Personal Narrative: Corruption In Haiti

For many years, Haiti has been a country wallowing in disorder and confusion. The country faces prodigious levels of corruption and has an unorganized government filled with unjust laws. This past summer, I had the privilege of visiting Haiti, not knowing that I would obtain anything from it. On a hot, humid evening, I traveled from Massachusetts on a serene flight to the country of Haiti with my parents to teach the native children English.

Upon arrival, an ivory, bulky-looking caravan drove my family and I from the airport toward the school that we were stationed to teach. As we rode on, the caravan ventured westward through the harsh, aggregated streets of Port Au Prince. Port Au Prince is the center of economic Haiti and the focal …show more content…
The monstrous sight from the bus was so agonizing that it insulted my human morals. The scenery of the deranged graffiti alluded cultural slang, gang symbols, and unethical artwork. The street was a deranged abomination. Soon enough, the caravan came to a complete stop at a small primary school. My eyes grazed the dirt floor, its earthy scent wafting into the air, making my nose twitch. A race of rats scurried into the darkest corners of the room, away from any penetrating light. Odd shaped chalkboards were placed at the front of the room. The chalkboard stands were covered in rust, aged from continuous use. Completed work was hung on filthy walls. Circled percentages written in large lettering were placed at the top of each page. The children in their matching uniforms were unfazed by this, instead sitting up straight as they viewed the new visitors. My family and I were soon seated at a wooden table with a small group of boys. I tried my absolute best to explain English in the lowest terms as possible to the children. As I taught, their eyes lit up in excitement as they understood. They felt as if they were given the greatest gift in the world. My mother was all smiles as she read a simple story to a little girl coloring a page. With the new visitors here, they knew their lives would be changed …show more content…
I wanted to make my presence known; however, I knew I had my work cut out because of the horrible teaching conditions. Back home, I was surrounded by a comfortable lifestyle. Before the trip, the shoes I wore on my feet, the cellphone in my pocket, and the laptop computer I used everyday was taken for granted. I didn’t notice until the summer trip how important transportation was. In Haiti, many people do not own any sort of transportation and often walk barefooted. Everyday, I travel to and from school, where I can learn in a pleasant environment with the help of technology. I am seated under air conditioning, and instead of dirt floors, the floor is clean and tiled. I never have to worry about finding running water everyday in my life, which was something I took for granted before this trip. I didn’t realize how fortunate I was to have education so readily available, where in other countries, it was more difficult. Teachers were desperately needed, as well as money to build suitable schools for underprivileged students. I was motivated to get my education while I had the opportunity. Seeing the way native Haitians lived in poor towns made me appreciate the many things I