Not much else to say besides...I am an official Peace Corps Volunteer! I swore in this morning at 9:30, had a lovely afternoon at the Ambassador's house, chill afternoon, got caught in a torrential downpour, ate some amazing Indian food for dinner, and went out dancing! Who could ask for a better day? Not this girl... [View Full Entry]

---

---

there is a chameleon on the ceiling...i'm assuming he's eating the mosquitos that could potentially provide me with malaria. i have had fivalanana 9 times today. (that's diarrhea for all you non-'Gasy speakers) jack's playing on i-tunes. i'm swearing in as an official pcv in 5 days. i ate indian food tonight, and i think it's the most flavor i have experienced in 2 months. in one week, i'll be living in a village...all alone...with 200 malagasy "best friends" :) i'm not sure what to think about it. training has been grueling. but it's vita now. i'm glad, even though i [View Full Entry]

---

---

1. dirt is stickier in 3rd world countries 2. i can go to bed at 8pm—and i’m even tired at that time! 3. mud huts are not as romantic as i imagined…nor are mud kabones 4. i am not an abstract learner 5. cockroaches make a lot of noise crawling over your belongings in the middle of the night 6. i have more stuff than i thought—even though “i didn’t bring enough” 7. getting mail is like the best birthday ever 8. you can gain weight even though your main diet consists of rice (ahem…Bolos) 9. it’s good to pee [View Full Entry]

---

---

There is much news! I have just returned from a site visit to Tsarazaza. I am halfway through training, and I have to say that putting site visit in the middle of all the intensity of training is very good. So, the previous Tuesday I took off for Tsarazaza on a very long uncomfortable taxi-brousse ride with my counterpart, Dokotera Rija. We arrived in Fandriana where I was heartily greeted by Vola and Voangy, a very friendly couple who own a hotel there. They are friends of PCVs and very warm and welcoming. They discovered I don't much like meat and [View Full Entry]

---

---

Manakory o! Where does one begin? I'm in Madagascar! I live in a little village called Alarobia (meaning Wednesday, because that's when we have market). I spend the majority of my days in language training or "technical classes"---learning about malaria, immunizations, safe motherhood, etc. I am currently with my training group still--sans two members who have "ETed" already. Alarobia is near Ambatomanga which provides a venue for nice hikes and wonderful cheese factories. The cheese is fabulous, and rumor is a man from Wisconsin came to teach the people how to make cheese! We really have l [View Full Entry]

---

---

I've just begun my staging, and I have to admit--so far, things are amazing! I have met some really cool people! There are three groups here: Cameroon, Malawi and Madagascar. There are some pretty amazing and fun volunteers. We have a total of four from Montana--Sienna and I, Tony from Anaconda and Danny from Coram. Tony is very gregorious--great guy! He's going to Malawi. Danny is coming to M'car with me and he's pretty cool too--looks like we have some white water in our future! It is still very surreal, but ultimately quite amazing that we are all going! Needless to [View Full Entry]

---

---

It's September 26th...11pm. This is my last blog from Montana. Tomorrow morning I wake up at 5 am and bustle to the Bozeman airport. Sienna and I fly to Philadelphia at 8:15am. Everyone has been asking me how I feel: excited, nervous, scared... Somehow, I don't feel any of those things yet. The best word we came up with was "apprehensive" but even that is not quite right. Yeah, there's that small churning in my stomach...there's a million questions floating in my head. But always, it seems, with big life events, they just seem to happen. That's all. I'm not necessarily [View Full Entry]

---

---

all of my worldly possesions were packed up this weekend and sent trucking with my father. i had way more stuff than i intended--and i even thought i didn't have that much stuff! sad. but that's our culture. ke garne? i have these small moments of clarity. it's like a cloudy day, but the sunshine breaks through occassionally for just a little bit. something i say will strike me and i'll realize my future, but then it is quickly gone and all seems normal again. i keep waiting for it to really sink in. my room feels utterly empty and i [View Full Entry]

---

---

So we're two weeks out from departure date. I think it actually sank in this weekend. I'm really doing this! Hard to believe! I still have a load of stuff to pack up, which really sucks because who wants to spend time packing when you should be out with friends enjoying life? But for the most part I'm feeling really ready to go. I wish the weather was nicer in Bozeman, but maybe that's just an encouragement to pack! Ha! I can't even begin to describe the emotions I'm going through right now! Where does one start? I'm leaving the country. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Alright...so this is the real beginning of my "Travel Blog". I'm not sure how well I'll be able to keep it up, but I'll do my best depending on access. Lots of big things happening in my life these days. I am turning "two dozen" as a friend says tomorrow afternoon! Birthdays are fun. And in about 7 weeks I will be packing up my bags and moving to Madagascar...at least for two years! I am joining the Peace Corps (as earlier mentioned) and going to be working as Community Health Educator in Madagascar. My first 3 months will be spent [View Full Entry]

---

---