I returned to site completely refreshed after almost a month away. It was so happy to get back because honestly, I needed a vacation from my vacation. I was happy to see my friends, neighbors, and co-workers, and people trickled in and out during the first few days back to say hello. Not too many randos asked me for a voandalana (gift from traveling) which was also a plus as I already have roughly 40 people to bring gifts to! I brought cookies back for my doctor's family, guard’s family, my 'Gasy family, the CSB staff, and my 18 ACs—I can't carry much more! People called out to me by name saying they missed me and asking where I was. This is a huge plus because that means people know who I am and know that I'm not a random vazaha! However, within my first few hours back, I did get called fat, pimply, and that I was bad at speaking Malagasy. Thanks guys, I missed you too. The Malagasy in my town are very straightforward. If I change at all in this country it will be that I have very thick skin.
The day after I got back, my friend came over and asked if I was going to watch the cow wrestling. Hell yea I'm going to watch cow wrestling! We went to her house around 1:00 and watched from the balcony. The event started 'when the music starts' which was about two hours late. Everyone on the street started dancing and then in a mass, traveled around the corner and out of site. 20 minutes later, they all came running and screaming following by a bucking bull. One guy tried desperately to hang on only to be quickly replaced by another guy once he fell off. Everyone rounded the corner again and the event was over. It lasted roughly one minute. People continued to dance in the street for hours after. What an unexpected way to spend my afternoon!
Two days after I got back I attended a wedding. This was actually part II of the wedding I went to a few months ago. However, this time the ceremony was held in the church. Overall it was similar to a wedding in the States. However when the 'Wedding March' played, everyone clapped to the beat and the wedding party waved their arms in a dance. The ceremony ended and the bride, groom, and wedding party all got into the back of a few trucks and paraded around town. Oh also, it was pouring rain. They looked so cold and miserable! The reception was help outside under a large tent that dripped steady streams of water. We ate the same food as last time which I guess was a standard wedding meal: pasta, mashed potatoes, carrot salad, rice, and goose. My friends are still astonished when I tell them I don't eat meat, “But then what can you eat!?”
You know you're a PCV when:
-Voandalanas seriously stress you out
-Sometimes you crave sweets to the point of eating plain sugar or just smelling vanilla or just eating sweetened condensed milk or eating just honey by the spoonful
No comments:
Post a Comment