Just wanted to get some pictures up of my fun Gasy music filled night last night and from vacation last month, while I have good (and free, thanks to Peace Corps!;)) internet. Jayne was a health PCV a year before me, here in Mada, and got evacuated with me, but immediatly came back to be with Mika, her Gasy rock-star man...Mika and Davis is their names' -look out for them, they'll be heading to Europe to tour soon, and who knows, maybe America could be in their future!?. They're a great, guitar pickin, great drumming beats, some boogie blues, some slow rhythmic feel good chill tunes Gasy music. It was sooo great to get to see Jayne and catch up with someone who knows Madagascar from the first time around and get a good dose of soom good live world music at the same time!:)
Yes, my travels up to the northern tip of Madagascar- Antsinanana, then heading off to the mid-south of Mada afterwards, did start off the craziest, tragedy, pain, and sad-ness filled month I've ever experienced, but it all has made me stronger. These pics illustrate some of the beauty that intertwined with the shock of dealing with the car accident (which I'm soooo happy and relieved to relay , all 4 victims are doing well, the mother is actually going back to teach her middle-schoolers next week!:)), followed by witnessing a sick man die on a too- slow moving train, follwed by getting back to site and immediatley witnessing a stillbirth (the lifeless body of a perfectly shaped wee human being was heart-breaking: this was the topper that really made me believe in the power of bad things coming in 3's...but it didn't stop!!) and watching a teenager, from my village of Antetezambaro, slowly pass away from excruciating stomach pains and seizures, which my doctor thought was caused from some sort of poison but they don't really know, coulda been appendicitus I was thinking??? It sure was testing my emotional strength to have to witness these tragedy's , but really made me think about my own future and the fragility of life in general. Working at the CSB has made me realize how into the medical field I really am..it's exciting! But then again, health workers are constantly have to witness these sad, painful sicknesses and deaths, and that's a life that needs some positively strong emotional courage and strength. But I think I have it! And have only gained more through these experiences!
I put up this wicked chamelion who was obviously getting enragd by our close presence, as is illustrated in his bright, vivacious green body quickly changing to fire-truck red! Then these lemurs were adorably curious(in the national park of Ranomafana). I think about 5 got quite close...some were ring-tailed, others were the brown lemur. The wee boy pictured(in the tiny train town of Andrambovato), with his friends, was sooo excited to show my this wasp-looking bug that he caught. I guess it didn't sting cuz he played with it for a while! And the red, clay-boulder filled rushing river (on the road north, coming home from Antinanana)picture is evidence of whyMadagascar is also known as "the big red island". And this gorrrrrgeous sunset was in the northern tip of Antsinana, where the Indian Ocean collides with the Mozambique Channel. Sooo many deep variations of warm colors, highlighting the "sugar loaf" mountain in the distant center. And finally, the top picture, is one of my best friends, Perline, a 17year old girl who I got to know from seeing her pick up her tuberculosis meds daily, before she hit her death bed. She looked kinda skinny, but was still up and active, fairly healthy before I left for Antsinanana but when I came back from vacation, she was all skin and bones and hardly able to stand on her own. Her body stopped absorbing the meds or nutrients from food. But Thankfully, she's on the up, with lotsa prayers and a strong will to live, on her part. She's such a kind-hearted soul, seen in this pic after giving me my kapa trano (house shoes) that she weaved just for me! She still needs all the strong, healthy vibes she can get!!!!
So, mazatoa sary, zaho handeha maka aina (enjoy the pics! I'm going to "take" some life in) As I'm also preparing to organize the 2nd Cirque de SIDA at Lake Montasoa , that is Thursday, May 20th. It should be quite a huuuge festival for all 12 surrounding villages, which could be a few thousand people who show..the more the merrier! Another health PCV and I were busy a couple days ago making 22 posters advertising the festival, which may also include HIV/STI testing right there, for those interested! I"m in charge of organizing, with the mayor of the village, students, the organization Population Services International (PSI) that's bringing their cinemobile video equipment (I did it with them last January, when they came to Antetezambaro to talk about prevnting malaria) to show an AIDS film/ music videos, and delegating jobs for th 35 PCV's that are having their 3 month in-service training. A lotta stuff to think about, but I'm sure everything will work out, it always does!!! :) Cheers* amy menarka!
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