CBU Nursing team in Haiti

Dr Sue Trzynka has a team of nurses working at St Vincents this week.  She sends me daily reports of their experience.  Read below for her first few days in Haiti:

Hello All

Saturday: April 11th

We have arrived in Haiti. A few of the airport missteps, like packing the insect spray in the carry-on bag, a student bringing her own supply of food for the week (we won’t talk about the excessive bag fee here), and no name tags on bags but hey what was that information sheet for anyway. 

Flights were delayed at both airports; most of us had a nap on the flight to Haiti. The flight was full of course. We navigated entry and the 10.00 fee, on to immigration and claiming our bags. There is a real luggage area - it remains inefficient but it sure looks nice and new. 

SURPRISE - a military type open back truck pulls up and the porter wants to start loading our luggage and wants us to climb over the bar unto the row of benches on each side. NO - but there is our jolly driver and sure enough, the St. Vincent’s bus for 18 with real seats is broke - maybe Monday. Angela summed it up nicely. Ah No, I am a healthy girl and I cannot climb in the truck! Nana aka Dr. Trzynka showed her how to get er’ done; a little tricky using the turned over luggage cart as a stool but we were loaded. 

It was a different perspective seeing the streets and people from the back end of the truck. As usual there were “vendors” selling or trading their goods along the roads by the metal planet sculpture/art work. One student suggested this was a Saturday yard sale. Chuckle!! Chuckle!!

The new guest house manager is very nice and agreeable to us hiring the Helping Hands van to take us to church and to the Foyer tomorrow. I am all for adventure but not in a skirt dressed for church. It is raining tonight (of course), a lovely cooler breeze and a way to collect the dust permeating the air. We are all pretty tired and calling it a good first day.

Cheers,

Sue