Back In Haiti

It has already been two weeks since I left Brooklyn, yet it seems so much more because of my busy schedule! My first evening here included a cocktail for the Regional Director. Waiters served hors d'oeuvres all evening and eventually desserts. Near the end, I heard a waiter behind me say, "Who wants the last ice cream?". I didn't know that they'd been serving ice cream, but I turned around and there on a tray was a cocktail glass of ice cream.

When I was starting to look for a job I gave up ice cream-- one of my favorite foods next to chocolate. I'd been eating it all summer and decided not to have any until I found a job. The heavens opened a light shown down and soft refrains of angels echoed all around. Okay, not really, but it seemed that that last ice cream on the tray was a confirmation that I am in the right place. I enjoyed every bite.

The rest of the weekend I caught up with friends and the week was spent meeting with my manager in Cap Haitien, a city on the northern coast and a 45 minute flight from Port-au-Prince. I found out a week ago that I will be based there rather than Port-au-Prince as originally planned.

The upside is that Cap is much less chaotic than Port and I'll be living in an adorable seaside apartment with a gorgeous view. The downside is that Cap, although the second largest city in Haiti, significantly lacks amenities. Not counting the Hotel Roi Christophe with typically only 5 of 20 menu items actually available or the guesthouse near the office, there is exactly one suitable restaurant, La Kay. It serves as both the popular lunch spot and the evening hang-out.

La Kay sits on a nicely paved boulevard running along the bay. Although it is small, it does serve great food. Yesterday, on a day-trip to Cap, I enjoyed a delicious lobster salad. It is less than a five minute walk from the office, an old two story house, which faces the bay only 100 feet away. There is usually a nice breeze coming off the water and I can see ships going in and out of the port throughout the day. Life is good.

I am currently in Port and will be moving to Cap by Thursday of this week. Brooklyn feels a million miles away- two weeks ago I was wearing three layers and boots and last weekend I wore a bikini on the beach!