From Yesterday

This was an update e-mail I wrote yesterday. I decided to put it up here so more people could read it. I'll post later today (assuming internet is working) what's been going on today.


Well, hello. I just wanted to let you know what's happening here. They announced last night the results of the election and it's obvious fraud. Not the election itself, though that was pretty racy, too. It's the results that were announced which obviously don't correspond to public opinion. So there have been "riots" and demonstrations since last night pretty continuously, though obviously more this morning. There is a major roadbock (complete with smelly burning tires) just outside the school on Delmas, right at the 75 intersection. We can see one up the street and down the street, too. Apparently they are all over. From the reports that we've been getting on facebook, etc., we are in a relatively quiet place. By quiet I mean non-violent. There are reports of people breaking windows and looting in Petionville. I talked to an NPR photographer (oxymoron?) who had just come from there, though, and he said it was just like it is here. There is some admittedly creepy stuff that's been going on but nothing that has threatened us. Some of the people here insist on taking pictures (pretty constantly, in fact) which the crowds really don't like and has earned us some rude gestures. Other than that we've had nothing but friendly reactions from protesters and onlookers. I went down into the street for about an hour this morning and talked to people and everyone was polite and non-threatening. Off of Delmas some places selling food and such are still open in the vicinity. In general, it doesn't seem threatening at all. A couple people threw rocks at a UN convoy but they have even been moving the roadblocks to let the police through. Nothing has been remotely violent yet. The stuff going on outside our building is apparently being organized by someone. (We've been referring to him as "the boss".) He's been very peaceful so far, even admonishing the stone throwers, so we have good hopes that it will stay peaceful in our area. Nobody is alarmed (except the alarmists) right now. Those who were here during the last elections and the food riots a couple years ago say it's just normal stuff. It's not violent, yet, and there really isn't much to point in violence at this point. It's complicated because people are also upset at the UN for causing the cholera epidemic but, again, we aren't a target. All in all, it was an exciting morning, the first time seeing burning tires and such for most of us, but nothing more. The Hendrik kids have been playing all over campus, enjoying their day off. It's really quite safe here and even on the street, for those brave enough to go outside (like me!). To be honest, I didn't want to say that I watched the "riots" without ever going down and talking to people. I've always been told that Haitians will be protective of you if there's any danger but I got to experience it firsthand today. Every time waves of protesters would come down, this one group of guys I was talking to stood to either side of me and slightly in front and herded people past. There was one point everyone started running (I think someone must have thrown a stone at the UN vehicles; that's the only thing that I've seen that made people scared.) and, again, aside from that momentary startling, I didn't feel threatened at all. I'm safe back inside now and I just wanted to let you know that I'm perfectly alright, that there's nothing to be afraid of and that none of the people with experience expect anything more than a potentially long wait for the country to get running again. Internet hasn't been reliable but I'll keep you apprised as I can.