Babies, Haiti, clay and 4 suitcases.

Greetings again!
In case you didn't know yet: I became an Oma Oma! And Carl an Opa Opa! Tjitske and Matt delighted us with a beautiful, bright-as-a-button grandson named Keegan, who is now 10 months old and getting into everything! It is so wonderful! And to add to the joy Annemieke and Mark had a little Clara (pronounced with two British 'ah's) in April. Carl and I went to see them in May. Utter joy! Because she is so far away (now even in Australia for 2 months!) she calls on SKYPE often. What marvels to make life happy!
We're spending both holidays away from Keegan (oh-and parents) this year, but we'll spend his first birthday with him in December, on our way back from spending Christmas in England.

Haiti on the horizon! As always sad to leave Carl (harder each time) and happy to go. Delighted to see my ever-growing little Jean, who will be 6 December 5th (How about that for a Dutch St. Nick gift??). He is starting to speak English and it is a wonderful feeling for both of us! We decided to keep him in KG one more year, although he is doing very well. He WAS a preemie, and then another 6 mo behind, this won't hurt him one bit.

So why (again!) to Haiti? More projects, more excitement, more upward motion.
First of all I would like to say three neat things. In the first place OneBigBoost gave the funds to Happy Years School (now-who wouldn't want to go to a school like that?) in rural Uganda. They bought a Dell desktop and I will try to download one of the pictures they sent me.
In the second place i have become a member of a great small organization with a wonderful concept. It is called Education World Wide (EWW-but not the Unesco one) and its goal is to gather all sorts of teachers to exchange ideas, teach each other, on a high level. There are two people per continent (for now) plus any number of people who are interested at a state or local level. Guess what? Marianne is one of two. The other is a friend of mine in Haiti, Melet Derose, who is a teacher in Verrettes, only 45 minutes by taptap. (pronounced more like 'toptop' One toptop to get one, give another two toptops to get off and pay. Good system: keep things simple) Melet and I have been friends for several years, but Sunday will be the first time we actually meet face-to-face. Funny.
The third one is that I am an eMentor with the sate of PA. I'm matched with a number of HS students who are interested in the same things I have done. Through carefully designed exercises, the student and I both go through steps (10) to come to certain conclusions. I've had one who couldn't spell whatsoever, now two really bright boys who are interested in theater/art/dance. Fun. I'm really enjoying it!
I volunteer my days away and am loving it!

So about this trip.
There are two projects.
The main one is to teach a skill with the purpose of providing a way in which a small group can start and maintain a business. Haitian run, Haitian owned. Six adults and a gifted 14 yr old will participate on a daily basis, 4-5 days a week, for two weeks.
The project is to make decorative ceramic tiles - the ones used on walls in nice homes like yours. We will start with the simplest: playing with clay, pinch-pots. coils, imprints with found objects, etc. Then the serious stuff begins. Rolling out tiles, checking thickness, followed by at least 6 ways in which a tile have be decorated.
We're also taking a field trip to visit an art studio, three galleries and a wonderful museum of Haitian Art. What joy that place is! There is a 5% chance (maybe 6... ;D ) that we can have a few of their pieces fired at the end. this is part one of two. I will be back in early Febr, at which point we will dig for clay, clean it, test it. Also visiting some kilns built there, and starting to build 'our own'. That in itself will take some time! I have spoken to TONS of artists here, and sometimes I hear too much to feel that I still have a clue.
It will be nice to sort it out.
The 2nd project takes place at Jean's and at Melet's schools. One in Saint Marc, halfway up the coast going north from Port au Prince, the other inland in Verrettes. I am, with great encouragement of Beth, conducting hexagon projects (google Hexagon Project and you will find it) in the upper grades. If I had not been with her while she did this in Nepal, I probably wouldn't had had the guts. But it is so wonderful for the students that I wanted to give them the experience. Just look it up-you will be amazed with the lovely (international) artwork submitted by school students each year.
So I have four suitcases and keep peeling here and there to be sure I stay juuuust under 50 lbs. It costs enough for the two extra ones! Two days ago I tried to see whether the one suitcase was still under 70 lbs (pay a big extra) I lifted it barely an inch and hurt my back.Shouldn't complain: I am the one who caused the stupid punishment!
That's it for now.

If you are so inclined, please, in whichever way you can, join the crowd in Wall street, whether bodily or in any other way you can. The corporate spending/no taxes has to stop, folks!! Some things are also ridiculous: I mean 700 people arrested and carried off in school busses (hello- energy abuse anywhere?) because of peaceful demonstrations?

Anyway. don't get me going. Think of me and wish the projects well, think of yourself and do something good (hug yourself, for example) and do something nice for your neighbor, especially if you can't stand the sight of him or her. Being nice to people you like doesn't count as much!