Jonathan in the World

Belize

2006-03-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

Peter's roommate Shane diving into a cave pool, Peter slacklining at his campus, and a picture of my campsite for the week, on top of a buried Mayan ruin. The point in the background above the tent is Xanatunich, another Mayan ruin, built on top of the rainforest.

2006-03-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

Good tobacco, a good book, surrounded by creation, 6000 ft. above the southern coast.

Sunset in Seguin

2006-03-01T07:15:00.000-08:00

Water Wonderland in Jakmel

2006-03-01T07:05:00.000-08:00

Kanival Anko

2006-02-20T07:19:00.000-08:00

Being pushed back by the police won't stop me from being one happy boy - I just got a free Prestige t-shirt, my favourite beer and the national beer of Haiti. The 'gwo fet' (huge party) lasted late into the night. If only I knew how to shake my moneymaker like the Haitians.

Kanival

2006-02-20T07:10:00.000-08:00

you shall above all things be glad and young.
For if you're young, whatever life you wear

it will become you; and if you are glad
whatever's living will yourself become.

. . . I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance

- e.e. cummings

Whatever you want to say about the socio-political situation, Haiti could teach the world how to sing and dance. Thousands of people, hundreds of colours, music from all directions, and the street full of dancing at Kanival in Jakmel.

2006-02-20T07:02:00.000-08:00

Papayas, parrots, and pineapples, hanging out before the big street parade in Jakmel.

Edikasyon Anvironman

2006-02-20T06:51:00.000-08:00

Esther deGroot, doing environmental education at a school in the Artibonite Valley. A great program, trying to teach students the importance of trees and plants in the community. This child is doing something called 'community mapping', drawing a map of his community - trying to include those things he appreciates, and some things he would like improved. Its amazing how much a map can say about a community, and about the priorities of the ones making the maps (how many maps in Alberta have places of ecological interest?).

Ti Pye Bwa Yo

2006-02-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

A pepinye, or tree nursery, in Dezam, where I worked for a week after the elections.

Jou Eleksyon

2006-02-20T06:18:00.000-08:00

Haitians in Ounaminthe, lining up outside the Biwo Vot to elect a new President.

2006-02-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

A Seguin flower, in December.

A Step Back in Time

2006-02-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Outside of the large centres and into the rural mountain villages, things start slowing down, becoming more simple. Travel is all by foot or donkey, electricity is sporadic at best, and all food is grown in the area. A little piece of heaven.

Life in the Valley

2006-02-01T08:47:00.000-08:00

Life in the Artibonite Valley . . . mending sandals, and shopping at the market.

Natural Beauty in the North

2006-02-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

Fresh grapefruits in abundance, and flowers lining the street toward the Citadelle.

Adventures in the North

2006-02-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

A broken down truck in Cap Haitien on the North Coast, and a sunset over the rice fields on the drive back to Port-au-Prince. The physical landscape changes so much from the South to the North - from metropolis, to rice fields, to desert, to lush mountians - all in the space of 100 miles. Those 100 miles took over 8 hours to drive because of the road conditions.

Lavil Ancien

2006-02-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

The old city, Santo Domingo.

2006-02-01T07:40:00.000-08:00

A batay, or sugar cane workers community, in the Dominican . Many Haitians have fled to poor communities in the DR for economic and political reasons. There is a long history of racism and discrimination between Haitians and Dominicans on the island. The day before we arrived, 34 houses had been burnt down by Dominicans in response to gang violence.

Horizon at Wahoo

2006-02-01T07:34:00.000-08:00

A sunrise at Wahoo Beach, just outside of Port-au-Prince - didn't Iron and Wine sing 'so may the sunrise bring hope where it once was forgetten'? Seems appropriate for Haiti.

Christmas in Seguin

2006-02-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas in a national park in Seguin, where there is a pine forest high in the mountians, at 6000 ft. We stayed at a small auberge, where coffee was roasted fresh each morning, all the food was grown on the property, and mint tea was picked from the plants and steeped fresh every day.

2006-02-01T07:04:00.000-08:00

A lilly in Seguin, a small village outside of Port-au-Prince where we stayed for Christmas.

2006-02-01T06:12:00.000-08:00

The view from the apartment in Habana, Cuba, where Edwin Dening and I stayed illegally for the week. Because all hotels must be recognized by the government, many people rent out their homes for a lot less money. Cuba, and Habana, is definately hezzellig.

Ti Visit a Plaj La

2006-02-01T06:03:00.000-08:00

The beach at Jacmel, where I participated in a Transformational Development workshop for our partner organizations here in Haiti. Rough life, sufferin' for the Lord.

Three Weeks in the Valley

2006-02-01T05:55:00.000-08:00

A typical house in the Artibonite Valley, near Dezam, where I spent 3 weeks learning Kreyol.