Crossing the Border

So, after days without internet in Twodino, entering tons of information, Megan, who is a friend from Fordham and working with me in Haiti decided to do what a number of Haitians do every day to work and shop and live: we crossed the border into the Dominican Republic. And let me tell you, its not as friendly as one would have expected. Wink wink.

We crossed today, Friday, market day, where hundreds of Haitian citizens go to and from buying things from the DR and bringing them back to sell in Haiti (many with loans from Fonkoze). We drove to the border town, Ouanamente, with the help of our new friend Father Hughes, the priest who resides at the parish where we are staying. After he heard the children's confession he took us to the border.

When we arrived we saw a number of people organized into a coming and going line by the UN troops from Uraguay freely crossing into the DR without any sort of passport check or immigration. So, we thought, this should be easy, right? Wrong. The Haitian police immidiately saw our "white" skin and clothes and decided to pull us aside. There we had to go through an immigration process (which took a while because the officers were on lunch break when we arrived) and then have our bag searched by the seediest man who I think just wanted to feel our underwear. On top of all that, they wouldn't let our priest friend cross with us because he said he was coming with us, not that he was there to shop like the rest of the Haitians. Fiasco.

And then I think, what do people have to go through to come to the US and I realize I have it easy.

We finally got across and was aided by a Dominican immigration officer who took us to the bus station. Everyone else hear has been really nice, taking us around. Don't tell my Dad this (as he reads this), but we didn't have a hotel arranged when we arrived so the cab driver had to take us to one. But we're ok, being taken around the city by the hotel owner who is this really nice mother of two. We have been shopping and we're going dancing tonight.

I'm sorry I have no pictures. Hopefully I will soon.

Until then!