South America group posting on GLOBOsapiens

Help: Have you been in Haiti recently?

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carme Joined: Mar 08 Points: 11 Posts: 2 Posted: 2008-03-02 12:14:00    Hello!! I'm looking for someone that has recently been in Haiti. I'd like to know how is the situation there now. All people I know tell me that now is still very dangerous for travellers (after 3 years of the politic troubles) but they haven't been there, and I want a real aproach. Thank you very much!! Carme Reply    Reply with quote    Contact carme   ta-shy Joined: Jun 02 Points: 4110 Posts: 170 Posted: 2008-03-03 17:02:00    Good health and high spirits! Out of curiosity, why do you want to go to Haiti? If it is for a missionary trip..you may be o.k. they will (should) make sure you get from point a to point b in one piece. But if you are going as a regular backpacker tourist... I seriously do not recommend it unless you have very good connections in the country. Haiti is not for faint at heart travelers or those who are inexperienced in traveling in 3rd world countries. Haiti is tough. I have been to many 3rd world countries and Haiti, even with family there, is hard to deal with.. Despite an improvement in the overall security situation, crime and urban violence remains an all time high. It is also very difficult to travel around because of local armed gangs and police road blocks. The roads are also very terrible. and if you are a foreigner... very expensive. Camping is taking your life in your own hands... Although Haiti has some breath taking scenery there are many looters and threat to personal safety is high. Haiti has a long way to go before it becomes a tourist destination.. I have not been to Haiti recently. The last time was Feb. 7, 2004. On Feb 22, 2004: Rebels seized Cap-Haitian, Haiti's second-largest city, and then they went to the capital, Port-au-Prince and overthrew the government on the 29th this was a very volatile time and you could feel the tension thick in the air with every person you came in contact with. I am in constant contact with the country..and.. to this point Haiti is NOT safe to travel in right now.. not even for Haitians themselves. The major risk there right now is kidnapping. The last one I heard of was a missionary and a DJ from Miami who was there for Karnival. We are having difficulty ourselves trying to find people willing to go there to bring necessary supplies for the family. Money can be sent Western Union still. Alot of the problems are with the slums Cite de Soleil within Port au Prince and there is a heavy UN presence there. Also the route from PaP to Cap Haitian. The overall security has improved from 2005 but it is only controlled by the UN not the Government. There are no tourist facilities in Haiti to speak of for the common backpacker and I'm not sure if they still use Labadie Beach for the Cruise Line. All of the Hotels are in use by UN and are being rented out at outrageous prices. If you were to go up Country it may not be as volatile but you will run into problems of Accommodations. In my Opinion, Haiti is not a place to go right now. for Haitians themselves and for foreigners. even 3 yrs after. --- LIFE IS AN ATTITUDE! ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU WISH YOU COULD! ALWAYS! Reply    Reply with quote    Contact ta-shy   carme Joined: Mar 08 Points: 11 Posts: 2 Posted: 2008-03-05 14:12:00    Hi Ta-shy!!! Thank you very much for the answer!! In fact, we wanted to go to Haiti in a missionary trip, but now we're looking for an organization and general information. I repeat, thank you... is very difficult to find real information about Haiti. Reply    Reply with quote    Contact carme   sammiewammie Joined: Apr 08 Points: 54 Posts: 1 Posted: 2008-04-09 05:30:00    I went to Haiti less than a year ago in May, on a missions trip. My grandmother owned an orphanage there (she just recently passed away) and the group im part of at my college wanted to take a trip there to help out around the orphanage and fellowship with the orphans. 16 of us went, my brother co-leading the team with one of the girls. My grandmother was a very powerful Christian woman, with the power of God so clearly on her side, and we were not afraid at all traveling to this unsafe country with her. We didn't have any trouble at all at the airports or traveling through Haiti to get to the orphanage, which is in Grand Guave. The weather is very hot and often miserable, but by the end of our 10 day trip, I had gotten used to it and was more tolerable of the heat. My brother and his girlfriend and leading another team to Haiti this May and I have not yet decided whether or not I am going to go. I do hear that Haiti is really not safe right now, and without my grandmother I feel even less safe. But I'm sure my brother still plans on going, as he has a passion for this place. I don't know why you want to go to Haiti but if you tell me I'm sure I could help you out in making a decision and I could also prepare you for your trip, if you decide to go. Reply    Reply with quote    Contact sammiewammie