Being from New Orleans, you could say I know a thing or two about disasters. Hurricane Katrina took everything from my family and I. That’s the main reason I’m currently traveling to Haiti in a relief effort for the recent Hurricane that made landfall there. Hurricane Tomas came at a time when the country was still basking in the destruction of the recent earthquake. The only thing I’m truly worried about when I arrive in Haiti is obtaining the cholera disease. The recent earthquake devastated the country along with the outbreak of cholera[1].
As we near the small, devastated country, thoughts of Katrina and the great toll it took on my family enters my head. Our small plane lands at the small international airport in Vieux Fort, Haiti[2]. The smell is reminiscent of the scent that filled my nose five short years ago, during the aftermath of Katrina. Dave is the only person I spoke to on the plane and it seems as if he doesn’t realize what he got himself into. Dave and I share a common love for jazz music, as well as the New Orleans culture that has been such a big part of my life ever since I remember. Dave grew up in Canton, Ohio, but is really familiar with the New Orleans area, as his only sister attended the same University I did, Tulane. Seeing as we landed at eight at night we were given no assignments and were only told to set up camp and organize our things. Dave and I set up our tents next to each other and contemplated whether there was a place where we could get a few beers before going to sleep on the water drench, disease infested ground. We stalked a drinking establishment for some while before we gave up in despair and called it a night.
[1] The deadly diarrheal disease is transmitted by contaminated water and food.
Bigg, Matthew. “Haiti reeling despite dodging Tomas’ full punch-Floods force thousands from homes, may spread disease.” Orland Sentinel, The (Orland, FL) 7 Nov. 2010: A3. Print.
[2] In St. Lucia, Tomas battered southern areas, particularly Vieux Fort, the island’s second largest town and the home of it’s international airport. The Associated Press. “Haiti braces for possible hurricane-Nation already battered by quake and still-spreading cholera outbreak.” Hamilton Spectator, The (Ontario, Canada) 3 Nov. 2010: A11. Print.
No comments:
Post a Comment