Short Presentations to Memorize

My host family - The Robertini's

Thursday, 30 March 2023 (46)

Another bad day, language and otherwise. Still not finding or making time to memorize conversation. My laptop has a fried audio card and I can’t get anything out of it even by using a Bluetooth speaker. 

Language class, was another class on words, sentence structures and topics I don’t think I’ll be using anytime soon. But it's good to cover it, see the new things as it both opens my eyes as to why I am seeing some words as well as keeping me humble as I navigate the best way forward. I can trust my own methods or I can believe the Peace Corps knows a thing or two.

It is often confusing when I am asked to come up with examples and/or sentences to show I understand the lesson material. It’s hard to come up with sentences when I know all of 10-20 verbs. It seems most of my example sentences seem all the same.

After class I went to the Telma phone store to get the third phone service I’ve had now. The woman at the counter couldn’t get my phone working. And more frustrating was that she had no pin to open the sim card housing, yet this is a service they provide all the time. I excused myself and walked to the Airtel service store. They also had no pin. Eventually, they called a friend who brought over a safety pin. I’m carrying one of those around with me from now on.

In the end, they subscribed me to the service but could not give me any services. Instead she asked that I come back tomorrow. So back home without a working phone.

And at dinner, I had an awkward time expressing that I was just tired of six weeks eating whatever other people decided on. It’s not that I don’t like their food. It's in fact heavily in the meat, potatoes and pasta group – it’s just that the servings are often more than I want. For dinner tonight, they served me a full plate of pasta pizza while they were eating half as much.

It wasn’t bad food, but too much, and certainly not something I might make myself. It was very difficult to put into words how being older and for weeks being under others cooking and living restrictions and timetables is not very enjoyable anymore. It can get tiring and I am.

Had the doctor from the local CSB come and speak to us regarding children and pregnant women’s vaccines. A little complicated as one of the staff members had to interpret. And although I have many questions myself, sometimes the crowd has a tendency to ask “what if” questions that take up lots of extra time and perhaps should be asked after class on an individual basis.

Friday, 31 March 2023 (47)

My main computer is fried (or at least the sound card is) and I have Tojo looking at it. My phone is dead in the water as the Telma people are telling me there could be a 30 day wait for service (although other volunteers have gotten immediate service). Thus I can't communicate, upload or write in the journal or blog. Instead I am keeping some WordPad notes I'll eventually move over.

I've asked my family not to make or expect me to eat breakfast anymore. It's a way I can eat less, study more and perhaps appreciate the food. As I said earlier, I'm tired of eating foods cooked by my hosts. I have had many years of fending for myself and seven weeks eating others cooking and Malagasy food at that, and on their time frame - is wearing on me.

Language class went well, I prepared an intro speech and gave it to a couple people. 

Hello, gentlemen and ladies.
My name is Rick. I am happy to meet you all.
I am a volunteer at the CSB II in Sahanivotry.
I desire better health for all.
I look forward to helping however I can.
Please help me to learn and love the people.
Thank you for your trust and assistance.

Salama tompokolahy sy tompokovavy. 
Rick no anarako. Falymafahantatra, ianareo. 
Volunterra any amin’y CSB II Sahanivotry, aho.
Maniry fahasalamana tsara kokoa ho an’ny rehetra, aho.
Tsy andriko ny hanampy araka izay azoko atao.
Mba ampio aho hianatra sy ho tia ny olona.
Misaotra anao noho ny fahatokis anao sy ny fanamp ianao.

I tried it on a pre-law student and he was very receptive and even wanted to talk more. It supposedly went well. Rindra, my tutor thinks I am doing well. She says people understand me. I'm always having fun and saying a few things to throw people for a loop. I think I just need more confidence, rely less in my notes and just get it in my head. It's coming.

Another hour at Telma and still no telephone service. Asked to come back again tomorrow.

Here's the presentation speech I gave to Rindra to translate. It's looking a bit difficult and so I may just steal a few lines rather than memorize the entire piece. I don't know yet.

Tonga eto aho mba hanampy.

Ny hany faniriako dia ny ahazo, ny hankasitraka ary ny hitia ny olona manodidina ahy eto.

Ny fotoanako, ny talentako, ny foko dia atolotro ho an`ireo izay mila izany. 

Ary miala tsiny aho fa fohy ihany ny fotoana ahafahako manompo eto.

Tsy misy fiaikana na sorona lehibe loatra ka tsy hiaretako mba ho eto akehitriny.

Rehefa avy ny andro hialako eto amin`ity toerana, izay hiriko antsoina hoe fonenako ity, indray andro any, dia mino aho fa tsy ho ampy mihitsy raha ny zava-bitako, tsy ho ampy mihitsy raha ny zavatra nianarako, tsy ho ampy mihitsy ny fanompoako, ny fahazoako sy ny fitiavako ny mpiara-monina amiko eto. 

Misaotra noho ny fanampianareo.

Misaotra noho ny hatsaram-panahinareo.

Misaotra noho ny fandraisanareo.

Misaotra nitia anay sy nanome anay fahafahana hitia anareo Malagasy ihany koa.

Mino aho fa misy Andriamanitra. 

Mivavaka aho mba hitahiany anareo sy ny mponina rehetra eto ary ny ezaka kely mba vitanay.

Tonga eto aho mba hanampy!

Saturday, 1 April 2023 (48)

A short day with just language class. Then Rindra, Sampson and I went to the Telma store. Spent another hour there with little to no progress and we had a native speaker with us. They took my photo and passport photo for the forth time. They say just wait for the text message from the system that opens up the service. It isn't happening. Frustrating but par for the course. Patience with a system that doesn't always work well and the blame has been passed to those above. Supposedly they don't think the photo looks like me or some such goofiness. 

Got another haircut, one that Samson insisted would work for me. The red hair is steadily lightening - now a shade of pink.

Tojo didn't return my laptop and I worry I won't be doing any editing until Natalie brings me a replacement as late as June or July. Course, if I could communicate with a phone it would be nice but we'll hope tomorrow I'll be able to run in to Peace Corps camp and use their Internet to both call home and get this smaller Chromebook online. Then I could post online as well as get back to Microsoft office which I am locked out of with no internet connection.

Perhaps it's time to get another phone as a backup. This is a place where one needs two of everything if one wants to have a working version.

This evening we had dinner with one of my host family's daughters and her husband. After exhausting my half dozen phrases I was at a complete loss at conversation. It was embarrassing to have them think I can speak so little. I have heard some of the other volunteers speak and they seem to hold their own rather well. I know I should not make comparisons but it seems difficult not to.

I understand that I am likely humbled for good reasons. I hope to continue to use this humbling to motivate me in these last few weeks to learn and to apply that feeling to learn and to do what needs doing here. 

Sunday, 2 April 2023 (49)

I have been trying to think what I need to prioritize with the language. I need to learn it all basically but a few key things could help. My goal was to only speak Malagasy starting tomorrow. I figured if I was up against the wall with language as I will be in Sahanivotry then I would figure out what the most important things, the most important verbs and words. I can imagine it or I can actually experience it.

I am currently working on a starting statement to express my situation. 

Something along these lines:

I am only speaking Malagasy this week.

Malagasy ihany no miteny amin'ity herinandro ity.

I can not speak Malagasy well.

Tsy afaka miteny malagasy tsara, aho.

I can say this.

Afaka milaza izany, aho.

I am here to learn.

Eto aho hianatra.

...about you.

...momba anao,

...the language.

...momba ny fiteny.

...my job.

...momba ny asako.

I am here to serve.

Eto aho hanompo.

I am here to help.

Eto aho hanampy.

I am here to love.

Eto aho mba ho tia.

...the people and this land.

ny vahoaka ary ity tany ity.

Please teach me.

Mba ampianaro, aho.

How can I help?

Tonga eto aho mba hanampy?