Going back to Haiti

Hello Everyone, 

I have been trying to go back to Haiti for the past 5 years. My grandmother lives over there and I have not seen her since 2007 which was the first and last time I went back there in 11 years. As a college student, I've been trying to save up to make it there for a summer since the earthquake happened in 2010 to do volunteer work but it has been impossible. I am a college senior this year and I wanted to give myself this trip as a graduation gift this May. The money would serve for a round trip plane ticket which is between $550 and $600 from New York depending on how many months in advance I buy it. Moreover, if I am able to fundraise the needed money, I will find a find a summer volunteer/internship opportunity in Haiti. I have been wanting to do so for years, but I did not want to commit to an organization without having the money to get to Haiti. 

Also, I have recently traveled to Senegal (West Africa) as a semester study abroad program sponsored by my school and I also did an internship there. While in Senegal, I met up with some of the Haitian students over there who were relocated after the earthquake. When I spoke to them about Haiti, I seemed to have known a different country than what they were talking about since I have not been there in so long. I kept a wordpress blog about my trip to Senegal ( http://internationallyyours.wordpress.com ) throughout that semester and a lot of people loved it. Some even told me that I changed their perceptions of Africa and they wanted to go see for themselves rather than rely on what the tv and other people say. A number of high school students told me that my trip to Senegal and my blog inspired them to step out of their comfort zones. Some people asked me to keep a blog for Haiti also if I go over there.

So with your help, I can definitely encourage others to see the world differently by keeping a blog about Haiti as well. And I will get to have an opportunity to serve others during a volunteer/internship opportunity as well as see my family whom I have not seen in years! 

Thank you!