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
Monday, March 31, 2008
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
