Early Days

Wednesday, 15 February 2023 (3)

Few of us slept much last night. It was 1:30 when I finally took to bed. I had washed my garments for the first time in order to reuse them in a few hours. Bags packed and ready to shower, dress and walk out the door. Around 4am three of us were in the lobby and ready to go. I messaged the What's App group that we had two baggage carts available and ready to come for their bags. For the next hour we carted down and I became the bag weigher. It appeared that almost everyone had overweight bags. Even the two extra bags we filled the other day afforded few with lighter bags.

Most had overweight carry-ons. It took less than an hour to arrive by bus at the International airport. One of the volunteers took the advice given at the end of our orientation yesterday afternoon and decided to call it quits before the trip to Madagascar. One of the girls, was effected by the decision and was in tears to me as she spoke of those she left behind and likely wouldn't be there upon her return - her grandparents, her cat. She had already been through a few weeks in Madagascar before Covid and sent home three weeks into her volunteer training because of Covid.

I wanted to give her a hug but didn't dare. A moment later, she hugged me and thanked me for just listening. I suspect that this is exactly how I hope to help. Some may need a reassuring and listening mature person who won't judge them nor feel the need to give advice where none is wanted. Later, I connected with some of the girls and asked them to spend some time with her and work their own magic as only young women can.

We were relieved when we discovered we didn't need to bring our carry-ons to the counter to be weighed. Instead we piled them against the wall and checked in with our overweigh checked baggage. But in answer to our hopes and prayers, either they didn't care about the 3-10 lbs. overage or, in my case, the scale wasn't even turned on.

I've been making it a habit to thank everyone we meet and many of those working behind the scenes to make our passage smooth, uneventful and less stressful. Yes, the obvious airline counter people, the TSA workers, the hotel staff - but also the cleaners, the food service people, the waiters, the many military people wandering the halls in our hotel, just blocks from the pentagon, and the stranger with a verbal thanks, a smile or an interested moment to acknowledge their existence, their importance and my appreciation.

A couple hours at the gate and then boarding. That brings me up to now - with time to write, time to think, time to relax. I believe it’s a 16 hour flight to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia for our first leg. A few video shots, lots of conversations. The hopes and dreams of our involvement starts now as we continue onward into the great unknown of this adventure.

Thursday, 16 February 2023 (4)

There was a couple hour layover in Addis Ababa. It was nice that we disembarked and loaded the two planes and got to be outside on the tarmac, breath in the air and not only see Ethiopia from behind terminal windows.

Then a five hour flight to Madagascar. We were met at the airport by our Country Director Brett and almost a dozen staff from PC and the embassy. We collected our bags, (no one lost any) and we loaded 6 passenger white four wheeled drive vehicles. It was our first experience with individuals who wanted to push our carts. I wasn't sure this was a free service until I took out a dollar to give him for pushing my cart 100 feet. He asked for $10, then I knew I was caught up with a rich American scenario.

It was a 3-hour enlightening drive. Nothing we saw on the internet or in any kind of preparations we received before could have prepare us quite like the reality of what we saw out the window. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what I saw was worth a million words. We saw some people happy, some sad, many working in rice fields or beating rice stacks, many walking along side of the road as there is no sidewalks. Cows chained to the side of the road in a place I could only figure out had some decent grass. Kids with no shoes. Animals of every kind, mostly thin and unnaturally small. Fewer and fewer cars as we exited Tana only to be replaced with large semi-trucks transporting supplies on this very bad two lane road. Many potholes as big as small craters from one end of the road to the other. But our driver still drives so fast and passes cars left and right.

Most wear second hand clothes, brick buildings look baren in many cases and I doubt they would stand up to even minor earthquakes. Supposedly, there is a Cyclone headed our way in a week, which may delay our going to our host families during PST.

There are no bad roads as bad as the cobblestone and dirt roads going to the training facilities for the last 10-15 miles. Can't even imagine how vehicles could get through in the rain and mud.

We arrive but not much happened here this evening. We were given our rooms, two to a room. One of the rooms gets shared with a guy and a girl. No staff have a problem with that. There was one room for just a single - I didn't want that for me. I hooked up with Samuel the other army guy. Told about the showers and a couple of us smart ones got in first before any lines. Dinner of rice and some meat (probably Zebu as it tastes rather gamey).

I don't remember what else - no desert. Warm water, hot coffee or tea, no milk.

I think I was in bed by 9pm.

Arrival at the Antananarivo Airport

Friday, 17 February 2023 (5)

It has been hard to find time to catch up. Having to go by some notes just to catch the highlights for the last couple days.

I was up only once about 1 am. The mattress is fairly firm, more than the futon I've been sleeping on for the last two months. Eventually got up at 4 am and took another shower. Up for the day.

Had a wonderful conversation with one of the Malagasy doctors about his country and his people. I was overcome by the spirit, in tears and literally shaking. I asked him to teach us how to love his people. And again with another staff member later in the day. This was not just emotion but a genuine hope, a cry for inspiration and desire to learn the one thing that would really make a difference. The secret ingredient that would season all the other ingredients.

Breakfast at 8 - rice and scrambled eggs, butter, bread, jam, bacon, more meat, some kind of juice.

We had our first classes, again mostly to orient ourselves to campus and the bigger agenda before us. Our training manager pulled me aside after our morning break, to warn me about getting too involved and possibly only ask or get verbal one in four times when it crosses my mind. Though I agree. 

We all received about 75,000 in local money which is about $15 US. We get this amount every week. 

I've always felt I needed to hold back. I guess staff is watching me closely or perhaps more closely than some of the others. I was given some good advice to hold back on some commenting. Probably best that I contribute more equally rather than more than others.

Took another covid test and have been told we'll take one every Monday while we are here. No one tested positive. Supposedly only 7% of the population is vaccinated here. Got the first of our two rabies shots. Others received other shots they needed.

One of the staff mentioned that PC actually stands for "Permanent Change." 

Another phrase - "Rather than worrying about the storm, we should dance in the rain." It's raining out tonght. I will dance to my room.