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Hello, I am planning on moving to Haiti to join my husband who is already there. I know absolutley nothing about Haiti and He hasn't lived there for 19 years so he is learning now. My husband is from Haiti so that helps him. I will be looking for work. Also I know nothing about housing. he has told me some about electricity and things. Any information could help me a great deal.

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Hi cjbaptiste and other members
I too am considering a move to Haiti with my husband but I don't know why. Call it love. That's where he wanst to be right now. I HAVE been to this crazy country though. I am a white Canadian so I can't blend in. Not sure what your background is cjbaptiste
and others in or thinking of going to Haiti. So where should I start?
Haiti is HOT and the roads are worse than anywhere I have ever seen before. The streets of Port-au-Prince are packed with people. Everyone has something to sell. The poverty is very profound there. I was told I wasn't safe there. I don't know how true that is. I had to either be in the car or in the home and wasn't allowed to walk on the streets. Although there were a few white people I saw walking by a park near the white house in Port-au-Prince. There was a series of kidnappings occuring there a while back. Yoiu just don't know who is safe or who you can trust. The government/political system is said to be corrupt and police take bribes. The homes are gated and windows are barred. Drinving down a m,ain street in the middle of town across from mthe post office was a huge piece of land full of tin shed homes. So many men, women and little children have naked looking through garbage for food or things to sell. Nothing is cheap there either and thinking that buying a home there is inexpensive is a joke. I would recommend living in a gated community but the houses are quite expensive. Driving along the coast you could actually see the beauty of the island. There are not many roads and only one highway which under normal road condiitions you could drive the whole island in a matter of a few hours but actually takes what seems like forever to go a few cities away. We drove through many cities to a resort where we stayed for a few days and during that drive the population lessens and the poverty gets worse. Little tiny houses along the street and naked children bathing in the river. Little tables set-up with people selling their produce and drinks. People running to your car to sell you their goods. It's a hard life with no hope of it getting better.As for electricity and running water (forget about air conditioning) that is not very reliable. The electricity is shut off at different times througout the day by the city to save energy I am assuming. If the water is not running then you bath in the shower with buckets of cold water. Cold is ok because the heat is so intense. The streets are filled with people, loud talking and music until early morning which made it hard for me to fall asleep. I'm sure you would get used to that after time though. Ad I write this I wonder why I am willing to give up the peace and security of Canada for that craziness! As for a job when you get there, well there aren't enough jobs. Only about 30% of the population have jobs and there is no Mcdonalds. I am told some jobs are held for foreigners but I don't know for sure. Most jobs are volunteer. What else can I tell you. There is a fun part and that would be there celebrations like Carnival and Christmas. To go or not to go that is the question???
Can anyone there right now who is not Haitian or black give me some advice???
Thank-you

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I hope I can help you. I am a white/mexican female who is 42 and living in New York alone for now. My husband was deported from the us and will never return. He currently lives in a small shack outside of port-au-prince. 6 adults and 2 small children live in this house. They do not have electricity except at night late. He charges his cell phone at the internet or during the night. The charges to talk to him are crazy. I have the Haitel plan to talk unlimited to him now for 65.00 a month. just two months ago it was 35.00. Definitely price gowging going on. They cook once a day over charcoals. He talks about the water and showers. He has to purchase a bucket of water for his showers. There is very little food for there house. A male is a police officer and the mother sells items in the dominican daily. He tells me an ordinary us car could not drive on there roads. When he first arrived he told of the violence in the streets. When I talk to him any time of the day I also hear music, children crying/screaming/playing and adults moving around along with horns from cars. He describes it as being very busy. He was robbed about a month ago at gun point and they took his money in his pocket and his wedding ring. He was taking a short cut to pick up some western union. It is an adventure to exchange the money I send him. He told me if I come to visit that he has to meet me outside of the teriminal at the airport due to security. I have heard that things get stolen from suit cases and not to bring anything of value. also to be white well he just said I too would not be able to roam freely. He insist that kidnappings are still happening. I want to be with my husband but at this point I have delayed any plans to visit and see him. He talks about the mosquitos the most. He says they eat him alive. they have stagnet water in the street due to thats where all the trash and water waste goes. Rodents are a problem also. As far as jobs you are right there are none. Unless you know someone or can make a business of your own you won't have luck there. Haiti is very poverty stricken. My husband has said he would rather be in prison then be in Haiti. Haiti is like hell. I have had haitian families that live here in the usa say that there are different parts that are nice and I'm sure there are but you need alot of money to get to them. I hear the american community on the other side of port au prince is nice. I have not been there yet but do want to go. I to have a fear of no security in that country. My husband spends his days on top of a roof under a coconut tree trying to stay cool. He was sleeping outside on the roof till recently a dog approached him. I feel bad for him. He does have family there but not his immediate family. Seems as though they have forgotten about him. Also the amount of people who are carrying HIV are tremendous. He has told me that he see's condoms laying in the nearby park area. I stop and think about how this all could be flowing into the water system. I know when Huricane Ike came through and others that the bodies layed in the streets for days. with all that it was causing diseases in the water it self. Haiti has been painted in a picture of a country that has been lost. It is so beautiful on the outside but needs significant help on the inside. I need to know and understand the history of haiti itself before i can come to the conslusion of a country that could be one the top places to visit in the carribiean. Haiti doesn't export or import any goods. They need help. This effects me because part of me is there. I hope this helps you. It is nice to finally talk to someone who has seen it first hand. I can't change this situation but I can help my husband get to the life he once knew here in the USA. It seems to be taking a longer road then I thought at first. If there is anything else I can help you with please let me know.
CJB

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oh my goodness you guys are scaring me - my husband is possibly being deported, he hasn't lived in haiti since he was 16, he's now 34, i would follow him no matter where he ends up, i'm not so scared for myself but more for my children, I am white american with 3 children age 12, 11 and 3.

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Hello...
I was just sitting here and reading these post and I myself have thought about moving to Haiti, my fiancee is there and my brother. And it is soo hard to be with out my fiancee, my brother on the other hand has been deported ( 12 yrs. now ).So he's use to the HARD life in Haiti. He has married and had a child.

But I do visit Haiiti atleast every 3 months. B/c of my fiancee. That country does need ALOT of HELP. But in the name of LOVE I would do anything to be with him, even sacrifice it all. It is definitly a culture shock , It does humble you and make you more appreacitive of what you have in your life. If I could find work there then I would be there tomorrow, the good thing about it for me is that we dont have any kids. So its just he and I . He still lives with his parents, according to haitian tradition a man doesnt move out there family home until they are married. He wants to come here but , America isnt a good place to be either at this point, I think if its soo hard for the average american to find work what makes you think that someone who isnt an american citizen can. America is going under, people are loosing their jobs left and right , homes, companys are closing down , foreclosed homes..its sooo SCARY!! Haiti life now I think is way stressLESS!! Then the US.
Again life in Haiti is very different!! I peronally think if your white you can probably have an advantage only b/c of your skin color...which is pretty sad, they will help an other but not their own kind..but yea I think if your of lighter skin you have way of an advantage. I am a pre-school teacher now , and I am looking for work now in haiti, so if anyone have any advice for work , or sites where I can apply for jobs please let me know.
Thanks!

And good luck to everyone!

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hi Trish, when i was looking at schools for my own children, the Union School in Petionville had openings - I definately agree with the skin color thing, I think in some aspects the fact that I am white would be beneficial but in other sense I have heard that I would be targeted for violence, etc. I have traveled extensively in the caribbean and 6 of those to jamaica - which also is impoverished. My children are biracial and they are very frightened of what they have heard about haiti. I try to let them know what wonderful benefits they will get out of experiencing Haiti and the world.

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