Moramanga

G58 at the Hospital in Moramanga

Monday, 3 April 2023 (50)

Was a good day. Tojo fixed my laptop by completing an update I could not do at PC Camp. Also my phone service finally kicked in.

Tuesday, 4 April 2023 (51)

Left this morning for a 3 hour trip to Moramanga to visit with the district office over CSB's as well as get to see a regional hospital. I haven't been eating any breakfast with my host family the Robertini's and today was a good reason not to. It isn't the bad roads that is the problem but the good roads that our drivers go too fast on and the turns are anything but good for empty or full stomachs. And unfortunately, I had no window seat. Very unpleasant.

The hospital was nothing to write home about. 70 beds and limited services. Probably a trauma 1 if that. Best to just go to Tana for anything serious. Not that they are to be blamed or any fault of theirs. It's just that in comparison to what we in the west think of hospitals, this wouldn't pass any accredidations or standards of quality, clenliness, safety or much else. But this is the best one has here and happy to have it.

This evening the majority of the group went for a night time tour of the National Park here in Andasibe where we are staying in nice two bed cottages. Lots of tourists around. I spoke with a man from Spain and spoke some Dutch to a couple of German tourists.

Had a decent dinner with a few of the guys where we had some fried fish and frites. The four of us ate for about 61,000ar including a couple bottles of soda. That's roughly $13.

Peace Corps thought we needed this little trip to give us a break. I'd rather we just get training over with and get us to our assigned cities.

 

Wednesday, 5, April 2023 (52)

There was some complaints that came from other guests and security after midnight last night. Several of the volunteers, half a dozen of the girls in particular had been drinking and were loud and disorderly. The Germans I spoke with complained. Even security came and knocked on our native chaperone's door after midnight. I'm convinced they need to have a higher standard in their selection process for the Peace Corps.

Spent some time at the Moramanga CSB II that used to have volunteers but no more. There were a few examples of how they made a difference and that difference is still in play there. Paintings on the walls that remind patients of baby care, food groups and handwashing. They also build a water system and other things which gave us an idea of what we can do at our sites.

I know a few things I'd like to do at my site already like helping them get a fresh coat of paint and clean-up and improve the general appearance.

Back at Peace Corps Camp for the evening but first a couple of afternoon classes.

Although I hate to be negative here on the Peace Corps, these two classes couldn't have been worse. One was on nutrition and eating balanced meals. I'm 63 years old and the class was taught as if I never heard of nutrition at all. I know the government needs us to have this training module - but really. Teach us where we are at maybe. And the reality disconnect from the ideal balanced diet and meals for me - are a joke. Like I'm going to magically start to eat healthy foods or vegetables. They have taught me nothing more or new that would convince me to eat foods I find totally unappetizing.

Then we had another hour class on the reporting system we'll be using while in the Peace Corps. We just spent an afternoon the other day going over this. Now they want to have a class and go over it again. And I'd prefer not to comment on the quality of the training or the trainer. It doesn't help that we are all tired from the trip home and many others likely didn't get much sleep or were hung over.