Wednesday, February 18, 2009

hello again!! well i still havent figured out how to post a photo but did finally discover all the comments people have left!!! thanks soooo much, especially the encouragement is soooo greatly appreciated!! and thanks to all that have sent letters and cards, it means sooo much to me to know that people havent forgotten all about me, being sooo far away. but also have peace im safe

ecstatic to be back on the east coast!!

hey yall... well all prayers and positive thoughts have so far helped get me back to my region. Tomorrow i get to check out how much damage my rats have done to my home thats been vacated for 3 weeks now. Im foreseeing lotsa fallen ravinala (banana leaves that my roof are made of) all over, along with sprinkled rat kaka everywhere. But i cant wait!!! Never been sooo excited to clean before!! I just hope that things stay safe and calm. Supposedly theres a rally scheduled here in Tamatave tomorrow AM so my friend Lindsay and I gotta get outta here early. Im ready more than ever to continue riding this rollor coaster of physical, mental, and emotional obstacles. I love roller coasters... no hands, no hands!!! I give them up and place my ride God. Im going to try to upload a picuture now but most know i am really not mahay at technology. Cheers for now!!! And happy belated valentine,s day!!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

betsaka vaovao! (big news)

wow! it feels like its been soooo long since ive wrote. i have so much of
my soul to bare to y,all but barely know where to begin. maybe with the bebe kely,s (bugs) that have been bubbling in my body One of the biggest bumps in the road, that i knew would be a challenge on this magical journey is getting sick and i am proud to say that i,ve come out alive and stronger, after the parasy in my feet; which are flea eggs that get burrowed in your cuticals of your feet and must be plucked out with a needle; the viki anaty kibo (worms in my belly) that made me go krazy for 2 weeks as all i could think about were creepy crawlers invading my intestines and making my whole body want to squirm, but being too exhausted since the parasites were sucking all my energy; and finally the amoebas that have been doing acrobats in my guts while beating up my mind, body, and spirit harder than the double back tuck that i could never get back in my prime gymnastics days. but with how painful and daunting all this may sound, ive never felt so strong and determined to live out these battles with my body. Right now im back to my super fantastic self and health and am now praying for the strength and solitude of my new home country of madigasikara. Im sure its not making headline news back home but the government is having some major hiccups right now as there is supposedly 2 presidents and ministeries trying to take power at the moment. Sadly, this disagreement of power has led to some rioting, looting, and innocent deaths in the capital city of Antananarivo. It has spread out to the provinces a wee bit, but for the most part, most Gasy are going on with their lives and frankly not really giving a shit who is president; they are still just trying to bring in their rice harvest and sell their crafts to buy enough food for their hungry children; but nonetheless, peace corps must be proactive and make sure all of us PCV;s are safe. So for the past 2 weeks we,ve been bubbled up at the PC training center in Lake Montasoa which is basically like a summer camp. I have been able to work on my ping pong skills but all i can dream about is getting back to working on my language skills. The sad thought of leaving my kids and colleagues in Antetezambaro what feels like ages ago left such a sad and incomplete image in my mind, i know it can;t be the last. But i know this is all in God;s hands and it will all work out. Everything always works out for me and im grateful to have inherited that attitude because all pcv,s are handling this situation differently. It has been qhite psychologicaly perplexing. Each day the sentiment goes back and forth from "were getting back to site in a few days" to "were getting evacuated soon". But today im happy to say that i really feel in my bones that if the country is peaceful throughout this upcoming weekend, well start heading back to site. i really miss the east coast_ its soooo cold here in the highlands!! hahah i just thought about what i said because "cold" is about mid 60s and im sure in cleveland its maybe in the 30s?? anyways i hope yall know that im happy and healthy and the country, people, and fellow PCVs are in need of some serious prayers, meditations, positive thoughts (whatever power you can throw this way across the world, into the tropics of Capricorn, to this beautiful island will be greatly appreciated.) Cheers to yall and lord willin, the next time i blog, Ill be in my banking town on Tamatave on the east coast of the indian ocean! Amy menaraka! ( til next time)