Monkey Brain Musings

Greetings from the Monkey Brain! I received the link to my fundraising site today, which means I can start the arduous task of begging for funds. This is the uncomfortable part for me, because I could not possibly go on these trips without the financial support of others, but I abhor asking people for money. I believe, with all of my heart, that this is a worthwhile cause. As you've read in my earlier posts, I couldn't have put more of my heart and soul into my last trip if I tried, and I am eternally beholden to everyone who has made even the smallest donation. And yet...I still squirm at the thought of asking for more funds. If I really want to take a moment on the psychiatrists couch, it's probably because I don't think I warrant such generosity from others and that I should, somehow, be able to come up with the funds on my own. Well, the stark reality is that I am not a gazillionaire, I don't play the lottery, and I have a career that I love...but it's not t...

Last week, I went to Portland, OR., one of my favorite cities in the U.S. My folks live across the river, I have wonderful friends there, and the whole place makes my hippy heart and hipster tastes so happy! :) The huge bonus to this trip was that I was able to go to the Medical Teams International headquarters and meet Jamie, the volunteer coordinator who sent me to Haiti. I am happy to say, and not surprised, that she was just as darling in person as she was on the phone. Jamie and I had a number of marvelous phone calls, before my trip to Haiti, and I was very excited to share my Haiti stories with her. Most importantly, I was able to tell her that I considered my "First Date" with MTI to be a huge success and I thought we (MTI and I) should go steady. I also had the pleasure of seeing Beth, one of the wonderful women I went to Haiti with, who is a volunteer at MTI and on the board of HFH.  The absolute BEST part about my meeting with Jamie, is that I'm going back to H...

The housing situation, or lack there of, is still a major problem in Haiti.  By population, Haiti is the second largest Caribbean nation, with an estimated 10.7 million people, just under a million of whom live in the capital city, Port au Prince. After the earthquake, it was estimated that 1.5 million Haitians became homeless. On the drive from the airport to Terre Blanche, I saw homes in varying stages of development, assuming many of them were post earthquake wreckage. However, I learned that often homes are left that way due to a lack of funds. Once the money runs out, the construction ends. Some of the larger towns outside of Port au Prince have buildings reminiscent of the Creole Townhouses of New Orleans. Other homes were simple, ramshackle structures, made of metal sheets, wood, concrete block, or even cardboard. A number of organizations, like HFH, have helped locals build homes, that may house anywhere from 7 to 20 family members. Keep in mind, these simple homes do not h...

I don't remember when or where I first fell in love with street markets. There is something so fascinating about wandering down a street, plaza, or alley, looking through bins and baskets for the perfect whatever. I look for them everywhere I travel. I still remember the street market I found in Salisbury, England, almost 20 years ago. I had to drag myself away from a giant bucket of sleek, undulating black eels, for sale in a back alley of Chiangmai, Thailand. My favorite place to shop in Grenada was the farmer's market. The road from Port au Prince to Terre Blanche was peppered with street vendors and markets of all shapes and sizes. The majority of my photographs were taken from the front seat of a moving truck, which hopefully adds to the "flavor", and it was frustrating not to be able to stop and peruse. Enjoy these...