From
Minneapolis to Mantasoa
After a quick
and teary goodbye, I boarded the flight to Philadelphia. Staging was long and I
desperately needed a snack but it was so good to meet the other people in my
stage. There were 20 health volunteers and 18 agriculture volunteers making 38
total (though one person did decide to go home after a few days in country so
now we have 37). I liked meeting people who had similar goals for the Peace
Corps, and for the first time, I didn't have to explain why I made this life
altering choice. We arrived in Mantasoa on Wednesday night after a long couple
of days with very little sleep. We smelled pretty bad by then, and the flight
attendant sprayed air freshener during our last flight. We spent the first
three days at the Peace Corps Training Center (PCTC) that is located on Lake
Mantasoa. Everything is very green and the lake reminds me of home. We listened
to a few orientations and several crash course language sessions before we
packed up and moved to our home stays.
Homestay
My host
family is wonderful! I have a neny (mom), dada, sister who is 16, and brother
who is 20. My dada is a carpenter and my neny is a homemaker and great cook.
They have a beautiful house with two floors, electricity, and indoor bathroom
with a toilet and bathtub but no sink or running water. I was very surprised
with the bathroom as every other Peace Corps Trainee's (PCT) family has a
kabone (outhouse) and ladosy (outdoor shower). I felt like a child at first
because my family had to teach me how to use the toilet, take a shower, and
wash dishes and clothes without using running water. My language was very
limited which terrified me to move in with a Malagasy family after three days
in country. However, neny, my sister, and my brother do speak some English. My
dada speaks French so that was our common language in the beginning. Still, I
made sure to carry my dictionary everywhere I went. My host family is so
patient with me which I very much appreciate!
Language
We have about
four hours of language every day. Language classes consist of 2-4 people with
one language instructor. I was very frustrated with language during that first
week because I thought I would pick it up quicker. Since then I've learned to
be patient with myself and the language with come with time and effort. I
slowly understand more and more with my host family, and I'm able to hold
longer conversations with the locals each week. I try to celebrate the small
successes, and reflect on past conversations correcting why I said wrong. I
have made many funny mistakes. For example, I was trying to say that my brother
is married. I meant to say 'Manam-bady izy' which translates to 'he has a
spouse.' Instead I said, 'Manam-body izy' which translates to 'he has a butt.'
I have to carefully watch my pronunciation.
Food
The Malagasy
are the highest consumers of rice per person in the world. They have rice with
almost every meal and it is the largest portion in their plate. An example meal
for my host family consists of white rice, sausage, and cucumber and onion
salad, with pineapple for dessert. For breakfast we usually have fried bread
and coffee. The structure of the meal took some getting used to. Everything
gets mixed together on my plate (cucumbers with sausage on them for instance).
Also, my host family eats a lot of peanut butter. We make it ourselves and it
is the best peanut butter I have ever had. I eat it with my rice at every meal.
Eating fruit for dessert was also an adjustment, and more than once I've eaten
sweet potato with honey for dessert. Interesting combination.
My Site
I found out
my site in the first week. I wrote an essay listing the top ten picks and why I
would be the best volunteer for my number one choice, and I also listed my
bottom three sites. I got my top choice! I'm not going to say the exact name of
my town but I will live in the Lake Aloatra region. Lake Aloatra is the largest
lake in Madagascar located a few hours north of the capital. The area is known
as the 'rice basket' because the area produces roughly 50% (don't quote me on
that percent) of Madagascar's rice. I've heard the area is very beautiful and
hot. I'm excited to move there, and I will be living at that site longer than
I've lived anywhere else in the past six years!
So I am
constantly making observations about myself and other PCTs. I know I will
change dramatically throughout my service and grow more than I can imagine at
this point. In the meantime, I will note some early observable behavior changes
that I or other PCTs have done at the end of each blog post. Enjoy!
You know you’re
a PCT when:
-
You carry toilet paper with you everywhere you go-in multiple pockets, pants, and bra
- You are jealous of or show off your sink or toilet despite no running water ("You have a kitchen sink!? Lucky!")
- You desperately look forward to 10:00am snack every day.
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