Nursing research project in Haiti. Any ideas??

blueyesue · Jan 29, 2011

I am going there this summer with a church group and would like to hear about your experiences. When you get back, and if you remember, come here and share your thoughts.

My suggestion for your project would be to narrow your research to a particular group of people. For instance: children or the elderly. This would make your research more focused and interesting IMO.

Best of luck!

KyMani · Jan 30, 2011

Thanks. I did actually think of a project idea on my own. But, your ideas would have been good too. Maybe if I like it down there, I will have to go back again to study one small group :).

I haven't been on this website long, but if you would like me to email you, send me a private message on here (is that possible???) and give me your email address. Then I could save it somewhere and remember to email you.

I am going with a Haitian guy that I know who goes there a couple times a year, so my experience will be different than yours, but he did already warn me that it has been a little more dangerous since the elections. And it is tough to say what things will be like months from now. It has been like that in Haiti for years. I tried crossing the border from the Dominican Republic a few years ago and the border was closed down cuz food prices rose in Haiti and there was rioting. So, just be as safe as possible. I know a lot of Haitians and they are very very nice people, but there are a lot of really desperate people in Haiti with little possibility of things getting better (there aren't enough jobs, etc). So, make sure you are going with someone that knows the area.

Good luck!

Aren

blueyesue · Jan 30, 2011

I'm glad you are going with someone who knows the country. The lady from church that organized our trip has been to Haiti numerous times and can speak conversational Creol. I will stick by her side while there. :) Not as good as a Haitian, but better than going it alone with no one knowing what to expect.

KyMani · Mar 23, 2011

Hi EJM! I just returned from Haiti. I stayed in Pentionville (a part of Port-Au-Prince), in the JP/HRO camp that was set up by Sean Penn. My plans changed a bit and I stayed with a family in their tent. I LOVED it and can't wait to go back. I also went to different parts of the city one day and also slightly north of the city to visit an orphanage.

What exactly are you going to do there? I could probably give you better info if I knew.

What I experienced is kids LOVED getting their pictures taken, most adults really don't appreciate it and you may actually get yelled at for taking a pic of them. I took a camera that is like a polaroid so that I could give people pics of themselves and that was EXTREMELY popular. A few times there were very large crowds because people realized there were pics being taken.

I went to even the really bad parts of the city...what I saw was a lot of people who are trying to better themselves with little means to do so. There are a lot of people there with big dreams....I don't know how there is such a reputation there that Haiti is dangerous. In fact, when I told my driver and the family I was staying with that people actually feared for my safety there, they were shocked and didn't even know that there was that perception.

The tent camp was a very different kind of life....and I LOVED it. There were defintely things there that need to be improved, but I loved the people. Singing is very popular there and you could wake up any time of the night and hear people singing...so beautiful. So much life. At 4 am every day a church group sung the morning hymns. I almost cried when I got on the plane to come back to the US .

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

And to anyone interested in the kind of trip I took, please contact me. I have great contacts down there. I specifically know of a new organization run by Haitians that mostly helps Handicapped individuals (almost 10% of the population) but also has an orphanage and is trying to help women. The guy that runs it is the father of the family I stayed with. He is extremely nice, willing to have more people stay, and speaks fluent English, Kreyol, and French. And his gf is a great cook and their daughter is great too.

blueyesue · Mar 23, 2011

Wow, thanks for sharing your experiences. It sounds like it was very rewarding. I am flying into Port-Au-Prince and then driving to Jacmel (3 hour drive) We are working in an orphanage there and then we are going to Titanyen. We will be there for 9 days.

What was the infrastructure like there? What about running water? Is there anything that you think I need to be aware of? Did you take Malaria pills or get innoculations? It sounds like they are beautiful people. I can't wait to go. Our dates are July 30 to Aug 9 with two nights in Miami.

KyMani · Mar 23, 2011

I've traveleld a lot before, so I have just about all the immunizations known to man. But, I did take typhoid pills since my shot was 3 years ago. I took malaria pills but at the present time they are making me sick and I was only bit once so I think I am going to quit them early. HOWEVER, I have heard that at times and in certain areas, mosquitos can be terrible in Haiti so malaria preventatives would be a good idea. You should see a travel doctor approximately 6 weeks or more before your trip.

Where I was at was Sean Penn's camp so it was the best and also the largest (70,000 people). No real toilets, but when you had to have a BM you went in a stall and there is a hole that leads to a big dug out area. This camp had running chemically treated water, but I'm pretty sure many of the others don't. Things to be aware of...hmm...bring something for allergies/congestion. The air quality sucks...I had to blow black stuff out of my nose every couple of days and now I'm home with a sore throat and runny nose. Bring something for itchyness/bug bites. Have fun! I didn't think I would actually have fun there and now people ask me "how bad was it?" But, it is now my fave place out of all the places I have ever gone (it did take a couple days to get there though...but I never disliked it).

And although they have some issues especially with politics, there was never a time I felt the least bit scared or threatened, not even in Cite Soleil. I was going down there thinking I was going to be terrified and in danger, but I felt like me (and my stuff) were safe at all times.

aubreyridd · Apr 3, 2011

KyMani,

I'd love to talk with you about your time in Haiti and am looking to volunteer with JP HRO. I'm new to this discussion board and am not sure of how it works. Is it possible to exchange e-mail addresses?

Thanks!

Aubrey

KyMani · Apr 5, 2011

Hey, Aubrey. I asked you for a friend request. Not sure then if we can email each other because I haven't used this site much either.

I'm sure you know with JP/HRO you basically get curfews and can't talk online about what you're doing online, etc. That organization ran the school where I stayed and I attended some classes as well as some after school programs, so I can talk to you a little about it.

I know of one girl there from Vermont that has been there 6 months. I could try to get her email address from people I know there. But, again, since you aren't really supposed to talk about anything when you volunteer for that organization, I'm not sure what all she is willing to say. But, you could at least ask her what it is like staying there for that long, etc. as it seems that a lot of people go to Haiti multiple times for very short trips.