27640: Vedrine (reply) RE: 27535: Nlbo: (News and Comments)Boston Globe Article on Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: E Vedrine <evedrine@hotmail.com>


> I strongly believe this first generation who is fully being raised and 
> schooled outside of Haiti has >different ways of seeing things and we need to 
> set an environment for them in the community. >We need to learn how to relate 
> with this new generation.  I see this new generation as the Hope >for a new 
> vision for Haitians both in the diaspora and in Haiti. The older generation 
> needs to take >advantage of the internet that allows communication between 
> countries, generations and cultures >and share what we have done or not done.

> Nekita



Many (conscious) Haitians would certainly agree with you that this generation 
‘has different ways of seeing things’. But at the same time, they are 
DISCONNECTED with Haiti, the mother country.

Now, who are going to CONNECT them if they are disconnected? How are they going 
to be ‘the Hope for a new vision for Haitians both in the Diaspora and in 
Haiti’? Talking to some young Haitians-Americans who were born or raised here 
in the US, I’ve observed such a big GAP between them and the older generation 
(also in Diaspora): some (of these youngsters) knew few things about Haiti and 
about Haitians in the Diaspora (“The Greater Haiti” I call it) and about the 
“Haitian Reality” because they don’t live or have really lived it like the 
younger generation in Haiti.

In order to RECONNECT the Haitians youth with Haiti, the older generation has 
some HOMEWORK to do (e.g., try the very best to reach them out, tell them about 
the Haitian Reality, tell them about our history, give them the best advice in 
order to avoid the long paths that we (in the Diaspora) have walked.

I was so happy this week to talk to a group of young Haitian-Americans 
(university student, some of them born here). Gosh! They were so happy, 
thanking me to spend over an hour talking to them, where I also did some 
storming  and gave some advice:

What’s next after your study?, You are studying this that… why? What are you 
going to do with that major when you graduate from college? Have you done any 
internship in your particular field to start getting some experience? Have you 
done any volunteer work related to your field? Have you done any volunteer work 
in the Haitian community? Have you spent a year /a semester abroad while you 
are in college (to observe, to learn from others, to learn about another 
culture and another language and to compare things to the country where you are 
living or to Haiti)? You are a French major, have you been to any French 
speaking country? You are Biology, Chemistry major, what’s next after 
graduation (are you going to medical school? To graduate school for further 
research in biology, Chemistry) Do you have a driving license? You are 18 and 
don’t have one! Do you have a credit card? You are a college student and you 
don’t have one! You can charge schools materials on it (if you can’t pay cash 
right away). Why are you taking loans? You can have scholarship. What happen? 
Is your GPA below “B” average?)…

So  the older generation (that can help them) should  do the very best to break 
the ice in order to understand their problems. Many of them can’t get advice 
from their parents (since most them had not been to college or have certain 
experience to help them at their level).

Haitian educators and professions MUST put some time aside, trying to reach 
them and most of all, try the very best to RECONNECT them with Haiti (in terms 
of going back for a summer, a semester, a month to work with Haitian youth in 
Haiti. This is part of HUMAN RESOURSES that can absolutely help Haiti in the 
near future, and any government that ascends to power and not valorizing it 
won’t succeed in helping Haiti to move forward.

e. w. vedrine