Life of a Blan in Haiti: Haitian Cockroach vs Blans

A few weeks ago I encountered the first, or maybe one of the many immortal cockroaches of Haiti. A roach that just won’t die no matter how much you stomp on, hit with a slipper, smash with a broom, a frying pan and Culligan 5 gallon water jug! And after all this effort the damn critter would still manage to slither away from you! I swear, that if the world ends these roaches would still roam the, uh, nothingness of space! But despite this particular insect’s inability to die, nothing could be more despicable than an immortal roach that has gone airborne! 
So, without further ado, I present you this week’s episode of Life of a Blan… 

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Kreyol Lessons: Life of a Blan in Haiti

Do you ever wonder where this “blan” word came from? How can a simple word hold such significance in the Haitian vocabulary like rice and beans? I don’t know the answer too. But one thing is for sure, the person who told you that it’s hard to learn a new language hasn’t tried learning Kreyol yet! So without further ado, let me present this week’s episode of Life of a Blan in Haiti! Based on a true story when I was trying to learn French. Yes, French, but in the end I speak better Kreyol than French.

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

When it Rains: Life of a Blan in Haiti

After the infamous storm a few weeks ago, it seemed insensitive to post a comics strip like this. But now that the storm has passed (no pun intended!), all is as it was; we can now start laughing and making jokes at how it rains in Haiti. Who said we couldn’t laugh at the Haitian rain?

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Racists: Life of a Blan in Haiti

Surely, one day I might get hanged for this or worst lose all potential lovers and the opportunity to procreate and pass my genes to the future generation because of my borderline offensive jokes… mostly to Haitians and probably to HRs and to those lovely closet human rights activist NGO ladies! But let’s face it, almost everyone has been called or addressed as a blan in Haiti, so much so that it starts to sound like a big Haitian national joke that people play on non-blacks.  
So, here’s one for those who are sick and tired of being called a blan and being treated like a walking ATM machine. Let’s laugh and not give a sh*t! 

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Life of a Blan in Haiti

Like anyone who lived in Haiti long enough, I know how it’s like to be a “blan.” And I’m tired of it. The daily grind, Haitian style, has a way of getting into your bones. So I decided to say f*ck all and expose the daily life of an ordinary blan in Haiti, without trying to be polite or trying to sugarcoat my thoughts. If it offends someone, so be it! If it makes people laugh... well, give me money! A big sponsorship will be nice, make it close to a million euros so I could retire early.
...and What better way to expose it with than solid grade sarcasm and good ol’ comics? So here’s my first installment of a series of comics called “Life of a Blan in Haiti.” Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: If you’re easily get offended, get off and stop viewing my comics! No, seriously. Do not comment. Make your own comics! These comics are for those with the ability to laugh at the daily hardships that all foreigners have to face in this strange land.

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Happiness Rule no.1

Rules of happiness. So simple, isn't it?

While it’s true that no one is 100% constantly happy, it’s possible to be happy most of the time and bounce back easily from an unhappy state. It’s important to be happy. In a happy state we’re in harmony with ourselves and everything around us, translating into more fun, more fun means better mood equals more creativity. You need to flow like the rappers if you want to create great designs. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need to turn your insides into mash potatoes to create a work of art. Just do it and flow! Live and be happy!


If you would like to see more Rules of Happiness, leave a comment below to let me know.

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Kony 2012: Analysis of Communication Success

Kony 2012. The web says it’s a scam, Whitespacelover says it’s brilliant! Other than Invisible Children Organization’s (IC) shady finances and its founders’ dubious behaviors (one is a topic in cheaterville the other “acted in a bizarre manner in public”), they did a fantastic job shaking the web. Scam or not, you must say kudos to the men of IC that even Rihanna pledged that she’d help the cause. This is something that most humanitarian organizations should be aiming at. So with marketing and design eyes, this is how I think the Invisible Children made a ding in the web. 

1. Kony 2012 viral video is nothing short of spectacular! No doubt Jason Russell, director of Kony 2012 and co-founder of IC brought his experience from film and theatre in the development of the video. This is something NGOs need, talented people who’s main concern is just to make sensational masterpieces. Don’t think of saving the children for a while, think doing a spectacular job, when done you’ll end up saving them by the dozens. Just think of the masterpiece, 2 weeks, 104 million views? That’s more views than a woman flashing her boobs in public and a million more views than a goat farting in Youtube! 

Nice huh? Even the organization's name sounds cool. Invisible Children, say it with me...

2. Design and branding. This is a very important point that most NGOs don’t pay attention to. We’re visual animals, Larry Pole understood this by the looks of IC’s materials. The branding and design component of any entity is important; this creates an image that people can associate to a cause. Let me put this in marketing terms, a strong brand identity translates to brand recall and a solid following. Can you imagine Swiss products not stamped with the white cross against a solid red background?

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Infographics from Invisible Children's site. Nice graphics, lots of profits!

3. Advertising mind. This is just me, but analyzing Kony 2012 I came to the conclusion that this is a classic advertising case–look for a good problem and find, ahem, profitable solutions. In this case, the problem is a very bad man who needs to be put into justice. Solution: show the crimes of Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army. Woosh! It almost sounds like a tag for a movie. Not to mention, portraying the war criminal in cinematic proportions. Catchy and Entertaining? Profitable? Clearly yes! Though this is where IC becomes shady. Apparently, only 32% of the funds went to direct services and we never got the Kony kit!

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Shooting the film. Looks like they're having fun.

4. Bobby Bailey, social entrepreneur and founder of Invisible Children. Why do I get the feeling that he understands the dynamics of business and marketing? Here’s where I think most people get lost. Sure, we’re trying to alleviate suffering and make the world a better place. But we live in a monetary system and we need money to retain a staff, have an office, run an operation and keep a project going. We cannot denounce profits and in the same breath ask donors to give more funding. In my opinion, IC understood this. Just look at how IC made profits. They made millions and now they could do another film! I strongly believe that NGOs should make even a small profit to become sustainable themselves. We live in a monetary system.

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Oh look! Guns and goons! Aright, let's take a photo, looks cool.

5. Deadly combination. Bobby Bailey, social entrepreneur. Jason Russell, film and theatre director. Laren Poole, filmmaker, producer and creative media. To my eyes this looks like a typical creative team at an advertising agency. Putting their wits together on an issue resulted to something that made a ding in the web.
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Ask yourself, since when was the last time any NGO made it this big? There’s a lesson to be learned here somewhere.
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What do you think? 

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DISCLAIMER: The content that you’re reading is my personal analysis of Invisible Children’s success with Kony 2012 in comparison to the performance of most NGO campaigns I’ve seen in the past. This is in no means a criticism to the humanitarian sector but my own opinion of the matter. I'm not here to say who's right and wrong or to say if Kony 2012 is a scam or not.

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Save The Restavek Children

It’s fun promoting our clients’ products and helping their brands grow, that’s my excuse for not saving Haitian children and helping Superman score a date with Louise Lane. Though, it’s very nice to know that there are good people at IOM who’re using their skills to actually help enslaved children in Haiti called Restaveks.

Unable to pay for their kid’s needs some parents voluntarily send away their children to become a Restavek, a.k.a. be enslaved and be abused for little or no pay. No freedom. Not fun. This system of modern day slavery has existed as long as rice and beans but no one seems to be doing anything about it until today. Thanks to the good people of IOM Haiti and Foyer l’Escale–a shelter for Restaveks–these children now have somewhere to run to and a chance to be reunited with their parents. Touching stories, really.

Frennen Restavek | End Restavek Abuse by IOM Haiti

Even with our hands full with clients, we could all contribute to helping these children by promoting IOM’s campaign Frennen Sistèm Restavèk | End Restavek Abuse. Visit them, share, like and be part of the campaign or follow and give @FrennenRestavek a shoutout. Better yet, if you know of a Restavek child call 177 and help stop this form of modern day slavery! Or leave a comment below if you know of a Restavek child near you.

To the good men and women of IOM Haiti and Foyer l’Escale, kudos! 

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Out of Whack

Crazy! Is such a lovely word to describe a wonderfully deranged, extremely pleasurable fun-filled past weeks (past months, actually). Now I’m really starting to believe that life is more like a Haitian taptap or driving in the streets of Port Au Prince. It’s crazy. And the only way to make sense of it is to be crazy yourself. And if you think about it, it’s not so bad being insane; you protect yourself from going completely bonkers or being wrongfully diagnosed with clinical depression! Not really sure if that made sense but it’s 100% certain that you’ll go nuts if you live each day pretending to be sane.

Past Project. Illustration of Haitian Taptap.

But let’s be serious for a while, haven’t you noticed that modern day life is insane? Why else would humans, sacrifice their health, happiness and the best time of their lives for money/career and then later retire to make up for the time they lost, do fun stuff in pursuit of happiness while throwing away their money to recuperate their health? Insane, isn’t it? 
So I say, from this point forward, let’s just loosen some screws, let go and let the world spin out of control like a taptap swooping downhill with its engine off and cheap made in China brake pads. Leave the serious stuff to people mad enough to be sane. The upside is, you’ll make better designs and illustrations once you’ve gone completely kookoo.

Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

A Financial Lesson for a Graphic Designer

Empty Haitian Airport. After everyone ran to catch their flights.

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“Money, whether earned yesterday or tomorrow, is something we trade our life energy for.” 

—Jen Smith, Millionaire Mommy Next Door  
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The situation felt like scrambled eggs—we missed our flight. I forgot my credit card. A friend’s flight was cancelled as the other friend sat waiting for us in the plane. My lovely friends hurrying to buy last minute tickets from the other airline. “Are you buying the tickets?” she asked. I looked at my friend and the airline’s logo like a tempting 5000-calorie [per bite] dessert dipped in dark chocolate with marshmallows and cherries on top. I could already taste it while the wad of Benjamin Franklins tug in my pocket. I resisted and said, “No. Ladies, enjoy The Dominican Republic...”

In the last entry, How Much Does a Graphic Designer Cost? you would see how life, time and money are closely related especially for us Graphic Designers because we not only trade our time for money but also our unique expression, sometimes we even suppress it to satisfy our client's needs. For everything you buy, you trade life energy and/or time that you could’ve spent having fun, or being with friends and loved ones or doing something else. I know we all took Fine Arts and hate math but let me illustrate this point in numbers. For our example, let’s use a typical middleweight Graphic Designer who has ad agency experience and love drinking a gallon of coffee every afternoon. He or she earns, say, $25/hour and he or she wants to buy a $380 plane ticket. 380 divided by 25. So that translates to working for 15.2 hours to make $380. I’m not in the position to tell anyone how to spend his or her money but for me a $380 plane ticket is not worth it, especially if you have other options.
As Graphic Designers we enjoy what we do, we’re born to create great designs, but we also have our fair share of clients from hell and sacrifices in the workplace. The important concept to remember or the moral lesson of the story is: we trade our time for money and each penny we spent is as unique as the minute we traded it for.

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Road to a weekend of fun. Dominican Republic. I thought I was dreaming but there were really little yellow butterflies fluttering along the road.

Haitian-Dominican Border.

…I ended up going to the Dominican Republic by car with another group of friends after spending 48 hours in Pétion Ville's nicest places, having fun with a buddy and going to a salsa evening. So I guess, that means rebooking the missed flight for some other time plus pocket money for another vacation.

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Casa Bonita, Infinity Pool.

Monster waves at Los Patos.

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Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.

Paragliding: Graphic Designer on Air

876,600 hours to live. After that last entry and a long silence, you’re probably expecting a packed suitcase, a one-way ticket to Europe and early Oktoberfest photos. Unfortunately that is not how things turned out. Just because you realized how you’re trading your time (your life) in the name of sleek designs, it doesn’t mean that you should pull off Justin Timberlake’s stunt in the movie In Time.
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You must do something to compensate if you can’t say au revoir to being a graphic designer yet. Living like a rockstar at night is an option but paragliding might be better. It’s like being Peter Pan with a giant kite as replacement for happy thoughts and fairy dust. Of course, it won’t be as magical as flying over London to Neverland but I imagine the feeling would be the same, seeing Port Au Prince from a bird’s eye view.
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Copyright © Whitespacelover a.k.a. Pong Li since 2010 All Rights Reserved, unless stated otherwise. You may copy and/or use the content of this blog only if you acknowledge this blog and other parties (if there is any) as the source of the material.