What did I know about Haiti before I decided to visit? Nothing, to be completely honest. I was of course aware of the unrest and chaos typically associated with the country and also remember reading a paragraph or so about the Haitian Revolution during World History in undergrad a few years back. But that's not saying much - I don't believe knowing the cliff notes and stereotypes of a place translates to any real knowledge of it. After meeting Vanessa, a Haitian American whose love for her home country would become contagious, my ignorance quickly turned into curiosity.