Trip to The Coast

Some Stage mates and I went to Ranomafana and Manakara. Ranomafana is in the jungle on the slopes of the mountains leading from the highlands down to the ocean. Manakara as I’ve wrote before, is on the coast. Anyways, Ranamafana has a river that runs through it, and it has hot water pools. There’s showers that constantly pour out hot water. On a chilly day it feels almost orgasmic to stand under it. To wit, all of us were in the pool along with a bunch of Malagasy folks. Kamaka left the pool, and said,“Hey guys, I’m going to walk back to the hotel.” Yet, on the way out he had to pass under the shower. Fifteen minutes later he was still lounging under the cascade of hot water. He yelled to us, “I can’t leave. It feels so good!”

Dodging Bullets

On 2nd day there, our last day, I walked away from the hotel to have a smoke in an out-of-the-way place. I smoked discreetly, finished and started back. A 100yards into the walk I crossed paths with the Volunteer who lives here and who tried to get me kicked out of the Peace Corps. What weird luck! I dodged perhaps another bullet.

Secluded Beach Bungalows

That night we stayed at some beach bungalows about 10km south of Manakara. It’s secluded. At first, I was like, “What? Why don’t we stay in Manakara. Everything’s there. The hotel has wifi!” But I learned that the secludedness of it was an experience like no other, like that show “Lost.” The first night was chill. We got in late because we had dinner at Sharon’s in downtown Manakara, the same restaurant where my region mate, Francis, got pick-pocketed a year ago, and where we tracked down the thieves and recovered all that was stolen.

World Cup Game

Anyways, the first night at the little resort Ahmad, Kamaka and I were watching the World Cup in the hotel restaurant which was right next to the beach. Two Malagasy women were there and were excited about the game and invited us to drinks. Let me inform you that the night before I had a bender and missed the action-packed ending of the Argentina game. Oh, I was there, my body watched it and cheered, but I can’t remember it. Also, I missed the festivities of that night, June 26th, which is Madagascar’s Independence day. The night of June 25th was fuckin’ rockin’, though! We danced in the streets and there was live music, like a movie depicting Carnaval in a tropical country. So back to the beach restaurant, one of the girls offered us liquor. I took it reluctantly and only drank that one ‘cause I needed a day off. Just this day, though. Yet, the moment was perfect for another fun-filled bender. But I needed to take this night off, only this night! I finished the shot of liquor as we watched the game. Then at the end of the game we took our leave. As I got up I saw that she had poured me another. Damn temptation. I was a good by, though.

Conclusion

You can’t dwell on the past. Learn and move on.

The World Cup

The World Cup has begun. Haven’t been following it, but still excited as always. The World Cup is alway a blast even if your team isn’t in it. In my small town not much is going on. Places still close early and everything is dark at about 7pm. Except a hole in the wall that smells of Malagasy moonshine, called Toaka gasy.

Close of Service Conf. 

Just attended our COS conference. We all (the group I arrived in country with) hadn’t been together for about a year. We had a few nights of fun in the capital before spending 3 days in the mountains at the Peace Corps Training center. I was happy to see our group together again. Like before we clicked immediately. I didn’t know how to act or if my behavior was acceptable or more precise if I was displaying the best behavior to help me reach my goals. In this case, my social goals. Every night we stayed up late watching movies, talking, playing games, signing our yearbooks. Yep, Bekah had yearbooks made. Inside are plenty of pictures and writings. Some mornings we were a little hungover but most of us managed to attend classes. We learned things to help us transition to our lives after the 2 years of Peace Corps Service. Like networking, resume writing, and making medical claims on issues related to service.

Cocktail Party

The last day we met at the Peace Corps Director’s walled compound. A superb home and she’s got attractive art on the walls and books that make here seem pretty damn interesting. This was an quasi-business cocktail party. We got to meet people who work in international development, NGO’s, and in the US sectors like USAID and the US embassy. One guy, who was from Belgium, had covered many different conflicts to fight war crimes. He spent some time in Sudan and Afaganistan. Another interesting guy worked for US AID. He had been involved in helping to rebuild Iraq and Haiti after the earthquake. I was so happy to pepper them with questions. I hope to see them again. I had some drinks. I’ve started drinking again, but so far just a drink at social events.

Worms

This morning while staying at the Fianar Meva, I got a call from the Peace Corps Doctor who informed me that my stool-sample showed that I had worms. What the hell? I researched the parasite on Wikipedia and it looked fuckin’ serious. It goes in your lungs and your heart. Fortunately, the big pill they prescribed is good at killing this parasite. I could have got worms from uncooked vegetables. I eat everywhere here in Madagascar so it’s not a surprise. A bullet dodged.

Conclusion

Party hearty ‘cause you never know when a worm will take you out.

English Club

Today I taught English Club and it went well. I arrived at the school and saw many students milling about. And my English Club students were there. Damn, I was happy.

Walking

When it was finished I walked into town. As I got closer I got more agitated. I’m not a people person. No, that’s not it. It’s how the Malagasy treat me that gets on my nerves. I cannot simply walk into town. Everybody wants to talk to me and interact with me. Strangers are everywhere yelling, “Foreigner!”  I just want to be alone in my thoughts.

Restaurant Incident

Well, I was cranky. I went to a hotely,  a little restaurant, and ordered some food to take out. The lady was getting my food and while she was doing this some guy came in an ordered something so she stopped what she was doing and attended to his order, while I waited. I blew up and told her to cancel the order.  “I’m leaving.” I walked half a block and decided to turn around to tell her clearly why I left. I said it more calmly the 2nd time. She got the message. I’m not going back there for awhile and I’ll continue to be assertive.

Restaurant Conclusion

Next time I’ll stop their little transaction and insist she finish with my order. I’ll do it calmly and forcibly.  The issue of my anger here has started as an emotional burden and metamorphosed to something of an interesting phenomenon. If I can’t outright stop it perhaps I can harness its energy to help me. Channel its energy and to perhaps gregariousness.

Fianar Weekend

This past weekend I went to Fianar on Friday intending to return to my town on Saturday morning because I’m broke. I went to Fianarantsoa to film my students’ theater performance. Saturday I planned to go home but a bunch of volunteers arrived. Surprise! So I decided to stay until Sunday. I shared a hotel room with a few people. It’s in a kinda cheap run down hotel that I stay at all the time. It has a balcony from where you can people watch the bustling street below. And at night there’s a neon sign outside the window that gives it the “New York Movie” vibe.

Sunday Soiree

Sunday morning I woke up to friends talking in our hotel room then a knock at the door. It was Eric, our local tattoo guy. Marie was getting a tattoo, so she said, “Let’s buy some beer!” So we did. Then more people arrived and we spent the afternoon walking up a mountain with a great view point of the city.

Lakeside Bar

I decided to stay until Monday because Monday afternoon Francis from Tampa showed us a bar on a lake down in the valley adjacent to farms of various fruits, veggies, and rice. We danced and drank. We had a stage for ourselves. As we danced we looked out on sections of crops separated by mud walls you could walk on, and of course the lake was off in the distance. Our good times continued until the night where we ended up at Francis’s house.

Bottle of Johnny Walker

In my town I met up with some of my fellow teachers. I told them that I had a bottle of Johnny Walker Red Label that someone had given me and I offered to give it to whoever wanted it. I didn’t want it because I’m not drinking. Surprising they all perked up and showed interest in having it and they suggested we simply drank it immediately. We didn’t have to work so I invited them to my apartment and we finished the bottle. It was the first time I drank with them and it was fun. It was a moment of bonding that’s rare because I’m so wrapped up in my own little world lesson planning, making films, and trying to be comfortable in my small town.

Video of the Rollicking Weekend

The Girl

On Wednesday I had asked the Malagasy girl, who I was courting, to come visit me in my town on a Friday. But on Friday afternoon she texted back that she couldn’t make it. I half expected that. So I decided to end any contact with her. I’ve been trying many times to set up a meeting but always she’s busy. As they say, you gotta know when to let go.

Shooting a Music Video

I teamed up with some of my students to shoot a music video. We shot at a few locations around  town. They were lip-syncing to the song and dancing. The edit went well and it was completed fairly quickly. We all had fun shooting it. I’m sure their friends are gunna be blown away.

Drunk in Class

One day at the end of class, I had some other students ask me to make a music video for them, but I declined, partly because I’m too busy and partly because prior to asking me they arrived to class drunk and were disruptive. Luckily for them I was feeling tolerant that day. I have to admit it was kinda humorous. While watching a movie in class, my spider sense was tickling that one of them was trying to sneak a sip from a bottle from his backpack, but I was watching him like a hawk and sat next to him. After class they requested that I help them make a video, I calmly told them no and that drinking at school was not OK.

The music video:

My Life Depicted in a Movie

I’m watching “Adaptation” a movie written by Charlie Kaufman starring Nicolas Cage. In it he’s a screenwritter who’s been paid to write a script and he has writer’s block and he’s very depressed that he’s been stringing the studio along for months. I’m in a similar situation: I’m trying to finish a film about the Malaria Bikeride and the Peace Corps wants to know when it’ll be ready. I feel like I’ve been stringing them along. The difference is that they didn’t pay me to do this. Actually I paid money out of my own pocket to do this, but I’m still very depressed because I have writer’s block and have no film to show them, in addition to two other films that they are waiting on.

Stressful Livin’

I had a terrible day, got angry because I wasn’t invited to a birthday party of someone who is in my Stage(the group I arrived to Madagascar with) Someone I thought would have invited me. It’s ridiculous, I know. It’s a long story but it was a B.S. reason to get mad and lose my cool. I’m realizing that now more than before, I’m not in control of my emotions. Or maybe I just notice my angry episodes more because I read so much about this type of stuff. I get mad when I want to remain cool. For example, this town is difficult to live in and it drives me bananas sometimes and I am for the first time telling people in town this truth. Up until now I’d tell them all that yeah, I’m comfortable here, which was party B.S. To conclude: I’ve got like 3 months left to go in country and many days I can’t wait for the day to arrive. And other times, I know I’ll miss this place and will want to go back to it, if for only a day. That’s life. Everything looks better in the rearview mirror.

Regional Trip to the Coast

Last few weeks have been busy as a bee. First I had the annual Regional VAC meeting in the town of Mananjary. On the day we departed, we were told to be at the bus station at 7am but we didn’t leave until 11:30, so our group had a few beers in the meantime. You can imagine our state at departure time. The ride down was a party, but it was also like 8 hours so, just like on those long rides to Vegas, like in “Swingers”,  we lost a little steam in route. During the weekend in Mananjary, we drank, shopped, went to the beach, and sang Karaoke.

Trip to Antsirabe

The following week I went to Antsirabe, a big town north of here, to work on a video with a Stage-mate, Edgar. I had filmed an event he organized and now I’ve been editing it. Editing is difficult especially when doing it alone, so I need some help from Edgar. While in Antsirabe I stayed at Hostel Lovasoa. It’s a wonderful place, clean and organized. A lot of other Volunteers were there, too, for their Regional VAC meetings. Tanner, a Volunteer from Georgia, I hadn’t seen since we went to St Maria Island. I made a video about it and he was the Star. A real class act. While at the Hostel, Me and Edgar went into an empty room to record his voice-over. I turned the light off because it made a humming sound. I put a comforter over Edgar to get a better recording as I crouched next to him with the sound recorder in my hands pointing at his mouth. Some other Volunteers opened the door suddenly and were perplexed at what we were doing in the dark room all alone. Lol.

On to the Capital

After that rollicking couple days with other Volunteers, I hopped on a bus north to Antananarivo to take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). The test went well. During our few days there, me and 2 other volunteers stayed in the home of a Foreign Service officer working at the American Embassy. This generous lady had an American style home with all the bells and whistles. She had a TV, wifi, refrigerator, running water, and proper cooking stuff, like a microwave a a cutting table in the middle of the kitchen. I was flabbergasted. We had some wonderful conversations around the dinner table with our host and we had the opportunity to pepper her with questions about the Foreign Service. It was so much fun. I played chess with Jesus, a fellow education Volunteer, that I met when we went to Nosy Be back in October. He got the best of me and I want revenge. Lol.

The Start of Teacher Strike

For the last week the public school teachers have been on strike. So no work. I’ve been taking advantage of this break to get my film projects along the path to completion. Currently, I’m making a video about the Malaria Bikeride and a traveling theater company here in Madagascar, and about a beehive project that an agriculture volunteer in the region is starting.

Conclusion

So even though I’m stressed, I’m grateful because I’m traveling and spending time with good people who are also my friends.

Karol in Kianjavato

I went to visit a fellow volunteer named Karol. She lives in Kianjavato, about a 3 hours ride down the mountain. She’s originally from Colombia and since I’ve spent a lot of time there I’ve always got something to talk to her about. She extended her service and now is about to leave Madagascar after 3 years of service.

Kianjavato Trip

I put together a video of the Woman’s Day Festival at her site and I wanted to bring it to her first hand. Her town is in the jungle, the type of site I yearned for. I had such a good time. She was a great host and took me up a nearby mountain with a cross on top, and the trail went through scenery that blew me away. Karol is an awesome girl and I’ll miss her.

Filming a Documentary

This last weekend, May 6th and 7th I went a few hours south to visit a friend, Dan Villar from Philidelphia, and filmed his beehives. He’s an agriculture volunteer and he’s got six hives and they’re on their way to being fully functional and producing honey. I’m making this video for the Peace Corps. During the filming I got scared because the bees were buzzing around me and some were even crawling on me. Later the bees of one of the hives started swarming above. It looked ominous. “Why they swarming?” I asked Dan. “They’re about to leave.” “Why?” “Because the queen left.” We looked for the queen and Dan’s Beehive partner, Francois, found it. He put it in a cage and put the cage in the hive, and then slowly all the bees returned.

Stressful living’

On the way home strangers were bugging me so I told them to cut it out. Another shitty day where I feel like shit at the end of the day.

Upon waking in the morning, I wanted to be happy and friendly but I soon turned into asshole. Punishing students. My first class was disruptive and talkative so I said lets be quiet for 20 minutes but I extended this to an hour and 10 minutes, then ’til the end of class. I then had one of the most disruptive students accompany me to my next class. I don’t think this is the best way to handle things but I feel like I’m drowning.

Reverse Psychology

I had a good day at work, because I decided to not teach. I told all my Wednesday classes upon entering the classroom that we were just going to chill. I sat down at my desk at the front of the class, and turned on the songs that I had been teaching the students: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” and “Starry Starry Night”. Then I thought it would be a good idea to invite students up to my desk one by one to ask them a question or two. Get to know them a little better.  It went well, I didn’t have to discipline and I didn’t get angry at the students. Plus, even though I told all the students to talk amongst themselves while I talked to the invitee, they ended up all watching and listening to my interactions with the students. This worked out so well. Even though I didn’t “teach” English, I kinda did and I was happy and in a good mood.

Conclusion

When the going gets tough, just turn everything upside down.

Polynesian Princess

I’ve started courting a Malagasy Woman…..again. The same girl. I met her at Tea & Talk, the English Club in Fianar. She looks like a daughter of a knoble Polynesian Chief. I hadn’t talked to her for awhile because something bad happened: I took her out on a “first date” to a house party at the Peace Corps Meva in Fianar. I introduced her to many people. Then she basically ignored me for the rest of the night. She kept talking to a friend of mine. He’s an attractive and smart guy. Tall, too. Can’t really blame her. Hell, I’d do him. Lol. Well, decided to not call her back. Time has passed and I’m willing to try again. We’ll see how it goes.

The Start of the Day

I started the day leaving my apartment early morning making the long walk to the school. I was repeating to myself like a mantra, “I’m not going to get mad today.”

Class Time

Then 5 minutes into the class I lost it. I became enraged for some stupid little thing. The students, when I told them to write something, just looked at me dumbfounded. Their expression was strange and twisted a dagger in me. I flew into a rage. I yelled, “Outside!” I had them sit outside and and write under the sun. I don’t know where all this anger comes from but I don’t like it and I want to be chill and relaxed. Nor do I know how to change it. Everything I’ve tried has failed. I’m gunna be cooler next time.

Facebook post + No Happy = Life

Funny side note. I made a short video demonstrating a bad day here in Madagascar. People normally post only good moments in life, myself included, so I decided to post the real Viggo. Right after I posted it on Facebook, my friends were seriously concerned. “Are you all right, man??” So I took it down. It was too real.

Feeling Better Feeling Good

Today was what they may call a watershed moment. I had the English Club today and I was really friendly. Better said, I was comfortable with them and in my own skin. And I walked home with them. I’ve never felt comfortable doing that. It’s been a year and six months in this small town and I did that for the first time. A great fucking day!

Calmly Killing Chickens

As I was walking back into my apartment my neighbor, a teenage girl passed me with a chicken in one hand and a knife in the other. She was nonchalant. She did it. She took the chicken off the side of the yard and beheaded it.

The Worm Has Turned

Something interesting happened today. I walked to school to teach two classes which is a whole day affair, but when I got there I was told that the classes had been canceled. Normally, I’d be elated, but today I was disappointed. I was looking forward to teaching them. Wow, the worm has turned for me. I suspected that this day was going to arrive. After many days, months being surly and pissed off, I knew from experience that it could go two ways: either go postal or go born-again Nice Guy. I went the right way.

Taking Students to English Club in Fianarantsoa

I took two of my English Club students to Fianarantsoa to attend an even bigger English Club, this one for professionals and university students. They got to see Malagasy People speaking lots of English. I was pleased. And when it was over I took them out to lunch.

I came to Tana so the dentist can fix my tooth again. Also, I’ve asked to see a doctor, and eye doctor while here. My right eye has been bothering me since many months ago. And I’m unconfident that the eye doctor will help me. Plus, I’m not thrilled to see an eye doctor who doesn’t speak English and my Malagasy isn’t very good. Which reminds me: I saw the dentist today. He didn’t speak English. Everything turned out fine, but it was a little difficult. He had to use a grinder to fix my tooth. No Novocain so I felt a little pain. Man, it was uncomfortable and I sweated a lot. But that’s the least of my worries. What stresses me out is that I won’t be back in my town until Saturday, which means I’ll miss filming at a restaurant with my English Club. I had spent a lot of time arranging this. Including talking to the proprietors and getting permission. Totally bummed.

On a lighter note, I’m staying at the Underground Hostel once again. My favorite place to stay in Tana. A fellow Peace Corps volunteer named Jacqueline is staying here, too. She lives on the East Coast near the beach. She’s got some great Facebook photos. A lot of postcard beach shots. Makes me jealous when I see them. I saw Matt Bender, another volunteer, from Wisconsin and around my age. How old am I? I think 44, maybe 45. Me and Matt met in Fianarantsoa, in the south highlands and then later in Island Sainte Marie and we walked about 13 miles through a swamp together when we escaped the island before the cyclone hit.

I went to the coast about 6 hours away to visit fellow volunteers. A bunch of us helped to teach her students about Chinese New Year. I took out my phone and started filming what I thought would be good in a vlog and put it together which is posted here.

Today monitored the students taking their semester exams. Man, I was grumpy. I started the day kinda happy then got grumpier as the day wore on. After work on the way home the townsfolk, mostly the children, bugged the hell out of me. I grabbed a few kids and scared them which released some pressure. All along the walk I tried to avoid people especially my co-workers. Unfortunately I ran into them in town and they made jokes and cackled. I was polite and quickly said bye and walked away then immediately regretted it. I’d like to be more friendly and upbeat. I just am not able to will myself to a good mood. These Malagasy treat me so strange, like a celebrity. They lose their shit when they see me and they’re all up on my shit all day long when or wherever I go. It’s maddening.

I giddy. I’m shaking. I just tried to kiss a girl. She’s in my Stage that I’d arrived in country with. I’ve liked her since then which is about a year and 10 months ago. She didn’t kiss me back. She said, “Viggo, you know I love you, right? But not like that.” But you what? I’m happy. I tried. I gave it a shot. I didn’t opt out of the Game. And you know what? Our friendship has actually flourish since that night. LIFE

Back in Alakamisy. Back to the grind and I’m juggling teaching and film making. Today I used a new technique to calm down a rowdy class, 2nd IV, equivalent to high school sophomores. I pulled out my iphone and set the timer for 5 minutes and announced, “Everyone quiet for 5 minutes.” It was to calm them down and to calm my nerves. Before this I had felt the anger growing. During the quiet session some students buried their heads in their arms. It was an action of a young child. They looked to be both annoyed and ashamed. Like I said, they’re one of my best behaved classes. On the positive side, I’m happy that I’ve found a non-agressive form to address the rowdy and naughty classes.

Today I did something. After teaching I decided to walk into town instead of going home. I saw two of my co-workers who invited me to sit down with them. They also asked me for some of my delicious granola with chocolate, that I bought in Tamatave where the cyclone hit. I was annoyed. They’re always asking for something. I thought of not going inside, then I thought, “This is a great opportunity to sit down and converse with Malagasy folks, and these folks are fellow teachers like me.” So I went in and was playfully an asshole. I was an asshole more to the girl that I’m attracted to. I was having a little fun, but there was some annoyance and anger mixed in there, too. When I said my good bye, she avoided making eye contact with me. Maybe she’s attracted or maybe she didn’t like my cocky behavior. Later, I regretted the whole thing: being an asshole, perhaps too much of an asshole. I’m gunna be more friendly, more funny, more upbeat, next time.

It’s been a good week. Teaching going well. I’m not getting as mad at the kids as I have before. Getting a lot of video editing done, too. Oh, I’ve started watching episodes of Miami Vice. It’s so interesting. I know all the areas and streets. While in Miami I never had a car and walked and too public transportation, I had drank beer and stuff in many back alleys and waterways I know the city like the back of my hand. So I see the difference between then and now.  It stirs a nostalgia that I’m still trying to wrap my mind around.

This week Premiere D1, equivalent to high school Juniors, was rowdy as hell and I had them sit under the sun for 20 minutes. I wasn’t mad. I don’t regret it. It had to be done. I gave them multiple chances to be quiet in class.

Also, I’ve been filming a lot for my weekly vlog that I’m starting. A new film-making technique. I’m enjoying it. And it keeps me busy.