Mora Mora

So, in malagasy, the saying "Mora Mora" is a mix between our sayings of "take it easy" and the swahili saying "hakuna matata." Malagasy culture is centralized around this mentality. In many cases, I love the completely relaxed atmosphere. Sometimes it is a bit irritating (like when I go to the bank to exchange money and there in NO line and no organization at all). But for the most part of this trip, I have been trying to keep this saying in the back of my head. Take it easy. Don't stress. Relax and take it all in as it passes you by.

So Wednesday was the first day that I met my homestay family. All of the families came to our hotel and we had a massive party with a lot of malagasy food, music, and dancing. My Malagasy mother, Madame Solange, is a doctor at a local private clinic, and she ended up being an hour late; but, once everyone got there, we had a really great time. My malagasy family consists of a grandmother who I refer to as "Mamy" (lol, i know), Madam Solange who I refer to as "Maman," a seven year old girl named Lova and a four year old boy named Lalaine. There is also a girl who watches the kids and cooks and cleans (and who I actually share a room with) named Sahalo. My homestay father is working in Tana, so I have not been able to meet him just yet. I was a little intimidated about the whole situation at the time, but like I said, I have been trying to keep the notion of "Mora Mora" in the back of my mind. Even though I have, in my head, the fact that I am going to live with some random family in some random house in some third world country for a month, I am trying to remain peaceful and relaxed. I will never again have an experience like this, and I do not want to waste my time and energy feeling lonely and sad. I am doing my best to keep my head high, and embrace each and every experience that is thrown in my direction.

Yesterday was the first actual day I spent with my homestay family. It was hard being away from all of my American friends, but I had a great time meeting all of the family and getting a little bit aquainted with their ways of living. "Mamy" came to pick me up around 17:00 (yes i am now on military time) and we took a cab to their home. The live in a lovely little house just off of the main street that runs through Fort Dauphin. The only thing that I dislike about it is that all of the houses are super cramped and they do not have any sort of yard. But otherwise, it is a quiant, yellow, two story house with about 6 or 7 rooms (including the small doctors office and waiting area that Dr. Solange uses as her own private clinic--It is actually pretty sweet to be living with a doctor...just in case I ever get ill). Like I said before, I share a room with the femme au ménage. It is on the second floor of the house, and there is a cute little balcony outside of my room. Downstairs is the kitchen, living/dining room and bedroom of Madame Solange. They have a relatively nice house with tile floors, a small refrigerator, and a TV that is nicer than the one I have at home ;). The bathroom facilities are located in a small building just outside the house...and we have running water!! woot!

It is hard sometimes to understand what they are saying to me, and it is SUPER hard to talk to them on the telephone. But we get by. Madame Solange speaks a little bit of english, so we help each other out. She will correct my french and I her english. Sometimes there is awkward silence and mass confusion, but we can usually get things across. The whole family is very sweet and very welcoming, and I look forward to getting to know them better. The kids are really cute as well (although i feel like they could get on my nerves). Lova was teaching me malagasy words yesterday, and I learned that the malagasy word for butterfly is "lolo" (pronounced lulu) :).

On the other hand, classes are really beginning to start up. Today we learned a little bit of the history of Fort Dauphin, and later we had lunch downtown where we talked with our advisor about possible Independent Study Project topics. I am currently trying to decide whether I want to concentrate on lemurs, or work in Tulèar with an NGO who works with the coral reefs. We had conversations with our language professors the other day so we could be divided into groups based on our knowledge of the french language...hopefully that will help me a lot. On Monday, we are travelling to a local mine to learn about their conservation techniques.

We have the weekend off, so tomorrow a bunch of us are going to the beach at Libanona (the beach beside our school) to swim in the beautiful blue water of the Indian Ocean. There is a little pub close by called Los Locos, so we can grab a pineapple, a cold beer and some tasty malagasy cuisine. I am looking forward to the relaxation.

I love and miss you all. And until I talk to you again, Mora Mora.

erin elizabeth