Hi All! Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted anything. After a while, I didn’t know where to start because so much has happened since I’ve written. Here’s a short summary:

July 13: left Mahanoro to go to Tana

July 14-16: went to PC training center for Training of Trainers in order to help train the new volunteers.

July 20-August 8: taught English at the University of Diego

August 9-21: vacation on Tsirabiana River to Tsingy de Bemaraha to Morondava

August 23-September 10: trained the new volunteers near PC training center

September 12-20: helped translate for Operation Smile in Tana

September 21-27: back to my site for a few days

September 29-October 1: COS (Close of Service) Conference

October 3-5: taxi broussed from Tana to Diego

October 6-present: teach English at the university

I know—do I ever stay put? But it’s normal for Education PCVs to do other things during the Grandes Vacances (like our summer vacation) because we aren’t teaching and there are so few students at our sites. Anyway, for now I’ll just share some interesting things that have happened while I’ve been teaching English at the University of Diego (located at the very northern part of the island).

Between my two stints at the university, I had my students read two articles to find new vocabulary words and practice summarizing. One student read an article called “Child Brain Development” and asked this question after reading: “What kind of food should a woman eat during pregnancy to get a very clever baby?”

During a discussion about advertising, media restrictions, and Photoshopping images, one of my students asked me if Arnold Schwarzenegger has had plastic surgery. That same day, another student asked me if Chuck Norris is still alive. And then he said, “I think he supported John McCain during the election.” When I described what billboards are, someone asked if it was true that we have billboards that are like large televisions with continually changing images. How do they know these things? In another class, students asked me about Big Foot and if Michael Jackson was really dead. (He refused to believe that he has died because evidently no one saw the body in the casket at the funeral.)

Their curiosity and knowledge about American culture, and what they know, often catches me off guard and makes me laugh. When we were talking about cultural differences, one student said they do not have honeymoons here in Madagascar like we do in America. Also, when young boys are circumcised here, there is a large celebration with many family members and friends. This was true even for the Comorian student in my class. And the age of the boy is much older than I ever expected: in Madagascar, sometimes a boy is four or maybe even seven; in the Comoros, he may be twelve years old.

All the students agreed that it was impolite and unacceptable for them to walk up to a person and begin talking without first greeting them and asking how they were. (I love this part of Malagasy culture.) They were very annoyed when I explained that I could walk up to someone in the U.S. and say, “Excuse me. Can you please tell me how to get to Main Street?” without first greeting the person. Here it’s just automatic, and more importantly, it’s a sign of respect. America also received poor marks for public display of affection and what we show and say on TV. I guess we can all learn a little from each other.

I want to take all of my students home with me and witness their reactions to things in the U.S. I mentioned having children in the future and several of them were surprised: “You want to have children?” They probably think I’m too old already. Good grief. Then they asked if I wanted ten and were even more shocked when I said five. They think this is still a lot. (I really have no idea; it’s seems like forever away for me.) So I told them that maybe I’ll have three children and then adopt two from Madagascar. Immediately two girls raised their hands and said, “Me!” I wish. I’d take them all if I could. This university has a great program, and I’m so thankful I got to come be a part of it for a while.

Recently I told them about several superstitions we have in America and asked if they had any in Madagascar. I heard many interesting stories. Several times after a student shared his superstition, the other students rolled their eyes and said he was crazy. Therefore, the following may depend on the Malagasy person, just as our superstitions depend on the person in the U.S.

If you take a baby outside at night, you must bring along some sort of light or knife to keep the devil from harming the child.

If you have bees living in your house, it brings good luck. (Guess you can’t be allergic to bees then…)

A black cat is not necessarily bad luck, just seen as unusual. Three-colored cats, however, are good luck.

If you whistle after dark, the ghosts will come to your house.

If you dream that your friend died, your friend will have a long life.

If a rich man’s chair falls over when he tries to sit down, he will become poor.

And dad, I saved the best for last:

If you dream of fishing, you will get a lot of money in the future.

Apparently we share the following superstitions, so maybe they are really true…crazy things happen when there’s a full moon; if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true; and opening an umbrella inside is bad luck.

In order to get my first year students to speak, I gave them all a pair of confusing words to define and explain to the class. One boy, who received whine and wine, said that whine is a complaint that something is not fair or too difficult, especially for a baby or a girl. Let’s just say the girls did not agree with him!

I only have one week left at the university; next Saturday I will head back to my site and teach English at the middle and high schools for one more year. Let’s hope the trip back to Tana is better than the one I made from Tana to Diego at the beginning of the month: seven cars in three days because due to PC rules, I can’t take a taxi brousse that travels overnight. C’est la vie. Hopefully, I’ll post another entry next week before I cram myself into a taxi brousse with five adults and two children per row, chickens occasionally squawking below our feet. I miss you all.

~Kinsey

P.S.—This is something funny a former PCV thought up: “Some people see the glass half empty; some people see the glass half full. A Peace Corps Volunteer sees the glass and says, ‘I can take a bath in that.’”

It has been a while since I posted an update on Kinsey. She finished up teaching this school year at her town(Mahanoro). After she finished correcting around 300 exams, she headed to Tana the capital.

After a week of training with the other educational volunteers, she and Dorothy head to the northern town of Diego to teach at the university. She is teaching the first and second year students. She said the second year students are more talkative and not at shy as the first year.

She was there til Aug.8th when her and Dorothy flew back to Tana. Where they met up with 5 of there friends to go on vacation. Yes I said vacation. She seems to have a lot of them. The group travels to Morondava which is on the east side of Madagascar. Where they went on a 2.5 day float down the river in guided canoes, and camped along the river. Didn't see and crocodiles not sure if that is good or bad....

They camped in Tsingy forest/rock forest(limestone). Seen caves with jagged rocks, crossed a rope bridge, seen lots of birds, lemurs and the famous Baobab trees(no leaves on the tree,round balls of fruit(not eatable). What adventure!!!

On Sat. they headed back to Tana. Mon. they go to Mantasoa to help train the new volunteers, for 2 1/2 to 3 weeks. Then back to Diego to teach more at the university for about a month. The end of Oct. she will return to Tana for a conference then head back to her site in Mahanoro where she will teach another school year. She has decided to extend another 6 months to teach another school year. So instead of coming home in Jan it will be in July. She is doing good! till the next update......Becky(Mom)

Received a letter from Kinsey the other day that I wanted to share. Tried to scan it so it would be in her writing, but won't scan so you could read. So here it is.

Dad & Mom Thurs. may 27,2010

I'm praying you have a great Memorial Weekend. I don't have any plans of today, but I.m sure something will come along. I won't have Monday off, but I'm not complaining. We've had enough days off lately. I'm sure when I'm back home, I'll be wishing for a Malagasy "Bridge Holiday". The grass is always greener...

On Monday the twin high school girls who are fairly good at English came over and we made lunch. It turned into an all-day affair. We all took naps after lunch.(I love this Malagasy custom, Do you think I can bring back nap time in my future HS Classroom? Then we made papaya salad-so good! You saute onions, with curry,salt & pepper then add shredded papaya. Cook til soft. After you remove form heat you add a few tablespoons of vinegar. Sounds kind of weird, but trust me Delicious. Then we changed (the dress I was wearing evidently too closely resembled the kind pregnant women wear so I was forced to put on shorts) and we walked to the beach.

There was a small stage, some decorations and women with stands of fried food. Looked just like a carnival at home. I even smelled hot dogs, which I obviously imagined.(I'm not even overly fond of hot dogs but the atmosphere was right & I haven't had one in a long time) There was karaoke & then a presidential candidate showed up. They had a raffle & gave away prizes(all more practical than we're used to: big bars of soap they use to wash laundry,shovels, hugh bundles of second-hand clothes.) There was supposed to be a dance contest but if it happened, it was after I left. And this is what happens the day after Pentecost. One friend asked what we traditionally do in America for Pentecost Monday. Um, work? Most people probably don't even realize it's Pentecost. I know I complain about how many random days we have off but honestly, Malagasy people so know how to enjoy life. They're happy with so little, often singing and dancing. Ready to have a party for the smallest reason. It's a gift. Somehow we forgot about that in America.

"No Yelling!" I should make this my new motto, too. I know it's hard for you to imagine daddy, but I speak quite loud in my classes and lately have taken to raising my voice when they're impolite and don't do their exercises.

Thurs. June 3

Where does the time go? On June 12th it will be 2 yrs. since I first arrived in Madagascar. And Grandpa's 80th birthday :)

In my CARE class(the adult workers of an American NGO), we were talking about a famous Malagasy singer who will perform in our town this weekend. One of the women said, "Kinsey you are famous in Mahanoro" Ha! I don't know about famous, but certainly known by all people in town, and they expect me to know/ remember everyone's names. Yeah, right. I am one and they are many. I like to give my students nicknames, mainly the boys since they're so outspoken. I have Mr. Tsiky(Mr. Smiley because he talks all the time and smiles so big everytime I look at him to be quiet) I have Mr. Yes and a Mr. No. No matter what question I ask, those are their responses respectively, (me, " Do you have any questions? "Mr. Yes: "Yes".

Me: "What is your question?" "Mr. Yes: No question.") I alternate who I call Mr. Crazy because they think it's hilarious when I use that word. The gasy word for crazy isn't as flexible as ours, which is probably why they think it's so funny. Today my students in my first class started calling a boy Mr, Papaya. I didn't get it for a long time but finally figured our the "paza maska"(ripe papaya) is slangfor "cocky". I had told the same boy a few weeks ago not to be cocky because he often shows off. At least they listen to me and remember what I say sometimes.

Fri. June 4th

I reas a book recently that said,"Everything you're sure is right can be wrong in another place."

You definitely learn that in PC. In Malagasy the word "very" means lost but in English it's a lot or really. Sometimes it's not a problem of saying the wrong word but pronouncing a word incorrectly - put the stress on the wrong part of a word and the person will look at you like you're crazy. 'Lanana' is road but lal'ana is a law. The book I reas was called "Poisonwood Bible" One of my favorite word examples in the book was how in the Congo, the words for "Father in Heaven" could mean,"Father of fish bait" depending on a tiny change in the way you say it. It was a good book -thought provoking. Mainly about a pastor who takes his family to Africa as a missionary. His first mistake is that he arrives and wants to baptize all the village children in the river. Even though everyone repeatedly tells him "no" he is set on it. Only later, after he's turned most of the people off from him and consequently God, does he find out that a child was eaten by a crocodile recently. They were simply afraid and grew to think he wanted to feed them to the crocodiles. And his second mistake was not slowing down enough to really learn the culture and the language. His favorite saying was "Jesus is bangala!" Unfortunately, bangala can mean 'most precious', 'most insufferable' and 'poisonwood'. I can't help but wonder if sometimes we get in the way of God. We try to tell people about him with words but sometimes there are no words or we use the wrong ones. Perhaps if the man would have lived alongside the people, talked with them but not at them, learned about their ways, they would have felt Jesus love for them. Actions speak louder than words.

Deep stuff, I know. I have lots of time on my hands! I love you all! Thank you for all the support :) I think of you often and pray for you too. I hope you can feel the love even across the oceans! Love Kinsey Jo Happy 4th of July!!!

Talked to Kinsey today. She is doing good and staying busy. Couple of weeks ago her friend Megan came to her site. Megan, Kinsey and a new french girl who teachs french at the school went on a bike ride to check out a small village on the main road that is between Kinsey and Megan's site. It was 15 km (9miles one way). After riding 3 miles the french girl asked how much further? When the arrived at village Kinsey and Megan walked around to check it out, the other girl laid down and took a nap.

Kinsey plays basketball quite a bit with her students. She doen't give them and breaks. She is still as competitive as she was in high school.

This afternoon she and a friend were going to karaoke, then this evening they were going to a big concert. Was suppose to have barbeque with some friends because they asked her things she does on Memorial Day and she said barbeque. So they want to have one now, had to change to next week due to a conflict.

Kinsey wanted to let everyone to know not to send her anything (letters,packages) to her address after mid June. School is out July 17th. Then she goes for some training of trainers(so they can train in coming educational voluteers.) Then the end of July she packs up all her stuff to move. She will then go to training center in Tana(capital) to train the new arrivials. Thne on for a vacation(which she seems to do quite often) :). Then the first of September she will go to Diego(most northern town) to teach English at the Univeresity, for the last four months of her service.

Her address there will be: Kinsey Wethers,PVC

6 Rue Commandant Marchand

Place Kabary,

Antsiranana 201,

Madagascar.

So she will be busy the next few months. Another new adventure. WOW!

Becky(Mom)

Talked to Kinsey last week. She is going good. She went to do some training a few weeks ago. She meet up with the other Educational Volunteers and Peace Corp staff. She also went on a vacation to a National Park with some of her friends.

The taxi brusse ride is always adventure, she said they decide which one to take by how many bags, chickens, bicycles etc. they have on the roof of it. If they don't have anything up there then they don't go with them not a good one. They always have extra 5 gal jug of gasoline in front, doesn't make her feel to comfortable since she is always towards the front.

Got her from her vacation, her roof had leaked. While she was gone one of her friends was watching the house and there was 1-2" of waster on ground in house, they got that out of there, but she has mold on her desk and her clean clothes on her shelves that she had to rewash.

She is back at her site now. Busy teaching til 6PM, but it starts getting dark there around 5:30pm so it is hard to teach on the blackboard, that is hard to see. She tries to do oral lessons then. Some of the students complained they could see and she said you don't need to see to speak. She will be teaching until June 21st then exams. 1st week of July for grades and review. July 16th "Grand Vacation" field trip to National Park Andasible close to Moranga(old banking town).

Some of her malagasy friends invited her for dinner the other night. They had eel. Said it tasted like fish. Texture was different. She wasn't going to go but she heard her dad tell her "Kinsey you should try it".

A week ago we tried for 5 days to call her and the operator kept saying it was invalid #. Finally we got through. I try and text her and she never gets my texts only her sisters. She can text us fine. Guess that international calling for you.

She has done load pictures on her facebook, I will try to put some on here for the ones with out facebook. For some resaon when she tries to down load pictures to her blog it won't work.

It is great to talk to her and hear her laugh!!!

Dear Mr. Rat, I hope you ate well last night, so well that you are well nourished and strong enough to find a new home.  This may come asa shock to you, but I am not enjoying your company in my kitchen.  I’ll admit, I may have given you the wrong message by leaving a whole pineapple uncovered so you could nibble a hole in the side of it.  And it wasn’t very smart of me to leave the fridge door propped open with a half eaten chocolate bar and a bag of uncooked rice inside.  My bad.  I can understand how you would have seen those as welcoming gifts.  Still, if you thought I was politely offering these things with you, there was no reason to jump out of the fridge or the shower at me.  I can deal with flying cockroaches; however, your kind scare me by simply scurrying near my feet let alone when airborne.  Please consider this your two week notice.  Even if you did stop chewing away at my candles, stealing my dish washing sponges and leaving behind dropping, I would still not welcome you with open arms.  Especially if you’re bringing along company in the form of Plague carrying fleas.  In this case, more is not merrier. Thank you ever so kindly, Kinsey

P.S.- Could you please tell your cousin, Miss Mouse in My House, that I would appreciate if she stopped leaving droppings on my clean clothes and startling me by leaping out of my packages from the U.S.  She is welcome to stay as long as the only evidence of her presence is the occasional glimpse I catch of her dashing across my floor in the late evening.  Remind her that this is a fair request since I saved her from drowning in my water pail.  Also, I did not go after her with my broom and insect spray like I did to the giant spider who was hanging out on the window way too close to my bed.  I appreciate your cooperation.  

1. There is almost always a delay and it takes getting use to. Say a few sentences and then wait for them to be delivered to me. Ten wit a little more for me to respond and for my words to travel across the ocean to you.

2. Sometimes the connection is garbled and it sounds like we’re talking under water. First, try standing still with your left arm raised in the air. If that doesn’t work, try standing outside on the porch. And finally, you can try hanging up and calling back again. You might get a better connection.

3. More often than not we experience periods of silence, several seconds nearing half a minute (not to be confused with the ever-present delay). Be patient. Don’t hang up right away. The connection usually comes back (especially if both parties hold up their left arms).

4. It is the exact opposite of uncommon for the call to completely cut out after several minutes of conversation. Just call back. And don’t get frustrated if it happens three or four times. We may just have to try again tomorrow.

5. Do not be concerned if you dial my number and are told that the number is “invalid”. That person, whoever she is, is lying or at least momentarily confused. Hang up and try again, or again and again.

6. Remember there is a time difference. Madagascar is seven hours ahead of Michigan time (as of the Spring Forward). I go to bed around 9 or 9:30 almost every night (and not because I’m a grandma like one friend accused, but because I wake up between 5:15 and 6:30 every morning). You can also text me which is cheaper for you and makes me just as happy.

7. My family uses Pingo, one friend has a calling card and I’ve heard Skype works, too.

8. Remember, technology is flawed. Don’t get mad, just laugh. Even if the connection is fuzzy, the happiness in your laughter still comes through loud and clear (It’s hard not to laugh with your left arm up in the air).

This was on Friday, Jan. 29, the day before the high school staff's New Year party. These teachers were washing the chickens after they had been plucked and cleaned of their insides (which were quickly thrown into a pan over the fire, cooked and eaten while the rest of the chickens were being cleaned-yum, I know).

Hi, all! Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. As some of you know, I have Internet access at my site, but it is VERY SLOW and quite expensive compared to Internet in the bigger cities. I've also been very busy the last few weeks with school, New Years' parties (I had two on January 30, only 29 days after the actual new year), and helping my new site partner, Vickie, get settled. She arrived at the end of January and is a Small Enterprise Development (SED) volunteer. She will be working with the local radio station as well as several womens' groups in the countryside near our town. Most of the women have several children and no husband (most because he left her for someone else or a better job). Vickie will be helping them learn some basic business and money-management ideas and hopefully encouraging them to come up with other supplementary income ideas. Right now, one of the main groups she is getting to know weave baskets and mats to sell at the local market.

Currently, I am in Moramanga, waiting to go to my old site Anosibe An'Ala. I'm so excited to see my old friends and town! The members of the community center there have planned a party for me and my friend Megan on Saturday afternoon/evening. I'm sure it will be quite an event and last a long time:)

I'll try to write more later, maybe Sunday when I'm passing back through here. Thank you for all of the letters, packages, messages, thoughts and prayers! If any of you have any idea how to get 75 high school students to speak English, I'm all ears! I'm running out of ideas to motivate my large high school classes. It's exhausting.

Love you all!

~Kinsey

A building in Tana, the capital.

This was taken during our Re-Instatement Workshop. The Education PCVs were finally able to do some fun cross-sectoral activities. Here we were learning how to double-dig a garden and then mix in manure. * * * * * * * I'm back in Tana for a day after visiting the new trainees at the training center in Mantasoa. The 36 trainees were transfered here from Niger, but all seem in good spirits despite all they've been through. They will be installed at their sites at the end of January, and one SED (Small Enterprise Development) volunteer will be my site partner:) One of the new trainees is also from Holland, MI, so we talked about Hope College, Russ' and the Tulip Festival! Tomorrow I'm headed back towards my site and will spend New Year's Eve in Vatomandry at my friend Megan's site. I'll start teaching my classes again on the 5th of January. For Christmas, I was in Ambatodrazaka with Megan, Chris and Katie. On Christmas day we had sandwiches on baguettes with La Vache (a spreadable cheese) and carrot/cucumber salad since everything was closed in the afternoon. Not exactly what you imagine for Christmas lunch but tastey anyway. Thankfully there was a Chinese restaurant open for dinner that evening. We also had the chance to visit a dance club in Ambato where it was not unusual at all for people to dance in front of mirrors by themselves. In fact, that seemed to be why they were placed on the wall: so people could watch themselves dance. Awkward. I don't want to watch myself dance; I know it doesn't look that great! Today Megan and I spent a lot of time getting lost and trying to find our way around Tana. It was funny at first and sort of annoying towards the end; however, we were able to use our Malagasy in order to ask people for directions. That was satisfying. Somewhere in the middle of our journey Megan ended up asking a drunk man who was on his way to get his brother's death certificate and the man's wife for directions. We think they were just coming from the funeral and that the man was most likely drunk. Oops. It says a lot that he stopped to help us anway. Most Malagasy people will stop to help you if you speak to them in their language. The main problem towards the end of our journey was that the people we were asking how to find the American Cultural Center were often confusing it with the French Cultural Center. So, we would walk in one direction for several blocks and then ask another person for directions only to be told to go back in the direction we came from. Ha ha. This happened several times before we found a Malagasy man, who had a hard time speaking Malagasy to us instead of French, but who let us ride in a taxi with him and paid for us. When we finally got to our destination, it was closed. So of course we had to walk back to where we came from to go find lunch somewhere else.

That's all for now. Sorry I couldn't post a lot of pictures. The Internet is extremely slow today and I'm getting frustrated since I've only successfully posted two pictures in 1 hr 18 minutes 58 seconds. The last few I've tried to post came up with an error message. More next time. Miss you all!~Kinsey

Sunday, December 20, 2009:

As I write this, I’m at my new site Mahanoro. It’s much bigger than my old town, but I’m slowly adjusting. It’s hard not to compare everything to Anosibe An’Ala. Most of the local people do not understand why I’m not thrilled to be here. I’ll admit, I love that I can hear the ocean waves from my house, that the ocean is probably not even a city block away, that there is an abundance of shrimp for me to eat. But I miss my friends in AAA. I miss knowing people and people recognizing me. I guess it comes down to the fact that I don’t exactly like change…oh well.

My house is located within the compound of the middle school (C.E.G.). When school is in session, I must walk through the middle of all of the classrooms and the crowds of students in their light blue uniform blouses. Yikes! I’m getting good at walking past the stares--shoulders straight, eyes focused ahead or hidden behind my sunglasses. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do. If they greet me in English and I respond in English, they giggle because I talked to them. If they speak to me in Malagasy and I respond in Malagasy, they laugh because I can speak their language. The American tax dollars are spent sending entertainment to developing countries in the form of Peace Corps Volunteers.

Maybe now is a good time to mention that all thoughts written here are solely mine and they do not represent the ideas of the United States government or Peace Corps. Most of the time I’m just trying to make sense of what’s going on around me, laugh off the awkward moments, make light of a difficult situation. I’m sorry if I offend anyone. I do like Mahanoro and being a PCV.

Back to what I was saying. Living at the middle school is often annoying because there are always students trying to get a glance of what I’m doing, but my house is nice. Many volunteers would label it as Posh Corps. Yes, I have a toilet, but I must flush it with a bucket of water. The same bucket sits under my bathroom sink, which leaks even though the electrician/plumber has tried to fix it twice. And yes, I have a shower (our in my kitchen). Only cold water, but I’ve found no use for hot water except for cooking. It’s in the high 80s most days. And yes, I have electricity, most of the time. It worked all the time when I first arrived. Then they began shutting off the power to half the town one night, half the next to save money. At the beginning of this week it seemed to work only a few hours during the day, and now it’s still on at almost 8 p.m. Don’t ever try to gamble in Madagascar. Things that are consistent are bound to change soon. Even the water doesn’t work sometimes and then I must fetch it from across the main road. No problem. Fetching water is free exercise.

I’m teaching two sections of 2nde (10th grade) at the Lycee (high school) and two sections of 6eme (6th grade) at the C.E.G. (middle school). My 2nde classes have about 75 students in each section. They have English class twice a week for two hours each time. My 6eme classes have about 50 students in each section, and they also study twice a week but once for an hour and then for two. Since the school year began in October, I didn’t give exams at the end of this term. I did warn my high school students that we’d have an oral exam after Christmas vacation. They’re not too thrilled even though I told them what I’d ask them, questions like, “What is your name?” and “How many brothers and sister do you have?” Speaking is the hardest part for them. And it will be hard to get them to all practice speaking when I have so many students in one class. My middle school students are excited to do learn anything. They eagerly count as high as they can in English when I write numbers on the board. It’s refreshing.

I have more cock roaches here, but they seem to come out mainly at night when I’m safely tucked into my mosquito net. They don’t really bother me since they don’t bite; however, they are really dirty. They leave little dropping throughout the night, reminders the next morning that they’ve been looking for my fruit or crumbs I’ve dropped. I’d rather have cock roaches than spiders any day. Cock roaches are too loud for their own good, so you can always hear them coming. Spiders can hide anywhere. Yuck.

Yesterday (Saturday, Dec. 19), I finally found a basketball to buy and played at the court near my house. I love playing basketball in this country. Most of the time the boys are too afraid to get too close. Ha ha. And they never think I’m going to be any good at first. I love to prove them wrong. I haven’t seen any girls play here yet. Maybe I’ll encourage them. Some funny translations…when you swish the ball, they say, ‘Tsy taolana” which literally means “No bones”. And when the ball rolls around the rim before going in they say, “Manasa lovia” which means “to wash the plate”.

What else? I bought meat at the market for the first time this past week…well, I bought it meaning I handed the man the money and I made my PCV friend Megan carry it. It just grosses me out here. Flies everywhere. And the smell of meat is so strong with the cows tail draped over one end of the table, its intestines on the other end and its legs in the wheel barrow in next to the table. Doesn’t exactly make me hungry. I guess that doesn’t even bother me anymore. What does is that the man who puts your meat in the bag has meat and blood all over his hands, so it gets on the outside of the bag he hands to me. And the butcher I hand my money too gives me my change, which the woman before me paid him by laying on the hind quarter of meat. It just makes me want to Clorox everything and myself.

There is an amazing little yellow store in my town that sells baked goods and cold, homemade yogurt. I love going there on hot afternoons for a cool treat or getting what we think of as banana bread for breakfast. They call our banana bread cake banane. So every now and then I have cake for breakfast (Note: Malagasy banana bread is a peeled and fried banana, gooey on the inside). The fun part about this store is that the front and back wall are full of hardware parts and the right side and wall is a pharmacy. Evidently, they even make real cakes with frosting and everything. Most businesses in Madagascar are multi-faceted.

I went to a hotely (restaurant) in my town the other day to try out their “milk shakes”. Now, this place is special because it actually has menus and you can order whatever you want from the menu. Most hotelys here are like little sheds or hole-in-the-wall places with several side dish choices (everything is served with rice) written on a blackboard. And it’s not uncommon to ask for one of the listed items only to be told they don’t have it or “Misy fa lany” (There is but it’s gone). So I was shocked the first time I went there and was able to have anything I wanted and then shocked again when I read “Milk shakes”. So I returned for lunch and to try a milk shake justifying my outing by the fact that I needed some form of calcium for the day anyway. Unfortunately, it turned out to only be cold chocolate milk. But at least it was something cold on a hot day and at least it was chocolate.

Well, that’s all for now. More stories to follow. I’m happy to be back in Madagascar and looking forward to having something to do after vacation. It’s hard to start any other English classes or projects right before a long vacation. I’ve been reading a lot and wandering aimlessly through town (and I only got lost once).

If you write me a letter, I’ll write back!! Or I have much better cell phone reception at site, so you can call. Thanks for all of the thoughts and support. Until next time…

~Kinsey

“Each affects the other and the other affects the next, and the world is full of stories, but the stories are all one.” --Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Talked to Kinsey Sun morning here. (It is an 8 hour difference with daylight savings time.)

She is doing good, looking forward to getting her cooking gas for her stove(10-15 days) in normal delivery time by Taxi brousse. Been eating alots of vegetable sandwiches!

Her home is much busier this time. Only 1 block from Indian Ocean, hears the waves even on calm days. This is cyclone season. Very Hot!! and Humid. Road noise, traffic, chickens & turkeys just outside of 1/2 fenced yard.(Someone may have took the other 1/2 for firewood) that's a BIG problem, they are burning everything in Madagascar for fuel,cooking & heat.

No fishing report yet. Only boats spotted are like dugout canoes, not motors. Ocean isn't good for swimming - Sharks...

Taught the 1st time Thurs. 75 high school students in each of the 2 classes. They were pretty impressed that she spoke in malgasy to them and not english. Tues. she will teach high school then middle school.(wasn't suppose to start middle school til after new year), but the middle school students want to start now, so she will teach them 4 times before break.

It is a much bigger town, more tourist so they are accustom to seeing white people. You know how the locals treat the "fudgies". It takes a little time in all cultures.

Phone reception is good. She would love to hear you!

That's all for now, look for new update in a week.

Becky (Kinsey's Mom)

Kinsey arrived in Madagascar on November 17 and after a week of training, Thanksgiving lunch at the Country Director’s house and swearing-in (again) at the US Ambassador’s house, departed for her site on Wednesday, November 25.

Her new site is located on the Indian Ocean, and the town has population of almost 40,000 people with a large number of foreigners. The weather is hot now as they are entering their summer – around 90 degrees during the day and only down to 81 degrees by 9:00 at night!

Megan, another PCV and friend of Kinsey’s, frequently visited the former PCV that lived at Kinsey’s new site, and will stay for a few days to show Kinsey around and help her get acquainted in the new town.

Starting on December 1, she will be teaching at the high school for four hours every Tuesday and Thursday. After the first of the year, she will also be teaching at the middle school two days per week.

If you want to call Kinsey, her phone number is 261 32 58 637 26. (I would suggest using the international call card company, PINGO, (check out pingo.com) if you don't have an international calling plan for your phone.)

Kinsey sounds good and is happy to be back in Madagascar. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she learns her way around the new site and makes friends.

Mallery

(Kinsey’s sister)

Tomorrow I will embark on the second act of my Peace Corps Madagascar journey. I will depart home and the yellow dinosaur with dad, mom and Mal in the new (gently used) motorhome dad and mom will vacation in this winter.

I leave Traverse City at 8 am and have a layover in Detroit where I'll meet up with two PCV friends and fly to D.C. We'll meet up with the rest of the 11 returning volunteers and 4 Peace Corps Response Volunteers (they've already served in PC and will help out in Mcar for a shorter time). We fly out of D.C. after 5 pm and will arrive in South Africa 17 hours later...ugh. One night's stay there and then we'll fly to Tana on November 17th.

Although I am sad that I will not be returning to my original site, Anosibe An' Ala, I am looking forward to many new adventures in Mahanoro. The biggest difference between my old and new site will be the toilet and running water that I will have this time. While I am not excited to be classifed as "Posh Corps" because of these luxuries, I know I will be thankful every time I have stomach issues.

Mahanoro is on the East Coast just south of Vatomandry. I will be able to walk to the beach! And have fresh sea food whenever I want:) Feel free to come visit me.

Just like last time, I will be teaching English in the middle school. This time I will also be teaching in the high school. Since I served nine months before we were evacuated, I have about 15 months left of my service.

I'll keep you all updated as much as possible and my sister and mom will update this blog when I call them. Thank you for your support so far. Watch out Madagascar. Here I come!

Sorry it's been so long since I updated my blog. For those of you who are not aware, I AM HOME IN BEAR LAKE now. After I was Consolidated at the PC training center for a little over two weeks in February, I went back to site for about three weeks. Then, the political situation in Madagascar worsened and Peace Corps decided to suspend the program. So, all PCVs were Evacuated to South Africa where we stayed for a week for medical clearance. I then decided to go on vacation for a few weeks before coming home. Kruger National Park is a great place for a safari and Cape Town is a beautiful city. I recommend them both if you ever find yourself in South Africa.

I'm in the process of organizing my pictures now. With over 1,500 it will take a while, but I will share them soon with anyone who is interested. Thank you again for you thoughts and concerns. Happy Easter and see you all soon.

~Kinsey A view near the market in my town.

Saying goodbye to one of my classes.

After a weekend with no violence in the country, Kinsey and the 120+ Peace Corps Volunteers in Madagascar were able to return to their sites early this week. Kinsey is safe and happy to be back at site with her friends and students.

For those of you who are unaware of the situation in Madagascar, there has been political unrest over the past three weeks. For more details, check out CNN.com or Yahoo! News.

Please continue to keep the leaders of Madagascar, the Malagasy people, Peace Corps Volunteers and Kinsey in your prayers. Thank you,

Mallery Wethers Kinsey’s Favorite Sister

Here are more pictures of vacation. Kinsey tried to upload them but won't work. Sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't. So she e-mail them to us to put on her blog. So here they are. (Becky/ Kinsey's Mom)

hotel in tana: This is a little hole-in-the-wall hotel in the capital. Still doesn't convey the feeling of the whole situation, but it's a start.

me on Emerald Isle.....

the hotel grand and the pool/swim-up bar. This is the fancy hotel we went to twice while staying in Diego. You can pay 10,000 Ariary($5.23 U.S.) to swim in the pool for the afternoon (which we did) it has a swim-up bar and everything. To stay in the hotel it costs around 150,00 Ar per night. ($78.43 U.S.). Not exactly a place I thought I'd find myself during Peace Corps, but it was nice to pretend for a few afternoons.

glass protection: This was in Diego, but can be seen all over the country in larger cities. People cement pieces of glass along the tops of the cement walls that surround their houses. Looks prettier than barbed wire, but probably doesn't feel much better.

lady of the north with face powder: This was one of the ladies on Emerald Isle who was giving masssages and/or braiding hair. The women in the northern parts of the country often wear this yellow powder on their faces to protect themselves from the sun.

diego fruit ladies: These ladies walk around selling fruit to everyone they see, especially foreigners.

floweres: more for Quinn and everyone else who asks what kind of flowers madagascar has.

view of hideout from boat: This is a picture of the abandonded building from the water. We passed by it on the boat we took to Emerald Isle. Funny enoug, you can buy postcards with this building on it as it is now. Why? Not sure. It was a fancy hotel or military building back in the day.

in hide-out: Lucy, me, Dorothy. It's a pretty sketchy building, so we were acting out the situation. It's safe during the day, but I don't recommend going there after dark.

view of bay from the hideout: This is an old abandoned building that sits right on the bay in Diego. The view is beautiful and it's quite peaceful up there since few people go up there.

corn on cob in brousse:We were passing through one of several larger towns on our way up to Diego. It must have been markey day because there were so many people in town, the vehicles were having a hard time going sown the road. But is did make it easier for the people on the streets to run up to our brousse and try to sell us random food and items: maybe bananas, dried fish, sunglasses. We opted for the corn on the cob; nice and hot, but lacking butter and salt. Hey, we'll take what we can get.

houses along the road.

trees along the road.

host family: Went back to visit my host family the friday after my In-Service traning. My host mom and host sisters love to give people bunny ears.

Some coral-like formations along the beach.

One of the wooden/grass huts on the beach.

Some Malagasy people we passed on the way.

On the ride out to Emerad Isle. Can we say GORGEOUS!!!

This is Sugar Loaf, a little piece of land that stands in a protected part of the bay. Five of my friends and I tried to swim out to it. Only two of them made it. Four of us turned around when we got 3/4 of the way and encountered jelly fish. Don't worry, they weren't that poisonous. Just stung a little and then tingled. Anyway, it looked a lot closer from shore and it was hard to see by the time the two boys made it back. Definitely should have left a little sooner in the afternoon. Thankfully those jelly fish weren't sharks.

Christmas 2008: Diego, very northern tip of Madagascar. Take about a 2 hour boat ride out to a private beach. A few miles away from the beach, the water starts to turn this amazing color of teal blue. The water is so clear and shallow you can see the coral. Once you arrive at the beach, place your bag in a little wooden and grass hut. Relax in the bath-water temperature Emerald Sea. Grab a snorkel and a pair of goggles to catch a glimps of some tropical fish. Get a massage (oh yes, I DID!) on the beach or your hair braided (opted out of this one, but have already done it at my site). Fresh fish and coconut rice for lunch. Sounds like a dream and it kind of felt like it. Definitely didn't feel like Peace Corps, but didn't feel like Christmas either.

Sarah and me in the boat before we took off.

Me as we neared Emerald Isle. Notice the change in the color of the water?!

This is the type of boat we went out on. Big, wooden, holds about 25 people and a cooler full of supplies.

Here you go dad: This guy caught some fish for one of the other groups of tourists that were at the beach for lunch. He had a mask, snorkel, and a spear gun as well.

The remains of our fish lunch. These guys kept on bringing us fish, all different kinds and all delicious.

This is the fish they caught while we were headed out to Emerald Isle. They were dragging some sort of bait behind us the whole way. When they got this fish, one of the Malagasy men ran to the front of the boat, got the spear gun, ran back and shot the fish. Still not quite sure why. Tasted good though. **Note: My dad will turn 49 again on January 10, 2009. Please, make sure to wish him a Happy Birthday.

I could barely get any pictures to load last night, but this morning things are working out. So, most of these pictures are from the Dec. 3-9 week when other PCVs came to my site for a week of work and food. Make sure to check previous posts because I've posted lots of pictures in the last week or so. Enjoy and feel free to comment on the photos. It makes me happy, so that should be enough motivation for you to do it. I'm going to visit my host family today and will report back on any interesting events and/or post photos.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Happy Birthday to Tony, Lynn (belated but I still love you), and to Brady at the end of the year. There are most likely others and I have them written down at site but not with me, so I apologize. I haven't forgotten about you even if I didn't mention your name. Love to all.

The road outside of the community center.

The community center in my town. Not too shabby, huh? The married couple that my site partner replaced helped refurbish and add on to the center during their service. This is where the preschool is held.

This statue is located by the CISCO office and my house. These kids flocked to watch us plant the Moringa trees.

One of the sessions we had at the stand. During this one we (or rather the Environment Volunteers) taught the community members the benefits of planting Ananambo trees (Moringa in English) and eating the leaves. Dorothy (kindly holding one of the baked goods) and I baked some things to sell in order to raise money for the community center. Since the baked goods were from mixes sent from the States (thank you!), most of the goods were bought and then eaten by the Volunteers.

For those of you who have asked me what I eat and cook. Beans and Rice. This is what most of my meals look like. Sometimes it's eggs instead of beans, but I definitely eat a lot of tomatoes and rice. More food pictures to come in the future.

This is how you bake when your in the Peace Corps. For lack of pot holders, I had to use my fleece jacket. Maybe someone could email Cabelas and tell them how I use their product; it could get me a free gift certificate or something:) Let it be said that most Malagasy people cook on charbon (sp?) aka charol (sp? also). (Have I mentioned that I can't spell English words now that I speak Malagasy so much?) Most PCVs, however, cook on a gas camp stove, which is what I use.

The man who runs the community center bought a lemur (this is slightly illegal, but students are supposed to go to school as well and that doesn't exactly happen either). People illegally capture lemurs and tame them, hoping to sell them to someone (they tried to get me to buy it, but what am I going to do with a lemur?). As you can see, this one is quite friendly; you can even hold it but I'm always afraid it will poop on me. For Quinn. It's not exactly a flower, but I'll work on it. These trees are one of the things Madagascar is known for. This one is located right behind the community center in my town.

Today, hanging out in the capital; a chill day after Salsa dancing last night. (L-R): Dorothy, Megan, and Kinsey (Always promoting Kampvilla. Oh, and mom, I have another t-shirt order list for you:)

Dec. 3-9 we had 11 other volunteers, mostly Environment but two of my Education friends came, at our site for a week of work, play, and eat. It was complete with planting trees, educating the Malagasy people about planting Moringa trees (look it up, pretty sweet) and AIDS Awareness, playing volleyball, going on a LONG walk to a rainforest and NOT seeing any lemurs, cooking turkey in the ground, and baking pumpking pies in tiny metal plates in a large pot on a gas stove. I even managed to pretty much lose my voice right when the fun was getting started on Saturday, but that's how life goes sometimes. Not sure what cause it. Too much talking since I was excited to see my friends?

The Thanksgiving Dinner was awesome! Stuffing, mashed potatoes, no rice. Lovely. I'll try to write more and post more pictures. I have lots, but have I mentioned it takes a long time?

Exams are done even if they aren't all the way graded. It can wait til after vacation. I'm in the capital for an In-Service Training that starts on Monday and after that, my friends and I will head to the beach for Christmas. Sounds like a tough life, huh? More later. Miss you all.

Pumpkin pie anyone? Took HOURS to cook since we had to do it one at a time, but tasted good! Thanks to the mother/father/family member of the PCV who sent the can of pumpkin filling.

Me, Ernestina, and Mino. My Malagasy friends...love them, but not as much as the ones from home;)

Thanksgiving Dinner in the Community Center of my town. Doesn't exactly look like a hut in some tiny village of Madagascar.

For my grandma, who always seems to find a way to get a picture of me eating during the holidays.

Me, Dorothy, and Megan during Thanksgiving Dinner at my site.

I loaded these pictures once already and the page had an error on the last one. LAME. So, we'll go event by event. My site partner and I cut down and decorated a tree Friday afternoon (Note: WAY earlier than my dad ever let us get a tree!). I still can't believe we found decorations and flashing lights in our town. Expensive, but they were there. We also watched the movie ELF. Fun times, but I'm having a hard time getting in the Christmas Spirit when it's 86 degrees out during the day and I am not under 3 quilts and dressed in sweats while I'm sleeping. I'm working on it though.

Me and the tree. I don't know what I was thinking when I posed like that. Guess I haven't lost any of my weirdness.

The Christmas Tree, Chase, and Barack.

You can always use a little help when you're decorating the tree. Two of the kids who live next to Chase.

In the pine forest right outside of town. Doesn't exactly look like we're fetching a tree in Michigan, huh?

Two of my friends: Mino, a teacher at the C.E.G., and Ernesta, who runs and teaches at the preschool. Me and my friend Finaritra on the bridge at my site a few weeks ago before I went on vacation. She's also a teacher at the C.E.G. or rather, she was. Now she's living in my banking town taking a month of classes, some kind of conference. I don't know if anyone replaced her to teach her classes. It wouldn't surprise me if the students just don't study that topic until (and if) she returns. That's how some things go here.

The inside of the leeches. Werid, huh?

Leeches (I don't know if I spelled that right, lyches/lychees maybe). The Malagasy people go crazy over this fruit. When I went on vacation near the coast a few weeks ago, people were getting all excited in the taxi brousse about something. I finally realized they were excited that the leeches were ripe. They will be in full bloom around Christmas, so it's often referred to as the Christmas Fruit. Tastes pretty good, but the inside looks weird. Evidently, if you eat a lot of them, it makes you hot. I was already hot from the day when I first tried them, so I'll have to let you know if this is true or not.

One of my multiple bright gecko friends, enjoying my fruit.

Also, in a few days or weeks...Happy Birthday to my cousins Catherine and Brady, Lynn, and Tony. And Happy Anniversary to Aunt Julie and Uncle Tarron. Happy belated Birthday to John David and belated Anniversary to Casie and Mark.

So this high school girl that lives close to me asked me Wednesday if she could bring by a friend to study English. I said, No Problem, being she is a nice girl who was kind to me when I first arrived. I’ll blame it now on the Stupid Malagasy Subject Pronoun: Izy = she AND he. I would have said yes anyways because who can expect a guy to come back the next day by himself and quote parts of the song “You Are My Sunshine” to you? NOT ME. I had a thought that he may have alternate motives other than wanting to improve his English speaking abilities, but who’d have guessed he would return so quickly and speak so clearly in English. No wonder he’s already an English teacher at the Catholic school (not that this means anything either because some of the English teachers are capable of speaking very little English).

He told me he saw me two months ago when I arrived and wanted to get to know me then. Ha. Last night when he left he told me “Have a sweet dream” and then texted me “Good night” (His getting my number was an accident. Silly me). When he arrived at my house today, he asked me if I had “a nice dream.” I told him I didn’t remember so they must not have been that bad. He then asked if he could tell me what he dreamed about, which is when he broke out the words to the above mentioned song. I tried not to laugh and at the same time, encourage him that I do NOT need a Gasy boyfriend. I’m here to work. He said he didn’t see why I couldn’t do both. Okay, good point. But, I don’t need time to think about my response, which is what he told me he would let me do. Gee, what a nice guy.

My sister’s text message response to my admirer dilemma: “Look at the impact you are having…that is a lot of English to learn!” Thanks for your support, sis.

Some odds and ends I’ve been meaning to suggest (that’s all they are, suggestions, because they made me think and maybe they’ll make you think, too):

1. Read The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

2. Watch An Inconvenient Truth

3. The Malagasy people were very interested in the U.S. Presidential Election. They wanted Barack Obama to win because he has dark skin. Each time this topic came up, they would point to their skin and say, “Mitovy Malagasy” (same as Malagasy), as if this explains everything. But it should make us wonder, What does this say of what other countries think of America?

4. A PCV who has been here for three years and is getting ready to COS (he extended for a year and is about to go home) said that often in PC, “the days drag on but the months fly by.” It’s true even at home, but I’m just now starting to understand that here.

5. When I first arrived, people thought my name was Quinze, the French word for the number 15. Now they think it’s Kenji. I guess where moving forward slowly.

6. I think my new favorite word at the moment is “to fetch” (maka). That’s the verb that the Malagasy people use for lots of situations: to fetch water, to fetch a piece of paper, to fetch a person when it’s time for the taxi brousse to leave. Maybe my favorite: "maka rivetra", to fetch the wind. For example, my students say it when they are taking a break between classes. I tell them they still have a few mintues to run around and they say this. They still have a few minutes to walk around outside, enjoy the breeze. It's fun, and it makes the language easier for me.

7. Some people flagged me down yesterday when I was walking and tried to explain something about some sort of animal to me. I didn’t recognize the name of the animal or what they wanted me to do wih it, but this isn’t that unusual of a situation for me. They asked me where I lived and said they’d bring the animal by. How thoughtful. Four young children showed up at my door later that afternoon with the biggest, brightest yellow butterfly I’ve ever seen. They had it in a plastic bag, barely big enough for it to squirm around in. I didn’t take a picture because I don’t know these kids and didn’t want them to see my camera. Sorry. And I still have no idea what they wanted me to do with it. Buy it? And then what? Just because I’m a foreigner doesn’t mean I have a special need for a giant yellow butterfly.

The top three things I discuss with Malagasy people:

1. Am I here to ‘fetch’ a Gasy sipa/mpivady (boyfriend/husand)? And then at great length, Why not?

2. Obama or McCain? And now, did I vote for Obama?

3. Rice. It’s always about the rice here. Do I eat rice? Do I eat it three times a day? Do I eat rice three times a day in the States? Do Americans eat rice? Do Americans eat rice three times a day? If Americans don’t eat rice three times a day, what do they eat? They want to know what our rice is: bread, pasta, potatoes, cassava? Seriously. I’ve had this conversation and will continue to have it until I leave.

“I will do my best to give thanks for gifts, strangely, beautifully, painfully wrapped.” p. 417 (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells)

“A moment was not a single moment at all, but rather an infinite number of different moments, depending on who was seeing things and how.” p. 215 (The Memory Keeper’s Daughter)

An old entry I typed up on my flash drive. Last time, the computer at the Internet cafe didn't like the format of the document. So you get to read a lot all at once. Sorry, but enjoy.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Where to begin--always a tricky question. I’m typing up some emails and blog entries on my computer at site so that I have more time to piece together the more interesting details of my time here and also, so I spend less money using the Internet.

Wednesday, October 8th, I was hanging out at the basketball courts when one of my friends pointed out a bunch of young guys climbing the cell phone tower. Orange and white, the tower has been there for a while, well before I arrived to live here. So naturally, I take little notice of it, even more so because we never had service. But rumor got around that my town should have service sometime Wednesday, which was the reason for the congregation of young men around and on the tower. It was quite amusing.

I headed home after basketball, cooked my dinner, and was reading some when I heard the man on the loud speaker, making an announcement to the town. This has happened before, when there were two concerts scheduled, and the man would drive around shouting at everyone to remind them of the concerts (the signs were everywhere, the banner in the center of town, the constant replaying of the bands’ songs in the weeks prior to the shows, not to mention how small the town is or how fast news travels here were not enough advertisement). I listened (I had little choice, like when the pigs near my house sound like they are dying at 2:37 a.m. or the roosters and dogs are competing for the blue ribbon in the category of who can irritate the most people at the most unusual times of the night), although I understood little of what was being said. And then I caught a word and realized the voice was telling us that the town now had cell phone reception.

Eagerly, I turned on my phone to see full bars of service but the words “Limited Service” so nastily displayed on my screen. I had doubts it would work: I’d been told several times that the service would be provided by a company that I did not have a SIM card for (even though I have SIM cards for two of the three phone companies in Madagascar). Sure enough, I tried to text my sister and even call her and my parents. No such luck. The full bars of service were overridden by the nasty message of “Limited Service”. No worries though. The town should have a mpivarotra (a merchant), selling the correct company’s products soon. Good ole Supply and Demand. At the very least (or should it be longest), I’ll have to wait until the end of the month when I go to do my “banking”.

Speaking of banking, here’s a story for all of my friends from HSB. Towards the end of training (this would be about a month and a half ago), we were in the capital for some reason or another and had a meeting scheduled at the PC office in order to set up our bank accounts. There are several banks in Madagascar, so which bank a volunteer is assigned to use depends on what part of the island he/she is located. The majority of us, however, bank at the same “brand” (Can I say that? My English fails me sometimes because of the Malagasy.) of bank. So, on this sunny morning, there had to have been between 15-20 of us almost-volunteers (tired, cranky, ready for the next phase of the PC experience even though we still had a few weeks left living with our host families) sitting in a small conference room with four Malagasy women: one who works with PC and three who work with the bank, two who speak English.

Now, most of you have opened a bank account before, whether you were the customer or the bank representative. Either way, lots of paper, lots of signatures, lots of paragraphs of words that don’t make complete sense. Imagine doing this in a foreign language (French, even though we speak Malagasy, because everything to do with numbers here, numbers above 10,000 that is, and anything that’s truly legal in Madagascar, is usually done in French). One of the first things that crossed my mind besides, How long is this going to take because I’m hungry?, was, Dad and mom told me never to sign anything until I read it and then, only if I agreed (I know I’m not the only one who heard this when they were growing up). Despite this deeply engrained lesson, I signed my name, over and over again. I have to get my Living Allowance somehow and PC is a U.S. government organization, so I should trust their judgment, right?

This was stressful for us trainees, all talking back and forth across the conference table, using whatever language skills we had (English, French, Malagasy--sometimes, I throw in a Spanish word every now and then too, Mrs. PJ), to figure out what these four women were trying to get us all to accomplish in a decent amount of time and in a somewhat orderly fashion. Part of me, the former bank teller part, was dying inside because I knew how much of a pain we were. It’s hard enough to get twenty people to pay enough attention to a person who is trying to get them all to sign one sheet of paper in one location, let alone twenty people to pay attention to four people who are trying to tell them in several languages where to sign their name 31 times on 17 sheets of paper.

I keep thinking of funny things that have happened over the last four months (October 12 marks 4 months in Madagascar for me), which is why it is better for me to write at my site when I have time than to try and say something semi-interesting when I’m sitting in a hot, stuffy Internet café, waiting impatiently for my email to open or my pictures to load or trying to hurry because other people want to use the computer or my friends are already finished and wanting to leave.

Spanish. That’s what I was thinking about. Malagasy people think any foreigner they see is French. It’s an assumption that goes way back to the French colonizers and one that gets annoying fast. It’s quite hard for them to comprehend that I do not speak French (those two classes didn’t help very much) even if they do eventually realize that I am not from France, but the U.S. [Side Note: Part of me wants to be shocked with them too because most Malagasy people speak enough French to get by and maybe know a few words in English (Thanks to Celine Dion and Britney Spears, if nothing else. They blare their music everywhere), where as a great majority of people from the U.S. don’t speak anything besides English and think it appalling that they should have to learn a different language when the U.S. is (was?) such a big power in the global society. I’m sorry. I’m getting off topic. Maybe I have too much time to think when I type these up before I go to the Internet café. But have you ever noticed that in so many other countries, the people, especially the students in high school and university, are capable of holding a conversation in at least one other language than that of their native country, yet the people of the U.S., so big and powerful and said to be at one point so far ahead of everyone else, do not even care about having the ability to communicate with others who may not speak their language?]

Back to Spanish. I try to pacify them by telling them that I studied Spanish in high school because more people in the U.S. are apt to speak Spanish than French. I tend to leave out the fact that I am not, nor was I ever, capable of holding a conversation in Spanish like I can now hold in Malagasy (This may have something to do with pride and the above mentioned--and quite lengthy--side note. I never did take enough interest in learning Spanish, which I now regret). Anyways, here’s the real story, the funny part, which is what I thought you all would find funny.

During one of my first few weeks in country, my host father asked if I liked his family, and me, still somewhat shocked I was actually in Madagascar and barely capable of telling people what my name was, half nodded yes, have shook my head no, partly smiling, partly frowning with confusion, looked around the table for a clue of what question I was being asked (I only knew it was a question because everyone was looking at me, waiting for my response). My host brother saved me by translating a few words he knew in English. And I was so grateful to finally know what was being asked of me that I quickly shook my head yes and said, “Si”, which is Spanish for “Yes” but unfortunately is how the Malagasy word, “Tsia”, is pronounced, meaning “No”. I quickly realized my mistake, and tried to explain my mix-up, but like I said before, my language skills were not quite at the right level to understand the original question, let alone how to explain my confusion between two languages. Yikes! They gave me two presents when I left their house after training and want to visit me or have me visit them for Christmas, so I guess we all semi-understood each other in the end.

Each time I type up a new memory, another one comes to me. Celine Dion made me think of the other funny music-related moments I’ve experienced. Has anyone ever heard of the boy band West Life? Evidently, they are from the U.S., and the Malagasy people love them. Must not have enjoyed the same success at home as *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, because I’ve never heard of them. And then there are the times people welcome me into their homes (Mandroso = Come in) and I sit down on a thin mattress and feel the boards of the couch beneath it and look up to see an old, faded poster of Britney Spears next to Mother Mary and/or the President of Madagascar. I’ve even seen a few of Avril and Christina. I can’t help but smile at the hilarity of the situation every time and my hosts are pleased because I seem happy with their home. Even when I went to the PC office for the first time, I was surprised to see an 8x10 photo of President Bush and one of same size of Chaney displayed in the front lobby. The Malagasy people walk around with t-shirts, displaying huge pictures of their President’s face. It’s quite unusual to me, but nonetheless, I think it’d be funny to bring one back to the States (I can’t wear it here of course, because I can’t show any political favoritism for this country or my own, but in two years, I can display it on my wall at home;).

Speaking of presidents, we’re part way through October now and by the time I post this, it will most likely be the first of November, and I still haven’t received my Absentee Ballot. Go figure. For all of our technological advances over the years, you’d think someone would have come up with a way for military personnel and PC volunteers overseas to vote in a timely manner. But once again, I digress). I should take this time to mention once again that these are my thoughts and not the thoughts of the U.S. government or Peace Corps. Plus, I have a lot of time to think here, so don’t take anything I say too seriously. I don’t mean to offend anyone, just posing some thoughts and hoping they cause others to think too.

Kinsey was trying to update her blog. Had it typed up on her flashdrive, but unfortunately the computer wouldn't open them. They are so slow over there.

I posted a new address for her. The other address is at the captial, she will still get them, just will take longer. It is about 6 1/2 hrs away, and she doesn't get there very often.

She said teaching is slow, but going well. Her classes are pretty similar to those in the US. You've got your good students and your class clowns. Just a different language. She is also teaching the school board/superintent office people twice a week for about 2 hours. They know lots of vocabulary, but need practice speaking. They write up lots of dialogues and practice them over and over.

She was able to watch the new President Elect give his acceptance speech live! It was around 8 a.m. in Madagascar. She didn't get to vote. Her absentee ballot arrived on Fri. Oct 31th.

Besides the scorpion bite she has had sand fleas in the bottom of her feet. They burrow down into the skin and lay eggs-then the skin turns hard and you have to dig them out! She said her feet hurt, but it is too hot to wear shoes or boots.

Has been warm at her site in the mid-80's rains every day, some times a little, some times all day.

She has gotten to see the Indian Ocean twice now.

She sounds good when we talk to her. It is so good to hear her voice and hear her laugh. She has limited cell phone access at her site, very limited so far we have called her twice adn she will say Hi, how she is doing and I don't know how long this will last....CLICK...... So hopefully that will get better soon so we can talk to her more than once a month.

She will be going to TANA(captial) Dec. 13th for more training. She will update her blog then.

She loves to get letters and really looks forward to it, so if you got a little time she would love to hear from you and it means so much to her.

Becky(Kinsey's Mom)

Every two months, the schools take a week vacation. So I met up with some friends and went to a Malagasy music festival (similar to a county fair), celebrated Halloween by carving a fruit (I forget the name), got stung by a scorpion (I'm still alive! and fine. The Benadryl just knocked me out all morning and it didn't hurt THAT bad), bought some jelly shoes (you know you're jealous. just like when we were kids!), and worked on my tan at the beach.

I'm heading back to my site now, just made a stop in my banking town. Have to go see if my brousse is ready to leave. Sorry this is so short. Maybe my sister or mom can type up a quick summary of the phone calls we've had recently. I hope all is well. I love and miss you all!

~Kinsey

Not quite a pumpkin, but we made due. Good job Catherine and Brian.

Me and my friend Megan, hanging out at Brian's site after the music festival. I'm wearing a lamba (just a large piece of material. Popular with the women here).

Efa Malagasy zaho (I'm already Malagasy). My feet after a day of traveling on the taxi brousse and walking around in the dirt. Part of it is a tan line though:)

Enjoying the first afternoon of the Malagasy music festival (it was kind of like a county fair). In the back: Jessica, Megan, Brian In front: Michelle, Kinsey, Dorothy.

The waterfall that I can walk to from my site. I can wade through the river at the top and sit on some rocks in the middle where the water doesn't flow over, right at the edge of where the waterfall begins to drop. We can go if you come visit. Promise.

I took this from my large window in my house. I can sit on my bed and see this vine growing in the tree up the hill from my house. GORGEOUS, I know. When are you coming to visit?

The inside of my house: my table/desk on the left, the shelves that were there when I arrived (apparently the PCV I replaced had a tv and LOTS of people want to know when I'm going to get one so they can be even better friends with me). My bed, which looks nice, but the mattress is terrible, on the right (I twist up my mosquito net during the day). In the back part of the house on the left is my cooking bench and on the right is my indoor ladosy). There are pictures on my walls of sunsets at Lake Michigan, my family, and maps of Michigan and the States. I have a book of pictures from home too (which I add to when you send me letters from home) that I show to my Malagasy friends. They love to see my family and friends.

The outside of my house (I was standing by the kabone when I took the picture). The yard is fenced in by a bamboo fence. The larger window on the right is where my bed is and my table. The small window is where my cooking stove sits on my bench and behind that is my indoor ladosy (place to take a bucket shower).

*******

Hello all,

I'm in Tamatave (Toamasina), a larger town on the east coast, for an AIDS awareness bike race. A good chance to see another part of the island (this is a very nice city and I fell asleep to the sound of the ocean last night) and to see my friends.

I'm doing well. It's nice to see the people I trained with after not seeing them for a month. I ate ice cream last night and real cheese. It must be in the 80s or 90s here. Very hot, and I got a little sun burnt even though I put on sunscreen. Nothing major, though.

I've been teaching for two weeks now. My kids are great so far, a few giggles and talking here and there, but I think it's because of my Malagasy pronunciation (although my language skills are getting MUCH better).

I teach Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, a total of 12 hours a week. I'm always done by noon at the lastest and start at 7 am at the earliest. Never teach on Monday or Friday. Not a bad schedule, huh? I'm hoping to help out at the preschool that is starting up in mid-October and teach adults one night a week. Other projects will come up as time goes on.

I played a lot of basketball the last two weeks, and the boys think I'm pretty impressive. It helps that I'm a foreigner because I'm a little more intimidating and bigger than some of the boys here. I'm trying to upload pictures...it's slow. Sorry.

My days are still a rollar coaster of emotions. The isolation, not being able to call home but once a month, that's the hardest part. The people are nice (for the most part, I still get called after and asked for money because I'm a vazaha), my site is gorgeous, I'm making friends, learning the language, having some fun. It's just a LONG way from my family and friends sometimes.

What else? I always see things that I want to tell people at home about, something I know you would enjoy or find completely terrifying. But then I sit down at the computer, and the internet is SLOW and I just get frustrated. I'm happy that I don't have to use this every day. I was addicted to it at home.

Sorry this isn't very detailed. Maybe I can use the Internet tomorrow before or between one of my taxi brousse rides back to my site. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Thank you again for everything: letters, cards, emails, packages, thougths, prayers. I love and miss you all. Enjoying Madagascar, but thinking of you often.

~Kinsey

View of the town. My house is located in the trees on the middle,

right side of the picture (you can't seee it sorry:). And the buildings just to

to the left of the trees in the middle, right side of picture are the class-

rooms to the EPP (the elementary school).

Kinsey's house-there is a red circle around where my house is

even though you can't see it:)

Kinsey in rainforest next to some big plant.

Kinsey by river in AAA.

Kinsey and new friends. Note they have a couch. Their house is acually nice for

rural Madagascar.

Girls fishing for crabs they caught 4 or 5 tiny crabs, smaller than a baseball.

Boy fishing, he didn't catch anything.

One of the buildings at the CEG, where I will be teaching. All classrooms open to

the outdoors.

A tiny waterfall that is on the rivers in AAA. The kids in town jump off the

rocks on the right after the fall on hot days.... I haven't tried it yet. First,

because swimming in fresh water is one of the PC Don'ts. Second, because I

can't confirm that there are NOT any crocodilies. Third, because I don't want

marary kibo (stomach sickness).

One of the lemurs we saw in the wild after hiking up the mountain.

Top of the mountain we hiked up.

Mountain we hiked up.

View of the town. This is one of the two rivers that runs though the

town. Go over the bridge and it's a 1 or 2 k walk to the CEG(middle school)

where I will work. Take the road that goes through town (parallel to the river)

and you can go to the market or it's one of the ways to my house. These are pictures Kinsey E-mail to me to post for her. She was still having problems with her blog, and long lines to use computers. Becky (Kinsey's Mom)

Hi Dad, Mom, and Mallery,

I'm feeling much better today--rested all day yesterday, ate somebread, drank lots of water, slept 10 hours last night. Thankfully itwasn't anything serious. I think I'll go back to my site tomorrow(Saturday) and do my Internet and shopping today since I didn't do much yesterday.

i just found out that my In-Service Training is Dec 15-17 and then wehave Christmas Break, so I will be off from Dec 18 (thursday) til Jan.5 (Monday) when we go back to school).

there is this group that works in my town called ADRA (i don'tremember exactly what they do but i think they are an NGO or something). Anyway, one of their drivers, his daughter married a former madagascar PCV and they live in grand rapids, MICHIGAN! crazy,i know. makes the world feel a little bit smaller, home a little closer.

i'm trying to upload pictures, but the internet is slow and doens't like my blog. maybe i can get some pictures to attach to an email.i'm working on it though...promise. I LOVE YOU ALL and you know i miss you.~Kinsey Jo

(Becky Kinsey' mom)

Hello everyone!

First, thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers, letters, packages,and emails. How do I make you understand that a simple container ofSt. Ives facewash makes everything seems okay when I'm having a badday (Thanks, Casey! Got your package yesterday.)?

I came to Tana yesterday to "bank", although I don't really need themoney. We get three banking days a month, and I decided I needed topick up my mail, call home, use the Internet. My plan was to updatemy blog, add some pictures, and go to the store to get a few suppliesbefore I head back to site tomorrow. Well, plans change often inMadagascar. After calling home last night, I walked to a nearbyrestaurant to grab a hamburger and fries...a chocolate shake to. Thisis a ligitimate place, mostly foreigners go there, I've eaten thereseveral times. After an interesting night of little sleep and lots oftime in the bathroom, the PC doctor said I am probably suffering fromnon-servere food poisoning. Fun fun. I spent today drinking water,eating bread, resting. At least I'm at the PC transit house...TV,real bathroom. Makes being sick a little easier.

So, now I'm trying to make up for lost time, but the Internet is quiteslow and I can't really open my blog. Maybe I'll put up some pictureslater tonight or tomorrow. I think I may spend tomorrow night heretoo just to make sure I'm better. No worries. I am feeling betterthan I was around 7 a.m. Please don't worry, mom (or dad, mal,grandma, grandpa, grandma...etc.). I'll be fine.I'll update you later on my status and hopefully add pictures. I loveyou all and miss you.~Kinsey

This is the e-mail we received from kinsey she was having problems with her blog.

Becky(kinsey's mom)

Before I'm without Internet/phone access for a while.

I'm in Tana, saying goodbye to my 24, now official, Volunteer friends and awaiting my departure for my new home. Yesterday was our Swearing-In Ceremony, where we vowed to defend the U.S. against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Two members of the PC staff were Knighted by the Ministry of Education. Then, we met the U.S. Ambassador and ate dinner ate his house (where the ceremony was) with him and his wife. It was a nice little ceremony before we all start to head out to our sites in the next few days. It's 8 a.m. and I've already been up since 6:30, shedding a few tears as some of my new friends head off into the countryside of Madagascar. It's crazy how close you can get to a group of people so quickly.

I'm not even sure what to write at the moment. I know you all want some funny stories, and it's not that I haven't laughed over the last few days, because I have. But now some of the sobering moments come, when we 25 new volunteers are on our own for the first time in 10 weeks and most of us won't see each other until we have another training session around Christmas.

Thank you for the packages mom and dad, Dixie, and Gayle Ann. The goodies were amazing! And for the letters Aunt Jackie and Uncle Ron and everyone else who has written.

Just in case anyone is interested, my Christmas Vacation is from December 20-January 4. I will try to write more later on today before I leave for site tomorrow. I should have made a list of all the questions I've received so I could answer them. But, I should have plenty of time to write in the next month because I don't start teaching until September 22. Keep the letters coming (please); they mean the world to me. And enjoy the pictures. I love and miss you all. Let the next two years begin...

~Kinsey Jo

The sunset at our haven, Mantasoa.

Dorothy, Natalie, and Phil, sorting the peanuts before we roast them for our winning peanut butter. Part of the Mad Olympics we had in Mantasoa. We also had to fetch water from the lake with a "baby" on our backs (the reason Phil is wearing a lamba with a giant blanket in it), kill and clean a chicken, make a fire, boil water, make PB, and roast coffee beans.

Part of the Mad Olympics: that chicken is not fake FYI, and I was not brave enough to help with the action at all. Good job Natalie.

The days before Swearing-In in Mantasoa: Lauren and I, after the trainees lost to the training staff in both basketball and volleyball. I had a few minutes to cool down, but I was mad at first. To my former coaches...I played hard and pretty good. You'd have been proud:)

Jeff, almost an official PCV at this point, giving his Kabary (speech) in Malagasy.

During the ceremony. More pictures of me, dad. Just for you.

All dressed up for the ceremony. Note: Just like when I'm at home, only the dress and necklace are mine--I borrowed the rest:)

Our training staff: some of the most amazing characters (seriously) I have ever met.

Natalie, Ronda, Kinsey, Jessica: New Volunteers waiting for lunch at the U.S. Ambassador's house after Swearing-In.

The view of Tana from the Ambassador's house.

25 New Volunteers with the PC Madagascar Country Director, our Education Program Director, the Ministress (?) of Education, and the U.S. Ambassador.

So I just returned from site visit yesterday. What a trip. I can't remember if I wrote about my counterpart or not, I think I may have emailed that. Anyway, I met him on Monday in Mantasoa; we didn't really talk during lunch. I learned his name, Francois, and that he is a Physics teacher at the CEG (middle school). Dinner wasn't any better and by break time the next day, one of the other counterparts encouraged him to talk to me. Evidently, he was nervous because he doesn't speak English. I tried to speak in Malagasy to him, but his answers were short. Long story short, meeting him wasn't the greatest. So what should we do since we've hardly ever spoken and can barely communicate? How about get in a vehicle together and sit really close and ride several hours to get to our destination. So that's what we did.

Wednesday we were supposed to leave Tana at 8 a.m. We didn't get to the taxi brousse station until five after. We did leave by 8:20 p.m. though. That's good for Malagasy time. Have I mentioned that my concept of the date and time are quite blurry now? Yes, they are. The drive to Moramanga offerred some nice views. Very curvy, but paved. We arrived in Moramanga around 10:40 a.m. Let's just say my first impression of Moramanga was not a good one (nor was my second on the return trip, but it was slightly better). It's a filthy town and to top it off, it was raining, so there was mud all over the place. We bought our tickets for the taxi brousse to my town, and I left one of my bags on the top of the taxi brousse in the rain. Thankfully, nothing was stolen, but I didn't have anything highly valuable in it. Rice, anana soup (just boiled water with greens), and something that was supposed to be beef but didn't taste that great. Ranomapango of course (burnt rice water, but I actually love this stuff. Wait til I make it for you when I get home). We left for my site around 12:30 p.m. I don't know why I ever began counting how many people they were trying to cram in the taxi brousse before we even left, because the number just continued to increasing, although I was sure that it wasn't possible to fit another body in the vehicle. A Land Rover. Yes, that is what kind of vehicle took me to my site. Only kind of taxi brousse that will make it. The road is bad: ratsy lalana. Where was I? Oh yes, the number of bodies in the Land Rover: 23 to be exact--19 adults, 4 children (to defend the kids, they did better than any American child every would have done on a 4 1/2 hours car ride with little to occupy them but a broken balloon or the muddy road ahead).

I didn't mind the ride so much. Thank goodness I don't get car sick. We never went that fast, but it was a bumpy ride and like I said, 23 people. About 40 minutes before we reached my site, my counterpart had the driver stop so I could see the WATERFALL! Yes, it was a great sight, but where was my camera? On top of the rover in my second bag that was thrown up there when they had to cram body number 21 into the vehicle. We followed a river all the way from Moramanga to my site. Great sights. I will be living pretty much in the rain forest for the next two years, so please, come visit.

We arrived around 5:45 p.m. I could see that the center of town was dry, cement and looked quite nice even as it was getting dark. My counterpart kindly carried my bags and disposed of me at the "hotel". Slap-board walls through which I could see the light in the next room. Community kabone and ladosy outside of course. I should have taken my po. My counterpart did kindly arrange for the lady that showed me to my room to bring me dinner. Rice of course, anana soup again, and meat that tasted like meat (it was actually really good). Oh, I was kindly visited by a young man who rode in the taxi brousse before my dinner arrived. He could speak enough English in order to ask if he could come to my room after I finished my dinner. I not-so-kindly told him goodbye and locked my door. He came knocking around 9:30 p.m. but I pretended to be sleeping. Unfortunately, I could hear him next door with his friends late into the night talking about the vazaha. Not a good nights sleep. Noisy, 1 inch foam matress, new town, not to mention that kabone was disgusting. I was happy when morning came.

My counterpart arrived at 8:30 a.m. Thursday to begin showing me around and introducing me to everyone (as if they don't already know who I am...I'm the vazaha, duh). When he said my friend was here, I thought he meant the creepy guy from the night before. I was pleasantly surprised. My site partner, an Environment volunteer came to welcome me. He told me that he had been waiting for me the night before but never found out that the taxi brousse arrived (I'm still not sure how he didn't hear from everyone else. It's a small town). Anyway, he and a friend had a place ready for me to stay at in the community center--a community center! So the next two nights I slept there. Felt much safer, but slept just as bad.

My counterpart introduced me to so many people and of course, I've forgotten almost all of their names: the Gendarme (mitovy tovy [kind of the same] as police), Chef CISCO (something to do with running the schools), the several teachers, the mayor, yada yada yada. I shall meet them all again in 3 weeks and still it will take me 3 months to remember all of their names. I hung out with my site partner during the afternoon. We started cooking dinner before 1:30 p.m. It takes a while when you cook everything from scratch. Good stuff though. Tomato, potato, onion, garlic, some green stuff from his garden (he told me all of the names, but there are about 7 types of trees and 32 other things he'g growing. I can only really remember carrots and tomatoes). Put it over rice and it's delicious. I ate lots of bananas in those few days too. A girl's got to survive somehow and I didn't exactly have a stove. We watched a movie (ha ha) after dinner. Crazy. I come to Madagascar and watch a movie after dinner. Hilarious.

Friday morning I went with my site partner (I'm not using his name because I didn't ask him if it was okay. O.K.?) to his counterpart's house. Nice walk past another waterfall, down a muddy road, and up a mountain practically. I helped them prepare the soil to plant trees. They had dug holes and we burnt brush in them in order to put more nutrients in the soil. Got dirty, sweat a little; it felt good to do something. And the view wasn't bad either. We could see the river up there. Gorgeous.

More rice and veggie soup for lunch AND mananasy = pineapple. Love it! I never really cared for it in the states, but this stuff is so juicy and it was picked from the yard a.k.a. mountain side right before we ate it.

Oh, I saw my house and the CEG/lycee (high school) Thursday too. My house is one room, well kind of two. Maybe 12' x 12' in the main room and then there is a little walk way to the indoor ladosy (shower). Sweet. Less room for me to have to worry about insects and rodents and geckos. Yes, there are geckos, but they are quick little suckers. My yard is fenced in with a bamboo fence and there are vanilla trees/plants in the yard. I live on the grounds of the E.P.P. (elementary school). The Chef CISCO's office is connected to my house. I think it will be quite safe there:) The CEG/lycee where I will be teaching is a 1 K walk. Not too bad, until it rains a lot. My counterpart said if it rains three days in a row, school is cancelled for a few days because the road is impassable. I didn't get to go inside the buildings, but they look decent. 45-50 students in each class. Much better than the 70-90 students per class I've heard about.

What else? Did I already mention that there are 2-3 rivers (still need to varify this; I heard both numbers) that converge into one? Yes, water all around there. A beautiful sight. Dad, the fishing is best from September-December, also the best time for weather because it doesn't really rain then. I learned the hard way that one must always carry either an umbrella or rain coat at all times because of the impending rain. I think the weather is more drastic than Michigan. It rained several times in one day, never for the same length, never either sprinkle or pour. Crazy. But it wasn't ever cold there. Chilly at night, but not cold. It was sunny and hot on Friday. The bad news: no cell phone reception. I have reception in my banking town 4 1/2 hours away and the Internet, but I'll only be able to go there once a month (maybe twice). There is a post office. I'll let you know if I change my address.

So much but this entry is so long. Did you like the pictures? I hope so because remember, the Internet is quite slow here. I need to go; people are lining up for the Internet. I ate a hamburger last night and french fries last night and today. I like Tana for that reason. Keep the letters coming, please. They make me smile and I'll write back. We go back to Alarobia on Tuesday to for 10 more days with our host families. Then it's back to Mantasoa for a week before we swear in on August 22. I should have a few more chances to use the Internet before I go to my site on the 23rd.

Yes, so I'm ending this now. Even though my house is small, I'll find room for you if you want to come visit. Remember, rainforest which equals lemurs. And lots of good hiking nearby. Or we can go to Ile St. Marie (the island off the island) and stay in a fancy hotel. Your choice of course.

Love you all,

~Kinsey

Just in case you've forgotten what I look like: me this morning, in my mosquito net at the MEVA. (the PC transit house in Tana).

Remember the tree fort I always wanted but never had? This brought back memories. Derek and I went for a canoe adventure in Mantasoa (where the PC Training Center is located) and discovered this house about 20 feet from shore. No one was home. He even went up an knocked on the door. Note: It was more like Michigan there than Madagascar.

A nice shot from our trip to the zoo in Tana. Looking back, it kind of reminds me of my site. Sorry, no pictures from there because I was already attracting enough attention, being the new vazaha in town.

The rice paddies. They are everywhere, even in the capital. This was taken on our first hike, I think our second weekend of CBT (Community Based Training).

That's my kabone...that I only use to empty my po. That's the neighbors' house on the right. Oh yeah, and that's the amazing sunset.

The vazaha and the bride. I mean, the bride, groom, my three host sisters, and me. I've mentioned that my host family is rich, right? That's why they look so fancy. On a 'normal' day, they aren't this dressed up. Maybe jeans or wind pants, a shirt that most likely doesn't match.

The view of part of Alarobia from one of the trainee's host family's epicerie. It was June 26, Independence Day; that's why there are so many people. See the white vehicle on the right side? That's a PC vehicle and we train in the building to the right of it.

The view from the top of this awesome rock in Ambatomanga. It's only a short walk from where my host family lives.

And don't forget to look at Derek's blog (see 2 posts ago...he has a few more pictures).

Betty,

I'm not going to mention anyone else here. I just had time to look through all of the comments on my blog and found your sad response to one of my posts. To prove to you that you mean so much, like I said, I'm not going to mention anyone else.

I'm in Tana right now (just got back from visiting my site) and I ate a hamburger and fries tonight. AMAZING. It made me think of you, although the burger could have been a little less "well done". But hey, you can't be picky when you haven't had food like that in say, six weeks.

How many times have I been whistled or clicked at? Or had just had straight up offers? I don't have enough fingers and toes, at least for the whistles and clicks (my language skills aid in my not understanding the offers that I may be receiving). Though I don't think I've topped "And your middle name is beautiful?"...yet.

You looked fabulous at that wedding you were in, you know the one where we are both friends of the bride? (Not mentioning anyone else in this post.) Wish I could have been there for your beach incident the other day; I would have come to the rescue.

I LOVE YOU!

~Kinsey

let me start off saying that it's quite difficult for me to get used to typing again. it's been a while since i've used a computer regularly. I MISS YOU ALL! where to start? i'm sitting at the MEVA, the PC transit house in tana, waiting to go for Site Visit tomorrow. crazy! i can't believe how quickly and slowly training is going. i few every extreme of emotions almost every day.

site visit is where i visit the site i will be living and teaching at for the next two years. i don't know what to think. thankfully, i'm going with my counterpart. a counterpart is a person from my site who kindly came to take me there. usually, the counterparts are english teachers in the towns we will live. i wanted one of two things in my counterpart: for 'it' to be a female or to speak english. i got neither. lame, but not surprising. so HE doesn't speak english and during the first meal together at the training center, i found out two things: 1) he teaches physics at the CEG (middle school) 2) his name is francios. that's it. and not because my malagasy is that terrible, but because he is overly shy. yes, i, a very shy person, and saying that he was shy. i made an attempt; he did not. you know that unspoken rule in the U.S. when two people have a conversation, one person brings up a topic or asks a question, and then it's the other person's turn? yeah well, it doesn't exist here. lame again. anyway, i've sinced found out that he is the director of the CEG and some other stuff that i can't really remember. oh, it will take 6 hours and two taxi brousses to get to my site from the capital. i'll let you know if this really is true. and it all really DEPENDS (a word i'm growing to hate here) on how the roads are.

we just spent two days in mantasoa at the PC training center (years ago, PC trainees used to train and live there for the 10-12 weeks instead of living with host families...it's not as effective to learn the language/culture). it's gorgeous there! reminds me of michigan. pine trees, lakes, i went canoeing! amazing. and i will most likely be posting pictures in a week when i come back from site visit. maybe saturday or sunday at the earliest. i'm going to try anyway. until then, go to derekmadagascar.blogspot.com. derek took the time to post some pictures. i can't because people are waiting, so you either get a post where i write or pictures. sacrifices people. get used to it. i am.

what else? so much to say, so much i've experienced, but when i sit down to a keyboard, i really have to concentrate on what buttons to put my fingers on because this is such a foreign feeling for my fingers now.

happy anniversary (in a few days) mom and dad! happy birthday grandma wethers. happy anniversary grandma and grandpa shaull! i love you all. and happy ______! to everyone if i didn't mention you and i should have. i love and miss you all. know that i think about you all (and indoor plumbing) every day. thank you for the letters and emails, thoughts and prayers. i appreciate everything. until next time...I LOVE YOU and enjoy the summer weather for me!

love,

~Kinsey

Since the initial phone call, we have talked to Kinsey twice and received an email and one ‘snail mail’ letter from her. Here is what she told us:

The host family:

Kinsey lives in a three level house with her host family which consists of the mother, father, grandmother, 19 year old son and 17, 16 & 15 year old daughters. She said the family is very nice but can be overwhelming at times. Her host family also has a dog and several cats, but she does not pet them because they do not have vaccinations (unlike her). The family is amazed at how Kinsey can shuffle a deck of cards and now loves to play the card game ‘war’ that she taught them.

The house:

Their house, or trano, has electricity, a refrigerator, television and computer although they do not have running water. The kitchen and storage area are located on the third level of the house and Kinsey stays in what would be considered the ‘master bedroom’ on the second level. Her host parents gave up their bedroom for her and sleep in the dining room behind a sheet they hung for privacy.

Training:

Training is from 8am-5pm Monday through Friday with a lunch break from 12-2pm. The training center is a ten minute walk from her host family’s house and during the lunch break she walks home to eat with them. On Saturdays the volunteers have a half day of training.

Last week the volunteers started teaching the Malagasy students who volunteer to come into school on their winter break. So far Kinsey has taught two of the seven lessons she needs to teach. During some lessons the volunteers ‘team teach’ while other times she teaches the hour and a half lesson by herself. Because she does not know much Malagasy and the students don’t know English, she uses skits and pictures to help the students understand.

Market:

According to Kinsey, the market stinks terribly and is quite dirty. Farmers will kill a cow, quarter it and carry it on their heads to the market. At the market, the farmer will set the meat on the table and when customers present money, the farmer will cut off a chunk of the meat and hand it over to the paying customer.

Teaching Placement:

Once the three month training period is over (around the end of August), Kinsey will be teaching in A------ (Kinsey just infomred me that I cannot put the name of the town on this blog. If you want to know her exact location, email me at mallery.wethers@gmail.com and I will send it to you) which is a smaller town south of Moramonga. The town is southeast of Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital city, and is a farming community that produces rice, bananas and yucca plants.

There is already another Peace Corps volunteer in Anosibe an’Ala, which is uncommon that two volunteers would be placed in the same city. The other volunteer is an environmental volunteer and has been in the city since the beginning of 2008.

Until we hear more,

Mallery Wethers

Kinsey’s favorite sister

P.S.- Write a ‘snail mail’ letter to Kinsey, she would love to hear from you! Right now she does not have access to the internet, so she won’t be able to respond to emails right away.

Happy 4th of July!

Yesterday, as I was on the phone with my mom telling her I was planning to fly over to Madagascar soon to check on my sister, her cell phone rang and Kinsey was on the other line. The phone call didn't last long, but she told my mom that she was doing o.k. and asked us to call her today (July 4) at 6am our time (1pm her time). We tried calling for about an hour but our phone calls didn't go through. Then at about 9am she called us again and we were able to talk to her for a few minutes. Here is what we learned...

1.) She is doing well & loves and misses us all! (She did sound really good, and we were all thankful to hear her voice.)

2.) She is already getting tired of eating rice...but because of the holiday the Peace Corps brought in Turkey (which they don't have over there) along with hamburgers, pizza and ice cream for the volunteers. She was very excited about the good food.

3.) It is almost always damp there and the temperature has been in the 50's and low 60's. She misses summer!

4.) While she is not fluent in Malagasy yet, she is catching on and had just taken a language test earlier in the morning.

5.) She has received a few letters from the U.S. and told us her letters would take longer to get back over here to us. Keep checking your mailbox!

6.) All the PC volunteers are headed into a larger city tomorrow where she hopes she will have internet access. Hopefully the next post will be from her!

Until we hear more,

Mallery Wethers

Kinsey's Favorite Sister

After training for two days in PA and a 3 hour bus ride to JFK airport in New York, the only thing between Kinsey & Africa was a 24-hour plane ride. Wednesday night her plane landed in South Africa where the group of 26 stayed one night before another plane ride into Madagascar.

Although we have not had direct contact with her, my mom talked to the Peace Corps today and they informed her that Kinsey's plane had landed safely on Thursday, June 12. After arriving in Madagascar the group was headed into the Peace Corps Training Center for a night of rest. On Friday, after receiving her final shots, Kinsey went home with her host family in the capital city.

Prior to stepping on the plane, Kinsey told us it could be up to 3 months before we have any form of contact with her besides snail mail. During this time, she will be immersed in a new culture, forced to learn a new language and adapt to a new way of life. Please try to take a few minutes out of your busy lives to send her some words of encouragement and keep her in your daily thoughts & prayers.

Until we hear more,

Mallery Wethers

Kinsey Favorite Sister