One birthday and one exam

Witchner's birthday was Sunday; he turned 29. We talked briefly on the phone. His roommate offered to let Witchner use his phone because he had free weekend minutes. It sounds like he's got very nice roommates.

Today was his first exam; I know he was concerned about it. He said it went "not too bad". He was up until 2 a.m. last night finishing up homework in his top bunk using a headlamp. He said his roommates didn't mind.

When he phones, the calls are very short. He keeps a tight schedule. Tonight he was going off to study some more. He's taking four classes right now. I can't imagine how hard it must be taking classes in full English immersion like that. He uses an MP3 player to record some of his classes and download them onto his computer so he can listen to them. (That's a far cry from the old cassette tapes, isn't it?)

Nose to the grindstone

Witchner's days are pretty full now. Here is his most recent email -- after his second day of classes. It speaks for itself.

As you say, I'm completely tired. lot of thing to do
in a short time. the whole day is for school and the
break time is for researches and readings.So, Thanks
to God, I use the MP3 to record some classes. Next week
I will have exams so I have to study very hard to pass
it.

My roomates names are: James and Steve they are so
kind help me a little bit.And also my Haitians'
brothers help me so much because they were here before
me.One of them is the list of the best student who
have the greatest grades for the last semester and he
is willing to help me.

I use my sleeping bag and i am so warm now. thank you
so much.

the lady who has given me the french dictionnary sent
me a wishe card and i am soooooooo happy for that.

tomorrow the freshman class will be fasting. so
tomorrow no food for me.

Changed rooms

I phoned Witchner at 2 p.m. today and he'd just gotten back to his dorm following their church service. He has changed dorm rooms and has 2 American roommates again. He also has the top bunk again. He missed going shopping yesterday because he was moving from one room to the other.

One of the things he wanted to shop for was a blanket, but it turns out there was another miscommunication. We bought him a new rectangular sleeping bag so he could open it up and use it as a comforter. One of our concerns was the limited amount of luggage he was able to carry. We figured a blanket and a comforter were more than he'd be able to fit in his luggage, but a sleeping back in a stuff sack would do the trick. Unfortunately, despite showing him how it unzipped and opened up flat, I guess we didn't make ourselves clear about how he could use it. Hopefully he'll sleep better tonight. Good thing he's had the top bunk where the air is warmer!

Last night was a welcome dinner for all of the new students; he said there were about 10 new students. He thinks there's about 12 international students on campus, including the 3 other Haitians.

His classes start tomorrow and he said he has a lot of books to read. I think he'll be putting in a lot of study-time, especially as he begins to get more comfortable with reading everything in English.

American football and roommates

When I phoned Witchner this evening I could hardly hear him. He and his roommates were watching American football and having what sounded like a rousing good time. There was lots of laughter in his voice. He sounds perfectly fine and settled in and his roommates sound like they've included him right in. They were kibbitzing on the phone.

Today he got all of his books and he's started reading one of them. He told me something about a grading system with 100 points, but I couldn't make out everything. Perhaps it's the system we're used to, but one that is new to him.

Tomorrow they are moving him to the room next door, something about freshmen (a new word for him, I'm sure) being placed together, and guys with good grades being put in the same room because they're allowed to stay up later. (??) There's a 10:30 lights out rule. At this point, I sound more confused than him. He seems to understand the system. I think someone is taking him shopping or on a tour of the area tomorrow so that he'll know what he has access to. It's too bad he doesn't have a digital camera; I'm sure the photos would be interesting.

When he returns on March 1st, I'm going to have to give him blog lessons again so that he can contribute to this.

Safe in Pennsylvania

Witchner made it! In the last two weeks he has navigated two really tricky travel spots - Miami International Airport, and the NY Port Authority.

Last nite he got to the Port Authority before 8:00 p.m. and phoned us at about 10:30 p.m. to say that he had found the correct gate for his Greyhound bus departing to Pittsburgh. He arrived in Pittsburgh and phoned us at 6:15 a.m.

By 10:00 a.m (when I next talked to him) he was riding in the car with one of the teachers from Free Gospel Bible Institute who had come to pick him up. He sounded comfortable.

This afternoon I phoned him at 4:00. When he arrived at the school he heard kreyol and lo-and-behold there are 3 other Haitians there. They connected immediately and I'm sure they gave Witchner the low down. He knew the answers to lots of questions:

• "Yes, I can go home to Haiti on vacation"
  
• "Yes, I can use my cell phone at school, but it has to be off during classes."
  
• "We DO have internet at the school, but it's only for email."
  
• "I need to get a ride if I want to go shopping." (The town is a few miles away; I'm sure his Haitian friends have got it all figured out already. They've been there since August....plenty of time to have learned the ropes.)

He was settling into the dorm room that he shares with two Americans. He hadn't met them yet (I think they were at class). His dorm room has one twin bed and a set of bunk beds. No surprise - he has the top bunk. However, that's where all of the heat will be, up near the ceiling, so that's not a bad thing. He said he hadn't unpacked yet because the other guys had used up most of the space. There's only one closet and one dresser to be shared between three guys. I guess they'll work it out.

Chapter 2 - Off to Pittsburgh, PA

Witchner started Chapter 2 in his Life in the USA today. This afternoon at 4:30 p.m. he boarded a Peter Pan bus in Springfield. He travelled to New York City, the Port Authority, where he changed busses to a Greyhound Bus bound for Pittsburg. He spent the day at Paul's office and then Paul took him to the bus station. I meant to take a picture of him getting on the bus, but I got there just as he was boarding and, instead, just wanted to hug him and assure him he'd be OK. He wasn't smiling. This is a big step for him and the unknowns are looming out there. At least when he left Haiti he knew there were people he knew at the other end.

Final packing

Witchner spent the day at the house, doing some final translating. He was able to catch Amoce on IM and they IM'd for a long time. I think he was quite thrilled to be able to do that; a little homesickness may be setting in.

When I asked if he wanted rice for dinner, he said no. He said he's changing his diet, so instead we had that good old American stand-by ... hot dogs and baked beans. Doesn't fit in very well with our talk about eating healthy, does it? We've been having talks about nutrition - he likes really, really sweet stuff. He put 8 packets of sugar in a medium sized Dunkin Donuts coffee and said it still wasn't sweet enough.

Tonight, on one of the news alerts that I subscribe to, there was a video about a garment factory in PAP that makes the Disney clothing. The laborers make $2.40 a day. Witchner was very upset, really sad, watching it. He feels so bad for his people; we had a talk at dinner, but I can't begin to know how he's feeling. We prayed a bit and talked some but I'm not sure that I can help much. He said to me "I need to know this." It's clear that there is a lot about his country that he is just beginning to learn.

8:30 p.m. Packing is a challenge -- he can only carry a backpack and two suitcases, each of those can only weight 50 lbs. So far we're not doing too well.


9:00 p.m. Success! One of the Haiti duffel bags did the trick. He's fully loaded and just about ready to go. What you don't see is the backpack with his laptop. He'll need to manage that also.

We never did get around to teaching him about the health insurance we bought for him. Paul will have to do that tomorrow.