HUN Update, January 25, 2007

Hey HUN,

I had a defining experience today. I believe I mentioned in an earlier update that spaghetti is served here with ketchup instead of tomato sauce. Interestingly enough, it's also traditionally accompanied by a hot dog ( sans bun). My method of coping has been to use the hot dog to use up most of the ketchup, then mix around the ketchup to minimize the ketchup-y effect.

Today, I was served spaghetti with no ketchup and no hot dog... but ketchup on the side. It was a diabolical, it was sinister; it was fiendishly clever of them. I could almost hear the voices in the background, though the house was empty: "how low, can you go; how low, can you go." Restraining my urge to stand and shout, "I can be Haitian too!" I wrenched the ketchup top off the bottle and squirted a glob atop my noodley strands. I braced myself for impact as the first forkful approached my mouth... and chew, and swallow...

You know, it wasn't that bad. Given the choice, I'm a tomato sauce man, but I can deal with ketchup. And if a man kills cockroaches and eats spaghetti with ketchup, isn't it about time to apply for Haitian citizenship? Yeah, that's what I thought. Maybe tomorrow, if I have time. All right, on to bigger better things:

I've been sick most of this week. A cold, of all things. Just your average, Northern Michigan cold. Foolish me, to suppose that I could escape cold season by fleeing a thousand miles south. I guess things just aren't that easy. However, thanks to the insight of my parents, I have plenty of FDA approved medicine with me (the only word for the pills they take here is: sketch) as well as several bottles of multivitamins. I never really appreciated the FDA until this trip.

Word came back from the embassy: I should have my passport within a couple days. That's a relief, since the Petit-Frere family was stopped by the police, and I almost got hauled off to jail because I didn't have my passport. I joke about it all the time, but Marcia is the only person who thinks it was funny. It must just be the Haitian sense of humor.

I know I'm a little late on this, but if anybody is interested in seeing some pictures, I have a few posted here. I'm still feeling a little under the weather, so I'm going to cut this update short. I promise I'll be back soon with something more substantial. Before I forgot, here's your Haitian Creole for the day:

I want food! : M'vli mange! (mm-vlee--man-zhay) --but remember, that n is silent and nasal!
I would like food. : Mwen ta reme mange. (Mway-tah-ray-may-man-zhay) Here, "ta" acts as "would," and "reme" is the verb "like."
Haitian Creole: Kreol ayisyen (Kray-ol-ah-ees-ee-yen)

Happy happy Haitian!

If you need to contact me, here's the info:

Phone Number: 011-509-617-7720
Address for Letters: Pastor Jean Petit-Frére, P.O. Box 407139, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, 33340
Address for Packages: Pastor Jean Petit-Frére, 2525 NW 55 Court, Hangar #24, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, 33340

Important: Remember to address it to "Paster Jean Petit-Frére" and put "Attn: Dan" on the back of the envelope or package. Thanks!

That's all, folks! (Spoken in a porky pig voice, of course)

Dan