Should I go to Haiti on school trip? Crime Rate?

Question

A class at my school is going to Haiti for spring break. We will fly into Port au Prince, the capitol, overnight there, then fly to Port de Paix where will travel by truck to St. Louis du Nord. We stay at a school in St. Louis du Nord. We will hike to Glacis, a small village, to scope out a water treatment system, visit turtle island, and work on various humanitarian projects during the trip. Return to Port au Prince for an overnight and then back home. My mom is worried about the crime rate, but I have to decide tomorrow if I'm going or not. PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

I wouldn't go....Remember Natalee Holloway? You are not protected under the laws of our country if you are not on our territories....Laws in those areas are insane and the islands are full of European people who are drug lords. Trust me! People of European descent dominate down there and it is a stopping point for money laundering, trading of s*x slaves-(you can get kidnapped easily and sold as a s*x slave...you would be drugged 24/7 and wouldn't know up from down...so thats why they never get away)....you also run a risk of stuff like swimming pools that have those drains that suck you under...they don't have regulations on stuff like that like the U.S. does. I really wouldn't go! Not a cool area at all. You would be better off visting an area of Florida...same climate and there are organizations that are needy there also. Shame on your school for arranging this trip! We have many beautiful areas of our very own country that are needy and yet the students would not be put into foreign danger.

Answer 2

Based on your area of study, you need to decide whether you want to have real world knowledge on the subjects that are important to you, or if you just want to be a theoretical know-it-all who is too scared to tackle life.  

I have NEVER been to Haiti but my friends and family members have. They all had powerful experiences. There are few places in THIS HEMISPHERE where you can see so much social disparity. I have never been invited to go to Haiti in any groups such as you have, but i guarantee you that i WOULD NOT turn the opportunity down.

To be on the safe side, find out about the arrangements for the security of your group and don't be too adventurous when you are there. You aren't going to find romance. You are going to LEARN.

Ensure that the groups safety will be guided and guarded by people who are VERY familiar with the local environment.

Answer 3

I would say no. Port au Prince is not a safe place. The peace keeping troops that are there are locked and loaded all the time.  Actually Haiti is not safe even for the people who live there.  You are taking a real chance since you will not have armed security with you.  I would not go unarmed.

Answer 4

Well Haiti has the lowest crime rate of the whole caribbean.  It has 1/3 the crime rate of the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica has more than 400% more crime than Haiti.  The only place you should be worried about is Port au Prince, it's the worst part of the country.  The rest is cool though, very low crime, very relaxed and hospitable.  My husband is from Port de Paix.  It's a safe place.  Very, very different than what you're used to (like there were random roosters hanging around), but safe.  I haven't been to Glacis or Turtle Island, so I couldn't say anything about those areas.  Honestly, I would spend my spring break elsewhere, but if this is something you want to do for the experience or you are really into this humanitarian project, then definately go.  I think you will be surprised, it's not horrible like the other 2 posts make it seem.

Answer 5

If the school is going in a group AND YOU STAY  with the group it should be safe enough.

Travel is an education in itself.

It is NOT a common thing for a student to have a problem.  That is why the FEW times it has happened, it becomes big news.