Teaching

Happy Valentine’s Day week to you all! I felt the need to say it since no one here knows what that is. But, don’t fret, it will be part of my lesson this week. I’m going to teach about love, which is actually in their curriculum. It should be a great week because it won’t be work to get the kids interested in the topic. So a lot has happened in the past few weeks. I gave my final for the first semester and began grading them. All 600 of them. It took me an entire week. Each student copied the entire exam and then the answers because they can’t afford copies to hand out. So after grading I had to calculate all of their grades and then write each grade in a huge notebook using a blue ink copier to make two copies. Basically that involves making two copies of each grade. This also took me forever, but it actually made me feel like I was in college again only getting 3 hours of sleep a night. Its finished now, and I feel satisfied with their grades. They really are motivated to learn English here and it makes me feel like I’m needed here. Speaking of being needed, I had a teacher training this morning and started the first ever English Teachers Association of Ambatondrazaka. It feels awesome to be accomplishing something after waiting this long. The English center is slowly beginning. Its just so hard for all these teachers because they have NO RESOURCES. Imagine teaching German without a book, a tape, or any worksheets. All from your head. Every teacher I spoke to at the training asked for tapes of English or workbooks or textbooks or anything they could get their hands on. Unfortunately I don’t have any of those things. I have two grammar textbooks given to me by Peace Corps. But, part of my job is to find resources and create them if all else fails. I have been writing lesson plans for the teachers to help them out. But, I can only be stretched so far. I’m doing this all while still teaching a full load at the high school here. But I wake up everyday healthy, happy and motivated to start again.

This week was their Proclamation, which is an event held at the high school where they hand out their report cards. But, they hand them out in order of their class ranking, announcing to everyone how they did. I couldn’t imagine being present for that and watching the ones in last place. So I boycotted it. Teachers actually call people stupid here and point out the “dumb” ones in class. It’s crazy to hear people speak without a politically-correct filter. So after that they had yet another party for the teachers. They really know how to find a reason to celebrate here. Yesterday I made homemade peach jam and then cooked fish for the dogs. Then I built a screen door for my house and four screen windows for my living room and bedroom. I sawed, nailed and cut screens. It was awesome and everyone was drop-jawwed that I, a white American female, created these things. I’m basking in the glow of my awesomeness.

As far as food goes, its pineapple and apple season now. And you can buy whole live frogs in the market. To eat. Frog legs are pretty good… they taste like chicken, only better. And they add a little hop to my step. Bah duh dum! Other than that, I just want to clarify that alcohol consumption here is not the same as in the US. The portions are extremely small. Its not the same over-consumption as it is in the US. So, when I talk about having wine or beer I’m not talking keg parties. I’m talking Dixie cups. Its actually not culturally ok for females to drink here, so I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve done it. All with fellow PCVs.

Anyways, last night I was with some friends and after eating grilled frogs and guava juice we headed to a French NGO workers house where he had a pet mini lemur and a parrot. It was the craziest thing ever. Obviously not something that he should be buying, because it just creates a market for it, but it was cool to hold it and have a lemur the size of my fist in my palm. Then it peed and pooped on me… but it was so cute I couldn’t be mad at it. Turns out this guy sells zebu horns to make buttons in Italy. It was one of the weirdest nights of my life. Well, for now I’m off to the market to buy some vegetables for the week and, surprise, surprise… rice.

My Golden Bday

Just wanted to send a huge Thank You for all the birthday wishes!! They made my day "GOLDEN"!!! ha...

I woke up my bday morning, cooked rice for my dogs... then was visited by my friends who brought me ice cream for my present.... do they already know me or what? so I ate ice cream for breakfast!! YES! then I ran from classroom to classroom to watch my students take their final exams for the semester. they thought I was crazy... since each classroom had a teacher watching them... but it was weird for me to give a test and not watch them take it. so, I popped in windows and made sure they weren't cheating. All 600 students took the same test at the same time in 25 different classrooms, so I visited each one. Anyways, then I went to lunch with some friends and had an amazing meal of beans and rice and tomato lasary, which is my favorite meal here... . then some teachers came to my house and we planned the next few weeks of english and discussed the HIV/AIDS week we are going to have here in March. then I corrected some papers and met up with the other volunteers from around the area. we went to the pizza place, which is a treat because its so expensive (7000 Ariary for one pizza.... its costs 100 Ariary for three tomatoes here) So anyways.. then we had wine and fanta and the local beer and went back to the peace corps house where the other volunteers showed me the homemade chocoalate cake with one huge house candle in it! then we went to a kabob place here and ate some more and drank ginger flavored rum and had an awesome time! we met up with my friend felena and two french friends who live here too. after that we headed to the cabaret, which is basically a dance place with a family who plays covers and at the end of the night you can do karokee. We danced up a storm and I sang "Like a natural woman" cuz they didn't have much of an English selection. Then my Proviseur Adjoint and his daughter, my friend Felana sang "Daniel" by elten john for me.. .putting in my name and changing it to "my sister"... and then they played the happy birhtday song. It was a quite hilarious experience.. and an awesome awesome end to a great birthday. we all headed home sweaty, drunk and happy at 330 in the morning. Now, that was an awesome birthday!

Teachers' New Year's Party

I want to tell you about the new puppies I have just acquired! There is one male and one female. The male's name is Ba kiraro fotsy (White Socks) and the female's name is Charbone (Charcoal). They have been keeping me busy as I have to cook them rice and ground beef with greens three times a day, and take them for short walks around the high school compound. I had to go to the vet to get them worm pills and flea powder. Lets just say that this is the first time I’ve seen whole worms being pooped out of something. Those two were full of them! But they are gone now, so that’s good. The male is a little rascal. He likes to play and walk off exploring things. The female is a cuddler and listens and learns fast! She already knows how to sit for a treat in two languages! Hehe. They make me smile lots here… so they are a good addition to my life. The students think I’m crazy that I give them baths and take them on walks and don’t let them wander the streets. But I figure I’m teaching them about dog care in American culture. I’m always on the job!!

Its Sunday morning right now, and I just woke up after a long night of dancing, singing karaoke, eating, and drinking soda pop with the staff of the high school I work at here. We had a New Years party for the teachers, and yes I know it was January 19 yesterday! I’ve heard that New Years parties happen until the end of February here. It’s kind of a big deal! Anyways… everyone was dressed to the nines. I’m talking homemade prom dress type gowns and dress pants/shirts and ties. Of course the styles were right out of the 80’s or early 90’s, but they looked good. Of course no one told me that it was such a fancy occasion, so I showed up in jeans. Good thing they are considered nice dress here. So the party started by all of us sitting in the Proviseur’s living room lined up against the walls with a long table covered in food (and two whole cooked baby pigs!). The Proviseur (Head Principal) and the Proviseur Adjoint (Assistant Principal) gave speeches and showed a slideshow of pics from the last 4 months of the school year using the only projector in town. Then they all sang a Protestant church song and gave a Catholic prayer and had a moment of silence in remembrance of the death of the man who our high school was named after. Then everyone went up to get the snacky type food and drinks and the music started blasting. The Proviseur and Proviseur Adjoint were both decked out in full white suits, which is considered high class here since most people can’t afford to keep white clothes clean here. And they were the first people to start dancing and were walking around pouring drinks and singing. It was really fun to see them have fun! Men here are not shy about dancing or singing, which I have noticed as a HUGE difference between cultures. Soon everyone, and I mean the entire room of people, started dancing and the karaoke was soon to follow. I was forced to sing Celine Dion, My Heart Will Go On, because they love her here. I still don’t understand how it is decided what American/English songs get to be chosen as cool here. But, it was a blast…and despite my lack of singing talent, they all were focusing on my English pronunciation, so I’d have to say it was the best performance of my life. It was a good time, and strangely weird that I didn’t feel weird. That is to say, I’m used to living here and the party felt normal, not like I was watching the National Geographic channel like I have felt in the past. So, if it makes any difference to any of you… I think I’m finally “tamana” which means “well-settled” in Malagasy.

Holidays in Mcar

Tratra ny taona daholo! ("Happy New Year everyone!" But literally "catch the year" everyone)

I hope you all ushered in 2008 with dancing, eating, and a little bit of alcohol! I wish you all the best in this next year and hope you made new years resolutions that you will stick with!

My Christmas and New Years were great, despite the lack of American family and friends around. My IST, or "training after three months of service" was amazing and has helped me narrow down some secondary projects I want to do for my community. We learned about money sources we can apply for to fund small projects and I'm excited for the possibilites! The money can go towards anything from building outhouses, helping build water pumps, supplying the town with garbage receptacles, supplying a library with new books or a computer, starting a school lunch program, etc... I'm excited to get started with my secondary project now that I am settled here and feel like life is normal, since all the culture shock has melted away. I'm already planning to have an English club for the students once a week for them to come and actually speak the language. There will also be a teacher training for the middle school teachers in my town. They teach English but actually speak very little.. meaning they can say small talk or recite memorized phrases but can't produce sentences on their own. I will also have an English Club for all of the English teachers in my town to promote the english language and give them a chance to speak it in a more relaxed setting. I also have a English language radio program in the works so pretty soon I will be as famous as Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, Casey Casem, and Delialah. Ha! And finally, because I feel all of that is not yet enough, I'm going to start a Girls Club at the high school. So those are just my, what I like to call, "primary" secondary projects outside of teaching 600 students during the week.

I have many ideas for my secondary projects and am starting to talk to local people to see which plan they like the best. Its completely useless to start a project that the towns people are not interested in because it won't continue once I leave and thus won't fulfill the ultimate goal of peace corps projects of being sustainable. I will fill you all in once I come to a decision.

So, my Christmas. I traveled from Tana to my site with three other volunteers in my education training group. It was awesome showing them my town and introducing them to all of my friends. They were all jealous of how friendly the people are in my area and absolutely adored the family that owns the Peace Corps transit house here in my city. It felt amazing to feel like this was my home that I was showing off to my friends and made me extremely excited to host my parents who should be coming here in July! So, on Christmas we killed a goose, and ate rice with a vegetable sidedish (cooked carrots, green beans, zucchini, onions, and garlic with curry sauce), and garlic mashed potatoes. We ate with with the family next door, which entails five middle aged siblings who all live together. 2 males and a set of female triplets. 2 of the women are widows. The daughter of one of the triplets also lives there with her husband and their 1 year old baby. They are both younger than me and the mom, the daughter and her husband and child all share one bedroom. Imagine how weird that would be! Anyways.. they are amazing to volunteers because one of the triplets' son married a former peace corps volunteer and they now live in the US. They know how to speak "american" malagasy and love joking with us and chatting.

The day after christmas us 4 volunteers set off for Tamatave, which is on the East Coast of the island. We took a night taxi brousse. We left my town at 3pm and arrived in Tamatave at 2am, but could not get out of the car until daylight. This type of traveling is exhausting.. you are so tired but there is no way to sleep. Especially when the top of the brousse is filled with 150 ducks, geece, and chickens in makeshift poultry carriers and the lady sitting next to you stinks of body odor and sleeps soundly with her arm raised above her head situated perfectly at nose level. Then, every once in a while, this lady would open the window and use a long stick to poke the chickens on the top in order to "stop them from fighting". As she poked them, large amounts of chicken poop would fall from the top of the brousse and land on my arm and leg which were next to the window. Needless to say I wasn't quite fond of the BO chicken lady. I arrived in tamatave almost comatose, drenched in sweat, and caked in chicken poop. But I am extremely happy I went there, depsite the travel. We slept in bungalows, swam in the ocean, drank fresh coconut juice, and I grew jealous of all the volunteers who live in such a tropical location!

The next day, we all headed down to another volunteers site, traveling another six hours by taxi brousse. She lives in an oceanfront village and had started a Malagasy baseball team. She invited volunteers there to play in the game to raise money for the girls club in the village. We did a promotional tour the morning of the game. By this I mean we rented a huge flatbed truck that carries freight and stood in the back of it dressed in our jerseys and followed a small truck in front of us that had a generator powering huge speakers and a cd player that blasted music and as a guy talked about the game through a loud speaker. This was by far the weirdest and yet coolest thing i have down here. The Malagasy team was on the truck with us and was determined to play the "new" Brittney Spears song "Gimme More" on repeat the entire 2 hours. hilarious! Anyways, we ended up losing the game, and by losing I mean we were killed by the malagasy team that had just learned the rules three months ago. 21-4! It wasn't a proud american moment, ha. But, most peace corps volunteers aren't the athletic type.. it was painful to watch them try to throw or catch! ha. but afterwards we had an american style barbeque and then a dance. Oh, you have to love the cultural exchange that occured that day!

The next day I returned to my site, after a 12 hour taxi brousse ride. I don't think I want to travel for another three months. On New Years Eve my friend met me in my town and then we headed up to his home village which is 20 kilometers north of my town. The taxi brousse would only take us about 15k so we had to get off and walk in the pouring rain for awhile until a half tractor type thing picked us up and drove us a little ways and then we took a bicycle taxi the next part of the road until it was too dark and muddy to ride bike anymore. From there, we proceeded on foot for half an hour in complete darkness, pouring rain, and ankle deep mud all while carrying our luggage and food supplies for the dinner. Needless to say, it was an awesome adventure that I will never forget! I laughed almost the entire voyage. Once at his village we ate a huge dinner of rice and fish (talapia) and then drank some homemade punch made of lychees fermented in rum and then danced until midnight when we had to go outside and run around to every house in the village and wish them a happy new year and give them the greeting of the three cheek touches while making a kissing noise but never actually kissing their faces. I did that with every single person in the village because they all wanted to be wished a happy new year by the white foreignor! It took half an hour!! but it was awesome! Then the next day there was a huge village dance outside with music and everyone dancing! It was really fun and I danced up a storm! Then at dinner, my friend was asked to officially announce to the family that we are dating because the custom here is that the parents won't accept that we are anything but friends until it is officially announced. Then, his father proceeded to fire questions at me about how I like life here and how I am adjusting to living in such a poor country. Then he moved right into the important questions of where we are going to live if we get married, if its possible for me to live here or if I would even want to and if our kids will speak malagasy. At this point, I was extremely out of words to say. I lost all ability to speak malagasy and he had to translate for me. He told me that in malagasy culture it is necessary for the parents to ask questions about the couples future and that its even expected by the children. I, however, was not informed ahead of time of this because he didn't know that the American custom is for the parents to stay as far away from relationship decision making as possible and only be told the outcome once its final. The customs could not be any more different. I explained to him how those questions would be considered rude and prying in my culture and that I didn't even know how to respond to them. But, while being interrogated by his dad I gave honest and uncertain answers. It was probably the most nervewracking conversation I have ever had to go through. But, we explained how he plans to visit the states with me when I leave and how hes looking to study in the states and that I completely understand their fear for the situation their son is in. they said that they accept me and that they believe I fit well into this culture and that they can tell I am being myself and not pretending to like it here. that ended the conversation on a good note and I went to bed exhausted. Anyways.. that was a cultural lesson I didn't think I would have to learn here.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! I'm currently sunburnt and sweating... surrounded by people who can't afford to buy Christmas presents... so it doesn't feel that Christmas-y to me. I just got done with my In Service Training, which reunited me with all of the other volunteers that I trained with the first three months. It was great to speak english again.. and to reconnect with new friends.. but also felt weird to be overwhelmed by american's. Its hard to explain. anyways.. I'm heading to my site for Christmas with three other volunteers. Then we are heading to the ocean for two days and finally to a peace corps vs malagasy baseball game. But, all I really want to do is to fly home for christmas. I'll try to fill my sorrow with the new fridge I bought... it can hold many cold fresh juices! well, I don't know what else to say without sounding too sad about not being with all of the people I love and care about during the holidays.. so I'll just close by saying that I love you and miss you all!!

Seasons and a wedding

I can't believe its the holiday season because it sure doesn't feel like it here. It is getting progressively hotter, and the rainy season is about to start. The fruit seasons have changed. Mangos and lychees are delicious and selling like hotcakes right now. I also had a first sighting of small peaches and plums, which will be coming into season soon. I'm absolutely LOVING every second of having fresh fruit everyday whenever I want it. the fruit juices are going to rot my teeth, but I feel as though its worth it for the time being. The tamarind and papaya juices and passion fruit juices are like none I have tasted in the States. So good. People make their own flavored rum here too. They just stick the fruit in it and let it sit for a month. Theres vanilla, strawberry, pineapple, banana, and even ginger flavored rum, and its really good with the fresh fruit juice.

Its the start of the cyclone season, so I'm a little worriedly anxious to experience my first cyclonic wind. plus I think the torrential downpours will be a sight to see. I've been warned to stock up on unperishables and to have at least a weeks worth of clean water if a cyclone warning has been issued. But thats a little hard to do considering there is only one store in my town that sells canned goods, and they are one weeks paycheck for a can of corn or mushrooms. Looks like rice and spaghetti noodles will have to do.

its weird to think that I have been so busy that I haven't had time to even think about being homesick or lonely. I guess thats a good thing? It also helps that I kinda sorta have a close friend of the boy persuasion. so, thats my malagasy indirect way of saying I'm hanging out with someone. Most malagasy people are extremely indirect and are taken aback by how forward many americans are... but as I am actually the worst person in the world to ever directly confront someone, I fit in perfectly. I understand exactly what they mean because it is how I would say it! ha. anyways.. so my "sipa". (sipa means person you are dating, but its nongendered. this langaguage is very cool because it doesn't gender things like english or the romance languages.) he's around my age (I will be 25 January 25th Golden birthday, whoot whoot!!). He grew up in a small town of about 400 people. He has a huge family, something that we have in common, and his parents still live in the little village. His mom is an elementary school teacher nearing retirement, and his dad is farmer. He went to university in the capital here in Madagascar, but wants to study more. He's super social and the smallest thing makes him happy. He is almost fluent in English and loves learning about my culture, but also deeply respects his own culture. Its fun learning and teaching each other about our lives. He lives 6 hours away though, so right now I see him about twice a month. As for now, he makes me happy. I met his entire family, including aunts and uncles when I went to his sisters engagement party two weekends ago. Its a malagasy tradition for the female to invite the males entire family to their village and throw a party for them. Cows or pigs are killed, and tons and tons of rice is eaten. There is a dinner, speeches, and a dance at night. before the dinner, the male's family waits in a tent-ish type makeshift building for the female to arrive. Before the bride-to-be goes in, they send in three other females to try to trick the groom-to-be. They walk up and he says whether its the right women or not. Its really funny to watch, and actually extremely hilarious to participate in. Of course, me being the spectacle there cuz I'm white, they sent me in as one of the three fake brides. I wish I could reenact the look of shock and laughter on everyones face as a "vazaha" total stranger walked into the tent acting as though I were going to be the future bride. They loved it, and of course I ate that attention up! ha! after that, everyone had to dance with me.. so of course I took turns with tons of people dancing until the next morning. (someone has to be dancing all night long or else the party isn't officially a party, seriously) I was drenched in sweat, covered in dust and loved every second of it!

Teacher's retreat

So I've been here for five months now, which is crazy. overall things have gone well and I have loved the experience. I just went on a teachers retreat, which was a beginning of the school year celebration... 3 months after the school year started. but here there is a saying.. fotoana gasy, which means.. gasy time.. because malagasy people are late for everything. the retreat was out in the countryside. there was no running water, and no place to sleep. I pushed two desks together and slept on top, with about an inch difference in their heights. well.. sleep isn't the word I should use.. but rather laid there all tired for eight hours. I only fell off of the "bed" twice though. ha. so during my attempt to sleep the other teachers made sure to follow the tradition of partying all night the night before an official ceremony. they drank and danced from 8pm until 5am where they then got up to make the breakfast rice. I can't even handle that kind of partying anymore.. anyways so the second day of the "retreat" involved five hours of waiting in the 95 degree scorching sun for the important people to come and then listening to a speech for three hours, watching a soccer game and then return to partying. the weirdest thing I've ever seen. But, OH the experience it entailed... Especially since the unsanitary conditions of the place it was held at lead to my first case of giardia. that was fun. I'm well now.. so no worries.. but it was not fun while it lasted. I'll spare you all the details. I'm glad that it at least wasn't a worm. that would be worse cuz you get to see it come out.. yuck. anyways..for now I am still teaching.. still learning... but actually am able to converse normally in the language. soon it will be thanksgiving.. and we are planning to have a dinner with all the volunteers around the lake area. so I will get a little taste of america.. even if it isn't a taste of pumpkin pie.