first blog!!

Ive finally attempted to fill out a blog. i really shoulda did this before i left the states but my 4 months of not working and just having fun flew by in a hurry! Apologize in advance for all typoes the keyboard is for the french language so i cant type my normal pace and dont know where all the special characters are. anyways soooo much has gone on since i got installed in Anteteezambaro which is my rural commune that i call home for the next two years>. This week will be a month since ive been living in my super fantastic, all natural bamboo hut and i do really love it despite of the hardships endured. the health aspects have been such a great learning experience.
5th November 2008
MANHOANA!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!! 5 weeks of Peace Corps Training, it's already 1/2 over!!! Swearing in is set for December 10th!!! Continue to keep me in your prayers. I absolutely love this experience so far. Our training is in a village called Alarobia, which is enveloped by the central highlands and rice fields of Madagascar. There's been soooo much that my brain has absorbed, eyes have witnessed, neart has felt, skin has sensed, nose has smelled, mouth has spoken, ears have heard, feet hve felt, hand has written, toungue has tasted, night- and day dreams imagined!! SENSORY OVERLOAD is an understatement. All of these experiences have been numerous and huge in quantity, while sooo amazingly spiritual in quality. I miss soo many of you very special people that I'm grateful to have in my life. But I want you to know that there hve been sveral felllow human beings, here in Madagascar, that I've gained, in attempt to relieve the heartache from not being ablt to see y 'all. My host family is suuuuper fantastic!! My mamako is my best friend here. She's only 2 years older than me, but so much wiser in self- sustainability. her adorable 5 year old son, my little brother, Pajhy (pron. Paat-sty) has been so much fun. I've always wondered what it'd be like to have a wee sibling- now I have 2!;) Lala is our 13 year old "helper." She's a daughter of my mamako's friend, who has 9 other children. This whole concept of "house helper" was very awkard for me at first, but I've grown to understand that it's the best option with her being born into such a large family. Without her parents using family planning, it's hard for them to afford food for their kids, let along school uniforms. So once a child in this situation (especially girls, unfortunately) get to be about 10 years old, their choices are often to be a farmer, mpanasa lamba (wash clothes all day), learn the lifestyle of a prostitute, or be a part of a new family. My mama and dad treat her almost as their own- but she is just the one in charge of going to buy the food for meals, fetching water, cleaning the house, helping with cooking. Mama is also pregnant and due in March, so I will for sure come back to Alarobia to see Nohavi (somehow she knows it's a boy, although I don't think there are any ultrasounds around the village). Her being prego really helped me out in my kabary this week (kabary is the word for the presentations and discussions I'll be in charge of leading at health clinics). I did this last one on pre and post natal care for the mom and child. Previous topics have been importance of calcium, eating for all the food groups (not just vary - rice - all day), and diarrhea, which is a huge cause of infant death here. I have to say that my 3 years of teaching life skills have definitely come in handy. I'm very comfortable getting in front of everyone and have a pretty good grip on how to get the audience engaged. Now- it is a million times harder that at Kannapolis MIddle School, since I speak Malagasy. But each week I surprise myself with being able to comprehend the language better, although it feels like such a slow process. One of the things I miss most (besides my beautiful sister's wedding in Mexico, my sipa- Brad, family, pizza, and ice cream) is not having to think about what words I want to say. Learning a language is soooo hard and I now have a much better understanding of how some of my Hispanic students felt after suddenly being immersed into a new language and culture. But 've already been told that I'm very "Gasy" with my new name my Mama gave me (Kanto) which I'm grateful for: it means "magnificent/ beautiful". Every day, there a tons of kids that I've never met screaming my name as I walk to class;P One of my goals of being mahay(smart/ good) at carrying things on top of my head has been accomplished!!! I started with a 30 lb. bag of rice and can now successfully carry a bucket of water, as the several African cultures do, on my head! I understand why so many people do...it's a great way to evenly distribute the weigh of heavy objects! Maybe a not so pleasant experience (but great in the learning category) has been using the kabone, which is the outhouse that of course always smells bad and is home to hundreds of fleas and flies. But hey- that's where people should be doing their business, as opposed to the road, rivers, or woods, or rice paddies, which is a huge contributor to diseases here. The po is my "business bucket" that's in the corner of my bedroom, because of course I can't leave the house after dark because of the mpamosavy's@!! They are the "witches" that the Gasy people believe come out at dark to lead you to the tombs out in the country, so all houses are locked up usually by 9. I went as a mpamosavy for Halloween, which the kids outside the learning center LOVED when I would try to scare them;). Another neat cultural experience was killing a chicken. The feathers were amazingly easy to pluck after pouring a bit of boiling water over it. And it was sooooo delicious, compared to most American chickens thare are full of steroids and perservatives. The kafe here is also delicious. One of my jobs is to buy 2 cups of coffee for mama and I every morning from the local stand near our home. It's a joy to get to know the friends that are gathered there daily and it's obvious that they are also very happy to hear me even attempt the language. Most vazaha's (foreigners) that come here, don't attempt Malagasy, so get the biggest smile on their face when I know at least a wee bit. I'm not learning the Betsimisaraka dialect because I'll be living on the east coast. YES- I'll be living within 1 KM to the COAST- Antetezambaro to be exact, which is on the Indian Ocean, between the IIsle of St. Marie and Tamatave- check it out on the globe!!! I met Kate, a PCV who will be about 15 miles from me and she calls BetsiLand "paradise" and says I'll never want to leave. I can tell by her personality that we have lots in common, so I believe it!!;) WAHOO....all my dreams are continuing to be lived!! I have full faith that God is sending me exactly where I belong- he has thus far! Wow! I've already wrote sooo much but coiuld write forever about this radical life I have over here. It's impossible to describe all the sights, smells, tastes, feelings, thoughts, and sounds I've witnessed but wanted to give you a glimpse, while I'm in the capital for a day! Please write!!! My mom's greeting cards have been a life savor on those really hard days, where I've had thoughts of not being able to successfully do this. It will make me soo happy to hear from all of you! Again, feel free to pass this on to whoever may be interested. Sorry for typos...no time to look over it;)
10th december 2008
WAHOO!!! WHAT A PEACE CORPS TRAINING!! Starting about 5 hours ago, my P.C. training stage are officially Peace Corps Volunteers. We had a short and sweet swearing in at the beautiful American Embassador's house in Tana. They had a beautiful Christmas tree, which was one of the only reminders I've had that it's approaching sooon!! It's been nice not to be bombarded with all the toy and other advertisements that invade during the season.
It was quite sad to leave my family last Friday, but I know they will be great friends to me throughout these next 2 years and my whole life. I didn't know I could establish such a close bonds with people as I did in 10 short weeks...especially my mamako. I guess my Mama told the P.C homestay coordinator how I've been not only a child, but also a sister to her. But I must use my wings to fly away on my own now;) tomorrow at 8AM I leave for my future home of Antetezambaro!!!! It'll be about 80 degrees, sometimes sunshine, sometimes rain. I kinda do miss the snow, but will take these temps any day!
It's already gone soooo fast I just can't believe it!. Just a wee bit I wrote in my journal last night that I'll share with y'all. Please keep up the prayers and emails... it's soo wonderful to be reminded that people haven't forgotten about me, even though I'm soooo far away!!!

ISLAND FEVER
10 weeks in Madagasikara have come and gone
The 1st week went so slow, I thought this would be long
But since then has actually been some of the quickest days
Plenty of great moments, soaking up the rays
Of this tropical sun setting over Capricorn
We're now getting prepared for monsoons and storms.
I can't wait to start the next chapter in my life book
While appreciating the diversity of each time I look
At a different perspecitive of this fascinating place
The people; animals; bodies of water; landscapes
All contribute to the shape-
Of the attitude I uphold
And the life I will mold
In Antetezambaro, with the Betsimisaraka tribe
Living near the Indian Ocean will help me feel alive
But more importantly, I'll be helping others survive
By preventing malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea, and AIDS
I feel natural at the Malagasy culture and love getting braids!
Because of my host family and training staff- I'm equipped to tackle tough issues
But will always be grateful for the positive thoughts from all of you
For all the prayers, I want to say "thank you" in Gasy- Misaortra Betsaka!
Now I must go eat another mango and banana!!!