Day 1 – Apparent Project and Art Fair

This continues my 3-day road trip post.  On Saturday Day 1 we went to Papillon Enterprises, the boutique of the Apparent Project which strives to prevent orphanages by teaching job skills to its employees who create jewelry and art.  Thus the employees have income and don’t need to put their kids in orphanages which are big business in Haiti (even I was encouraged to start one as a business venture).  Many ‘orphans’ are really kids whose parents were desperate enough that they gave them to strangers at an ‘orphanage’ to be cared for.  There are even people who go around collecting kids for these orphanages, where the kids essentially work as slaves and may be sold to other people, while the person running it collects all the donated money.  I know this from a friend who reunites these kids with their families.

Workers at the Apparent Project make their own beads out of Haitian clay.  It is a refreshing change from all the rolled bead projects that have become popular (which they also make).  Last year here in Les Cayes I met a woman selling jewelry she had made through this program.  It was nice to see that the store and woman who runs the business actually exist!  (I’ll have to do another post on all the foundations that I’ve been asked to support!).

We then spent the afternoon at the art fair at the Parc Historique de la Canne a Sucre (Sugar Cane Museum).  It cost 300 gds (~$7US) to get in, and the ticket came with a free pop, 50gds in digicel minutes, and 150gds to use at any booth.  

There were the typical metal art, ash(?) sculpture, and food/syrupy alcohol product booths.  But new to me were the handcrafted fashion products.  The Apparent Project had a booth there.  Others included variations of beaded purses and sandals, scarves and dresses, and crocheted dresses, sandals, and bathing suits.  The clothing was quite expensive, >$100US for some items.

Our best find was a paper mache barn owl which Rhoda bought for me!  I will use it in teaching and fill it with candy so kids have a good association with owls (which most people seem to associate with demons).

We ended our outing with a trip to the grocery store which deserves its own post, as I live in Les Cayes which seems to have slim pickings compared to the Port grocery stores.  Stay tuned for Day 2 at  the beach!

Look for the pink gate to go to the Apparent Project boutique.

Beads made and sold at the Apparent Project boutique.

Entrance to art fair was across from the US Embassy.

Too much metal art - if anyone who runs the art fair reads this, contact me for suggestions!

Fashion booths

Pressing sugar cane for fresh juice.

Apparent Project gifts.  A new bag that isn't so long it hits the moto wheels!

Back at the orphanage

Friday afternoon I went to the girls’ orphanage in Simon to resume teaching ecology.  Two weeks ago Nate, Kristin and I were there so Nate could teach first aid.  After drilling into the little kids’ heads to go find an adult if they come across an accident (rather than taking the person to the hospital themselves!), Nate worked with 2 of the older girls interested in medicine, while Kristin and I stayed with the rest.  AUC student & translator Richard was great in leading them in singing, then we learned a bunch of standing-in-a-circle games.

On Friday I taught the usual bit about birds and bats.  Fortunately, when asked where do bats come from, they said trees and houses, rather than old mice!  Afterwards I had them write their names on a white board so I could take photos and try to learn all their names.  That took for…ev…er….!!!  They all wanted to draw pictures with their names, and the perfectionists of the group kept erasing their drawings and starting over.  So I ended up with photos of about 1/3 the kids and will try again next week.

 

 

The Orphanage Part 3 – Return of the Bat TV

Watching a nature film on the Bat TV.

On Friday I went to the orphanage with Scott and Ashley (after a failed attempt to find the place where I’ll pick up my mail brought in by Agape Flights).  The previous week the kids kept asking about my Bat TV, the iPad on which I showed them videos of bats.  So this week I brought it and we sat and watched two 40 minute episodes of BBC Planet Earth, one about the ocean, and one about jungles.  And I found out I know very few words in Creole about ocean life.  My next goal is to get speakers for the iPad so we can hear the shows.  Too bad they aren’t subtitled so the kids can be learning English as well.

Jajebo Little Brown Bat Earrings

The kids also loved the bat earrings my mom gave me.  They are homemade from used cereal boxes by Jabebo Earrings.

Even Scott is watching the bat TV.

Scott taking a shift on the tiny chair.

The Orphanage - Part 2

Last Friday I returned to the Simon orphanage with Ashely and Scott, and taught more ecology - all in Creole!  I used a poster I got from the Audubon Society to teach about animals that are native and non-native to Haiti, and domestic and non-domestic (sovaj).  Thanks to my new Creole tutor James for helping me learn the phrases to say.

I also showed the kids nature videos on my iPad.  They loved it!  Check out Scott's blog for pictures and a video.

The Orphanage in Simon - Part 1

Frog children are cute!

I was going to write about the orphanage near here where I taught ecology last Friday, but fellow AUC teacher Ashley who works there everyday did a much better job describing it and our 1/2 hour walk.  So visit her blog, aroundtheworldinhaitidays.  I taught the life cycle of the frog and had each kid come up and repeat all four steps.  They didn't want to until they saw I was giving out buttons!  Then they all came  up one by one.  I also taught about birds and bats.  And made a new friend Sharla who is 15 and very very smart.  She helped with me Creole, I helped her with English.  I think she would be college-bound if she had a family to help her.

Also see fellow teacher Scott's blog for his perspective about life here in Les Cayes.

Telling the frog life cycle to the class.

Sharla is always studying.

New friends.

Watch out for that bat!