Great Hospitality Brings Great Friendship

(Part 3 of a 3 part series on Hospitality)

You can see the rest of the series here: Part 1 & Part 2.

Kids hanging out at my house

"Tiavo ny namanao tohaka ny tenanao.” ~Malagasy Proverb

                  (Love you friend as yourself)

            One of my fondest memories of my time in Vondrozo was the friendships that I had.  Not just with my best friends at site or the kids that were always hanging out at my house, but with everyone. 

5 Things Malagasy People Do to Make You Feel Welcome

(Part 2 of a 3 part series on Hospitality)

You can see the rest of the series here: Part 1 & Part 3.

            The Malagasy people are some of the most welcoming people I have ever encountered.  Their culture is one that fosters friendship, community, and hospitality.  In light of this I have put together a list of five things that Malagasy people do that makes me feel welcome here.

Two of the Malagasy language trainers greeting each other

1. Greeting

            In Madagascar greetings are an essential part of the everyday interactions that make up the

How to Say Hello Malagasy Style

(Part 1 of a 3 part series on Hospitality)
You can see the rest of the series here: Part 2 & Part 3.

            In Madagascar there are 18 official Malagasy dialects, and many more local dialects, that vary in both pronunciation and vocabulary from one another.  One of the greatest differences in the dialects is the way people greet each other.  In celebration of hospitality I have created a video of just some of these different dialectal greetings.  All of the videos are relatively the same interaction, with a few variations, of people saying “Hello. What new?” and responding “Hello. Nothing much.”

I’d also like to give a special thank you to the Peace Corps LCFs (Language and Cultural