Well it has taken almost three days to get here, but I am finally sitting and writing to you from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. There has already been adventure: surviving four flights, transfers in both LAX and Miami, Visa fun and plane delays (e.g. sitting on the tarmac in Miami for over 2 hours).
When I finally got here I was almost refused entry because I didn't know the address of where I am staying!
Today I went to DHQ here where I saw the office and met with the rest of the International Emergency Services and SAWSO (US group - Salvation Army World Service Organisation) staff who are working here. I also spent a bit of time chatting with my team leader, a swiss officer named Robert (who is only here for two more weeks) and with the camp manager, an american officer, Pat Kidoo. I will be taking over from Pat on Sunday.
The verbal briefing was pretty intense, and I'm told that there's a whole written brief also to try and digest. Tomorrow we will go to the camp first thing in the morning so that I actually get to see what I am working with and what is expected of me.
My first impression of Haiti is that while you know that many people (over 100 non government organisations) have been working very hard, it looks like there has been little done in the last few months. The infrastructure is non-existent and there is rubble everywhere. I have a collapsed building across from my room. I guess it will take years to rebuild the city.
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