In Madagascar, I am known as Sasa, which also happens to be a form of the Malagasy verb “to wash” and, when shouted, sounds very much like vazaha (which means foreigner). This is because most Malagasy people, much like some young American children, cannot pronounce the “sh” sound. I actually somewhat prefer Sasa to the other name that I am often called: China Face (tarehy chinois). As many of you know, I am half Korean (my mom came to the U.S. from Seoul for college) and half American (my dad’s heritage is English and Irish). Despite having lived in the U.S. for the entirety of my life, and even referring to myself as a “twinkie” (yellow on the outside, white on the inside), the Malagasy people cannot seem to see past my Asian features. A typical conversation, especially in rural Madagascar, goes a little something like this:
random Malagasy: “Are you Chinese?”
me: “No, I’m American.”
random Malagasy: “So you speak Chinese?”
It is somewhat frustrating to be denied your identity from the start. Also frustrating is the fact that I’m afraid to do kickboxing to stay in shape (one of my favorite workouts back home), fearing that it will be mistaken for kung fu and then no one will ever believe that I’m American. All kidding aside, not looking like a “typical” American has provided me with great opportunities to explain what America is like to people here in Madagascar. Many people are very surprised to learn that there are many different types of people in America and eager to learn more. And I am more than willing to share.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Namanako = My Friends
Friends are somewhat hard to come by in a new country, especially if you are not yet fluent in the language. I have very few girlfriends that are my age because most of the young women are married and busy taking care of their house and children. While I do have adult friends in my town, I have taken quite a liking to the children. At first I found it a little annoying to have children peeking through my fence all day, everyday. I felt like I was on some sort of reality tv show, where people found it interesting to watch me doing trivial things, such as cooking or washing my clothes. One day I decided to invite the kids into my home, figuring that they would quickly become disinterested once they saw firsthand that I was doing something like cooking Malagasy food just like their families do. And while they have not yet lost interest in my seemingly mundane daily activities, I have grown to enjoy their company. This might be due in part to the face that I possess the same vocabulary as they do (I'm still working on my Malagasy language skills). The kids keep me up-to-date on what's happening in town, teach me the new dance moves, and are just generally entertaining. The fact that I give them candy and let them look at my magazines is an enticing factor for them as well I'm sure. Here is a picture my neighbor boy, Noti, and myself enjoying a Rolling Stones magazine:
But they really have become good friends of mine. One girl, Tahina, even brought me homemade peanut brittle for my birthday! It is interesting and fun to share things about America, and it just so happens to be one of the goals of Peace Corps. I had some of my little friends make this movie, just for you all:
In case you couldn't understand their English (they're working on it), they are saying "Hello everybody in the United States." And if anyone is inspired by the video and would like to send a package with candy and/or coloring books/utensils, I'm sure the kids would say "misaotra betsaka!" the equivalent of "thank you so much" in English. If you do plan on sending candy, something like M&Ms or Skittles would probably be best. I shared some Nerds that a friend sent and you can just imagine how many ended up on the floor of my house instead of in their mouths. Needless to say, the Nerds were kept to myself after that!
But they really have become good friends of mine. One girl, Tahina, even brought me homemade peanut brittle for my birthday! It is interesting and fun to share things about America, and it just so happens to be one of the goals of Peace Corps. I had some of my little friends make this movie, just for you all:
In case you couldn't understand their English (they're working on it), they are saying "Hello everybody in the United States." And if anyone is inspired by the video and would like to send a package with candy and/or coloring books/utensils, I'm sure the kids would say "misaotra betsaka!" the equivalent of "thank you so much" in English. If you do plan on sending candy, something like M&Ms or Skittles would probably be best. I shared some Nerds that a friend sent and you can just imagine how many ended up on the floor of my house instead of in their mouths. Needless to say, the Nerds were kept to myself after that!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Tropical Island What?
I live on this "tropical" island yet prior to last week I hadn't even caught a glimpse the ocean. All that changed when I took my first vacation to the lovely island off the east coast of Madagascar known as St.Marie. I'm not even a good photographer and this picture came out postcard perfect.
After the training that marked our 3 month mark at site earlier this month, a group of the Environment-SED '08-'10 group decided to take a little vacay. Since Peace Corps gives us a $24 USD "vacation allowance" monthly, flying, though must faster, wasn't an option. Instead we taxi-broussed (think minibus) about 12 hours from Antananarivo to Soanierana-Ivongo, where we took a boat across to Ile St. Marie. The taxi-brousse wasn't so bad, since there were enough of us to rent the whole thing out and Madagascar doesn't have an option container law, but the boat was a different story. Imagine a wooden boat with about 50 people stuffed in it, being powered by a motor that probably belongs on a moped. It was a sad sight. But we made it safely and now look back at the wonderful boat ride and laugh. (I think.)
Ile St. Marie is a tropical paradise. Even though it is whale season right now (humpback whales swim through the channel between Madagascar and St. Marie from June to September, an amazing sight) the beaches were deserted and made us feel like we had the whole island to ourselves. We biked north to see waterfalls, hiked south to the most perfect beaches, and spent the time in between drinking punch coco (a delicious rum and coconut concoction) and enjoying fresh seafood. We even got to see the only pirate cemetary in the world! It was an amazing time with amazing people.
So now it is back to the plateau, re-energized and ready to go!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Life in Madagascar
Things I no longer find unusual:
-drinking burnt rice water (hey, it’s sanitary)
-the fact that it takes someone all day to cook 3 meals and do the dishes
-people peeing anywhere and everywhere
-people carrying things on their heads, from buckets of water to 50 kilos of rice
-kids as young as 4 or 5 fetching water
-latrines and bucket showers
-sweeping the dirt
-no shoes, no teeth, no problem
Things that I still find unusual (and probably always will):
-people staring at me doing the simplest things, like writing this
-everyone assuming that I speak French since I’m white
-people speaking Malagasy and French in the same sentence
-animals so skinny you can see their ribs (this goes for all animals but especially dogs and cows)
-the fact that every epicerie (store in English) sells the same things (SED to the rescue!)
-8 year old boys in charge of herds of cows
-the fascination with learning to speak English
-the sound pigs make when forced to do something ( aka the most awful sound in the whole world)
Just a little insight to the typical sights, sounds, and smells in this place I now call home! Who wants to visit?!?
-drinking burnt rice water (hey, it’s sanitary)
-the fact that it takes someone all day to cook 3 meals and do the dishes
-people peeing anywhere and everywhere
-people carrying things on their heads, from buckets of water to 50 kilos of rice
-kids as young as 4 or 5 fetching water
-latrines and bucket showers
-sweeping the dirt
-no shoes, no teeth, no problem
Things that I still find unusual (and probably always will):
-people staring at me doing the simplest things, like writing this
-everyone assuming that I speak French since I’m white
-people speaking Malagasy and French in the same sentence
-animals so skinny you can see their ribs (this goes for all animals but especially dogs and cows)
-the fact that every epicerie (store in English) sells the same things (SED to the rescue!)
-8 year old boys in charge of herds of cows
-the fascination with learning to speak English
-the sound pigs make when forced to do something ( aka the most awful sound in the whole world)
Just a little insight to the typical sights, sounds, and smells in this place I now call home! Who wants to visit?!?
Home Sweet Home
Here is a video of my lovely home! It is a very nice (cement!) house. I have 3 rooms and a nice bamboo fence. The front door leads into my office which leads into my bedroom which leads into the kitchen. From the kitchen you can access my shower stall and latrine. The other half of my house is a “grande salle” (big room) which the mayor’s office uses for something, although I'm not sure what exactly. My house is right behind the mayor’s office. And although there aren’t many neighbors close by I feel safe, especially because there is a night guard at the mayor’s office. So I am working on getting settled in slowly but surely.
I live in a nice, rural town. I cannot disclose the name of my town due to Peace Corps rules, sorry! (Something about terrorists, although I don't think Madagascar is a hotbed for them.) Since it is often described as having "a lot of dirt, a lot" I will refer to it as the Dust Bowl. The dirt is actually more like a red clay dust. Anyways, here is some background info: There are fokontanys in Madagascar, villages in English, that are governed by the commune. There are 17 fokontanys in the commune "Dust Bowl" and I live in the commune head, with about 7,000 people. So the structure is like this: fokontany --> commune --> district --> region --> province. One might think that a town of this size might have electricity but such is not the case. I fetch water everyday from a pump that isn’t too far and cook and read by candlelight at night. It’s really not as bad as it sounds. I have established a daily routine which has helped with the transition/settling in. A good part of my day is spent doing things around the house, like fetching water, preparing meals, and sweeping to keep all the critters away. The rest of my day is spent walking around, talking to people, getting to know my community and trying to integrate. Sometimes I go to meetings, like with the local women’s association, or attend programs, like one last week about preventing tuberculosis. Things are finally rolling with a couple projects, which I give details about once things are a little more solid. In the words of my mother, quoting a very well-known song, "it's a slow ride, take it easy." Although nearly 7 months have passed, I still have 20 left to work and accomplish (hopefully) many things.
Need a haircut? The barbershop is open every Wednesday, which is also market day.
My town is home to the second largest cow market in the region. Moo.
I live in a nice, rural town. I cannot disclose the name of my town due to Peace Corps rules, sorry! (Something about terrorists, although I don't think Madagascar is a hotbed for them.) Since it is often described as having "a lot of dirt, a lot" I will refer to it as the Dust Bowl. The dirt is actually more like a red clay dust. Anyways, here is some background info: There are fokontanys in Madagascar, villages in English, that are governed by the commune. There are 17 fokontanys in the commune "Dust Bowl" and I live in the commune head, with about 7,000 people. So the structure is like this: fokontany --> commune --> district --> region --> province. One might think that a town of this size might have electricity but such is not the case. I fetch water everyday from a pump that isn’t too far and cook and read by candlelight at night. It’s really not as bad as it sounds. I have established a daily routine which has helped with the transition/settling in. A good part of my day is spent doing things around the house, like fetching water, preparing meals, and sweeping to keep all the critters away. The rest of my day is spent walking around, talking to people, getting to know my community and trying to integrate. Sometimes I go to meetings, like with the local women’s association, or attend programs, like one last week about preventing tuberculosis. Things are finally rolling with a couple projects, which I give details about once things are a little more solid. In the words of my mother, quoting a very well-known song, "it's a slow ride, take it easy." Although nearly 7 months have passed, I still have 20 left to work and accomplish (hopefully) many things.
Need a haircut? The barbershop is open every Wednesday, which is also market day.
My town is home to the second largest cow market in the region. Moo.
A little insight to Peace Corps Madagascar
Peace Corps does many things in many countries (around 65 I think) but I wanted to give you guys a little insight on Peace Corps Madagascar. There are 4 sectors here: Education, Environment, Health and the brand new Small Enterprise Development aka SED. So what exactly will I be doing as a SED volunteer in rural Madagascar? Good question! Since I have only been at site for a short time, I’m not exactly sure yet. But the following is from the Peace Corps Madagascar SED project plan. Perhaps it will give you a better idea…
SED areas of focus:
1. business creation and development for individuals and groups
2. marketing and access to resources
3. ecotourism
-->Act as catalysts for entrepreneurial activity by supporting growth and development of micro and small enterprises.
-->Education of financial planning, ecotourism and business opportunities and start ups is desperately needed. Current groups have difficulty finding appropriate markets and are not sufficiently patient to develop systems to develop quality products. People do not trust banks and are handicapped by poor money management skills.
The focus of my first three months at site is conducting a community study to determine the needs of the people in my town and subsequent opportunities. After a 4 day training in August, I will be starting projects. At this moment I’m not sure exactly what those projects will be. The front-runners are the women's association who make jam and are also learning how to sew, as well as local storeowners who are interested in learning about managing money. I might throw an English club in there somewhere too, as a secondary project. Stay tuned!
SED areas of focus:
1. business creation and development for individuals and groups
2. marketing and access to resources
3. ecotourism
-->Act as catalysts for entrepreneurial activity by supporting growth and development of micro and small enterprises.
-->Education of financial planning, ecotourism and business opportunities and start ups is desperately needed. Current groups have difficulty finding appropriate markets and are not sufficiently patient to develop systems to develop quality products. People do not trust banks and are handicapped by poor money management skills.
The focus of my first three months at site is conducting a community study to determine the needs of the people in my town and subsequent opportunities. After a 4 day training in August, I will be starting projects. At this moment I’m not sure exactly what those projects will be. The front-runners are the women's association who make jam and are also learning how to sew, as well as local storeowners who are interested in learning about managing money. I might throw an English club in there somewhere too, as a secondary project. Stay tuned!
That's PCV Sasha Elliott to you
I would first like to apologize for the ridiculous delay in postings. The internet here in Madagascar is slow (if it is functioning at all), to say the least. I guess that comes with the territory of living in a third world country huh?
So I am no longer a trainee, but as of April 29, 2008 I became a real, live Peace Corps Volunteer. Our swearing in ceremony was at the Tsimbazaza Park in the capital city of Antananarivo. Here is a picture of the first ever Small Enterprise Development Volunteers in Madagascar (and our trainers) at the swearing-in ceremony:
After the ceremony we had lunch at the Ambassador's amazing, palatial estate. It was a good time, full of pizza and cookies, but at the same time somewhat odd since we would all soon be leaving for the countrysides of Madagascar.
I moved to my site, a lovely little town a few hours west of Tana, on May 2nd. There were 2 other PCVs that helped me move in. The day they left, I felt as though my parents were dropping me off at summer camp, only this time for 2 years instead of the typical 2 weeks. After some time at site though I have become adjusted to life on my own. There are some amazing people in my town that have been so helpful in the first few months.
It is hard to believe that nearly 5 months has passed since I left home. A new group of trainees (education sector) has already arrived! So we are no longer the newbies. It seems like just yesterday I was scouring blogs to try and figure out what my future life in Madagascar would be like and more importantly, what (and how) to pack. So I wanted to give any future Madagascar PCVs a little advice:
-You are allowed 2 bags and a carry-on. I would recommend your 2 bags be a duffel bag or suitcase and a big backpack. (I think I have The NorthFace BackCountry 70.) Your carry on can be a daypack. Make sure your daypack is big enough to fit enough stuff for a 3-5 day trip. After going through the process (and also seeing what luggage other people in my training stage brought, I think that this is the best way to go.)
-Contrary to popular belief, it is not hot in Madagascar all the time, at least not everywhere. Training sites (and subsequent trainings) are usually on the plateau, close to Tana, and it is cold! I would recommend bringing a comfy jacket and probably a sweatshirt if you have room. (I have The NorthFace Warp jacket and wear it all the time! It was one of the best things that I brought.)
-Don't necessarily buy all the things on the Peace Corps packing list. There are many things that you can buy here that will just take up valuable space in your luggage. For instance, you can buy sheets and towels here. Don't bother bringing them. Also, girls, if you don't wear slips in the States, you won't wear them here either. I bought one (it was on the list) and have yet to wear it. I am glad that I brought some Tupperware and Ziploc bags, as well as a good set of knives! Many things can be purchased in Tana, but they are often expensive and not all Volunteers have easy access to the capital city.
-Peace Corps stresses "business casual" clothes but make sure that is not all you bring. It is definitely important to have a few nice outfits but it is also important to have more casual clothes, and ones that you don't mind if they don't get dirty (especially if you are in the Environment sector). I wish that I would have brought a few more things like what I would wear out with friends in the States. Just because you are in Madagascar doesn't mean that everyone dresses down all the time!
-I don't have too much advice about whether or not to bring a laptop. I am having mine sent, but I also bank in Tana, where there is internet access. Some of you may bring a computer and never be able to use it. But supposedly the Peace Corps office here in Tana is getting wireless so it might be worth it, even if it is just for the times when you are in Tana!
-And everyone seems to bring their iPod, Chacos, headlamp, and more than just the 3 outfits Peace Corps suggested.
I hope that helps somewhat! Life in Madagascar so far has been exciting, frustrating, crazy, and fun. And that was just the first few months!
So I am no longer a trainee, but as of April 29, 2008 I became a real, live Peace Corps Volunteer. Our swearing in ceremony was at the Tsimbazaza Park in the capital city of Antananarivo. Here is a picture of the first ever Small Enterprise Development Volunteers in Madagascar (and our trainers) at the swearing-in ceremony:
After the ceremony we had lunch at the Ambassador's amazing, palatial estate. It was a good time, full of pizza and cookies, but at the same time somewhat odd since we would all soon be leaving for the countrysides of Madagascar.I moved to my site, a lovely little town a few hours west of Tana, on May 2nd. There were 2 other PCVs that helped me move in. The day they left, I felt as though my parents were dropping me off at summer camp, only this time for 2 years instead of the typical 2 weeks. After some time at site though I have become adjusted to life on my own. There are some amazing people in my town that have been so helpful in the first few months.
It is hard to believe that nearly 5 months has passed since I left home. A new group of trainees (education sector) has already arrived! So we are no longer the newbies. It seems like just yesterday I was scouring blogs to try and figure out what my future life in Madagascar would be like and more importantly, what (and how) to pack. So I wanted to give any future Madagascar PCVs a little advice:
-You are allowed 2 bags and a carry-on. I would recommend your 2 bags be a duffel bag or suitcase and a big backpack. (I think I have The NorthFace BackCountry 70.) Your carry on can be a daypack. Make sure your daypack is big enough to fit enough stuff for a 3-5 day trip. After going through the process (and also seeing what luggage other people in my training stage brought, I think that this is the best way to go.)
-Contrary to popular belief, it is not hot in Madagascar all the time, at least not everywhere. Training sites (and subsequent trainings) are usually on the plateau, close to Tana, and it is cold! I would recommend bringing a comfy jacket and probably a sweatshirt if you have room. (I have The NorthFace Warp jacket and wear it all the time! It was one of the best things that I brought.)
-Don't necessarily buy all the things on the Peace Corps packing list. There are many things that you can buy here that will just take up valuable space in your luggage. For instance, you can buy sheets and towels here. Don't bother bringing them. Also, girls, if you don't wear slips in the States, you won't wear them here either. I bought one (it was on the list) and have yet to wear it. I am glad that I brought some Tupperware and Ziploc bags, as well as a good set of knives! Many things can be purchased in Tana, but they are often expensive and not all Volunteers have easy access to the capital city.
-Peace Corps stresses "business casual" clothes but make sure that is not all you bring. It is definitely important to have a few nice outfits but it is also important to have more casual clothes, and ones that you don't mind if they don't get dirty (especially if you are in the Environment sector). I wish that I would have brought a few more things like what I would wear out with friends in the States. Just because you are in Madagascar doesn't mean that everyone dresses down all the time!
-I don't have too much advice about whether or not to bring a laptop. I am having mine sent, but I also bank in Tana, where there is internet access. Some of you may bring a computer and never be able to use it. But supposedly the Peace Corps office here in Tana is getting wireless so it might be worth it, even if it is just for the times when you are in Tana!
-And everyone seems to bring their iPod, Chacos, headlamp, and more than just the 3 outfits Peace Corps suggested.
I hope that helps somewhat! Life in Madagascar so far has been exciting, frustrating, crazy, and fun. And that was just the first few months!
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