A quick shout out to folks who sent me packages!!
Benjamin: CUZ! Thanks so much for the Christmas package buddy. It was great getting all those books and goodies all the way from Georgia to this island in the Indian Ocean. Merry Christmas Buddy!!!
Joffrions: You guys rock. And no, I do not yet have, nor have I yet read, "Lords and Lemurs" and very much look forward to digging into it. Also, the Blue Ridge Parkway Calendar rocks! Helps remind me of the differences in climate throughout the year as compared to Madagascar (it's steaming hot and wet hear now whereas there's snow and ice on Grandfather Mountain). Merry Christmas to you!!
Mawmaw et al: You know I love you and always love the packages I get from you. The cookies were slightly crumbled but still DELISH. And I look forward to getting into the books by Garrison Keiler and the other about the Holocaust survivor. Merry Christmas and I love you so much!!!!
I returned to site about a week ago after a fantastic vacation around this huge island. The Friday before Christmas, I traveled back to the old Anjozoro (where I lived during my first month on the island) and I visited my host family there for one day. It was great seeing them and getting to actually be able to converse with them. My skills in Malagasy are greatly improved now compared to when I first got here (when I'm sure I sounded like a cave man) so we were actually able to have decent conversation. After that, I left Antananarivo on a Saturday afternoon and arrived in Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) on a Sunday afternoon. That's right, a 24 hour taxi-brousse ride from the capitol all the way to the northern-most tip of Madagascar. There were about 20 volunteers who went there to celebrate Christmas and it was amazing. Our first day there, Christmas Eve, we all hired a boat to take us out to what are called the Emerald Islands. It took about an hour and a half to arrive there. The boat ride was fantastic, sailing through the blue-green waters of the Diego bay, which also provided us with a viewing of the Nosy Lonja (Sugarload Island), a very famous natural landmark in the bay. Along the way, we picked up our lunch from a spear-fisherman, a stringer full of fish freshly caught/speared. We left the bay for the open waters of the Indian Ocean and arrived at the Emerald Islands, where the sand was white and the waters were, truly, emerald green. There were several palm bungalows that helped to provide us with shade between swimming and sunning (though I turned down the sunning). We also had lunch of rice, crab, and the fish we had picked up on route (cooked by our friendly Malagasy guides). AND we even sang some Christmas carols. To say the least, by the time we arrived back in Diego in the late afternoon, we were all fairly exhausted from beaching and sunning all day (though I didn't get a sunburn, WOOHOO!), that we had dinner and called it an early night. On Christmas Day, we went to one of the finer hotels in Diego and got to use their pool (for a fee, which included a very nice lunch). It was real interesting spending Christmas Eve and Day beaching and pooling in very hot weather (definitely a first for me). Diego is a great city, very different than Antananarivo. Very clean, good roads, Tuk-tuks (moto-taxis that carry passengers for 25 cents wherever your going, and taxis for 50 cents the same), GREAT food (fried shrimp!!!), and cool architecture (Google: Antsiranana or Diego Suarez). A very Merry Christmas indeed.
For New Years, I travelled back to Antananarivo (it's just fun typing that name, isn't it?). I bought a suit on the streets for $7 and a belt with a silver electric guitar buckle with a spinning dollar sign emblem for $1.50. Gotta make sure to look good for New Years, ya know? We had a great house party at our Malaria Initiative Coordinator's house then, for the midnight countdown, moved to downtown Tana at a nice place called Planet Terrace. Since there was no real countdown led by Malagasy, we wound up having two, unsynchronised countdowns to midnight. Ah well. So much fun though. Happy New Years!!!
Site has been slow but good since returning from vacation. I got visited by my good friend Nick for two days this week (thanks for the double IPA beer from the states!!!). I am planning on traveling to Antsirabe in the coming weeks/months to start getting more information on the cattle market. Rice is growing well. We just got visited by THE Dr. Patricia Wright (aka Mrs. Save the Forests of Madagascar) who is looking into getting us some help from her friends in high places (WOOHOO!).
Rat update: I had them under control. I even quit counting because there weren't too many to worry about anymore. I'm guessing the current number is around 15-18 that I have personally killed. However, since returning from my holiday vacation, they have taken over my house. They have eaten through the wood of my house to create their own personal entrances everywhere. They ate my rice winnower. They my oil and petrol bottles. They ate my spices. This is war. I tried being fair. I let them bring the battle to me for too long. Time to show them what America can do. Stay tuned...
Happy 2013 to everyone back home! This is my full year, from beginning to end, in Madagascar. I've been here for more than 10 months already. Sometimes the time seems to drag, but it flies most of the time. I can't believe I'll be marking a year in a little less than 2 months. I guess I'll be home before I know it. See you guys next year!!
Love,
James
Friday, January 11, 2013
Friday, December 7, 2012
Holidays and Lychees
It's been a while, yeah I know. I hope everyone is doing great and is in the holiday spirit. I'm doing great here on the Mad Island.
Our regional volunteer meeting was held in Tamatave at the beginning of November. It was great to see all the other volunteers from my region as well as those from other regions who came to VAC crash. After the meeting, it was back to site until Thanksgiving, where I worked with a farmer/one of my good friends in my town to get his rice fields ready for planting. Since the people in my village don't have agricultural machinery (tractors, plows, tillers, etc.) or livestock (cows) to work the fields, everything is done by hand and foot. Plowing is done with oversized hoes. And in order to get the field ready for planting, water is run through it and the soil is stomped (with man feet) into a mud that can be planted. Haha this is not easily done! But we did it and, just this past week, got all of our plots planted using improved techniques. The improved techniques will continue to be implemented all the way till harvest time, likely in April or May. Google "SRI" if you'd like to get more information on the improved rice techniques us Agriculture volunteers are teaching in Madagascar.
Two weeks ago was Thanksgiving and it was real hard to be away from home, family, and friends for the first time ever. Missed everyone! But I had a great time traveling around the Mananjary and Fianarantsoa areas of the island. Mananjary was fantastically hot and FULL of lychees. I'd never had a lychee before (and I guarantee most folks in the states haven't either). They're a red-skinned fruit with clear/white meat on the inside and an oblong brown seed in the middle. The skin peels off very easily to reveal the most delicious fruit I have ever put in my mouth. Didn't think it got better than watermelon, but it does. I had just arrived in Mananjary on the a taxibrousse, was walking the streets towards where another volunteer's office is, and saw the fruit stands full of them. I bought a plastic bag full for 100 ariary (about 5 cents). I haven't exactly stopped eating these little red fruits of heaven for about 3 weeks now. Makes me sad to think they will be out of season soon and I will have to wait another year before I get to have them again. Also great to see some other volunteers from my stage down in their area (Nick, Anne, and Monica).
Fianarantsoa was also great for Thanksgiving. There were lychees there, too. I killed and cooked the Thanksgiving turkey but much thanks must be given to our Malagasy friends who helped to gut and clean the bird. He was a scrawny fellow but he came out delicious and everybody got to have some. We had about 30 PCVs eating Thanksgiving dinner together so it's great to have our own little family get-together down here.
After Thanksgiving, it's been back to site and back to work time. Rice fields are planted and all that remains are the weeding and water control methods that we'll get implemented. Tomorrow, I've got a meeting with my VOI organization that I've called to start getting things order for a cow raising project that I'm putting together. We're wanting to get a few cows bought for manure sale and use, milk production, and general farm labor. Keep your eyes and ears out for this project to hit the web in the coming months so that you can help fund it! Wouldn't that be cool?!?!
Christmas is upon us. Well, it's upon you folks in the Western world. Here, there is no such sign that the holiday season even exists. I do miss that. And the cold weather of winter. But, as for Thanksgiving, I'll also be traveling around the island a little bit. Hopefully gonna hit the northern most tip of the island with a bunch of other volunteers. Beach for Christmas in Madagascar? I think I'll take it, folks.
Happy belated Thanksgiving!
Merry Christmas! (or Hanukkah) (or whatever you choose to celebrate)
And a Happy New Year!
James
Our regional volunteer meeting was held in Tamatave at the beginning of November. It was great to see all the other volunteers from my region as well as those from other regions who came to VAC crash. After the meeting, it was back to site until Thanksgiving, where I worked with a farmer/one of my good friends in my town to get his rice fields ready for planting. Since the people in my village don't have agricultural machinery (tractors, plows, tillers, etc.) or livestock (cows) to work the fields, everything is done by hand and foot. Plowing is done with oversized hoes. And in order to get the field ready for planting, water is run through it and the soil is stomped (with man feet) into a mud that can be planted. Haha this is not easily done! But we did it and, just this past week, got all of our plots planted using improved techniques. The improved techniques will continue to be implemented all the way till harvest time, likely in April or May. Google "SRI" if you'd like to get more information on the improved rice techniques us Agriculture volunteers are teaching in Madagascar.
Two weeks ago was Thanksgiving and it was real hard to be away from home, family, and friends for the first time ever. Missed everyone! But I had a great time traveling around the Mananjary and Fianarantsoa areas of the island. Mananjary was fantastically hot and FULL of lychees. I'd never had a lychee before (and I guarantee most folks in the states haven't either). They're a red-skinned fruit with clear/white meat on the inside and an oblong brown seed in the middle. The skin peels off very easily to reveal the most delicious fruit I have ever put in my mouth. Didn't think it got better than watermelon, but it does. I had just arrived in Mananjary on the a taxibrousse, was walking the streets towards where another volunteer's office is, and saw the fruit stands full of them. I bought a plastic bag full for 100 ariary (about 5 cents). I haven't exactly stopped eating these little red fruits of heaven for about 3 weeks now. Makes me sad to think they will be out of season soon and I will have to wait another year before I get to have them again. Also great to see some other volunteers from my stage down in their area (Nick, Anne, and Monica).
Fianarantsoa was also great for Thanksgiving. There were lychees there, too. I killed and cooked the Thanksgiving turkey but much thanks must be given to our Malagasy friends who helped to gut and clean the bird. He was a scrawny fellow but he came out delicious and everybody got to have some. We had about 30 PCVs eating Thanksgiving dinner together so it's great to have our own little family get-together down here.
After Thanksgiving, it's been back to site and back to work time. Rice fields are planted and all that remains are the weeding and water control methods that we'll get implemented. Tomorrow, I've got a meeting with my VOI organization that I've called to start getting things order for a cow raising project that I'm putting together. We're wanting to get a few cows bought for manure sale and use, milk production, and general farm labor. Keep your eyes and ears out for this project to hit the web in the coming months so that you can help fund it! Wouldn't that be cool?!?!
Christmas is upon us. Well, it's upon you folks in the Western world. Here, there is no such sign that the holiday season even exists. I do miss that. And the cold weather of winter. But, as for Thanksgiving, I'll also be traveling around the island a little bit. Hopefully gonna hit the northern most tip of the island with a bunch of other volunteers. Beach for Christmas in Madagascar? I think I'll take it, folks.
Happy belated Thanksgiving!
Merry Christmas! (or Hanukkah) (or whatever you choose to celebrate)
And a Happy New Year!
James
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Just another post
Not a whole lot to report to you folks back home since the last post. Things have been fairly calm on this side of the world. I got a few things planted in my garden that I've got going at my house, thanks Mom! Kale and spinach are already showing up. I did have to get some manure for my yard cause the red clay that is Madagascar just wouldn't have done well. So I went down the hill about 2 kilometers to where I knew some folks had some cows and asked them if I could buy some manure off of them. They let me have as much as I wanted and wouldn't let me pay them cause they said I taught their kids English. But I did buy 2 kilos of rice and a Coca-Cola (not the liquor he wanted, though) for the guy who helped me push the cart the 2 kilometers back up the hill to my house.
I ran out of Sur-Eau (the chlorine stuff I put in my drinking water) the other day and had to ride my bike 8km up the highway to Andasibe. When I say up, I mean Blue Ridge Parkway straight up climbing. It wasn't too easy but I got it done. The fun part was coming back down the RN2, 8 km of downhill flying fun! Yes, it was awesome and I will be doing a lot more of that.
I got visited by several other Peace Corps high-ups this week. It was great to have Leif Davenport, our Programs and Training Director, as well as Kelly Dailey, the desk officer in Washington who you guys in the States will talk to if ever emergencies arise here on the island. Let's hope you never here her voice or get an email. There was some other guy named Aaron, who does some kind of security something with the Embassy, who visited as well. They checked out all that's going with my house and my site and work and all. Great to have them come visit. Now, I love my site and I know that I lucked out with my placement here but you know it's true when Leif says my site makes him want to be a volunteer again. Damn skippy.
The same morning that I was visited by all those important Peace Corps and Embassy folks, some guy from my town came running to my house saying something about taking a picture of something that had just gotten shot. So I didn't know what dead thing I was about to take a picture. At one of the houses in my town, a crowd had gathered around whatever was lying on the ground. I didn't know what it was about to find laying there that people were gawking over. When I got close enough to see hat it, I saw a four legged, pot-bellied, coarse-haired, tusked wild-boar. I didn't even know we had wild boars in Madagascar! Three men from Moramanga (the Commissioner of the Gendarmerie Brigade, the Director of Public Works, and the owner of the Bezanozano Hotel) had been hunting near my site and had killed it that morning with a shotgun. All three of these gentlemen were carrying shotguns, 2 semi-automatics and single-shot break action. So I got some pictures of the beast and these Malagasy good ole boys with there shotguns. They even let me check out the shotguns! Things got interesting when one of the guys offered me a shell to put in the gun and said I could fire it off if I wanted to. I was very hesitant at first (I am a Peace Corps volunteer.....) but after he told me that he was the Commissioner of the Gendarmerie Brigade, I figured "What the hell." So I threw the shell in the magazine, loaded it into the chamber, pointed the gun away form town and into the sky and did what very few Peace Corps volunteers, I believe, have ever done. #thispeacecorpslife.
Next week, I will be crashing the Highland Regional all-vol meeting for fun in the capitol with, guess what, LASER TAG! That's right, it is here on this island. After that, it's back to the beach of Foulpointe where MY region will be having our all-vol meeting, with plenty of folks crashing it as well. But today, I'll be hosting guests at my house for the first time ever in Mada. Last time I was in Tana, I met a PCV from Malawai who was vacationing in Mada with a friend and I told them they were welcome to come to my site and stay and check out the forest. And they took me up on it! Gonna be fun. What to make for dinner? Oh I know, RICE. Welcome to MADAGASCAR!
Take care Stateside folks.
Madafolks, let's hang soon.
Go VOLS! (ehhhh)
Much love,
James
PS: If you're from North Carolina, have lived in North Carolina, been to North Carolina, want to go North Carolina, don't want to go to North Carolina, then you should definitely read Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. I loved it.
I ran out of Sur-Eau (the chlorine stuff I put in my drinking water) the other day and had to ride my bike 8km up the highway to Andasibe. When I say up, I mean Blue Ridge Parkway straight up climbing. It wasn't too easy but I got it done. The fun part was coming back down the RN2, 8 km of downhill flying fun! Yes, it was awesome and I will be doing a lot more of that.
I got visited by several other Peace Corps high-ups this week. It was great to have Leif Davenport, our Programs and Training Director, as well as Kelly Dailey, the desk officer in Washington who you guys in the States will talk to if ever emergencies arise here on the island. Let's hope you never here her voice or get an email. There was some other guy named Aaron, who does some kind of security something with the Embassy, who visited as well. They checked out all that's going with my house and my site and work and all. Great to have them come visit. Now, I love my site and I know that I lucked out with my placement here but you know it's true when Leif says my site makes him want to be a volunteer again. Damn skippy.
The same morning that I was visited by all those important Peace Corps and Embassy folks, some guy from my town came running to my house saying something about taking a picture of something that had just gotten shot. So I didn't know what dead thing I was about to take a picture. At one of the houses in my town, a crowd had gathered around whatever was lying on the ground. I didn't know what it was about to find laying there that people were gawking over. When I got close enough to see hat it, I saw a four legged, pot-bellied, coarse-haired, tusked wild-boar. I didn't even know we had wild boars in Madagascar! Three men from Moramanga (the Commissioner of the Gendarmerie Brigade, the Director of Public Works, and the owner of the Bezanozano Hotel) had been hunting near my site and had killed it that morning with a shotgun. All three of these gentlemen were carrying shotguns, 2 semi-automatics and single-shot break action. So I got some pictures of the beast and these Malagasy good ole boys with there shotguns. They even let me check out the shotguns! Things got interesting when one of the guys offered me a shell to put in the gun and said I could fire it off if I wanted to. I was very hesitant at first (I am a Peace Corps volunteer.....) but after he told me that he was the Commissioner of the Gendarmerie Brigade, I figured "What the hell." So I threw the shell in the magazine, loaded it into the chamber, pointed the gun away form town and into the sky and did what very few Peace Corps volunteers, I believe, have ever done. #thispeacecorpslife.
Next week, I will be crashing the Highland Regional all-vol meeting for fun in the capitol with, guess what, LASER TAG! That's right, it is here on this island. After that, it's back to the beach of Foulpointe where MY region will be having our all-vol meeting, with plenty of folks crashing it as well. But today, I'll be hosting guests at my house for the first time ever in Mada. Last time I was in Tana, I met a PCV from Malawai who was vacationing in Mada with a friend and I told them they were welcome to come to my site and stay and check out the forest. And they took me up on it! Gonna be fun. What to make for dinner? Oh I know, RICE. Welcome to MADAGASCAR!
Take care Stateside folks.
Madafolks, let's hang soon.
Go VOLS! (ehhhh)
Much love,
James
PS: If you're from North Carolina, have lived in North Carolina, been to North Carolina, want to go North Carolina, don't want to go to North Carolina, then you should definitely read Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. I loved it.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Along for the ride
The Peace Corps experience, as I was told before I came to Madagascar and as I have found in my seven months here, is a roller coaster. I remember a year ago for my mom's birthday and we went to Carowinds in Charlotte to ride roller coasters. The Intimidator was, by far, the most awesome ride I've ever been on. We rode it probably eight times that day. Now, serving in Madagascar is intimidating, but it ain't the Intimidator. Just as awesome, but in completely different ways. There ups and downs that you sometimes don't even know which is up or down.
About two weeks ago, I intended a "miaramatory" which literally translates as "sleep together". I know, sounds like a fun little kids sleep over party, right? Not quite. A friend of mine who volunteers with the Forest Police, Dolimo, had a son die of a cold. A year and half year old kid. Probably one of the saddest things I've ever experienced. I'm no stranger to death and the sadness that follows it, but never with such a young life lost. Now, a miaramatory may be similar to what we call a "wake" in English. The night after the child had died, all community members who feel compelled to attend, go to the family's house for the entire night to keep the family company. The body is placed in the main room of the house and a "lamba", a Malagasy traditional cloth, is placed over the body, with candles surrounding it. Food is served (rice and laoka, of course). Taoka gasy (malagasy moonshine) is also served and brought by many who attend. People play cards and dominos all through the night. Food and alcohol is also continuously served. It is traditional for people to stay the entire night but it is not expected. Imagine in the States, the day after you've lost a child, the entire community comes to your house for the whole night to have party with you. Strange. But strangely very cool, too. My friend, Dolimo, that night told me he didn't expect me to come because he thought I was just a vazaha who was just visiting Madagascar. I realized very quickly after getting to this island that I am not just visiting here. It really set in one day during language class one day way back during training when I learned to say "I live here in Madagascar" in Malagasy. But after attending the miaramatory, as sad as it was, it was amazing to see people take such a sad situation and use it to be able to bring the community together in a very strong way. Even allowing the American to participate and attend. Thanks Madagascar.
Two Saturdays ago, a meeting was held at the Maromizaha Center, out in the middle of our forest center with all of the high ups of my partner organizations. I was stoked to meet and get to talk to them about projects and stuff! But all we did was watch movies about the environment in Madagascar (you know, the BBC specials). But really? We all have the opportunity to get together, high ups and people working on the ground, and talk about our work together and, we do what?, watch movies? Come on. Either way, it was cool meet the high ups and stuff.
My friends Jody and Alistair left last week as well. They were in the forest for about 3 months doing research on baby lemurs. It was very sad to see them go! But they went out with a bang. During their last week in the forest, they hosted 12 American students doing a study abroad here in Madagascar and introduced them to the amazing forest and life that is here in Madagascar. It was great to see people as thrilled at hearing the indris for the first time as I was when I first heard them. Their last night in the forest, I and a Gasy friend brought a bunch of beer out to the forest and we had a little farewell party. Great fun with air guitar, Journey, Tenacious D, Guns'n'Roses, and many more. Upon leaving, Jody and Alistair donated many prints of pictures they had taken of the lemurs in the forest for my plan to start and interpretive center in my house. They also gave me tons of education materials that I can use with English and environmental science classes that I've gotten started. Thanks again to two folks who get it and have their hearts in the right places. I'll miss you guys! Please check out The Zaza Project, which is led by Jody and Alistair and pays for academically excelling children in my community to go to school. Also check out their blog for some cool videos of the Maromizaha Forest.
This week, I got my butt handed to me as well. I told one of my good friends in my town, Tahiry, that I wanted to learn the Malagasy method of farming rice. I figured it'd be a good idea to get out in the fields and work with the people a little bit before I try to introduce them to improved methods. Here's what I learned: the agricultural revolution that occurred during the 1800s in the West has yet to make it to this island in the Pacific Ocean. The work that a discing tractor does today is still done by hand here. And lemme tell ya, I will never again look at the farms the same way in the States. Using a tool called a "piosy" (basically a large hoe with a spade-shaped head), we plowed a plot measuring maybe 35ft by 15ft, during an hour and a half. And I was done. Very done. The respect I have the for the Malagasy farmer just keeps getting higher. Hopefully, we can get some methods going that will help them get more fruit from their labor.
On Tuesday this week, an Italian NGO called BIRD (Biodiversity Integration and Rural Development) visited my site. They came with school supplies, backpacks, shirts, hats, donated clothes, and a little bit of funding for the school garden and orchard. Much thanks!! The group's leader was, however, curious about what had happened to 50 solar ovens the organization had given the previous year. I told him I hadn't seen anyone using them at all (also, I was wondering how effective a solar oven might be in rainforest country). A later found out most folks are using them for rice storage in their houses, a much better use for a solar oven in my region. This left me wondering about approaches to development that many organizations and government branches take. I'm glad I'm a part of the approach that allows the "help" to get to know the people, their problems, and their strengths before implementing a project or investing money into a project that, without proper knowledge of the region or the people's needs, may have no affect at all towards "development". Haha oh, Dr. Cornett, yes I remember our class together several years ago. And no, there's no firm ground to place the definition of "development" on. It is a fluid idea. I always liked Amartya Sen's book, "Development as Freedom". Freedom from what? A key question he tries to answer in the book. "Freedom from suffering" I think was one of the answers that stuck with me the strongest.
By the way, my director for the PC Environment Sector blessed me with a site visit this week on Wednesday. It's always great to see the Stanislas. Hard to believe I've been at site for almost 5 months here. 5 months down, 19 to go. And trust me, folks, it flies at times.
Much love to everyone back home in States and wherever you may be reading! I miss home everyday but I also cannot shake the feeling of being blessed to be where I am.
Keep in touch and enjoy the ride!
J
About two weeks ago, I intended a "miaramatory" which literally translates as "sleep together". I know, sounds like a fun little kids sleep over party, right? Not quite. A friend of mine who volunteers with the Forest Police, Dolimo, had a son die of a cold. A year and half year old kid. Probably one of the saddest things I've ever experienced. I'm no stranger to death and the sadness that follows it, but never with such a young life lost. Now, a miaramatory may be similar to what we call a "wake" in English. The night after the child had died, all community members who feel compelled to attend, go to the family's house for the entire night to keep the family company. The body is placed in the main room of the house and a "lamba", a Malagasy traditional cloth, is placed over the body, with candles surrounding it. Food is served (rice and laoka, of course). Taoka gasy (malagasy moonshine) is also served and brought by many who attend. People play cards and dominos all through the night. Food and alcohol is also continuously served. It is traditional for people to stay the entire night but it is not expected. Imagine in the States, the day after you've lost a child, the entire community comes to your house for the whole night to have party with you. Strange. But strangely very cool, too. My friend, Dolimo, that night told me he didn't expect me to come because he thought I was just a vazaha who was just visiting Madagascar. I realized very quickly after getting to this island that I am not just visiting here. It really set in one day during language class one day way back during training when I learned to say "I live here in Madagascar" in Malagasy. But after attending the miaramatory, as sad as it was, it was amazing to see people take such a sad situation and use it to be able to bring the community together in a very strong way. Even allowing the American to participate and attend. Thanks Madagascar.
Two Saturdays ago, a meeting was held at the Maromizaha Center, out in the middle of our forest center with all of the high ups of my partner organizations. I was stoked to meet and get to talk to them about projects and stuff! But all we did was watch movies about the environment in Madagascar (you know, the BBC specials). But really? We all have the opportunity to get together, high ups and people working on the ground, and talk about our work together and, we do what?, watch movies? Come on. Either way, it was cool meet the high ups and stuff.
My friends Jody and Alistair left last week as well. They were in the forest for about 3 months doing research on baby lemurs. It was very sad to see them go! But they went out with a bang. During their last week in the forest, they hosted 12 American students doing a study abroad here in Madagascar and introduced them to the amazing forest and life that is here in Madagascar. It was great to see people as thrilled at hearing the indris for the first time as I was when I first heard them. Their last night in the forest, I and a Gasy friend brought a bunch of beer out to the forest and we had a little farewell party. Great fun with air guitar, Journey, Tenacious D, Guns'n'Roses, and many more. Upon leaving, Jody and Alistair donated many prints of pictures they had taken of the lemurs in the forest for my plan to start and interpretive center in my house. They also gave me tons of education materials that I can use with English and environmental science classes that I've gotten started. Thanks again to two folks who get it and have their hearts in the right places. I'll miss you guys! Please check out The Zaza Project, which is led by Jody and Alistair and pays for academically excelling children in my community to go to school. Also check out their blog for some cool videos of the Maromizaha Forest.
This week, I got my butt handed to me as well. I told one of my good friends in my town, Tahiry, that I wanted to learn the Malagasy method of farming rice. I figured it'd be a good idea to get out in the fields and work with the people a little bit before I try to introduce them to improved methods. Here's what I learned: the agricultural revolution that occurred during the 1800s in the West has yet to make it to this island in the Pacific Ocean. The work that a discing tractor does today is still done by hand here. And lemme tell ya, I will never again look at the farms the same way in the States. Using a tool called a "piosy" (basically a large hoe with a spade-shaped head), we plowed a plot measuring maybe 35ft by 15ft, during an hour and a half. And I was done. Very done. The respect I have the for the Malagasy farmer just keeps getting higher. Hopefully, we can get some methods going that will help them get more fruit from their labor.
On Tuesday this week, an Italian NGO called BIRD (Biodiversity Integration and Rural Development) visited my site. They came with school supplies, backpacks, shirts, hats, donated clothes, and a little bit of funding for the school garden and orchard. Much thanks!! The group's leader was, however, curious about what had happened to 50 solar ovens the organization had given the previous year. I told him I hadn't seen anyone using them at all (also, I was wondering how effective a solar oven might be in rainforest country). A later found out most folks are using them for rice storage in their houses, a much better use for a solar oven in my region. This left me wondering about approaches to development that many organizations and government branches take. I'm glad I'm a part of the approach that allows the "help" to get to know the people, their problems, and their strengths before implementing a project or investing money into a project that, without proper knowledge of the region or the people's needs, may have no affect at all towards "development". Haha oh, Dr. Cornett, yes I remember our class together several years ago. And no, there's no firm ground to place the definition of "development" on. It is a fluid idea. I always liked Amartya Sen's book, "Development as Freedom". Freedom from what? A key question he tries to answer in the book. "Freedom from suffering" I think was one of the answers that stuck with me the strongest.
By the way, my director for the PC Environment Sector blessed me with a site visit this week on Wednesday. It's always great to see the Stanislas. Hard to believe I've been at site for almost 5 months here. 5 months down, 19 to go. And trust me, folks, it flies at times.
Much love to everyone back home in States and wherever you may be reading! I miss home everyday but I also cannot shake the feeling of being blessed to be where I am.
Keep in touch and enjoy the ride!
J
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Southern Highlands
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to ride in a private brousse (with Jody Weir and her husband, Alistair, who are doing research in the Maromizaha Forest) to the Fianarantsoa area of Madagascar. When in Mada, a private brousse is always preferred to the often painful taxi brousse (long legged vazaha, van crammed with Malagasy, no leg room, you get the idea). Fianarantsoa is the center of the Betsileo region of Madagascar, the Southern Highlands, which is reached by Route National 7 (RN7) about 8 hours south of Antananarivo. This area of the country features some of the most beautiful landscapes I have seen yet in Mada. It has all mostly been deforested, save for some few stands of endemic trees and many eucalyptus stands (used for making charcoal). The remaining vegetation is scrubby and grassy because of the relative dryness of the area due to the rain shadow caused by the chain of mountains that runs along the entirety of the east coast of Madagascar (relative because of the very wet East and the quite arid South and West). Terraced rice fields and houses that were built from the very earth they stand upon are enumerable in this area. The mountains of the Southern Highlands feature monstrous rock faces and stone hills that continue from Antananarivo through Antsirabe and to the south of Fianar. Antsirabe is located close to a dormant volcano crater (some 100km in area) that offers extremely fertile farmland, providing the region with some of the best vegetables one can find on the island. I, however, am yet to spend any time in Antsirabe. Add it to the looooong list of places I have to go here.
But I was able to spend a couple of days in Fianar, and I loved it. The feel of the city reminded me of the month I spent in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico, in 2008. I was also lucky in that the weather was fantastic while I was there. The days were sunny, dry, and breezy and the nights clear and brisk. Fianarantsoa in Malagasy translates as "good learning", and there are several universities located there. The first night I was there, a fellow PCV was throwing herself and several other volunteers a going home (to the States) party and invited many Malagasy folks as well. It felt strange to meet so many Malagasy people all at once who could speak English so well. I was impressed, to say the least. The city also offered some delicious eats. I had the best pizza I've had in 6 months, with grilled chicken, artichokes, tomatoes, garlic, and great cheese. I also ate ice cream for breakfast. Twice. I bought a kilo of garlic (real garlic! not teeny tiny POS garlic) for $1.50. I spent two nights in Fianar and one night about an hour south of there in a city called Ambalavao, where I and a few other PCVs visited another PCV's site (thanks again to Brad for the hospitality!). We made an amazing chili and a salad bar (a salad, really, that we just made way too much of).
Meanwhile, back at the ranch (my site), I have given a couple of compost pile demonstrations and worked with a couple of farmers building compost piles near there bean and rice fields. I have also been giving informal English lessons to whoever has wanted to learn (mazotobe!) but next week I've called a couple of meetings with the guides that work in my forest to organize a more formal English class schedule, which should be up and running in about 2 weeks time. Also, beginning in about 2 weeks, I will have my first Environment Kids Club session, teaching kids about the forest that they live so close to and how it relates to their life and to the world at large. It's also getting close to rice season and I plan on getting out and getting dirty working the fields with several farmers. Blisters on the hands much? Ai i ra! I want to learn their methods of farming before I start trying to introduce them to advanced yield techniques (System of Rice Intensification or SRI).
Rat update: add 3 to the running tally for a total of 8 so far killed in Madagascar at my hands. Good news: the past two nights, there were no rats whatsoever in my house!
Take care folks!
Until next time, Go VOLS!
James
But I was able to spend a couple of days in Fianar, and I loved it. The feel of the city reminded me of the month I spent in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico, in 2008. I was also lucky in that the weather was fantastic while I was there. The days were sunny, dry, and breezy and the nights clear and brisk. Fianarantsoa in Malagasy translates as "good learning", and there are several universities located there. The first night I was there, a fellow PCV was throwing herself and several other volunteers a going home (to the States) party and invited many Malagasy folks as well. It felt strange to meet so many Malagasy people all at once who could speak English so well. I was impressed, to say the least. The city also offered some delicious eats. I had the best pizza I've had in 6 months, with grilled chicken, artichokes, tomatoes, garlic, and great cheese. I also ate ice cream for breakfast. Twice. I bought a kilo of garlic (real garlic! not teeny tiny POS garlic) for $1.50. I spent two nights in Fianar and one night about an hour south of there in a city called Ambalavao, where I and a few other PCVs visited another PCV's site (thanks again to Brad for the hospitality!). We made an amazing chili and a salad bar (a salad, really, that we just made way too much of).
Meanwhile, back at the ranch (my site), I have given a couple of compost pile demonstrations and worked with a couple of farmers building compost piles near there bean and rice fields. I have also been giving informal English lessons to whoever has wanted to learn (mazotobe!) but next week I've called a couple of meetings with the guides that work in my forest to organize a more formal English class schedule, which should be up and running in about 2 weeks time. Also, beginning in about 2 weeks, I will have my first Environment Kids Club session, teaching kids about the forest that they live so close to and how it relates to their life and to the world at large. It's also getting close to rice season and I plan on getting out and getting dirty working the fields with several farmers. Blisters on the hands much? Ai i ra! I want to learn their methods of farming before I start trying to introduce them to advanced yield techniques (System of Rice Intensification or SRI).
Rat update: add 3 to the running tally for a total of 8 so far killed in Madagascar at my hands. Good news: the past two nights, there were no rats whatsoever in my house!
Take care folks!
Until next time, Go VOLS!
James
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
The Wish List
So I figured I'd put the wish list into a more concise and sensible format. So here it is:
-Michael Jackson music: folks ask me about it all the time and I am just not knowledgable enough about the world's most famous pop star. Also, not everyone knows that he died in 2009. And even some of those who know that he "died", don't think he actually did but MAYBE he's living on the moon now. You be the judge.
-Books: this is absolutely key. Books about real people and events are great, as well as books about imaginary people and events. Also, I read a lot stuff in college that either I read an excerpt from just to do well on an exam or didn't appreciate at the time. Send me the classics (ie: the Bhagavad Gita, The Prince, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc).
-Books: that's right, it made the list twice. Books with lots of pictures are great for me to show the folks in my town who don't know English or don't know how to read at all (ie: kids). Particularly, books of American scenery, cities, wildlife, people, everything, would be great since people ask me what it's like all the time and the most descriptive adjective I have for them is "great".
-Seeds: flowers and vegetables. My mom already sent me some and they made it fine. Don't worry.
-Pilot G-2 Clicky Pens
-Burt's Bees Lip Balm: I'm addicted, I know. And I don't mean the kind with the sunblock in it. The original is just fine.
Drink mixes: Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Crystal Light, Mio, etc. The water I drink it my site comes from the river. Where people wash their clothes, dishes, and bathe themselves. I run this water through my handy-dandy, Peace Corps issued water filter. I then add Sûr Eau to it to purify it. Sûr Eau tastes like bleach. Drink mixes would greatly improve my enjoyment of drinking water.
Old Spice Deodorant: of the Pure Sport kind. I know, that's a real particular request. But it' what I like, and it's not on this island, and I stink. So there.
Seasonings: whatever ya got, send it my way. For those folks who have it in your local grocery store, I'm a big fan of Cavender's seasoning and the Rendezvous (for you West Tennessee people, you know who you are).
Earplugs: for folks who have never lived in a house that has zero sound proofing and in a town where there are approximately 40 roosters, try the Peace Corps. The roosters start around 3am. When one crows, they all gotta get a word in.
Anything you feel that I might like or that you like and would like for me to like, send it my way.
Also, in order to prevent tampering of the package or out right theft, mark the package as religious material. Put a big ole cross on it. Write "God Loves You" on it. Or you could even get clever and write "Jesosy Mamonjy" on it, which is "Jesus Saves" in Malagasy.
You guys are amazing. Thanks very much for thinking of me so far away over here on the other side of this weird world we live in.
James
-Michael Jackson music: folks ask me about it all the time and I am just not knowledgable enough about the world's most famous pop star. Also, not everyone knows that he died in 2009. And even some of those who know that he "died", don't think he actually did but MAYBE he's living on the moon now. You be the judge.
-Books: this is absolutely key. Books about real people and events are great, as well as books about imaginary people and events. Also, I read a lot stuff in college that either I read an excerpt from just to do well on an exam or didn't appreciate at the time. Send me the classics (ie: the Bhagavad Gita, The Prince, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc).
-Books: that's right, it made the list twice. Books with lots of pictures are great for me to show the folks in my town who don't know English or don't know how to read at all (ie: kids). Particularly, books of American scenery, cities, wildlife, people, everything, would be great since people ask me what it's like all the time and the most descriptive adjective I have for them is "great".
-Seeds: flowers and vegetables. My mom already sent me some and they made it fine. Don't worry.
-Pilot G-2 Clicky Pens
-Burt's Bees Lip Balm: I'm addicted, I know. And I don't mean the kind with the sunblock in it. The original is just fine.
Drink mixes: Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Crystal Light, Mio, etc. The water I drink it my site comes from the river. Where people wash their clothes, dishes, and bathe themselves. I run this water through my handy-dandy, Peace Corps issued water filter. I then add Sûr Eau to it to purify it. Sûr Eau tastes like bleach. Drink mixes would greatly improve my enjoyment of drinking water.
Old Spice Deodorant: of the Pure Sport kind. I know, that's a real particular request. But it' what I like, and it's not on this island, and I stink. So there.
Seasonings: whatever ya got, send it my way. For those folks who have it in your local grocery store, I'm a big fan of Cavender's seasoning and the Rendezvous (for you West Tennessee people, you know who you are).
Earplugs: for folks who have never lived in a house that has zero sound proofing and in a town where there are approximately 40 roosters, try the Peace Corps. The roosters start around 3am. When one crows, they all gotta get a word in.
Anything you feel that I might like or that you like and would like for me to like, send it my way.
Also, in order to prevent tampering of the package or out right theft, mark the package as religious material. Put a big ole cross on it. Write "God Loves You" on it. Or you could even get clever and write "Jesosy Mamonjy" on it, which is "Jesus Saves" in Malagasy.
You guys are amazing. Thanks very much for thinking of me so far away over here on the other side of this weird world we live in.
James
Monday, August 20, 2012
Ela ela!
Ela ela! Been a while! This is what the folks in my town tell me when I've been away for even just two days. I went to Tamatave (yes, again) a few weeks ago to meet with a professor of sustainable agriculture from Appalachian State University named Christoff. He comes to Madagascar once a year to work with the Ivoloina Zoological Park and the University of Toamasina (Tamatave). The plan was this: get to Ivoloina to meet with the gentleman early on a Saturday morning, have lunch, then head to the beach. Unfortunately, as often happens on this island, plans don't always work out the way you think they will. Dr. Christoff was not at Ivoloina that day until 4:30 in the afternoon so we were only able to meet for about an hour, when I had to head to the PCV Beth's house, who lives close to Ivoloina Park, where she made the best pizza and cake I have had on this island in her cob oven. Tena mahay.
Rat update: I have killed two in my house with my walking stick. I have found they are able to climb up the outside posts of my house, get it on the ceiling crossbeams, and go down my stairs into my kitchen where they love to eat whatever remnants of dinner is left in my pans (and leave their poop in them). The battle continues...
Last week was my stage's In-Service Training (IST). All the folks that I came to country with and I reported back to the training center in Mantasoa for a series of more in depth trainings on PC business (ie: funding, rice farming, chicken raising, and the like). It was fantastic to see everyone from the stage and get to hear everyone's experiences from site. One of the most interesting things was hearing how everyone had developed their Malagasy into the local dialects. Some folks I couldn't even understand when they spoke (you know who you are Tsy Mihety!!!). After IST, spent a couple of days in the capitol eating some amazingly good food.
This week, I'm hitching a ride with Jody, the Canadian researcher in my forest, down to Fianarantsoa to join a farewell party for some volunteers who are COSing soon. Then it's time for trainings again with CI in Moramanga! Where I'll be serving as a trainer for using GPS out in the forest and we'll be doing transects in Andasibe! Damn right.
Lastly, and most certainly not leastly, I have compiled a wish list for those who would like to put together a little something to send me here on this island halfway round the world. Much thanks:
Books (all kinds, good ones are preferred to bad ones, ones I may have read in college that I might like to revisit), picture books of American scenery and wildlife, oatmeal, Starburst, drink mixes, Old Spice Pure Sport Deodorant (whatever), magazines (sports, music, and the Economist are cool), wool socks and wool shirts (it rains here), music, AAA and AA batteries, Cavender's seasoning, Rendezvous seasoning, a flash drive (big wish, I know), external hardrive (even bigger haha)...
I'll try to update this list continually, but there ain't a whole lot this guy needs. Thanks in advance!!
Much love to everyone back home!
James
Rat update: I have killed two in my house with my walking stick. I have found they are able to climb up the outside posts of my house, get it on the ceiling crossbeams, and go down my stairs into my kitchen where they love to eat whatever remnants of dinner is left in my pans (and leave their poop in them). The battle continues...
Last week was my stage's In-Service Training (IST). All the folks that I came to country with and I reported back to the training center in Mantasoa for a series of more in depth trainings on PC business (ie: funding, rice farming, chicken raising, and the like). It was fantastic to see everyone from the stage and get to hear everyone's experiences from site. One of the most interesting things was hearing how everyone had developed their Malagasy into the local dialects. Some folks I couldn't even understand when they spoke (you know who you are Tsy Mihety!!!). After IST, spent a couple of days in the capitol eating some amazingly good food.
This week, I'm hitching a ride with Jody, the Canadian researcher in my forest, down to Fianarantsoa to join a farewell party for some volunteers who are COSing soon. Then it's time for trainings again with CI in Moramanga! Where I'll be serving as a trainer for using GPS out in the forest and we'll be doing transects in Andasibe! Damn right.
Lastly, and most certainly not leastly, I have compiled a wish list for those who would like to put together a little something to send me here on this island halfway round the world. Much thanks:
Books (all kinds, good ones are preferred to bad ones, ones I may have read in college that I might like to revisit), picture books of American scenery and wildlife, oatmeal, Starburst, drink mixes, Old Spice Pure Sport Deodorant (whatever), magazines (sports, music, and the Economist are cool), wool socks and wool shirts (it rains here), music, AAA and AA batteries, Cavender's seasoning, Rendezvous seasoning, a flash drive (big wish, I know), external hardrive (even bigger haha)...
I'll try to update this list continually, but there ain't a whole lot this guy needs. Thanks in advance!!
Much love to everyone back home!
James
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)