We went snorkeling with amazing weather off the coast of a small island Tanankely-- "small earth." The water was unbelievably clear (average visibility 45ft...meaning sometimes more....!), sands were white, and the sea life was incredible. I'm ignorant concerning the sea and therefore know very little about what I saw. Nonetheless....amazing!
At first I thought to myself "Whoah...I need to remember that!" but then it became impossible to remember. So many beautiful tropical fish of such diverse colors and shapes. A HUGE sea cucumber, sea anemones, many different types of coral, sea urchines of large black spines, shrimp-like somethings. It was unbelievably gorgeous. The only thing stopping me was the eventual salt in my lungs from being very unpractised with the snorkel. To top it all off I saw sea turtles!! my sea turtle expert of a friend informs me that they were hawksbill turtles. I got to swim with sea turtles! and even touch one! in nature! oh la la. moreover, my friend andrew got a short video of me swimming up to and touching one of the turtles.
after a morning of exploration of the sea, we had a beautiful picnic lunch on the beach under some trees that look like hibiscus. at least the same family. although I know i've only seen a small portion of this country, i didn't expect a coral reef habitat so lovely. maybe i subconciously thought that all it's wonders had been revealed?
We are back in Tana now preparing for departure. Last minute gifts, last minute internet, sharing a final meal, etc. Some of us are going to hitch a taxi to an artisinal market that should be interesting. I hope all is well, and I will be seeing you soon.
love, em
Monday, May 12, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
La Fin
The final title is: A case study of Medicinal Plants and Their Changing Availability at Two Sites South of Toliara. Big surprise (being a little sarcastic here), but the biggest threat to the habitats that I observed was the burning of wood for charcoal. Charcoal is basically the only way that the Malagasy people cook food. Supplying urban centers with charcoal is the number one cause of deforestation and habitiat destruction in the southwest Spiny Forest Ecoregion...and was the number one reason why there have been changes in the medicinal plants available at the two sites I studied. Situations are complex, though, and solutions are not simple. I won't go much further as it would require a lot of background information, but that's the gist of it.
All of the students convened in Fort Dauphin for two days of presentations. They were awesome! It was really interesting to hear about so many topics from different regions: marine sacred sites, education system in Faux-Cap, the mining industry (really really scary), shark fishing, ecotourism evaluations, etc....I really need to write about all it for myself.
Now we are in Tana for a day, picking up baggage, printing, etc. Onward to the northern beaches for some relaxation and a GIANT music festival. It should be fun, but I don't think i'm ready to be a tourist. It is very difficult to imagine that I will be home in TN in just a week. I knew this time would come, but my brain nonetheless is feeling uneasy. I'm excited to come home (family!), and i'm genuinely excited to be going back out to SROM to work, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to leave Madagascar.
Much love, Em
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
très occupée
I realise there are some things that I have left out of my blog (well, more than some...). Before we began out ISP, we had a nine week "Environmental Issues" study to do behind all of our lectures, traveling, and such. Mine was on public health and sanitation...water and trash is what it turned into (not literally of course). I interviewed all kinds of people: average street folk, doctor, a PhD student, several government officials, public works employees, etc. Finding written, and what I consider reliable, sources in this country can be nearly impossible So my final report was what I managed to find out, and not necessarily hard fact. It was still very worthwhile, though. Clean water is an enormous issue/problem for a lot of the Malagasy people. And for many developping nations. (I did get my hands on one good book about Third World Cities written several decades ago.)
Another thing I think I've failed to mention: the difficulty of being a white woman here. People aren't mean-- but men are ridiculous. I walk down the street and people hiss (i don't know how else to describe the noise) and say, "Bonjour cherie" "Tu es mon amour cherie," even being looked up and down like I am a desirable piece of meat. I've asked people about it, but many don't really know (ie they are men or Malagasy women). However, one person did tell me that there is almost a worship mentality of Americans. Nonetheless it makes me very angry. Sometimes I can laugh at the situation and how ridiculous they are.
For example, one day walking through the market past the meat stands (boy does that make one a vegetarian) and a guy with a nasty wife beater on, covered in meat juice and smelling of it, stretches out his arms right in front of me and says "BONJOUR CHERIE!" I gave him the dirtiest of looks, said "Non" really emphatically, and dodged him. In the meat market...!
I guess I should also take this time to say that Malagasy women have a very defined and restricted position. A man's decision rules. It's a woman's job to run the house and have children. They do not go out at night and can't drink (unless you are prostitute). If the man in a relationship is infertile, it is outwardly blamed on the women while the women must buy the medicinal plants to help him. Maybe all these Malagasy garcons are not used to asking, but demanding? It's really sad that they don't really have examples of how women deserve to be loved and respected.
Anyways, I realise now how much it has affected my stay. If I were here with a man-- even just to walk around with== things would be different. It's created fear, anxiety, a stone-cold face, and a greater inability to get to know the Malagasy people. For example, when an Irish PhD student joined our crew for a few days I found myself ignoring him as much as possible. I had become trained. Male: don't look him in the face, don't speak to him, avoid. I think by day 2 I realised this and apologized to him.
So brief overview of the past week plus:
-getting to know a fellow SITer a lot more as we are living together renting a room from a slightly crazy Malagasy woman. buying and cooking all of our own food and trying to fend off the rats!
-I spent my time in the field for my ISP at two sites. One, Namakia, I camped and cooked my own food. Good 'ole rice and lentils. A lot of mangroves and littorale scrubby stuff. Beautiful moon, drawing water from a well, learned a little more Malagasy, pounded some coffee beans, got to gather plants, and met a few people that are worthy of proper descriptions.
-second site, St. Augustine: worked with the local ombiasy for 2 days. vistited two very different habitats. learned about the local problems, saw a hog that was hog-tied (heehee), dealt with some creepy vazaha at a hotel, had some quality God-time, and gathered many more plants.
there's a lot more I could say. Maybe for future blogs! I'm still learning so much, and it's a little scary to think that I only have three more weeks. I have so much left to do, and s little time. But I'm excited to create a final product that is valuable to me and to others. I wish I had time to really write about the things that I am learning, but alas...
emily
Another thing I think I've failed to mention: the difficulty of being a white woman here. People aren't mean-- but men are ridiculous. I walk down the street and people hiss (i don't know how else to describe the noise) and say, "Bonjour cherie" "Tu es mon amour cherie," even being looked up and down like I am a desirable piece of meat. I've asked people about it, but many don't really know (ie they are men or Malagasy women). However, one person did tell me that there is almost a worship mentality of Americans. Nonetheless it makes me very angry. Sometimes I can laugh at the situation and how ridiculous they are.
For example, one day walking through the market past the meat stands (boy does that make one a vegetarian) and a guy with a nasty wife beater on, covered in meat juice and smelling of it, stretches out his arms right in front of me and says "BONJOUR CHERIE!" I gave him the dirtiest of looks, said "Non" really emphatically, and dodged him. In the meat market...!
I guess I should also take this time to say that Malagasy women have a very defined and restricted position. A man's decision rules. It's a woman's job to run the house and have children. They do not go out at night and can't drink (unless you are prostitute). If the man in a relationship is infertile, it is outwardly blamed on the women while the women must buy the medicinal plants to help him. Maybe all these Malagasy garcons are not used to asking, but demanding? It's really sad that they don't really have examples of how women deserve to be loved and respected.
Anyways, I realise now how much it has affected my stay. If I were here with a man-- even just to walk around with== things would be different. It's created fear, anxiety, a stone-cold face, and a greater inability to get to know the Malagasy people. For example, when an Irish PhD student joined our crew for a few days I found myself ignoring him as much as possible. I had become trained. Male: don't look him in the face, don't speak to him, avoid. I think by day 2 I realised this and apologized to him.
So brief overview of the past week plus:
-getting to know a fellow SITer a lot more as we are living together renting a room from a slightly crazy Malagasy woman. buying and cooking all of our own food and trying to fend off the rats!
-I spent my time in the field for my ISP at two sites. One, Namakia, I camped and cooked my own food. Good 'ole rice and lentils. A lot of mangroves and littorale scrubby stuff. Beautiful moon, drawing water from a well, learned a little more Malagasy, pounded some coffee beans, got to gather plants, and met a few people that are worthy of proper descriptions.
-second site, St. Augustine: worked with the local ombiasy for 2 days. vistited two very different habitats. learned about the local problems, saw a hog that was hog-tied (heehee), dealt with some creepy vazaha at a hotel, had some quality God-time, and gathered many more plants.
there's a lot more I could say. Maybe for future blogs! I'm still learning so much, and it's a little scary to think that I only have three more weeks. I have so much left to do, and s little time. But I'm excited to create a final product that is valuable to me and to others. I wish I had time to really write about the things that I am learning, but alas...
emily
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Tana to Toliara
01 Apr 2008
I feel as if I am standing on a ray. It starts at zero and goes towards infinity. It represents my time here and my ability to understand this place (spatially, culturally, economically, etc.). I'm standing somewhere to the right of zero. When I look back towards the beginning I can say "wow, look what i've learned, look how far I've come" but when I turn around, well, i've haven't moved at all. Maybe I should stand with an eye in each direction.
It's hard to believe that it's april and that i'm in this crazy city in Madagascar. Taking a shower here makes me feel like i"m in a bourne movie. (where's the black hair dye and scissors?)
03 Apr. 2008
We visited a zoo in Tana today. I know it's good for city folk to see and understand what wildlife is, but it was rather depressing. Large, beautiful birds of prey in a cage the size of a living room, a small living room. I saw many species of lemurs, but there was no glamour, no excitement. Just sadness staring at them through their screens.
We also visited an orphanage north of Tana: Orpheliat Akany Avoko. 120 children, mostly girls with 2 housing facilities. Most girls end up there through the Malagasy social work system, ie they have really terrible stories. We visited just to see, but also to learn about the environmentally friendly things they are doing simply out of necessity. Compost toilets, rainwater collection, solar ovens, make different charcoal and use with a fuel effecient stove, biogaz toilet, etc. They have a small school for the younger kids, and then they go to school outside. However, for girls that show up 16 yrs old never having learned to read....they put them on a different track and learn vocational type work: hairdressers, mofakondro baking, etc. They also use recycled paper to make paper again and make greeting cards, etc that they sell in a shop. All the proceeds go directly to the girls. THey also have a printshop and can make/sell t=shirts. We got to spend some time with the youngest kids. Overall, I was quite impressed! However, I also have to realise that this represents only a small portion of Malagasy homeless or abused children. The kids here are relatively lucky.
5 Apr.
How do we really understand eachother? What is communication? Is it all just words, words, and speaking without understanding? Is there always too much background information? Are there too many unspoken's? Are my ways of thinking, patterns of thought, categories of ideas, incompatible with others?
Being here has become a reality. It's weird to think that in a month or so it will no longer be a reality. I come here and don't belong in distinct ways, but Madagascar changes me nonetheless. So when I come home, do I really belong there either? Obviously I think it's worth it....otherwise there would have been no journey.
Right now if I were given the opportunity to worship with others, I would whole=heartedly. But where is my faith of a mustard seed? God's word is not exciting... I can't give my full attention to it. Not to meditation or prayer. I'm distracted by my own insecurities, anxiousness, thoughts, etc.
Then amongst all my rambling thoughts concerning belief in God what do I see posted on the taxi brousse wall, "Je suis avec vous tous les jours." (I am with you all the days) I don't know, I may not ever know.....and that's okay.
8 Apr.
Taxi-brousse: small van piled high, high, HIGH with tarps and rope to tie everything in place. Hard seats, 14 people or so, ride for over 24 hours, stop and ward off the vendors (scarves, mof balls, chicken, simosas, corn, rice cakes, none of which looks appetizing after 19 hours in a car), esape to pee, back ache, left leg no circulation, neck popping, where do I put my arm? I'm telling you, there's definitly room for my head there....
I"m in Toliara now working with medicinal plant vendors. I'll be in the field by the end of the week documenting medicinal plants of SW Madagascar. Basically my info will help (in small part) in the creation of an environmental education center near a small fishing village (Ankilibe 15 km south of toliara). A guy from WWF is the brainchild. He's working with others to try to get the funding from various organisations.
I had my first interviews with vendors today and it was GREAT! so much worry and it was really quite easy. Evette, the main gal, was so smiling and friendly. She was excited to share her knowledge with me. Moreover, now the first one is over. The rest are going to be really manageable....
love to EVERYONE,
emily
I feel as if I am standing on a ray. It starts at zero and goes towards infinity. It represents my time here and my ability to understand this place (spatially, culturally, economically, etc.). I'm standing somewhere to the right of zero. When I look back towards the beginning I can say "wow, look what i've learned, look how far I've come" but when I turn around, well, i've haven't moved at all. Maybe I should stand with an eye in each direction.
It's hard to believe that it's april and that i'm in this crazy city in Madagascar. Taking a shower here makes me feel like i"m in a bourne movie. (where's the black hair dye and scissors?)
03 Apr. 2008
We visited a zoo in Tana today. I know it's good for city folk to see and understand what wildlife is, but it was rather depressing. Large, beautiful birds of prey in a cage the size of a living room, a small living room. I saw many species of lemurs, but there was no glamour, no excitement. Just sadness staring at them through their screens.
We also visited an orphanage north of Tana: Orpheliat Akany Avoko. 120 children, mostly girls with 2 housing facilities. Most girls end up there through the Malagasy social work system, ie they have really terrible stories. We visited just to see, but also to learn about the environmentally friendly things they are doing simply out of necessity. Compost toilets, rainwater collection, solar ovens, make different charcoal and use with a fuel effecient stove, biogaz toilet, etc. They have a small school for the younger kids, and then they go to school outside. However, for girls that show up 16 yrs old never having learned to read....they put them on a different track and learn vocational type work: hairdressers, mofakondro baking, etc. They also use recycled paper to make paper again and make greeting cards, etc that they sell in a shop. All the proceeds go directly to the girls. THey also have a printshop and can make/sell t=shirts. We got to spend some time with the youngest kids. Overall, I was quite impressed! However, I also have to realise that this represents only a small portion of Malagasy homeless or abused children. The kids here are relatively lucky.
5 Apr.
How do we really understand eachother? What is communication? Is it all just words, words, and speaking without understanding? Is there always too much background information? Are there too many unspoken's? Are my ways of thinking, patterns of thought, categories of ideas, incompatible with others?
Being here has become a reality. It's weird to think that in a month or so it will no longer be a reality. I come here and don't belong in distinct ways, but Madagascar changes me nonetheless. So when I come home, do I really belong there either? Obviously I think it's worth it....otherwise there would have been no journey.
Right now if I were given the opportunity to worship with others, I would whole=heartedly. But where is my faith of a mustard seed? God's word is not exciting... I can't give my full attention to it. Not to meditation or prayer. I'm distracted by my own insecurities, anxiousness, thoughts, etc.
Then amongst all my rambling thoughts concerning belief in God what do I see posted on the taxi brousse wall, "Je suis avec vous tous les jours." (I am with you all the days) I don't know, I may not ever know.....and that's okay.
8 Apr.
Taxi-brousse: small van piled high, high, HIGH with tarps and rope to tie everything in place. Hard seats, 14 people or so, ride for over 24 hours, stop and ward off the vendors (scarves, mof balls, chicken, simosas, corn, rice cakes, none of which looks appetizing after 19 hours in a car), esape to pee, back ache, left leg no circulation, neck popping, where do I put my arm? I'm telling you, there's definitly room for my head there....
I"m in Toliara now working with medicinal plant vendors. I'll be in the field by the end of the week documenting medicinal plants of SW Madagascar. Basically my info will help (in small part) in the creation of an environmental education center near a small fishing village (Ankilibe 15 km south of toliara). A guy from WWF is the brainchild. He's working with others to try to get the funding from various organisations.
I had my first interviews with vendors today and it was GREAT! so much worry and it was really quite easy. Evette, the main gal, was so smiling and friendly. She was excited to share her knowledge with me. Moreover, now the first one is over. The rest are going to be really manageable....
love to EVERYONE,
emily
Monday, March 31, 2008
Antananarivo (Tana) & Andasibe
So I've been in Tana, the capital and largest city of Madagascar for three days in total (not including the visit to Anasibe). It's really big in relation to anywhere else that I have been so far: flushing toilets, semi running water, tall buildings, restaurants of many kindsm clothing shops, ice cream, 'bookstores,'etc. It's a little bizarre. The city is definitely more western, and therefore to a certain extent doesn't feel as Malagasy. But I'm enjoying the time with wide-eyes and walking slowly.
Before our visit to Andasibe we met up with SIT students on the Culture & Society program to see a Malagasy music performance. I went into the evening really craving some alone and journaling time, but ended up having a really great time. We heard music and saw dance from different regions in Madagascar. Performance dancing quickly became participatory dancing, and man was there a lot of dancing. I loved it: the performers dances, familiar Tandroy dances, our crews Faux Cap dances, played follow the leader with the pros, and generally had a grand ole time. Really fun!!!
The next day we left for Andasibe. Along the way we stopped at Madagscar Exotique where chameleons, frogs, snakes, butterflies, geckos, and other various creatures are raised/bred for education, tourism, and research purposes. It was the bomb!!! I saw the coolest chameleons and frogs that I will ever see in my entire life. There are too many to recount: beautiful colors, amazing facial structures, protruding eyes, hands with five toes seperated in two sections, distinct walks, long curled tails, amazingly long tongues to catch insects at long distances. I really wish I could post some pictures...BIG, small, all colors, all shapes....
AND i got to hold the smallest reptile in the world-- the Brookesia minima. It was about an inch long as an adult. Feet so tiny with so many moveable parts all working together. At this point in the trip I didn't think that I was going to get to see one. Although it was in a zoo-type environment, it still made me REALLY happy. YEA! We also got to play with leaf geckos (and seriously I could go on and on about these as well), boas, brightly-colored and winged stick buugs, a large tomatoe frog, two species of tiny and brilliant frogs, more chameleons, butterflies, a HUGE beautiful moth, more chameleons, a baby boa, and more chameleons. It was overwhelmingly wonderful. After arrival at the hotel we went on a night walk to see more wildlife that I don't have the time to talk about. It was a beautiful night that felt a lot like a Tennesse summer. I felt like either running or dancing and ended up doing some of both.
In the morning we went on a walk in the parc-- a rainforest full of weird plants and epiphytes that I have never seen in my life. We also saw, or rather tried to see, the leaf-tailed gecko. CRAZY camoflauge! We also saw the Indri indri, another species of lemur. THey are the largest, maybe the size of a short human being...4ft or so. They are colored kind of like a panda with small furry ears and no tail. Moreover, they have an extremely loud and eerie wail that can be heard up to three km away. On a solitary bathroom stop I was surrounded (from high in the trees) and simply could not believe the force of their..wailing. It was surreal and awe-some.
I have more to say that isn't just facts, but I've locked my hotel-mate out of the room and need to get back. Hope everyone is doing well! We're hoping to get mail from FD tomorrow!! love, em
Before our visit to Andasibe we met up with SIT students on the Culture & Society program to see a Malagasy music performance. I went into the evening really craving some alone and journaling time, but ended up having a really great time. We heard music and saw dance from different regions in Madagascar. Performance dancing quickly became participatory dancing, and man was there a lot of dancing. I loved it: the performers dances, familiar Tandroy dances, our crews Faux Cap dances, played follow the leader with the pros, and generally had a grand ole time. Really fun!!!
The next day we left for Andasibe. Along the way we stopped at Madagscar Exotique where chameleons, frogs, snakes, butterflies, geckos, and other various creatures are raised/bred for education, tourism, and research purposes. It was the bomb!!! I saw the coolest chameleons and frogs that I will ever see in my entire life. There are too many to recount: beautiful colors, amazing facial structures, protruding eyes, hands with five toes seperated in two sections, distinct walks, long curled tails, amazingly long tongues to catch insects at long distances. I really wish I could post some pictures...BIG, small, all colors, all shapes....
AND i got to hold the smallest reptile in the world-- the Brookesia minima. It was about an inch long as an adult. Feet so tiny with so many moveable parts all working together. At this point in the trip I didn't think that I was going to get to see one. Although it was in a zoo-type environment, it still made me REALLY happy. YEA! We also got to play with leaf geckos (and seriously I could go on and on about these as well), boas, brightly-colored and winged stick buugs, a large tomatoe frog, two species of tiny and brilliant frogs, more chameleons, butterflies, a HUGE beautiful moth, more chameleons, a baby boa, and more chameleons. It was overwhelmingly wonderful. After arrival at the hotel we went on a night walk to see more wildlife that I don't have the time to talk about. It was a beautiful night that felt a lot like a Tennesse summer. I felt like either running or dancing and ended up doing some of both.
In the morning we went on a walk in the parc-- a rainforest full of weird plants and epiphytes that I have never seen in my life. We also saw, or rather tried to see, the leaf-tailed gecko. CRAZY camoflauge! We also saw the Indri indri, another species of lemur. THey are the largest, maybe the size of a short human being...4ft or so. They are colored kind of like a panda with small furry ears and no tail. Moreover, they have an extremely loud and eerie wail that can be heard up to three km away. On a solitary bathroom stop I was surrounded (from high in the trees) and simply could not believe the force of their..wailing. It was surreal and awe-some.
I have more to say that isn't just facts, but I've locked my hotel-mate out of the room and need to get back. Hope everyone is doing well! We're hoping to get mail from FD tomorrow!! love, em
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Parcs National
Since Toliara we've been camping and traveling through four national parks: Isalo, Anja, Andringitra, et Ranomafana. At Isalo we saw lots of interesting rock formations, swam in a natural piscine, and went on a sunrise walk to see the canyon from above. In Anja an Irish man from an English university joined our crew, Bary Ferguson. He's working on his PhD in the Mandrare Valley region in community based ecotourism. We had two formal lectures from him, but also spent a lot of time just picking his brain. He's been in/around Madagascar for quite some time and was very open to oour questions/ goofing off. In Anja we also saw some cliff tombs that were both beautiful and impressive. Coffins 100s of feet up in eroded pockets of rock.
In Andringitra we a saw different variant of lemur catta, and climbed Madagascar's second highest peak-- Imarivolanitra (2658m) "close to the heavens." It was formerly named after a researcher's dog, Pk. Boby. I'm glad they renamed it. We also saw several different chameleon's all no bigger than my pointer finger. One was digging a hole to lay her eggs in!
Ranomafana literallly means hot water, and is the most touristy of all the parcs we visited. We ran into bus groups going on guided tours-- a little bizarre to see so many pale skinned Europeans. Here we saw the Golden Bamboo lemur, chameleons, frogs, and a harmless snake that was going to eat a chameleon. PS the snails here are HUGE...about the size of a fat twinkie. I also got to see up close another species of mouselemur on a night walk. I know they're wild animals, but dang it was cute. We also got a lecture from BioVal, a nonprofit working in/around RanomafanThis whole journey between parcs was filled with farmland, mostly rice cultivation. and lots of burning. It's ironic to see a sign to enter a parc, andlook around to see the hills smoking...
I feel as if I am beginning to synthesize information and experiences more. Understanding situations in order to ask critical questions, etc. Also have realized more about my presence here. I was not warned that because I am white and female that I would be hit on almost mercilessly. Because of this, I have to walk down the street with determination, and learn how to give people rather evil stares. I'm used to being nice to people... How do I show love to people with such a culture and language barrier?
I've also realised that I probably sounded a bit critical or depressed about the village stay. Although that is accurate and those observations are real...they are not the whole picture. I just happened to be interviewing villagers about a part of their life that is really DIFFICULT. there are many others aspects of their lives that are joyful and beautiful. Maybe I'm coming to appreciate those things more now? There is beauty in the breakdown that exists here--- and the breakdown that exists across the globe. I've also thought a lot about what the word development means. Surprisingly enough, there are many people working/helping out here that haven't thought about it.
Oddly enough, the group of American students here has made me think about who I am...They see such a small portion of what I think of as myself, and most of those factors are external: I have an eyebrow ring, I don't smoke, I love mountains and rocks, I'm the one who knows a little about plants, and i'm more of a tomboy.... BUt ultimately I am a daughter of God, a sister to others, and a woman of God.God has made me with love, and continues to make me resilient and beautiful. I've been able to say this to others a lot: you areloved, you are cared for, you are beautiful. BUt I don't know how much I've been able to receive this, think this about myself. So....I'm receiving. and it's really nice.
Red dirt scraping the earth
Colonial vocabulary howling by
palm, brick, shelter
and soft pierced ears.
There is no forest.
There is no forest.
There is no forest.
Rice moves higher jusqu'a
Mountains collapse on themselves
as bodies churn.
Feet pound again, and again.
Circle forms, souffle fort et sharp
Hands tremor, tremble, raised high
Joy greets Pain: familiar smile and knowing eyes.
Mamapriza grunts a nod
pounding, tako, grinding, tako
My vazaha mind is a ball and chain around my throat.
How do I say I love you?
I'm leaving soon and I need to say I love you.
My soul is choking on the words.
Western law calls itself Jesus.
Top down shalls and shall-nots
You know, there is a dead body on that cross.
His feet were dirty too.
Don't fix me.
Scars on scars on hearts from failed operations.
Brothers, sisters, please,
down to the river to pray.
Dad's waiting with open eyes.
In Andringitra we a saw different variant of lemur catta, and climbed Madagascar's second highest peak-- Imarivolanitra (2658m) "close to the heavens." It was formerly named after a researcher's dog, Pk. Boby. I'm glad they renamed it. We also saw several different chameleon's all no bigger than my pointer finger. One was digging a hole to lay her eggs in!
Ranomafana literallly means hot water, and is the most touristy of all the parcs we visited. We ran into bus groups going on guided tours-- a little bizarre to see so many pale skinned Europeans. Here we saw the Golden Bamboo lemur, chameleons, frogs, and a harmless snake that was going to eat a chameleon. PS the snails here are HUGE...about the size of a fat twinkie. I also got to see up close another species of mouselemur on a night walk. I know they're wild animals, but dang it was cute. We also got a lecture from BioVal, a nonprofit working in/around RanomafanThis whole journey between parcs was filled with farmland, mostly rice cultivation. and lots of burning. It's ironic to see a sign to enter a parc, andlook around to see the hills smoking...
I feel as if I am beginning to synthesize information and experiences more. Understanding situations in order to ask critical questions, etc. Also have realized more about my presence here. I was not warned that because I am white and female that I would be hit on almost mercilessly. Because of this, I have to walk down the street with determination, and learn how to give people rather evil stares. I'm used to being nice to people... How do I show love to people with such a culture and language barrier?
I've also realised that I probably sounded a bit critical or depressed about the village stay. Although that is accurate and those observations are real...they are not the whole picture. I just happened to be interviewing villagers about a part of their life that is really DIFFICULT. there are many others aspects of their lives that are joyful and beautiful. Maybe I'm coming to appreciate those things more now? There is beauty in the breakdown that exists here--- and the breakdown that exists across the globe. I've also thought a lot about what the word development means. Surprisingly enough, there are many people working/helping out here that haven't thought about it.
Oddly enough, the group of American students here has made me think about who I am...They see such a small portion of what I think of as myself, and most of those factors are external: I have an eyebrow ring, I don't smoke, I love mountains and rocks, I'm the one who knows a little about plants, and i'm more of a tomboy.... BUt ultimately I am a daughter of God, a sister to others, and a woman of God.God has made me with love, and continues to make me resilient and beautiful. I've been able to say this to others a lot: you areloved, you are cared for, you are beautiful. BUt I don't know how much I've been able to receive this, think this about myself. So....I'm receiving. and it's really nice.
Red dirt scraping the earth
Colonial vocabulary howling by
palm, brick, shelter
and soft pierced ears.
There is no forest.
There is no forest.
There is no forest.
Rice moves higher jusqu'a
Mountains collapse on themselves
as bodies churn.
Feet pound again, and again.
Circle forms, souffle fort et sharp
Hands tremor, tremble, raised high
Joy greets Pain: familiar smile and knowing eyes.
Mamapriza grunts a nod
pounding, tako, grinding, tako
My vazaha mind is a ball and chain around my throat.
How do I say I love you?
I'm leaving soon and I need to say I love you.
My soul is choking on the words.
Western law calls itself Jesus.
Top down shalls and shall-nots
You know, there is a dead body on that cross.
His feet were dirty too.
Don't fix me.
Scars on scars on hearts from failed operations.
Brothers, sisters, please,
down to the river to pray.
Dad's waiting with open eyes.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
i forgot to mention. although i will be traveling around, mail should still be sent to the Fort Dauphin address. We have SIT staff moving around and checking up on us during our ISPs..... ,uch llove, em
Monday, March 17, 2008
Toliara
I need time to say more about the village stay, but as Hannah my good friend suggested, it's okay to give yourself some time after these kinds of experiences. So i'm trying to not figure everything out right NOW. I've also been reading Eat, Pray, Love when I feel overwhelmed by everything going on here. It's an easy read, and nice to relax with.
We've been in Toliara (Tulear) for the past few days. Generally we've spent the morning in lecture from a professor at the university (several small classrooms with wooden tables and charis, a museum, and relatively few computers), and going on a small trip for part of the afternoon. Example: coral ecology followed by ocean swimming in the reefs (on a sadly cloudy day). We've also seen mangroves, a natural piscine, and today spirulina farms (a blue-green algae). I could talk a little about spirulina...it's interesting and a little controversial...maybe another day...
The ecology has been interesting (i've been especially fascinated with coral), but I also feel like I'm being pulled many directions at the same time. Learning about ecology, trying to work on a 9-week observation project, and organising my Independent Study Project that I will be spending all of April doing. About that ISP..i've bounced around between medicinal plants to spirulin to water quality and now back to medicinal plants. It's hard to find a project that a) is feasible for a month time frame b) i can find an advisor for c) would benefit someone other than just me and d) would actually be science. I'm allowed to do more anthropological, subjective studies...but I don't really want to. I want DATA, interpretation, science, etc.
So....right now I think i will be in and around Tulear. First I will interview, chill out with the local sellers of medicinal plants. This is mainly to learn about the plants, what they are used for, what they look like, etc. (I also want to find out if there are any that are becoming harder to find, increasing in cost, etc...) After that I will stay on the property of the WWF coordinator for Southern Madagascar. They are building a scouts/environmental education program. i will go around the area with the local traditional healer (ombias) and make a survey of the plants that are there. Eventually kids that come to the center will be able to learn about these plants. If there are plants that are more rare I will be able to tell them....and then they can keep an eye on them, etc.
I'm not very excited about being in town, and am nervous about a lot of the details. However, I am excited that I've found something that I can both complete in my time frame, learn a lot from (plants!!), and be useful to the people here. It's not earth-shattering, but it's a start?
I have a day left in Tulear before leaving for several days through different National Parks...and so much to do during that day! I want to go talk to the woman in charge of all potable water projects for WWF in southern Madagascar. However, I also want to talk with Jirima-- the company that runs all the water and electricity. My nine week project is on public health and sanitation-- i've interviewed some average citizens, the doctor that took care of me in Fort Dauphin, and a lot of villagers in Faux-Cap. But I'm more interested in water.. the most prevalent diseases here are all water-borne-- cholera, typhoid, parasitic worms, diarrheal diseases, etc.
I don't want this post to seem entirely too academic... we've also played cards in lambas, rocked out to various strange tunes on the wonderfully whacked up bus, played music in our hotel room...and the snorkeling in the barrier reef was fun. We took a pirogue (carved out wooden boat) with a motor on it out to the reef, put on goggles and snorkels and got in. I didn't really know how to use the snorkel and the conditions weren't favorable, but I eventually got it. Due to wind and weather the water was rather cloudy. So after I got done searching and fumbling with my snorkel I climbed/hoisted myself up into the larger boat and jumped off the bow! fun! it's become clear to me that I like jumping from heights into water. and that i miss rock climbing....
We've been in Toliara (Tulear) for the past few days. Generally we've spent the morning in lecture from a professor at the university (several small classrooms with wooden tables and charis, a museum, and relatively few computers), and going on a small trip for part of the afternoon. Example: coral ecology followed by ocean swimming in the reefs (on a sadly cloudy day). We've also seen mangroves, a natural piscine, and today spirulina farms (a blue-green algae). I could talk a little about spirulina...it's interesting and a little controversial...maybe another day...
The ecology has been interesting (i've been especially fascinated with coral), but I also feel like I'm being pulled many directions at the same time. Learning about ecology, trying to work on a 9-week observation project, and organising my Independent Study Project that I will be spending all of April doing. About that ISP..i've bounced around between medicinal plants to spirulin to water quality and now back to medicinal plants. It's hard to find a project that a) is feasible for a month time frame b) i can find an advisor for c) would benefit someone other than just me and d) would actually be science. I'm allowed to do more anthropological, subjective studies...but I don't really want to. I want DATA, interpretation, science, etc.
So....right now I think i will be in and around Tulear. First I will interview, chill out with the local sellers of medicinal plants. This is mainly to learn about the plants, what they are used for, what they look like, etc. (I also want to find out if there are any that are becoming harder to find, increasing in cost, etc...) After that I will stay on the property of the WWF coordinator for Southern Madagascar. They are building a scouts/environmental education program. i will go around the area with the local traditional healer (ombias) and make a survey of the plants that are there. Eventually kids that come to the center will be able to learn about these plants. If there are plants that are more rare I will be able to tell them....and then they can keep an eye on them, etc.
I'm not very excited about being in town, and am nervous about a lot of the details. However, I am excited that I've found something that I can both complete in my time frame, learn a lot from (plants!!), and be useful to the people here. It's not earth-shattering, but it's a start?
I have a day left in Tulear before leaving for several days through different National Parks...and so much to do during that day! I want to go talk to the woman in charge of all potable water projects for WWF in southern Madagascar. However, I also want to talk with Jirima-- the company that runs all the water and electricity. My nine week project is on public health and sanitation-- i've interviewed some average citizens, the doctor that took care of me in Fort Dauphin, and a lot of villagers in Faux-Cap. But I'm more interested in water.. the most prevalent diseases here are all water-borne-- cholera, typhoid, parasitic worms, diarrheal diseases, etc.
I don't want this post to seem entirely too academic... we've also played cards in lambas, rocked out to various strange tunes on the wonderfully whacked up bus, played music in our hotel room...and the snorkeling in the barrier reef was fun. We took a pirogue (carved out wooden boat) with a motor on it out to the reef, put on goggles and snorkels and got in. I didn't really know how to use the snorkel and the conditions weren't favorable, but I eventually got it. Due to wind and weather the water was rather cloudy. So after I got done searching and fumbling with my snorkel I climbed/hoisted myself up into the larger boat and jumped off the bow! fun! it's become clear to me that I like jumping from heights into water. and that i miss rock climbing....
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
So I guess I am allowed a bit of a downer post every once in awhile, right?
The village stay was difficult. Not due to lack of ammenities, as I am used to that. But nearly everything else. Cultural awkwardness! The first day I was only with my SIT partner, Rebecca, and neither of us can put together a sentence in Malagasy. Moreover, my mere d'accueil thought that if she repeated things more loudly and closer to our faces, then we would understand. This doesn't reallly help!
There's too much to describe. I'm doing an observation project on health, so when CEL students showed up later to help us with translations I several informal interviews about health and sanitaiton. Working with our partners was amazing! and doing the interviews was fun! BUt it was really depressing to be in that environment. I guess I just feel like God would not want people to live like that. Everyone is borderline (if not entirely) malnourished, and really dirty. They have to walk 3km every morning to fetch water from a salty well. Because of this effort, they dont' have enough water to wash their hands, clothes, dishes, bodies, etc. There is no concept of hygiene. The toilet is far from the house due to smell, but only if the family has enough land. They suffer from mostly preventable diseases!
So I got to notice all of these things. Maybe i'd imagined the village stay as quaint in my head? Instead I realised that many of the things that I find meaning and value in aren't present for these people: education, exchange of ideas, trying NEW things... such as new food, new music, new literature. Their world is so small and bordered. But is it might right to say that they need ______? I don't want to destroy culture....
Because of this seclusion, my partner and I (as vasaha..meaning white, foreignor, money...) are the coolest thing since sliced bread. I literally had children watch me sleep. I can't sleep if there are people watching me sleep! I also had zero privacy or time to myself unless i was using the cabone. Anyone who knows me understands that I thrive off of my private time.
There are many more things that I could say about the village stay but I am also still processing it all. It was difficult but very worth the time. I still haven't had a lot of time to really process. I got sick after we returned to Fort Daup[hin. (Mom your letter came in perfect time...great boost when i was feeling poopy.) I slept for a day with stomach cramps and then woke up throwing up. But it's over now and feeling stronger everyday! (I think that my secret stash of dark chocolate may help some...)
There are also some fun things to report from the village: Mamapriza thought that Rebecca had raqueta (cactus) spines/hairs in her leg and tried to help pull them out. Actually it was Rebecca's real leg hair. Mamapriza was pretty confused, and Rebecca was in minor pain. We also eventually learned some Tandrooy dance, how to prepare and pound corn (tako), and dig for bageda (sweet potatoes). There were a couple fun football games (soccer) and time trying to walk with things on our heads. I eventually got so I could walk with a bag of bageda.
So now I'm off to Tulear, then a series of National Parcs followed by Tana. I'm pretty sure I can find an internet cafe in Tulear, but this could possibly be my last post till Tana. Still working on getting my ISP topic/proposal together...yikes...
I realise this doesn't begin to describe my experiences over the past few weeks, but it's better than nothing. Moreover, I've gotta get home to give going away presents. This concludes my FOrt Dauphin stay. C'est un vraiment jolie ville.
Please keep me in your thoughts in a happy way, and pray for me if you are the praying sort. I need some guidance and time to comprehend the sadness that I saw. And I will be thinking of you as well...
Love, Em
The village stay was difficult. Not due to lack of ammenities, as I am used to that. But nearly everything else. Cultural awkwardness! The first day I was only with my SIT partner, Rebecca, and neither of us can put together a sentence in Malagasy. Moreover, my mere d'accueil thought that if she repeated things more loudly and closer to our faces, then we would understand. This doesn't reallly help!
There's too much to describe. I'm doing an observation project on health, so when CEL students showed up later to help us with translations I several informal interviews about health and sanitaiton. Working with our partners was amazing! and doing the interviews was fun! BUt it was really depressing to be in that environment. I guess I just feel like God would not want people to live like that. Everyone is borderline (if not entirely) malnourished, and really dirty. They have to walk 3km every morning to fetch water from a salty well. Because of this effort, they dont' have enough water to wash their hands, clothes, dishes, bodies, etc. There is no concept of hygiene. The toilet is far from the house due to smell, but only if the family has enough land. They suffer from mostly preventable diseases!
So I got to notice all of these things. Maybe i'd imagined the village stay as quaint in my head? Instead I realised that many of the things that I find meaning and value in aren't present for these people: education, exchange of ideas, trying NEW things... such as new food, new music, new literature. Their world is so small and bordered. But is it might right to say that they need ______? I don't want to destroy culture....
Because of this seclusion, my partner and I (as vasaha..meaning white, foreignor, money...) are the coolest thing since sliced bread. I literally had children watch me sleep. I can't sleep if there are people watching me sleep! I also had zero privacy or time to myself unless i was using the cabone. Anyone who knows me understands that I thrive off of my private time.
There are many more things that I could say about the village stay but I am also still processing it all. It was difficult but very worth the time. I still haven't had a lot of time to really process. I got sick after we returned to Fort Daup[hin. (Mom your letter came in perfect time...great boost when i was feeling poopy.) I slept for a day with stomach cramps and then woke up throwing up. But it's over now and feeling stronger everyday! (I think that my secret stash of dark chocolate may help some...)
There are also some fun things to report from the village: Mamapriza thought that Rebecca had raqueta (cactus) spines/hairs in her leg and tried to help pull them out. Actually it was Rebecca's real leg hair. Mamapriza was pretty confused, and Rebecca was in minor pain. We also eventually learned some Tandrooy dance, how to prepare and pound corn (tako), and dig for bageda (sweet potatoes). There were a couple fun football games (soccer) and time trying to walk with things on our heads. I eventually got so I could walk with a bag of bageda.
So now I'm off to Tulear, then a series of National Parcs followed by Tana. I'm pretty sure I can find an internet cafe in Tulear, but this could possibly be my last post till Tana. Still working on getting my ISP topic/proposal together...yikes...
I realise this doesn't begin to describe my experiences over the past few weeks, but it's better than nothing. Moreover, I've gotta get home to give going away presents. This concludes my FOrt Dauphin stay. C'est un vraiment jolie ville.
Please keep me in your thoughts in a happy way, and pray for me if you are the praying sort. I need some guidance and time to comprehend the sadness that I saw. And I will be thinking of you as well...
Love, Em
Friday, February 29, 2008
So I'm going to start with today because it is fresh. Literally it is fresh! This morning I had breakfast with the fam, including malformed banana bread that I made yesterday after school with my friends. Our Director actually has an oven that he has let us use on occaison. Surprise for the family! and delicious! It was interesting trying to get all the ingredients together and improvise a bit. So far the goodies that have been made include carrot cake, grilled cheese, and cookies. I think the carrot cake and banana bread turned out the best.
So I had breakfast this morning and then went running on the beach (Sarah, Breanna, Julia, and Lauren). Then we went for a quick swim. I love swimming out past where the waves break to just chill. Plus getting out there is a bit of work. I returned home to a locked house....Quick change of plans and walked to the doctor's office to chat about health here. I'm doing a nine week observation project on public health and sanitation.
But you have to imagine all of this with a backdrop of a BEAUTIFUL DAY! I don't really know how to describe. Maybe I'm finally falling in love with the culture? People selling peanuts and bananas, women washing clothes, sweeping the house and their little front stoop, women carrying really large loads of anything balanced on their heads, men making bricks and hauling wood boards that they probably cut themselves, children playing soccer with strofoam, twine balls. Not only that but I have to say, i'm really proud of myself about the whole interview thing. I called the doctor yesterday, set up the appointment, walked there (without getting lost), and then had the interview. All in French! Yea! I've found i'm not really using a lot of my strengths here (econ, math, micro-type science) but I'm trying to embrace this as am opportunity to improve on things i find difficult (like directions, languages...) Besides, i don't want to work in a lab.
So to backtrack a few days: We went on a 4-day trip to Berenty Private Reserve to do a comparative habitat and behavior study on two species of lemurs (malagasy names maki and sifaka). I like the sifaka better. We stayed in 'bungalows' for four days that were nicer than out homes here in Fort Dauphin. Real flushing toilets and a shower! It was nice to be pampered for a few days and the food was delicious. After the studies we came back and did oral presentations with our field groups and then wrote up papers (again, in French...).
It was really neat and great to get the field experience, but honestly I still like plants better. The highlight of la sortie for me was the last night there. We went on a night walk to attempt to see two species of nocturnal lemurs (a mouselemur and a lepilemur). We sort of saw the lemurs, but on the way back we had to walk along a long dirt road. There was arboroeuse savanna to the left, spiny forest to the right, and wide, starlit sky above. I was so filled with joy thatI flipped on my headlamp and ran the whole way back. It was great!
I've also realised that a part of me really wants to return home-- that working/living in Wyoming has become a home for me. That I need to really be able to receive God's love before I can share that with other people. I guess really all this means is that, although I will probably journey outside of the US in life (and maybe even for most of it??), I need to return to my spiritual home for awhile before I do that. I don't know if that makes sense...but there has been some sort of breakthrough in my mind. All that being said...I really DO like it here and am enjoying my time!
Latest food breakthroughs: mofokondro (literally bread-banana) are AMAZING. it's basically just a fried banana but it rocks my socks. Also bonbon koko...sugar + coconut. yum! By body has been craving sugar and fat like no other recently. What else is really good? There's lots of rice... and the fried eggplant is pretty decent. Citrus Fanta is delic, but being discontinued. Someone should petition against that.
We're leaving tomorrow for a week-long village stay in Faux-Cap. I'm nervous but also excited. I guess I am mostly nervous about the general lack of communication there will be. But we'll see! For a part of our time we will have some of the CEL students with us to help translate...so I"m hoping to be able to ask some health related questions, maybe go and see the traditional healer. Learn about some plants??
I guess that's all for now. I've gotta walk home, get some lunch, wash clothes, etc. I'm going lamba shopping this afternoon with Sarah and a girl who lives in her house who's hilarious. (She always is laughing about some inside joke with herself...) A lamba is just a brightly colored piece of cloth that can be worn in many of different ways.
I would like to talk about the health issues that I've learned about here, but maybe I'll save that for the next post. Gotta run,
Peace and Love, Em
So I had breakfast this morning and then went running on the beach (Sarah, Breanna, Julia, and Lauren). Then we went for a quick swim. I love swimming out past where the waves break to just chill. Plus getting out there is a bit of work. I returned home to a locked house....Quick change of plans and walked to the doctor's office to chat about health here. I'm doing a nine week observation project on public health and sanitation.
But you have to imagine all of this with a backdrop of a BEAUTIFUL DAY! I don't really know how to describe. Maybe I'm finally falling in love with the culture? People selling peanuts and bananas, women washing clothes, sweeping the house and their little front stoop, women carrying really large loads of anything balanced on their heads, men making bricks and hauling wood boards that they probably cut themselves, children playing soccer with strofoam, twine balls. Not only that but I have to say, i'm really proud of myself about the whole interview thing. I called the doctor yesterday, set up the appointment, walked there (without getting lost), and then had the interview. All in French! Yea! I've found i'm not really using a lot of my strengths here (econ, math, micro-type science) but I'm trying to embrace this as am opportunity to improve on things i find difficult (like directions, languages...) Besides, i don't want to work in a lab.
So to backtrack a few days: We went on a 4-day trip to Berenty Private Reserve to do a comparative habitat and behavior study on two species of lemurs (malagasy names maki and sifaka). I like the sifaka better. We stayed in 'bungalows' for four days that were nicer than out homes here in Fort Dauphin. Real flushing toilets and a shower! It was nice to be pampered for a few days and the food was delicious. After the studies we came back and did oral presentations with our field groups and then wrote up papers (again, in French...).
It was really neat and great to get the field experience, but honestly I still like plants better. The highlight of la sortie for me was the last night there. We went on a night walk to attempt to see two species of nocturnal lemurs (a mouselemur and a lepilemur). We sort of saw the lemurs, but on the way back we had to walk along a long dirt road. There was arboroeuse savanna to the left, spiny forest to the right, and wide, starlit sky above. I was so filled with joy thatI flipped on my headlamp and ran the whole way back. It was great!
I've also realised that a part of me really wants to return home-- that working/living in Wyoming has become a home for me. That I need to really be able to receive God's love before I can share that with other people. I guess really all this means is that, although I will probably journey outside of the US in life (and maybe even for most of it??), I need to return to my spiritual home for awhile before I do that. I don't know if that makes sense...but there has been some sort of breakthrough in my mind. All that being said...I really DO like it here and am enjoying my time!
Latest food breakthroughs: mofokondro (literally bread-banana) are AMAZING. it's basically just a fried banana but it rocks my socks. Also bonbon koko...sugar + coconut. yum! By body has been craving sugar and fat like no other recently. What else is really good? There's lots of rice... and the fried eggplant is pretty decent. Citrus Fanta is delic, but being discontinued. Someone should petition against that.
We're leaving tomorrow for a week-long village stay in Faux-Cap. I'm nervous but also excited. I guess I am mostly nervous about the general lack of communication there will be. But we'll see! For a part of our time we will have some of the CEL students with us to help translate...so I"m hoping to be able to ask some health related questions, maybe go and see the traditional healer. Learn about some plants??
I guess that's all for now. I've gotta walk home, get some lunch, wash clothes, etc. I'm going lamba shopping this afternoon with Sarah and a girl who lives in her house who's hilarious. (She always is laughing about some inside joke with herself...) A lamba is just a brightly colored piece of cloth that can be worn in many of different ways.
I would like to talk about the health issues that I've learned about here, but maybe I'll save that for the next post. Gotta run,
Peace and Love, Em
Thursday, February 21, 2008
so i spent a long time typing a blog update and now it's all gone!
2-17-08
School is going pretty well. SOme of the lectures are difficult, but others are okay. VEry dependent upon the speaker and the time of day (French in the morning!!) On weekends and sometimes after school I swim at the beach, hang out at a cafe, or play beach soccer. I gave my 'little bro' a frisbee the other day. he really loves it, but is also really bad. I guess i shouldn't expect much from a 4-5 yr old. At first he was pretty shy, but now he's really bold around me. Yesterday he got me to draw cars and a motorcycle for him. He really loves MOTO's.
I've been to church twice now. I don't understand any of it as it's all in Malagasy, but I do recognize a couple of the tunes. I'm learning how to read and sing along, even if I can only recognize a couple words-- Jeso; Ra ny Christy; mofo. My family goes to a Catholic church, I think. They know that I am protestant, so my cousin picks me up at 5:30am and we walk. I'm pretty sure it's early to avoid the heat. People dress nicely and cram in shoulder to shoulder on small wooden benches. There's a lot of music, which most people just know. My cousin has a small taped hymn book that we share. After the sermon pretty much everyone is required to put money in the offering. We get up in rows and walk around behind the alter and put money in a basket. There are many baskets of different colors. My cousin always instructs me to put my money in the purple basket, but I'm not sure why. Last sunday I took communion. I was a little worried about the sanitation issue, fearing a communal cup. Lord protect me! However, when I got up there each of us got a small cup that the wine was poured into.
Many times when I get back from school I hang out with a couple cousins and help them learn English. I think they have a pretty decent vocabulaire, but their pronunciation is horrible. It's a struggle to understand, but I want to help. Learning English is a way out. People who speak English can get better jobs, and those that are most proficient can get jobs as translators.
So other than classes, we've also taken an overnight trip to Andohahela Parc National. Due to a mountain range (Anoosyenne??) there is a dramatic rain shadow effect. Pretty cool to have distinct zones in such a small area-- foret humide, transitional, et seche. Rain forest all the way to spiny desert. We split up in groups with the CEL students (Centre Ecologie a Libanona) and did an inventory on a 10m x 10m plot of transitional fourre. Talk about amazing sic wicked cool plants!! Madagascar has a whole family to itself-- Dideracea. Crazy Euphorbes, Malvaceae, and Cucurbitaceae that you can't recognize. It was pretty difficult to communicate with the Malagasy students as French is also their second language. Even if our inventory was less than perfect due to communication difficulties it was still worthwhile and really fun! That night I also saw a tenrec on the way back to my tent. DOn't know what kind as it was dark, but still really cool! I guess I'd imagined that they would move differently. That night we also danced to American and Malagasy music. Ghost Busters theme, EVERYBODY DANCE NOW, all the music here is pretty upbeat.
The next day we went on a short guided tour, followed by swimming in a natural piscine. (Mom, fresh water's okay as long as it's not stagnant where a certain type of snail can live... ie i'm okay) Pretty decent sized waterfall into a pretty decent sized lake. I got to jump off a tree, swim, sit under a waterfall, climb up a small cliff, jump off a small cliff, etc. It felt like home! It was also cool to hang out with the Malagasy students, encourage them to jump-- Alefa!
What else? Madagascar smells different-- charcoal, outhouses, frying food, fish, soap-- warm, think smells. Can humidity effect smells? I do all my laundry by hand. We were taught in Manatantaley by several women who laughed at our ineptitude. Honestly it's something that I enjoy-- soap that's different but perfect, my own green plastic bucket and orange plastic cup. Small pleasures. If I weren't in Madagascar I would also have some strange dreams worthy of mention... Je pense que c'est tout.
Tomorrow we;re going on a day trip to QMM, a mining companny with local projects that are rather controversial. BUt maybe I can say more afterwards....
Update 2-21-08:
I got sick and could not go on the day trip...diarrhea. But I got a debrief from a friend. Basically QMM spent the whole day being politicians towards us students. Later I found out that the same company has mining project all over the globe and is going through some international law suits right now. DOn't have time for details, but if you're interested, I'm sure you could look them up online.
I'ts been raining alot (and windy!!) due to hurricane Ivan. Tana (Antananarivo) is being flooded! We're leaving tomorrow for a 4 day trip to Berenty. I hope it doesn't rain the whole time. Lemurs, yea! So far I've only seen one in my friend's backyard in a cage...
Right now I'm trying to figure out how to combine plant research with public health for my ISP. (Independent Study Project). I love plants...now I want to see how I can help people with that love.
much love, em
2-17-08
School is going pretty well. SOme of the lectures are difficult, but others are okay. VEry dependent upon the speaker and the time of day (French in the morning!!) On weekends and sometimes after school I swim at the beach, hang out at a cafe, or play beach soccer. I gave my 'little bro' a frisbee the other day. he really loves it, but is also really bad. I guess i shouldn't expect much from a 4-5 yr old. At first he was pretty shy, but now he's really bold around me. Yesterday he got me to draw cars and a motorcycle for him. He really loves MOTO's.
I've been to church twice now. I don't understand any of it as it's all in Malagasy, but I do recognize a couple of the tunes. I'm learning how to read and sing along, even if I can only recognize a couple words-- Jeso; Ra ny Christy; mofo. My family goes to a Catholic church, I think. They know that I am protestant, so my cousin picks me up at 5:30am and we walk. I'm pretty sure it's early to avoid the heat. People dress nicely and cram in shoulder to shoulder on small wooden benches. There's a lot of music, which most people just know. My cousin has a small taped hymn book that we share. After the sermon pretty much everyone is required to put money in the offering. We get up in rows and walk around behind the alter and put money in a basket. There are many baskets of different colors. My cousin always instructs me to put my money in the purple basket, but I'm not sure why. Last sunday I took communion. I was a little worried about the sanitation issue, fearing a communal cup. Lord protect me! However, when I got up there each of us got a small cup that the wine was poured into.
Many times when I get back from school I hang out with a couple cousins and help them learn English. I think they have a pretty decent vocabulaire, but their pronunciation is horrible. It's a struggle to understand, but I want to help. Learning English is a way out. People who speak English can get better jobs, and those that are most proficient can get jobs as translators.
So other than classes, we've also taken an overnight trip to Andohahela Parc National. Due to a mountain range (Anoosyenne??) there is a dramatic rain shadow effect. Pretty cool to have distinct zones in such a small area-- foret humide, transitional, et seche. Rain forest all the way to spiny desert. We split up in groups with the CEL students (Centre Ecologie a Libanona) and did an inventory on a 10m x 10m plot of transitional fourre. Talk about amazing sic wicked cool plants!! Madagascar has a whole family to itself-- Dideracea. Crazy Euphorbes, Malvaceae, and Cucurbitaceae that you can't recognize. It was pretty difficult to communicate with the Malagasy students as French is also their second language. Even if our inventory was less than perfect due to communication difficulties it was still worthwhile and really fun! That night I also saw a tenrec on the way back to my tent. DOn't know what kind as it was dark, but still really cool! I guess I'd imagined that they would move differently. That night we also danced to American and Malagasy music. Ghost Busters theme, EVERYBODY DANCE NOW, all the music here is pretty upbeat.
The next day we went on a short guided tour, followed by swimming in a natural piscine. (Mom, fresh water's okay as long as it's not stagnant where a certain type of snail can live... ie i'm okay) Pretty decent sized waterfall into a pretty decent sized lake. I got to jump off a tree, swim, sit under a waterfall, climb up a small cliff, jump off a small cliff, etc. It felt like home! It was also cool to hang out with the Malagasy students, encourage them to jump-- Alefa!
What else? Madagascar smells different-- charcoal, outhouses, frying food, fish, soap-- warm, think smells. Can humidity effect smells? I do all my laundry by hand. We were taught in Manatantaley by several women who laughed at our ineptitude. Honestly it's something that I enjoy-- soap that's different but perfect, my own green plastic bucket and orange plastic cup. Small pleasures. If I weren't in Madagascar I would also have some strange dreams worthy of mention... Je pense que c'est tout.
Tomorrow we;re going on a day trip to QMM, a mining companny with local projects that are rather controversial. BUt maybe I can say more afterwards....
Update 2-21-08:
I got sick and could not go on the day trip...diarrhea. But I got a debrief from a friend. Basically QMM spent the whole day being politicians towards us students. Later I found out that the same company has mining project all over the globe and is going through some international law suits right now. DOn't have time for details, but if you're interested, I'm sure you could look them up online.
I'ts been raining alot (and windy!!) due to hurricane Ivan. Tana (Antananarivo) is being flooded! We're leaving tomorrow for a 4 day trip to Berenty. I hope it doesn't rain the whole time. Lemurs, yea! So far I've only seen one in my friend's backyard in a cage...
Right now I'm trying to figure out how to combine plant research with public health for my ISP. (Independent Study Project). I love plants...now I want to see how I can help people with that love.
much love, em
Friday, February 8, 2008
post one
Salama! So much has happened already... what do i say? The travel was exhausting but the people have been extrememly nice and welcoming. I spent a few days at a small village, Manatantaley, where we began learning Malagasy et some local danse. We also took a hike with a local forestry emp[loyee. (I've officially hiking in a tropical rain forest!!) We saw our first chameleons== one about a foot long. Most of us also had run in with some leeches. They were [pretty small and thankfully are not dangerous medically, just rather strange to feel and experieince.
We made a few friends with the local villagers== exchanging the few Malagasy words that we knew. They also got a good laugh watching us learn to dance and sing Malagasy at the same time. Our next adventure was going to market with a little money to buy food for a dinner. My partner and I bought a live chicken for 4,000 Ar (less than 2$)
Now I am in FOrt Dauphin, a larger city in the south. THe town in surrounded by the Indian Ocean and mountains. I"ve never seen mountains so close to the sea before! It's absolutely beautiful! I walk about 30 min to school every day, part of which includes a crossing a small beach where fishermen park there dug out canoes. We've heard talks in French about local NGOs, the history of the city, and various conservation issues, etc. We've also had French and Malagasy classes as well.
My homestay father works for a local radio station, and my homestay mother stays at home. They have one child, Alain. Kind of strange as most \Malagasy families have many children. They are very friendly, welcoming, and patient with my French. (only the father speaks French). Their home is small, clean, and modest. Kenny (the dad) loves country music! and knows more about country musiciennes that me! We spent some time this morning listening to and talking about American music== Nickelback, Kelly CLarkson, Cat Stevens, Black Eyed Peas... comme ca. So ironic! I was surprised, but apparently there are a lot of Christians in Madagascar. \Kenny is Catholic and his wife (i forgt\et her name) is protestant. We pray together before we eat (althugh I don't understnad any of it). I only wish I'd brought some music with me to give to the family! Ce marche bien!
We've been eating alot of rice usually with beans or some sort of sauce with cooked vegetables. There have also been alot of cucumbers and carrots (prepared safely and in the unique malagache way). Breakfast is baguettes or la riz rouge avec le miel... a different riz with honey or sugar. There's also plenty of tea, coffe, and rice water. Meat is mostly fish or shrimp with the occaisional zebu. Zebu is the traditional cow== owning a herd of zebu is money in the bank. It's your prize possession. ANyway they are cows with significant horns and a fatty hump just after their neck. The zebu is on most of the currency. Desert is fruit.
Welll...that's all for now I need to get back home for dinner and maybe a bucket shower. The peple are awesome and all goes well. I haven't even gotten majorly sick! Grace, peace. and love...
We made a few friends with the local villagers== exchanging the few Malagasy words that we knew. They also got a good laugh watching us learn to dance and sing Malagasy at the same time. Our next adventure was going to market with a little money to buy food for a dinner. My partner and I bought a live chicken for 4,000 Ar (less than 2$)
Now I am in FOrt Dauphin, a larger city in the south. THe town in surrounded by the Indian Ocean and mountains. I"ve never seen mountains so close to the sea before! It's absolutely beautiful! I walk about 30 min to school every day, part of which includes a crossing a small beach where fishermen park there dug out canoes. We've heard talks in French about local NGOs, the history of the city, and various conservation issues, etc. We've also had French and Malagasy classes as well.
My homestay father works for a local radio station, and my homestay mother stays at home. They have one child, Alain. Kind of strange as most \Malagasy families have many children. They are very friendly, welcoming, and patient with my French. (only the father speaks French). Their home is small, clean, and modest. Kenny (the dad) loves country music! and knows more about country musiciennes that me! We spent some time this morning listening to and talking about American music== Nickelback, Kelly CLarkson, Cat Stevens, Black Eyed Peas... comme ca. So ironic! I was surprised, but apparently there are a lot of Christians in Madagascar. \Kenny is Catholic and his wife (i forgt\et her name) is protestant. We pray together before we eat (althugh I don't understnad any of it). I only wish I'd brought some music with me to give to the family! Ce marche bien!
We've been eating alot of rice usually with beans or some sort of sauce with cooked vegetables. There have also been alot of cucumbers and carrots (prepared safely and in the unique malagache way). Breakfast is baguettes or la riz rouge avec le miel... a different riz with honey or sugar. There's also plenty of tea, coffe, and rice water. Meat is mostly fish or shrimp with the occaisional zebu. Zebu is the traditional cow== owning a herd of zebu is money in the bank. It's your prize possession. ANyway they are cows with significant horns and a fatty hump just after their neck. The zebu is on most of the currency. Desert is fruit.
Welll...that's all for now I need to get back home for dinner and maybe a bucket shower. The peple are awesome and all goes well. I haven't even gotten majorly sick! Grace, peace. and love...
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