Old Town Jacmel, Haiti

Old town Jacmel transported Katharine and I to another era in Haitian history. In the late 1800's the city was rebuilt after a massive fire, and the architecture of choice was imported from France, the iconic cast-iron pillars and balconies. You'll notice that Jacmel looks very similar to New Orleans, as there is much connection between the two places! 

Sugar production got Jacmel going as a major trading port, but it was the coffee bean production that really took Jacmel to another level. Many wealthy coffee merchants built their mansions in Jacmel, ornate and oozing with charm. 

Jacmel is the arts capital of Haiti. Jacmel is home to a film school called the Cine Institute, and every year hosts a celebrated film festival.  Most of the vibrant hold mansions have been converted into artisan shops, filled with all sorts of fun items such as colorful paper mache masks, jewelry, baskets and other fun handicrafts! 

Katharine and I had so much fun wandering the old streets, imagining what life would have been like when it was bustling with action. For now, Jacmel is a bit of a sleepy tourist town, but livens up each year for carnival (similar to Mardi Gras in New Orleans!). Some of the attractions included the old church, an ornate french inspired market place (see the green roof market area in my pictures below), old abandoned mansions, the board walks, and the artisan area near Hotel Florita. If you are ever in Haiti, Jacmel is a must!!

For more Haiti pictures: 
- Port-au-Prince
- Timouillage Beach
- A Little Haitian History 

3 Ways to Cope in an Overwhelming Travel Moment

I write a travel blog, and for all intents and purposes, I show the pretty parts of our adventures because there are many. But what you don't tend to see on my blog is the CRAZY SUFFOCATING CHAOTIC moments (and sometimes hours) where I am rendered a hot hot mess of anxiety. Let's face it, between language barriers and currency and catching buses and planes, and traffic and just PEOPLE, it's not all roses. It's frustration, and sweat, and tears, confusion, and sometimes anger. 

So in an effort to be completely real and transparent (and hopefully helpful) I thought I'd share with you 3 things I do in an overwhelming situation that help me cope with my anxiety. 

To give you a real life example, let me share with you an instance that happened a few weeks ago in Haiti. My friend Katharine and I were headed to the beach town of Jacmel, and were told that the buses only leave when they are full, there is no time of departure. Once the bus fills up with people, it goes on it's merry way. 

Well, Katharine and I got to the bus around 8am, bright eyed and bushy tailed. We happily climbed aboard. Within seconds a million people were selling us different items (junk food, flashlights, clothes, etc), poking my arms through the window and giving us their best sales pitch in Creole. Outside my window ladies were cooking over open charcoal fire (which basically meant I was getting the black lung) and the other side of the bus was filling up with car exhaust from the outside traffic. Did I also mention it was like 100 degrees (with 100% humidity!)and my face was melting off? About an hour and a half in, I was SO overstimulated and wanted to cry because I honestly thought the bus was never leaving. The bus seemed full...but oh no...they could still squish 20 more people on! 

At this moment, I thought about my options. I could cry, but it really wouldn't do any good. So I pulled out some distress tolerance skills that I use with my clients (as i'm a therapist), and decided I'd put them into action. 

Here are 3 steps that help tremendously in a stressful moment: 

1. Accept the Situation for What it is:  One of the worst things you can do in a stressful situation is to start thinking "I should have done ______" or "if only I did ____". You will beat yourself up and depress yourself if you think about what you should have done differently. Remind yourself that the situation is as it is, and at the moment, there is nothing you can do to take back the past. In my situation, I had to accept that we were on this bus until it left, and that I needed to be ok with that. The bus was eventually going to get us to where we wanted to go, and I had the capacity to wait just like everyone else. As soon as I accepted the situation, I started to calm down a bit. 

2. Distract Yourself: In the heat of the moment, we often want to lash out at someone or something and blame them for our misfortune. Distract yourself instead. Distraction doesn't mean you avoid the situation, it means you allow yourself to calm down before you do or say something you regret. While I sat on that bus, I could have blamed my friend Katharine for choosing this bus (which really wasn't her fault at all) or I could have screamed at the bus driver to get the show on the road. Neither would have been helpful (or respectful for that matter!). Instead, I pulled out my book and started reading. It just so happens that my book was incredible, and soon I was sucked into the story and almost forgot about the chaos around me. I found my anxiety subsiding, and my acceptance growing. This put me in a WAY better mood, and allowed me to do #3....

3. Laugh about It: One of the best coping strategies when frustrated or overwhelmed is to use humor. When you are in a situation that is so absurd and ridiculous, laugh. Laughing is the best medicine, right? Laughing allows you to have some perspective on the situation, and eases your body tension to put you more at ease. At this point in the trip, Katharine and I started giggling hilariously at the insane situation. We ended up waiting 3 HOURS before the bus even pulled out, and the actual drive to Jacmel is only 2 hours! But we were able to make fun of the situation, and it made it SO much more enjoyable!! 

Next time you find yourself ready to pull your hair out (or someone else's hair), remind yourself of these 3 easy steps! Accept...distract...and laugh! 

What do YOU do to stay sane in crazy moments?? 

PS- Yesterday marked the 1 year anniversary since Kevin's heart attack. I have no words for the gratitude I have that God spared his life and gave me another 365 days with my best friend. You can read more about the scary experience here. Feeling thankful! 

Timouillage Beach // Jacmel, Haiti

Our first full day in the adorable city of Jacmel, on the southern coast of Haiti, was spent lounging around on the gorgeous Timouillage Beach. Like I mentioned in this post here, Haiti has very little tourist infrastructure, given the fact that it is a gorgeous island with many beautiful beaches and sites of interest. We were the ONLY ones on this beach for hours, until a mission group came later in the day. Talk about being off the beaten path, it was great:) 

The morning was spent reading, swimming, and girl talking...oh ya, and drinking fresh coconut milk! Perfect, right? Around noon we started to get hungry, and what do you know...they had the sweetest little sea food stall on the beach. Haiti has so much good sea food, I think I ate more sea food my week in Haiti than I have my entire life, haha! I ordered grilled fish and Katharine got the lobster. Both were good. 

If you are in Jacmel, hop on a motorcyle taxi and let the driver know you want to go to Timouillage beach, they'll know right where to take you! Chairs are free to sit on (but of course you have to purchase a drink or food!).  Later this week i'll be sharing more about the amazing city of Jacmel, a must if you are in Haiti (and only 2 hours from Port-au-Prince)! Happy Monday! 

ps- If you missed my brief history of haiti, make sure to check it out for context on my photos!