February 18, 2017...(Day 1= travel)

I arrived at the Pittsburgh Airport with my carry on bag full of deet-sprayed clothing and my checked bag of donations at 4:00 am this morning.  Thankful for coffee...it's the little things, right?
Then, on to Atlanta to meet 1/2 of the Haiti 🇭🇹 team.  I had breakfast in Atlanta with Deb Bell (coming in from Hilton Head). We boarded the plane to Haiti close to noon.

We touched down at the Haiti Airport around 3:00. I was grateful to have the strangers I just met! I have never been to an airport such as this. The locals pounced, trying to get business. It could've been to hail a taxi, buy a bracelet, find a hotel, etc.  It was mind-boggling how quickly they found us.  Deb and I visited the duty free shop to purchase some wine.  That is where we met Arlene, the New Yorker.  I liked her instantly! Soon after, we met our guide, Gerald. He was a gentle giant. I couldn't help but notice the small weapon attached to his belt. We had a 10 mile drive to the  place we were to stay for the night. It took over  an hour to travel that distance.  The traffic, mostly motorcycles and tap taps, filled the streets. People filled any other open spot. We made it to our hotel by 6, in time for dinner.

Chicken, rice and beans I would soon find out would be the meal of choice. Once dinner was over, we talked about what to expect the rest of the week. The nightlife outside our barbed wire gate could be heard and felt, not seen.  We were not allowed to leave the compound. My roomie and I spent the remainder of the night reading by flashlights, listening to repetitive rap music on a static-filled transistor radio. It played until the roosters joined in at 5 am. I'm setting a goal each day. By tomorrow? Make the man with the big gun smile