Our first full day here, Saturday, May 14th, was a historic day for Haiti. President Martelly aka "Sweet Mickey" was inaugurated. It was our first morning waking up in Haiti and we decided to jump right in. Equipped with a translator named Charles and his cousin, we headed to the Presidential Palace to join in on the celebration.
It was incredible to see how many people had gathered around the Palace to try and catch a glimpse of the new President. The people were so happy, hopeful, and willing to share their optimism with us.
As soon as I took out my camera, people gathered around and wanted to speak to me. I will share their interviews once I'm back in the states but they all believe President Martelly is what Haiti needs. The Haitians excitement over Martelly reminded me of how Americans felt the day President Obama took office. Just like we believed Obama would bring the change we desperately needed, the Haitians believe Martelly will be the President to do the same for Haiti.
I'm confident that Martelly will make a difference. The old ways of government have crumbled just like the Palace itself. Rather than rebuilding the extravagant structure, Martelly is focusing on the needs of the Haitian people and opening new schools. Despite his lack of political experience, I think Martelly is exactly what Haiti needs, a reason to believe.
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