Hiara hiady amin'ny SIDA!

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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 feel miserable. i'm looking forward to the change, but it's well...what's the word? intimidating? i'm moving to a village in the middle of nowhere with only 2 months of 'Gasy language behind me (mbola tsy mahay aho!) and, then, i'm going to actually do work! like i'm going to the csb to weigh babies and tell neni's how important it is to get vaksiny for their babies and assist with prenatal consultations (!!)...wait, what? huh? how did i get here?
no. it's good...but still scary. my mind is pretty numb right now. what with finishing training, diarrhea, World AIDS Day...i can't even begin to explain my daily life.
travel plans so far include ile saint marie, nosy be, maybe mahajanga...
last week we went to akany avoko, the orphanage/halfway house for girls here in tana. cool place. i'm considering trying to extend my service to work there. www.akanyavoko.com
just found out one of the guys i've kept in touch with from high school is engaged to be married! crazy! that's the kind of stuff that makes you sad you're here and not there...among other things like smelling clean and easily purchased items and food... 😊
it's raining again. i need to go to sleep. but i crave technology, so i check my email. maybe tomorrow i can call in sick! 😉 can you do that in madagascar?!
oh! great fun news! i'm going to get a papasan chair! they sell them in tana and i've got some sources that are willing to help me arrange for it!! (i may have bribed them slightly with threats of ETing if i didn't get one...i mean, clearly, i NEED a papasan chair for my health and well being!)
what other rambles are in my head? i miss reading poetry. haven't found any good copies yet. i'm beginning to miss snow and christmastime in montana. i miss my friends and good-friend-hugs. i miss grilled cheese sandwiches.
but maybe i don't have so many complaints. i'm going to get to meet a lot of really cool volunteers here! that will be fun, people all over the country stuck here in madagascar together...we never would have met otherwise!
oh, i can tell you about the crazy hike i did! i hiked to Angavo Be one sunday. i can't tell you what that means except that Be means big (regardless of what you add it on to...always makes it bigger) and big it was! left at 7:30 and didn't return till 3:45. kicked my ass, but the view was amazing. hiking in m'car has a whole nother dimension to it. 1) it's unbearably hot. 2) the concept of trail in mcar is drastically different than that in montana: we started by walking along rice paddies, and then went straight up forEVER, then there were 2 feet of flat paved road, and more up-up-up (ambony, ambony, ambony!) 😊 good times. and my camera batteries were dead. sad day.
well, sorry this entry is sporadic...but that's what it's like today. give me a few weeks and i'll be sorted out!
cheers all...and happy holidays! think of me, sitting in my little house in madagascar on christmas...making rice...yum! (kidding, it might not be that bad!) Tratry ny Krismasy!

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Comments

[Jean Sayer]

I am seeing snow today. First real snow storm I've seen since I moved down here. Bob shoveled off my driveway this morning. I don't think it will stay long but it is just enough to make you realize it is winter! I think about you every day. I'm glad you're training is over. Now it should get to be interesting. It sounds exciting. Love, Grandma

[Mom]

We miss you too!
We miss you too - especially being able to talk to you without a month delay. We are snowed in here so badly that we had to cancel a trip to Billings, so it's hard to imagine the heat. I wish we could be there to hug you for Christmas, but I know you are going to be great at your village. They will learn to love you as much as we do. Love Mom

[Bethany P.]

Merry Christmas...we miss you
Hey there, I wanted to wish you a merry christmas and I am going to be sending you a card, so hopefully you get it by this summer!! Hopefully they can forward your mail to your new address!! We miss you too girl, I was thinking about you when the weather was about -32 the other day how warm and toasty you were in your little mud hut!! Things are good around here, Chancey is always busy, and I am on the road a lot, traveling to little Montana towns that I am sure people would forget if they were not on the map. Anyway, I love you girl and miss your friend hugs as well (you did after all give the best friend hugs). Take care of your self, and just remember how you were nervous all of those other times, and how it all works out in the end!! Love you girl, Bethany

[mandijo]

miss you
hi jamie! this is the first time i've read your blog! i'm missing out! well i'm sitting at nancy's desk drinking a heineken...slow day at work!!! christmas is tomorrow, and i get to go home! then i'm off to seattle next week, to caroline's wedding, and hopefully to kalispell to see nick! i'd send you a grilled cheese if it would make it to m'car!! miss you much, i'll write soon. love you!!