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Dear Haiti,It has been a whole month - and I still cannot believe I get to live here!!! Everything is green - I am living amongst mountains and tropical plants - there are flowers cascading over the walls like waterfalls on my walk to work. It is like I am living in the city and in the country all at once - stores are a quick 5 minute moto ride from my home, yet there are goats, a couple of cows, and lots of chickens living in my neighbourhood. I do have to say, I don't love the dogs who howl at each other all night, and the moths that have decided to move in and then die on my floors.We finally have a kitchen sink that doesn't leak, a bathroom sink that doesn't create lakes on the bathroom floor, and a washer that mostly works - as long as the city power stays on long enough (45 minutes) for the wash cycle to complete. I have had the machine hold my clothes hostage, or refuse to finish washing or draining. Maybe we are just learning how to work with each other. The dryer, on the other hand, is grumpy or lazy - I cannot get more than 30 seconds of work out of it. I have started hanging my laundry on my balcony railings, even though the landlord says he doesn't approve of that. I'm just not willing to wear damp clothes.I am continuing to take bucket showers - we have no hot water, and the cold water is the ONE THING I can't handle. So I spend 30 minutes boiling water so I can have a warmish shower. It makes me wish I had more than just one little cooking pot.I still have a very limited kitchen - 2 plates, 2 bowls, 2 glasses, 3 mugs, 3 wooden spoons, 2 knives, 2 forks, 3 spoons (weird packaging amounts, yes??), 1 pot, and a can opener. I just added a dish drainer, 2 plastic food containers, and a water pitcher for the fridge! I think the dish drainer was the most exciting part of my week. Thank you, Haiti, for making me appreciate the smallest, funniest things.I am finally feeling like I can kind of find my way around - go to the grocery store independently, take motos by myself, meet up with people for dinner, and still be able to find my way home/give directions to the driver. It is still way more fun to do these things WITH other people.I feel more content and more peaceful than I have in a long time - even though I am missing out on things like my nephew's 2nd birthday, my niece's dedication, and (American) Thanksgiving with my people.I love being in Haiti.I love the people here, I love the work I get to do here - even if I have to fight with my landlord to have consistent water and a washing machine that works. Just riding a moto, or walking home looking at my neighbourhood, or saying "hi" to the people I am starting to know just makes me feel like I am truly alive. So weird, but so true.Haiti, thank you for welcoming me with open arms, for challenging me, and for giving me a reason to keep creating and fighting the good fight. Mwen renmen ou anpil. LoveLoveLove,Teri-Ann PS - to support me financially, you can donate here and get a US tax receipt! Or through GoFundMe, if you prefer.