Coralee.

Just when I thought I was heading out, I’m still here. Am I crazy? Maybe. I had two options today:

1. Hire a driver and head to PaP tomorrow and change my flight or hang out at a hotel until Monday. or
2. Hang with the Montreal Hospital team until Monday super early when we will make our way to Pap Airport via the Canadian Red Cross.

I’m going with #2 for multiple reasons: why hang in PaP when I can stay here and enjoy the sun for a few more days?, they are some of the nicest folks I’ve met around and I hear there is more snow heading to New York. I mean, if I have to be stuck somewhere, I think I’m in a pretty good place.

I had an idea late last night to photograph all of the Lotto Booths that line the roads throughout Haiti. So today I walked from Cyvadier to Jacmel, approximately 5 miles. To someone that walks a lot that didn’t seem like much, although the sun is pretty intense here. After multiple confirmations it was fine for me to do it with my camera, away I went. I met a little resistance but I pursued with a smile. I’ve found that even when folks say no photo, if I persist and show them, then they are okay and are dragging everyone into the photo. That is a project that will take some time but it was a lot of fun.

So these photos are the outtakes of today including my Haitian Muse Coralee. I met this family the first week here with my friend Santiago as we wandered searching for images before Kanaval. They were sitting in front of their home and before I knew it we were in their backyard drinking a Prestige with their mother Gueraline, who was offering me her children. Today when she told me her daughters name, my heart skipped. My mother’s name is Cora… so here is this woman who’s name is so close to mine with a daughter named like my mother… maybe I should take her home. If it was only that easy. I don’t have much to say other than I’m so happy I’m here, thankful that I’ve taken the time to understand the ins and outs and that I have this time to photograph as I please. Maybe I should thank Martelly. If he wasn’t refusing to leave office I’d be in Port au Prince wrapping up my trip. Here’s to tomorrow. Cheers! - g