Rocka Rolla

April 6th

Hello everyone, Ica here,
Today is our last full day in Haiti and it has been a grrrrrrrrrreat! My team has worked so hard everyday, and everyday I told them so. They have picked up endless amounts of garbage and moved rocks to make a garden and yard for The Refuge that will one day be filled with kids.

The first day I got to paint the watch tower alongside a Haitian named Jeff. We primed the building and on our breaks we (Audrey,Sierra, Danielle, Shu and Amy) would learn Creole words. We learned paint, paintbrush, ladder and anything else we could think of. And now that it is Friday it's hard to put words together to describe my week. I have met so many people and gotten to know my team on a whole new level. I have seen people sweat in places I never knew people could sweat.

On most days whenever I got a moment I would ask people what their high and lows were for the week so far which would lead into deeper conversations. I also enjoyed the old fashioned games of 20 questions. The bus rides (sometimes long) made a great time to bond.

I think there should be a CD called "Silly Songs with Jodie", because she does not know lyrics to save her life, which made me laugh just about everyday. I don't remember the last time I've laughed this hard or so much in my life and I'm so happy to continue to grow in my friendship with Jodie and I'm happy that she is part of our group.

This trip wouldn't be complete without nicknames. Everyday we become closer and closer as a team and as friends. Even though we all come from the same town, (well most of us) I have had so much fun getting to know them better. Now some of us on this trip have had nicknames from other events and for those of us who hadn't I have given them "Haitian" names. Now, naming people is not the easiest task but some names just fit. And here they are:

Jodie- Jodes MaGoads or just Goads
Jessalynn- Allen
Audrey- Audi
Joe T.- Jose Cuervo shortened to Cuervo (which is the name of the Haitian wheelbarrow we've been using all week)
Mistee- Une Femme(oon fem) which means Big Girl in french and is a Haitian compliment
Joe K.- Bob the Builder; often shortened to Bob
Sean- Seanín, which is fitting cause he's Irish (yes, I had a small freak out when I found this out)
Amy- Aims
Katie- Capaire, Irish for "sandwhich" and I'm not sure why this name stuck with me.
Tyler- Dora the Destroyer
Me, Jessica- Ica, I've even introduced myself to the children as Ica... so much easier to say and remember and very "Haitian" sounding.

I didn't get the chance to name every one but it's been fun calling these people by their "new" names. Before I go I will tell you my highs from this week have been holding naked Haitian babies, eating authentic Haitian food, and riding in the back of the bus and laughing with Casey Face, Goades and Aims. It will be sad leaving here but I'm ready to go home and see my li'l boy. More stories to come!

Orevwa, Ica