Arcade Fire album.
by Arcade Fire from their new album “The Suburbs”
This track is seemingly relevant to my current location, but only by name.
I will follow up with a more legitimate post soon!
30.8.10
Word of Advice: Tiptoe Through the Tulips
Tomorrow I move to Haiti. I am so very excited!
I have been trying to tie up loose ends and finalize my packing for the past two days – making a rather halfhearted effort to combine all of my scattered to do lists and check off each task.
The entire preparation process really reminds me of something I saw recently…
Oh and I really hope you like this new Sufjan! This entire new album, to quote a friend, will most definitely be "The Soundtrack of the Week".
"All Delighted People" By Sufjan Stevens
4.8.10
Sometimes the King is a Woman.
- ny artist James De La Vega
While in this case, the Princess is Jennifer.
Princess Jennifer is just one of many noble individuals I spent this past week with, while working at Camp Bratton Green’s special session dos for mentally and physically disabled adults. With the exception of having to diffuse a few public masturbation instances and handle a handful of seizures, each time I spend a week with the campers of special session I determine it to be the most refreshing, encouraging, and optimistic week of my entire year. The complete absence of judgment, spiteful competition, and bad intentions matched with the overwhelming presence of genuine and total acceptance creates perhaps the most perfect community I have ever experienced.
The week began with a little singing and dancing, which then led into some singing and dancing, followed by a bomb fireworks show, and finally ended with some especially awesome singing and dancing.
When we weren’t singing and dancing, an array of equally incredible activities were taking place. Meanwhile, Graham Davies could most likely be found flawlessly reciting scene after scene of ABC family’s original film “Dunstan Checks In”, or interrogating his most recent listener on topics including but not limited to keys, ceiling fans, light bulbs or highchairs.
Rachelle, known to all as Brittany Spears, another very memorable face of special session, was seen on several occasions in a lace-wedding gown proposing marriage at the most in-optimal times to those who were least prepared. Brittany did so despite her existing marriage to Johnny Depp, the father of her beautiful sons, Harry Potter, the Jonas brothers, and Kid Rock.
Dustin and Terrell, just two of the ballers from cabin B, were at all times rollin on chromed out scraper bike rims. And though they look pretty hardcore, these boys have smiles for miles.
2010 we did it Again! Eric Hardin is nothing short of one of a kind. He has an uncanny ability to burst out with the most bizarrely remarkable and trademarkable one-liners when the room is completely silent and all around least expect it.
If ever Courtney is spotted, you can guarantee he is quickly sneaking off to his cabin, exuding paranoia, on a mission to “add to his collection” the new iPhone 4 he recently found unattended.
And then there’s Reggie Harris. Without a doubt, the biggest heart, the biggest smile and the highest tube socks to ever be possessed by one individual.
I’ll leave you now with an, oh so professional, high quality video from the week. Enjoy
22.7.10
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