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
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
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
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