Under my bed lives a tiny gray-green gecko. Every now and then he scurries up the wall and catches a moth for dinner. I have taken a liking to him; I have named him Ivan. It is the small things like Ivan that bring me happiness here in my small Madagascar wonderland.
The past few days have been absolute bliss (despite the constant rainy mornings). Two days ago, our group travelled a couple of kilometers to a small fishing village known as Lokaro. This destination was supposed to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Fort Dauphin--a small piece a paradise (among the all others surrounding me every day). Unfortunately, it was overcast and a little rainy. Although Lokaro was only about 25km from the city of Fort Dauphin, it took us about and hour and a half to get to our destination. I cannot begin to describe the condition of the roads here. (I thought my father's random drives down curvy dirt roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains were bad. Those car rides don't even compare).
Once we were in the fishing village, we had to wait around for the fishermen to return from their morning fishing trip. I spent my time exploring the rocks lining the beach where I found many beautiful seashells. They are all complete shells here--not like the broken ones found on the beaches of North Carolina. There were also tons of lizards climbing all over the rocks.
When the fishermen arrived, we helped them pull their pirogues (canoes fashioned out of some kind of wood...think Pocahontas) out of the water and up on shore. We then split up into smaller groups and interviewed the fishermen, bombarding them with questions about their daily fishing tasks and their daily lives in general. It was really interesting to hear their responses and to get insight into their cultural mentality. At first, I was a little shocked to hear how much their explinations revolved around God and his control of their destiny. When we asked them if there were any dangers while fishing out in the open ocean waters, they responded "yes, but it is all due to God's will." When we asked why they hadn't caught any fish that day, they responded "because God is punishing us for our wrongdoings." Thinking about it in hindsight, I shouldn't have been so surprised. These people have been living this way for centuries...fishing and living in a tiny, extremely remote part of the world. Why would they think any differently? After the interviews, we travelled to another beach where we relaxed and ate a lovely pic-nic of baguettes, zebu, sweet cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bananas. Yum yum yum.
**Side note: It was during this trip that I got my first terrible sunburn. Ironically, it rained most of the day, and yet the sun still found a way through the clouds and rain to burn me completely. My homestay famiy freaked out a little bit when I returned home as red as a lobster. It was actually kind of comical.
Yesterday was also lovely. Shoshi, a friend of mine from San Francisco, came by my house and we walked through the rain on our 45 minute trek to class. Needless to say, we took a cab after about 10 minutes. Fridays are lovely because we only have morning classes. We began with Malagasy class and sat through two lectures on 1) Andohahela National Park and 2) Marine Protected Areas throughout Madagascar. Most of our lectures are held in french, but the lecture on MPAs was in English, and I must say it was quite refreshing to hear a voice speaking English.
**I must clarify that although it sounds like we are constantly hanging out on beaches and eating delicious food (which is indeed true most of the time) we also do a lot of sitting and listening. In french or malagasy. And it is super hard. Also, I get up around 6 am every day (with the sun and the roosters) and go to sleep around 10. The days are long.
After classes, we all walked a little ways to a restaurant near Lebanona called "Le Stade." We spent most of the early afternoon there eating Malagasy pizzas and various side dishes. The rain cleared up and it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon. A couple of us decided to walk up to the supermarket after lunch which turned out to be the best idea we had had all day. We ended up buying a liter of Mint Chocolate Chip icecream (which was pricey but SO worth it), Madagascar Rum (which cost me all of $1.50), and a liter of Coke each. From there we walked to a beautiful chalet on the beach where we devoured the ice cream in all of two minutes. We spent the next four hours on the beach--drinking rum and coke, playing cards, singing, and watching the sun set over the mountains on a peninsula just beside the beach. I would have to say that it was the most fun and relaxing time I have spent here in Madagascar.
The rest of the evening was spent with my lovely Malagasy family--playing with my "sister and brother" and sharing conversation over rice and veggies. Lova and I played games to help learn numbers (in malagasy for me, in english for her). And I absolutely love my grandmother, Mamy. She is constantly smiling and laughing.
And over these past couple of days, I have come to the realization that I am in a genuinely happy and peaceful state of mind. I'm not sure when the transition took place, but it has. Throughout the crazy Malagasy classes, lectures in french, and awkward homestay moments, my soul is pretty peaceful and any worries that I have seem to dissipate quite quickly. I haven't once felt the agonizing, stomach turning anxiety that I have so often experienced over the past year or two. It is a good feeling, to say the least. I am spending this valentines day truly loving myself for once.
And on that note, Happy Valentines Day to you all. It is, indeed, cliché, but I love you just the same.
wishing you madagascar hugs and kisses,
erin elizabeth
PS: I am in the process of attempting to upload pictures on facebook. If I do indeed get them to post, check them out!! (facebook here in incredibly slow) I have not taken a good picture of my homestay family, so that will have to come later...but I think there is one of my little sister. I hope you enjoy them, even though they do this country no justice.
PSS: I have received word that my lovely UNC basketball boys have defeated Dook. GO HEELS!!!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
i am turning into vary
So, I don't think I have adequately discussed the food that I have been eating here in Madagascar. Basically, I am soon going to turn into one massive grain of vary (the malagasy term for rice). As much as I am a lover of the fluffy white grain, I am pretty sure I have eaten more rice in the past two weeks than in my entire existance. For both lunch and dinner (and on some occasions breakfast), the meal commences with a huge plate of rice. There is always some portion of meat to accompany this mountain of fluff...zebu, chicken, sardines, shrimp, etc. Most of the time, the meat is served in conjunction with some sort of vegetable...beans, green papaya (which is kind of like spaghetti squash and oh so delicious), cucumbers and avacado, etc. Then, the meal is always topped off with fruit for dessert...pinapple, mango, papaya, guavas, bananas etc.
**disclaimer: Studying abroad does crazy things to people. I am now eating bananas. At my own free will. I am not joking. (For some of you, this may not seem like a big deal. But for those who know me well, I know what you are thinking at this moment. Yes even you Roman ;)...but fear not, I am still NOT eating peanut butter!
At the beginning of this trip, I thought that I might lose some weight (due to the fact that I would be eating healthier foods, etc.) I no longer feel like this is a true statement. While I am definitely eating less processed foods, I am eating A LOT of it! The food here is so tasty.
The past two days have been pretty calm here in Fort Dauphin and Libanona. The weather has calmed down from the cyclone, and the walks along the beach have been quite peaceful. My days have mainly been filled with lots of classes, eating, and hanging out around town with my american loves. We have actually been learning a lot about local NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and their projects throughout Fort Dauphin. We talked with a gentleman who started a local NGO called "Azafady" (which is actually the Malagasy word for "please" or "excuse me" or "not taboo"). His organization spends a lot of their time working with local villagers in a program that teaches health and sanitary practices. Not only does Azafady have to work to create these programs, but they must integrate their knowledge of the local culture, practices, and "taboo." It is easy to go into a village and build an outhouse. It is much harder to explain to a group of rural Malagasy villagers the importance of sanitation and the relevance of a clean living/eating space.
Classes have been getting harder. Malagasy is completely hard to learn. It is like no other language that I have ever encountered, and the structure of sentences, spelling, and pronunciation of words is quite difficult. For example, there are four different words for the term "cousin," depending on the gender of the individual and whether the cousin comes from the mother's side of the family or the father's side. Example #2: There is only one article in the entire language (gny)...I know this seems like it would be easier, but when it comes to translating this fact, is indeed, a bitch. Example #3: To say "see you later", you say: Mandrapihaona, ami-magnaraky koa.
Malagasy homelife has slowly become less and less difficult. The language barrier will always be a problem, but I am beginning to feel more at home.
...and on that note, it is time for me to go handwash some clothes. woot.
until my next adventure,
erin elizabeth
**disclaimer: Studying abroad does crazy things to people. I am now eating bananas. At my own free will. I am not joking. (For some of you, this may not seem like a big deal. But for those who know me well, I know what you are thinking at this moment. Yes even you Roman ;)...but fear not, I am still NOT eating peanut butter!
At the beginning of this trip, I thought that I might lose some weight (due to the fact that I would be eating healthier foods, etc.) I no longer feel like this is a true statement. While I am definitely eating less processed foods, I am eating A LOT of it! The food here is so tasty.
The past two days have been pretty calm here in Fort Dauphin and Libanona. The weather has calmed down from the cyclone, and the walks along the beach have been quite peaceful. My days have mainly been filled with lots of classes, eating, and hanging out around town with my american loves. We have actually been learning a lot about local NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and their projects throughout Fort Dauphin. We talked with a gentleman who started a local NGO called "Azafady" (which is actually the Malagasy word for "please" or "excuse me" or "not taboo"). His organization spends a lot of their time working with local villagers in a program that teaches health and sanitary practices. Not only does Azafady have to work to create these programs, but they must integrate their knowledge of the local culture, practices, and "taboo." It is easy to go into a village and build an outhouse. It is much harder to explain to a group of rural Malagasy villagers the importance of sanitation and the relevance of a clean living/eating space.
Classes have been getting harder. Malagasy is completely hard to learn. It is like no other language that I have ever encountered, and the structure of sentences, spelling, and pronunciation of words is quite difficult. For example, there are four different words for the term "cousin," depending on the gender of the individual and whether the cousin comes from the mother's side of the family or the father's side. Example #2: There is only one article in the entire language (gny)...I know this seems like it would be easier, but when it comes to translating this fact, is indeed, a bitch. Example #3: To say "see you later", you say: Mandrapihaona, ami-magnaraky koa.
Malagasy homelife has slowly become less and less difficult. The language barrier will always be a problem, but I am beginning to feel more at home.
...and on that note, it is time for me to go handwash some clothes. woot.
until my next adventure,
erin elizabeth
Monday, February 9, 2009
Experiential Education
Last night I had some homework reading to do, and I read an interesting article about experiential learning. Obviously, this topic seems pretty self explanitory since I am studing abroad. I always expected that I would have this great experience to learn about another culture (and basically another world) through my experiences living in a Malagasy home. But what I did not expect was that I would also be learning as much about myself as the people I am living around. The author of the article stated that "once a person is stripped of his own cultural identity and his own blanket of security, does he come to find his true self."
This weekend was my first full weekend with my homestay family. Friday night, my homestay father came home from Tana. (He had had a lot of trouble getting a plane home due to the political unrest in Tana--if you don't know about it, google it...people are being killed). But anyways, he got home safetly. He was very welcoming, and we spent the evening looking at the pictures I had brought from home and talking about the situation in Tana.
Saturday was pretty chill. Shoshi (a fellow student) and I got up and walked around Fort Dauphin to discover whatever else we had missed this past week. We bought some postcards and whatnot, but the best part of the day came when we discovered the supermarché (supermarket)!!!! I bought the most amazing ice cream bar in the whole wide world (this is most likely due to the fact that I have been quite limited in refrigerated beverages/tasty treats). After we bought some tasty food, Shoshi and I headed out to Libanona to get our readings and chill on the beach. We all ate lunch at Jenny's (another fellow student) malagasy mothers restaurant. The restaurant was a beautiful little place that looked out over the ocean. We all had a great time discussing our crazy awkward moments from our various homestays. (Ex: One of the girls in the group had to kill a chicken this weekend by slitting its throat. They later ate it for dinner.) Some people have been getting sick and were stuck in bed for a good portion of the weekend. For the most part, I have felt pretty good. My stomach is a beast. (knocks on wood).
On Sunday I attended my first Malagasy Catholic mass service. Mamy, Lova, and I woke up Sunday morning and walked through the ghetto to get to this little catholic church downtown. And the place was packed. I have never been to a church that had so many people in it. And of course it was hella hot. And of course it lasted two hours. And of course it was all in Malagasy. But all in all it was a good experience for me. Throughout the course of my life, I have never felt more like an outsider. I was the only white person in the whole church and EVERYONE was staring at me. Yes it was awkward, but it was a good thing for me to experience.
The rest of Sunday was pretty much a lazy day...filled with lots of napping, reading, postcard writing, etc.
This morning, our group was given a tour of QMM. QMM is a mining company run by Rio Tinto and is based out of Canada. They are working in conjunction with the Malagasy government to extract ilmenite from the soil here at Fort Dauphin. (Rio Tinto gets 80% of the profits, the Malagasy gov gets 20%). The project is quite controversial, due to the fact that they are cutting down precious littoral forests that contain many species of flora and fauna that are endemic to the region. So today, we basically went on a tour to see how the company is planning (or in the process of) restoring the littoral forests. Many Malagasy people think the mines will bring commerce and tourism to the town. I think it is all just stupid (for those of you who didn't know, ilmenite is used to turn your toothpaste and sunscreen white...ugh).
I am still having to adjust to my new life here in Madagascar. The constant hassle of the language barrier is draining, and it is just going to take some time to really get settled in. The process, obviously, is hard. But what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, and it is the difficult situations that are, in the end, the most rewarding.
As always, you are all in my heart, and I am thinking about you.
with as much love as you can handle,
erin elizabeth
This weekend was my first full weekend with my homestay family. Friday night, my homestay father came home from Tana. (He had had a lot of trouble getting a plane home due to the political unrest in Tana--if you don't know about it, google it...people are being killed). But anyways, he got home safetly. He was very welcoming, and we spent the evening looking at the pictures I had brought from home and talking about the situation in Tana.
Saturday was pretty chill. Shoshi (a fellow student) and I got up and walked around Fort Dauphin to discover whatever else we had missed this past week. We bought some postcards and whatnot, but the best part of the day came when we discovered the supermarché (supermarket)!!!! I bought the most amazing ice cream bar in the whole wide world (this is most likely due to the fact that I have been quite limited in refrigerated beverages/tasty treats). After we bought some tasty food, Shoshi and I headed out to Libanona to get our readings and chill on the beach. We all ate lunch at Jenny's (another fellow student) malagasy mothers restaurant. The restaurant was a beautiful little place that looked out over the ocean. We all had a great time discussing our crazy awkward moments from our various homestays. (Ex: One of the girls in the group had to kill a chicken this weekend by slitting its throat. They later ate it for dinner.) Some people have been getting sick and were stuck in bed for a good portion of the weekend. For the most part, I have felt pretty good. My stomach is a beast. (knocks on wood).
On Sunday I attended my first Malagasy Catholic mass service. Mamy, Lova, and I woke up Sunday morning and walked through the ghetto to get to this little catholic church downtown. And the place was packed. I have never been to a church that had so many people in it. And of course it was hella hot. And of course it lasted two hours. And of course it was all in Malagasy. But all in all it was a good experience for me. Throughout the course of my life, I have never felt more like an outsider. I was the only white person in the whole church and EVERYONE was staring at me. Yes it was awkward, but it was a good thing for me to experience.
The rest of Sunday was pretty much a lazy day...filled with lots of napping, reading, postcard writing, etc.
This morning, our group was given a tour of QMM. QMM is a mining company run by Rio Tinto and is based out of Canada. They are working in conjunction with the Malagasy government to extract ilmenite from the soil here at Fort Dauphin. (Rio Tinto gets 80% of the profits, the Malagasy gov gets 20%). The project is quite controversial, due to the fact that they are cutting down precious littoral forests that contain many species of flora and fauna that are endemic to the region. So today, we basically went on a tour to see how the company is planning (or in the process of) restoring the littoral forests. Many Malagasy people think the mines will bring commerce and tourism to the town. I think it is all just stupid (for those of you who didn't know, ilmenite is used to turn your toothpaste and sunscreen white...ugh).
I am still having to adjust to my new life here in Madagascar. The constant hassle of the language barrier is draining, and it is just going to take some time to really get settled in. The process, obviously, is hard. But what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, and it is the difficult situations that are, in the end, the most rewarding.
As always, you are all in my heart, and I am thinking about you.
with as much love as you can handle,
erin elizabeth
Friday, February 6, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Akôrey Abey!
Hello everyone! I am having the best time of my life!! Wow, I have only been here for 5 days now and I have so much to say...I will try to start from the beginning...
The plane ride was extremely long. We ended up having a 12 hour layover in Paris, so a guy named Nick and I ventured out into the city for the day. I had my first french nutella crepes and café au lait in a little café in the streets of Paris. There was a strike going on with the metro, but we ended up finding our way from the airport and back safely to catch our flight. The back to back overnight plane rides were tough, but I ended up getting some sleep.
Literally the first thing we did when we got to Madagascar was walk around in a little village market in the countryside on the outskirts of Fort Dauphin. Our Malagasy profs handed us a sheet of terms and we walked around lerning the names of fruits and veggies and meats. For the first few days we stayed out in the country, in a place called Manatantely (which means the land where there is honey). It was so beautiful and quaint and we spent a lot of time getting to know our Malagasy profs (Sosoni, Mamy, and Naina) and each other. There was a hole in the ground for the bathrooms and two big barrels of water to shower in...but it was so hot and humid the first couple of days that my bucket baths were so amazing.
We spent the days learning how to introduce ourselves and count in Malagasy. To ask someone his name, we say Iza moa ng'naranoa azafady. The language is actually pretty easy to pick up, and I am more worried about my french language skills. One of the first days we visited and orchard and saw tons of trees...starfruit, grapefruit, macadamia nuts, LIMES, oranges, etc. Mango trees were everywhere and the kids sit around and wait for mangoes to fall to the ground and fight over who gets to eat them. We also hiked a mountain about two kilometers from our "camping area" and the forest was gorgeous. We learned that the locals use the area to cut down trees to grow manioc, casava, etc and the forest is hurting.
The food here is DELICIOUS. Some of the best I have ever had. Mostly rice and vegetables with lots of tasty fruit for dessert!! I don't know what it is, but the food is just so tasty...even the zebu (the madagascar version of cow). I have already had pineapple, mango, papaya, lime, jack fruit, apples, and bananas. YES even the bananas here are delicious. SO GOOD!!
Our days are packed full...one night we learning traditional Malagasy song and dance...which was basically booty dancing for entertaining the local village people. All I am going to say is that we did a fertility dance...hahahahha.
Our first day in Fort Dauphin was yesterday, and the first thing we did was a "Market drop off." Basically our profs gave us ariary (malagasy currency) and in pairs, had to venture into the downtown Malagasy market alone to bargain for food that we will later use for dinner. OH MY GOD!! It was such a crazy experience to use my super limited Malagasy to barter for "vary" (rice in malagasy). Last night we stayed in a hotel that actually had running water and power... my shower was SO freaking amazing. The bay here is so beautiful. I cannot tell you how amazing everything is here. I will try to post pictures soon.
So today, we are in pairs, basically orienting ourselves to the town, exchanging money etc. We have to buy a gift for someone in our group, have lunch on our own, and find Libanona (the site for our classroom) all on our own, and with the help of the local malagasy of course (all of whom are extremely nice and helpful. The ecology center is supposedly located on a peninsula which is surrounded on three sides by the blue Indian Ocean. We have to walk on the beach to get to our classroom!! I can't wait to see it and to show you guys pictures.
To sum up my experience so far, in a nutshell, is quite impossible...but for those who can understand, it is kind of like governors school in a foreign country...times a million. Every single person in my group is amazing...we all have so much in common, yet so much to learn from each other. I have been here for less than a week and I have already learned so much.
There is still so much more to say, but I must be on my way to find some Malagasy cuisine.
I love you guys.
Veloma e!!!! (bye!!!!)
erin elizabeth
The plane ride was extremely long. We ended up having a 12 hour layover in Paris, so a guy named Nick and I ventured out into the city for the day. I had my first french nutella crepes and café au lait in a little café in the streets of Paris. There was a strike going on with the metro, but we ended up finding our way from the airport and back safely to catch our flight. The back to back overnight plane rides were tough, but I ended up getting some sleep.
Literally the first thing we did when we got to Madagascar was walk around in a little village market in the countryside on the outskirts of Fort Dauphin. Our Malagasy profs handed us a sheet of terms and we walked around lerning the names of fruits and veggies and meats. For the first few days we stayed out in the country, in a place called Manatantely (which means the land where there is honey). It was so beautiful and quaint and we spent a lot of time getting to know our Malagasy profs (Sosoni, Mamy, and Naina) and each other. There was a hole in the ground for the bathrooms and two big barrels of water to shower in...but it was so hot and humid the first couple of days that my bucket baths were so amazing.
We spent the days learning how to introduce ourselves and count in Malagasy. To ask someone his name, we say Iza moa ng'naranoa azafady. The language is actually pretty easy to pick up, and I am more worried about my french language skills. One of the first days we visited and orchard and saw tons of trees...starfruit, grapefruit, macadamia nuts, LIMES, oranges, etc. Mango trees were everywhere and the kids sit around and wait for mangoes to fall to the ground and fight over who gets to eat them. We also hiked a mountain about two kilometers from our "camping area" and the forest was gorgeous. We learned that the locals use the area to cut down trees to grow manioc, casava, etc and the forest is hurting.
The food here is DELICIOUS. Some of the best I have ever had. Mostly rice and vegetables with lots of tasty fruit for dessert!! I don't know what it is, but the food is just so tasty...even the zebu (the madagascar version of cow). I have already had pineapple, mango, papaya, lime, jack fruit, apples, and bananas. YES even the bananas here are delicious. SO GOOD!!
Our days are packed full...one night we learning traditional Malagasy song and dance...which was basically booty dancing for entertaining the local village people. All I am going to say is that we did a fertility dance...hahahahha.
Our first day in Fort Dauphin was yesterday, and the first thing we did was a "Market drop off." Basically our profs gave us ariary (malagasy currency) and in pairs, had to venture into the downtown Malagasy market alone to bargain for food that we will later use for dinner. OH MY GOD!! It was such a crazy experience to use my super limited Malagasy to barter for "vary" (rice in malagasy). Last night we stayed in a hotel that actually had running water and power... my shower was SO freaking amazing. The bay here is so beautiful. I cannot tell you how amazing everything is here. I will try to post pictures soon.
So today, we are in pairs, basically orienting ourselves to the town, exchanging money etc. We have to buy a gift for someone in our group, have lunch on our own, and find Libanona (the site for our classroom) all on our own, and with the help of the local malagasy of course (all of whom are extremely nice and helpful. The ecology center is supposedly located on a peninsula which is surrounded on three sides by the blue Indian Ocean. We have to walk on the beach to get to our classroom!! I can't wait to see it and to show you guys pictures.
To sum up my experience so far, in a nutshell, is quite impossible...but for those who can understand, it is kind of like governors school in a foreign country...times a million. Every single person in my group is amazing...we all have so much in common, yet so much to learn from each other. I have been here for less than a week and I have already learned so much.
There is still so much more to say, but I must be on my way to find some Malagasy cuisine.
I love you guys.
Veloma e!!!! (bye!!!!)
erin elizabeth
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
just close your eyes and jump
"I want to go to a beautiful foreign country and eat lots and lots of fruit." ~Lindsay Michelle WrennAs hectic as it has been, this last week has flown by. I have been frantically running around trying to make sure that I am adequately prepared for my trip. The weekend was spent in Chapel Hill with some amazing people that I am going to miss dearly. I love you guys more than you will ever know...thanks for making my last weekend in the states one to remember ;).
Tonight is the last night I will sleep in my lovely bed, and tomorrow morning, I will be commencing my two day journey to Madagascar (that is, after I take an extremely LONG hot shower and blow dry my hair for the last time). I am experiencing so many emotions right now. I look forward to boarding the plane in RDU. I can't wait to meet all of my amazing fellow voyagers at the airport in Washington, DC (I already have lunch plans with a young chap named Micheal!), I am a little apprehensive about my french language skills and how I will measure up when I get thrown into a Malagasy household. I am quite sad to leave my family and friends for 3 and a half months. I am nervous. I am scared. I am elated. I am ecstatic.
I did not realize exactly how long I would be in the air. So I decided, in the midst of my frantic last minute packing, I would determine the length of my four flights from RDU to Fort Dauphin, Madagascar. And this is what I found:
1. I will be "in the air" for a total of 23 hours and 53 minutes...this is a mere 7 minutes short of one whole day (the flight from Paris to Madagascar being 12 hours and 30 minutes...holy crap).So, bags have been packed, goodbyes have been said, electronics have been charged, the water filter has been cleaned, and my mosquito net has been treated with Permethrin. I have attached a picture of my bags and all other items for your viewing pleasure:
2. I will be sitting in some sort of airport for approximately 18 hours in layover time (which has been devoted to reading a 400 page book).
3 And thanks to my lovely friend, Roman, I am aware that I should not sit in my seat for the entire 12 hour flight...
Yes, all of that is for three months. Two bags. I think I packed more to go to the beach for two weeks one summer (clothes and accessories that is). This trip has really made me limit myself to necessary items only...a hard task for a girl who likes to wear makeup, jewelry, blow dry/straighten her hair, and have her choice of shoes from a large selection of footwear (all of which are being taken care of by a good friend...good shoes should not be left alone for that amount of time ;). Unfortunately, for the next three months, I will be limited to a pair of hiking shoes and chacos. *humbling sigh*
As of last Friday, I have decided not to take along my laptop. I feel like this is the best decision for many reasons. But, not to fear! I will continue to post random thoughts, awkward moments, and exciting experiences in my blog at least once every week. Also, I plan on posting pictures through facebook whenever possible. And, I would like to make a correction to a previous post. I AM taking along my ipod. I have decided that this is a necessary item to ensure that I will keep my sanity.
Last night, I got the group list for all of the people going on the trip--a total of 16 students from across the country!!! All of us are coming from 13 different states--Illinois, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Virgina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, California, New York, Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, and of course North Carolina--and one girl from Canada! Girl to guy ratio (judging by the list of names) is 13:3. Go figure ;).
As I am sure I have told you over the past week, I love you all. Each and every one of you holds a special place in my heart, and I will be thinking about you throughout my travels.
With all of that being said, there is not much left. Now all I have to do is close my eyes and jump.
Until Madagascar,
erin elizabeth
PS: Allegedly, there is insanely amazing pineapple currently growing on the island of Madagascar. I plan on eating most of it while I am there. :)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
nothing lasts forever. except maybe a letter or postcard.
I am currently spending my last Saturday night at home (because next weekend has been reserved for all of my loves in Chapel Hill)--a lovely evening with a home-cooked dinner and a movie with the family. While I only have ten more full days in the states, I have yet to feel any different. I must say, it has been extremely odd being at home while all of my friends are off commencing a new semester; but overall, it still feels like just another day at home. I am not quite sure when exactly I will feel any different. Maybe it will be the day I leave. Maybe it will be the first night in Fort Dauphin. But whenever I experience that first apprehensive feeling of "Oh shit, I am going to be living HERE for 4 months," I know that it will soon be followed by feelings of excitement and curiosity. What will I see? What will I do? Who will I meet? What IS THIS that I am eating?? And, being the person that I am, I know that I will be extremely sad to leave all of my friends and family behind. This experience will be the first time in my entire life that I will be venturing out on my own with everything and everyone foreign, unfamiliar, and unknown.
So, to keep in touch with all of you guys, I will be sure to write to you. Postcards, and letters in general, have always been magical to me. I have always loved reading a note, card, or letter from a friend or family member. And for this, I need addresses--so if you do love mail just as much as myself, be sure to leave your address as a comment to this post. And, if you find yourself bored on a Sunday afternoon, feel free to write a letter to me! I would love to hear from each and every one of you about what is going on back home. All letters, postcards, cards, or packages--if you are that awesome ;)--can be sent to me at the following address:
So, to keep in touch with all of you guys, I will be sure to write to you. Postcards, and letters in general, have always been magical to me. I have always loved reading a note, card, or letter from a friend or family member. And for this, I need addresses--so if you do love mail just as much as myself, be sure to leave your address as a comment to this post. And, if you find yourself bored on a Sunday afternoon, feel free to write a letter to me! I would love to hear from each and every one of you about what is going on back home. All letters, postcards, cards, or packages--if you are that awesome ;)--can be sent to me at the following address:
Erin Elizabeth Hester
s/o SIT
BP 283
Fort Dauphin 614
MADAGASCAR
s/o SIT
BP 283
Fort Dauphin 614
MADAGASCAR
Much love,
erin elizabeth
erin elizabeth
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