I'm a changed Man!

Now that the chapter of my host family experience here in Madagascar is now over, it seems appropriate for me to list a few highlights (cultural indicators) from the experience that reminded me I';m not in America anymore.

1- The priceless look on my host mother's face my first night when I gave her a box of cookies and she discovered that they had been open...I got a little hungry.

2- Awkward communication with family and others in the village I wont list them. (Lost of frustration around gift giving the last few days).

3- The one year old peeing on the floor in the middle of lunch one day, and the awkward silence that followed.

4- Six-year-olds' taking care of two-year-olds'--a long way from the American daycare system.

5- Cutting a tomato and having my host mom tell me I'm really "smart." She must have had really low expectations.

6- The one-year-old playing with a knife and it was OKAY with everyone.

7- Eating whole fired little fish-for some reason a feeling of comfort came over me when I found out they fished them from the rice field...*Side note: all kinds of little edible creatures come from the rice field once rice is harvested...who knew...?

8- the mysterious light bulbs that hang from strings in a few houses, despite no electricity (I think ites a decoration/status thing)

9- Being told I look like a movie star / Prince Harry / David Beckham.

10- Hitting my head on everthing (i.e. doorways).

11- Eating lots of rice--once you accpet it, its not a meal without it.

12- The Sur'Eau bottles that began to line the shelf in the kitchen as weeks past. PC provides it to host families every week to clean cooking water and soak veggies. I was told it was being used.

13- A crazy Easter I'll never forget, known as "Mitsangasanga."

14-Putting Nicole in awkward sistuations during the first five weeks of language class--it took Fanjava a few weeks until she undertood my sense of humor.

15- On our first tech-trip Stan (the Env. PA) turning to me in the car and saying in broken English "yea...this is the enviornment" --he overheard me complaining about the roads.

16- The chicken that got in my room.

17- Cell phones -"Hello, Hello, Hello....*hang up*"

18- The intense Domie Games with the Family and Family friends.

19- The 1 pm afternoon radio soap opera.

20- the radio with one volume set at LOAD @ 4 in the morning.

In closing...I will MISS Mahitsitady.

SHOUT OUT!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER BRYAN

&

CHEERS TO JOANIE AND MIKE PERKINS...THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEKEND!

MISS YOU ALL!

best,
Brendan

My Site Visit--A Reality Check

Just a few words regarding my site visit last week.

Last Wednesday all our couterparts (the gatekeepers to our community) were flown from all over Madagascar for a little conference PC style. They met us (PC Trainees), learned about Peace Corps and its policies. After a short (it felt short) meet and greet. I hopped on a plane to Fort Dauphin. A popular tourist site and a future mining location (strip mining for a titanium deposit used to make white dyes). My village is about 60k north of Fort Dauphin in the commune of Saite Luce, made of three small villages (Manafiafy, Ambandrika, and Ampanasantomboka). My house is in Ambandrika. Its a small fishing community, with little farming. All I saw was Cassava (a tuber plant) with the occasional pineapple. They have a great need for the introduction of vegitables(any. Mal-nutrition in rampant, and healthcare is non-existent. I spent my last morning having a cup of coffee, trying not to focus on the little girl in front of me with flies swarming here burnt arm from when she fell on the fire. The mining company built a hospital, but it hasn't seen a doctor since it was contructed a few years ago(?). My NGO built a house and latrine to help attract a doctor. Anyway, enough of this....WELCOME TO THE PEACE CORPS

My site resembles nothing like the small rice community I've been training in. The soil is sand and trees are sparse because of deforestation. My NGO is working on reforstization projects (tree planting etc.).

Good news! My house is rather large and I had an opportunity to walk the 14K to Mahatalaky on Monday to see the weekly market. I was impressed with the variety of food and should have a rather varied diet with the vegtibles I'll be growing thrown into the mix. Also, PC will give me a bike so it should only be an hour ride, rather than a 6 hour walk both ways.

I was really impressed with the communities embrace. I was under the impression that I was requested by my NGO on the community's behalf. But I met with the President of Saite Luce and the Mayor of Mahatalaky--both very supportive. I was paraded around the three villages and introduced at formal meetings (my language is still really weak-so my kobary (speech) will wait till I get installed.

In closing, I have a lot of challenges ahead and I'm still processing the last five days. I'm also a little sick. I'm eager to take advantage of my five weeks of training, so I can "hit the ground running."
Sorry about any spelling/english mistakes-I hope it makes sense, I have no time to edit!

Best,