I Want to Thank You for Letting Me Be Myself, Again

I just wanted to offer a quick thanks to everyone for posting responses so far to my blog. I always enjoy the comments when I get a chance to read them, and am very appreciative! I will continue to do my best to update when I can, and now you can check the group blog for other details and hopefully pictures from my friends. Misaotra Betsaka! (Malagasy for Thanks Much!)

I again tried and failed on pics, but I swear there will be some sooooon!

When It’s Cold Outside, I got the Month of May

(Written Tuesday 5/20/2008)

Perhaps this song was written in Madagascar, for it is both May and cold outside right now. Certainly not for the whole country, but my site is on a hillside near the rainforest and is constantly cool and windy. Couple this with the fact that we are entering our winter as many of you reading this are beginning summer, and perhaps it makes sense that it is cool and I often wear a sweatshirt on this tropical island. Well, I guess you’d say, what could make me feel this way? Madagascar!

I have been at my site for a few weeks, and am beginning to settle in and learn the lay of the land. Everything here is beautiful: the sunrises over the rainforest, the sunsets over the hilltops, the regular morning calls of the Indri in the rainforest, the different stars at night, the family of geckos guarding my outhouse from flies, the various other animal calls that I cannot identify but still enjoy. But rather than ramble on about these sensations, allow me to ramble on instead about a few recent stories.

My final presentation (which I mentioned last time) on Vetiver went well. I was the last to present, so a large portion of my presentation was spent thanking the few remaining audience members for not leaving (namely my host mother), and acting out erosion with fellow volunteer, um, volunteers. Around the same time, we had our final language assessment, during which I told my tester he looked like Beastie Boy MCA, in Malagasy, which he rightly took as a compliment and I passed the test. We then had a farewell luncheon with our host families, highlighted by a kibary (a Malagasy speech format that emphasizes elaborate apologies – “I am sorry for speaking today because I am not the eldest but the youngest,” “I am sorry for speaking so long,” I am sorry I was asked to speak today, but I will do my best to honor the request”) given by Marshall. He rocked it, and got more laughs from his jokes than all the other kibarys combined (there were a lot).

After that, we spent the next several days bouncing between Tana and the Peace Corps Training Site, wrapping up loose ends mostly. It was during this time that we rocked a karaoke bar and some other fun places. This was also the time of our (in)famous talent show. There were dance-offs, skits, boy bands – for those Sorin College Alumni reading, think the Sorin Talent show, although far less vulgar and offensive. It was all tremendous fun.

Finally it was time for Swearing-In. We had a beautiful outdoor ceremony at a Tana zoo/park, Brendan H. this time gave the kibary, which seemed to focus on a particular incident from one of the less-Mahay trainees – Me! The first morning at site, before leaving my room, I poured water from my filter into a bucket and proceeded to “shower” in my room by pouring the water over myself and (more or less) back into the bucket. It was only when I finished and walked out of my room that my befuddled family showed me where the actual shower was. So this anecdote for a good laugh from all the Lehibes (important Malagasy government people) in attendance – when the American ambassador did not understand the story (which was in beautiful Malagasy Officiel), a Malagasy minister acted it out for him! We then sang an awesome Malagasy original song written by some of the very talented volunteers in our group. After the ceremony, we had lunch at the US Ambassador’s house, which is simply gorgeous. But (even new) Peace Corps Volunteers feel a bit out of place in such luxury, and we were soon on our way to be installed at site, a world away from the ice cubes and pizza and swimming pool that the Ambassador’s residence offered.

I mentioned anticipating hard goodbyes, and they were. But we all went our separate ways to our new homes to begin our adventures. Like I said in a previous post, we are a strong network of support for one another and I look forward to sharing the challenges and rewards of Peace Corps service with my training group. And now we have a group blog site, this should be even easier! Also, when I am slacking on the on the updates, you can read what others in my group are up to.

So I set off for site, along with my banking town buddy Allison. We purchased needed supplies (like a bed, small gas stoves, some buckets) and explored our banking town a bit, then she went to her site. Lastly I was brought to site, and continuing an earlier tradition of eerily fitting songs, I heard “All By Myself” on the radio as we pulled into my town. I settled in and have been learning and exploring ever since. My days have included putting my Vetiver skills to test in my own yard, gathering compost materials, frightening children (not intentionally – well, not always), helping people harvest rice, and convincing people my name is pronounced “Chris” and not ”Vazaha” (Vazaha is a general term for [usually] white foreigners). Still lots to learn (not the least of which is cooking), so I best wrap up. Til next time,

Chris

P.S. Alternate working titles for this post included “I rode for 4 hours then I hit the Spot,” and “When you see the Southern Cross for the First Time.” 4 Hours is how long it takes me to ride to my banking town by bike, but I did not want to remember that tough hilly ride. As for the Southern Cross, I think that is what I am looking at in the sky, but I am not entirely certain.

P.P.S – I am probably going to raise a few ducks and/or geese, mostly for pets and egg production. Ducks/Geese have a few qualities that make them better or easier to raise than chickens: they are more resistant to diseases, they are not picky eaters, they weed plants and pests, and geese even make good “watch dogs.” But what it really comes down to is chickens are annoying, while ducks are pretty much awesome. Just look at all the attention they have received from mass media over the years: DuckTales, Darkwing Duck, Mighty Ducks, Daffy/Donald/Daisy Duck, “Duck, Duck, Goose” (or “Duck, Duck, Gray Duck” for some Minnesota folks), The Ugly Duckling, Howard the Duck… So if you have any good duck names, pass them along (the leaders right now include Drake Mallard, Launchpad McQuack, RoboDuck, Plucky Duck, Mallard Fillmore, Scrooge MacDuck and Mr. Ducksworth. On second thought, it’s Geese names I need!