Mon retour

     I’m back in Haiti. My sabbatical is officially over but I am back to continue my projects. Pierre did not come back with me this trip. He spent three months with me in Haiti (see Pierre’s blog at: http://pierremaurellihaiti.blogspot.com/) and returned home on April 4. I went through my usual departure routine. Monday night I filled up the University of Florida suitcase with stuff for the lab and a few items for myself. Tuesday morning Pierre drove me through the predawn Beltway traffic down to Reagan National Airport for my 8:10 departure for Miami. I bought my coffee and a muffin for breakfast at the Dunkin Donuts in front of my gate. I downloaded a few documents on my laptop while waiting for my flight. After arriving in MIA, I had a few minutes to grab a quick sandwich at Nathan’s before heading for the gate for American Airlines flight 1665 to Port-au-Prince. Same flight, same gate, just departing an hour later than when I flew to Haiti in January. At the gate, I met a group of people from UF who were also on the 1665 from MIA to PAP. They were coming to Haiti for the dedication ceremony of the BSL3-Tuberculosis lab next to our lab that Meer and I had helped get commissioned. So Glenn (Director, UF-EPI) and his family, Mike (Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine) and some people from his lab, and Tim and Evelyn (our mechanical engineers) were all flying down for the dedication.

     On the plane, I was seated next to a young woman from Minnesota who had been working at an orphanage north of PauP for almost a year. After exchanging some general remarks about what we were each doing in Haiti, the conversation turned to how projects are managed and how things get done in Haiti. Even though we both work at separate sites for different organizations and are doing different work, we had many shared experiences. Her complaints were eerily similar to my own. We had the same views on what works and what does not work in Haiti. Our conversation was almost identical to conversations I had in the lab with Pierre and Meer about the problems in C'ville. At times it was almost as if she was talking about C'ville. So the story is the same everywhere. Our problems are not unique.

     We had a fantastic conversation and the time went quickly. Soon American flight 1665 was on its final descent into PAP. This time we landed from the east. Though I have done this flight many times before, we usually land from the west, over the bay. I had no problems with immigration, baggage claim, or customs. I called Meer. He already tried to call me but my phone was still off. I walked out of the air-conditioned terminal building into the hot afternoon sun. Meer and Marsha were at the barrier to greet us. It was really great to see them and I gave each a big hug. We chatted while we waited for the UF folks to get their bags and exit the terminal.

     Since there were so many UF people going to C'ville, they sent the big white “Obama bus” (these white buses appeared in large numbers in Haiti shortly after Obama’s first election. A coincidence??). The Kia also came for us. We loaded the luggage into the Kia which then drove up to Caribbean Supermarket to pick up the food Marsha had purchased for the guesthouse and the dedication ceremony luncheon.

     The Obama bus pulled out into the lighter than usual afternoon traffic. As we drove through the marketplace, I noticed people on the bus were taking pictures through the windows. The people who had been to Haiti before explained the sights and sounds to the newcomers. I thought, that was me six months ago. Now I see it, but I don’t see it.

     Then we were at C’ville. The Obama bus dropped everyone off at the fish house, the guesthouse where many of the UF people were staying. Madsen and Justin were already there. We greeted each other. Justin remarked that he found the UF lab strangely empty without my laptop open on the desk in the malaria room. Meer and I headed for the lab and I greeted his lab team. We talked and then I brought my suitcase (empty of the lab stuff) back to the house. I tossed my passport on the bed and went to the dining hall for dinner and to see the rest of the C’ville family, Ken, Kirk, Dale, Raymond, Herold, Arthur, Danette, Christian, Khan, Roodly, Raoul and the interns. I'm back in C'ville. It is hot and it just started raining. It is the rainy season. It is really good to be back. I feel at home.