In my last blog, I wrote about the countrywide teacher’s
strike going on in Madagascar that was messing with my master plan that I
meticulously laid out starting this past February. Then all the health centers
and hospitals went on strike as well. Cool. I asked for good vibes for the strikes to
end and I am happy to report that after 2 months, I am going back to work this
week! I’m sure everyone is dying to know what I’ve been up to for the past
interim months. Basically just a lot of adventuring, fun, and learning. I
dislocated my elbow falling off a camion, celebrated Madagascar’s Independence
Day and watched a house get set on fire during the fireworks show, got my purse
stolen with everything I owned in it, but then had it miraculously returned. I camped out on
the beach, swam in an infinity pool that overlooks the Indian Ocean, and even
stayed up all night once! These past two months in Madagascar have been among some
of my hardest because I really had to look at my reasons and motivations for
being here, minus work and projects and all the other Western things that have
kept me busy in the past. But Madagascar is always teaching me new things and
making me grow and reevaluate. I have some interesting things going on in the
next few months now that the strikes are over, starting with being a translator
for Operation Smile this upcoming August. I’ll write more about that experience
as it happens. But here are some pictures to illustrate what I can’t put into
words about my last couple months here.
