Personal Narrative: The Haiti Earthquake

Improved Essays
For the past four years of my life, I’ve been trying to enjoy my life as much as possible. You see, I lived a life similar to most kids. I went to school, I played with my friends, I complained about my mom’s cooking. However, in life, everyone has that one-day that changes you. Four years ago, my life changed. It became difficult to just be an average kid due to a horrible scene that I was subject to experience; the earthquake in Haiti. It was January 12th, 2010, a day I will never forget for as long as I live. If I learned one thing during this, it’s to cherish every moment with the ones you love, because you never know how long you have left with them. The earthquake actually started when walked out of a department store. It was a day my …show more content…
I was personally affected by one of the worst tragedies to ever strike the planet, and I’m happy to say that I survived, and it changed me for the better. After this, I decided that I wanted to devote myself to the betterment of Haiti and the preservation of our distinct culture. Haiti still isn’t back together, people just stopped paying attention. The tragedy truly brought Haitian’s closer together though. The poor slept beside the rich, entire communities walked side-by-side, petty differences didn’t matter anymore. I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for the generosity of others during that time. I was lucky, my entire family survived miraculously. I will not make that same mistake twice. I have a new appreciation of life after that day. As a kid, we all have certain expectations from our parents, things we take for granted, and them being there when we come back is usually one of them. With the earthquake, that changed for so many children who were just like me. Before the earthquake, I loved everything in Haiti. That’s why I can’t wait to go back after college to help other children to experience the same love I had for our wonderful

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Haiti After the Earthquake, by Dr. Paul Farmer, is about the author’s experience in Haiti after the earthquake of 2010. The first eight chapters are written from Dr. Paul Farmer’s perspective and the second part of the book is written from other people’s perspective and how they dealt with the damage of the earthquake. The Haiti earthquake devastated the already struggling country. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and over half of the population lives on $1 dollar a day.…

    • 1216 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As I was excitingly woken up by my brothers on Christmas, I ran downstairs to see what I had gotten. I opened my presents like I do every year, and got excited about them like every year, and then thanked everyone for my presents like every year. As we had just finished up opening presents, expecting no more, my mom told my brothers and I that there was one more present and got out her phone. Whenever my mom pulls out her phone, the family knows she’s about to record something or take pictures . So, my brothers and I cautiously looked at each other, deciding if we should get excited or not.…

    • 731 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the book The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster by Jonathan M. Katz we learn that all help is not helpful, but we can change that. In 2010 an earthquake hit Haiti, being one of the worse things to happen to this already poor country. This book provides us with a lot of information about the before and after of the Haiti earthquake. Help was provided to help rebuild, but some solutions worked and some didn’t. Instead of focusing on what will be noticed by the outside world, Haiti needed what would help them rebuild as a country.…

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The sun shined down on my back while I jumped in my car and began started the engine. I couldn’t wait to get to my friends house, to watch the first game of the World Series. This year, it was the Giants vs the A’s, two teams from the Bay Area. Being a Giants fan I couldn’t wait to watch the game with my buddies. I pushed my foot on the gas pedal, urging my car to go faster so I could get to my friends house before the first pitch.…

    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Haiti lifeline was developed to give hope and help to what began at just an orphanage that has now expanded to an entire community. The health care structure is so corrupt that the Haitians begin begging for help upon the organizations arrival. However, with the amount of supplies and time, it was impossible to treat everybody, which caused a whirlwind of emotions that made a lasting impression. Following a week in Haiti, it is time to reflect on the organization that made everything possible, the health structures, and the impact of the trip. Haiti Lifeline was established in 1999.…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Have you ever loved someone so much, you’d give an arm for them? Not the expression, no literally give an arm for? Growing up in Haiti with my brother, I remember teasing and pushing him around, because thats what big brothers are supposed to do. One of the things I remember most vividly about him was waking up every morning to play soccer with a tennis ball we found, and racing each other all through town with our hands behind our backs pretending we were cars. Everyday wasn’t always perfect, like those days we spent chasing each other because we fought, just like all siblings, and I didn't always appreciate having a younger brother.…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Osteopathic Medicine Personal Statement As a child, I had the opportunity to grow up in Haiti, in doing so I had the opportunity to learn and interact with the culture in my early years. The remainder of my formal education was completed in the United States, but the experience that I went through in my early life in Haiti, I assumed helps mold and shape my optimistic perception of the future. Growing up within a disadvantaged community there were tough times, moments in which any individuals could not help but feel a sense powerlessness, those were some of the moments that shaped my views. This I believed have instill within me the motivation to help individuals in need.…

    • 1091 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Unlike many teenagers I didn’t, have a transition period from childhood to teenage years to adulthood, like so many others here in America might have. My life went from a carefree child to being a mature and responsible adult within a matter of months, and here is how it all started. The fact or the matter is that I was born in a refugee camp in Nepal and life wasn’t easy with death and disease looming everywhere. I roamed the streets as carefree as young kid could. Life was normal as I went to school every day, my dad worked countless hours,and my mother stayed home like so many other women in the community.…

    • 612 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Haiti Research Paper

    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In America we constantly hear about other countries and Haiti is one of them especially after the Earthquake that kills and injured thousands of people. Since then Haiti has been doing its best to rebuild up the country. Let the adventures began to discover Haiti’s culture, background history, and uncontrollable damage that has been done.…

    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Haiti had a disaster of an earthquake which a high percentage of orphans of any country. The 1.5 million people left Haiti and only 53 percent can read and right. Being invovled in Haiti's culture is good. Hatians are different from Americans. Haiti is a beautiful carribeing island even though they go through everything they still find a ways to be the strongest and make sure people have…

    • 349 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After Hurricane Katrina, when my family had to move to Houston, Texas for two years, my artistic journey began. I drew many pictures in my childhood, but this is where I started to take it more seriously. Moving to Texas, the “Lone Star State”, was quite an experience for me. It was sad for us to have to leave New Orleans, after withstanding the hurricane by settling in at the Superdome; it was a life changing experience. On the other hand, as my artistic life was commencing, my passion for sports was also becoming a part of me.…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Earthquake In Haiti

    • 410 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In 2010, a seven point zero magnitude earthquake hit this small country in the Caribbean. In Haiti, this was a devastating natural disaster that has effected the country even to this day. Ever since the earthquake the economic infrastructure of the country has been severely struggling (Massive Earthquake Hits Haiti, n.d.). The struggles of this country have been going on for decades even before the earthquake, but the challenges that the people face have all been the same. Haiti can be found in the Caribbean sharing boarders with only one country, the Dominican Republic (Where is Haiti?, 2015).…

    • 410 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Visit To Haiti

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In I was born in Haiti and there are disasters that happen very often in Haiti. Which cannot be control. Disasters do not just occur in Haiti; it hits all over the world. Being that Haiti does not have the support system like we do here in the United States, it takes that part years to rebuild. I have lived and still visit Haiti and I can tell you that it is a beautiful place to live because there are many different parts.…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As I mentioned in my previous New Orleans post, I recently had my first trip to the Big Easy! Here is how I navigated through it all. Getting to New Orleans While flying into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is an option, Shreveport is only about five hours from New Orleans so I drove. Driving meant, I had to go pay my friends at Avis a visit.…

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The end of August 2005 is a period of time that many along the entire Gulf Coast area will never forget. Hurricane Katrina, even ten years later, is one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in United States history. Despite the awareness and preparation that is afforded when anticipating a hurricane, the Gulf Coast was severely devastated when the storm made landfall on August 29, 2005. Although there was widespread destruction, the region most decimated by the hurricane was New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina not only left the entire city underwater, it left thousands of people homeless, displaced, or dead.…

    • 1042 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays