Potential team - Itenerary

Day 1 - Fly out of Kansas City on a Sun., Tues., or Thurs. (~$500)
--------Stay overnight in Miami (~$80 + meals & tips)
Day 2 - Catch 8a flight to Port-au-Prince Haiti
--------Transfer to smaller airport - $10 plus possible taxi ~$5
--------Catch 1p flight to Pignon ($90 round trip) where Mompremiers pick us up
--------Relax rest of day in missions compound ($25 per night room and meals)
Day 3-8 - Work on missions project - must provide $ for supplies, see other posts for ideas
Day 9 - Back to Pignon airport for 2p flight
--------Transfer to main airport - $10 plus possible taxi ~$5
--------6p flight to Miami & stay overnight (~$80 + meals & tips)
Day 10 - Fly back to Kansas City

Potential team - Packing list

If you are going with a team to Pignon, please bring these items. Pack light, you'll have to buy an extra $45 in-country plane ticket for anything over 25lbs. Take 1/2 the clothing you need and have it washed (this also supports jobs). Take clothing you can leave behind then you'll have room for souvenirs. The Mompremiers provide towels and sheets.

1. FLASHLIGHT (very important, you'll need it at night - no electricity)
2. waterbottle - you can fill it at the house (make sure it's empty for airport security)
   
3. snacks
4. toiletries (don't expect to buy any forgotten items in Haiti)
5. prescriptions, including malaria pills and spare glasses/contacts
   
6. sun screen
7. sunglasses
8. bug spray (bugs really aren't a problem, I use a natural cedar oil spray)
9. flipflops for around the house
10. walking shoes
11. women: skirts (at least knee length)
12. women: modest tank tops & shirts
    
13. women: pants, jeans, and or shorts to wear around the house
14. men: jeans and a good pair of pants for men, shorts for the house
    
15. men: tshirts and nice shirt for church/town
16. longsleeve shirt
17. sweatshirt if traveling in the winter, fleece is good for the damp cold
    
18. raincoat
    

• PASSPORT
• credit card or cash for US food and hotel
• CASH for in Haiti, lots of small bills for tips, souvenirs, etc. plus some large for $25/night room & board. No one takes travelers checks.
• a personal check for the MAF plane, or cash: $90 round trip
• cell phone is useful for in the US airports, doesn't work in Haiti
• camera and batteries, film/extra memory cards
• journal, pens or pencils
  

Haitian Creole resource websites

• Neat website that audibly translates books into Haitian Creole! www.weeklyreader.com/focusonreading/bats/haitian_creole.asp
• Florida company that publishes science and medical resources written in Creole www.educavision.com
• Creole journal, some articles about deforestation and agriculture www.potomitan.info Search for EW Vedrine.
  

• Please post a comment if you come across any others.

Haitian coffee

I recently received a batch of coffee from M. and Mm. Justin, JeanJean's brother & sister-in-law. This is a nonprofit endeavor, I'm selling it for only what I bought it for ($3.50 per 1/2 lb.).

The coffee is hand roasted over a fire with sugar cane residue then hand ground with a wooden mortar and pestle. It's a mild coffee prepared best with a french press, or if you use a drip maker use 2 filters.

Art class

Here are pictures from 2 art classes where I taught about birds. Barb Howard is the teacher. (2012 update - Barb had to leave Haiti - anyone want to start a new art class?)

EcoFund supply wish-list

Thanks to everyone who has supported this effort! I was able to purchase 3 sets of educavision books, and have received several binoculars and flashlights (Dec. 2009).

These are the supplies I would like to take to Caiman to teach ecology. I will leave them at a new library. I was told that there are no libraries in Haiti (maybe the universities have them?) and most people could not afford to buy books. Please click on the paypal link if you'd like to donate to the supply fund. Books are from www.educavision.com unless otherwise noted.

• Planet Earth in Diagram - Diagramatic presentation of planet Earth, $10.00
• Diksyonè Syans - Monolingual Haitian Creole Science Dictionary, $18.00
• Water is life/Dlo se lavi - Simple study of water in daily living, $8.00
• Ecology/Ekoloji - kingdoms, cell cycle, metamorphosis, photosynthesis. Grade 8-12, $12.00
• Butterfly Life Cycle/Etap nan lavi Papiyon - Butterfly life cycle with bilingual labels, $7.00
• Plant and Animal Cells, Comparison - Plant and animal cells with bilingual labels, $7.00
• Earth Science - Bilingual, $17.00
• Map Skills/Ladrès Jeyografi - Activity to develop, build & reinforce map skills, $8.00
• Map of The Caribbean with bilingual labels, $7.00
• Solid Liquid Gas chart - State of matters with bilingual labels, $7.00
• Weather Chart with bilingual labels, $7.00
• Water Cycle Chart - Water cycle with bilingual labels, $7.00
• Bird Life Circle, $5.00
• Eng/Haitian-Creole Science Dictionary - Science, mathematic, medical & other field, $20.00
• Map Of Haiti in color 30x24, $7.00
• Tropical Fruits/Fwi Twopikal - Tropical fruits and what they can be used for. Bilingual, Grade K-2, $5.00
• Insects/Ensèk - Insects and what they do. Bilingual, K-2. $5.00
• Pictorial English-Creole Dictionary - Illustrated and arranged by subjects, $18.00
• My Friend the Tree/Mon ami l'arbre/Zanmi-m Pyebwa - The ecological role of trees. Trilingual. (worldlanguage.com) $13.00
• Oiseaux d'Haiti - Birds of Haiti - in French! With Creole & English (Florence Sergile), $45.00
• Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti - All the birds in Haiti (amazon.com), $30.00
• Binoculars
• Pens, pencils, notebooks, and pencil sharpeners
  

Central Plateau Birding and ecotours

If you would like to book an ecotour while visiting the Pignon and Hinche areas, call guide Louiders at 509-3881-2985 (current Nov. 2016) or email me (Debbie) at naturesphoto@hotmail.com and I will contact Louiders (in the photo). Contact me two weeks in advance to allow ample time for getting in contact with the guide (internet and electricity can be unstable in Haiti!). Until the internet is more common and accessible, this blog serves as the website for Louiders, and will be updated as needed.

The Central Plateau: Haiti’s Central Plateau lies between two mountain ranges, the Massif du Nord (600-1100 m, 2000-3600 ft high) and the Montagnes Noires (600 m high). Though it has become largely deforested, this region provides visitors many opportunities to enjoy Haiti’s bird life and culture.

Bird Tour: Over 230 bird species live on the island of Hispaniola, including 31 that are endemic (found no where else in the world). This bird tour gives you an opportunity to see many of these species while following the footpaths that bisect the region. Your guide will have one set of binoculars for your group to share, plus a bird book. Click here for birds you may see.

Cultural Tour: Sugar cane and coffee were once major exports of Haiti, and still provide a living for people in this region. On this tour you will learn about the sugar cane industry, from stalk to finished products. You might also get to visit a working press if one is in use during your tour. Coffee is the number two world commodity after oil. You will learn how coffee is grown, harvested, and turned in to the brew loved by many. You will also be able to purchase coffee directly from the roasters.

Rates: Foreigners - $20US per person for a 2-hour tour, $40US per person for a 4-hour tour. Reduced rates for groups and nationals are available. Tours are in English or Creole. Louiders will shape the tour to your needs! Specify whether you would like a private tour or don’t mind being with other visitors, or if you are a serious birder. --Tips are appreciated!--

There is a guest house next to the Pignon airstrip. Louiders will arrange to meet you in front of the university UCCC in Caiman (near Rt3) or at HAFF on Rt3 in Bohoc, and can arrange a ride for you if necessary.

What to bring: Sunscreen, sunglasses, comfortable walking shoes, binoculars if you have them, snacks if you need them, camera, water.

Tour etiquette: Your guide will let you know if you can take pictures of cultural activities. Ask permission before taking pictures of individuals. Respect private property, including livestock and dogs. Respect wildlife and be aware of how your activities affect plants and animals. Be conscientious about eating in public. Many people can afford only one meal a day.

Developed in 2009, this program promotes: Educational opportunities for Haitians and visitors, Sources of income for guides and cultural demonstrators, Development of business skills, Appreciation of our reliance on a healthy environment.