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
Saturday, September 29, 2012
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
Saturday, July 14, 2012
I love Indris
After my last trip to Tamatave for meetings with Conservation International, I returned to my site/bungalow for one night and then headed up to Moramanga again to watch the Euro Cup final with a fellow volunteer. Austin Rios, very sorry about Italy but they need to leave the fast-break offense to the pros: the NC Tar Heels. I then returned back to site and began preparing a 4th of July presentation for my local community. On Wednesday, July 4th, I had it all ready. Posters with interesting facts about the States and some good ole American playing. About 30 minutes after the time I said the presentation would start, about 50 people come walking down the road to my house. 50! That's about 48 more than I expected to show up. It went surprisingly well. Especially since I had learned most of the Malagasy vocabulary for the presentation only during the two days before actually giving it. Though it wasn't so much a presentation but a question and answer session. Mark it down as a small success for PC service.
I finally moved into my house! After living in my touristic bungalow for 2 months where nobody else lives and it's way too calm and quite (lame), I have finally moved into my PC site house and town. Now, in order to get all my stuff up to my house, we had to use what the Malagasy call a "kalesy". There is no English equivalent. A kalesy is cart made of wood, three roller skate wheels (two in the back, one on a swivel axel in the front for steering), some rope for turning the front axel, and a hunk of tire rubber nailed on the back which is stepped on as a break when going downhill. I have moved many times in my life and I consider myself to be fairly well experienced in it. But this was like no other. Pushing this kalesy up Route National 2, with ALL of my stuff packed high upon it, with semi-trucks and taxi-brousses flying by, and three very nice Malagasy guys to help me, we got it the 1.5km uphill to my town and house. My shower area and WC are not done yet, however. This is no problem as there is a WC at the elementary school (a 3 minute walk) and it's been just too cold for me to even want to take a shower. I actually took my first shower last night for the first time in almost two weeks. And I didn't even smell THAT bad.
My house: a two story structure built of pine wood and a roof made of ravinala (traveler's palm). Probably one of the biggest houses in town. The downstairs consists of what will be a office/meeting room for me and the local NGOs and community organizations to use. The downstairs also has my kitchen, where I use a propane gas stove to cook my food. Though, a very nice lady in town cooks my rice every evening for my dinner (more about Mama Helene later). Upstairs above all of this, is my living/sleeping area and my porch, which overlooks banana trees, bamboo, RN2, and the river. I think I've gotten pretty lucky with my living situation as far as many Peace Corps houses go. I thank the guys that built my house everyday for the great job they did.
Rats: one of the most common problems Peace Corps volunteers deal with. They tend to just be a fact of life for most of us that we just have to accept and get used. There are many things about my service here that I've learned to accept and deal with and just get along with life as it is. But...I. Hate. Rats. In my bungalow, I had a few of them (I killed three with a trap). Moving into my new house, I was so excited to be getting into a place where there would be no rats to keep me up at night and rummage through my stuff and food. Oh, how wrong I was. My first night in my new house, I wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of those nasty, disgusting, devilish creatures running around my house. I open my eyes to find one staring right into my face on my bedside table. I scream at it. Not from fear, but just plain anger. He scurries away and leaves. I don't sleep very much the rest of night as I can hear them rustling around my walls and ceiling. The next day, I go to Moramanga and buy some materials to plug up the holes in my house that they were coming in through. This works!...for a few days. They continue to find ways of getting into my house during the night even though I've plugged every visible entry point that I can see. This is one of those things that I can't "just get used to". This is one of those things where "I declare war upon thee, foul rodent!!!". The first stake-out is tonight. If I had a Batman mask, I would wear it.
Since moving into my house, I've also had the opportunity to go out into the Maromizaha Forest (the rainforest that I live adjacent to) and help the local research guides with Indri observation. There are approximately 100 individual Indris in Maromizaha. Of which about 20 (comprising 4 family groupes) have been habituated to human presence, allowing the researchers and I to get VERY close to them for observation (check my Facebook page for great Indri pictures, as well as other photos). Also, here's a link to a video I took of some Indri Vocalizations. I went out twice this week, and I cannot wait to get out there all the time. The Indri are not the only species of lemur in Maromizaha, there are 11 different other kinds: 6 total diurnal, 6 nocturnal. There are also diademed sifakas, which sport an orangey kind of color to the time and are absolutely beautiful (though I'm yet to see them in Maromizaha). There is also a researcher named Jody Weir from Canada doing studies on the Indri and diadamed sifakas and their infants' development. Check out her video blog. She is here at Maromizaha with her husband until September this year and I look to forward to talking to them more about possible collaborative efforts that we can put together.
Today, I sit here in Moramanga again, about to head back to site and go to a party with the Maromizaha guides this afternoon out in the forest where Jody and her husband, Alastaire, are staying.
Much love to everyone and do keep in touch!
James
Monday, July 2, 2012
June
I have a new address (send me stuff)!!!
James Shelton, PCV Peace Corps
BP 73
514 Moramanga
Madagascar
During the trainings with Conservation International (CI) that I attended a couple of weeks ago here in Moramanga, I happened to meet several Sri Lankan gem miners who were staying at the same hotel as me. I was in my room blasting some Bruce Springsteen on my laptop when a knock came on my door. I opened it to find what I thought was a Malagasy person because he looked like one and when I began speaking to him in Malagasy, he responded in Gasy as well that he was looking for a friend of his and that he had found the wrong room. I wound up hanging out with this fellow and several of his friends for about an hour and a half that night, speaking only in Malagasy because we had no other common language. Who would have thought in my life that I would meet Sri Lankans and the only common language we had would be Malagasy? Hooray for the world!
Also, during the same training sessions with CI, we went out in the rain forest to practice what we had learned (what I had taught) about using GPS. What I wasn't told is that we would be doing a "transect", a forest survey where you pick two points in the woods, 2 kilometers apart, and go and map it with the GPS and see what you see. This was quite likely the most difficult 2 kilometers I have ever walked in my life. Not because it was an uphill/downhill sort of trek, but because the rainforest here is some of the thickest, most dense forest I have ever tried to walk through. You fight the vines (many with thorns), the ground and forest is completely soaked, the trail (haha there wasn't one) is extremely slippery. I came out of the rainforest, transect accomplished (which took 4 hours) and I was completely drenched, dehydrated, hands and feet cut to shreds thanks to the vines, and utterly exhausted. And SOMEHOW, all of the Malagasy folks came out totally dry, not thirsty at all (they didn't even bring water out there with them and I had had a liter of it), no scrapes, cuts, or bruises, and remarking that tomorrow we would be doing the same thing again. I did not join them for Round 2 of the Death March.
The following Sunday (June 24th), I went to Andasibe again to join some fellow volunteers to celebrate another volunteer's birthday. Her parent's were in-country on vacation and they took us out to dinner that night to one of the finest restaurants Madagascar has to offer at the Vakona Lodge (thank you again Hoggards!!!, if you ever happen to read this). But earlier that day, we went to the Vakona Lodge's "Lemur Island". Yes, this is one of the most touristy places one could go here in Madagascar, but I didn't care, I wanted to see lemurs up close and personal. And that we did, climbing all over us, jumping from shoulder to shoulder, following the park operators offering of bananas. (There are some cool photos on the Facebook page). One of the most ridiculous things about Lemur Island is you have to take a canoe to cross about a 3 meter stretch of water that's only about 6 inches deep. Peace Corps volunteers would much rather trek through the mud, but we were tourists that day and took the canoe.
Myself and 3 other volunteers left Andasibe for Moramanga on June 25th, the day before Madagascar Independence Day and were joined by two more later that day. There was a parade at night with people carrying candle lanterns and LED glow sticks and laser pointers. Plenty of drunks as well. Kids were throwing firecrackers in the streets, they particularly liked throwing them at semi-trucks. The day of the 26th of June (Independence Day), the town fell quiet. Apparently, we had all missed the memo that the party is on the 25th and the 26th is used as a family/recuperation day. Ah well.
On the 27th, as I was getting ready to head back to site, I get a text from my counterpart saying that he'd forgotten to tell me but there were some more trainings starting the next day in Tamatave and that I should go. An hour later, I was on a brousse heading for the coast...again. I attended another round of meetings with CI (quite similar to the meetings I attended about a month ago). But I can't complain, I like these free trips to the coast.
It's very hard to believe that I've been at site now for almost two months, though I don't actually live in my house yet cause it is STILL not done. Such is the manner of things here on this island. But time seems to fly here, though everything seems to move along quite slowly. I have my in-service training (IST) beginning the 4th of August for a week back in Mantasoa with all of the other volunteers from my stage. When I was installed on May 9th, it felt like 3 months would drag along and that it would take forever to get to IST, but it's 5 weeks away now and I realize that that's going go by very quickly. Can't wait to see everyone again back at the ole training center for some Tranobe time!
If you folks have any specific questions about my goings on here or about Madagascar, feel free to send me an email at jwshelto@gmail.com, and I'll try to answer as honestly and quickly as I can.
Amin'ny manaraka indray!
J
James Shelton, PCV Peace Corps
BP 73
514 Moramanga
Madagascar
During the trainings with Conservation International (CI) that I attended a couple of weeks ago here in Moramanga, I happened to meet several Sri Lankan gem miners who were staying at the same hotel as me. I was in my room blasting some Bruce Springsteen on my laptop when a knock came on my door. I opened it to find what I thought was a Malagasy person because he looked like one and when I began speaking to him in Malagasy, he responded in Gasy as well that he was looking for a friend of his and that he had found the wrong room. I wound up hanging out with this fellow and several of his friends for about an hour and a half that night, speaking only in Malagasy because we had no other common language. Who would have thought in my life that I would meet Sri Lankans and the only common language we had would be Malagasy? Hooray for the world!
Also, during the same training sessions with CI, we went out in the rain forest to practice what we had learned (what I had taught) about using GPS. What I wasn't told is that we would be doing a "transect", a forest survey where you pick two points in the woods, 2 kilometers apart, and go and map it with the GPS and see what you see. This was quite likely the most difficult 2 kilometers I have ever walked in my life. Not because it was an uphill/downhill sort of trek, but because the rainforest here is some of the thickest, most dense forest I have ever tried to walk through. You fight the vines (many with thorns), the ground and forest is completely soaked, the trail (haha there wasn't one) is extremely slippery. I came out of the rainforest, transect accomplished (which took 4 hours) and I was completely drenched, dehydrated, hands and feet cut to shreds thanks to the vines, and utterly exhausted. And SOMEHOW, all of the Malagasy folks came out totally dry, not thirsty at all (they didn't even bring water out there with them and I had had a liter of it), no scrapes, cuts, or bruises, and remarking that tomorrow we would be doing the same thing again. I did not join them for Round 2 of the Death March.
The following Sunday (June 24th), I went to Andasibe again to join some fellow volunteers to celebrate another volunteer's birthday. Her parent's were in-country on vacation and they took us out to dinner that night to one of the finest restaurants Madagascar has to offer at the Vakona Lodge (thank you again Hoggards!!!, if you ever happen to read this). But earlier that day, we went to the Vakona Lodge's "Lemur Island". Yes, this is one of the most touristy places one could go here in Madagascar, but I didn't care, I wanted to see lemurs up close and personal. And that we did, climbing all over us, jumping from shoulder to shoulder, following the park operators offering of bananas. (There are some cool photos on the Facebook page). One of the most ridiculous things about Lemur Island is you have to take a canoe to cross about a 3 meter stretch of water that's only about 6 inches deep. Peace Corps volunteers would much rather trek through the mud, but we were tourists that day and took the canoe.
Myself and 3 other volunteers left Andasibe for Moramanga on June 25th, the day before Madagascar Independence Day and were joined by two more later that day. There was a parade at night with people carrying candle lanterns and LED glow sticks and laser pointers. Plenty of drunks as well. Kids were throwing firecrackers in the streets, they particularly liked throwing them at semi-trucks. The day of the 26th of June (Independence Day), the town fell quiet. Apparently, we had all missed the memo that the party is on the 25th and the 26th is used as a family/recuperation day. Ah well.
On the 27th, as I was getting ready to head back to site, I get a text from my counterpart saying that he'd forgotten to tell me but there were some more trainings starting the next day in Tamatave and that I should go. An hour later, I was on a brousse heading for the coast...again. I attended another round of meetings with CI (quite similar to the meetings I attended about a month ago). But I can't complain, I like these free trips to the coast.
It's very hard to believe that I've been at site now for almost two months, though I don't actually live in my house yet cause it is STILL not done. Such is the manner of things here on this island. But time seems to fly here, though everything seems to move along quite slowly. I have my in-service training (IST) beginning the 4th of August for a week back in Mantasoa with all of the other volunteers from my stage. When I was installed on May 9th, it felt like 3 months would drag along and that it would take forever to get to IST, but it's 5 weeks away now and I realize that that's going go by very quickly. Can't wait to see everyone again back at the ole training center for some Tranobe time!
If you folks have any specific questions about my goings on here or about Madagascar, feel free to send me an email at jwshelto@gmail.com, and I'll try to answer as honestly and quickly as I can.
Amin'ny manaraka indray!
J
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
A day in the life
So I feel I have to make the ubiquitous post of what it's like to walk the streets of Madagascar as a big, white person. This post is more tailored towards folks back home than my fellow PCVs here in Madaland. In Malagasy, the term for anyone who is white is vazaha (pronounced: vah-ZAH). It literally translates as "foreigner". You pass people on the street and you can hear them as you pass say to one another, "That's a big vazaha that one." That's if they're being shy. "Bonjour vazaha!" is much more common, particularly amongst school children. Or sometimes they'll just yell "VAZAHA!", with a big smile on their face. Imagine, walking the streets of America as a foreigner and you can't go 20 paces without someone yelling at you, "Hey! Foreigner!". The idea that not every white person in Madagascar is NOT French is a difficult concept for the Malagasy because of the very strong French influence and presence throughout their history. It sometimes blows peoples minds when they throw a "Bonjour vazaha!" at you and you can respond in their language with, "Manakory! Tsy mahay teny fransay aho fa afaka miteny Malagasy. Amerikanina aho. Inona no vaovao?". Also, when younger children happen to look up and be standing below a vazaha, they often turn, screaming in terror, and run away. This is a response that is most likely due to the fact that many Malagasy parents tell their children that they'll sell them to the vazaha if they don't behave. Walking through my local market, vendors will often ask me if I want to buy their misbehaving children so that the kids will quit acting up. I'll joke back with them sometimes and say, "How much?". However, I've learned that you often HAVE to tell Malagasy when you're being sarcastic and just joking with them. Yeah, that's easy...
Now, I'm not really complaining. At times, it is quite annoying for people to yell "FOREIGNER!" at you all the time. But it also provides a lot of opportunities for me to see the surprised look on their faces when I come back at them in their own tongue and we can actually have a decent conversation about both of our lives. It is true that at my site people have stopped yelling it at me for the most part (though the "Bonjours" still come quite often, little by little though). Kids that I don't even know will yell "Manakory James!" at me now.
Here's a social experiment for you folks back in the States if you're feeling up to it: if you ever happen to be walking down your local city/small town streets and see someone who doesn't look like you and who could quite possibly not be from the United States, yell "FOREIGNER!" at them. Not in a mean or abrasive way. But loud and smiling! I would really be interested to see what this person's the reaction would be. Thank you very much.
In another news, I've been attending another round of training sessions with Conservation International (CI) this week in market town (Moramanga). This time, though, it's been much more interesting than the previous round in Tamatave. We've been doing sessions on how to systematically record data from forest research in a comprehensive manner. Today, we had a session on how to use GPS devices. However, I found myself being the trainer of the trainers and wound up leading the session. Now, this was likely not due to me having great expertise using GPS. But it was more likely due to my experience playing Grand Theft Auto on the XBOX with the Mugs back at the Manor and the Lodge hunting down Russian mafia. One can apply all kinds of skills as a Peace Corps volunteer.
We also had our regional Volunteer Action Committee (VAC) meeting in Moramanga this past weekend where most volunteers who live my area came to town. There were about 10 of us. Much less a meeting (which we did have and discussed in thorough detail the plans for our regional t-shirts) than an excuse to get to see and get to know fellow regional volunteers. We went to karaoke!! Folks, you know I don't like Neil Diamond, but I sang the hell out of "Sweet Caroline". And I also sang "Thriller" cause I found a shirt in the market earlier in the day with a series of zombies doing all the moves to the dance. Best $2 I've spent in Mada.
I miss y'all!
Take care folks!
J
Now, I'm not really complaining. At times, it is quite annoying for people to yell "FOREIGNER!" at you all the time. But it also provides a lot of opportunities for me to see the surprised look on their faces when I come back at them in their own tongue and we can actually have a decent conversation about both of our lives. It is true that at my site people have stopped yelling it at me for the most part (though the "Bonjours" still come quite often, little by little though). Kids that I don't even know will yell "Manakory James!" at me now.
Here's a social experiment for you folks back in the States if you're feeling up to it: if you ever happen to be walking down your local city/small town streets and see someone who doesn't look like you and who could quite possibly not be from the United States, yell "FOREIGNER!" at them. Not in a mean or abrasive way. But loud and smiling! I would really be interested to see what this person's the reaction would be. Thank you very much.
In another news, I've been attending another round of training sessions with Conservation International (CI) this week in market town (Moramanga). This time, though, it's been much more interesting than the previous round in Tamatave. We've been doing sessions on how to systematically record data from forest research in a comprehensive manner. Today, we had a session on how to use GPS devices. However, I found myself being the trainer of the trainers and wound up leading the session. Now, this was likely not due to me having great expertise using GPS. But it was more likely due to my experience playing Grand Theft Auto on the XBOX with the Mugs back at the Manor and the Lodge hunting down Russian mafia. One can apply all kinds of skills as a Peace Corps volunteer.
We also had our regional Volunteer Action Committee (VAC) meeting in Moramanga this past weekend where most volunteers who live my area came to town. There were about 10 of us. Much less a meeting (which we did have and discussed in thorough detail the plans for our regional t-shirts) than an excuse to get to see and get to know fellow regional volunteers. We went to karaoke!! Folks, you know I don't like Neil Diamond, but I sang the hell out of "Sweet Caroline". And I also sang "Thriller" cause I found a shirt in the market earlier in the day with a series of zombies doing all the moves to the dance. Best $2 I've spent in Mada.
I miss y'all!
Take care folks!
J
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