. . . more first-year firsts (PART II)

the first family photo:  I had been in Haiti for a few days wrapping-up all of the final INS and US Immigration steps needed to bring Wilton and Meremen home.  Which, as an aside, if you think that moving through the D.O.T. line is slow, try getting a Visa at the US Embassy in downtown Port-Au-Prince!!  Luckily, we had been forewarned by some friends and I was armed with coloring books, fruit snacks, granola bars and water . . . four hours in a small, hot, waiting room was a serious test of patience.  Meremen and I even wrote a song, “Ou bezwen patience, ou bezwen patience, ou bezwen patience.”  The monotony of “You need patience” was somewhat soothing.  On traveling-day, we had gotten up early that morning and traveled from Haiti to Miami (long-layover) and onto Atlanta.  After two years in the process, it was all-smiles to have everyone under the same roof.

the first time in a sprinkler:  While this may seem like an inconsequential “first”, what most of us would consider to be good-summer-time fun, would be seen as an inexplicable waste of water for any Haitian.  The kids had only been home for a day before they headed off to day-camp at church.  SPLASH-DAY was a huge hit.  Jenny said that not only was it for sure the first time they had ever played in that much water (sprinklers, water-guns and slip-n-slides), it was the first time they had ever been on grass barefoot before.

 

the first time to a restaurant:  (see previous post for loading up the car to go eat).  The kids (and mom and dad) love going out to eat . . . and when I say “going out to eat,”  I mean, “going out to eat Mexican-food!”

 

the first day of school:  Wilton and Meremen had both been attending a school in Haiti since coming to the orphanage, so they understood the general schedule and idea of going to a school.  Unfortunately, as we have discovered, the school in Haiti seemed to consist mainly of copying words off of the black-board, trying to behave in order to keep from getting whacked by the teacher, and trying not to have your stuff looted by the school staff (i.e. when we visited the orphanage, the teachers would tell them, I know your parents are visiting from America, you better bring me something — usually candies, snacks, etc . . . explains how the batman watch disappeared).

the first day of cold weather:  In the winter, Haiti cools down to the high 80’s.  Once when I was visiting the orphanage, Wilton and Meremen insisted that we move out of the shade and into the sun (they were shivering in the shade!).  Needless to say, the cold weather was new . . . as was the fact that it was going to last for a few months.  The new jackets, hats and bunny ear-muffs seemed to help in coping with the cold!