Week 4

"We become the stories we tell ourselves."

- Roxanne Gay (Haitian American Writer)

I am finally starting to get into the full swing of things. We have English classes three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. As word has spread about a free English course more and more people have shown up, and we're now at just about maximum capacity with over 20 students! One of the things that I love about getting to teach the course is that as I show no shame in stumbling through Kreyol to explain lessons to the students, it gives them courage to speak in English during the class, no matter how weird it sounds. Several students have approached me after class telling me how much they appreciate my attempts to always speak in Kreyol, even when my pronunciation is garbage!

In addition to grading mounds of papers and quizzes, I've had the chance to get to know everyone I live and work with so much better. This week was the week of birthdays, with Monday being Tallun's (Rea's sister), Friday was Soulouque's, Saturday was Padu's, and Sunday was Raoul's (Rea's son-in-law). I am still recovering from the massive cake-coma from all of the week and weekend's festivities. It has truly been a blessing to get to share these intimate and personal moments with people I have known for so long. I have known Padu and Tallun for almost eight years, but my knowledge of their lives has always been limited by our language barrier. As I have become more fluent and had more time to make an effort, I find myself learning about all of these interests they have and so much more about their past that I never knew, because I didn't know how to ask.

I am finding my place here more and more every day and I feel beyond grateful to all of my friends here who make such an effort to make me feel included. So much love for everyone that has made this journey possible, and stay tuned for all the projects we are going to start doing with SOPUDEP and CESAH!