Can you imagine seeing the video promo below on Haiti on TV today? It was 1983 and this video was produced for American Express to promote travel to Haiti! I see more things that have remained the same in Haiti than have changed.

Similarities and differences between Haiti in 1983 and today 
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What hasn't changed in Haiti since 1983:

• Of course, the language, Haitian Creole. You will hear "bonjou" each morning, no matter if you know the person or not. I always come home from a trip saying it to other people in the United States and then giggle to myself, remembering I am not in Haiti.

• Hotels are family owned and operated and usually small, boutique style - You will love this about Haiti. You will feel as if you're staying at someone's private home. If you want personal experience reviews, check out ours here.

• Homey feeling, welcoming with open arms - This is what I think makes you fall in love with Haiti and keeps you going back.

• The weather - Haiti is hot usually year round, but cooler in the mountains. It's so refreshing to get that "break" from the heat if you can up in the mountains.

• Driving in Haiti - Just don't even try it! You should leave it up to the locals to transport you around.

• Tap-Taps - You must experience a tap-tap ride. It look me years of travelling to Haiti to finally go on one. You will get to see people going to work and school, where ever they are off to, it's a lot of fun! It's a great reminder that people in Haiti are just like everyone else, they do life and take care of their business.

• U.S. money is accepted everywhere - You don't need to exchange your money since you can pay with U.S. dollars in Haiti.

• Bargain shopping - Never, ever pay the first price offered to you, especially in touristy areas. You can get a $50 price for an item and eventually walk away with it later paying half or even less. However, this doesn't mean you want to devalue what you're buying and who you are buying from. You should pay what you feel is worth it to you or a little more if you're willing. It's important to know that just like any other tourist trap, you will be given a tourist price. If you're not comfortable with the end negotiated price, walk away. Nine times out of ten, they will come find you and accept your price.

• The beautiful, unique art - You can find Haitian art all over the island. It will become one of your favorite souvenirs to buy!

• Music and dance - Both are still a huge part of Haitian culture, but the sounds and styles of the music have changed a little.

• Publicity - Haiti still gets a bad wrap when it comes to the media. You can travel to Haiti without worry, but the news unfortunately doesn't paint that picture. It's still one of the safest countries in the world.

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• Haitian food - Yep, it's still delicious!

What hasn't changed in Haiti since 1983:

• The Haitian flag differences from 1983 and 2018

• Architecture - Haiti is known for it's beautiful gingerbread houses, but they are not as common to see as they were in the past. Natural disasters and need to modernize certain areas have contributed to the destruction of the original architecture.

• ​Gourde - In 1983, the Haitian Gourde was 5 to $1 US dollar. Today, it is 63.13 Haitian Gourde to $1 US dollar. That's a drastic difference!

 

• ​Honeymooners - Caribbean islands are popular honeymoon destinations and although Haiti once was one, it isn't as popular now. Usually travelers who have visited the island before may choose to go back for their honeymoon.

 

• Unspoiled, no crowded beaches - There are many beaches throughout Haiti that you can participate in activities or just relax. The island vibe is definitely present!

 

• Club Med - Haiti had a Club Med that closed in 1987, then reopened in 1997, but closed one year later. In 2006, it reopened again as Club Indigo, but was only operating half of the resort. In 2014, the resort was bought and signed a 20 year agreement as the Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort & Spa.

 

• Coffee and baseballs are Haiti's largest exports? That is half true today. I did some research and according to the Economy Watch in 2010, coffee was still Haiti's largest export along with apparel, cocoa and mangoes.

 

• Diving tourist destination - I had to also do research on this as I am not familiar with scuba diving in Haiti. According to Diviac travel, Haiti is a pristine, untouched hotspot for diving, but rarely visited.

 

• Airlines - in 1983, only 4 airlines flew into Haiti (Air Florida, Air France, American Airlines and Eastern Airlines), but now there are several options from numerous airports that fly into 2 airports in Haiti. Click here for more on how to travel to Haiti.

 

• Baggage tips - You will notice that when you arrive or leave the Aéroport Toussaint L'Ouverture Airport (PAP) in Port-au-Prince, baggage handlers definitely don't expect .50 cents per bag as a tip these days! They will try to carry your bags and then ask you for a big tip after. If you don't actually need help with your bags, don't let them help you. Or if they do help you, give a tip, but never give the $20 they sometimes ask for.

 

• Electricity - It's definitely sparse in most areas, turning off and on at any given time without notice, unfortunately. All of the hotels have generators so there's nothing to worry about there, however, not all residents have generators and/or gas to run them.

 

• American Express travel arrangements - I was curious to see if they still offer travel arrangements to Haiti and although there's no specific tour or mention of Haiti, if you are an eligible card member, an agent can help you arrange flights and hotels to Haiti.

​After reading through all of these similarities and differences, you must be even more curious about travelling to Haiti! I promise it will be a trip of a lifetime. Go explore and see The Real Haiti! If you've been to Haiti, drop a comment below on what you noticed that was the same as 1983!

I don't tell hotels that I am there to review their property when I reserve the room and check in. I was so excited to be in my favorite city in Haiti: Jacmel.

The prices on their website are confusing and that led to a big misunderstanding when we arrived. We ended up paying more than we thought based on Internet prices so before you book, just clarify that with them. Because of the hiccup, we moved rooms twice in 3 nights, which was fine because they were trying to be accommodating. The rooms are basic and decorated with Haitian decor...nothing special. {the manager ended up showing us nicer bungalow style rooms when we were checking out, so that's a better option if you want something more modern.} Overall, our stay was good and I was happy they tried to accommodate us after we had the issues in the beginning.

Tip: to save on power, the hotel shuts off the electricity for a few hours in the morning and then in the afternoon. It's pretty inconvenient. I under

stand doing that at home, but it was tacky for the hotel to do it.

The food is okay, but way cheaper outside of the hotel.

Here's a link to their website:

http://hotelcyvadier.com/home/

This last trip we took to Haiti, I naturally pulled out my camera right away and started shooting pics of our adorable little cousins. After that, I decided I didn't want to use my camera on this trip. Being a photographer, this is one of the hardest things to do. I often find myself missing moments or avoiding things because of my camera. So, I packed it up and just used my phone camera and my photographic memory, ultimately living in the moment. 
{I apologize in advanced for the quality since they are from my phone!}

Carnaval
I am not a Carnaval person, at all! I had never been and never really planned on going to it. I didn't realize that there would still be action going on in Jacmel during the time of the national Carnaval in Gonaives. Overall, I am happy I got to experience it…it was crazy! What an amazing experience to see and appreciate the art.

Camionette
I know, I know…how do you know The Real Haiti without riding on a camionette? Well, this is my confession: After traveling to Haiti for so many years, I had my first camionette ride! We were walking down the street in Jacmel with a friend without any destination in mind. Endy said to me, do you want to jump on and just ride downtown? So, we did. We got on and rode downtown for about 20 minutes with people jumping on and off. For those of you who don't know what a camionette is, it's a pickup truck with benches on the back and a roof. You jump on and then tap the glass by the driver when you're ready to get off. Then you get off and pay the guy in the passenger seat. It's super cheap and fun to be with the locals. I always wonder where everyone is always going. Everyone is always so busy in Haiti! 

As a past troubled place, Haiti hasn’t been number one for Caribbean tourists. However, in the recent years, the country has been trying hard to overcome their negative image which usually shows poverty, corruption and disasters. Travel company Young Pioneer Tours announced that they will offer a backpack tour to Haiti as one of the first in the world. As known, tourism in Haiti has been very limited so far; most foreigners are expats working for various NGOs, travelling around or tourists make a one day stop with cruise ships going to Labadee. Hopefully, this tour will start a new flow of tourism and development for Haiti.

The tour aims to show the current reality in Haiti, but also that there’s more than poverty. Beautiful Caribbean beaches, Vodou, special rum, great architecture, and a beautiful landscape all prove that there’s more in stock for this half of the Hispaniola-island. It shows a country that’s dying for positive new impulses from the outside world, which one should be tourism. While the other Caribbean islands are overwhelmed by tourists every year, Haiti has been left alone. Neighbor country Dominican Republic has been more well-known as a holiday destination where many Western tourists touch-down every day. By starting and ending the trip in DR, Young Pioneer Tours hopes to give more insights on this intriguing island and to add something positive to the image of Haiti. The tour includes visits to Port Au Prince, Central Plateau, Bassin Zim and Croix des Bouquets. The trip starts in May, and Haiti can be reached easily through budget airlines via Dominican Republic. Starting and ending in Port Au Prince is also an option. For more information, visit 
http://www.youngpioneertours.com/tour/haiti-tour/. Please tell them you saw this information on The Real Haiti website!

He was dressed in a red button down shirt, dress pants and dress shoes. He had his camera bag full of equipment and his PRESS pass around his neck. He pulled out a notebook to show me how he keeps track of the details of the photos he takes. The front of it has the CNN logo and he told me his friend from the US sent it to him. Inside it reads:

Ki moun?
Kisa?
Kile?
Ki kote?
Kijan?
Poukisa?

I am writing about Fedno Lubin, a 20 year old young man who lives in Jacmel, Haiti. Ten years ago, he moved from the mountainside to live with his aunt in the city to go to school. Fedno’s aunt knew about the Art Creation Foundation for Children (ACFFC) and signed him up. Over the years, he learned many forms of art, but his passion is photography, who he learned from Jen Pantaleon…his teacher and guide. He mentioned Jen’s name a lot throughout the 2 days we spent together for Gout et Saveurs Lakay, Haiti's Food & Spirits Festival to celebrate the country's Gastronomy. His appreciation for the art of photography is great. He inspires me.

The Secret is a book that changed my life. I do my very best to live my life in gratitude and joy. I read this quote today as I was about to write this blog posting about Haiti Aviation, a new Haitian airline. Although I focus on Haiti's great things on this website, I feel obligated to share my experience with you regarding this airline. My feelings definitely involve a lot of criticism, blaming, complaining and negative energy. However, instead of using this as a complaint box, I will simply tell you what happened to me personally so that you may be warned of the inconveniences it caused me. I really only wish them the best and hope they get some of these things fixed.

My flight was delayed 2 hours in Miami when departing to Haiti. The explanation was that there was a flat tire on the plane.

They have contracted workers who wear shirts that say Ultra Aviation Services (not Haiti Aviation). There was one Creole speaking employee. The rest spoke Spanish and barely any English. 

Before the flight left, the staff went around the room collecting carry-on bags from people to check in because there apparently wasn't enough room in the overhead bins. People did not want to give up their carry-ons because they had things in there that they wanted to CARRY-ON! Otherwise, they would have checked it in. The staff offered for people to take personal belongings out of it and give up the bag, but where were they supposed to put it? 

*The actual flight there was fine with no complaints. They served typical airplane drinks, sandwiches and dessert. The crew was great, but they still only had one Creole speaking employee*

I arrived early to the PAP airport for my 11:30am flight. When I went to check in, I was excited because there was no one in line! When I got to the counter, they told me, "Ma'am, we aren't flying today. We spoke to you already and told you that. See your name is crossed out on my list."

Ok, I understand things happen, but they were clearly lying to me because I would not have left my hotel and my friends, pay $40 to get to the airport, to be stranded for fun. Not my idea of a good time.
I thought this was a joke. They told me that there wasn't enough people on the flight to fly and that my flight would be the next morning. I started panicking because my ride already left the airport and I was alone. 
They offered to send me to the Kingdom Hotel located near the airport. While I appreciated this geasture, I was not going to a place I wasn't familiar with because of their mistake. I remained calm while they tried to figure out what to do with me. I also had some entertainment by watching people walk up to the desk and being told basically they are screwed for the next 24 hours. One woman in particular was a nutcase, screaming and yelling, HA offered to give her a refund in cash to go buy another ticket on another airline. I was in shock, not by her frustration, (because I wish I had the balls to do that in public), but by all of the security officers and police officers just standing around watching her yell at the HA staff. She disappeared and the staff continued to help me. 

The end result...A HA enployee personally drove me back to my hotel that I was staying at for the week and paid for it. I told them the rate, forgetting about tax and energy fees. They 'conviniently' brought the exact amount, so I was stuck with the balance of tax and energy charges which was around $30. They did offer to pick me up from the hotel to go to the airport the next morning, but at 6:45am and my flight wasn't until 11:30. I ended up paying for the hotel shuttle so I didn't have to wait around all of those hours

I still had to wait around for hours once I arrived at the airport. Remember that entertaining lunatic lady that I told you about earlier? Well, she apparently went back to the counter to resolve her issue after disappearing, saw no staff and allegedly smashed all of their computers at the Haiti Aviation desk. You're pissed so now you want to make everyone elses life miserable? Nice.
This resulted in having to wait for hundreds of people in line for several flights that morning to get checked in and get handwritten boarding passes. No joke...here it is.

Two days later, my friend had a flight home with HA. I called them the night before to make sure they would be flying. They said the flight was at 8am. He swore up and down that it was taking off at 8am. when my friend arrived to the airport, it was NOT scheduled for 8am, it was for 11:30am, so he had to wait from 6am at the airport.
 
Needless to say, Haiti Aviation had a bad week. I believe in second chances, but I am not sure about this one...

I had the absolute pleasure of being interviewed by Pierre of CIUT 89.5FM in Canada! The interview was on Aug. 11 and a coy of the show is above. Pierre asked wonderful questions and really wanted to learn about The Real Haiti and what inspires me. The whole crew was extremely professional and everything ran smoothly. CIUT, I appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!! You guys rock! THANK YOU, MESI ANPIL!!!!!!!!!!

Ballad Creole is a program meant to educate and bridge the gap between Creole communities within the GTA and across southwest Ontario. The program aims also to enable people to understand the news affecting the Caribbean Creole population from an angle other than the main stream media of the west.

There are roughly 80.000 people in this geographic area that have roots in such places as Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Islands Mauritius and other Creole communities as well. The show is presented utilizing a balance of Creole and English.

Journalist Pierre Rigaus Charleus, host of the Ballade Creole (Creole Ballad),prior to graduating in Mass Communication at the State University of Haiti in 1994, has been already involved in Journalism at local radio stations such Radio Super Gemini and Dynamic FM in his Home Town Saint Marc, Haiti. Following His graduation, he worked at Magik Fm and the National Radio in Port au Prince, Haiti between 1998 through 2000. he moved to New Jersey in 2001 and worked as a volunteer at HSTV and Radio Verite. In 2008 He moved to Canada and joined Choq Fm to host Caraiboscopy, a radio talk show covering issues within the Caribbean Francophone.

Host: Pierre Rigaus Charleus
Contact: balladecreole@gmail.comhttp://www.ciut.fm/shows/spoken-word/ballad-creole/

Aesthetically, this hotel is beautiful. There is authentic Haitian furniture, art and staircases all over. The views are spectacular. There are turquoise water ocean views, garden views within the hotel, and it’s a quiet place to relax at.

The rooms are up to date with the basics in them, and one of the nicer private hotels I’ve stayed in. There’s a basic tv, bed(s) and furniture. The bathrooms are definitely newer and nicer than some hotels we’ve stayed in, but certainly not first class. The service is just ok and breakfast is included in the price (around $150/night). 

The food at the hotel is bad. We did not have one good meal (even the ones we paid for). A lobster dinner was about $35 US, where I got the same meal at a local beach for $7 US and it was better. The hamburger and lambi was awful and very over priced.

Best part: The view from the rooms and the pool, as well as the access to a small local beach. Our room looked over the pool and ocean.

Tips: The walk down to the beach is steep and with lots of steps. This will not be accessible to someone with health issues. It’s a hike and it’s a long way down (and worse back up). However, it is worth it because at the bottom there’s a local beach with fishermen and amazing views! 
Some of the pictures on their website are NOT from there. It doesn't look anything like some of those pictures. View my slideshow below for current pics.