Conspiring to Change Roles

Sahanivotry from the hill

Wednesday, 9 August 2023 (177)

Here's the letter I wrote for ECA to use however they like. I think they were planning on sending it exactly as it is. They texted me tonight it was sent. Probably just to the head of the Health program here, maybe also to the English program head, but not likely to the new Country Director.

Dear Peace Corps Director, Health, and Education Staff:

Thank you for all your assistance to the ECA school through the years here in Antsirabe. As you know, we recently lost our Peace Corps volunteer Michelle last month. She has left a large gap in our ability to share American English and culture to our students. 

Fortunately, we have recently started to work with Rick Porter, one of your health volunteers who is currently serving in Sahanivotry. He has been here on several occasions and taught English and conversations with our students. We are very impressed with his teaching abilities as well as his energy, enthusiasm, and love for the students. We would like to have him teach here more often. We have heard about his extensive teaching skills, and they are obvious. He is very good at holding the student’s attention, inspiring them, and teaching not just the English language but culture, lifestyle and encouraging them to succeed in their lives. We appreciate that he is a mature individual with much experience from life.

We have had a couple conversations with him, and he has shared that he is having difficulties in his current role and perhaps struggling with the Malagasy language.

As you know, most of our students have a good start with English and many speak English very well. Rick’s Malagasy current skills would be sufficient and less necessary here.

We would like to officially request that he be reassigned to teach English here. We understand this is not common. We are of the opinion that the people of Madagascar might be better served if Rick can utilize his greater talents here. We like what we have seen and would love to use him more.

Very Sincerely,

The ECA Staff and Association Board

Friday, 11 August 2023 (179)

Painted a clear coat of polyurethan on the four doors and my window. This should help keep the basketball marks to a minimum. There's so much more I could and want to do here. Probably running out of time for any of it

Had my phone call with Mariah the new country director about 1pm. It was pretty much as expected - friendly, cordial, she showed interest in me and my situation but nothing could be done to change my role. If there was a security or safety concern, a site change would be possible but no change of Peace Corps roles is allowed. Seems this goes beyond her ability to control. Love it or leave it may be the only way to go. I was understanding but disappointed. Maybe also a little relieved knowing that I am being led to do what I've been preparing to do - leave Madagascar.

Options include Field terminate and live in the country on my own funds but I'd lose the free flight home and have no support or medical while here. I'd love to teach but realistically, not at that price. Going home to serve in a hundred different ways may be the best option at this time.

I let her know I needed a day or two to make any decision and just time to talk with Natalie and think over options could be helpful but I already know where I'm leaning and always have been if I can't improve the opportunity to serve.

Now seeing and thinking this is the last of all things in Madagascar. Time to appreciate what there is of it. Staying at Loavasoa in Antsirabe tonight so I can teach at ECA in the morning.

Saturday, 12 August 2023 (180)

1: 30 am there's a large exploding noise and the women's hot water pipe has burst in the bathroom across the hall. I'm on the second floor. It's starting to seep into my room. They don't have water turn off valves much here. At site, the water outside we use for washing and general water gathering has run for days before anyone from the town would fix it. I have bought two new faucets but it still took time for some local plumber to come around and then they were insufficiently prepared with no tools.

Just a few students for my conversation class. Eleonore is away and I broke the bad news to her husband. 

Sunday, 13 August 2023 (181)

Resignation Letter:

Dear Peace Corp Staff:

I am very appreciative of all you have done for me. I’m very grateful for the opportunity I have been given to serve the people of Madagascar these few months. Unfortunately, after speaking with my family and much reflection - I have decided to resign and return to the United States. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may bring to you and the organization. Reasons are complicated but I believe in doing what is best for myself, the Peace Corps, and the people of Madagascar. I feel this is the appropriate decision currently.

Please instruct me as to what must be done at this point. I will let my community know immediately and attempt to make this transition smooth, painless and with little fanfare, drama, and emotion. I understand that many items are the property of the Peace Corps (the Bike, repair kit, water filtration unit, footlocker, and gas tank) and will retain those items. I believe I may give other items of mine away. Please inform me if this is correct. I am in no specific hurry to leave but I understand policy requires a quick and efficient departure.

I am very proud to have served the short time that I have. Everyone in the organization has been helpful, kind, and supportive. They have truly done a magnificent job teaching me and giving me all the resources I need to survive and thrive here. I am sorry that I will no longer serve here. I love the people of Madagascar and have learned so many important lessons. I hope I have been an influence for good.

Thank you again. Please let me know what further steps I need to take.

Sincerely,

Rick Porter

This morning, David the carpenter came by. I showed him all the additional things I would be giving him and he was ecstatic. Then I handed him the 500,000 cash and he literally knelt on the ground and prayed to God to bless me. I told him he already has and that is why I have these things.

Spend the morning packing and giving away a few items. Just before noon, Salva and I started painting. We got most of the gray lower half of the hallways in the CSB and all of the front of the CSB. It was a good way to finish up here - doing something.

More packing and more giving away stuff.

The Country Director called me this afternoon and expressed interest in me coming to Tana Tomorrow. That might not be a problem but bringing everything with me including the Peace Corps items would. I have two 40-50 pound bags a backpack and a box of kitchen items for Rindra. On top of that they would like me to bring the Bike, helmet, life vest. Footlocker, medkit, water filtration unit, and gas tank. This could be a two other person job to get it all on the taxi-brusse and then make the transfer to Soatrans in Antsirabe.

I thought maybe I could take Salva and Manda but in talking with Sam and Rinda it was better to just leave the Peace Corps items. They would be more secure here and I could manage on my own or just with some help from Manda in Antsirabe.

More packing and more giving away of stuff.

Monday, 14 August 2023 (182)

Up early but still not enough time to do all that I need to.

Manda and Salva came earlier than I expected and everyone seems to be standing around while I finish packing. We head up the hill with Dobby and the last few items and tools I'm giving to David for his taking Dobby. Then we have to wait at the riverside as David comes and gets half a dozen others to right the swamped boat on the other side. Most people just walk across the knee length water. Not an option for me as we think this is how I got the blood infection a month ago.

Dobby is loving the fact that she's out in new territory and found at least one other friendly dog. They usually stand calmly while Dobby circles then and nips at their noses as a puppy does. We barely cross the river beaching the boat a couple times, hike the kilometer walk to David's house and see the doghouse I've commissioned for Dobby. It's an odd creation because it also has an attached pen to lock her in a small pen. I'm not sure why David thought this necessary. They tell me because people might want to steal her. If they do, doesn't that mean they just want her as a pet. Or can't they just reach over the short wooded fence and lift her out. I voice my concern that she need not be continuously penned up, only for a day or two until I am out of her immediate memory.

We depart after only a few minutes and I don't feel badly at all. I've been through the thoughts so much and know this is for all of our best interests.

It's another half an hour for me to finish packing and Doctor Clertant offers to drive me to Antsirabe. Manda and Salva come along. I'll need some help with the heavy bags and the box of kitchen supplies I have for Rindra. I offer to buy them lunch and return fare on the Taxi-brusse. I even give the doctor money for gas.

We get me a room at Loavsoa, run our errands which includes printing out the 13 page termination paperwork, and close my back account at MCB bank. AT lunch we run into Elder Nelson and five other missionaries, all dressed casually so it must be their P-day. His Malagasy is impressive and he's only been out a year. He converses with Manda and Salva and convinces them to come out to the Manadona church for some discussions. I tell Elder Nelson that these guys are the real deal and are golden if I know anything about their wonderful personalities. I add my testimony by telling them that whatever they may hear form Elder Nelson in the future - I believe also. And if they think I am a good guy, it is because of my religion. 

Eventually they leave as Samson turns up, coming from Tana. He'll share a room and dinner with me this evening. We head off to the ECA school and speak with Eleanor. We discuss the possibility of Samson teaching there as I might have and ask if the apartment could be had in exchange for his teaching. It was good to hear it's a possibility as Samson plans to attend IST and ET shortly thereafter.

We have dinner, I final edit and upload a couple more videos and can't sleep at all. It's partially due to the caffeine and partial due to the fact that I now have my airline schedule. It has me flying out at 12:55pm the day after tomorrow. Again - not enough time to do and say and finish my business here.