This was my first international flight and check in was very easy. Easier than any domestic flight I have taken in a while. That was possibly the last easy thing of the day.
Our flight was booked. In fact, it was OVER booked by 18 seats. So, after the airlines bumped people, pulled out their checked luggage, and paid out what those 18 people were owed, we took off 2.5 hours late.
Upon arrival, the airport looks similar to any small airport. Think Islip or syracuse. There is only one working terminal and they quickly herd you to the shuttles. The Shuttles take you to a warehouse/ barn-like structure that houses not only Customs but baggage claim. Customs was supprisingly easy a - "Hello...goodbye". No questions. After Customs you are herded once again to retrieve your luggage. Let me assure you that this is not like anything you have seen before. And after the experience today, I will never complain about about how long it takes for my luggage to appear on the carousel. For one, there was no carousel. Handlers bring the luggage from the plane and drop it off as the herd stampedes in to claim their wares. This process is not for the feint of heart. I stood back for a moment asif i expected that some structured system would suddenly appear. It didn't. So, I left my carry-on with Kathy and said- I'm going in. I pushed and shoved and grabbed - mimicking those round me. I can proudly say - after about 30ish minutes, I found all three of our bags with only a couple of scratches and bruises. They are my badges.
Although, as you land you see a glimpse of the tents and rubble that we have all become acustomed to on TV, as soon as you step out go the airport you are hit with the devastation. And that the devastation is not only the rubble, but it is also the poverty.
Upon arrival, the airport looks similar to any small airport. Think Islip or syracuse. There is only one working terminal and they quickly herd you to the shuttles. The Shuttles take you to a warehouse/ barn-like structure that houses not only Customs but baggage claim. Customs was supprisingly easy a - "Hello...goodbye". No questions. After Customs you are herded once again to retrieve your luggage. Let me assure you that this is not like anything you have seen before. And after the experience today, I will never complain about about how long it takes for my luggage to appear on the carousel. For one, there was no carousel. Handlers bring the luggage from the plane and drop it off as the herd stampedes in to claim their wares. This process is not for the feint of heart. I stood back for a moment asif i expected that some structured system would suddenly appear. It didn't. So, I left my carry-on with Kathy and said- I'm going in. I pushed and shoved and grabbed - mimicking those round me. I can proudly say - after about 30ish minutes, I found all three of our bags with only a couple of scratches and bruises. They are my badges.
Although, as you land you see a glimpse of the tents and rubble that we have all become acustomed to on TV, as soon as you step out go the airport you are hit with the devastation. And that the devastation is not only the rubble, but it is also the poverty.
Hanging on the gates are 10s to 100s of people, many of them children begging for help. As you step out of the gate you are pulled and grabbed by drivers trying to get your business and you have to hold steadfast. We had a car and driver pre-arranged and as quickly as possible tried to connect with him. A couple of men helped us with our bags. As we tipped them - they fought over the money. As we were trying to drive away, children began tapping on the glass. As we gave them money one boy bit the other. Some may read this and think that the men and boys were "heathens" and they could never imagine acting like that. I see extreme poverty, desperation, anger and frustration. If you were living in a tent for over 2 months what would you do? How would you act? Survive? The earthquake was devastating for all, but for those people that were are already struggling to survive bdefore it hit- it is nearly impossible.
As we drove from the airport to the hotel you just saw tent after tent. One after another. One on top of the other. A tent, of course, being a tarp-like structure formed to have some sort of overhead protection.
If you looked off into the distance you could fool your senses for a split second that it looked like a street fair - with vendors' tents and people milling about. But there the the tents were street after street, And so many people. The roads from the airport were full of rubble, holes, garbage. Our driver knew what he was doing and which roads were passable, but it reminded you that any sort of reconstruction will be slow, because trucks will not be able to navigate the debris. The drive from the airport to the hotel was probably 20 minutes, but it had a tremendous impact on me. On all of us. More than once, we all had tears in our eyes. All the tents. So many people. It was overwhelming. In 20 minutes I was overcome by my surroundings and I had my doubts. A voice in my head was screaming, "Take me back to the airport!"
The hotel reminds me of something out of an Indiana Jones movie. It is full of journalists and film crews. We are across the street from the tent city that can be seen on TV when Anderson Cooper does his reporting - right in the middle of the city center. When we got here we didn't really know where to start. We spoke to the hotel service people. One in particular, Herby, told us that he didn't want to leave Haiti - that he loves his country. I think his resolve helped me get some of mine back. He told us about how hard it would be to rebuild Haiti when there was already such corruption and mishandling in the government prior to the earthquake. He said that people say that he should just leave Haiti. But Herby said that he doesn't want to leave - that it is not the solution..."I will change myself here, I will help others change here, and then I will help change my country," is what he said he is determined to do.
So we are take it one step at a time. We came here to help and we are going to try to do just that.
As we drove from the airport to the hotel you just saw tent after tent. One after another. One on top of the other. A tent, of course, being a tarp-like structure formed to have some sort of overhead protection.
If you looked off into the distance you could fool your senses for a split second that it looked like a street fair - with vendors' tents and people milling about. But there the the tents were street after street, And so many people. The roads from the airport were full of rubble, holes, garbage. Our driver knew what he was doing and which roads were passable, but it reminded you that any sort of reconstruction will be slow, because trucks will not be able to navigate the debris. The drive from the airport to the hotel was probably 20 minutes, but it had a tremendous impact on me. On all of us. More than once, we all had tears in our eyes. All the tents. So many people. It was overwhelming. In 20 minutes I was overcome by my surroundings and I had my doubts. A voice in my head was screaming, "Take me back to the airport!"
The hotel reminds me of something out of an Indiana Jones movie. It is full of journalists and film crews. We are across the street from the tent city that can be seen on TV when Anderson Cooper does his reporting - right in the middle of the city center. When we got here we didn't really know where to start. We spoke to the hotel service people. One in particular, Herby, told us that he didn't want to leave Haiti - that he loves his country. I think his resolve helped me get some of mine back. He told us about how hard it would be to rebuild Haiti when there was already such corruption and mishandling in the government prior to the earthquake. He said that people say that he should just leave Haiti. But Herby said that he doesn't want to leave - that it is not the solution..."I will change myself here, I will help others change here, and then I will help change my country," is what he said he is determined to do.
So we are take it one step at a time. We came here to help and we are going to try to do just that.
~ Cheryl
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