Dead Puffs, Wacky Wipe Outs and Explosions

July 4^th, 2014 – 7:44 pm

So yesterday, I really wanted to mention this, but I totally forgot. One of our Village Champions is named Papitas, and he’s pretty much the head guy. I found out he’s on like some national soccer team. When we were all at the park yesterday, he was playing with us and the little kids on the field and he kicked a ball really hard and hit a kid in the face. Instead of apologizing, someone overheard him say, “I’m playing soccer, you need to watch yourself.” I don’t know about you, but I think that is absolutely hilarious. Haitians man. They are tough people.

Anyways! Today was our beach day for those of you who are wondering. And it was awesome. I think that since it’s my second time being here, I was a lot more relaxed this time. I wasn’t running around trying to figure out where everything was, or trying to do everything. It was really a great day.

As we were eating breakfast this morning, conversation started buzzing about how there are only so many beach chairs by the pool and how we needed to get on the first bus and get to Wahoo first (because there were two other groups going with us as well). Us teenagers piled onto the first bus in line so we could dominate like we always do. Well, most of us teenagers. Ten minutes later, the great majority of the group was on the bus and Colleen was screaming about how her son was nowhere to be found and she was going to kill him. Then the two buses behind us drove around us and pulled out. Then we found out we had to stop in the village to pick up a translator. Her screaming turned into panicked shrieks. Ryan went running off the bus to find him, before carrying him onto the bus. Literally, he was carrying him! It was hilarious. Then we yelled at the driver to take off so we could get there.

Of course, we got there last anyways, but by some miracle, we got all of the beach chairs. We think it’s because Kensington is magical and we dominate everything. Anywhere. All the time. No matter what.

This year, everything was basically the same. The mountains loomed in the background in all their majesty. The ocean stretched out, in gorgeous tropical blue, out to the horizon. Flowers and greenery speckled the entire resort. It was like seeing one of those tropical calendar pictures in person. It’s beautiful and amazing. I love it.
 

There were opportunities to go snorkeling, lay out on the beach, go swimming in the ocean, jump on a giant trampoline out in the middle of the ocean (a new feature), ride around on a paddleboard, canoe and a dozen other things. For those of us who wanted a day full of fun, there were endless possibilities. For the rest of us who wanted to sleep and relax, there were plenty of chairs. There were these new cabanas by the pool too. Emi, Danni and I claimed one immediately and it was perfect. It kept all of our stuff out of the sun while we swam in the ocean, jumped on the trampoline, fell off the trampoline, drank mango and banana smoothies in the pool and creeped on Papitas and his girlfriend being cute in the pool.

 

As we were heading to lunch, Emi pointed out to Danni and I that we were getting a bit red in the leg area, and I freaked out about how I might be picking up a ridiculous tan due to my one piece. So for the rest of the day, Danni and I chilled in our little cabana until we actually fell asleep. It was beautiful.
 

Prior to this though, many of us spent the majority in the day in the ocean, mostly around the trampoline. Noah was the only one of us that had goggles, and they were quickly passed around when he alerted us all of the school of pufferfish that were floating around under the trampoline. Apparently Noah and Dave found a dead one. Thus, the “dead puff” part of the title.

As for the second part, there was this long, yellow waterslide-like section attached to the trampoline. People would run off the trampoline and try to run as far down this blow-up slide as possible before they slipped off the side. If you’ve ever seen commercials for the show Wipe Out, it was basically like watching ten of those in a row. Adults were doing it, kids were doing it, people were trying to push each other off. It was very entertaining to watch. And I mean it. I watched. I ain’t about getting salt water in my sinuses. I just ain’t about that life. But I watched lots of people fall embarrassingly. It was great.

 

For those of you who care about our dietary habits over here, lunch was awesome. For me. Not for Danni. But for me, it was a good day. It was the typical Haitian meal: questionable-looking chicken, fried plantains, rice and beans and coleslaw. All with a strange red sauce that makes my taste buds do a happy dance. Danni is way too picky and I basically ate all of my rice and beans as well as hers. My belly role thanks her. Plus we had the ability to get drinks anytime we wanted, so we had mango smoothies and banana smoothies. I didn’t find out until later that there were more flavors that I think I would have enjoyed more…. Ugh.
 

Once we got back to Main Campus, it was a rush to the showers. Everyone was covered in salt and chlorine and we were gross. Plus for anyone who spent any time on the beach itself, there was enough sand in my bathing suit to make a whole new beach. It was gross and uncomfortable. Luckily, a few of us ladies made a pact to keep a waiting list for the shower. I was first, Emi was second, Danni third and Gigi fourth. Then everyone else either went to the public showers or waited for the four of us to finish.

We finished out the day with our last team time in Haiti. We went through our last member introductions and I’m not gunna lie, I was terrified to talk in front of the whole group. Haley introduced me, I introduced her; Danni introduced Rachel and vice versa; Colleen and Kallie did the same; Dan and Noah introduced each other; AshLee and Caitlin finished us off. It was really cool to all share with each other for the last time. After we prayed, we ran to the open side of the rooftop to take a group photo. After that, I decided to take pictures of each individual family. It was awesome.

For those of you who are devoted readers, I promise, I will actually give you something to look at when I get home. I’ll be adding pictures to the previous posts and adding new ones chocked full of photographs from the week. I’m actually really excited about it, and I hope you are too!

Our American holiday came to a conclusion with fireworks. I think the interns and staff were setting them off from their residence, and it was really exciting. The first one that went off scared all of us though, because it sounded like a shotgun. We were all thinking that one of the guards finally took someone out.

Other than that, nothing really is going on here. People are playing cards, eating Pringles that we’ve all been craving, and just generally hanging out with each other on our last night. We have to be downstairs with all of our stuff ready at 5:25 in the morning, so that’ll be interesting. Gotta love early international flights! I personally plan on either just pulling an all-nighter, because like, really, what’s the point? Otherwise I get in an hour or two. I can’t wait to be home.

Just because our trip is ending doesn’t mean you can’t send me messages still! And just think, tomorrow you will be able to talk to your friends and family again, and will hear their personal stories and the pointless comments from Katie will cease. How lucky are you!

Until the pictures are ready…

Katie Coming to You from Haiti (for the last time)