I figured I would make a post with a few specific stories that I found interesting or funny or something… They may have been referenced n my last post or may be new.
1.When I first arrived in my village, the mayor was working and so after being introduced me to my mother, she dropped me off in my brother-in-law’s shop where I spent the morning sitting around. There were a few other guys in the shop sitting on rice sacks and drinking rum. I immediately knew that these were the town drunks because it was 9:45 am… Still, in the spirit of Malagasy hospitality, they offered me a few drinks and knowing me, I obliged. My introduction to Tsinjoarivo was drinking Sambo rum with the town drunks!
2.One of the men I met in the village was named Mr. Rasolo; he was incredibly nice, spoke French and had a large farm where he gave me a tour of his chickens, pigs and farm land. One day after walking around the village he invited me to his house where we talked about a lot of things ranging from Malagasy culture to US politics. He was pretty well learned (he knew US history like Benjamin Franklin, so I took that to be learned…) and part of the conversation really struck me. We were talking about the war in the Middle East and the US’ war on terror. His point of view was surprising, he was all for it. I mentioned that we had been there 10 years (Afghanistan) and 8 years (Iraq), that it had costs the US a lot of lives and the occupied countries even more and that none of the countries involved’s citizens really wanted us there. He said, and I quote in English for everyone’s comprehension, “No, it is good that the USA goes out and protects democracy. When countries need help, it is the USA who steps in and helps them out.” I was shocked seeing that the USA has pulled all non-humanitarian aid from Madagascar and refuses to acknowledge the people in power as a real government. It was so contrary to the normal view of America that I receive when I am traveling. Curious as to how much Barrack Obama has to do with this shift – since I haven’t been out of the US since he was elected – or if it is a Malagasy view or just that of Mr. Rasolo.
3.While I was there, my sister had appendicitis and was driving to the first town we stayed in where they had a better equipped hospital. Everything went well but it was crazy that for an appendectomy, she had a cut across the bottom of her entire stomach. She was in the hospital for 5 days and who knows what her recovery time will end up being. Just thankful that in America it is quite a “small” procedure, you can go home same day, maybe next if you want.
4.I saved a puppy! The mayor had a dog that had given birth to 4 puppies about 5 weeks before I got there. They were adorable but covered in fleas so I could mostly only enjoy them from a distance. One day I went to our outhouse and I could hear one of them crying, I searched around and realized he had fallen into one of the old outhouses that hadn’t been used (and had nothing bad inside) but obviously, the puppy couldn’t get out. I went and found the house helper, who was the only one around, and told him in Malagasy that a puppy had fallen in an old toilet. We then tied a sack to a stick and stuck it in the hole where the puppy had fallen. We used another stick to help push the puppy into the sack and lifted it out! YAY US!
5.Tsinjoarivo had a market place on Tuesdays and a few students families had came to town to shop a little bit. I ran into my friend Chris with his host family and invited them over to have a beer and talk. We all had a glass of beer and were talking and his mom began sharing hers with her 9-month-old baby. Well, I thought it was worth noting…
Posting some pictures to accompany these stories as well.
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