My Timshel by Tamara Gonzalez Oberbeck
AN ADVENTURE WORTH WAITING FOR
Mamy and Nrado My neighbors Mamy (pronounced mommie) and her husband Nrado have 4 children. A daughter at the university in Tana and 3 boys between 12-14. Nrado is a high school history teacher and Mamy runs the little restaurant next to their house. They have been great neighbors. They sent the boys over to... Continue Reading →
I Kid you not!!!! I have been to 6 masses here and the shortest one was 2.5 hours. Last week I walked into the church at 8:45 and left at 1:30. I am talking 5 hours on a hard wooden plank, with a skinny slab for a back that hits you right below the shoulder... Continue Reading →
Chamber pots are sold almost everywhere in town. They are called “po’s” and come in different sizes and colors. All are made of plastic and I am a bit disappointed there are no beautiful paintings of flowers or birds on the outside of them. I decide on a blue one and in a large size,... Continue Reading →
POUSSE- POUSSE Riding into my banking town I spot two oxen, yoked together with a homemade wooden yoke, straining uphill, pulling an unbelievable heavy load of rice. I wonder at their stamina, ribs showing, labored breathing and my heart aches a little for them. Beasts of burdens. No end to their work load, working from... Continue Reading →
Swearing in at the Ambassadors One of my Trainers - we had many but he was one of my favorites. My host mother - very serious lady! We could not make her smile. My neighbors baby who I got to spoil! Polio is still a problem here. Women washing clothes by the river. My host... Continue Reading →
After visiting our sites for 2 weeks we came back to our training center to finish up training. Once again I applaud Peace Corps for excellent training in language, safety, physical and mental health, technical training in what we will work on in our sites and Malagasy culture. I feel well prepared to work... Continue Reading →
Fripping and Such Many of the volunteers will live in areas that still have kings and chiefs and the Malagasy people wear the traditional colorful lambas. This is mostly in the coastal towns. In the highlands and near larger cities where I will live many wear western clothes. All the clothing, hats, shoes and belts... Continue Reading →
Tonga Soa Manandona!! ( Welcome to Manandona) I have not posted for a while as I was away from my training site to visit my permanent site and I did not have my lap top or WIFI. Once again, I give kudus to Peace Corps for bringing in host families to our training site, some... Continue Reading →
Last Monday we were informed that a cyclone was heading toward the north east coast of Madagascar- I learned that a cyclone is a hurricane in this part of the world. Madagascar is the eastern most African country and is hit hardest and most frequent by cyclone. They were predicting at the time that it... Continue Reading →
My Timshel by Tamara Gonzalez Oberbeck 