Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 7, 1993 TAG: 9302050167
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-16 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
HAITIAN PAIR WAIT, WONDER
TODAY IS DESIGNATED the beginning of Haiti Solidarity Week by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond. Two of the impoverished country's citizens are studying agriculture at Virginia Tech to help their homeland.
After cutting through lots of red tape, Lefort Jean-Louis and Gabriel Thelus finally made it to the United States from Haiti this winter.
But in some respects, the two Virginia Tech agricultural technology students might as well be on Mars, so great are the differences between their small, poor Caribbean nation and this country.
"The United States are so big. We find it as a country very different from ours," Thelus said in profound understatement and without irony.
For starters, their rural farm homes in Haiti's central plateau have none of the comforts taken for granted here, such as running water, reliable electricity, telephones and television sets.
The way they see it, the United States has to be a wealthy, developed country. Otherwise, they observed wryly, "people would die here without air conditioning and heating."
Not only is their homeland one of the poorest and least developed of the Western world, it has a long history of repressive regimes, including the present military junta.
While a brief flirtation with democracy under ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide whetted Haitians' appetite for personal and political freedom, Jean-Louis, 26, and Thelus, 27, still find old habits hard to break.
When Aristide was president, they said, no one was afraid to speak out. Now they would never risk meeting openly with a reporter back home. Nor could they express anti-government political views without fearing severe consequences.
"For the seven months Aristide was in office, no one left Haiti. There was hope," Thelus said.
Their visit is sponsored by St. Mary's parish in Blacksburg and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond's Outreach to Haiti. Both men are staying with host families in Blacksburg while they attend classes. Jean-Louis lives with Kevin and Mary Murphy and Thelus with Frank and Mary Santoroski.
Even as they sat far from home in the safety of the Santoroskis' living room, their long-ingrained fears of speaking out persisted. And with good reason.
"They can kill you," Thelus said. His friend agreed. "Something like that may happen. You need to be careful," said Jean-Louis.
Jean-Louis' mother was beaten by pro-government thugs who suspected her of belonging to a pro-Aristide peasant organization. And a good friend of his was badly beaten by soldiers for carrying a picture of Aristide - who, they say, still enjoys broad popular support in Haiti. Both said such incidents are not unusual.
Both men also think Aristide is the only one who can change living conditions in Haiti, and they still hope President Clinton will apply pressure to restore him to the Haitian presidency. At the same time, they're disappointed that U.S. policy toward Haiti has not changed under the new administration.
"I was extremely surprised to hear that President Clinton had changed his mind about the refugees," said Jean-Louis, referring to Clinton's continuing of George Bush's policy of returning the so-called "boat people" who are "economic refugees." Only those who fled for political repression are allowed to stay.
"Now I am wondering what will happen next," he said.
Thelus and Jean-Louis say people are still building boats in Haiti to try the journey to safer shores.
They say most "boat people" are economic refugees only because they're political refugees. They also think Haiti cannot survive without economic help from the United States and other developed countries.
Neither thinks the current trade embargo helps. They say it hurts poor people, not the Haitian government. The embargo also affects mail delivery. They haven't heard from their families since arriving in mid-December.
The two Haitians are convinced that Bush never really wanted Aristide restored to power. "I think President Clinton has to do much more than President Bush," Thelus said. "The situation is very bad in Haiti."
In any event, both hope that when they complete their two-year stay at Tech, they can return to Haiti and lend their new-found expertise to help poor farmers make the most of what they have.
Meanwhile, how do they find things in the United States?
Well, it would be safe to say that reality did not match their expectations.
The tropical residents found winter weather a shocker, especially since they packed only light clothes. "It's so cold," they agreed, both wearing jackets as a kerosene heater blazed nearby. Their summer-weight wear has been supplanted by donations from members of the parish and the Newman Center at Tech.
A pleasant surprise was the discovery that all the United States was not like New York City or Washington - tall buildings and millions of people. "I like Blacksburg because it's quiet," Thelus said.
Language was another obstacle. Their native tongue is Creole, a variant of French. Getting past the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, took a couple of tries.
Both said the test was "extremely hard." They said the English they learned during their frequently interrupted high school educations in Haitian Catholic schools was mostly written, not spoken.
While they've encountered friendly faces, both men still feel a sense of isolation. Thelus misses his girlfriend, Maricile. Neither drives a car. They think they might be the only Haitians at Tech.
They miss Haitian music, but they're getting used to the kinds of food available here. Their favorites are Mexican and Chinese. They've tried pizza, but aren't crazy about it. Chicken, rice and beans are a major part of the diet in the poor Haitian farm country where both grew up.
They have not gotten a handle on television. Both are amazed at the number of channels available. Back home, people can watch only a channel or two, if they have a television and the power is on. Thelus has acquired a taste for the Black Entertainment Television network.
One thing is not much different. As it was in Haiti, a lack of money is a big worry. For now, they rely on financial assistance from their host families and the congregation. Their second semester and cafeteria bills are paid, but they'll need to "shake the tree" again this spring for more donations.
Those wishing to contribute to the Haitian Students Fund should contact Frank Santoroski in Blacksburg at 961-2958. Contributions are tax-deductible.