2013
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Pè and Pye
“Pè” is the word for “fear” in Creole. “Pye” is the word for old. Tonight I was out by the ocean (where I get good cell reception) making a phone call back home. After awhile my new Haitian roommate (another story), Noë, was sent to…
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On Being Asked for Things
I appreciated the thoughtful comments on my last post (and several emails too). Thanks to those who weighed in with the encouraging words. Todays windy thesis is on a somewhat similar topic of cultural differences… Disclaimer: this long post was written little at a time…
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Cross Cultural Connections
This week I read a book entitled, Cross Cultural Connections, by Duane Elmer. It was timely, and an easy read. At one point he listed about fifteen symptoms of culture shock, and I think I basically had all of them, or at least go through…
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Short Anecdote
While visiting an American couple last weekend, they received a phone call informing them a Haitian friend of theirs had just passed away at the hospital. The deceased mans wife had already returned back to her home and was mourning with family and friends. Of…
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Fish Fry
As the title hints at, today was fish fry day with the guys. They wanted to cook up a bountiful feast for me (and them too), and I agreed to fund the enterprise. After bartering, five small fish were purchased fresh off the beach from…
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Thankful
Several times these past few weeks I’ve started formulating a blog post in my mind of all the numerous complaints I have living here in this village. One day I even started writing it. A quick look at my desktop just now shows it’s still…
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Surprised
My new schedule includes starting each day with a jog and and then jumping in the ocean afterwards. This morning the water was perfectly calm and crystal clear right up to the waters edge (usually the waves make the water up close dirty) so I…
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Sighting a Foreigner
I feel like such a foreigner all the time in my village. Recently there was an incident that happened which made me feel better though: I saw someone alone in Ravine Seche more out of place than myself. First let me paint the setting because…
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The Sea and Her Moods
Standing by the ocean watching a massive, awe-inspiring thundercloud approaching offshore, shooting lightning across the night sky, silhouetting the island Loganave, and blotting out half the stars in inky black. But above me is cloudless… the moon’s light behind reflecting a silvery, ghostly sheen upon…
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In Which Nick Gets Sunburnt
Today I went on my first fishing trip with the locals. Ten of us guys went (I thought it would just be several). We took two boats (I thought we would just take one) and were gone nine hours (I thought we would be gone…