Thanks everybody for the ideas ... I still need to come up with a way to make something with chicken that does not require me to handle raw chicken for longer than a few seconds. Am I the only one who finds raw meat to be gross?
The first team comes at the end of February. I have time to go over your ideas and get my grocery list organized. At home I would run to the store three times a week to get stuff I forgot but here you have to be organized because running to the store means you are gone for five hours, not very practical.
I would like to post my favorite idea, credit to the author of the idea goes to Lisa Slater; my closest friend since 5th grade. I think she knows me pretty well. Here is her idea:
"I have an excellent idea for one night-suggest that they fast for dinner to get an understanding of what it is like to be a Haitian who gets only maybe one meal a day. And if they must eat you can just give them bread."
Other stuff:
Troy talked about the "Give me one dollar" question that we hear many times a day. He neglected to tell you about the funny way he is answering that request. Every time someone shouts that to him while he is driving or walking he says "You give ME one dollar!" They are so used to hearing "no" OR being handed a dollar, that to hear his silly response makes them laugh... instead of making them mad. Troy says it points out the ridiculous nature of the request. If you can make them laugh you are doing well.
The other thing we hear most often (after give me one dollar) is "blan, blan, blan" (white-white-white). They don't mean it as an insult or to be rude. Britt has taken to saying in Creole "No, not blan, my name is Britt." Everyone seems to know who Paige is. Lots of times at the end of the day (or the weekend) there are kids standing at the gate chanting "Paige, Paige" ... she is a local celebrity.
Yesterday Troy took Noah to go feed another school. He said he wished he had the camera, Noah was wandering around in his own world (as he is prone to do) and he had a line of 10 or 12 Haitian kids following him (and touching him) like he was the mother duck. Blan babies are quite an attraction here in LaDigue. Troy said Noah acted like it did not bother him in the least to be followed and stared at.
It is kind of funny to think about the reversal of roles. At home, we would go to Target and six people would comment on Hope and Isaac and people would often stare (especially at Hope.) Now they are just regular every day sort of people, and Noah and Paige have taken over as the novelty items.
