Current residence: Antananarivo Just returned from three weeks spent in Moramanga conducting field research on free-tailed bats living in public buildings in Moramanga. here is a morseau des les choix que je faire durant ces temps: [View Full Entry]

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We arrived safely in Tana Madagascar yesterday afternoon. What a trip it has been already - after over 24 hrs of flight time we were a bit jet lagged to say the least. In Tana we made it through customs only to be immediately bombarded by taxi drivers and tourist operators. After finding our airport shuttle was not there we found a new taxi - he put a little bit of gas in the car and we were off. So it is true that the scariest part of a new country is usually the traffic - but there always seems to [View Full Entry]

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Assessing conflict between synanthropic bats and people in Moramanga Bat Communities in Civil Service Buildings: Population size, frequency, and Human Relations I will be studying the free-tailed bats (Molossidae)that roost in public buildings, particularly schools and hospitals, in the eastern town of Moramanga. The objective of the study is to determine what buildings are inhabited by bat colonies, and the perception of the local people to the bats. The study will help to determine the extent of the problem (if one exists) the bat populations pose to the community. I will be working with [View Full Entry]

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Tomorrow I leave Tana, the big city for a the begining of my ISP period (of which I previously posted). here lies a recap of the last few weeks, since Oct. 23: We have been staying in the hotel Raphia, a lovely hotel with an Idian theme that serves delicious food, occasionally smells of raw sewage, and we hear the beautiful song of the call to prayer each day. Many people thus far have been terribly sick. so far, three people have had malaria and my other friend, Danielle, has had both ameobic and bacterial dysentary. Thankfully I have been relatively [View Full Entry]

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pictures i hope... [View Full Entry]

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Well, I'm back in Calgary but thought I better write an entry for my time in Madagascar... The landscapes, flora and fauna of Madagascar really are out of a fairy tale land. Walking around the tsingy I couldn't believe that this was actually what the rock really looked like, and lets not forget watching the lemurs jump from tree to tree, decent distances too. Unfortunately Madagascar is also very poor and it snaps you back into reality, you want to do something to help these people, but what is the best and most effective way??? I arrived in Madagascar with no [View Full Entry]

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From Matt - Just sent nana, karl and assany to the airport. They should be back in the motherland in 24 hours. Vance Rush and I will fly to Joburg in the morn and will have a 22 hour layover before leaving for Kruger Nat. Park. We will be staying at a very plush photo safari resort called Manwana. Look it up on the internet. I feel certain they will have satellite internet but they may not. If we drop of the net for 4 days you'll know why. I'm on a french keyboard again tonite and it is really hard [View Full Entry]

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From Matt - As you will see below the rest of my family arrived in 'Tana last night. Very strange to be sitting around in Madagascar so far from home with all my brothers and my mother! I really wish our wives were here too! It's hard to even think about them without getting soggy eyes. I figure we are laying the groundwork for a future visit here with them included. We had to scoot out of Cairo without time to really make a good entry about our last day there so here is what I had left to say about [View Full Entry]

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Hey all, Very sorry for the extended absence. I had a little while with nothing very exciting going on, as well as being quite sick for the past few days. Here is a short update on what's been going on. Work has been "interesting," to say the least. I had been working on the website for the Ankoay and Carton Rouge projects and finally finished that up. I did run into a bit of a brick wall however. Working in Madagascar is a very different experience. It's been hard getting used to the relaxed time schedule when it comes to meetings [View Full Entry]

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One word to describe what i felt is : Wow ! Madagascar got me in my mind and heart. My trip was too short but it was what i could manage, too many responsibilities ! I spent only ten days in Mada but already thinking of another trip there soon. So i started on the 8th June and landed in Tana the same day. Tana is short for Antananarivo, the bustling capital of Madagascar. Weather was quite cool as Tana is around 1300 metres above sea level. I had already booked a room for my first night in a cosy guest [View Full Entry]

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