I’m pretty sure by now most of you are keen to the fact that I don’t update my blog when 1) I don’t have wifi (e.g. during most of Pre-Service Training) or 2) when things aren’t going so well (e.g. the 6 months before my departure when I wasn’t sure if I would be medically cleared to leave). Which means I have a lot to catch you all up on since my last check-in a month after arriving to site.
My first few months at site were… well… transformative and transitional to put it lightly. Once school started I quickly settled into my routine of teaching, attending a bible study, and doing my weekly errands. But by the end of November I was miserable. I knew I had two options - change my Peace Corps experience to be a positive one or go home and ET (Early Termination of Service). Much I think to my mother’s dismay, I wanted to try the former and yet agreed to the latter if things did not turn around.
Scared, and nervous that maybe the things that were a big deal to me would be minuscule in the eyes of Peace Corps, I sent off an email to the office. This wasn’t a hasty email, it was a multi-day, multi-edited, prayed over email that also happened to be quite lengthy. I was sick to my stomach waiting to hear back, but I also had an inner peace about my decision that I found to be a reassurance from God. When I heard the Tuesday before I was to leave for IST (In-Service Training) that for a multitude of reasons I would be changing projects, I was shaking and in tears. After I hung up I realized that the initial flood of emotion turned into mixed feelings. I was excited to see what the future had in store but the sad realization that I no longer would be teaching my students set in. The rest of the week was a rush to pack up my house before I left for training and at the same time pack for training, vacation, and and a stay in Tana for an unknown length of time. As you can imagine things I needed to take with me were packed in the things to stay and some things I most definitely didn’t need ended up in my backpack on my trip.
After IST, vacation, many discussions, lots of waiting, and almost of month of being homeless and jobless in a developing country, I was allowed to finally return to Mahajanga. I really wanted to be back as soon as possible, preferably New Year’s Day, and I wasn’t looking forward to having to wait until January 2nd to sit on another 12 hour packed taxi-brousse ride, so I splurged and bought a flight. The new year came with an unexpected and initially unwelcome surprise when I arrived at the airport only to discover that my flight was canceled. I was ushered down a back hallway and at first no one was willing to tell me where I was going or why. I panicked thinking I was going to be interrogated and began looking for my phone to call Peace Corps to help get me out of what must have been some horrible misunderstanding. I found my phone and looked up to find that we had walked past the office doors and ended up at the airline service desk. As soon as I got there and was clued in as to what was going on, I began to cry. I just wanted to be in Mahajanga. Everyone on the flight was rebooked for the following day and given a free night and free meals at a resort nearby. I immediately messaged my mom to have her look at the hotel thinking it might be some horrible place, but then I realized that the airline had to put us somewhere nice enough that the vazaha vacationers wouldn’t complain. It ended up being a beautiful resort that almost made me forget I was in Madagascar. I stayed in my princess bed all day for some much needed personal time and relaxation after a stressful month. It ended up being a great stay with not amazing food, that didn’t matter much anyways since my stomach wasn’t happy.
The following day I was off on the next flight to Mahajanga and we landed in 45 minutes! (I have to admit it’s going to be hard to sit for 12 hours on a taxi-brousse again… so… if anyone wants to fund my flights for the next two years, let me know!). Flying was amazing! I love flying and I wasn’t sure if I would have the chance to while I was in PC, so it was quite an exciting event. It was a beautiful to see Madagascar from above and as we landed I had this oh so familiar feeling wash over me. The same feeling I do when I land at SJC or LAX - I felt that I was home. The crying in the airport wasn’t just because I wanted to get to a different place, I’d already been so many places, I just wanted to be home.
Although the day before had been filled with relaxation, being home was initially the opposite. The first few days included moving out, getting the new place stocked with food, grading papers, returning papers, and unpacking. To be honest, a week later I’m still unpacking, but I figure it will get done at some point. The best part of being back is beginning to work with an amazing organization and amazing people. I’m excited to see what the New Year brings and I know it’s going to bring a lot! Lots of good and some bad, but it’s going to be an exciting year regardless. New projects will begin, family and friends will visit, adventures will continue, but I also have to deal with a cracked tooth and possibly being medivaced, the relentless heat of the hottest region in Madagascar, and I’m sure many other challenges that will come my way.
I do truly love Mahajanga and Madagascar, and I’m not ready to give all of this up just yet. My mom likes to remind me that ETing is always and option, and she’s right. It is just that - an option. It’s also important for me to remember it’s one of many options. And right now, it isn’t the right option. Fortunately for me, and maybe not so much for my mom (who I know was wishing I would just come home!), things have started to turn around. So I guess it is a Happy New Year in Madagascar after all.
Tratry ny Taona!
Happy New Year!
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| The view from above heading home! |
