Haitian Bateys: What should i expect?

Question

I'm going to the DR on a service trip with my school and we are spending a day in a Haitian Batey, sleeping over in a shanti town, helping for a day in an orphanage, and visting the DR-Haiti border and watching trade. Should I expect anything important from these events? I don't want to sound ignorant or play down the importance and significance of what I'm trying to do, but is there any information that would help me if I knew it beforehand?

Answer 1

Wear shoes... NEVER walk around barefooted because of the burrowing parasites that can get into the bottom of your feet.  And... don't sleep on bare ground... then, in the morning, turn your shoes upside down and bang them against something to get the scorpions and spiders out of them.

NEVER drink the water... just bottled water, or soda or beer, but never tap water.

Don't expect it to be like AmeriKa... they don't have Wal-Marts in Haiti and fast food means what it was running when you caught it.  Even KFC is a bit grim.

Take ONE DOLLAR BILLS and ONLY give out any money AS YOU LEAVE... if you start handing out money when you get there they will never leave you alone.

Expect to have your sense of smell beaten up... Haiti STINKS... the smell of charcoal is everywhere and the markets are horrible... you will smell rotting, stinking garbage just about everywhere.

Expect to see small children with swollen bellies who will tug at you, point to their stomach and say "mm grangou"... which means "I'm hungry"

I lived in Haiti for 2 years and could totally scare you away from going there if I told you everything I know.  So, just enjoy your trip but be careful... OH... one last thing... WASH YOUR HANDS A LOT... especially when you have gone to the bathroom and never put your fingers anywhere near your mouth, nose or ears.

Answer 2

This will be an interesting experience, so don't forget to take pictures, sometimes they say more than 1.000 words...

Happy to help

Happy Feet