Earthquake in Haiti: I will always miss you guys.....

Dear friends,

I was asked to represent the international staff of MINUSTAH today, it is a great honor but also an enormous challenge. I hope that I will be up to the task.

First, I wanted to thank our colleagues who came from New-York, Geneva and other places to support and reinforce MINUSTAH capacities. I also welcome the joint efforts made so far from the international community in collaboration with the Haitian Government regarding humanitarian aid.

I do not really know where to start or even what to say because the sorrow felt can hardly be expressed with words. What Haiti is undergoing today is a real tragedy. So many friends, colleagues or family members are gone now under tragic circumstances which created a tremendous emptiness around us all. I am overwhelmed by sadness thinking of my dearest colleagues from MINUSTAH who are not here with us anymore. They dedicated a great part of their life for the stabilisation of Haiti. I am also without words and full of tears for my Haitian brothers an sisters.

Such a beautiful country was devastated in just one minute on 12 January. We are still under shock and wondering why did it happen? Were there any ways of having prevented or mitigated it? Why was nobody prepared? Why did I leave my house on that specific time on that day and find out later that it had collapsed? What would have happened if I was in my office? Would it have made a difference if I was in another place at that time? Why didn't anyone tell me before that my house, my office, the school of my children or the supermarket I went were not built in respect with seismic norms? Why was I not able to protect my family and friends better? Who should or should not be blamed? There are many more whys that will remain unsanswered.

Zamim, it is time to mete tet ansamb as it is said in Creole and work for the future. We need to continue the efforts in the memory of our loves one.

A very good friend of mine who is also working for MINUSTAH sent me an email on a day I was particularly down which subject was Keep it up princess saying: "Imagine if everything you have done in your life up until now was to prepare you to be here having the knowledge to do what you do at this moment to help those that you are making the difference for." That phrase gives me everyday not only strengh and energy but also hope to do my best in order to make a genuine contribution for the recovery of Haiti.

We all became orphans of our beautiful Haiti. Ayiti Chérie ap toujou rete nan ké mwen.

Fatou Diawara, MINUSTAH, Human Rights Section, 28 January 2010

Bon retour Funky Suze

Centre ville, Port-au-Prince

Ayiti en vrac part 2

Ayiti en vrac part 1

Home Sweet Home

Parties parties

Les 30 ans

Still Alive

Les amis,

Sorry for that way too long silence...I am still alive do not worry. I have to admit that I have been very lazy and could not find inspiration neither lol!

So many things happened over the last months.

First, I have finally moved to the new house with Aspa. We moved in at the beginning of June. The house is sooooooooo nice really. I am in love with this house. I will give you a brief description of it. The house is on 2 floors, on the first floor there are the living room, dinner room, kitchen, bathroom and we have two little terrasses with trees and plants. On the first floor there are 3 bedrooms (Aspa's, mine and the guest room or we also called it Aïss Cream's room or the Chileans'room. My sister used to stay in this room and was really protective about it and did not want anyone to stay in, even when she was not around. The Chileans room because we have Chileans friends who used to stay over night and sleep in that room), 2 bathrooms and two terrasses with basil, tomatoes and some other herbs very useful to season dishes. In my room I have a private bathroom and a HUGE dressing for my 10000000000 kg of clothes, shoes and accesories, You know me don't you?

The house has the shape of an old colonial french house. It is located in the heart of the Petion-Ville neighbourhood where everything is happening. We are at a walking distance from supermarkets, banks, restaurants, bakeries, beauty salons, the fitness center, dentist and art dealers. On top of that, the brasilian center where I am practising capoiera is opposite my house, from my terrasse I can see and hear when the class starts! Plus, it is located inside a tiny lovely green and secure coumpound with only 4 other appartments. Of course our house is the nicest and the biggest ;) We always have people around, there are good vibes!

Second thing, I spent my first R&R (Rest and Recuperation Break, it is a UN administrative thing meaning that every 8 weeks you are entitled to 7 days of leave but you have to leave the country). We need to take some time off because we are leaving far from our families under difficult conditions ;) Anyway, I went for 10 days in Cuba, it was GREAT, thanks to Moto-Moto, baci! We rented a car and drove over 2.000 km around almost the whole Island: La Habana, Trinidad, Manzanillo, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo not Guantanamo Bay ;), Baracoa, Holguin, Camaguey, Santi Spiritu, Cayo Coco Island and back to La Habana...

Third thing, I celebrated my 30th birthday...Hé oui je suis une daronne maintenant... We organised a party in the house on the theme "Dressed to impress" (Mesi anpil my sweet sista pou idée'w). It was a GREAT one around 65 people showed up. Merci à tous encore pour les messages qui m'ont réchauffer le coeur!

Fourth thing and that is the saddest, my sister left Haiti. It was weird because since I arrived in Haiti she was there. Even if we were not leaving in the same city but still we would called each other 100000000 times a day. We always had something to discuss or just to laugh toi même tu sais Doud, la reuce, Father T et père F kings of moyennage, l'espionne, Dr.Dre, l'Irlandais, Frido et son droit t'aimer, P-didi, Perpros qui n'a pas dormi pendant 1 semaine abusé, Rédo et ses mouvements de danse chelous, André à l'aise, mon pote qui s'installe chez le voisin pendant la soirée, le ti moun du 93, ton fils Biloujee et son daron ton mari...les gens ont vraiment des problèmes! bref le reste c'est Bisso na Bisso ;) Hope you will come back soon, Miss ya.

The last but not the least, my mom is here since a week, she came to visit. I am so happy to have her around. We have already planned to go to Les Cayes (South) on the WE, next week, we will spent some days in Santo Domingo and then in Cap-Haitien (North).

I promise I will post picture pretty soon of the parties, including the B-day and others from the house, the beach and the different Haitian cities I went to.

Nice holidays to all.

BTW, I will be in Europe in Sept/Oct, hope we will be able to catch up at some point.

Je vous embrasse bien fort.

fatou xxx

PS: Special thanks to my sisters (Aïss Cream and DJ-Aspa), Funky Suze, Moto-Moto, DJ-Saliou, Kent and Santosh, the Camperrin dream team (Ti-Chris, Baby J, Sergio-Sergio and Duckens), Uncle A, the Chileans, the Brasilians and all the others.... M'renmen ou anpil

What happened in Camp-Perrin stays in Camp-Perrin 1