Drama

"Totos" - the Robertini dog

Tuesday, 28 February 2023 (16)

There's no experience like pushing your feces down a golf ball sized hole you call the shower drain. I'm not complaining, not really. It is what it is and any sacrifice to be here is worth it. I do hear a lot of complaining from some of the other volunteers that the food is not great or their host family or accommodations are not great. It's normal for sure to think but there is a room full of Madagascar trainers who live here and will long after us continue to live here. I find a lot of those comments are "I" centric. I thought we were all here for others and the small price of inconveniences should only help us to better understand the people, their lives and their culture.

Speaking of culture, the topic of respect for the elderly came up because the people of Malagasy really do respect their elders. They have special words even in their greeting. I have received this treatment. So I brought up in discussion that Americans do not give proper respect to older Americans. The 20 somethings went off on their opinion's defense of how older people may not get things, tech, social media, their music and so on. Not sure what got to me but I spoke up probably rather loudly and said, "Can I disagree?". There was a hush in the room with all eyes on me. I guess I interrupted someone else's response so they went back to hers and then I got to speak. I said a few things in an older person's defense. I have lived the exact same years they have, I know tech, I nearly have a master's degree in Social Media (Mass Communications) and we really don't respect our elders.

More discussion which really irked me - one person insinuating that we did things wrong and I wanted to just say "What, what, did I do wrong? Tell me?" I got in the final word. I'm not sure I know where it came from and I can't quote the words I said but it was basically in a very calm, unemotional voice, "Thank You for your comments. I think the bottom line is that you will understand my perspective when you are older, when you have raised a family, when you have experienced ageism. You'll get there, it's coming and then you will understand."

It seems interesting that we are being told and supposedly trying to learn of, and understand, and be accepting of the Malagasy culture but they cannot understand mine.

This is definitely a dangerous environment to be the only one over 32 or so. I feel I must be a little careful otherwise there is some social suicide coming my way. The group seems at times like a bully or at least has the voices and votes to shut me or my opinions down. 

And I have been careful not to ask too many questions just perhaps the most crucial ones. They don't like it when the class gets expanded when one of my questions extends the time. We were discussing the Malagasy Medical Health situation. When it came time for questions no one had any. We immediately had a break and I went and asked one of the instructors half a dozen questions. It surprises me that people don't have questions, that they aren't very curious or they haven't even contemplated the real issues the country is facing but might get a better insight with a few good questions. Is there corruption, bureaucracy, enough supplies, what level of care is available at the various medical clinics? 

There seems to be a lack of reality here. Most seem happy just to discuss the generic surface content and either not know or not care about the real issues. Perhaps, I mentioned earlier that I spoke up the other day and asked if the real problem isn't poverty - something we can't help with. Instead, perhaps we are treating the symptoms of the problem, putting a bandage on it.

What we do here is honorable and helpful but not the solution.

I bought another towel as I only have one and nothing to either clean or use as a backup. Also a pair of flip flops with a YouTube logo. Never thought I'd change that much. Real men where steel toed shoes in my mind but I'm going to run out of socks if I don't ration them.

We're all going to have to learn some French as the medical system is still French. And I am determined to learn more conversation and question phrases for the meals around here.