Last Full Day in Haiti

Day 7: Today was our last full day in Haiti! We got up early and went for a walk up Zombie Mountain. There was a breath taking view from the top of the mountain and we could see all the way out into the Bay of Port au Prince. Then we took the hour drive into Petionville.  First we went to a fabric store and got some brightly colored flowered fabric and some more machine needles. We then went into a convenience store and bought some fluffy blankets to use in the quilts because we had almost run out of batting the day before. We stopped at the side of the road and went shopping at booths filled with metal work and paintings. We got some very beautiful artwork after negotiating with the vendors for a few minutes. After those shops we went to an actual store and bought some jewelry made out of animal horns and some different miscellaneous artwork. The shop was a lot more expensive than the booths by the road but it had some very unique items. After shopping we were pretty worn out so we stopped at a bakery to get some treats. We bought some delicious almond crescents that were very sweet and tasty. On our way back up the mountain we stopped at the market and bought some mangos, bananas, and many mandarin oranges. 

When we got back we had lunch and prepared for our last day of sewing. Many people finished their quilts and they were very proud of their accomplishments. At the end of the session we brought everyone together and gave out certificates with their names on them that said that they had completed the session. They were extremely happy to receive them and they were all very excited to get their pictures taken with their finished projects and their certificates. After sewing we only had a few minutes to rest before we went down into the village for a dancing and drumming party.

Everyone gathered around the drummers with drums made out of trashcans. Their beautiful voices rang out throughout the valley and we all had a lot of fun dancing together. Many of the people were very good dancers with moves that we had never seen before. At the end we handed out the mandarins to everyone and although it started out a little hectic, everyone came out happy. They continued to dance and sing with us all the way up to the Curelley’s house. We will all be sad to leave tomorrow but we will be comforted knowing that Janet will be staying for an extra week so that our sewing can continue.