In Haiti, Saying NO means you are Cheap - Have you added NO to your Vocabulary Yet?

Saying NO is a big "No No" in the Haitian community... So big that to say NO to a Haitian person is to "Fè li Malonèt..." (to insult him.) When it comes to money matters, "NO" is the most difficult answer for a Haitian brother or sister to give. Many Haitians, especially in the diaspora, are so uncomfortable to say NO that they give away all their life savings because they have a long list of family members and friends back home with financial needs.... To say NO almost feels inhuman... How does a person like that save money?


1 Gourde - Haitian Paper Money

KREYOL: En Haiti, lè-w di NON, fanmi ak zanmi di ou KRAS, ou Chich, ou Malonèt... Panda se tan, NON, se yon mo oou oblije mete nan vokabilè-w si ou pa vle genyen gro problèm finance demain... Kisa-w ou fe nan ka saa? Ou bay tout sa ou genyen oswa ou di NON kek fwa? ou konfòtab pou-w di non?

Recently, one of my aunts came to me and said: "Mwen pwal mande-w yon bagay laa... pinga ou fè-m malonèt non!" TRANSLATION: Literraly, she said: I am about to ask you for something do not insult me by saying NO...

Why even ask? Just take it! That's what I thought about saying to her, but that would also be an insult... LOL...

I know and I understand that the more fortunate Haitians almost have no choice but to help out other family and friends who are less fortunate but where to you draw the line?

Most importantly, which money are you giving away? Your kids college money? Your retirement savings? Money you should have in bank in case of an emergency? or just spare cash that you don't really need?

I remember a couple of years, I gave away so much money that I was unable to pay by business taxes at the end of the year.

The millionaire's advice...

I recently read a story about a very rich American Basketball player who went broke providing for his family and friends amongt other things... When asked what his #1 piece of advice would be to other young NBA players today, he said:

"Get the word 'NO' in your vocabulary. You're going to have to say NO to a lot of people that are very important to you."

If a man who made millions and millions of dollars and lost it all says "Get the word 'NO' in your vocabulary," what do you do when you are barely making money and you find yourself having to say YES, sometimes against your will, often too many times?

How do you deal with this sensitive issue?

Have you added the word 'NO' in your vocabulary yet? How is that going for you? :)

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Zamy Sou Facebook says...

lè mwen di non, mwen pa santi mwen alez sitou si mwen genyen bagay lan

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John says...

After the earthquake we gave all of those that work with us $2000 US to help them. The next day one of the workers asked if I would give her $1000 US. I responded that yesterday I had given her $2000 and she responded, "Yes, but that was yesterday, not

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