Forest Rangers and Toamasina

I went out last week with the Polisin'y Ala (Volunteer Forest Rangers) into the Maromizaha Forest to scout out illegal tavy (slash and burn agriculture) and sarbon (Gasy charcoal) projects. We found plenty (see my Facebook page for pictures).
Last weekend, I attended my first Gasy "ball" on Saturday night in Andasibe. A "ball" is a drunken dance party. Loud music, sweaty people, bright flashy lights. I came, I saw, I did not conquer. Most Gasy stay till 5 or 6 am. After being there for 6 hours at 2am, I was finished and went to sleep at a Gasy friend's house, only to be awoken at 5am to the horrible, screetching, hollering sound that only a damned goose can make. If eating goose everyday in this country were affordable, I would happily do it in order to decrease their population.
I was lucky enough to be able to go to Tamatave/Toamasina (same city, different names) last week for four days. I went with representatives from my VOI federation to some training sessions with Conservation International (CI). It was all in Gasy. Another volunteer who also lives close to Moramanga, Kara, was there as well. Eighty percent of the time, we had no clue what anyone was saying. We knew they were discussing global warming, basic accounting, VOI inner-workings, CI projects, etc., but specifics?, yeah right! We sat patiently through 3 days of excruciatingly boring sessions but were left with little room to complain, since CI was paying for our hotel room, food, and transportation costs. I'll take it, mmk?  Four nights in Toamasina was quite nice, especially since I had beer and brouchettes (steak kabobs) for dinner every night. Upon returning from Toamasina,  I went to Andasibe again to meet up with some other volunteers to just take a load off for the night. We cooked dinner at a German friend's house and met a couple of traveler's from Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands. I arrived back at site on Sunday, my official Peace Corps house is mbola tsy vita (still not done). More bungalow time for me.
Take care,
J