Top Ten (or more)-Dad's Trip to Mada

Its hard to believe that my dad's trip has already come and gone. I'm taking him to the airport tonight and then off he goes to the US. We had a great time, and had only a few minor mishaps...which is pretty impressive for a 2 week trip in Madagascar! With this trip come and gone though...I'm going to have to find something else to look forward to. Hopefully a trip home for Christmas/New Years will be possible. Anyway, here are some of our highlights...

Receiving a suitcase full of 45 pounds of Oreos, Parmesan cheese, Trader Joes snacks, conditioner, magazines, games and toys for my town, rechargeable batteries and NYT crossword puzzles. 

 





Befriending a 3 year old at the brousse station who was ready to come to Vatomandry with us. She had no problem touching our hands and telling us…"these are the vazaha’s (foreigner’s) hands” until her mom pulled her away.

 

Deciding to splurge on a lobster dinner in Vatomandry for about $14 only to find out that each meal came with two lobsters.

Introducing yoyos, bubble wands, and UNO to Tsarasambo. Also the iphone. 

Having a relatively problem free brousse experience, with only one flat tire and only 7 minutes of repairs…(this must be a country record).  Also Dad climbing in the back of the truck with 20 other people for the trip to Vatomandry.  

VAKONA LODGE in Andasibe. Chocolate cereal (with real milk), scrabble, hot water, ping pong…and lemurs. Also one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever been in…it was culture shock all over again.

Not being able to get to our hotel in Tana because of mass demonstrations blocking all the streets downtown…tear gas, lots of police and tens of thousands of people. I still deny the fact that there was ever tear gas…although my Dad says otherwise.

Surviving the road to Berenty in the dark…worse road I’ve ever seen in my life. My dad agrees. We spent more time driving next to the road than actually on it. The trip home was maybe worse seeing as I had been sick all night and had only stopped throwing up an hour before we left.

 Lemurs everywhere. Tanning in the sun, hanging in the trees, and watching us eat breakfast.

Hiking in the spiny forest and seeing all kinds of crazy looking plants. Also getting rained on despite it being a desert…luckily I had a bright orange umbrella to hike with.

Adventuring to Lokaro Bay in Fort Dauphin but first discovering we were traveling by boat…with a very dark storm in the distance. Arriving at a deserted beach and having a fresh fish lunch on the beach. 

 

 

 

 

Sitting at a local Malagasy bar looking out on the Indian Ocean, and literally feeling like we were going to fall into the ocean because of the slanted balcony. 

 

Being trailed by an Israeli couple for the second half of our vacation…from the airport, to Berenty to Fort Dauphin, to the isolated beach in Lokaro Bay. Eventually we started a conversation and became friends. Had the next few dinners with them in Fort Dauphin and Tana, and planned a future trip to Israel.

Bargaining on the streets of Tana for an instrument we didn’t actually want. The first price was 50,000Ar, and within 5 minutes they were down to 5,000Ar. And then 5,000Ar for three instruments…we still didn’t buy. 

Overall it was a great trip, and its sad to see him go...but he's leaving with lots of good stories and  great pictures. And seeing as it went really well...all I can say is that you should probably come visit too.

Books, books, books...

Seeing as I spend a large part of my PC life reading, it seems only fitting that one of my first big projects at site is starting an English library in Tsarasambo.

With a group of 18 volunteers in Madagascar, we're bringing 22,000 English books to Madagascar, and starting 18 libraries throughout the country. And Tsarasambo is going to have its very own English library with over 1000 books...which is a huge increase from the 0 English books we currently have. Interestingly, an NGO came and built a library at my site a few years ago...but there are no books in it. Maybe they forgot that small detail?

But just about every day I have people coming to my house to ask if I have any English books or magazines they can have...and I usually have to turn them down. But not for long. Although I live in a really rural village, its amazing to see how many people are trying to learn English. Its seen as a gateway to better work opportunities, and kids, teens and adults are always approaching me to teach English! But its hard learning a new language with no books or people to practice with...so this library is a great opportunity for my community, its schools and the motivated people trying to learn English.

But although the books are being provided by the American organization Books for Africa (booksforafrica.org), the volunteers and our communities have to cover the costs of transportation...which adds up pretty quickly since Madagascar is pretty far away....so now I'm going to make a shameless plug for your help.

We really could use your support in helping to fund this project to get our libraries up and running.

To read more about our project and learn how to donate you can follow this link:

https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=684-132

Sorry again to beg for money (and I'm extra sorry if I already emailed you about this)...but this really is a great cause, and even the tiniest donation will make a big difference all through Madagascar!

Pictures from the last few months

The house on the left was my house before the cyclone. The house on the right is the house they finished right after the cyclone.

Moving out of my old house...it didn't take too long.

At least the sunset makes the house rubble look pretty.

Dancing in cyclone rubble.

The soccer field and almost all the rice fields looked like this after the 3 cyclones/tropical storms...

But the kids still love to dance.

 

Vacation in Foulpointe.

Bungalows on the beach.

Nutrition education and baby weighing in Ambodivontaka.

SET made its way to Madagascar and the kids love it.