Although "where" is different, and maybe "how" things are done is different, to borrow a line from Beate, it really is mostly the "same, same," with an occasional "different." That usually happens here when normal, everyday tasks turn into an adventure. For that reason, I always love when Karen says she has to get groceries, or go to the bank in Saint Marc, because that's just like at home-- same, same, but anyone who has read my stories before, knows that the "same" becomes "different" before we even get to the bank, because here, we pick up two of Karen's security to travel with us-- Daniel in the front, and Ronald squeezed in the back with me and Beate-- but, unlike home, Daniel almost literally rides shotgun... he hides his gun under the front floormat as soon as he gets safely in the truck! WAY different!
Me, Beate, and Ronald leaving with groceries and a VERY large wad of cash!
But back to Saint Marc....Part of the reason we needed to get groceries was to get ready for the August birthdays party-- same, same-- but when you have 17 children, there's always more than one birthday celebrated one day each month, and on this day, we had five birthdays, which meant we also needed more than one cake! Different! But, just like home, the weather didn't cooperate with our outdoor plans, so we quickly organized the kids to move things indoors -- definitely same...same! ☀️🌨⚡
The idea of security is a noticeable difference all over Haiti, including where we stay on the compound. The 24 hour security guards are armed, of course, and they can monitor things both inside and outside the property from the two watchtowers. At night, I've finally gotten used to the late night footsteps and the bright beams from the flashlights that light up the compound walls. When you sleep outside, it's comforting to know that the only thing you really have to worry about is getting into your bed tent before too many mosquitoes follow! It's a "different" that adds a little comfort to your sleep!
It was like a little episode of master chef in the kitchen, but without all the yelling, because Mackenzie was in charge of the three little chefs, and they patiently awaited their turns for measuring, blending, and pouring, before cooking. The only thing better than the sweet smell of one cake baking in the oven is the smell of three cakes in the oven, although, when there's a "feels like" temperature of well over 40`outside, turning an oven on to bake cakes makes it possible to just about pour a chocolate bar out of its wrapper! 😓
What I've learned is that, no matter where your travels may take you, no matter how different things may seem, they're really quite the same. At home, Tim Horton's is where you find out what's happening around you. There's obviously no Tim's here, but people still enjoy their coffee and local gossip, and, as Beate pointed out, it just happens to come from a tiny shack at the start of our gravel road, and sometimes, you might have to wait in a lineup there, too! The socializing is the same, the coffee is still hot, and who cares about anything else!
Although "different" doesn't matter, sometimes the differences still affect us--some of them tug at our heartstrings and put a tear in our eyes, but some of them make us smile. Fortunately for us, during our visit, we're lucky enough to be hanging out with our second family, and that's the "same, same," and that's all that matters... Hugs from Haiti ðŸ‡ðŸ‡¹ 💕
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