A bit more details

I've been here for almost a month now. The first two weeks seemed like 2 months. But with a routine gradually setting in (which is for sure to get wiped out very soon again), a month doesn't really seem very long at all. I've been living with a Malagasy host family now for 3 weeks. They've been very hospitable and patient with the language barrier. We eat rice 3 times every day. You may read that the Malagasy eat rice with 2 meals every day. Mine does 3. Fact: The Malagasy eat more rice per capita than any other country in the world; so much that they don't grow enough here on the island to meet the demand for it, they have to import it from Pakistan, India, etc. What makes this even more interesting is that around 80% of the population works in the subsistence agriculture sector.
PC also does a great job with helping the blow of culture shock not be so, well, shocking. Giving us a solid routine helps a lot. Language, X-culture, health, and safety classes throughout the week keep us all pretty busy. I'll be moving out of my home-stay on Thursday to go back to the training center with all 28 other volunteers in my stage (should be 29 but one of the volunteers left the first weekend). Quite excited for that. My host family has been great, but I'm ready to get back to deciding when I'm tired and what I wanna eat.
Next week is going to be fairly busy. Site placement announcements are tomorrow, bank accounts are opened on Tuesday, first language proficiency interview is Wednesday, then the move back to the PCTC on Thursday. Saturday begins the ENV tech trip to the east coast (Moramanga, Toamasina, Tamatave) which will last until next Friday (?). Heading off the mountain, as we say in NC, down to the rainforest. Should be a fun trip.
THB is a pilsner made here in Madagascar by Star breweries. I'm yet to drink it cold, but it's not half bad when it's warm so I guess it can only get better. The pineapples here are some of the best I've ever had. Ranon'apango (burnt rice water) isn't so bad either. The more burnt, the better it tastes. Actually, it tastes a bit like those Quaker rice cakes if you were to toast them and then throw into boiling water.
Until next time,
J