Sardines

Marcy and I are packed on yet another “12" passenger but now 20 passenger bus. We are packed in like sardines.

I fall asleep and wake up to my back totally soaked in sweat. The AC has been turned off and everyone is hot and grumpy. We ask a woman in front of us to open the window and she says she doesn’t like the wind. The guy next to me reams her out saying she’s going to kill us with the heat. I ream her out too telling her she’s selfish and she opens her window. There's nothing like peer pressure. Marcy and I are in the very back of the bus where it's the hottest. I choose to ignore it by falling asleep again. 

When I was little, my older brother Trav carved a hedgehog for me out of a huge heavy piece of wood and I carried it around wrapped in a dishtowel like a doll. It meant the world to me when he carved it for me, and was one of most favorite things as a kid. I don’t know where it went and have been so sad I lost it. When I was at Marcy and Chris’s before Christmas I noticed a little hedgehog on their table and it almost made me cry because it reminded me of the one I had as a kid. Well, Marcy bought one for me because she knew how much I loved it. Now, every time I see it I can pray for her family and Trav. Marcy has one as well so when she sees him she will pray for me. So here I am, traveling across Haiti with this little pinecone hedgehog. 

Only a few more hours on this bus. I am eager for the end of this adventure. I miss home and am ready to snuggle in my bed. We finally reach O Kay and I am overjoyed to see Batakol (my bike.) 

We load up. We have a huge suitcase, four backpacks, a duffel bag, a huge paper shopping bag totally loaded, four people and two motorcycles. This should be fun. It’s dark so I can’t even take a picture. You’ll just have to imagine it. Judelin and I talk the whole way and I look over at Marcy and Papa. Marcy is looking up at the stars. She looks so cute squished between Papa and that huge suitcase and backpack strapped behind her. 

The roads are terrible. It must have rained. We finally arrive at home at 9pm. I’m so tired I feel dizzy. I boil water on the stove and take a hot bucket shower. My very first one and I feel so spoiled. I was freezing after the night moto ride and this feels so good and toasty. I wrap up in a quilt after and am so happy. So happy to be warm. So happy to be home.