It’s funny to think about the questions that people don’t ask when they find out I’m going to Haiti. Nobody has asked what kind of money they use in Haiti. Nobody has asked if I’m going to be living in the inner city, along the beach, or up in the mountains. They don’t ask if I’ll get time to off to see the other Caribbean islands or the Dominican Republic. However, I have been asked if there are toilets in Haiti. I’ve been asked if there is running water. I’ve been asked if I am going to call my mom every night so someone knows where I am at all times (like my mom didn’t realize that was a lost cause since the 5th grade.) And mostly I’ve been asked why I would want to go for an entire year.

     If I were to go for a couple weeks or a couple months, I would never get to see the world through a Haitian’s eyes. I would be an observer, passively participating in a foreign place. In a few weeks I wouldn’t see from a new perspective. I couldn’t form a true friendship in a month. And mostly, I couldn’t make a meaningful difference in the lives of those I am going to help. In a few weeks you can give money or supplies, but what good does that do unless another person follows in your footsteps? Are you going to make sure someone comes behind you to continue lending a hand? A full year will allow me to truly experience the world from another point of view. I will get to make friends and learn about their struggles, their achievements and share my own. And hopefully, if I do my job well, I will get to make a difference in the lives of many sick Haitian people by getting them medications quickly and without hassle. I know that there are many Haitian people who could come in and set up a pharmacy, so I am going to try to use my differences to help out additionally. I am going to learn everything I can about pharmacy and medication before I go. I am going to work in another non-profit pharmacy to learn about how to manage shortages and influxes of medications. I hope that I can use my Rotary contacts to provide donated supplies. And maybe even convince friends and colleagues in medical professions to come down and volunteer.