Bonsieur! Visiting Haiti for the first time gave a surreal feeling. The simple fact that I tried for many years to visit the land of my ancestors made my trip more special. My cousin Esnel picked me up at the Carib Tours bus station in Cap-Haitian. The rainy bus ride on Carib Tours costs me $40 US from the Santa Domingo, Dominica Republic to Cap-Haitian; it’s the second largest city on historical the Caribbean Island (Port-au-Prince is the capital and the largest city).

Luckily, I’m not a shy person and can speak Creole because if I had not introduced myself to the young Haitian guy next to me, I would’ve stayed on the wrong bus, and went to Port-au-Prince instead, which is five hours away from my destination. He told me to hurry up and get on the bus to our left, and I did not hesitate. That mistake would’ve been disastrous I have no family in the capital, and would have had to pay $100 to catch a rainy flight to the other side of the island.


I resided at my father’s cousin’s beautiful home, Tee-Naneu. Her place was very impressive and fairly large; I wasn’t surprised because I knew of the mini-mansions throughout Ayiti (original name of the island by the native) that the media never shows its viewers because they have to keep projecting poverty. This place had two floors, multiple bathrooms, and a living room the size of a small gym. She was very kind and generous to me the whole time, and gave me the master bedroom to rest in. I ate good, morning, noon, and night. Big meals too. To be honest, there was no way I could eat all of that food by myself. Everyone knows I love to eat – I’m officially 100% Bonafide Haitian!

As we took a stroll through the streets of Haiti, my cousin gave me a few rules to go by:

1) Don’t talk to anyone that I want to buy something from. My creole sticks out like a sour thumb, and they’ll know that I’m an American. The people will overcharge you.

2) Be mindful when taking pictures and videos. The people are skeptical of their pictures being taken and sold in the states. Whenever possible ask them first.

3) We have to home by 6 pm because most of the streetlights are out and it gets pitch black at night.





On our second day, we went to an area called Battle of Vertieres where the statues of Governor-General Toussaint Louverture, Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and King Henri Christophe. The statues are massive and look like they stand 12 feet each. The Haitian War of Independence was the second successful revolt in the New World against a major European power. It is also the first time in world history that a slave revolt resulted in the formation of a new state governed by former slaves. I got so caught up in the political unrest in Haiti that I almost forgot of how rich of history Haiti is filled with. There’s King Henri Christophe’s Citadelle and palace. The statues of Vertières overlooking the main road in Cap-Haïtien.


Did You Know: Facts About Haiti
1. Fredrick Douglas, was the American Ambassador to Haiti from June 26 to November 14, 1889.
2. General Toussaint Louverture defeated the world’s greatest military strategist, General Napoleon Bonaparte in the Haitian Revolutionary War (lasted from 1791-1803). Making the Haitian General the world’s greatest!
3. Haiti was known as “Freedom Land” in the Americas because enslaved Africans became free again once they reached Haiti.

Battle of Vertières was the last major battle of the Second War of Haitian Independence, and the final part of the Haitian Revolution under Emperor Dessalines.

While there, we bumped into a political rally that unfolded right in front of our eyes. Jovenel Moise (who won to be Haiti’s next president on November 30th 2016) came on the back of a pickup truck and a loud horn and turned the crowd out. The energy was electrifying, and the excitement filled the air. It was like a concert in broad daylight.


Love to here your comments, opinions, and compliments, of course. 🙂

Your humble servant,
King Kevin Dorival.