Zandry to Zoky in No Time Flat

            The way that Peace Corps Madagascar is set up, the new Agriculture/Health volunteers install into their new sites in the Sud Est at the end of April and the new Education volunteers in the beginning of September.  So being an Education volunteer, I have the longest time of being the zandry (younger sibling).  As of today, the new Health volunteers showed up in the Sud Est and I am officially not the youngest stage anymore.  This is a weird feeling.  As zoky (older sibling) we are expected to be knowledgeable and to show the newbies the ropes, but I am not wholly sure I want all of that responsibility.  It also brings me closer to that half way mark in my service; something that is

Filling That Empty Time

            No one ever tells you when you are filling out the application for Peace Corps, or at any time between the thought popping up in your head and the time you get to country, just how much free time you will really have during your service.  They do however mention it during your training, but this is easily over looked as something that will not be a problem for you.  ‘I never get bored.’  ‘I can sit forever doing nothing and be ok.’  ‘I have all these hobbies I can work on.’  ‘I am going to read all these books or do all this writing.’  ‘I will always be working on some new project.’  Although these may take some of your time and are all noble efforts at passing the time, you will still find yourself

Oh How I Loath You

           I have never really thought about animals that I disliked, hated even, till I came to Madagascar.  During my time here though, a list of animals has formed that I have grown to hate.  Below is a list of those animals, in order as they made the list.

1. Geese (My host families geese used to guard the kabone every time I wanted to use it, but they are also just mean, loud, sassy, annoying creatures in general.)
2. Pigeons (I have a family of them that live above my ceiling and make a lot of noise at all hours.)
3. Flies (Flies in Madagascar are the most relentless animals I have ever seen and they will never

Student Week

Wednesday, 1/18/15 – Saturday, 1/21/15

Every year the schools in Madagascar have a week off to celebrate the students. This week was that week.  Although there was an assembly and then scheduled classes afterwards on Monday, most students and teachers did not actually have class.  Tuesday was also spent with no classes in preparation for the festivities the rest of the week.  Wednesday morning is when the actual Student Week started.  All the students from all three levels of the public school (EPP, CEG, and Lycee) and from all four of the private schools (Success, Light School, Lutheran School, and Catholic School) meet at the Lycee, outside my house, to begin their march through town to the CEG.  Each school took its turn, with all the students wearing their uniforms and carrying their school sign, in the

Vac #2

            This weekend my region had its second VAC meeting and the first one for me to lead.  The VAC itself was in Amporoforo, a small village in the Sud Est and the site of one of our PCV’s.  Different from the previous VAC, it was decided to couple the VAC meeting with work and host a girl’s club/opening of the new basketball court that Banaz had built at her CEG (the equivalent of a middle/intermediate school in the States).  The first night of VAC we had our meeting which was started with the election of a new VAC representative and warden.  I was elected VAC Rep and Julissa was elected Warden.  Once the elections were over I lead the meeting by reading the National

Lycee Had A Special Visitor

            Today my Lycee (high school) had a special guest visitor, the Director of Education for my region.  There had been a big party planned outside in the school courtyard but do to heavy rain we were forced to move the whole thing into one of the classrooms.  So after the room had been prepped everyone piled in and the room soon was filed with teachers, soon to be teachers, and officials of all levels.  Not wanting to be jammed in with so many people my sitemate and me hung around outside until we were asked to come in and sit in the front row; a row completely empty except for us. This we knew would inevitably happen since it happens at every event we attend or happen to