2

Krik Krak Ktik Ktak is a quarterly publication by and for the Peace Corps Haiti commu­nity. Ktik Ktak is dedicated to publish­ing submissions that are productive in na­

ture, enhance communication within the Peace Corps community and reflect a spirit of creativity. Submissions not con­sistent with these standards will be re­turned to the author for revision and re­

submission. Opinions expressed are those

of che author and not necessarily the opin­

ions of the Ktik Ktak staff, Peace Corps, or the US government.

Ktik ktak relies on the contributions o volunteers and staff. All are encouraged to submit on any topic: stories, poetry, recipes, technical information, drawings and cartoons, and/ or announcements. The editorial staff makes every effort to conserve the original content of all sub­missions; however, due to space con­straints and minor grammatical sensibili­ties, the Ktik Ktak editorial staff reserves the right to edit.

Ktik Ktak welcomes reader comments, suggestions and criticisms.

Send all correspondence to: Ktik Kral< cl o Corps de la Paix B.P. 1761 Port-au-Prince, l-Iaiti

Ktik Ktak staff:: Diana Steinberg Amanda Cauldwell, Wendy Hirsch, and Andy Brown.

Director's Corner A @@ti,,© ~'iJ&~ for Haitt

Sometimes things just click. They finally fall into place and seem to

·make sense. You feel good about who you are, what you are doing and why you are doing it. This was my feeling when our submission for the 2000-2002 !PBS (Integrated Planning and Budget System) submission was completed. As you will recall, I asked for your input into the !PBS - the overall strategy for PC/Haiti over the next three years- back in March. Apparently that feeling was shared by PC/Washington regional staff when they read our submission. It received a GOLD ~for innovation and teamwork. The Regional Director said that it was clear that a great deal of work went into its development and that it was developed with the input of PCVs and staff

! . Thanks to everyone for their ideas and hard work. I couldn't be more

proud of where we have come in three short years and it is due to the efforts of EVERYONE (PCVs, staff, counterparts, communities) that we are where we are. There is no doubt that there is still a great deal of work to be done to fully estab­lish and strengthen the program - but the train is on the right track, it is moving steadily and (almost) everyone is on board. (I can see a few bodies h<inging out the window and a few people running to catch up. But for the most part, everyone is on board andenjoying the experience.) .

In a continuing effort to keep you informed and to solicit feedback, ex­cerpts from the submission are below. PI ,EASE let me know, via ,the suggestion box, PCV lunches, PCV regional meetings and/or my office hours.if you have any additional comments, suggestions, clarifications or concerns ab'Oµt who we are and where we are going. ALL AB 0 ARD! ·' ··

Ill Strategy Statement Ill /

Despite the challenges and risks inherent in working in Haiti, there are compelling reasons for the Peace Corps presence here. Firsi',,the develop­meht need in Haiti is clear. Second, the social and econorrii.t'advance­ment of the Haitian people and the political stability of Haiti is in the United States' immediate and long-term national interests. Third, the vibrant culture and warmth of the Haitian people create an environment in which Volunteers that complete their service return to the United States with a greater appreciation for anOther culture. Also, due to the proxim­ity to the United States, the opportunities for achieving goal 3 are greatly enhanced as the relatives and friends of many PCVs also have the oppor­tunity to experience the country and its rich culture.

Peace Corps Haiti has set about to establish a sustainable development program that meets the needs of the Haitian people and, at the same time, ensures the safety and security of the Volunteers. To meet those objectives several areas need to be addressed over the next few years. In last year's !PBS the five goal statements were in the areas of: security, pro­gramming, early terminations, staff development, and host country rela­tions. Substantial progress has been made in meeting those goals - so

(Continued on page 9)

@S EZON /(EL® Just the other day I happened to be

navigating the nooks and bends of the River Ginode and noticed how the mayi and pwa had all pouse byen. I was just wandering, wondering who I would find as I cut through a farmer's field, delicately placing my feet on any ground not covered with young shoots, when I heard, "IZARAK!" From across the ripples of our river, I spot­ted Favre of Mon Jak who was seated on a stack of wood, smiling as he watched me tip-toe rhro"t1gh his garden. "Mwen pa kraze anyen, Manche, " I le( him know as I waded over to him. Afrer exchanging the courte­sies, I delved into the reason for his obvi­ous repoze. He said, "This is the season of the bla_ckbird, all of us have been watching our fields for four days now to protect the young corn shoots from the dangerous met'- blackbirds. We sat and watched for chem and took turns ch.rowing rocks to

scare them off. This time allowed for me to revisit last

February's adventures and I realized I had missed the mei last year. I was overjoyed for ~ recognized thac my second year of­fered so many more revealing opportuni­ties into Haitian culture that I was unaware of last year. Has my awareness become more accuned, or am I just in che right place ac the righc cimc? I would like to believe I am more attuned, yet chance has played a

Isaac (righc, front) and a few of Jeremie's finest me!.

huge role here. Following chis avenue, my mind reflected on the pasc year, the bumps, the jumps, the soaring, che tripping and the highs. This article is unquestionably going co return to chc past in order to show all che great potential that awaics me in this com­ing year. Yes, I will revisit lase year's course of jumps, trips and soaring and I say, "I am ready, bring ic on, lee's see some more, be more, let's live another year in Haiti." Smile.

So, as promised, here is a review of some events of last year- ragged random thoughts, not sequenced, but meaningful nonetheless. Let's start with Kenskoff. I can recall a lovely dish prepared for me to quench my emptiness, a cool breeze with a veil of fog, an unexpected world of pines and a mean gam~ of Euchre among friends. Not to mention washing the floor with rhum. Ok, tell me to stop if you want, but I am just releasing a flood gate of penned up memories. How about the night spent among Volunteers at the fortress on che River Grand 'Anse near Charnbcllan? A full moon to read by, a nice gallery, roaming topics of rewarding conversation among friends and a feeling of satisfaction and con­tentment knowing I am here in Haiti. Of cou~se, a good surf on an ernerald private machin from Laborde to O'Kay tops off the already copious amounts of thoughts in this kettle.

A favorite memory remains a trip back co Jeremie from Port on my birthday, the unexpected pleasure of a fellow Group IV comrade joining us in O'Kay and the ex­pectations of a little get together in Jeremie on arrival there. Yet, it was not to happen. An hour out the road was blocked with little hope of movemei-it in the near future. We found ourselves on the roof of the tet-bif eating my host family's chocolate gift, look­ing at the stars, just throwing out our thoughts. I was left alone on top and fi­nally heard a call from below beckoning me to descend. Prior to this, I was trying to relive past birthdays; I couldn't. They all blended into one particular day in Octo­ber. But I knew I would never forget the 24th - stranded in Haiti1 out andeyo, it's

cold, but wait .... there are brownies? ... with candles? ... and wait ... singing? - ah, friends are so memorable.

Returning to my site, the lovely hills of Duranton, I chink of an occasion thac cleared the uncertainties haunting me as to my purpose as a Peace Corps Volunteer in this village. I was out on the trail, sliovel in hand, getting nods of approval from the gentlemen; they were happy to see me car­rying the implemencs of work. I approached TAN's house with seeds and a desire to help her get a garden going. I found smiles, laughs, pwa kongo ak banan, and most im­portancly, her words of support. She said, "You Volunteers have helped us so much and we are so glad you are here.,,. It was a verbal pat on the back- important, invigorating and motivational. A Window opened and I saw so'ruething I had not before, a course to move me through these years of growing, all found in my beautiful'oid friend TAN.

Lastly, a fond memory I have is play­ing a simple game with the neighborhood kids. Sweating with them,.::laughing, run­ning, feeling a sense of q_elonging ... their challenges, my replies, a general discourse of togetherness. And let's nae forget Francois, my neighbor, a graying gentleman, kind, hcart-on-his-sleeve-,~<_>rt, yet mechan wheh it comes to dominoes'-wd 3-7. This friendly competition has ICd to- many rainy days of conversation chat I can never for­

get. The purpose of my words is just this:

be aware, store these memories that we as individuals collect over the years. Leave your pages open to be written on and never turn away from the course of the coming year. Yes, it will hold its stumbles and bumbles and triumphs. And they will be so satisfy­ing to reflect upon, because they're yours. Events happen daily, events pass with the weeks, events are ours to possess. Jusc let them keep coming.

3

4

Every family has its eccentr1c1t1e-s. Among many, one of my family's most no­table is_an obsession with superior knowl­edge of the New York City subway sys­tem. Like most New Yorkers, all 4 of us have always been dependent on the train for most of our transportation needs. My parents have always had a good working knowledge of the system, but Caitlin and I owe ours to four years of long commutes to high school - trips involving 3 trains each.

None of us realized, though, how deeply we cherished our knowledge, or how competitive we might get if chal­lenged, until one day a few years ago when we were all stuck in a Thanksgiving traf­fic jam bored out of our minds. Cait was trying to think of a trivia game (knowing we are all secret Jeopardy junkies), but none were catching on. When suddenly - a revelation. And- so was born the game, "Most Efficient." It's a simple game - one player gives another a starting point and a destination within city limits and he/she must give the most efficient way to get there by subway. However, the more advanced the subway knowledge, the trickier the questions; very far away neigh­borhoods are the first level of difficulty, then maybe obscure points of transfer, or perhaps a special shutcle train chat only

machin madne11: Meghan~and

M a g Fabulous Transpo~contest

•

g e s

runs on weekends. Whatever the case, it could get tough. There was also the super­advanced version of the game, called "Something has gone wrong." This was doubly tough because the asker needed to come up with creative scenarios that would make the trip more difficult; e.g. you need to go from W. Fourth Street in the village to Yankee Stadium but the D train is out of service - What do you do?

Anyway, yes, we're a bunch of [freakahs], no doubt. And I'm sure you're wondering why I'm rambling on about my family's bizarre car games. Well, I was tell­ing Maggie all about "Most Efficient" over grilled cheese sandwiches and it got us to thinking about all the wacky transportation experiences we all have here in Haiti, and how funny it would be to try and play the game here. ("You're at the biwo at noon and have to go to UNI!ab and USAID and get back to the Chateau Brillant before dark -- What's your best bet?")

In the end, though, we decided there is never re~lly an efficient way to get any­where on this side of Hispail.ola. However, we knew there were some great transporta­tion stories ouc there. So, we came up with an idea (READ ON!!). Why not hold a contesc, with a prize for "Most Efficient" travel story (in keeping with the spirit of its predecessor) and an even better prize for

by Meghan Armistead

"Least Efficient" - AKA mos.t dramati-

cally awful - cravel tale? ':-

RULES or THE COOTEJT For the former, the concestant would have to clearly detail the longGst trip taken in the shortest period of time - including point and time of departure, means of transport, time and pla:~e of destination and all the miraculous 'Juck you encoun­cered on the way. For the latter (the big glory, big money prize)'contestants muse describe, in detail, their. most ridiculous unbelievable, million-ho·~r trek from poin~ A to poinc B, with aH'. the crazy delays, breakdowns and mrn.~n:fou encountered along the way. Judging, of the latter will obviously be a bit more'Subjcctive, but the most dramatic (and hop'efully most amus­ing) will be the big winner.

So ... send us your stories! They don't have to be typed or fancy, you can even jot 'em down on a pi~'~e .?f greasy fritay paper - we don't care. The more entries the better. Send chem to Meghan Armistead c/o URECAPSE, 111 Rue Ti tnne, Jakmel. Maggie and I will an­nounce the winners, along (hopefully) with choice excerpts from their tales-in the next Krik Krak. We'll be anxiously await­ing your entries! (I promise che prizes will be good!)

I

I ,, I, I

11 II 'I

'

Thinking back on our adventure we re­ally had no preconceived notions that we would achieve fame and glory on this mosc grueling of hikes. Clearly, providence played a role in our voyage, but at the same time, sheer endurance on our pares cannot be excluded. You may ask, as we delve into this tribute to our record, "What is it this story wishes to accomplish?" Simply this: to encourage others to take chis hike through Seguine and see a side of Haiti that is quite foreign to many of us. And sec­ondly, to challenge all of you to try and break our record.

Let's explore this realm of providence. The providence that guided us on our tour of rugged, rocky hills covered with veg­etables and chat eventually led us into a foggy height of pure splendor far above the reach of Pore-au-Prince. It really all started che night before our departure as we searched for the most hallowed form of transport in Haiti - the woulib. Laden with a cent, (which we mysteriously would have no need for, yet which Isaac carried for the entirety of che trip), gallons of pure water, tasty trail mix, and high hopes. Lenny? Yes, it was Lenny with his sexy legs who waved down our woulib. Ahh ... providence smiled on us - Team Seguine was underway.

A few freebies lacer, after going through a man's family photo album as we naVigared rhe eight turns approaching Kenscoff and receiving a bouquet of flowers, we arrived at che orphanage. Greeted by friendly faces, comfy beds, warm coffee and bread, we felt

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Twelve and

. upbeat and ready to christen the trip with a game of cards and dancing under the stars to the sounds of sleeping children. Isaac's words of wisdom rang throqgh the night: the fewer clothes worn in a cold environ­ment the more efficient your body will be­come in producing heat. "Hey! Give my blanker back and I'm nor turning off the lights." (We will let you connect the dots!) The night passed without event beyond the peculiar flying teddy bear and sighs of slum­ber from our trail warriors.

Rising early, strapping on our bags, we hit the trail with the sunshine and fog gen­tly reminding us of the adventures that lay ahead. Fifteen minutes in we had managed to take 17 pictures and knew we were neg­ligent in our film preparedness. After chat­ting with Seguine women over coffee and noting their cumbersome baskets, rippling calf muscles and boisterous laughter, we knew we had found our traveling compan­ions.

Back to the hike. The turns and luck led us to a rewarding acknowledgment of an area that is beautiful, treacherous and demanding. Honestly, we all felt our legs buckle at rimes. Sheer ascents, copious rocks abounding under foot -we became a· bandaged group shortly after we began our pilgrimage, a Mecca of sorts, to this ever revealing area. A picturesque overlook under a tree' allowed us a chance to breathe, eat trail mix, joke, smoke and try to distin­guish if it was one hour further to Seguine, or four. Of course, our passing friends each ventured a wager in typical Haitian style.

Ar this point we all were reviewing our capabilities: Did we have what it would rake? How strong were we mentally? Could our minds block out the cramps, the strain, the sweat, the pain, che BLOOD? We re­vealed these emotions differently. Teh-teh transcend to a Middle-Eastern motif of chess and won the name Lenny Yasmell. Ti­Da, also known as the bruised soldier, de­cided it would be best if she left her own skin on the trail as a sign to all future PCV hikers to respect the road to Seguine. Fok w ft respe volonte yo. Ti-Ka showed com­posure as she kept her thoughts co herself in Sassier style and continued to climb. Ti-

a Half Hours

Zak secretly helped Madam Saras life bas­kets onto their heads in order to catch his breath and hide his fatigue. The ploy worked.

Fast forward to the final ascent into the realm of Seguine - we rounded a corner and saw the mile long trek into the clouds. We tightened our shoulder straps, sucked in the cool air and degaje nou net. We threw our burden off at the summit and Sank onto a cool rock to regain our fighting spirit. Our friends continued on, carrying their chickens, tin and all necessities. We passed the hotel without notice, feeling that we couldn't possibly, in such a short allotment of time, have arrived at its door. As we me­andered through the vegetables we took an opportunity to rekindle bur sugar levels with melted cheese and trail mix. The fog rolled, we stumbled, wavered and stayed the course as we passed the enrrance to Seguine central. Yes, this brave teflm would laugh in the face of a two-d~}'i· experience and gamble for broke -we wanted cold beers, food, the ocean and thd terrace at Kay Fouchas in Kay Jakmel." ".

We weary volunteers b'egan a feared de­scent which had been fdrmulated in our minds by reports as a trip down "knee hell". Greeted with light rain and the likelihood of a quick onset of darkr;iess, time began to become an issue. Woulcfclie sun set on our unrealized hopes> NOTA CHANCE! We bolstered our bodies and running on steam, tackled our last obstacle: our own uncer­tainties. Our experience, friendship, water supply and laughter got us through. The rest is a blur of darkness, wet stones, dying flashlights and surfing to Kay Jakmel. We had arrived. Bolted to our table by exhaus­tion, we partook of the nectar of che gods and counted our blessings over a game of

Euchre. Twelve-and-a-half hours of toil, labor,

blood, sweat, blisters and patches. Twelve­and-a-half hours of beautiful terrain, new scenery and a further understanding of all that is Haiti. We had etched our names into Seguine history. The wearied warriors slept soundly on a patio under the scars, in the rain, next to the ocean in unparalleled

pleasure.

5

6

"The Scoop" catches up with "Stubbs" On March 3, 1999 Jonathan "The Scoop" Buford catches up with John "Stubbs" Garth for

The Scoop an in-depth, pro-vocative interview on his life in the mountains of Haiti.

Scoop: Stubbs ... may I call you Stubbs!

Stubbs: .Only my close friends call me Stubbs. You decide what you are. But, re­member that a Hougan is my closest neigh­bor and I can get a lock of your hair.

Scoop: What did your parents and friends say after you told them you were joining the Peace Corps and coming to Haiti? Any quotes?

Stubbs: Dad said, "John, I love che idea of Peace Corps, bur I wouldn't choose Haiti. You know people come back from there with fevers."

Scoop: There is a rumor floating around the mountains that the Garth's are coming to visit

you. Can you either confirm or deny this ru­mor?

Stubbs: At rhis juncture we have been dis­appointed before. This time it looks prom­ising, the advance work has been done. However, I will neither confirm or deny this "rumor" so as not to jinx what looks to be a good visit. [Editor's note: They came, they saw, they drank juice with me. By all re­ports, it was a good visit. ]

Scoop: This reporter has heard you refer to things as ''mary-rosed". Can you explain that term, or is it just another kreyOI word that The Scoop has misunderstood?

Stubbs: Currencly we are calking wich Dr. Freeman to have it submitted in the next Haitian/English Dictionary. It would read something like chis:

Maryrose: (n) A happy cook wirh endless illogical cheories (v) Co mangle, de­stroy. To take a seemingly unbreakable thing and render ic useless.

PERCE CORPS UOLUNTHR PROF I LE

Name: John "Stubbs" Garth Blrthdate: July 15. 1973 Birthplace: Birmingham. Michigan (And you thought he was a South­ern boy) Astrological sign: Cancer Shoe size: l 0 (No question is unob­tainable for The Scoop) Family: 2 Parents. 4 brothers. Education: Bachelor of Science in Forestry, Auburn University Class of 1995

Scoop: judging by the excellent transportation system here, Ill bet you have an interesting story or two to tell

Stubbs: I am no longer afraid ofdcach. They say that right before you die your body is overcome with aii intense sense of peace. I now exist in that very state of mind, for sometimes as long as 9 hours. It's quite re­laxine.

Scoop: What are your plans after Peace Corps Service?

Stubbs: I plan to undergo intense psycho­logical counseling then live in one of those walled in compounds out west (Waco, Freeman's Ranch, etc.). After that, I plan to become a hermit or a modern monk and live che simple life. Maybe I'll come back to

Haiti with my new found inner peace, stay at Xaragua and become a Big Fat.

Scoop: What is one thing that you will bring away ftom your PC Haiti experience {besides intestinal parasites}?

Stubbs: Well one of che kids in my village gave me a fooc of a cat. Bue I'll pcobably leave that in Haiti. In addition to being flu­enc in che official language of New York cab­bies, I will cake wirh me a strong sense of confidence chat I can live in a foreign coun­try for two years, make friends, have fun, and maybe even help out a little.

This wraps up niy interview with Stubbs. I hope you learned a little bit about him. Be on the Wok out for the Scoop in your area.

l '·.···· '

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Seeing the future ... through Haiti's eyes. hySondraWeiss

It is another typical evening and Titit doesn't leave my house early as we planned. Bue I bite my tongue again and I say to my­self, "Patience.". Because even though I long to enter my house and be alone, I'm in no rush to be alone. But sometimes it makes me wane to scream! Again, I say, "Sondra ... patience." So Titit and I have an­other small talk conversation.

Ti tit is poor and I have a hard time im­printing this thought on my brain .• His brother's-fiancee has moved into his house and in the process, he was kicked out of his room, his bed ... his space. So now, he doesn't sleep well. I can see it on his face. Not everyday, but o&en enough that it makes me sad. He said he needs H$325 to buy a new bed. I want so much to give him the money, but

somehow I can't. Bur I still want to. I continue to resist the urge to give him

so much money. Instead I have decided to give him a salary for the work he does around my house. So, I prepared a lisc of the stuff he does,like getting water, sweeping and helping Odette, my cook. Now he gets 25 goud a week for all his work. I know he needs I 0 goud to

wash his school clothes. So he can pocket/save 15 goud a week. We've just started this thing, so I don't know how it will go.

I hope to curb his appetite for asking for money whenever he needs it and my having to weigh the value of what he needs the money for. I wane him to learn the value of money, his time and his work. Maybe this is all too much to expect. Maybe I won't be here long enough to see 1irir blossom into a full grown

man with a path, a vision and a future. Again, my little voice says, "Patience."; bur I want to scream instead.

In some sort of twisted way, I feel this is my future training for having my own kids. Is this a hint to start curbing my selfish habits and needs? I have to say it is very hard. Hav­ing a teenager around all the time is a chal­lenge.

Tirit has taught me so much about my­self and Haiti. My first instinct is to be mad when I find him in my house when he should have left already. But how can I stay mad, or even be mad, after all he makes me smile and encourages me in my long quest to speak Krey/JI anfom? I know my time in Haiti is short, but I can already feel it is go\ng to be very hard to leave. In the meantime, I remain a student of Haiti and life as well.

7

!I :.I ii' i:! I ~

8

.<<Don't worri! You're covered!''* A brief guide to the deep dark world of PC Health Benefits

With the addition of CorpsCare, Peace Corps Volunteers now can receive health care benefits throughout their service and follow­ing Close of Service regardless of where the injury or illness occurs and without the need to purchase short term health insurance. This covefage works via several mechanisms:

PC 127 CVOUCHERS These vouchers, which can be issued via

rhe PCMC or the Office of Medical Services (OMS), are used to evaluate medical and den­tal health conditions related to overseas ser­vice. Generally, these vouchers are issUed at the time of COS for unresolved health prob­lems. However, they can also be issued when a Trainee or Volunteer requires necessary medi­cal care for any illness or injury that occurs in the United States. For example, if a-Volunteer is in the States for vacation and develops an inner car infection, they can contact the Of­fice of Medical Services. If the illness is deemed to require "necessary medical care" the OMS can issue a Voucher to the Volunteer.

FECA Former Peace Corps Volunteers and

Trainees are eligible for post-service compen­sation benefits under FECA regardless of whether they completed the full 27-month tour or terminated early. PECA (Federal Em­ployees' Compensation Act) is administered· by the Office ofWorkers' Compensation Pro­grams (OWCP) within the U.S. Departmmt of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor is solely responsible for making a determination on FECA claims. FECA covers post-service medical expenses for service-related injuries or illnesses. Injuries and illnesses are gener­ally considered co be service-related if they occur anywhere oucside of the U.S. (regard­less of whether a Volunceer or Trainee is in the hose country or another country) during Peace Corps Service. This includes training and vacations outside the United States. PECA may also cover medical expenses for pre­existing illness or injury if OWCP determines that the illness yvas aggravated or accelerated as a result of Peace Corps service; however OWCP can and does reject claims for pre-ex­isting illnesses or injuries if it believes that they pre-dated Peace Corps training.

By LeeAnn Jean Louis

PECA coverage of post-service medical costs of an injury or illness that occurs in the U.S. is ·more limited. This is because injuries or illness that occur in the U.S. are not considered to be service-related unless a Volunteer or 1fainee is engaged in a service­related activity on official Peace Corps busi­ness when the injury or illness incurred (e.g. going to a doctor's appoincment during a medical evacuation, or meeting with Peace Corps staff during a Washington consulta­tion at service termination). Regardless of

whether they occur in the U.S. or overseas, the following cases are specifically excluded from PECA- coverage:

injures caused by willful misconduct; injury or disease caused by the Volunteer's intention to bring about the injury or death of him/herself or an­other; and/or injury or disease where incoxicacion is the proximate cause.

CORPSCARE CorpsCare, is a private, comprehensive

health insurance policy designed especially for returning Volunteers. It can only be ac­tivated at COS (which includes ET, medi­cal separation and administrative separation) and provides coverage for non-service re­lated health care needs such as: • Pre-existing conditions: health condi­tions chac existed prior to Peace Corps Ser­vice that were not affected by Peace Corps servicej

(*for the most part)

Travel to the U.S. on personal business: After COS, CorpsCare will cover health prob­lems that developed while a Volunteer was on personal business in che U.S. (e.g. vacation, home leave, emergency leave, or while on medevac buc not directly engaged in Peace Corps activity);

Health care after COS: health insurance for new problems thac arise after COS that arc noc service related.

Peace Corps will automatically pay rhc first month's CorpsCare premium for all Vol­unteers and Trainees who COS, regardless of the reason for COS or their lehgth of service. Prior to COS, Volunteers will be given an op­portunity to extend chtir individual CorpsCare policy for up to, an additional 18 months at a cost of $9? pe~ month. Ac chat cime, Volunteers may also e',nroll and extend coverage for their qualified dependents. To ensure ongoing coverage fo_f themselves and dependents, Volunteers d.Jst follow the in­structions ouclined in rh'e

0

,;CorpsCarc bro­chure/extension form (giV'eh to Volunteers at COS). ' ,.

.i The schedule of benefits includes;

plan benefit of $1,000,000; standard 80/20 co-payment with maxi­mum out of pockec eXg_ense of $500 per person and $1500 pcr'f~rnily; and

• plan deductible of$ i'OO p'er person per calendar year and $300 per fa1nily, per calendar year.

Additional detailed information regard­ing CorpsCare will be given to Volunteers at COS. Copies of the brochures and a copy of the CorpsCare insurance policy are available in the health unit for Volunteers who would like co look up specific provisions of rhe policy. ' In summary, 127CVouchers and FECA pro­vide coverage for service-related illness and injury. CorpsCare provides coverage for non­service related illness and injury and post service medical problems that are not service related.

(Continued on page 9)

----------------------------------------------~--1:,

The Star Shines On (from page 2)

much so that they have now been slightly teworked and reordered,

Of paramount importance is the contin­

ued emphasis on safety and security. We

will: • continue to closely monitor the po­

litical situation; • work with our develop1nent partners

to stress the importance of their role

in PCV safety; • develop a series of contingency plans

and scenarios;

• begin a shuttle service for PCV s to

improve their road safety; and implement a comprehensive Y2K

strategy.

Our second priority is the solidification

of the programming in Haiti. The new PTO in collaboration with the CD and the programming staff will assist greatly

1n:

• strengthening the existing program­

ming areas; • coordinating the expansion into the

new programming area of Commu­

nity Content Based Instruction 1

which will mean the hiring of addi­tional staff and an increase in Train­

ees of 15 for the year 2000; • integrating the use of "internet for

development" into existing program­

ming areasi • focusing the program more toward

youth; fully integrating cross-sectoral disas­ter preparedness training for PCV s

and their counterparts; • furthering coordination with the Oo­

minican Republic on the develop­ment of an Hispafiola project geared toward improving coordination, syn­

ergy and interpersonal relations on

both sides of the border. This might include some cross-border program­ming in organic farming, environ­

mental education, youth develop­ment and credit development.

The third priority in last year's !PBS

was to implement a comprehensive strat­

egy aimed at reducing the number of ETs. That strategy worked so well rhat Haiti is now again below the worldwide average for ETs. In fact, the retention rate of the last group of PCV s to COS was incredible. Seven out of the 12 of them remained in Haiti beyond their COS date. Thus an area that last year was fifth priority (improving government and public relations) has now been moved to this spot. The comprehensive

public relations campaign that is being developed this fiscal year will continue to be implemented and strengthened in Fiscal Year (FY) 00. That campaign will seek to increase awareness of the inter­national community, NGOs, govern­ment officials and rural communities about the work that Peace Corps is cur­

rently doing in Haiti. Now is the right time. There are many achievements to

show for our efforts. The campaign, like our approach to development in Haiti,

will be grassroots focused. By building our reputation from the communities up, we will be much more likely to be believed and respected. It is also hoped that on a national level, Peace Corps

Haiti will become viewed as a place where people can come to discuss seri­

ous development issues. To that end a Program Advisory Committee will be established with representatives from our

collaborators to assist in framing the di­rection and in evaluating the progress of

our prog;am. "Fireside chats/coffee klatches" on various development top­ics will also be held on a quarterly basis. Peace Corps is in a unique position in

that it is well respected by various people on the political and development spec­trum and it can serve a unique role in

bringing people from various back­grounds and perspectives together ... something that is sorely needed in Haiti.

Fourth, through changes in commu­nication, programming and training

Peace Corps Haiti will improve the sup­port provided to PCVs. The continua­tion of site visits by all staff (admin, train­ing, medical, programming and CD) will provide an opportunity for staff and PCVs to more fully understand each

other's realities, leading to an increase in mutual trust and respect.

Lastly, Peace Corps Haiti will con­tinue to improve staff development through an increase in in-house and con­

sultant-led staff training geared toward individual, unit and team improvement.

Sub-regional visits and exchanges and sup­port from the region for senior APCD visits to Haiti will be encouraged to assist

in building staff capacity. In an effort to

improve efficiency and effectiveness, a

major aim of FY99 is the systematization of our office policies and procedures (in­cluding programming, training and admin). FYOO will be used to fbllow-up and refine those efforts and to dissemi­

nate Haiti's best practices to the rest of

the agency. By Francine Rodd

Coverage Continues (from page 8)

Here are a few examples th il\nstr:tte the

above:

A Volunteer is in thci6tates for vaca­tion and breaks hiS/~er leg. Peace Corps pays for the af;utc emergency care of the Volunteef. After 45 days the Volunteer is not able to go back to country a~d is medically separated. After the time of separation, because the injury was not :;_e~;yice-related, CorpsCare pays for additional medi­cal care related to the broken leg

• Three months after COS, a Volunteer is diagnosed with roundworms which were contracted during Peace Corps service. Because the illness was ser­vice-related, FECA pays for the medi­cation to cure the roundworms.

Three weeks after COS, a RPCV has appendicitis that requires surgery. CorpsCare covers the medical costs re­lated to the appendicitis.

I hope this summary of health care benefits is helpful. Please feel free to stop by the health unit if you have any ques­tions or comments.

9

Who Am I and What am I doing here?

I believe I have had the opportu­nity to meet just about all of you now. If I haven't, be sure to stop by and say hi when you're in Port-au-Prince.

I'm glad to be here in Haiti and look forward to rhe opportunity to work with all of you. Haiti is the sixth country that I've lived in (other than the U.S.) and the first non-Spanish speaking country. Believe me, I can relate to those of you that are suffering, trying to learn KreyOl. It is coming even slower to me, since there is no way I can totally "immerse" myself in the lan­guage to learn it faster. Anyway, be patient with me as I struggle along with 1ny language and start spouting words in everything from English to Spanish to French to Kreybl.

On to talking about some of the things I hope to accomplish this year.

In the interest of publicizing the work that Peace Corps is doing in Haiti,

I want to put together an annual report,

Ryan Campbell

by Mary Hogan

in both Kreyol and English. It will be an overview of the work that Volunteers have done in the past year, along with photos to illustrate that work. The re­port could then be distributed to the NGOs and government ministries in order to help them better understand our role in Haiti. It will be particularly useful when we research new sites that

have not yet had experience with a Peace Corps Volunteer. So, if you have any good photos of project work in your site, be sure to bring them in and let us scan them.

On the project design front, I have two missions - to update and revise

the current project plan and to develop a project plan for CCBI (Community Content-Based Instruction). For the former, I wish,to draw heavily on your experience in the field. What has worked and was has not in the project. What would you like to see changed to make it more relevant and useful to

what you are doing. One area that I already know we will be expanding into is environmental education.

The latter, CCBI, is a theme­based approach to teaching subject matter which addresses local commu­

nity needs. The subject matter could be anything from health to environ­ment. We will be working to develop the project, not only with the Volun­teers in country, but also with outside

consultants. They will help ,us design the project and plan the implementa­tion of the project. Volunteers assigned to this project would arrive in 2001.

Well, that's a rather brief overview of what I'm up to. Feel free to drop by when you are in town and give me your input on where you think Peace Corps should be going in Haiti!

"

Amanda Normand

Karl Topping

Jason "Tex" Wians Jason Sharp

Angela Scott Ray Sorenson

10

l I

1.

I

I'

Wow, is it that time already? The editorial staff of the Krik Kral< has gra­ciously requested that I put some thoughts to paper as my time as a PC/ Haiti staff member comes to a close. What to say? What words of wisdom or encouragement could possibly be im­parted? What personal reflective anec­dote could even begin to adequately de­scribe this whole "Haiti thing" (which is how rve begun referring to this incred­

ibly rich and complex experience)? Af­ter 1nuch soul searching and a bit of in­trospective thought on a deserted beach on the north coast of the OR, I've come to the con­

clusion chat Haiti PCVs Rule, and that rhose people brave enough to come and resilient enough to perse­

vere have accomplished something that is becoming more and more difficult to find, and even more diffi­cult to successfully under­take, in our changing world - a courageous and chal­lenging undertaking that forces us to question and re­

evaluate our values, our ca­pacities, our understanding and our tolerances, while working towards the no­blest of all goals - helping others. It has been an un­

forgettable pleasure to have served with you in this un­dertaking. You all should be very proud of what you have done, are currently doing and no doubt will continue to ac­complish during your Peace Corps ser­vice. As they say, "When the going gets tough ... ". It doesn't get much tougher than this. The things that confront you in the future will be made easier by what you have experienced during your time here. Don,t underestimate the value of

your experiences here in strengthening your character and your judgment, and don't be afraid to take risks if you know in your heart that the action has value and merit. I know that the positive im­pacts that you are having in your work

and your communities are at times diffi­cult to see. Be assured that although re­sults rarely come as quickly or are as vis­ible as we would like, they are nonethe­less there. The number of people in Haiti recognizing what a Volante PiskO is con­tinues to grow as evidenced by the increas­ing number of organizations and commu­nities requesting PCVs. This is due to the goodwill and honest efforts made by you.

If I could give one piece of unsolic­ited advice it would be this: Make sure that you take full advantage of the oppor-

tunity Peace Corps service offers to im­merse yourself into the culture of Haiti. It is extremely difficult (I would say im­possible, but I've learned to pa janm di pa janm) to replicate the same type of cul­tural immersion that is possible during PC service. I know, because I've tried. Other cross-cultural jobs won't allow you to live and work in the areas and at the levels that you do now. And you'll never again have a job that has the potential for mak­ing such a great impact while providing such personal freedom and professional flexibility. Of course, you may not want

to replicate it, but that's all the more rea­son to make sure that you get all that you can out of it. Remember also that the friendships. formed here will always have the shared experience of Haiti as theif foundation, which is something of great value and not easily forgotten.

My own memories will be of great off­road driving (I'll forever view a white tet bef with a bit of longing), on-road park­ing (Kafou on Friday nights, or any time for that matter), interminable efforts to change irrational behavior (why cut off both ends of a banana before serving?),

inexhaustible kindness and hospitality during sit~ visits, and potato gun salu~e::s over the neighbor's pooL They will also be of a janm group ofVolunteers who are slowly bur surely making steady headway into the confusing and daunting realities of de­velopment in. Haiti. May whatever lespri i:hat comforts, protects and st;engthens you be close by yohl during your service here a~µ beyond. My attentions and·ithoughts will remain iric.\ihed towards Haiti for a lohg time, I'm sure, and it wciuld be great to get an occasional updating letter. I'll let the office know if/where/whep the next ad­venture begir{S;· ,.._Be assured that you are Welcome to visit if you promise not to discuss motorcycles, helmets or vaca­tion policies in anything bur

a joking manner. Stay healthy and fo­cused, and enjoy. Thanks for sharing the experience, and a big, grateful thank you for the two beautiful rocking chairs that were very cleverly ordered, transported and delivered to me as gifrs from all the PCVs. MESI ANPJL!! My daughter wasn't able to make it to Haiti to visit,

and I think that rocking away the hours together in these chairs will help make my outrageous Haiti stories perhaps a bit more realistic and believable for her. They are the perfect souvenirs! With best wishes and respect, na we yon lot Jou.

11

\ ,, "

< - ./

12

40 \.O~l> ... f.,A.V.t~t\\ ... AUf.~E.\t>E.V.4E.~t~ ... At>\tU

l>V.OUf \~V.E.E.

I have never been ·especially im­pressed by the heroics of the

people convinced that they are about

to change the world. I am more awed by the hero­ism of those who

are willing to struggle to make one small differ­

ence after another. Ellen Goodman

' Sam, Andy, Michael, Amy, and Diana 1

Thanks for wanting so much to' help the people of Haiti that you endured many things and showed much resolve. You've given much, learned much and accomplished more than you will ever know. Please don't underestimate what you have done and what you mean to those who know you. Thank you for making MANY small differences after another. Personal thanks for helping me to think outside of the box ... to see both ways ... and to win at backgammon. You will be missed!

Kembe fem, pa loge,

Francine

13

Nos

Adrianna

14

Jared Saying goodbye is never easy and we've done it much too

much since our last issue. We wish all our friends the best

as they find their way back in the big "US of A.

Na'p sonje nou, tande!

Robin

* R,i,ck :, ''.

~ '

N. * HER DOOR'S ALWAYS OPEN ...

tr LITERALLY ·,tr She's not gone yet, but she's countin' down the days to Dublin. Homestay extraordinaire, but even more, a friend to all PCV's, Jen Savage will be taking off for her next assignment sometime this summer. We will miss the ever present smile, great sense of humor and unending generosity of Haiti's answer to Martha Stewart. Best of luck to you Jen. Mesi ANPIL.

I

lfote. Rov? (Apparently nobody knows except Amy)

A book review column in Krik Kra k has been long overdue. So here it is. Amy Hopper I Morency Unfortunately, Lamar Burton wasn't available, so Krik Krak s still searching for

someone to take over the column. It could be you! I've been happily slopin' up to

the trough and gaining weight! I'm

so happy now you probably won't

recognize me. Why you may ask?

I'm moving to Morency, a beauti­

ful little village right on the ocean

with wonderful people and

WORK for me to do! Things are

going great and I can't wait for

people to come and visit JP.y new site!

The Beach, by Alex Garland

Blinking my eyes and letting out a long sigh, I kinda shake my head a little and look around my room. After a minute, I register the sounds of my lakou.

Oh yeah. I'm in Haiti. Man. I could've sworn I was in Thailand

I'd just finished The Beach, by Alex Garland. The first novel by the twenty­somerhing author garnered reviews chock full of words like, "mesmerizing", "fasci­

nating" and "furiously intelligent." Ap­parently, it's quite the hit back home. Before Hollywood is allowed to mutilate it, (really, I'm not cynical), with the likes of - Oh horrors! Not Leonardo Dicaprio! - I thought I'd let you all in on it (if you're not already).

The Haves The richest fifth of the world's people con­sume 860/o of all goods and services while the poorest fifth consumes just 1.3o/o. Indeed, the richest fifth consumes 45o/o of all meat and fish, 58% of all energy used and 84% of all paper, has 740/o of all telephone lines and owns 87% of all vehicles.

Pet Food and Health

· Americans and Europeans spend $17 billion a year on pet food- $4 billion more than the estimated annual additional total needed to provide basic health and nutrition for evety­one in the world.

AIDS At the end of 1997 over 30 million people were living with HIV With about 16,000 new infections a day- 90o/o in developing countries-it is now escimated thac more chan 40 million people will be living with HN in 2000.

The story is that of Richard, a sea­soned traveler in his twenties who finds

himself on the backpacker's circuit in Thailand looking for something. Some­thing new. Something untouched. Some­thing unspoiled. Just like, apparently, every other backpacker in the country. What happens to Richard, and those he meets during his search, is both funny and entertaining, but also dark and quietly un­settling. By the book's end, what has been slowly hinted at throughout the novel quickly becomes frighteningly obvious .. Enough to make you sigh with relief when you realize ... Oh yeah. Im in Haiti.

(This book W'~ promised to Tim. When he's done, it will be in the !RC for all to

enjoy.)

The Ultra Rich The three richest people in the world have assets that exceed- the combined gross

domestic product of the 48 least developed countries.

Statistics are a tricky

PS. My dog Lucy accidentally

went into heat so I may be having

puppies. Charlie is still dumb, but

sweet. Henry, the cat, is leaving

dead "presents" all over the house,

and my neighbors ate my other cat,

Tommy.

The Have Nots Of the 4.4 billion pe~_ple in developing countries, nearly th~et-fifths lack access to safe sewers, a third• have no access to

' clean water, a quarter do not have ad-equate housing and a fifth have no ac­cess to modern health services of any kind.

Ice Cream and Witter

Europeans spend $11 billion a year on ice cream- $2 billion more than

the estimated annual total needed ro

provide clean water and safe sewers

for the world's population.

game. They are offered here just as something to think about. What you think about them, is up

Cosmetics and Education Americans spend $8 billion a year on cosmetics­$2 billion more than the estimated annual total neede~ co provide basic education for everyone in the world.

to you. Source: UN Human Development

Report, cl o Maggie Parrilla.

I;

15

16

7Jiana, 9oddess of !£e :JG!c£en Have any of you ever thought,

"Gee, eggplants are pretty to look at, but what the heck can you do

with them?. " Well I have, so I did

a little research to bring you . .. The

Joys of Berej'en.

Eggplant and Peanut Salad

2 eggplants peeled and chopped 1/2 t salt 3 T. olive oil 1 to 2 sitwon

peanuts chopped garlic pepper

Soak eggplant in salt water for 20 min­utes. Fry in q\ive oil and garlic until golden brown, add the rest of the ingre­dients. Tasty served hot or cold.

Dear Peace Corps family and friends. I hope all is well with you and your life is great in Haiti. Check out this tiny rid bit o{ beauty 'FYI. Soak nails in one liter of water and a tablespoon of powdered bleach for 5 minutes and then moisturize well. The tips of your nails come so white, it's the most natural of all French manicures. You'll admire your ten be! dwet yo tou jou! But do this max - once a month. Beauty hurts and this is a drying but beautiful process!

...._ ______ _. And, of course, remember that YOUR

NAILS ARE NOT TOOLS. Take care of yourself and be well. M'ap pwomet more beauty tips. I'm only too happy to share. Please do the same. And please don't forget -

7

Baba Ganouch

2 eggplants garlic piloned I to 2 sitwon

pepper tahini sauce

salt

Take eggplant and puncture several times with a fork. Then bake it in a Dutch­oven until it's all saggy and wrinkled, about a half an hour. Cut open ezgplants and scoop out the mushy insides, watch out it's hot! Mix in the tahini (can be bought in Port at the Sunrise Market or at the new awesome Middle Eastern market in P-Ville.) This is basically a recipe to taste, so mix in the rest of the ingredients till it tastes good. Drip the olive oil over the top when finished. Serve with bread. Yum. :.

Glorious Eggplant ahd Tomato

Thing,.

I like this recipe becaus~ 'it tasty and has my two favorite colors->in it, red and purple. )

1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped 3 tomatoes

1 onion garlic pepper salt pinch of sugar Italian spices balsamic vinegar

olive oil pasta

, __ . . ·'

Soak eggplant in salt water (same as above). Chop up everything and throw it all together. Let simmer covered until its all mixed and vaguely unidentifiable. Throw over pasta. Serve with wine and

garlic bread.

That was then. You wished you could be one of them. "Look at them, having all that fun. *sigh* Shameless!" You wanted to be shame­less too.

THIS IS NOW. And your time has

come! You can be one. An insider. A member of the "pack". Just do it. Join Krik Kra k.

(.

Krik Krak would like to send out a big Mesiman to all those who contributed to this issue, and everyone's patience waiting for us to get it out. We've been a bit of a piece meal operation over the past few months and we are looking forward to getting our house in order-with you in it!

What does that mean ... exactly? Well, at the risk of scaring everyone off, we're going to be blunt. That means a formal Jewel) committed Jahl) staff with clear responsibilities (Yikes!). Hopefully this will solve the problem of all the people who really want to help with Krik Krak, but are unsure of how and when they can lend a hand.

Whars being proposed is a staff of: 4 reporters: You will act as the Krik Krak contact in your geographic area (Grand Anse, 0 Kay, Jakmel, Other­

for all us stragglers). You will be charged with beating the bushes, and your felloyvfCV's as neces­sary, for stories, photos and other contributions, as well as reporting on activities i)l your zone.

2 Typists/Editors: You will, obviously, type and edit submissions. Hopefully, you won't be typiAg everything, as everyone is wildly encouraged to submit their work on disk.

Columnists: There are several columns that are, or will shortly be, without columnists - fitness, food and entertainment (book, record arid/or movie reviews). Columnists will be responsible to write their column for each issue, i.e. every three months. If you'd rather write a column on a topic not listed above, let us know.

3 Productionists (is that a word?J: You will be responsible for final editing, lay out, duplication and distribution of each issue.

This structure is just something to get the ball rolling. We can make changes as necessary when we get to­gether.

When will we get together? The best time to meet seems to be at the All Volunteer Conference in June. If there is not space in the actual agenda, we'll set a meeting for the afternoon or evening. Hopefully, we can plan out the next issue at the meeting, giving us almost two months to work before it's due out (at the end of August). So, come with ideas.

Everyone's invited! If you don't see a place for you here, don't fret. We're in. Haiti ... there's always room for one more. Nou anvi we nou!

17