My Next Adventure
Location: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Occupation: Seismic Structural Engineer Educator and Field Engineer
Organization: Mennonite Central Comity
Duration: 6 months (possibly will extend to 1 year)
Start Date: August 27th, 2011
As most of you know I just recently finished my master’s degree in Bilingual/Bicultural studies (Spanish language and studying latin culture/cross culture communication) at La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. My thesis was on natural and recyclable ways to reinforce Adobe (mud bricks, not the computer software) houses in the Altiplano region of Bolivia, with a focus on the methods that should be used to transmit this information to the locals. I have been a member of Engineers without Borders throughout this period and heard of a position a few months ago located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti for a seismic structural engineering educator. This position is through a Christian organization called Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) located in Haiti aiding in disaster relief since the 2010 earthquake that demolished the city. Almost all foreign aid in Haiti currently are NGOs (Non-government organizations, for those who don’t know).
Over this past Fourth of July weekend I visited Haiti to experience what life in Haiti would be like for me and if this was the next step I wanted to take. I was incredibly shocked at the destruction that the earthquake had on Haiti’s major city and the limited education of many local Haitian engineers and architects. Allowable soil bearing pressure is determined by planting a mango tree and seeing if it remains standing in a cyclone, the world is flat to many people, and calculations are for the time during college but do not need to be preformed once a degree is obtained. Field engineers (and design engineers even) are hardly used during construction thus buildings get constructed improperly and hence fall as demonstrated in the earthquake of 2010 (magnitude 7.0). Third world counties design masonry with a very different method called confined reinforced masonry then what is used in the US. Surprisingly this type of building is very strong for low-budget building, limited labor skills and high power tools (electricity in Haiti is infrequent typically shutting off every day at some point) as long as they are constructed properly.
My position entails filling in for a Structural Engineering professor from Calpoly University, CA who has been down in Haiti for the past year developing a workshop and working with local Haitian engineers in new construction and retrofitting houses that are in need of repairs. Typically the houses my organization focuses on are for people with disabilities who have little hope of obtaining a job. In Haiti, wheelchairs are useless as everywhere in the city requires a 4-wheel drive truck (think off-roading to the extreme) and walking with a cane for the blind is essentially a death march. A traffic light is a rarity even in downtown Port-au-Prince and common norm is pedestrians yield to vehicles because they easily outnumber them (pedestrians to cars) 10 to 1. I will be teaching week long workshops periodically and in between that time working in the field as an inspection engineer. I will be there for 6 months with a possible extension up to 1 year depending on how I am feeling after 6 months and if I feel I can stay. Upon completion of my time in Haiti I will be seeking work in the northwest where majority of my family and friend are.
The native language spoken in Haiti is Creole, which is a combination of French (primarily), English and Spanish. I know all three of these languages to varying degrees so I will hopefully pick up the language quickly as I will be communicating primarily in Creole and giving my workshop classes in Creole as I become more fluent. I believe they will provide me with a translator during these workshops at the start as I am picking up the language. I was actually surprised at how much I could understand when I was there for five days. I will also be able to pop over to Dominican Republic 1-2 hours away for weekend Spanish practice if learning Creole and adjusting to Haitian lifestyle isn’t exciting enough for me, however I hardly think this Haitian journey will lack in excitement.
This is an incredible opportunity for me to combine my two degrees and pursue my passion for culture and aiding countries in need. While this is not a paid position, it is fully funded meaning they will provide me with living accommodations and food as well as a minimal monthly stipend. I will be receiving additional funding from a Canadian organization to cover my other financial responsibilities while I am in Haiti. MCC also funds my travel to and from the country and provides me with full health benefits. Essentially it is an opportunity I would have been silly to turn down since it provides me with much more than any Peace Corp or Fullbright (other grants and organizations I’ve been looking at) could ever offer. My parents are ecstatic to be babysitting my 2011 Subaru outback, iphone, and furry son while I am away.
MCC will provide me with a cell phone (think first cell phone you ever owned, no data or unlimited streaming, and a limited allotment of messages, Lord above give me strength to stay within my text messaging limit). Most Haitians choose a cell phone over flush toilettes or even a latrine for that matter. The place I am staying has excellent internet service and most MCC workers talk with family and friends back home through skype. I will be blogging weekly (you’re all my witnesses now so I can’t slack) about my experiences and will try to attach pictures as appropriate. Taking pictures in Haiti is discouraged in attempts at eliminating the touristy presence of the organization. Besides, some foreigner snapping photos of ones’ impoverished lifestyle doesn’t really scream positive social relations, does it?
The MCC staff in Haiti consists of two offices, one in Desarmes (up north in the countryside) and one office in downtown Port-au-Prince. The staff is roughly half Haitian and half American. Lunches are eaten every day together as a community so I will be closely associated with my organization on a daily basis. I will be working with Haitian engineers throughout the day as well as a several other organizations (Bill Change and Haven, to name a few) with people from all over the world. This is an amazing opportunity to network with Engineers and their building methods and techniques from all over the globe and will truly advance me in my profession.
I will be in Seattle starting the second weekend in August on the weekends to visit with everyone and say my goodbyes before my departure at the end of August. Let me know when you have a free moment so we can catch up before I take off! I want to know what YOU are up to! I will be back from Christmas to the New Year as well. Keep in touch!
