Michelle May

I rarely leave the tent hospital- maybe to go to a clinic or to the UN, but this time a friend took a few of us for a drive through the center of town “just to see it.”  It was not different from what you see on TV, but to see the destruction 1st hand- after some time had passed- I could hardly imagine how anyone survived.   Yet somehow life carries on.  People sold fruit and rice out of bags at a “market”, and other industrious people were collecting metals from the rubble and cars that were destroyed in the quake.  On the road side CDs, phones, champagne (?), radios, watches, shoes, etc- were up for sale.  Rudimentary “tent cities” are everywhere- not sure how any of those can withstand even a light rain though, nevermind the rainy season.  Near the UN tourist trinkets and art work are sold- Saw that as early as 2 weeks after the quake.  At the recently re-opened airport necklace sellers are out in full force- giant smiles on their faces and jokes at hand.  

Tags: Earthquake, Haiti, PAP, Port au Prine.