people care

May 8, 2011.  I had expected that the language difference (me speaking French and not Creole) would be a challenge for me in giving trainings and facilitating groups here. I accepted that this would be a learning edge for me, which would push me to find new and creative ways to facilitate people's learning process.

We're excited to announce that the Permaculture Institute of Eastern Ontario, in collaboration with Sustainable Living Ottawa East (SLOE), will host an introductory course and an 84-hour "Permaculture Design Course" in Ottawa in 2011. Applying the permaculture ethic of people care, we're doing our best to make both courses accessible to a wider audience and to benefit the larger community.

In French, the verbs for crying (pleurer) and raining (pleuvoir) seem pretty close - je pleure (I'm crying) and il pleut (it's raining). I've also often wondered why the weather is preceded by "il" (he) and not "elle" (she). A few weeks before our trip, I started using the verb pleuvoir, saying "je pleut", when I cry. I thought this was kind of a quirky thing to say, the kind of mistake an anglophone would make - I'm raining :) - and I found it fun and silly, turning my tears into smiles. 

My emotions have been like big waves here in Haiti, some moments being filled with joy, Love, beauty, peace or curiosity, and other moments feeling intensely frustrated, deeply sorrowful and angry.