Short update before Christmas, visit from Norway and maybe the last post this year! yikes!
I have finally got crutches, so now I can walk more easily! ;)
I have been to town today to buy Christmas presents. It's fun! :) I am getting the Christmas spirit; great listening to Christmas carols and songs and beeing with good friends. We are still looking for a Christmas tree, though. Maybe we will end up just taking a branch from the Letchi tree! ;) Of course there is no snow here - that makes Ola and Eline wish for rain and thunder on Monday (which is when we will celebrate).
We have baked some Christmas cookies (Norwegian tradition) and we have done the big shopping. Or more correct; the others have done the shopping. I didn't have crutches at that time; so I was in the house. But I got to clean the kitchen very nicely; so now we can really have a nice celebration! We have bought Christmas crackers for the table, witch is my contribution of the English celebration I'm used to. I'm also responsible for collaborating with Father Christmas so the Christmas stockings will be lying on our beds on the 25th. It's all very exciting!
I miss people at home a bit; but not as much as I thought I would do (sorry folks). I know I am with very special people here; so I don't mind. It's great to celebrate Christmas in a new way with new people!
NowI would like to wish you all a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have a great celebration wherever you are. Make the last days of 2007 special. If you can't be with the one(s) you love - love the one(s) you're with! ;-)
Saturday, 22 December 2007
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Time for In-field
Wow. I haven’t had internet for a month. So much has happened since then. I have really experienced life in Africa!
We have taught in the children schools only a few times – sick teampartner/no car/bad communication possibilities etc. There was always something in the way…
Some weeks we’ve had to put up with the frustration of not having ANY ways to communicate with the rest of the world. Not only once have we experienced that what we planned never happened. We have had to realize that what you don’t plan – that’s what you’re suddenly thrown into! In short – Malagasy culture is very different to the Norwegian one, in many ways… It’s interesting and fun to experience, but sometimes it gets a bit tiring.
So when the time for In-field came, I was ready for a break.
We have taught in the children schools only a few times – sick teampartner/no car/bad communication possibilities etc. There was always something in the way…
Some weeks we’ve had to put up with the frustration of not having ANY ways to communicate with the rest of the world. Not only once have we experienced that what we planned never happened. We have had to realize that what you don’t plan – that’s what you’re suddenly thrown into! In short – Malagasy culture is very different to the Norwegian one, in many ways… It’s interesting and fun to experience, but sometimes it gets a bit tiring.
So when the time for In-field came, I was ready for a break.
This is our messy kitchen and us getting ready to leave Fandriana To be able to have a conversation in my mother tongue without having to concentrate to understand every sentence was like a dream. We rented a car with a great driver. He took us all the way to Toamasina on the East Coast. We had some relaxing days there by the beach. Slept in a bungalow. Swam in the pool. Snorkled on the coral reef. Had Bible study. Counselling. Evaluation on our personal growth so far. Enjoying the company of Agnar, our teacher from Hald.
buying fruit on the way
We stopped in Andasibe for lunch and a walk in the rainforest on the way to Tamatave
Bible study in the shade
Decmber relaxation
But working with the Malagasy culture hasn’t been the only challenge. The past two weeks, I have been a crippled vazaha limping or jumping around on my right foot. The reason: a bad left knee caused by more exercise than my poor knees are used to. Not making matters any better, there is no milk in Fandriana, so perhaps my calcium level is a bit low. Our trustworthy driver managed to make me a crutch out of metal, so I’ve been walking around like an old lady, becoming the laughing stock for all Malagasy people. Great. But apart from this, I’ve still not been ill, so I’m happy! Mbola faly aho!
My walking stick
Now comes the time for Christmas holiday and celebrations, which will be interesting as it is my first Christmas away from my family. Two Norwegian friends, Maria and Ellisiv, will visit me for two weeks and a half, coming on the 26th of December. I am looking so much forward to that! Can hardly wait!
Thursday, 15 November 2007
Life In Fandriana
Well, this past week Ingrid Karin Swan has been settling down in the countryside, in the marvellous town of Fandriana. The experiences have been many and not at all boring! What makes this town so special for a European girl? I will try to explain, although the only way to fully understand is when you experience it yourself!
The bed that keeps me company in the night is situated in a small room in a dormitory of SFM, the only school that educates teachers in the country. But my bed is not the only thing in my room. Apart from a closet, a table and two chairs I have living company as well! The termites gladly welcomed me in my new room by showing me who’s the boss of the wooden furniture. Which is every furniture I have. After having slept in the wooden bed a couple of nights, I realized that maybe the termites weren’t the only ones enjoying my habitat. Red spots covered parts of my legs, and they were itching like mad. Eline suggested it might be flees. Some kind of bedbugs anyway - or maybe just mosquitoes who took a bite at me outside…? It stays a mystery…
Making food - Malagasy style
To avoid dying a person has got to eat. Eline and I make our own food everyday, and I’ve got to say we’re getting quite good at it! Now we even know how to do it in the Malagasy way, having no electric oven and all. We cook rice on a fatapera. It’s social, it’s fun and it’s good! And no, it doesn’t go faster with an oven. Then you just stand in your own boring kitchen and don’t get the chance to make fire and cook with the girls.
Working as a teacher
Eating is not everything we do, although it may seem like it from time to time. We have started our work as teachers here at the teacher-training school. It’s great fun, I really enjoy it! The students are aged from 18 to 45, so there is a huge gap. I feel quite young and inexperienced when I teach them, but since they don’t know much English I feel that I am needed, which is a good feeling. They don’t seem to mind that their teacher could be their daughter… Among the things I have taught them so far, are The Body and how to make questions.
Next week we will start teaching English from scratch in two children schools too, far away in the countryside. If you know me, you know that I can’t wait to start! The children here are so adorable!
Working like a Malagasy woman
I am starting to realize how spoiled we are living in the West. Here there is no such thing as a washing machine, a dishwasher, electric oven etc. Sometimes there is no water in the tap, and everyday you have to do your business in a hole in the ground. Washing clothes by hand is painful for the back, and washing dishes everyday is a bit tiring at times. I think I know one of the reasons why people in the West live much longer. They don’t do hard physical work like this everyday! And - especially in Europe – they’re not exhausted at 10 o’clock in the morning because of the hot Sun! But I’m also realizing that people here seem a lot happier than in the West. Can you imagine why?
A Malagasy woman also has to do her duties in the rice field. Her job is to plant rice, which is exactly what I did last Wednesday! The whole school went out to plant rice, and of course the vazahas had to give it a try. Trotting through the mud was fun, but at the same time disgusting and alarming. We were shown some frogs which had been picked up from the mud. Not the least was there a warning in my head saying: you shouldn’t walk in still-standing water in Madagascar, you can get Bilharzia. (A disease which in the worst case can cause death.) But I couldn’t just watch the Malagasy people doing it. And besides, if they could - so could I. So my rubber boots were put on the bank side, and weren’t far from melting in the heat.
Well, if I get Bilharzia in the near future, we all know why…
The bed that keeps me company in the night is situated in a small room in a dormitory of SFM, the only school that educates teachers in the country. But my bed is not the only thing in my room. Apart from a closet, a table and two chairs I have living company as well! The termites gladly welcomed me in my new room by showing me who’s the boss of the wooden furniture. Which is every furniture I have. After having slept in the wooden bed a couple of nights, I realized that maybe the termites weren’t the only ones enjoying my habitat. Red spots covered parts of my legs, and they were itching like mad. Eline suggested it might be flees. Some kind of bedbugs anyway - or maybe just mosquitoes who took a bite at me outside…? It stays a mystery…
Making food - Malagasy style
To avoid dying a person has got to eat. Eline and I make our own food everyday, and I’ve got to say we’re getting quite good at it! Now we even know how to do it in the Malagasy way, having no electric oven and all. We cook rice on a fatapera. It’s social, it’s fun and it’s good! And no, it doesn’t go faster with an oven. Then you just stand in your own boring kitchen and don’t get the chance to make fire and cook with the girls.
Working as a teacher
Eating is not everything we do, although it may seem like it from time to time. We have started our work as teachers here at the teacher-training school. It’s great fun, I really enjoy it! The students are aged from 18 to 45, so there is a huge gap. I feel quite young and inexperienced when I teach them, but since they don’t know much English I feel that I am needed, which is a good feeling. They don’t seem to mind that their teacher could be their daughter… Among the things I have taught them so far, are The Body and how to make questions.
Next week we will start teaching English from scratch in two children schools too, far away in the countryside. If you know me, you know that I can’t wait to start! The children here are so adorable!
Working like a Malagasy woman
I am starting to realize how spoiled we are living in the West. Here there is no such thing as a washing machine, a dishwasher, electric oven etc. Sometimes there is no water in the tap, and everyday you have to do your business in a hole in the ground. Washing clothes by hand is painful for the back, and washing dishes everyday is a bit tiring at times. I think I know one of the reasons why people in the West live much longer. They don’t do hard physical work like this everyday! And - especially in Europe – they’re not exhausted at 10 o’clock in the morning because of the hot Sun! But I’m also realizing that people here seem a lot happier than in the West. Can you imagine why?
A Malagasy woman also has to do her duties in the rice field. Her job is to plant rice, which is exactly what I did last Wednesday! The whole school went out to plant rice, and of course the vazahas had to give it a try. Trotting through the mud was fun, but at the same time disgusting and alarming. We were shown some frogs which had been picked up from the mud. Not the least was there a warning in my head saying: you shouldn’t walk in still-standing water in Madagascar, you can get Bilharzia. (A disease which in the worst case can cause death.) But I couldn’t just watch the Malagasy people doing it. And besides, if they could - so could I. So my rubber boots were put on the bank side, and weren’t far from melting in the heat.
Well, if I get Bilharzia in the near future, we all know why…
Enjoying the country; the climate and the nature
Every morning I wake up at 5 o’clock (at the latest). I go for a run among green rice fields and enjoy the break of day. I take a shower in the cold water before I eat breakfast and go to work at 7. Lunch (Norwegian “middag”) is devoured at around 12 or 1 o’clock. The eye of the day, as the Malagasy people call the Sun, smiles down at us everyday and makes us hope it will rain, which it normally will around 4 o’clock. After that there’s not much more to do outside, as the Sun goes to bed at around 7 o’clock. Not long after that, miss Swan is so exhausted that she too goes to bed, wondering what tomorrow will bring…
Every morning I wake up at 5 o’clock (at the latest). I go for a run among green rice fields and enjoy the break of day. I take a shower in the cold water before I eat breakfast and go to work at 7. Lunch (Norwegian “middag”) is devoured at around 12 or 1 o’clock. The eye of the day, as the Malagasy people call the Sun, smiles down at us everyday and makes us hope it will rain, which it normally will around 4 o’clock. After that there’s not much more to do outside, as the Sun goes to bed at around 7 o’clock. Not long after that, miss Swan is so exhausted that she too goes to bed, wondering what tomorrow will bring…
Sunday, 4 November 2007
Andro Mahafinaritra = Beautiful day
Yesterday was one amazing day!
It started with Malagasy classes. The last day with Edouard, our teacher.
The nice guy he is, he would take us to Lake Tritriva, approx 9 km outside Antsirabe. His car isn’t actually a brand new Rolls Royce, if you know what I mean. And Malagasy roads aren’t really known for being class A, so we had to avoid major holes and deep ditches. This of course meant trouble when we had to drive up a VERY steep hill. My heart was pounding like mad as we struggled upwards. I was only one second from jumping out of the car at one point, terrified as I was. Suddenly we weren’t going forwards anymore, and Edouard couldn’t get the car in gear. The car was racing backwards at a terrible speed and Eline, sitting in the middle in the back, reached out to grab the hand break.
“I’ll go out and push!” I exclaimed as I had made the decision that sitting in the car was too dangerous. So we all got out, and a moment after, Edouard followed. We already had an audience, curious young men and women selling hats etc. The men saw their chance to help, and started pushing the four-wheeled vehicle up the steep hill. The minutes went by; we panted, laughed nervously, said no thank you to the sellers and perspired under the hot sun.
FINALLY we got the car to the top. We could finally enjoy the beautiful sight of the green lake. And the fantastic view over typical Malagasy rice fields.
It started with Malagasy classes. The last day with Edouard, our teacher.
The nice guy he is, he would take us to Lake Tritriva, approx 9 km outside Antsirabe. His car isn’t actually a brand new Rolls Royce, if you know what I mean. And Malagasy roads aren’t really known for being class A, so we had to avoid major holes and deep ditches. This of course meant trouble when we had to drive up a VERY steep hill. My heart was pounding like mad as we struggled upwards. I was only one second from jumping out of the car at one point, terrified as I was. Suddenly we weren’t going forwards anymore, and Edouard couldn’t get the car in gear. The car was racing backwards at a terrible speed and Eline, sitting in the middle in the back, reached out to grab the hand break.“I’ll go out and push!” I exclaimed as I had made the decision that sitting in the car was too dangerous. So we all got out, and a moment after, Edouard followed. We already had an audience, curious young men and women selling hats etc. The men saw their chance to help, and started pushing the four-wheeled vehicle up the steep hill. The minutes went by; we panted, laughed nervously, said no thank you to the sellers and perspired under the hot sun.
FINALLY we got the car to the top. We could finally enjoy the beautiful sight of the green lake. And the fantastic view over typical Malagasy rice fields.
I'm just glad we didn't go in this vehicle!
After having got safely back to Antsirabe, we got an invitation to a waffle party at the Norwegian “ettåring’s”. You Norwegians who love waffles; you can imagine our joy! But before going to our friends, we took them swimming at Hotel des Thermes. Our Malagasy friend Daniel, who has spent the week-end with us, also joined us. Enjoying the sunrays and the cool water was just what we needed to relax after our breathtaking drive to Lake Tritriva.
The waffle-lover
On top of it all, we met another new friend. Her name is Fefe, she sold us a wallet the other day. We asked her name and spoke Malagasy to her. Now, every time we see her, we smile and talk to her. It is great getting to know the Malagasy people, and then you also have something else to say than “No thank you”…
My situation will change from tomorrow. Our time in Antsirabe is over for now, and Fandriana is waiting. We will take a taxi brousse (YIKES!) all the way, and when we get there, we will meet our students. On Tuesday I will have my first day as a teacher! Excited? You bet!
Since Fandriana is in the country side, this may be the last you hear from me for a while. Now I have to say goodbye to a normal WC, water in the tap, electricity, an oven, Internet and Norwegians all around. I’m looking forward to it! And still I thank God for not yet being ill! :)
Saturday, 27 October 2007
New friends in Antsirabe
The pousse-pousse man
I asked the pousse-pousse driver if I could drag him this time - and surprisingly enough, he said yes! :) Every person on the street turned and stared, laughed and pointed at the white GIRL who dragged the black man in what had to be his pousse-pousse! Great fun and good exercise!:)
The sunset
Every evening Marita says: "Wow, look at the beautiful sky!" And every evening we enjoy a new, beautiful piece of art there in the horizon.
Our housekeeper Tinn
The maker of delicious Malagasy food who even washes and irons our clothes, sweeps the floor and helps us with our Malagasy homework. Today was the last day we could enjoy her presence though, sadly enough...
Mr. Tortoise
This creature walks around in his little compound all day long. If he's not walking or sleeping he's spending time with his wife, making sure the family name will be passed on...
The couple enjoying themselves on the bench
Mr. Tortoise isn't the only one. Black beetles caught in the act.
Spiderman
As you can see, I encounter new creatures everyday. Some more interesting than others, but all of them making the hot days exciting and different, giving breath-taking moments to a young vazaha-girl from Europe...
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Monday's Challenges: Learning Malagasy. Feeling a bit sad...
Learning Malagasy is one interesting event. As my 5th language to learn, I must say that this seems like the one with the least variety of words. I mean, when almost every word starts with m, you’ve got to get confused. Mamy, mamo, mipetraka, manao, manasa, mianatra, mihinana, mahay, malala… Get one letter wrong, and you’ve got a totally different word. Today I really laid an egg. That’s at least what I told the housekeeper. “I’m pregnant, that’s why I didn’t eat all the potatoes.” Great. What I really meant was that I was full. Be voky and voky be are the same words just in the different order. Structure and place of the stress means everything in this idiom. The creativity of the people who formed this language can’t really be the best.
Take the word because as an example. In Malagasy you can say it in 4 different ways, and have a look at the possibilities: fa, nefa, anefa, kanefa… I don’t think I have to tell you that we sometimes get confused and roar with laughter from time to time.
And laughing is really something we need to do when we’re here. It can be the best medicine! Monday afternoon I didn’t laugh much, sadly enough. I was tired, hungry, stressed with all the Malagasy classes, homesick and on top of it all I felt really qouizy. (I blame some of it on the Malaria tablets I’m taking; I really hope they’ll do their job, when they have all these horrific side-effects…)
I sent a text message to my good friend Maria, and she answered back with a verse from the Bible. Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Was this letter written to me? It was certainly what I needed to hear. Reading more around this verse made me even more certain. I am in Madagascar because it’s God’s plan. He placed me here with these people for a reason, and these 6 months are going to make me ready for the rest of my life and form me as a person. Yeay! :-)
Hehe, I can’t help but laugh when I think about it now, as everything seems just right again. Just wanted to share with you readers in this world my great experience; that it really helps to read the Bible - whatever situation we’re in. I felt bad and might have felt even worse if I hadn’t read those comforting words. Jesus really is the best psychologist and the BEST medicine. And He is one I don’t have to miss while I’m down here. I am so glad I’m a Christian, it makes life magnificent! :-)
Take the word because as an example. In Malagasy you can say it in 4 different ways, and have a look at the possibilities: fa, nefa, anefa, kanefa… I don’t think I have to tell you that we sometimes get confused and roar with laughter from time to time.
And laughing is really something we need to do when we’re here. It can be the best medicine! Monday afternoon I didn’t laugh much, sadly enough. I was tired, hungry, stressed with all the Malagasy classes, homesick and on top of it all I felt really qouizy. (I blame some of it on the Malaria tablets I’m taking; I really hope they’ll do their job, when they have all these horrific side-effects…)
I sent a text message to my good friend Maria, and she answered back with a verse from the Bible. Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Was this letter written to me? It was certainly what I needed to hear. Reading more around this verse made me even more certain. I am in Madagascar because it’s God’s plan. He placed me here with these people for a reason, and these 6 months are going to make me ready for the rest of my life and form me as a person. Yeay! :-)
Hehe, I can’t help but laugh when I think about it now, as everything seems just right again. Just wanted to share with you readers in this world my great experience; that it really helps to read the Bible - whatever situation we’re in. I felt bad and might have felt even worse if I hadn’t read those comforting words. Jesus really is the best psychologist and the BEST medicine. And He is one I don’t have to miss while I’m down here. I am so glad I’m a Christian, it makes life magnificent! :-)
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
The Adventure of the Mid-Week-Day
This is one example of an early ”out-of-bed”
My eyelids had slid open, many thoughts were in my head
I have to tell the story of the yesterday event
When Eline and her partner (me) to Tombontsoa went
We were so sick of white bread, so we wanted whole-grain flour
We took a bus and then a pousse-pousse, it took about an hour.
The pousse-pousse driver got so tired by pulling us up the hill
So we got out and walked beside him, time was standing still.
We gave him more than he deserved, we felt sorry for him
He thanked us very nicely, but I felt I’d done a sin.
“Where is the whole-grain flour?” we asked all the folks we met
We didn’t know how to rephrase it, that was fun – you bet!
They gave us the direction, we were ready to go far
We had to pass through cribs with cows, but we didn’t see a star (!)
Then suddenly we saw the house, it was so big and white
We asked a man if they had flour, though grammar wasn’t right
But finally he understood, he showed us what we meant
We were so happy and we laughed – this was a great event!
We paid him and we tried to say that we’d come back for more
He nodded, then we went away, so happy with our score.
Then we went back to Antsirabe, and guess who we did meet
Yes, all the people who are there, whose home is on the street
We gave them smiles, we gave them chips, ‘cause that was what we had
And then we walked away, although still feeling really bad.
When we got home we had to do our homework in the sun
When that was done we made our lunch and even that was fun!
The Malagasy teaching for today was good, you see
Now I can say a lot of things, my language barrier’s free (well, not yet really, but it rhymed…!)
My eyelids had slid open, many thoughts were in my head
I have to tell the story of the yesterday event
When Eline and her partner (me) to Tombontsoa went
We were so sick of white bread, so we wanted whole-grain flour
We took a bus and then a pousse-pousse, it took about an hour.
The pousse-pousse driver got so tired by pulling us up the hill
So we got out and walked beside him, time was standing still.
We gave him more than he deserved, we felt sorry for him
He thanked us very nicely, but I felt I’d done a sin.
“Where is the whole-grain flour?” we asked all the folks we met
We didn’t know how to rephrase it, that was fun – you bet!
They gave us the direction, we were ready to go far
We had to pass through cribs with cows, but we didn’t see a star (!)
Then suddenly we saw the house, it was so big and white
We asked a man if they had flour, though grammar wasn’t right
But finally he understood, he showed us what we meant
We were so happy and we laughed – this was a great event!
We paid him and we tried to say that we’d come back for more
He nodded, then we went away, so happy with our score.
Then we went back to Antsirabe, and guess who we did meet
Yes, all the people who are there, whose home is on the street
We gave them smiles, we gave them chips, ‘cause that was what we had
And then we walked away, although still feeling really bad.
When we got home we had to do our homework in the sun
When that was done we made our lunch and even that was fun!
The Malagasy teaching for today was good, you see
Now I can say a lot of things, my language barrier’s free (well, not yet really, but it rhymed…!)
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Team Madagascar learning Malagasy
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