First Month in Haiti

The kids came to school in their uniforms on Tuesday. Officially, school does not begin in Haiti until the first of October. The kids here soldiered on straight from summer camp into their first week of school September 2nd. But, they couldn't wear their uniforms because, I guess, it was illegal for them to actually "be in school." So we called it a 'camp' and they came in 'civies'--VMI? Military School? Small children? French director? Matilda? Hmmm.
Anyway, they came on Tuesday. I had totally forgotten about it as I try to stuff everyday into the bottom of my bad as I head up the hill for my shower. It isn't that bad, but if you're reading this and are also a teacher of 25+, even 5+ small children, you know what I mean. They are cute as buttons but as Elvis liked to say at times the "Devil in Disguise", oh yes they are. It's hard in the midst of the morning (I feel like I've been sent to the Congo 50 times by 11am) to reflect back on all the little cute things they did in the past four hours that ripped your heart out and made you squeeze them until they begged you to stop (which they never do, they always ask for more affection); but you try to. And at the end of the day, when someone asks you how your day was, you begin to stifle your first response of, "What day? You mean my war zone?" or, "I feel like I was in a car wreck, I just shut my eyes and held my breath until it was over and then after tried to forget that it ever happened," and instead replace it with some of the videos and pictures below.
(just a short note, one of the videos shows Lorvens, yes Lorvens, in front of the class leading a small group of classmates in some of the animal yoga poses I do with them after recess. The flash cards he is using aren't even the same ones I use, but he found the same animals on them himself and wrangled up his classmates and did a great job. This was a turning point for Lorvens and I to say the least) (oh, also Rose Darline singing "Merrily, Merrily" from "Row, Row, Row..you get it", on her own. She was doing it better earlier but is very camera shy, you'll remember her from our little photo shoot and also a photo below of her very frilly bloomers. Which, in the spirit of Rose, she loves to show off first thing every morning. She beams right at me when she sees me and says, "Mademoiselle, look at my pretty skirt, look at my pretty shirt, look what my mom bought me," caressing all of her clothes as if they were made of velour. And today, "Mademoiselle, look at my underwear." So of course, that initiated a chorus of skirts being lifted and everyone showing their underwear. I don't care if your Haitian or American, all 3-year-olds love to show of their panties. That she falls out of the trashcan at the end of the video is an added bonus).
What else is here...photos from dinner out last night in St Marc for my roommate Christina's 21st birthday (yes, 21), and my Shrimp with 'Haitian Sauce', it's all the waiter would tell me. Lots from the first day in their uniforms and at breakfast. And a few from naptime today and "Mr. Ham" himself, Manndy. He asked me (Vinene translated for me) to buy him a soccer ball. Out of the blue, this is what he said. Then he said he wanted coffee and bread. So, I drew him a cup of coffee. He scoffed at me, "This isn't what I asked you for!". So, we made him color it to keep him busy for at least 5 minutes until nap was over. Oh, and a photo of John Kerry completely passed out, please notice the puddle of urine under his chair, really caps it off in describing naptime here in PSB. Gotta love 'em.