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OK, I have to start being a little less specific in these things, cuz… that’s the policy. So if I’m slightly vague on some topics it’s because I gotta be.
Tonight there was a CRAZY thunderstorm here. It reminded me of my Chicago days. San Francisco just can’t compare when it comes to a good storm. Things are starting to get really tropical here. When I first arrived it was the cool season: The crazy Malagasy flora and fauna were all keeping a low profile, waiting for some heat and water. For the last several weeks every day has been getting hotter and wetter. There are crazy bugs clinging to my walls, bright red birds flying past my window, little green tree frogs hiding around my spigot, huge snails crawling up my shower. Litchis, pineapples and mangoes are starting to show up in the market and the electricity goes out for a few minutes every night. (I’m told that’s a seasonal thing. I’m not sure why… I’m sure if I was more science minded it would make perfect sense.) There’s also something big that crawls around inside my house at night. I haven’t been able to see it yet, but I’m always hearing it at about 4 in the morning. I guess it’s probably a rodent of some kind, but like I said, I can tell it’s really large and my house is really small and I have no idea how it’s getting in and out… they sell mouse traps in the market but they’re not the nice, friendly little mouse traps that are found in the US. They’re big, jagged, chunks of metal that look like they could trap a person. So, I should probably get on top of purchasing one of those… Maybe it’ll just decide to cease and desist on its own? The other fun thing about the wet season is my leaky roof. With each new storm comes a new leak. Another thing that I need to deal with. I’m busy here! I need some time to myself to chill and read and write and relax. Most people here who have jobs outside of their homes have a helper. Someone who does the laundry, cooks, cleans, takes care of the kids, etc. I do have someone who does my laundry (thank god… it takes me all afternoon to wash 3 pairs of boxers). But PC doesn’t pay me enough to have someone cook and clean and take care of my children. I found the repair guy in town a couple of weeks ago and told him about my leaky roof. He came over, looked and he said he needed to get a ladder and he’d come back the next day. He never showed up again. He’s either hiding from me, or he dropped dead. I think it’s just a pain in the ass job that he didn’t want to deal with so he’s keeping his distance and hoping I’ll forget. I would like to forget… but with every rainfall comes a friendly reminder.
Anyway, the 1st trimester is winding down and I’m getting really excited about my Christmas vacation. Actually, I’ve been especially homesick lately thinking about Ma’s delicious meals, presents under the Christmas tree, Red Lobster… yeah, it’s weird, when I think about going back to he US I think fondly about chain restaurants. I know that’s an absolutely terrible thing to say, but I guess that’s why people go to Bennigan’s and places like that to begin with, because they’re familiar. There is no equivalent to that here. Well, actually here in town there is Hotel Tohanaina and Hotel Tohanaina Sud… but it’s just not quite up to par with Olive Garden… no bottomless salad bowl. I haven’t really been homesick in a “cry myself to sleep” sort of way. More in a “when I get back to America I’m really gonna appreciate x” way. Like chain restaurants, and plays and cars and toilets and Tyra Banks. Things like that. But, my vacation. On Sunday I’ll start making my way up to an island paradise. I basically have to travel all the way across the entire country. It could take weeks. But once I get to the capital I will be meeting up with 6 friends and we’re going to rent out our own taxi brousse… which means room for my go-go-gadget legs and loud singing of Christmas carols… The thought of singing Christmas carols is really appealing right now. Madagascar makes you appreciate the simple things…. Like Litchis… They’re so damn good. I eat like 45 a day. And I’m told the season for them is already almost over… a good thing like that can’t last for too long I guess. If you can find Litchis in the states I must insist that you buy and eat them immediately. I can remember eating Asian litchi flavoured candies before but I don’t know if I ever heard of the actual fruit being around in the states.
Back to vacay: my friend actually lives on the island where we’re gonna be visiting so she’s hooked us up with all these amazing things. We got a hotel on the beach for really cheap, we got a Christmas party at the hottest bar in town that’s owned by some Spaniard that she’s continuously fawning over, and she scored us a boat that can take us snorkeling and to some of the smaller surrounding islands to possibly see Lemurs and we only have to pay for gas and drinks! Amazing.
12/20 UPDATE: Apparently there’s a huge cyclone headed for Nosy Be right now, so my vacation may not be happening… Not sure yet… Will update if I’m around.
I'm emailing out pics to the people who I usually email them to. If you're not receiving those emails and want to, send me an email.
Tonight there was a CRAZY thunderstorm here. It reminded me of my Chicago days. San Francisco just can’t compare when it comes to a good storm. Things are starting to get really tropical here. When I first arrived it was the cool season: The crazy Malagasy flora and fauna were all keeping a low profile, waiting for some heat and water. For the last several weeks every day has been getting hotter and wetter. There are crazy bugs clinging to my walls, bright red birds flying past my window, little green tree frogs hiding around my spigot, huge snails crawling up my shower. Litchis, pineapples and mangoes are starting to show up in the market and the electricity goes out for a few minutes every night. (I’m told that’s a seasonal thing. I’m not sure why… I’m sure if I was more science minded it would make perfect sense.) There’s also something big that crawls around inside my house at night. I haven’t been able to see it yet, but I’m always hearing it at about 4 in the morning. I guess it’s probably a rodent of some kind, but like I said, I can tell it’s really large and my house is really small and I have no idea how it’s getting in and out… they sell mouse traps in the market but they’re not the nice, friendly little mouse traps that are found in the US. They’re big, jagged, chunks of metal that look like they could trap a person. So, I should probably get on top of purchasing one of those… Maybe it’ll just decide to cease and desist on its own? The other fun thing about the wet season is my leaky roof. With each new storm comes a new leak. Another thing that I need to deal with. I’m busy here! I need some time to myself to chill and read and write and relax. Most people here who have jobs outside of their homes have a helper. Someone who does the laundry, cooks, cleans, takes care of the kids, etc. I do have someone who does my laundry (thank god… it takes me all afternoon to wash 3 pairs of boxers). But PC doesn’t pay me enough to have someone cook and clean and take care of my children. I found the repair guy in town a couple of weeks ago and told him about my leaky roof. He came over, looked and he said he needed to get a ladder and he’d come back the next day. He never showed up again. He’s either hiding from me, or he dropped dead. I think it’s just a pain in the ass job that he didn’t want to deal with so he’s keeping his distance and hoping I’ll forget. I would like to forget… but with every rainfall comes a friendly reminder.
Anyway, the 1st trimester is winding down and I’m getting really excited about my Christmas vacation. Actually, I’ve been especially homesick lately thinking about Ma’s delicious meals, presents under the Christmas tree, Red Lobster… yeah, it’s weird, when I think about going back to he US I think fondly about chain restaurants. I know that’s an absolutely terrible thing to say, but I guess that’s why people go to Bennigan’s and places like that to begin with, because they’re familiar. There is no equivalent to that here. Well, actually here in town there is Hotel Tohanaina and Hotel Tohanaina Sud… but it’s just not quite up to par with Olive Garden… no bottomless salad bowl. I haven’t really been homesick in a “cry myself to sleep” sort of way. More in a “when I get back to America I’m really gonna appreciate x” way. Like chain restaurants, and plays and cars and toilets and Tyra Banks. Things like that. But, my vacation. On Sunday I’ll start making my way up to an island paradise. I basically have to travel all the way across the entire country. It could take weeks. But once I get to the capital I will be meeting up with 6 friends and we’re going to rent out our own taxi brousse… which means room for my go-go-gadget legs and loud singing of Christmas carols… The thought of singing Christmas carols is really appealing right now. Madagascar makes you appreciate the simple things…. Like Litchis… They’re so damn good. I eat like 45 a day. And I’m told the season for them is already almost over… a good thing like that can’t last for too long I guess. If you can find Litchis in the states I must insist that you buy and eat them immediately. I can remember eating Asian litchi flavoured candies before but I don’t know if I ever heard of the actual fruit being around in the states.
Back to vacay: my friend actually lives on the island where we’re gonna be visiting so she’s hooked us up with all these amazing things. We got a hotel on the beach for really cheap, we got a Christmas party at the hottest bar in town that’s owned by some Spaniard that she’s continuously fawning over, and she scored us a boat that can take us snorkeling and to some of the smaller surrounding islands to possibly see Lemurs and we only have to pay for gas and drinks! Amazing.
12/20 UPDATE: Apparently there’s a huge cyclone headed for Nosy Be right now, so my vacation may not be happening… Not sure yet… Will update if I’m around.
I'm emailing out pics to the people who I usually email them to. If you're not receiving those emails and want to, send me an email.
Comments
I had to seal all the rooms with sealant 'cause their was bat crap falling into the kitchen and bedroom area, and I was reimbursed by Peace Corps, Bill was able to recommend where I should go to buy stuff. You could buy the tin in Tana where it is cheaper, and brousse it back down to Vohipeno 'cause if buy it in Manakara, they are gonna charge you a lot.
Hope that helps.