I apologize for not blogging as often as I promised. Since it will take me forever to write a blog about everything that’s been going on, I’ll just give you a brief overview of my experience. Mazotoa!

I know I’m a Peace Corps Madagascar Volunteer when:

- One of the doors to the taxi brousse remains wide open on a 3-hour drive, or sometimes the taxi brousse assistant is even hanging out of the door.

- I bargain hard and am not willing to pay an extra 50 cents for a cab ride.

- I am so used to “frip” shopping that I will probably never buy new clothes again.

- I don’t blink an eye when people dig for their boogars in public or shoot snotballs everywhere.

- Spiders are my friends, even the ones that are larger than my fist. We have a mutual agreement in my house. As long as they leave me alone, I don’t kill them.

- I am used to people staring at me.

- I stare at non-Gasy looking people just as much as the locals do.

- I have to shake everyone’s hands when entering and exiting a meeting, even if there are 20+ people.

- Some Malagasy singer comes up to a group of us and says “Mila vazaha” (“We need foreigners”), so we may end up in a random music video.

- I get news about current events and updates on American music from Gasy people before I have access to TV, internet, etc.

- I have many nicknames (not by choice), and the most common ones that I hate are Chinoise Kely (“Little Chinese Girl”) and “Mr. Bean”. Others include Bina, Voahangy, Sabine, Robine, Rabine, Tsaramaso (“Bean” in Malagasy), Madame Mine, Antaboaka (name of where I live), Amerikana, etc.

- People don’t know what “personal space” means.

- Instead of saying they don’t know the answer, they would rather guess and give you the wrong answer; so I’ve learned to ask AT LEAST 5 different people before making a decision.

- I lived with 13 pet pigeons in my host family’s house.

- I got more than 100 mosquito bites in a span of 2 hours.

- I’ve dropped my retainers in my pee pot and used it the next evening.

- I’ve pooped in a bag.

- I’ve peed in my pants (a little).

- It’s normal to talk about bowel movement problems at a dinner table.

- I carry hand sanitizer and toilet paper everywhere.

- On average, I only flush my toilet once or twice a day (manually, with a bucket of water and not just pushing the lever).

- I probably consume less water in a week than you do in a day.

- I can fix my own toilet leak by cutting up a plastic bottle of soda.

- I have candlelight dinners by myself during the rainy season.

- Instead of using a microwave, I keep food warm by wrapping it in a blanket or putting it under my cushions.

- The taxi driver runs out of gas and has to sprint to the nearest gas station by foot, then returns and has to put the gas in the tank by gargling it in his mouth.

- I feel like a kid’s first time at Disneyland when I receive care packages.

- I often have to correct a store owner’s total, even if they use a calculator.

- I get paid by rice, cassava, corn, and peanuts for my work.

- 10km of walking in one day is considered normal. At home, I used to be the one waiting in my air-conditioned car for the closest parking space.

- I was told during my vacation at home that I say “Yeah” a lot in between sentences. Gasy people nod their heads and say “uh uh” as a “yes”.

- I pick leaves from a tree and make tea with it.

- It’s normal to take a 2-hour lunch break and get at least 8 hours of sleep everyday.

…to be continued.

Arriving or leaving Tana at the Fasan’ny Karana station is always a big ordeal with a bunch of taxi drivers and taxi-brousse assistants pulling me in different directions, fighting for my business. I’ve learned to not tell them where I want to go or give them my bags, but to scope out all the taxi-brousses myself instead. During my past trip, an older man came up to me and told me he can take me directly to my house if I took his taxi-brousse (which is about 3km out of the way from their normal stop), so I agreed. As soon as I saw that there were only 3 other people on the taxi-brousse, my initial reaction was to leave and take another one since it can take hours to fill up. Most taxi-brousse drivers are eager to squeeze in as many passengers as they can before departing, sometimes 25-30 people in a 15-seater van.

I kindly said to him accordingly, “Ahhh, misaotra. Maika aho fa mbola ela vao handeha ianareo.” (“No, thank you. I’m in a rush but it’s still a long time before you guys leave.”)

He responded: “Tsy ela. Efa hariva ny andro dia kely sisa handeha.” (“Not a long time. It’s already late so we are almost going.”)

It was about 3:45pm, and since it doesn’t get dark until about 6:30pm nowadays, I decided I had time to wait and save myself an extra 1.000 Ariary from taking another taxi-brousse that would drop me off closer to my house. To my surprise, we left just before 4pm even though there were only two other people who got in after me.

This was by far my most comfortable taxi-brousse rides in Madagascar (and a record for fastest time getting out of the Fasan’ny Karana station)! All of us basically had an entire row of seating all to ourselves while most taxi-brousses allow only five inches of seating per person if you are lucky.

At a speed of what seemed like only five miles per hour, this jolly old man was telling stories and jokes instead of blasting loud music on repeat like other taxi-brousses do. Although I did not understand everything he was saying, I couldn’t help but smile because he was proving me wrong in so many ways. No loud music, no lies. Nothing but good story telling and a safe drive from this wise old man.

Every experience in Madagascar is a new lesson learned for me. This experience reassured my patience and respect for elders.

Sorry I’m a bit late, but this post goes out to all the new trainees arriving in March 2011. First off, congratulations on being invited to Madagascar! This country has a lot to offer you and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. Since most of you have already seen Rowan’s awesome post about packing, I am adding some things as a SED volunteer. Have fun, try not to stress, and see you guys soon!

Things I shouldn’t have packed:

- Bike helmet: Yep, I packed it because I was really OCD before and didn’t want to wear someone else’s sweaty helmet. However, by the time you actually get a bike from PC, you will/should have already gotten used to the living conditions here and not be so picky. Waste of space.

- Duct Tape: Sure, it can be useful for a lot of things, but Malagasy people are really good at fixing things. You can find masking, clear packaging, and scotch tape here. I haven’t opened my brand new roll of duct tape yet. (Again, I am a SED volunteer, so Environment volunteers may disagree.)

- Solar shower: Although it is small and flat, I never used it because my host family always heated water for me during PST. Make sure to ask PC staff how to request that in Malagasy if you love your warm showers like me.

- Solio charger: Most SED volunteers have electricity. If you don’t, there is still the option of buying the Tough Stuff solar charger for a reasonable price in country. During PST, you will be able to charge your things at the Peace Corps Training Center at least once a week.

- Tylenol, Pepto, hydrocortisone cream, sunblock, chapstick, tampons, bug repellent, floss: I brought my own stash of everything just in case, but don’t waste your money and luggage space. If you want, just bring a little of each to get you through a few weeks of PST. You will receive a full medical kit here with American branding. Tell your family not to worry because this is probably the best medical care you will ever receive!

- AA batteries: I brought two 16-packs instead of rechargeable batteries because I didn’t know if I would have electricity. Save the weight for something else!

Things I’m glad I packed:

- Two pairs of slacks and two cardigans: Good for business meetings. I brought some knee-length skirts too, but don’t wear them as often (except you may need them if you are planning to go to church). Don’t pack too much clothes…you can find a lot of good stuff by frip shopping (second-hand) after PST. It is also better to pack things that you don’t mind leaving behind for other people after your service.

- Malindi Crocs (http://www.crocs.com/crocs-malindi/10127,default,pd.html?cid=159&cgid=women-footwear): Comfortable for everyday use and more professional than flip flops; also easy to wash.

- Fancier type dress for special occasions such as swearing-in or weddings: one is enough. Think simple, not high school prom (although I have seen some people go all out for church)!

- REI Quick-dry pants: Good for the rain and super comfortable.

- Accordion Folder: Good for SED volunteers to keep all your paperwork organized.

- Netbook computer, 4GB Flash Drive, and camera

- White-out tape: It’s nice to have one. You can find the liquid stuff here, but my Malagasy friends think my white-out tape is the coolest thing ever.

- Forever Stamps: It’s always nice to send letters out quickly and reliably with someone you know is going home.

- Facial wipes: My sister told me to buy this right before my departure and it really came in handy! I haven’t found these in country yet, but they are useful before bed or for those non-shower days. =)

- Sierra Designs Parka Waterproof jacket: Folds nicely into a small ball and comes with a pouch

- REI Traverse Backpack: Perfect size for traveling

- Small Kitchen Knife: Gasy knives, especially the one your host family will probably have, are really dull. You can find some nicer ones in Tana, but why not bring it since it’s so small?

- Swiss Army Knife: Always saves the day when nobody has a beer bottle opener! jk…

- Aluminum Water Bottle: It even comes in handy for rolling tortilla dough!

- Ziploc bags: You can find Tupperware here, but Ziploc bags are always nice to have.

- Lots of underwear: Haven’t had to buy any in country yet.

- Pictures and candy for host family

- Crayons and Sketch book

Things I wish I brought or have accumulated from packages and home:

- Uno and other simple games

- External hard drive: Why didn’t I think of this before departure? I was never really a movie or TV person before, but it has become one of my favorite pastimes. If you are feeling nice, we’d really appreciate it if you can bring any new episodes of True Blood, Gossip Girl, Modern Family, Glee, etc. Thanks!

- Face wash: I was excited to find a Dove brand face wash here, but I realized it had bleach in it and also had a funky smell. Bring your own!

- Tapatio: Gotta love it! I like Siracha too, but you can find that here.

- Rechargeable batteries

- Hand sanitizer: especially during PST!

- Rosetta Stone French: Anyone have this and willing to share? Don’t sweat it if you don’t know French, but it’s useful for business purposes.

Things you can find in country:

- American Candy: Peanut M&Ms, Snickers, Kit Kat, Tic Tacs (Orange), Twix

- Doritos, Pringles, TUC (tastes like Ritz crackers), Cheese Balls (exactly like Cheetos Puffs)

- Garnier Fructis Shampoo, Colgate Toothpaste, Palmolive Soap, Johnson & Johnson Lotion (I bought all of these here and they are legit. Just a bad experience with the Dove facewash.)

- Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Jam/Jelly, Honey, Cereal, Margarine, Peanut Butter

- Notebooks, pencils, pens, scissors, permanent markers, erasers, CD/DVD-Rs

- Almost anything that can be imported from Asia such as soy sauce, chili and spices, flip flops, plastic toys, hair accessories, toothbrushes, toilet paper, kitchenware, laundry hampers, basketballs, etc.

It lasted me about two weeks before it broke in half and felt like it almost punctured a small hole on the side of my mouth. A few days after I tossed it out in the community trash bin, I found my guard’s five year old daughter playing with the top half of it, using it as a brush for her bald doll’s head.

I am continually impressed by the kinds of toys Malagasy kids play with, the things that keep people entertained, and the value of recycling or being resourceful here. Wii, remote control cars, plastic tea sets, and Barbie dolls are toys that can be easily found in a Toys R Us in the States, but are most likely non-existent to a Malagasy child. To think about it, I’ve actually never seen a toy store here, just vendors on the street selling second or tenth to hundredth hand stuffed animals or toys made out of used plastic bottles, jars, etc.

One of the most creative things I’ve seen so far is a toy car with the base made out of a sardine can and wheels out of plastic bottle caps, attached by a string to be pulled on a long stick. In the markets, they sometimes sell tea sets and toy cookware that are made out of small tomato paste cans and other tin scraps. At one of the artisan fairs, there was a man selling sculpted art that he made out of melted plastic from broken radios and another stand selling beautiful jewelry made out of bull’s horns. I’ve also seen people on the street using flat bicycle tires as hula hoops and dried orange and banana peels to play a game that looks similar to Tic Tac Toe.

People love looking through trash here and making use of whatever they can find, even if it is a plastic candy bag to be used as a kid’s pencil bag or a plastic gasoline gallon to store water or honey. I’m not saying I agree with the sanitation of all of it, but one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned here is to be resourceful (and not as OCD as I used to be!).

I was so used to refrigerating leftovers at home and throwing it away after a day or so, but I’ve learned to buy only what I need for the day here and/or to come up with creative recipes using my leftovers. It’s been a fun adventure so far and I’ve cooked meals that I didn’t even know I could make! Aside from food, I’ve also learned to fix broken flip flops and started reusing my water for multiple purposes since I have to fetch about six pails everyday.

The next time you throw out your trash, remember that your trash could be someone else’s treasure. Have a yard sale or donate things that have been collecting dust in your garage. Turn off your faucet when you don’t need it because there are many places in the world that don’t have access to clean, running water. Please think about my friends here in Madagascar and reuse, recycle, or renew whatever you can!

This past Saturday, Minnie invited me to a "Famadihana," the traditional Malagasy celebration of "Turning of the Bones." You should Google it to read about it, but I'll just write about my personal experience.

Before we attended the Famadihana, we had a brunch potluck with a few French interns and one Japanese volunteer who live in Miarinarivo with Minnie. It was important for us to be full before we attended the ceremony because all the Malagasy folks kept warning us not to eat the "vary be menaka" (rice with a lot of oil) that is served at the ceremony. The hostesses bought a bottle of champagne, and the food was delicious. I made Potatoes O'Brien, and there was also crepes with a great variety of toppings (chocolate spread, lychee jam, strawberry jelly, fresh fruit, etc.), a giant omelet pie which they called "Tortilla" with potatoes and cheese, rice salad, ham, bread, etc. Minnie brought banana pancakes, Ghirardelli Chocolate Hazelnut mix, and some fancy coffee. Oh, how I miss bacon and $4.99 Champagne Brunch at Overland Café!

We showed up to the ceremony around 1:30 in the afternoon and were greeted by the Mayor of Miarinarivo, but had to drive to the graveyard immediately after since we were late to the morning festivities. There were TONS of people (and I would say that at least 80% of them were drunk/wasted). The tombs here are huge because they’re very sacred and sometimes they are built with even more attention than people’s houses. At certain tombs, you cannot point your finger or take pictures because it is a sign of disrespect to the ancestors. I used to think each tomb was for one person, but they dug up 13 dead bodies at the ceremony!

There were two bands that were hired and I was impressed to see that one of them had matching tracksuits and caps for all the musicians. Since they were also passing around shot glasses, there were times when they were REALLY off tune, but the music was still fun and the clarinets played impressive high notes.

The ceremony started with a guy making a long speech and reading off all the names of the deceased, starting from the eldest to the most recent. The next part was the tradition of sharing a drink with their ancestors. They passed around a beer bottle and each person took a sip before pouring a bit into the tomb, followed by a large handle of some dark alcoholic drink. After more drinking, they opened up the tombs and brought straw mats in to transport the dead bodies (again, from eldest to most recent). Only certain people were allowed to go inside the tomb, but you have to go down a set of stairs to get to a big room with the bodies stacked on top of each other. The first few that they brought out were really small because they’ve passed away more than ten years ago and only their bones or ashes remain. The most recent one passed away in January 2010.

While they marched out with the bodies wrapped in straw mats, other family members danced outside with bags of fabric to rewrap the bodies. The straw mats were then removed before the rewrapping and the families take the mats home to honor their ancestors.

I missed the rewrapping part of the ceremony because I was watching a drunken fight on the side, but the final part of the ceremony before putting the bodies back into the tombs was dancing with the newly wrapped bodies and spraying perfume on them. This was the most interesting part because everyone was dancing with their hands up in the air, raising the roof, and balancing the dead bodies on their heads. It was like watching a football game or crowd surfing at a concert, except with dead bodies! I was nervous that some bones or parts of the dead bodies would fall out because everyone was so drunk, and I was probably breathing in ten year old remains! Sometimes, the bodies were raised up in the air and swung like the Dragon Swing at carnivals….it was crazy! I wish I can upload my pictures, but I’ll try to send some home when I have a chance.

Overall, I am glad I was able to experience it, but I’m not sure if I would want to attend another one…too many drunk and sweaty men trying to hit on me or get me to dance with them, plus a lot of dust and a long day in the sun.

Last week, I saw a bunch of schoolchildren in green and red uniforms and was listening to Christmas music with the kids at my counterpart's house. I should also mention the interesting variety of clothing at the fripperie stands (second hand clothing sold on the streets) - MC Hammer pants, medieval dresses, glittery or sequenced red, white, and blue U.S.A. flags, Whiney the Pooh (yes, spelled just like that), Poma (ripoff Puma), Niken (ripoff Nike), etc. etc. etc. I don't know where all this stuff comes from, but you all know how much I love costume parties!! =) The one that topped it all off was an ugly Christmas sweater vest with bells, a fat snowman, bright red sequence "HAPPY". haha.

The Christmas spirit continued when I visited Minnie after her vacation. Her house is now like a Malagasy equivalent of Costco and an Itunes Store. She sent me home with some fancy and delicious tea from home, a PedEgg, foot lotion and cream which I really needed because of walking in sandals for at least 6km everyday, a steel colander which I've been wanting to buy to drain pasta, new earrings, a cool sponge, and a granola bar! We also had some delicious apple flavored hookah and I was able to watch "Avatar" and "Across the Universe" this past weekend. As I was sorting through the music she gave me, I made a Christmas folder music and listened to it while sipping on Chai tea. You might think I'm weird, but these kind of things make me happy when I'm homesick! I now also feel like a walking jukebox now with all the new music she gave me.

I can't wait till Christmas actually comes around so we can throw an ugly Christmas Sweater party here!

Thank you for caring…I really appreciate all the love and support I’ve been receiving! Living on a volunteer stipend and being away from home has taught me how to REALLY differentiate between wants and needs (except in few cases when I am in Tana – AKA Magicland. That’s where I spend a lot of money and get a few white chocolate/hazelnut Buenos for down days or treat myself to a grilled chicken and bacon bagel sandwich to remind me of home.)! 

They sell a lot of imported items from Asia here, so I can find almost anything I need (or at least a similar substitute). Anything that I want? Hmm...that’s a different story! If you are sending me a package, please keep it small and light to save both of us money (They also charge me to pick up packages.)

Please DO NOT send:

- Hand Sanitizer: Thanks to Margaret Chu and Paige&Steve McFall, I have enough to last me more than two years!

- Dental Floss, Sunscreen, Mosquito Repellent, Medicine: provided by Peace Corps

- Liquids over 2oz.

- Ritz crackers: I found a Kraft brand cracker that is made in Singapore and tastes just like it!

- Ketchup: we have it here!

- Instant Ramen Noodles: I eat it at least once a week on my lazy days (Sedaap, which is like IndoMie, and Mama Tom Yum Flavor).

Wish List:

- Magazines or newspaper clippings of current events, celebrity gossip, sports, etc.

- Updated music and pictures

- Coloring books, markers, games, or other random things for children: Even if it is used and collecting dust in your house or if you think it’s tacky, the kids will love it here! It’ll probably keep me entertained too! (i.e. 25 cent machine stickers, bouncy balls, plastic figurines, jewelry, etc.)

- Condiment packets from restaurants that don’t need to be refrigerated (In N Out special sauce, mayonnaise, Siracha, Tapatio, salad dressings, etc.)

- Mixed Spices or Dried Goodies: Bacon Bits, Beef Jerky, Season All, Mrs. Dash, Emeril’s Essence, Kraft Parmesan Cheese, Taco Seasoning, Instant Pasta Sauces other than Marinara or Alfredo, Bread Crumbs, Garlic Salt, etc.

- American Candies that I like: Gummy Bears or other non-sour gummy, Peachie O’s, Peanut M&Ms, Reeses Pieces Bites or Minis, Kit Kat

- Granola bars or trail mixes

- Dried fruit snacks

MISAOTRA BETSAKA! = THANKS A LOT!

I am hosted by a governmental organization called Prosperer, sponsored by the International Fund for Agricultural Development-FIDA (http://www.fidafrique.net/?lang=en). They support local farmers, artisans, and other skilled workers to create rural micro enterprises and provide trainings on financial management, quality improvement, marketing, business plans, etc. My primary assignment is in the district of Arivonimamo, but we have monthly meetings with the regional team which consists of two other districts (Miarinarivo, where Minnie is posted; and Soavinandriana, Bailey’s site).

During my first three months at site, I have spent most of my time observing and learning as much as I can about the Malagasy business practices, education, culture, and language (a little bit of French too!). While I will be spending most of my two years doing business advising and conducting trainings as needed, I also hope to have a secondary project on youth and community development.

Almost half of the children in Madagascar cannot afford education. My goal is to create a community center that provides free meals and business training for youth to learn how to become skilled workers and create their own income generating activities in exchange for begging on the streets. I have already worked with several highly motivated youth apprentices who will most likely serve as the leaders of my secondary project. Please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions for funding, similar programs, projects, networks, etc. Thank you!!

I'm on my tech trip with the 8 other awesome Small Enterprise Development (SED) Trainees in Moramanga, Madagascar. We visited two beaches this week and also had a 3 hour SEDavenger hunt this morning. Last night, we all went to a karaoke bar to start celebrating Minnie's birthday. They don't have Journey, but we definitely rocked out to Livin' on a Prayer and We are the World! I probably won't have internet again until May, so please feel free to write me snail mail to keep me sane and I will write back as soon as I can! I will love you so much if you can send me some hand sanitizer (I'm down to the last 1/4 of my bottle!) and a bacon wrapped hotdog with extra onions! =) Love and miss you all!

My previous entries:

Thursday, March 25, 2010; 8:57pm at my host family’s house in Lake Mantasoa, Madagascar

This morning, I took my first oral language assessment test which was recorded and will be evaluated in the next few days. At this point, I can carry a short conversation in Malagasy, talk to my Dada on the phone, find my way around town, and bargain at the market. When I did a mock test with my teacher yesterday, I finally realized why I have been getting a lot of strange looks for using the word “hafahafa” to describe something that is funny (as it was listed in the English-Malagasy dictionary). It does translate into English as funny, but in a bizarre way. I don’t know how to describe it, but I probably won’t need that adjective for a while!

We started technical training this week, which consisted of three visits to a local beekeeper association and a small carpentry business. With our limited Malagasy, we have been able to assess the needs of the business and will work on future presentations to make suggestions. Peace Corps training is not like anything I’ve gone through before. Everyday imposes a new challenge, but I can’t express how fun and rewarding it is at the same time.

On Saturday, we’re taking long road trips to Andasibe, Vatomandry, and Moramanga for our 7-day tech trip. I am extremely excited to see lemurs and spend more time with all the volunteers. Since I may have some internet access at the hotel, I’ll save the details for later.

For now, I’m uploading some pictures to my flash disk and will hopefully upload it to Picasa next week. Some of the pictures you will be able to see include language games (flashcards on heads and scrabble), sceneries on the way to class, Peace Corps Staff vs. Volunteers Soccer game, Mantasoa vs. Antananarivo Soccer game, and some older pictures which include staging in D.C. and the journey to Madagascar. There is one picture I took today through my window of two mother chickens keeping their chicks warm. The one on the right has 5 babies under her feathers! (Behind is also where I take my cold showers in the morning).

One last thing to note – food. I found my somewhat equivalent of chips! It’s called Cracky because they’re addicting! I’ve only tried the cheese flavor so far, and it sort of tastes like a combination of Cheetos and Funyuns. I have also really enjoyed eating Frego, which are wafers that come in various flavors. My favorite one so far is vanilla.

Random facts: 1) Chickens don’t pee. In order to request a bathroom stop on a taxi brousse, you say “Olombelo tsy akoho”, which literally means “People are not chickens.” 2) There are no franchises in Madagascar. (Sorry Cat, that means no McDonalds if you visit!) 3) Every year, at least 4 cyclones cross the island, with an average of one category 4. As of the report two days ago, 78 people have been killed by Cyclone “Hubert” (category 1) in the southeast coast and approximately 300,000 people have been affected.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010; 8:57pm at my host family’s house in Lake Mantasoa, Madagascar

Happy birthday to my sister, Loi!

I’ve been holding back on my blog entries because my netbook has been running low on battery, but I get to charge it at the Peace Corps Training Center tomorrow. It’s been raining pretty hard here (for CA standards), but apparently there is still a lot more to come. My typical day is from 8-5 with a 2 hour break for lunch. The training covers health and safety, cross-cultural exchange, and lots of Malagasy lessons! I am learning so much everyday and enjoying every minute of it. I taught my host siblings the chicken dance and how to play Go Fish, or “Maka Trondro”. They say the numbers in English while I say it in Malagasy. It feels like a party everyday here, with lots of dancing, singing, and laughing. Even when we clean the floor with half of a coconut shell (AKA “coco brossy”), the kids do it so fast that it’s almost like they’re dancing while waxing the floor. The only songs I know on their karaoke player so far are Britney Spears and Westlife, so my goal at the end of the 10 week training is to be able to sing some Malagasy karaoke songs. =)

Madagascar is very green and beautiful. In the town that I’m staying in, there aren’t any lemurs, chameleons, or baobab trees, but I hope to visit those areas during my service. Yesterday, I found out that my site after training will be in Arivonimamo, which is not too far from the capital, Antananarivo (AKA Tana). I don’t have the specific details about my assignment yet, but I can’t wait to learn more and share my knowledge in a community that has never had a PC Volunteer. I have also signed up for World Wise Schools, a program that matches Volunteers with an elementary school teacher in the U.S. to teach the children about my project and the business process here.

Overall, I am extremely happy with everything so far and have not had any problems with food or water. My favorite foods here are “mofo sakay” (a deep fried bread cake with vegetables) and “totom-voanjo” (sort of like a homemade peanut butter, but not as creamy). As of right now, it seems like my two years will go by really quickly since I’ve already been here for 2 weeks and it feels like just yesterday when I walked out of the Tana Airport thinking “OMG, am I really here?!?” I know I’ve already come a long way when the pigeon poo in my room and lack of napkins (among many other things) don’t bother me anymore!

Side note - In order for you to get a feel of what the Malagasy language is like, I’d like to share that the verb “to jog” is translated as “miazakazaka mora mora”.

Funny Volunteer quotes during language lessons:

1) “How do you say cheers in Malagasy? Would it be cheersnananana?”

2) “Is this shock therapy?”

Wednesday, March 3, 2010; 7:39am at the airport in Johannesburg, South Africa

Happy Birthday to my sister, Phoenix!

Recap of the past week:

2/20/10 - Thanks to everyone who came to my going away BBQ and bowling party. Special thanks to Paige, Karina, and David for flying to LA to see me before my departure! Good times, as always! Sorry I did not send out all my thank you cards, but I will write you when I’m in Madagascar! If you did not make it to the party and in case I don’t have your mailing address, please write me at the address listed on my blogroll and I will make sure to write back!

2/21/10 – My last AYCE Korean BBQ meal at Road to Seoul and my first time crying when saying goodbye to my friends.

2/26/10 – I received my Solio solar charger in the mail and bought my Acer Aspire One Netbook, thanks to my UCLA colleagues! I stayed up till 4am finishing my packing and transferring files to my new netbook.

2/27/10 – My mom bought Dim Sum for breakfast before we headed to the airport. Saying goodbye to my family and Virgil was especially hard, and I will miss everyone dearly! I arrived in D.C. around 9pm with Minnie, who is also from LA and will be a business volunteer in Madagascar as well. Our cab ride was a bit scary, but we met Soraiya at the hotel and the three of us went to Capitol Hill Brewing Company for dinner. I had a delicious American meal – meatloaf with steamed veggies and mashed potatoes with gravy.

2/28/10 – staging at Washington Plaza Hotel in D.C., filled with group activities (flip chart brainstorming/drawing, skits, etc.). There are 17 environment volunteers and 8 business volunteers going to Madagascar. Although the past week has been an emotional rollercoaster, meeting the other volunteers made me more excited and less sad to leave. During the orientation, there were many opportunities to reflect on our commitment to the Peace Corps as well as discussing our anxieties and aspirations. It was really reassuring to see that everyone was in the room for the same reason and feeling the same emotions. I wanna ROCK in Madagascar!

Before going to bed, I repacked all my things and had a bag of Funyuns and Arizona Mucho Mango. I hope there will be an equivalent of chips in Madagascar!

3/1/10 – I went to Whole Foods for breakfast and ate all the things I will miss – bacon, eggs, sausage, tator tots, and fresh tomato and mozzarella caprese. Lots of food, but I didn’t care because it was one of my last chances to splurge on American food. Before getting on the bus, I bought some Obama souvenirs, postcards, crayons, and candy for my host family. The bus ride to the airport felt like a band trip and I wanted to chant Ole! =) However, since I was in D.C., the song that was stuck in my head the most was “…and I’m proud to be an American, at least I know I’m free!”

3/2/10 – 18 hours later with a stop in Dakar, we arrived in Johannesburg safely. The flight didn’t feel that long – I watched Shallow Hal (which coincidently references Lisa Kudrow’s character joining the Peace Corps) and Marley and Me. I also got really pumped when I found the Journey CD in the airplane media player! I was probably singing too loud, but I don’t care as long as I’m having fun! When we arrived in Dakar, I met my first African roach crawling around my window. It was only about a centimeter long, but was interesting because it was a see-through yellowish color with spider legs! Johannesburg Airport is really nice – fun American music playing and World Cup advertisements everywhere. We stayed in the Southern Sun Hotel about 5 min away from the airport. Around 3am, there was a huge thunderstorm and lightning that woke me up, but I managed to go back to sleep till 5am. We checked out of the hotel at 6am, and here I am sitting at the airport. We’re all in business casual attire and excited to finally arrive in Madagascar!

Random facts I learned: 1) In Madagascar, children think White people eat babies! 2) In addition to giant hissing cockroaches, there are also jumping rats in Madagascar! 3) Hawaiians don’t cut their hair short because each section tells a story of their life.

I will be learning Malagasy, which is similar to Indonesian and Polynesian. Here are a few basic phrases:

Hello = Salama

Goodbye = Veloma

Thank you = Misaotra

Sorry = Miala tsiny

Help! = Vonjeo!

Where are the toilets? = Aiza ny efitrano fivoahana?

I'm hungry = Noana aho

Im tired = Vizaka aho

I love you = Tiako ianao

This may also be helpful for prospective applicants:

Application Timeline:

1/15/09 - Submitted online application. Two essays were required plus three letters of recommendation. Special thanks to Ervin Galuz, Nick Ransberry, and James Tandon!

1/17/09 - attended the info session to meet with recruiter

1/27/09 - interview, which lasted about 1.5 hrs

2/3/09 - received nomination letter

3/20/09 - sent in medical packet

5/8/09 - sent in dental packet

5/12/09 - received dental clearance

7/10/09 - received medical clearance

9/9/09 - Peace Corps requested an updated resume, essay, and final transcripts

10/12/09 - sent in requested documents

11/5/09 - phone interview

11/10/09 - received invitation

11/20/09 - accepted invitation

12/7/09 - sent in aspiration statement and resume to Madagascar desk

1/14/10 - received notice that staging is in Philadelphia

1/25/10 - received final staging info and notice that staging has been changed to D.C.

1/26/10 - booked flights!

...and there are many more paperwork to complete before, during, and after service!

Madagascar is located on the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa. It is the fourth largest island in the world and the land area is slightly smaller than twice the size of Arizona.

According to Wikipedia, the territory of Madagascar split from Africa approximately 160 million years ago and the island of Madagascar was created when it separated from the Indian subcontinent 80 to 100 million years ago.

Below is a copy of the motivation statement I submitted in my original application:

Mother Theresa stated “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” This is the attitude that I have in all of my volunteer experiences, and becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer would allow me to take it a step further. Ever since my first visit to Vietnam, I realized that there are many people in the world who are less fortunate than I am. Knowing that I could have been one of the young beggars on the streets selling cigarettes instead of being able to go to school and enjoy daily meals with my family, I was inspired to volunteer in my community to help underprivileged children. Although I have done most of my volunteer work locally and am a strong advocate of doing so, I feel that with my family background, I have an even stronger responsibility to give back to the world with the opportunities I have been afforded. I am interested in joining the Peace Corps to expand my horizons and to use my leadership skills at an international level where I know my help is most beneficial.

One of my future goals is to organize a learning center that provides long-term academic and career advancement programs to help underprivileged children realize their potential and motivate them to enrich their future. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I want to work towards that goal and get more hands-on experience while learning about youth in different countries. This will give me a bigger picture of a profession in the youth development field and allow me to be creative when working in a new setting with limited resources. I will work to establish a fun and positive learning environment and bring everyone together to address the needs of the community. In the process, I hope to learn about a new culture and share my knowledge with others.

In my past volunteer experiences, the key to my success in maintaining a strong relationship with each of my clients was good communication. As a Family Literacy Program tutor from 2003-2005, my language barrier between the parents and students was the most challenging aspect. The families I served were low-income and English was their second language. Instead of letting this get in my way, I brought bilingual books that we could work on together and added Spanish to my course load at school. It was exciting to see my Spanish improve, but it was only possible because of each of the families’ willingness to listen and practice with me.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by family, friends, and mentors who continue to help me succeed, and I hope to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer to provide the same guidance and motivation to the children in my assigned community. I know that as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I can make a difference, even if it is just one drop in the ocean.

In the dry deciduous forests of south western Madagascar there lives a lemur that loudly cusses but "dances" like a ballet performer. Verreaux's sifaka is among the most popular of lemur species, a group of primates endemic to islands off the southeastern coast of Africa. While threatened, Verreaux's sifaka is easily spotted in several of Madagascar's more accessible parks. Read more.