What are you built for?: Prepping for Haiti

I am soooooo excited about my Alternative Spring Break that I can hardly focus on the work that needs to get done before I leave  (namely, a 10-page paper).

I travel to Haiti on next Sunday, March 10th through Monday, March 18th. This will be the first place I go where I officially don’t speak the language, and English is not very common there.

I can understand and say some basic French phrases, but not so much Haitian Kreyol (besides the ever-famous Sak Pase?!). Kreyol is one of two official languages in Haiti (the other being French). Kreyol is a mix of French, some African Languages as well as other languages such as Spanish, English, Portuguese (according to Wikipedia.)

So, over the next few days I’ll be using YouTube and some Haitian friends to assist teaching me some conversational phrases. So far, I have:

Bonjou- Good morning

Mwe rele Tracey- My name is Tracey.

Mwe pa pale Kreyol- I don’t speak Kreyol.

Pa de kwa- You’re welcome.

Also, this week Howard welcomed Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat for a lecture entitled “Our Stories, Ourselves.” I got a chance to meet her, and was very excited since I am a fan of her work!

(L-R) Esther, Edwidge Danticat, Dr. Elie, me

In her lecture she told an anecdote of a time she was flying and her plane got hit by lightning. She said it felt like the floor was on fire, everything went black and there was silence.

Then the pilot came over the speaker:

“Uhh..folks. Everything is fine. The plane was built for this.”

The question Mrs. Danticat took away from this experience, is one I’ve begun asking myself… I believe we are all built to withstand many things.

What am I built for?

What in life, were you built to endure? I believe many of us come to discover that, if we don’t already know.  I think Haiti might be able to help me with that answer.

2012: Year in Pictures

This marks my 133rd post, 2011′s ReCap in Photos post was number 38 so if I can calculate correctly this year I’ve written roughly 95 posts! Not too shabby…

10. I started off the year filing applications for graduate school, and then experienced Rejection. Followed by the redeeming power of Acceptance. {Jan-May 2012}

9. I finished my pre-req’s in Speech Language Pathology! {May 2012}

8. I learned of my acceptance into my dream school, including my selection to receive a grant fellowship. Preparation began for subsequent move. {May- July 2012}

7.  I woke up and was suddenly over this guy. I turned 27 years old and worked 2 jobs for the first time (full time and part time). {July 2012}

6. I cut my hair, again. {August 2012}

5. I indulged in life in a new city and met fellow bloggers and people from Twitter. {May-September 2012}

4. I started a new relationship. {November 2012}

3. I survived my first semester of graduate school and celebrated the end of the semester by attending a Wig Walk. {Dec. 2012}

2. I will be splitting the holidays with both parents in two different states. My first time ever traveling this much at the end of the year, but I’m thankful! {Dec. 2012}

1. I learned the importance of believing in yourself! Even when you don’t feel worthy, or smart, or beautiful…don’t be so hard on yourself. You were made for this moment right now, so seize it!

Happy end of the year to you! Hope it’s treating you well!

Best,

She

1 Down, 3 Ta Go

Here’s the latest updates since today is the last official day of the semester…Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

 

It’s (Almost) the First of the Month…

My Twitter/Blogger big sis just reminded me that Fat Mum Slim holds monthly Photo-a-Day challenges, if you’re interested.

I may/may not hold my end of the bargain, so I won’t commit.

If you play along on Twitter make sure you use hashtag #fmsphotoaday.

Happy 1st!