The nightmare that is the PAP airport

So my friend Charity gave me this advice about arriving at the Port-au-Prince airport: Walk through like you own the world. She's so right. She's been trying to reassure me about the experience for the last day or two, but I hate it.

This may have something to do with the very first time I flew in there--I had been in Amanda and Jason's wedding the night before, got up at 3am, forgot to wear deodorant (oops!) and arrived on a day when the luggage carousels were not working and they were unloading everyone's luggage (at least 3 flights full) by hand. It took about 3 hours for me to get out of the airport with my luggage.

If you look at the picture I snagged from the internet, you can see the crowds outside. This is a normal day. The crowds inside are much the same, with everyone asking you, no, more likely demanding that they help you with your luggage. It's really quite a daunting experience. If you're lucky, you can walk out of the airport not only with a porter or two for your bags, but likely with a few marriage proposals. A favorite compliment/insult that I got while I was in Haiti was that I have a "good form," which means something like good birthing hips crossed with an hourglass figure....hmm, I'm not sure about that.

Anyway, if you're praying people, think about me Sat. afternoon. And the masses of people who travel to and from Haiti everyday. For an insightful story into the horrors of the Port-au-Prince airport, check out this story from a missionary who lives there.