Haiti Day 2

My first day in Port-au-Prince was fun, but today I’m going to venture outside the main city to see what other areas are like. I journeyed to a city on the coast called Cabaret. On my way there I saw many mango trees outside the taxi window, as well as some animals like flamingos and ducks in the swampy areas. I checked in at my hotel and decided to go to the town square. Many people were selling artwork along the sides of the roads. There were bright paintings as well as sculptures made of metal. People were also selling some musical instruments such as marimbas, tambourines, and flutes made out of bamboo. I decided to volunteer at the hospital to give back to the community. Most of the people in Haiti and live in extreme poverty. They cannot afford healthcare and other necessities. Therefore, most of Haiti receive most of their  most of their healthcare from charities or other countries. As I was moving boxes, I saw many civilians who were in desperate need for medical care. Some people came in with diseases such as malaria, hepatitis A and E, and dengue fever. These diseased came from dirty drinking water, lack of necessary nutrients, and lack of medical care. Many poor women came with injuries from working in the fields.  Despite the huge number of people being cared for in the hospital, many more waited on the streets outside for medical attention. Men and women that live in rural areas often both worked in the fields. Instead of getting married, they often formed an agreement called a plasaj. The poor women who lived the cities often were maids or had other domestic service jobs.  After a while I got hungry and decided to get something to eat. I went to a small restaurant and sat down. The restaurant was packed, so I figured it had to be good. This restaurant did not have menus. At first I thought this was odd, but then I remembered that only 53% of adults are able to read. This is partly because, 40% of children drop out of elementary school.  I decided to order a dish called fritay. It contained fried pork, fish, and plantains. It was getting dark so I decided to head to my hotel. Today was a good day.