Babies and Konpa

Well, the past 2 days have been full of two common themes:
Babies and Konpa Dancing

On Thursday evening, the Huntsville team had a big send off party/ early birthday party for the Valdema's 22-year old son, Dominique. Some rum drinking led to music which led to Konpa dancing. I learned how to Konpa dance, which is essentially a very slow, loose merengue dance.
The Huntsville team (with 2 from Murfreesboro, TN) were really great. They (average age 30) were certainly a change from the Edenton team (average age 60), yet both were really good to be around and very welcoming. I have already made plans to visit the Huntsville folks after Anne Clark's wedding. And hopefully grab Chick-fil-a with the Murfreesboro folks whenever I might drive through.
I feel like I am going to know every Episcopalian in the South by the end of my 3 months down here. Take that Will Stanley!

So, to the babies.
If there is anything I have learned, its that I truly never know what the day brings when I wake up. That is why I have learned to always bring a backpack with extra food, a book, and headphones. Friday I went to work at the clinic (Lespwa Timoun) without Carmel and thus my only translator.
I soon found myself filling out the records and then holding a steady stream of crying babies who were receiving their vaccinations for Polio and DPT. And aside from one peeing on me, it was a truly amazing experience. I have never had too much time around babies but this was certainly good pre-parenting experience.
Then, at church Friday evening, Matt (a surgeon from a new team from Richmond) and I found ourselves sitting in the "nursery" of the chapel. There must have been 5 children within arms reach under the age of 3. Thus, the two of us ended up holding them and playing with them the whole service.

Back to Konpa:
Friday night was the big party for Dominique's birthday. Held at their house, it was full of good food, a bunch of Prestige, and thus konpa dancing. Dominique's friend, Moses, brought 2 American girls for me (Sarah and Lilly). They are working down here teaching at an American school in Port-au-prince. I ended up dancing a lot more konpa and was told by one of the American girls that I was "the best white guy konpa dancer she had ever danced with". I'll take that as a nice compliment.