James Bruzzi
In the front courtyard of the Hopital St. Croix in Leogane, Haiti, there is a small patch of grass with three coconut palms towering over it. On the grass sits a chair.
During my first visit to Leogane in July of 2014, I became quite fond of this chair and its occupant, Woody. I came to see this chair as an example of Leogane itself -- rickety yet functional, somewhat grotesque yet absolutely beautiful in its spareness.
Returning to Leogane in January, 2016, I arrived at the Hopital St. Croix on foot. As I approached, I caught a glimpse of the chair through the fence, and there was Woody sitting in it! I exchanged hugs and excited words in English and Creole with my dear Haitian friend.
Settling in and surveying the courtyard, I noticed that the chair had undergone a transformation. Most of the turquoise painted wood had been replaced with new pieces making the chair more secure, more sturdy, and with the addition of new cushions, more comfortable.
After spending a few days in Leogane, it was clear that the city had made great progress in the time since I had been there last. New paint, new buildings and a wonderful sense of normalcy graced the streets. I realized that the chair remained a symbol of the place -- a city more sturdy, more secure and more comfortable than it had been.
The city, like the chair, remains far from perfect but progress has been made as Haiti moves at its own pace toward a brighter future. I very much look forward to my next visit to see what new pieces have been added to the chair and to Leogane.
During my first visit to Leogane in July of 2014, I became quite fond of this chair and its occupant, Woody. I came to see this chair as an example of Leogane itself -- rickety yet functional, somewhat grotesque yet absolutely beautiful in its spareness.
Returning to Leogane in January, 2016, I arrived at the Hopital St. Croix on foot. As I approached, I caught a glimpse of the chair through the fence, and there was Woody sitting in it! I exchanged hugs and excited words in English and Creole with my dear Haitian friend.
Settling in and surveying the courtyard, I noticed that the chair had undergone a transformation. Most of the turquoise painted wood had been replaced with new pieces making the chair more secure, more sturdy, and with the addition of new cushions, more comfortable.
After spending a few days in Leogane, it was clear that the city had made great progress in the time since I had been there last. New paint, new buildings and a wonderful sense of normalcy graced the streets. I realized that the chair remained a symbol of the place -- a city more sturdy, more secure and more comfortable than it had been.
The city, like the chair, remains far from perfect but progress has been made as Haiti moves at its own pace toward a brighter future. I very much look forward to my next visit to see what new pieces have been added to the chair and to Leogane.
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