Taking the bus from Haiti to the Dominican Republic

You can book the bus either by internet or person. I suggest you do it in person if possible. Book your tip in advance. Only tickets purchased in advance are guaranteed a spot on the bus. The staff speaks good enough English to help you with your transaction. For a directory of buses and other services in Haiti, use FlashHaiti.com Key things you need to know. If you want to read my experience go further down. 1. Price of ticket is $40 and $30 tax for single trip 2. Price for round trip ticket is $65-70USD and $30 tax 3. They provide food on the bus 4. The Bus arrives between 6-7hrs depending on traffic 5. You will not get world class service but service none the less 6. The morning shift workers will carry your bags to the bus and you do not have to tip, these guys will be wearing red shirts 7. The bus is clean and up to date, no wifi, but has a car charger, toilet, and AC 8. One of the Terra Bus workers exchanges money to Dominican DOP if you require it 9. No ATM at the border so bring cash in case you want to purchase anything 10. They provide immigration/customs cards to fill out for when you get to the DR border and they handle your immigration paper (green paper) from when you entered Haiti While visiting family in Petionville, I decided to take a vacation in Santo Domingo. Depending on the company, the first bust leaves at 8am and the 2nd bus leaves at 10pm. I decided to use Terra Buses services to get me to Santo Domingo. After we left Petionville, the bus stops at another Terra bus station where the passengers are going through the same process that you went through this morning. These passengers will be added to your bus. While at the station you could use the restroom and buy something to eat and enjoy the nice weather. Please note that the bus does provide food service for you. Around noon they served rice and beans, griyo (pork), and salad, and either water or soda to drink.The Terra bus arrived at the DR/Haiti border immigration around 4.5hrs 12:30pm) after our departure from Petionville. The place looks underdeveloped and unmanaged. Its made up of 3 construction type buildings. Basically an open layout, where anyone could come in and out regardless or not if they are crossing the border. The employees who are traveling with us did not explain what was going on, all they did was give us our passport and told us to get outside. Using common sense, we walked over to the immigration line that said enter and handed the man our passport and the immigration/customs card and received a stamp. As you are doing this, you are bombarded by Dominicans and Haitians who work the area. They are selling drinks, sim cards, chargers, candy, and services to take your bag to the checkout counter. The problem with this whole situation is the employees are dressed like the hustlers working the area, you can't tell who is trying to help or hustle you. It's a huge mess of people just walking around and talking in your ear. Unless you are not capable of doing so, I suggest you carry your own luggage to and from the bus because the staff at Terra bus will not help you. If you are strapped for cash, you might want to change some of your Haitian Gourde to Dominican Pesos, they give you within 10 pesos of the actual exchange rate. If you haven’t been to the Dominican Republic and didn’t plan ahead, I suggest you exchange a small amount of cash. As we were leaving, I expected the Terra bus to do a headcount of passengers, they failed to do so. On top of that we received additional passengers.

The People of Kabwa Haiti

The village of Kabwa is located on the outskirts of the capital city. It overlooks Petionville, Marlique, and other areas. A lot of the people living there are my relatives. It's where my mother is from and currently resides. The people are known as the people from the mountains. I haven’t been there in over 20yrs just to give you some background information. Driving up to Kabwa, you either need a Truck or SUV with 4 wheel drive or a motorbike/dirt bike. Part of the roads are paved on the way up and the majority of it is dirt and rocks that formed into a road as trucks and local villagers walk down to the city. There's no guardrail to keep you from falling off the edge. Speeding is not advised. If you walk the path, you better adjust your body weight accordingly or else you will feel pain. Walking to the city takes about an hour.

With that being said, the area is very beautiful and well maintained. Deforestation doesn't seem to be a problem. Which each step that you take, you will be amazed by the view of the city, the ocean, and the mountains across the way. As I walked through the path, I just wanted to take a moment and take it all in. I wondered if the villagers even bothered to take notice of the beauty in front of them anymore. After awhile, they probably get used to seeing it and it becomes mundane. With me seeing it for the first time, I stopped and take it all in. I take a few pictures and move on.

Homes are build all over these mountains. They are mostly made of concrete and stone from the neighboring rocks. Goats are walking around freely, dogs, cats, chickens, cows, all taking the same path or stopping by to eat. Farmers were tending to their flock and their land, growing corn, and whatever else they needed to get by. Some of the homes had outhouses a few minutes away, some were connected, the roofs were made from metal and wood, others were made from cement. There was no need for carpet or wood floors. Just cement, easier to clean and didn't deteriorate as fast over time. The people were humble and welcoming. Everyone knew each other in this small community. Neighboring houses were build only a few meters from each other and some hundreds of yards away. They welcomed me back into their community as if I had never left. As each person came by, they all greeted me and introduced themselves as my cousin or a family friend. It was great to be around family. My mother made me go from neighbor to neighbor introducing myself. Some of them told me stories of my father and other family members. Some of the best stories I've ever heard. Cooking in this area was done through wood burning outside of the house. This is something that the people in this community, my relatives, have mastered and passed down from family to family. My mother had a gas stove that she only used for emergencies. All sorts of fruits bore from the trees which the people ate and sold down in the city. When people cooked, they ate every last drop, there were no left overs to keep in the fridge for the next day because there was no fridge. To many blackouts happened in this part of the country. The hustle and bustle of the big city took all of the power. Things like fridges, HD television, and the internet, mostly resided in the city limits. The blackouts prevented the people of Kabwa from heavily relying on such things, so they created and maintained alternative methods, such as gas lamps, battery operated flashlights, to help them see through the dark nights.Amazingly, cellphone reception was great in the area. I can't even get my network to work in my suburban neighborhood in the States. Life here was much simpler and I enjoyed the escape from technology driven world. I didn’t have to check my Facebook, email, text messages like my life depended on it. I was back to using things that were necessary. But I couldn't help but think if the people were happy the way they were or thus just learned to maintain. I was visiting, so of course I could maintain this lifestyle for a week and possibly a few months. I don't know if I could do it for years. There was a constant struggle in my head. Should I feel guilty about missing the advancements that the U.S had to offer, should I strive to get these items here to make my vacation more comfortable. I chose to shut up and live the way my mother and my other family members have lived for more than half a century. I started to get used to the lifestyle, eating what they grew, and only using the things you need. Buckets were used to hold water, cups were used to poor water on your body to bath, empty cans, sacks of rice, were further used to carry additional loads. Laundry was done outside by hand, with boiled water and cold water, and hung up to dry with the sunlight. Meanwhile, I was wondering, why haven’t the roads been paved to make it easier for the villagers to walk to and from the city, why haven't they maintained the conditions of the homes they build. My family owns a lot of land, more so than I could imagine. I kept wondering what will happen to the future of the land, will foreigners come and take it over, or with the continuing overcrowding of the cities, will the government find a way to seize the property and claim it as their own. Countless times in history we have seen this happen, greedy officials and greedy foreign investors plotting to take the land from the people living their and not paying them the value of that land. If you are ever in Haiti, do visit kabwa and see what it has to offer. I guarantee you will be amazed by the view, the people, and the pristine condition of the land. For the price of $10-25 Haitian Gud, less than $1usd you could get a ride to the mountain top. As progress continues in the inner city, Kabwa and nearby villages will become hot spots for tourists and citizens of this great country to escape the city life and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the mountains.

First Impressions of Haiti

I haven’t been back to Haiti since I was 6yrs old. So everything I remember about the country to this point were from the view of a 6yr old. When I left it was 1993. Leaving behind my brothers, sisters, mother, cousins, nearly ¾ of my family so I could have a better life in the United States. Throughout those times and there after, Haiti was in a lot of turmoil, natural disasters, coup d' tat, you name it and Haiti has been through it and despite all of that, the people remain strong. A few years ago, the earthquake happened and suddenly the world knew Haiti again, every country in the world raised money to help the people of this great nation recover. I believe it was over a billion dollars. Exchange that to the Haitian Gud and that’s a whole lot of money to change the face of this country to move it to the next 3 centuries. As I the plane touched down, I didn't arrive with any expectations but to see my family.

After passing through immigration and collecting my bags, I went outside to the embracing arms of my brother and cousins. Considering how hot it was outside, I was surprised to see people wearing jeans and boots. Taxi cabs official and unofficial were trying to give passengers rides to their destinations. From where we were standing at the airport, you could see the mountains into the distance with homes overlooking the city. It was beautiful. The photographer in me wanted to take some pictures overlooking the city. Trucks and SUV's were everywhere, you name a brand and they had it. We walked to our truck, I hopped in the back and pulled out my camera to take pictures. My cousin who was from the states started describing the changes that were made. As we took the back roads to Marlique and Kabwa he pointed out the abundance of huts that’s the people affected by the earthquake lived in. At this point its been several years since the earthquake and these people still did not have their original homes. People were covered in dirt and just hanging around the side of the road watching cars drive by. Each hut or shelter was located right next to another hut, so privacy was at a minimum. But I’m guessing that was the least of the problems.

Petionville-OKvaca — Okvaca-Haiti Street Vendors

As we drove up the dirt roads, it quickly became apparent why everyone drove trucks as apposed to small four door vehicles, everywhere we drove was a hill that required 4 wheel drive. In a few minutes of driving around Port-au Prince, I've seen more suv's and trucks then I have in the states. If you've been to the USA, you know people love their big body vehicles. I remember all the commercials of trucks and Suv's showing them overhauling big tools, and driving on dirt roads, and just doing things that trucks were made for, but most people who owned these things never did. But out here in Haiti, these trucks were doing exactly what the commercials depicted.

At this point it was around 2pm and school kids were everywhere dressed in uniform, carrying books, laughing, buying food and beverages from local food vendors. I felt bad because the dirt from the trucks created a dust bowl that covered the kids clothing. After a few trucks drove by I suppose it was time to wash your clothes and take a shower. The dirt mixed with the heat and sweat did not make for a good day to day experience. But I guess they learned to deal with it. Driving further up into the mountains you focus less on the details in front of you and try to capture the view of the city from the mountains. Most of the homes were not painted so they were the original color of the concrete, each home looking identical. We drove past street vendors, police, poor, rich, and people of all races. With my cousin serving as the tour guide, he pointed out house of former dictator Devouile, the home of the current president, officials from Venezuela. As you can imagine, the roads were a whole lot cleaner and paved with nicely laid out bricks or blacktop cement. These house were painted and each one designed differently, architectural masterpieces. My cousin explained that it was always this way, the current President, former world renowned musician Michel Martelly “Sweet Micky” was making a strong effort to provide bridges, paved roads with proper drainage, and garbage collectors. Trash collectors were badly needed because people just threw out their garbage where they saw fit. Overall, I thought Haiti was changing for the better.

First time in Aruba!!!!

First time in ARUBA!!!!

Though our trip was short-lived it was one of the most amazing times I have ever had. My girlfriend and I went to the beautiful island of Aruba for a wedding/vacation. The flight was somewhat long, four hours but it didn't seem like it because we slept through most of it. The flight tickets were Surprisingly cheap, we paid about $450 each for round trip ticket and that's only because I always add insurance with everything I buy. When we finally landed you could immediately feel the temperature change, it was very windy so you didn't really feel the heat. We got on our bus and headed to our destination, The Riu Palace one of the most amazing Resorts on the island by far the most monumental in stature everything about the palace was magnificent. I'm not going to lie when I heard we were paying $850 each for a 3 night 4 day stay, I was a little hesitant swiping my card, but for what its worth I would pay that over and over again! We were greeted with fruit punch and a shot of vodka, needless to say these people knew how to party. The room was amazing. We had a view of the pool going into the ocean. .

The weather was perfect. When we got to the pool bar, we were getting a little worried because the sky turned gray and rain started falling. That only lasted for about two minutes and then the sun was back out again. For the rest of the trip the weather was perfect. The beach wasn't unbearably hot or overbearing with wind. White sand followed by one of the most stunning ocean spectacles I've ever seen, teal colored water low clouds just marvelous!

The locals were also great they were friendly and knew how to party, since the hotel was located in an ideal spot the clubs were only a walking distance away. We were informed that not only was this place beautiful but the crime rate was little to none! I would definitely recommend going to Aruba to anyone. Stay at the Riu Palace, you won't regret it! P.S I never understood when people said "I have the travel bug" but I can honestly say that bug bit me now I'll see you guys on the beaches of the WORLD!!!!

Happy New Year and Soup Joumou

The New Year is a time to start fresh, reflect on your past, and recognize the opportunities for the future. Some people celebrate the New Year by going to a party or hanging with family. It’s really a fresh start on life no matter how you look at it. It’s time to rejoice and be thankful that you survived another year living on this beautiful planet. For many Haitians, it’s a day of celebrating our Independence from the French. Haiti, or Aiyiti as many know it, gained its independence on January 1^st, 1804 and became the first black independent country in the Western Hemisphere and continues to be one the oldest black republic countries.

The Significance of Soup Joumou

During the days of slavery, the French used to drink soup and not allow the slaves to do so. It was a way to symbolize the French’s power over the slaves. The soup for them, represented high-class society and a way to keep them different from the people they enslaved. When the Haitian slaves fought and won their independence from France, they celebrated by drinking soup Joumou. The soup symbolizes that everyone is equal and it was a chance to add insult to injury after gaining freedom from their masters. Soup Joumou , also known as Pumpkin Soup or Squash soup is a traditional soup made by Haitian families around the globe on January 1^st of every year for Haitian Independence day. The soup is made differently at every doorstep, but you are bound to taste Soup Joumou with a variety of spices, meats, and vegetables. Soup Joumou has a wonderful characteristic of always providing your mouth with a tingling tangy feeling that usually happens after giving your taste buds something so delicious that the flavor cannot be registered right away. It's all about comfort. Soup Joumou is about celebrating with family and friends. If you ask any Haitian, they will tell you whom they saved soup for or how many people they brought soup to at work because that person wasn't able to get any. Soup Joumou brings Haitian people together for at least one day. As a Haitian, if you are lucky enough to have grandparents or great grand parents, they will share stories about their childhood and how the country has changed. At my house, Kompa music is played all day, friends and family come visit and eat, some bring food from their homes, cousins are running around the house and playing, all types of alcohol is being served. What better way to start the year than by eating good food with family and friends?

When Soup Joumou is prepared

My aunt starts preparing the night before. Some items that are unique to her recipe for making the soup are prepared the night before. These include special beef, dumplings, pasta, and chopped up vegetables. Around 7am my aunt begins to cook the soup, all the ingredients are added and cooked over the stove. Now I can’t tell you exactly how she puts it together, but just know that the end result is utter bliss. The house is taken over by the smell of soup. The senses are going crazy and your mouth starts watering with anticipation.

The morning of new years day/independence day feels like Christmas. My friends and I talk about the soup as if we are about to unwrap gifts. Friends and coworkers remind me to save them some. By the time I wake my phone has several voice mails and text messages saying happy New Year and Haitian Independence Day. I respond to all of them. My uncle is blasting good Kompa music from popular artists such as Sweet Mickey, T-Vice, Zen, Carimi, System Band, Tropicana, and many more artists.

How it connects to me

I was fortunate enough to grow up in Haiti and in the United States. From what I can remember, I didn’t truly understand the true meaning behind the New Year, Soup Joumou, and Independence Day. It wasn’t till I had experience a few 4^th of July Celebrations and met a few like minded Haitians that made me want to dig deeper into the meaning and want to find out about my own background and what it means to be Haitian. All I knew, was we drank soup every year but didn’t understand why nor did I ever ask. I decided to look it up on the internet and became fascinated with the history. The more I read, the more I wanted to learn how to make the soup and pass on to my little cousins, friends, family, about the true meaning behind the Soup Joumou. The more I learned about the history of Haiti, the prouder I became.

Young and in Love, Virgin Islands Style

There they were exchanging vows; my roommate who I met in Virginia on an exchange and her boyfriend from DC. The unbelievable thing about it is they were both 20 yrs. old. Nevertheless, they were in love like I've never seen before. Three days prior to, I was just getting off the plane to the coolest airport I've ever seen. Nothing but mountains and land when you walk of the plane and onto the ground. I knew this trip would be an awesome one. I was born in Jamaica so I know a thing or two about Islands, but I've been living in the United States for the last 8 years. Going to the Virgin Islands, specifically St. Thomas was the best reminder of "happiness on earth." The water was the bluest Ive ever seen, friendliest people I've ever seen, but of course the businessmen taking advantage was not the first I've ever seen. Anyways, I loved it. I felt like I was on my own private Island. St. Thomas was one of the most romantics places I've ever been. It's true what they say, "it must be something in the water" because everybody was in love. My roommate (Raydiance) introduced me to her friends, all under 21 years of age, and most of them were engaged, living with their boyfriends, or in a relationship; it was great to see. The island of St. Thomas is really small, with cruise ships arriving everyday. You can stand about ten miles away and still see a cruise ship. Heck you can see everything from ten miles away! I stayed at two hotels while I was there, the Emerald Beach hotel and a hotel that was directly across from it, over looking the water. The hotels were gorgeous, EXCEPT…while I was at the Emerald beach hotel I saw an iguana that was the length of a 7 yr. old. It was the scariest thing I've seen thus far.

Getting back into the wedding, it was a small intimate ceremony, just like the island itself. I was sooooooooo beautiful. I was lost in my emotions and started thinking to myself "you know…maybe getting married young is not a bad idea." Raydiance and Sterling sure didn't make it look bad. Oh, and another thing, I CAUGHT THE BOUQUET 😉

Picture of some f the best food the Island had to offer

New Years Eve in Haiti

Vincent and I have been friends for as long as I can remember but new years eve was when I actually got the chance to see just how much of a great friend he is. I remember that night as if it occurred moments ago. I was sitting on my living room couch just thinking to myself, "What's the easiest way I could fall asleep and wake up into the new year of 2013 a new man?"and if my friends knew exactly where the best party's were." I was rudely awaken from my brainstorming session by the vibration of my Blackberry. "Hello" I answered and the voice replied "Hey Sten, 2013 is almost here man, what are you doing tonight?" Instantly I was well aware that the caller was my colleague and good friend Vincent. "Nothing much, I was about to call this chick" I lied knowing damn well there was no chick to call. " Yo lets go to this party at kingston18" Demanded Vincent. "Kingston 18? Isn't that in Jamaica? We are in Haiti, man wake up!!" I barked. "No Sten. Matter fact be ready in 15 minutes, I'll scoop you up" and he hung up. Haiti and Jamaica are two beautiful countries located in the heart of the Caribbean. The sea, climate, and beauty are some of the key things we have in common. However, the dialect, music, and cuisine are very different. The distance between Haiti and Jamaica is about 120 miles. The heart of Petionville is home to Kingston 18. If the taste buds are craving for some good ole Jamaican cuisine. Kingston 18 is surely the place. After one bite of the tasty mouth watering jerk chicken, I felt as if i was at Nikkita's, but this was not Montego Bay. Kingston 18 is far more than just a restaurant. The floor space is immaculate, shinning bright with multi color neon lights. It has two comfortably open V.I.P sections overlooking the city of Port Au Prince, several pool tables, and flat screens occupy the wall panels near the spacious bar area. The checkered wall paper paint and graffiti paintings on the wall combined a terrific artistic touch that is pleasing to the eye. The minute you step into this place, one look around is all you need to confirm that you are in yardie town. Jamaican flags are posted on all corners. All of Kingston 18 waiters are mysteriously identical to any eye , surely on the account that they are all young and beautiful, moreover the fact they are all seductively attired in body fitting tights flaunting green, yellow and black of the Jamaican flag. Kingston 18 is located on the final floor story of the Irish village building. Once inside, be ready to be amazed by the fantastic views of the shooting stars of the breath taking Petionville sky. The speakers are strategically placed all over the place; which forces the music to fill the air, thus the dance floor is never left unattended. "Happy new year man" proclaimed Vincent at the count of zero "Yaaa mon". I said in my best bob Marley tone.

The best time to travel!

The best time to travel is now! Like right now! Read my article on the international checklist and drive to the nearest airport and get on the next international flight. Be spontaneous! Well at least once you are done reading this article you can go on your merry way. There are many reasons why people don’t get out of their comfort zone and see the world or even the next state. But the worse excuse is “I’m Busy.” The last time I checked, we only had one life to live, so why waste that time being busy and not taking the time to explore this beautiful world? Now, I’m not saying you use every bit of your time traveling the world (but if you have the money for it, do it) but for the rest of us who are working a 9am-5pm or longer, ask yourself this question? When was the last time you took the time to go visit an aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, or best friend in the next town or the next country? When was the last time you and your spouse went somewhere together and just enjoyed where you are? No work deadlines, no annoying family members, insert any distraction in that sentence. The point is, when was the last time you took a break? Some of us go through life thinking that we have an abundance of time and tomorrow is promised. When in actuality, it’s not promised. From the time you were born, your time on Earth started ticking till the day you meet your maker. I am not trying to be dramatic. Just putting things in perspective. As a society, we need to learn to take mini vacations. You don’t have to wait till you’re retired to enjoy the good life. Enjoy it as you go. You don’t need to go around the board once to collect $200. Traveling gives you a different perspective on life that you can’t get behind a cash register or working in a cubicle. I’ve made it a personal goal to visit at least one new country every year. So far I’ve traveled to many parts of South East Asia and China and that in it’s self is a life changing experience.