Manahoana!

Manahoana (Malagasy for hello) everyone thanks again for all the wishes, and thanks to them I have arrived safely in Madagascar after nearly three days of travel, which seems so distant now.  I arrived in Antananarivo on Thursday March 1st sand was welcomed by the most recent cyclones trailing rains.  We met up with our PC contacts at the airport: John Reddy, Country Director; Dr. Chad, PCMO; PC corps staff drivers; and some current volunteers.  We loaded our gear into some military grade Toyota Landcruisers, and began our journey to the PC training center in Montasoa (some 2 1/2 hours away).  We scurried along twisting roads up into the highland, passing buses, cattle and other hazards along the way.  We arrived at the training center, where we would catch a well deserved meal and rest.  We would spend the next few days at the training center preparing for our home-stay in the neighboring villages of Montasoa and Anjozoro.

Since Sunday March 4th I have had privilege of  living in Anjozoro with a host family beyond my expectations.  The mother, Lova was the only member present when I arrived, but since then I have met her husband Regis, a carpenter in Tana, and her son Dieu Donne, an engineering student in Tana.  There was a initial shock moving to a village where most of the days hours are spent preparing dinner, but after nearly a month it all seems familar; the rooster crows, I wake up, go to the well and get my first bucket of water, heat some of it up and take a fairly brisk shower.  Food has been a bit of an adjustment.  Rice is eaten at least twice a day and that alone takes some getting used to, but on the other hand pineapples are currently in season and we eat them for dessert everyday.  Today however was an exception, because for the first time, the volunteers got together and cooked meals for their families; we made a chile and my neighboring volunteer showed her expertise by making some apple crisp.

In short, it's already been a month and I've learned and experienced so much.  For those of you waiting on pictures I have some but they'll have to wait because the internet a bit too moramora (slow) here to post them.  Oh and this coming Monday we get our site assignments, so I'll finally know what I'll be doing and where!

Salama

Nick