We had another fantastic day today. I wish I could describe things as to what it is like here, but I don't think I would do it justice. The people that we have met are amazing. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I will post pictures when we return home. I forgot to mention the strangest thing that happened yesterday. Karen took us to a grocery store and when we went in this couple came up to us and asked us where we were from (in English). So I told them Saskatchewan, Canada.
Well they are from Dysart originally if you can believe it- which is quite close to Fort Qu'Appelle. So there really are Saskatchewan people everywhere! Karen took a picture of all of us.

I can not get over how crowded it is everywhere. People walking everywhere and other people driving- with only the odd street light and I have yet to see a stop sign. So people drive wherever they want- side walks, other side of the street and you have to nudge your way in in order to get anywhere.

Todays seminar went very well. Everyone seems to be so happy to have us here. We did a presentation on strategies for students with special needs today. Afterwards we had a teacher ask us for ideas on how we can do some of those things with 60 students! Wow! One of the things we learned is that the teachers tend to do teach things by rote- students memorize everything. I really hope that we are able to offer them something.

Tomorrow is our last day for our session. It is a shorter one since it is Christmas eve. There is church service Christmas eve and lots of fireworks.

Something else I have learned- children are essentially the same. The like to play, tease each other, boss each other, get in to disagreements, love to have your positive attention etc- it is the same here. In some ways the children are the best teachers. We have both been trying to work on our Creole. We have played games like checkers and trouble which I got my butt kick in again LOL).

After Christmas day we will be able to do some touring of the country side. I am looking forward to that. That is all for now!

Hello everyone! Sorry there are no pictures yet - we are not sure if we can download them to this computer or not from our camera. We might be able to borrow some of Karen's to share with you. We arrived after an extensive flight plan and a short sleep in the Toronto airport, to 30 plus temperatures but tempered by ocean breezes. Little did we know it would take almost four hours to get our luggage! After that experience, Phil is considering taking up rugby!! All our luggage did arrive and we were able to dispense over 150 pounds of school supplies to the school here at Coram Deo! The generosity of people in Canada has translated into a very happy compound that has known only poverty. We are staying in a guest room in the compound, and are the source of many inspecitions from curious Haitian children! The people here have been wonderful to us, and the respect we received from the 35 teachers that attended our seminars today was extremely humbling! One lady started walking at midnight last night to make sure she was on time for our 9:30 start time! She is also staying here at the compound so she can attend all 3 days of our seminars. Our translators are two very amazing gentlemen and they made today so easy for us nervous Canadians! Tomorrow we try and help them understand how to teach children with special needs - Down's Syndrome, hydrocephalus, autism, etc. Should be an intersting day again! All 35 people said they would be here tomorrow to attend! We have certificates waiting for them at the end of the thrid and final day as this is what they need to try to secure employment in the education world here. Life is so different - and so much more difficult - for people here, yet they perservere and even find a way to enjoy life. There are a number of teachers who often wait six months to get paid. They live on "credit" - because they have a job they can run a tab at the grocery store, etc. because the owners know they have steady employment and that paycheques eventually are issued. Wow - that alone would be enough stress for us to seriously question our chosen occupation! We had a chance to play some games with the people who live here at Coram Deo - tunrs out that the younger children are checkers kings - Phil got his butt kicked by a young lad in a cast (his leg was broken in two places [and he had injuries to his face and head from the earthquake so he was in the US for surgery so he picked up some very impressive Engish skills!] from a recenet "taxi" accident). Rosalyn was victorious in a game of Trouble with the same lad! Well it is getting late and we need to review for tomorrow's sessions and Phil has some homework involving translating some Creole from the attendees!
More info to come!!

This will be our blog site for our trip to Haiti, if all goes according to plan- ie I can figure out how to do this and we are able to do this there. The school has wireless so I am hoping to be able to do a blog.