Daily training life

Hello everyone! It is 9:00p.m. and 1:00 p.m. in WI. I am sitting in my foam mattress bed with mosquito net surrounding me, and it feels like a sweet fort I built when I was little. I just finished washing the dishes! I asked and they finally said I could! The past two nights they just said, “Night" and I went upstairs to my room. But tonight they let me help. They gave me an apron and I washed the dishes with a sponge which is actually a cut piece of foam, and rubbed it on a piece of soap for dish soap. Then, in a bucket of cold water I washed the dishes and my sister Ando, pronounced (Ahn-doo) rinsed the dishes and set them out to dry. I had an awesome dinner w/ the family because I can finally speak in sentences. It’s amazing how fast I have learned Malagasy, and it feels SO comforting. The family and I talked about what the Dad does for work, which is basically a construction worker who drives the big machines that dig up dirt. I can’t remember the name in English! The Mom owns a little shop here at the house. Each morning, I wake up at 6:00 a.m. and go downstairs with my bucket and scoop and get hot water from my host Mom, which is half boiled and half cold water and walk outside to the Ladosy (Lah-doo-see) or outdoor shower that is just a wood structure w/ a door and cement like floor. I use the scoop to take a shower from the bucket. Then I dry off, go upstairs, get dressed and go downstairs for breakfast. My Mother makes me coffee w/ sugar and sweetened condensed milk. I usually have bread w/ butter and some sort of honey mixed with sugar or jam that is delicious. Then I brush my teeth out on the porch, spitting off the balcony, because that’s how they do it here! Then I walk to class w/ other volunteers. I come back home for lunch w/ the family, then back to class until 5:00 , then back to the host family for dinner and playing hacky-sack w/ the male boys, Ravo (Rah-voo) and taratra (Tahrahtrah). Then it’s up to my room where I write in my journal, study, brush my teeth and spit it in my Po.. The Malagasy do not go to the outhouse at night because witches come out at night, no joke. I pee in a bucket in my room every night, and dump it in the outhouse in the morning. Then I fall asleep around 9:30 or 10:00 and start the whole thing over the next day! Next weekend we get to go to Tana, the capital, for the 1st time, so I mght have internet access! Exciting! I hope you all know that I am loving it here. A lot of volunteers are having trouble w/ the language and being homesick, but I haven’t felt sad for even one second here! My host family is so nice and caring and make me feel like family. It is amazing to speak to them after two days of awkward small talk, because of the language barrier. Next week is Independence Day here, and I will celebrate w/ the family by dancing and seeing fireworks! I learned all of that out of our dinner conversation tonight!

First few days in Madagascar

So, I landed safely in Tana after being in South Africa for a night. We were met by a group of current PCV's at the airport, so we had a warm welcome! Then we packed into a van and drove about 2 hours to the town I am training in called Manjakandriana. Its in a higher elevation, so its a little chilly.. probably feels like 50 degrees or so. Its an amazing sight though.. there are so many hills/levels of housing. Its hard to explain. So, last night we had a crash course on Malagasy, learning about 6 words, and then were taken to our host family's. My family is SO NICE! The mother= neni, pronounced nay-knee, is about 42 and owns a little store out of her house. The father=dada, pronounced dah-dah, is 41 and works as a construction worker. They have three children. Ravo, an 18 yr old boy, Ando, a 16 yr old girl, and an 8 yr old named Taratra. They are all so friendly, and really excited to use the few years of English they have learned in school to talk to me. I was shown my room, which is a little attic room, with wood ceiling and floors and like a cement like walls. It had a bed, with a foam mattress, pillow, 2 chairs, 2 tables, a chest, and a water filter. I also received blankets, which helped since it was a little chilly last night, but I LOVED it. Perfect sleeping weather for a Wisconsinite. I also have a bucket in my room to use for a shower, which I take outside. Then I have my new best friend, called a Po, pronounced with a long O. This is where I go to the bathroom after dark. People here don't go outside to the outhouse at night. Its just weird. So, I christened it last night! I woke up and had to pee so bad, and of course sat there a while and was like.. I don't want to wake anyone with the loud noise of peeing in the middle of the night. But, I then realized I had 6 more hours to sleep so I did it, and it was fine. All I know is that my leg muscles are going to be so buff after this! So, last night after the tour, I showed my family all of the pictures of my family, home and friends, which they loved! They especially enjoyed the christmas photo of my crazy family! Then, after a lot of awkward laughing because I didn't understand.. and constant searching through my malagasy dictionary.. we sat down for dinner. On this old table we all sat and ate rice, and a soup with broth, carrots, potatoes, onions, and green beans. It was delicious. Then we had bananas for desert and I had tea, which was actually just the water that the burnt rice was boiled in, they drink it as tea after their meal. It was fine. Then, I said I was tired, said thank you and headed upstairs. My family has sporadic electricity, so I heard a tv going and dogs barking and pigeons while I was falling asleep. I went to sleep at 8 and woke up at midnight, wide awake. I tossed and turned and finally fell back asleep and woke up when a rooster crowed about 5 am. I woke up, ate pancakes for breakfast, with a jam, and butter, and coffee.. with sugar and powdered milk. It was amazing! Then, I walked to town with my Neni, and to the peace corps training center. So, anyways.. life is amazing right now. I have seen so much poverty, that its taking some time to deal with. I can't even explain what its like. Words will not do justice. I will show pics when I return. But, the landscape is amazing... rolling hills with rice fields everywhere.. and markets everywhere.. and people everywhere. Right now, I'm just attempting to learn some language so I can stop laughing when I dont' know how to explain things to my family. Just wanted to let you all know that I am healthy, well, and happy!