28 of my colleagues have left for Haiti for peacekeeping mission. As one of the poorest countries in the world, Haiti has just been damaged by the devastating earthquake and frequent hurricanes. Obviously that was the last place anyone would like to stay.
Many of the peacekeeping squad are my close friends or ex classmates, and it seemed so close to me this time. I also knew many touchable stories from them. Although one year mission was not too long, you have to face many challenges and hard time in this venerable country. Sometimes I felt worried about security and safety for them when I read the news and stories about the harsh condition there, especially the cholera outbreak which killed several hundreds of local people there now.
Settling in a foreign country was not easy,not mention the uncertainty of the government and unstable society. You had to overcome lots of difficulties including language barrier, culture shock, environment unfitness, unfamiliar surroundings, different people and strange cuisine. As a peacekeeping officer there, your task was to deal with angry and violent public in some degree. You had to be cautious every second there, cos many people owned guns and rifles. Living condition was another headache there. The water has been heavily contaminated and sanitary facilities has been in short for a long time. Hygiene has become crucial for the health of our people. With only 150$ allowance every day covering living, eating, transportation and so on, they didn’t seem to be able to live a decent life there.
However, the foreign mission could be an unforgettable experiences for each one of them. It will make the life more colorful and memorable, kinda treasure for life. I would like to pass my best wishes for them and look forward to seeing them back proudly and soundly.