I went to Ambositra on the morning of the 25th of August. I was with Fred and three of his colleagues. We arrived at the house of Jira, the boy whose wedding we were to attend, just before dark. We had some beer on the balcony. I think that gave me a headache. Over 50 percent of the last five times I drank beer I got a headache. Around nine pm, we were invited into the kitchen. It was about the size of a closet and featured two open flames. Oh man there was a lot of smoke. But it was warm. I wasn't feeling great when dinner came around. I remembered some times in Nepal when there was an impossible amount of food in front of me. I had to concentrate to stomach every bite. Deep breaths. Its not that the food was bad: it there were even vegetables for me. But the traveling, the beer, the heat, and the foreign environment got to me. We slept in the groom's room. I woke up earlier than the rest to hear Fred snoring. I though, geez, I will never get back to sleep. But when everyone was up, the others said I was just as loud as Fred!
We took a long bus ride in to the town of the bride. It was nice because we had frequent stops and I got some mofo gasy and a finger of toaka gasy. We arrived at the civil building just before lunch. We waited outside as the entourage of the bride walked up the red, dirt street. There were three officials in the hall. Two of them had some things to say. The other supplied the couple with some papers to sign. The father of the bride said a prayer. To me, this ceremony married the couple, so I left some money in a collection box.
Next, we went to the house of the bride's parents. There was a buying ceremony, in which small amounts of money were given for one reason or another from the groom's party to that of the bride. With each addition to the pot, there were some formalities said on both parties. Fred told me that most of the time a professional takes care of this. It was a bit trying for the patience of some people. I was just trying to understand.
Lastly, we went over to a recreational center for a feast. Boy, radish, cauliflower, potato, zucchini, and I don't know what else made for a great salad. There must have been some type of mayonnaise. The next course was bread in a really rich cream. Then we had rice and zebu. I was not a vegetarian during this trip. Zebu was fine, but when I ate chicken, I didn't feel great. Anyway, everyone who attended was introduced over the microphone. The dad proved a funny emcee. The was karaoke, dancing, and cake. Then we left. It was really simple, but there is still supposed to be a marriage in the church. When we returned to the house of the groom, it seemed like the whole neighborhood was there to usher the newlyweds into their chambers.
We grabbed our stuff and headed for a hotel. We had a nice meal in a touristy spot and stayed in a great hotel.
The next day, I had tongotromby, or zebu foot soup for breakfast. It was alright, but there was not much meat, mostly just fat. I should mention that all Fred's colleagues and the couple could speak OK English. Still, mostly everyone was in Malagasy, so I was pretty quiet. Fred has a tendency to repeat things three times for emphasis, and imitating him helped me get comfortable with some easy phrases. I learned how to say 'no way' (tsy tafa voaka) and we all repeated it frequently. We met the bride and the groom one last time after breakfast before going to the taxi brousse station. While waiting, we had some spirits and some seriously salted jerky. The ride home was a bit rough for the kid next to me. We were four, but a manager insisted we squeeze another full size man in the row. So this preteen had two shoulders nearly touching in front of his face for about eight hours. We had to stop to change break pads on the way back. Hmm... When we arrived, another employee of Fred's company (ILS?), which, btw, is where the bride and the groom work, was at the taxi bus station to pick us up. We has some soup and I finally tried Nem;).
I didn't bring my camera, but maybe there will be some picture on fb soon...
Friday 30 August 2013
Thursday 29 August 2013
Books - The Glass Castle and Cutting for Stone
Jeanette Walls begins her book, The Glass Castle, with a desert setting. The story is from the perspective of the second child of an artist and a drunken electrician/ The first chil is a clever girl. The second child is close to the father. All four kids, but especially the first three, learn to fend for themselves in their gypsy lifestyle. The mom wants her kids to be strong and believes that what doesn't kill someone makes that person stronger. The mol has a large inheritance, but won't sell land. The kids end up caring for the parents in the backwards town Welch, WV. They move to NYC to break free.
I really enjoyed the book. I don't know why now. My mom said she didn't like it too much, but it caused a riot at her book club because people had different views on how to deal with alcoholics. I got it from a Californian guy named Kevin who visited Madagascar in a break from his semester (or was it year?) abroad in SA.
Abraham Verghesse did something pretty cool by writing Cutting for Stone. The beginning is sweet, and it continues like that for a while. But the plausibility breaks down about two thirds of the way through. You know, the book made me proud of my dad because he is doctor. Also, it really drew me into the relationship between the narrator and his twin brother. Basically, a doctor fucks a nun in Ethiopia. The doctor fucks up the delivery. Twins that were conjoined in the womb survive; the mother doesn't. The doctor runs away to the States, becoming a renowned surgeon. The midwife at the hospital takes in the babies, marries the internal medicine doctor, and they live happily. There is a really sad story about a girl, but it gets unbelievable, like the author didn't have the guts to really describe his ideas. There is war in the country and, because of a relationship with the girl, the protagonist has to flee. He goes to America, where he meets his father and provides some nice comments on being a foreigner in the US. The book culminates in a medical challenge in which the father has a chance to redeem himself through the ingenuity of the twin.
I really enjoyed the book. I don't know why now. My mom said she didn't like it too much, but it caused a riot at her book club because people had different views on how to deal with alcoholics. I got it from a Californian guy named Kevin who visited Madagascar in a break from his semester (or was it year?) abroad in SA.
Abraham Verghesse did something pretty cool by writing Cutting for Stone. The beginning is sweet, and it continues like that for a while. But the plausibility breaks down about two thirds of the way through. You know, the book made me proud of my dad because he is doctor. Also, it really drew me into the relationship between the narrator and his twin brother. Basically, a doctor fucks a nun in Ethiopia. The doctor fucks up the delivery. Twins that were conjoined in the womb survive; the mother doesn't. The doctor runs away to the States, becoming a renowned surgeon. The midwife at the hospital takes in the babies, marries the internal medicine doctor, and they live happily. There is a really sad story about a girl, but it gets unbelievable, like the author didn't have the guts to really describe his ideas. There is war in the country and, because of a relationship with the girl, the protagonist has to flee. He goes to America, where he meets his father and provides some nice comments on being a foreigner in the US. The book culminates in a medical challenge in which the father has a chance to redeem himself through the ingenuity of the twin.
Friday 23 August 2013
Living alone
I just finished watching the anime Clannad After Story. It is about a couple. There are two stories about the same couple. In the end, one turns out to be the actual story, but it is not the one in focus. In fact, there were three stories, but one was about the daughter and the dad. This one is related more closely to the sad story that was the focus of the second half of the series. Lastly, there was a drama put on by the wife in the year she met the main character. It romantisized the city in which the anime takes place. The effect this had on the main character, the husband, is that the city was personified, trying to please people. It might seem sad, but even though this was a drama, the action was awesome. The anime wasn't too realistic: there were triplets with purple hair and different eye colors. But one of them, and the class president, were good fighters for some reason. Anyway, the main struggle for the protagonist is having the confidence to be happy about his relationship with the main girl. You know, he keeps thinking she would have had a better life if they didn't meet. In the end, even of the sad storyline, he thinks the joy of his love for her was worth the pain.
One thing about Madagascar is that men and women do not always use separate toilets in public places. Actually, it is not easy to find toilets. They are around, but they are not so well advertised as they are in the US. But when you find one, often, you are looking at something that doesn't exactly flush. Some toilets have buckets of water outside the stalls. Lastly, some places, like the sport center and some of the public toilets where peeing costs 2.5 cents, have tubes on the walls. The tubes spray water down the wall, and there is a tile barrier between the wall and the floor. Guys can just pee on the wall. I think that is pretty efficient since even most urinals require finding a sweet spot where you can pee without spraying yourself.
Let's see, what is is going on. Well, I am almost done applying for my visa. I have a permit to stay while the Ministry of Public Function prepares the last document I need to submit to the Ministry of the Interior. In this process, I had to write to three ministers and one prefect. They weren't personal letters, everyone who so applies has to write them, but the style is crazy! I have the honneur of soliciting your great benevolence... It wasn't not fun at first. But after, it sort of became a game. I met lots of nice ladies working in different offices. I also met a great guy who works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I mentioned him before. It is an important realisation for me that these sort of administrative tasks, which meant nothing to me, are actually fun and educational. They really gave me a chance to think about what I want to do here. I learned that it is best never to hide my desires and that it is important to prepare people to give thought to my situation in order for them to understand my desires.
I am paying for my internet as I use it. So far, I think it will be about as expensive as accomodation. If I settle down, I will get a long term plan that is more reasonable, because the fee is lower and it is unlimited. Today, I opened a bunch of pages I wanted to read, then shut off the internet because I don't really understand how the count works: is it all done by the quantity of data transfered to the computer or is there also a price per unit of time?
There is no water at my place right now. It has been at least 12 hours. I am going to move in with someone like a friend of a friend of a friend. He is 27 and lives near the school. The lack of water isn't really the cause as I made the decision beforehand. I finally built a computer. It is a desktop. I wanted it that way. Right now, I live on the third story of a sixteen classroom complex. The nearest family lives on the first floor. I talk with them everyday, but I don't live with them. In the new place, I hope to learn Malagasy from the flatmate while in the comfort of my own desktop environment.
One thing about Madagascar is that men and women do not always use separate toilets in public places. Actually, it is not easy to find toilets. They are around, but they are not so well advertised as they are in the US. But when you find one, often, you are looking at something that doesn't exactly flush. Some toilets have buckets of water outside the stalls. Lastly, some places, like the sport center and some of the public toilets where peeing costs 2.5 cents, have tubes on the walls. The tubes spray water down the wall, and there is a tile barrier between the wall and the floor. Guys can just pee on the wall. I think that is pretty efficient since even most urinals require finding a sweet spot where you can pee without spraying yourself.
Let's see, what is is going on. Well, I am almost done applying for my visa. I have a permit to stay while the Ministry of Public Function prepares the last document I need to submit to the Ministry of the Interior. In this process, I had to write to three ministers and one prefect. They weren't personal letters, everyone who so applies has to write them, but the style is crazy! I have the honneur of soliciting your great benevolence... It wasn't not fun at first. But after, it sort of became a game. I met lots of nice ladies working in different offices. I also met a great guy who works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I mentioned him before. It is an important realisation for me that these sort of administrative tasks, which meant nothing to me, are actually fun and educational. They really gave me a chance to think about what I want to do here. I learned that it is best never to hide my desires and that it is important to prepare people to give thought to my situation in order for them to understand my desires.
I am paying for my internet as I use it. So far, I think it will be about as expensive as accomodation. If I settle down, I will get a long term plan that is more reasonable, because the fee is lower and it is unlimited. Today, I opened a bunch of pages I wanted to read, then shut off the internet because I don't really understand how the count works: is it all done by the quantity of data transfered to the computer or is there also a price per unit of time?
There is no water at my place right now. It has been at least 12 hours. I am going to move in with someone like a friend of a friend of a friend. He is 27 and lives near the school. The lack of water isn't really the cause as I made the decision beforehand. I finally built a computer. It is a desktop. I wanted it that way. Right now, I live on the third story of a sixteen classroom complex. The nearest family lives on the first floor. I talk with them everyday, but I don't live with them. In the new place, I hope to learn Malagasy from the flatmate while in the comfort of my own desktop environment.
This is Koba. It comes in logs wrapped in banana leaf, which you can see. It is really expensive but very delicious. It is made of peanuts, flower, and honey.
Mofogasy
I am in love with these sweet rice cakes. They costs somewhere between a nickel and a dime.
Mofo Akondro
This is a fried banana; a good idea that is widely available here. This particular specimen is has exemplary thickness of the fried shell. If it is also sweet dough, you are in for a real treat.
Monday 12 August 2013
Books
The Return to Treasure Island and the Search for Captain Kid by Barry Clifford with Paul Perry tells two stories at once. It was annoyng for the majority of the book since the story of Captain Kidd was not very interesting. I think too much of it was told in the beginning. The stories were somewhat entertwined in the penultilmate section of each. The modern portion was interesting for me because of its proximity to my present situation in Madagascar and because of the magnitude of the mission.
Robinson Crusue, by Daniel Defoe, is an adventure story. An English boy ignores the requests of his parents for him to stay in English. He scrapes by with his life until he lands on an island whose only use is for periodic cannibalism. He has many provisions from his ship. He becomes serious about his religion while he is on the island. His life becomes comfortable. The book left me very impressed with his manual ingenuity due to the comforts he crafted. I also envy taking months to devote to tasks like making a plank.
The Life of Milarepa, Rechugpa, is a book about a a boy whose immediate family was mistreated by relatives after the death of the father. In retaliation, the young man learn black magic, he uses it against the wicked relatives. Later, he feels guilty and seeks to become a buddha. After finding a the right teacher. He asks repeatedly for instruction. The teacher tells him to perform various feats to earn the instruction. He builds towers. Each time, he misses part of the building instruction and he is asked to recommence. Through the help of the wife of the teacher, he succeeds and receives instruction. Then he meditates in solitude. He leaves the teacher to discover the fate of his mother. After, he continues to meditate in solitude.
Robinson Crusue, by Daniel Defoe, is an adventure story. An English boy ignores the requests of his parents for him to stay in English. He scrapes by with his life until he lands on an island whose only use is for periodic cannibalism. He has many provisions from his ship. He becomes serious about his religion while he is on the island. His life becomes comfortable. The book left me very impressed with his manual ingenuity due to the comforts he crafted. I also envy taking months to devote to tasks like making a plank.
The Life of Milarepa, Rechugpa, is a book about a a boy whose immediate family was mistreated by relatives after the death of the father. In retaliation, the young man learn black magic, he uses it against the wicked relatives. Later, he feels guilty and seeks to become a buddha. After finding a the right teacher. He asks repeatedly for instruction. The teacher tells him to perform various feats to earn the instruction. He builds towers. Each time, he misses part of the building instruction and he is asked to recommence. Through the help of the wife of the teacher, he succeeds and receives instruction. Then he meditates in solitude. He leaves the teacher to discover the fate of his mother. After, he continues to meditate in solitude.
Tuesday 6 August 2013
BIG BALLoon
Ya, that yellow thing in the middle is my room. The circular window on the right is for the classroom next door.
The kitchen is primitive, but cooking is still a blast.
The cats that live in Le Karthala Kitchen.
The kitchen is primitive. Having a whiteboard is great.
The room is massive.
The pink paper is to mark a nail head that protrudes slightly.
Maybe he is. Anyway, last night I ate in the restaurant Chez Jo with Johnathan. We stayed for a while. He tod me about some escapades, recent and long ago. We talked about ombiasa. They are possessed people. He believes they are living devils. I asked him what he thinks about speaking in tongues. He told me that in the countryside, if someone spoke in English to him, he would believe in them. Apparently not only are the ombiasa psychic in that they know about your past, but they can strike you with lightening or make you forget loaning someone your fortune.
Zoely was in the same restaurant. She seemed timid in front of Johnathan, but I was glad they met. She cancelled our trip to the countryside to find some honey. So, maybe I can find some other gift to find for Arianne
The night of the fourth of August was my first in room nine at CNELA. Everything went alright. My shopping list is pretty long though: I need a lot of stuff for cooking.In the morning, Liziane took a look at the room and said she was going to call a plumber to fix the shower and an electrician to install WiFi.SO, I cooked pasta in my rom last night. I used an electric stove that I got for 25 bucks in themarket because I am afraid to tamper with the gas stove. This wasn't just pasta though, I used peanut butter and MSG, so it was heart stoppingly special.
I decided on the z77 D3H by Gigabyte. I found an authorized dealer who were out of stock. I waited three weeks for the shipment to come. Now that it is in, they want seventeen dollars more than a third party retailer, who will order it from France. I am still a bit lost as to what to do about a power supply.
Well, I had a really productive day: In the morning I made biscuits. I tried to make pancakes, but without butter, and used sweetened condensed milk, and having no syrup or honey, I added a lot of salt. The biscuits were delicious. Then, I made more biscuits, this time sweet. Before I finished eating, I started some math homework and I did some Tai Chi. But actually the latter was a bad idea because my shoes were very squeeky and when I looked outside my room, people were taking a placement test next door. Then, I finished the first homework assignment for an online teaching certification. I made copies of my passport, updated the government about my new residence, and got a lot of documents legalised for the long term visa application.
Now the day wasn't all good. First off, a mo-ped driver hit my right arm as I cross between two busses. He was passing the buses. I don't think he was at fault, since if he moved over anymore, he would have been in danger of a head on collision with oncoming traffic. I will be more careful to realy peek around standstill traffic before putting myself in harms way. It didn't hurt but I probably muttered wtf.
The second part of the day that suxored was that I paid 17usd for my residence certification in Faravohitra, 15usd to remove that certificate, and another 20usd to get a new residence certificate for Antahabe. Now, I get inscription fees, but why have a retraction fee? It got really shady when a man asked me whether I want a visa.
So I went to the electronics Mecca in Madagascar: Supreme Centre. Most of the PSU's I found were fake. The majority of what was left were way to powerful and way too expensive for me, since I am not going to use a graphics card. I found a bunch of ten year old Antec products (Channel Well), some ASUS PSU's that I cannot find on the internet, a random HP PSU, and a 475W Cooler Master for 75usd, which is on Newegg for 50usd. I don't really know what to do. The lowest of the high end? The OCZ 600 MXSP seems like a good product, but at 175usd, it is steep.
Ok, after fiddlying around in the stores trying to get the products I want, I am starting to think that there is reason to buy cheap components to figure out just what the hell I am doing. Buying a computer was a fun activity, but now it is too stressful. So, I am going to take 200 usd to Supreme center and leave with whatever computer I can get. Once I have some know how, I can decide about whether to invest more into a machine.
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