Just NB

Playing soccer at lunchtime There are always fresh coconuts for sale. I don't really like drinking the coconut water though...kind of tastes gross to me. The port of Tamatave. I get a tour of this one day. The restaurant where we ate. Pretty nice view! View from the 1st restaurant we went to - turned out to be closed for the day I didn't beleive these flowers were real! And since I was dressed to match - I got my picture taken. More views from the restaurant... Taken on the drive to the restaurant These are just a few pictures of the over 200 pictures I took yesterday. There is still so much to see and do here, but it was such a beautiful day! And really, it wasn't any special day - coworkers going out for lunch. Its just so different from Canada, and sometimes I can't enough of the scenery! Especially on days like yesterday. I was sick today - and I hope my body has gotten rid of whatever it was that was making it sick (it should have...there isn't anything left....

I am just too tired to come up with a real post, but just had to write down today how beautiful is here and how lucky I am to be here. I went to lunch with one of the most interesting people. My lunch mate has a PhD in Educational Sciences, is a trained Chemical Engineer, was a proffessor at Trois Rivieres and now works as some kind of trainer here to train the nationals. He was born in Morocco, spent a large portion of his life in Quebec, and has lived/worked all over Africa for the last… I don’t know… twenty years (he is… old). Sometimes I get stuck in a routine here and go for lunch with the same people to the same places. Sure its still Madagascar, which is always interesting, but I forget that I’m surrounded with such incredibly interesting people and can't just stick with the same thing all the time. Today I went to the most beautiful restaurant I have ever been to, talked to one of the most interesting people I have ever met, and had a great time. Yes, I had a bit of a pani...

This Sunday I went on the Canal Pangalens tour again. I went a couple of months ago, but this stime I went with some people that had never gone before. Its a day tour and I had a blast the last time. This time we brought candy and fruit to hand out. The villagers were so greatful!!!! I had nothing better to do, anyway... :) We first stop in at a tourist village for some lunch. This village has overnight stays if you can live without running water or power! During lunch we get a pretty good dancing and music show. The little one shakes her hips far better than Shakira!!! I set up my camera to take this picture, thought it might make for an interesting one to send home..... And I ended up this with bug in my hair!! Ewww!!!! I try not to send too many pictures home like this....but this little guy just was just too precious! This little guy wanted me to take a picture of him being a good soldier! These little guys can't get enough of seeing themselves on cam...

I’m not sure how many of you out there reading this blog know about my history with dentists. But, I am anti-dentite. I don’t care who knows it. I don’t like them. To be fair - I haven’t actually gotten to know one personally – but in general, I don’t like the profession at all. I live in this dream world where I think that my near perfect looking teeth should just be maintenance and hassle free. And I brush and I floss (well, maybe not so much when I was a teenager…but I’m good now, I swear), and therefore, I shouldn’t have dental problems. But I have crappy teeth enamel or something, I don’t know what the deal is. Let’s go back in time about…five years ago. I needed a root canal. And I’m terrified of the dentist. So terrified, that I need to be sedated to have a small cavity filed. I went to this dentist (who, by the way – was so super hot) and he would give me some drugs. I would arrive and be all shaky and freaking out, he would give me this little pills, they would take effect and...

Maybe I’m just being extra Africa crazy today…(which reminds me – it’s offensive to call Madagascar part of Africa – so I have to try and stop saying that…). Take two: Maybe I’m just being extra Malagasy crazy – wait – that doesn’t read as easily…does it? How about Malacrazy? Okay – I’ve decided. That’s the new term. Malacrazy Defined: The emotional rollercoaster including small amounts of psychosis brought on by living in one of the craziest, most beautiful, most amazing countries in the world, where twenty nine years of experience and knowledge and learning have to be thrown out the window to survive and I just have to “wing it” for 95% of my day. Just a few pics of this beautiful, crazy place.... Take three: Maybe I’m just being extra Malacrazy today…. But…I have so many moments where I just feel like I am the luckiest person on the entire earth . I know I’ve said it before, but this is such an amazing experience and I am so privileged to be here. I’m having kind of a crappy day tod...

Last night – I went back to school! I’m pretty used to doing night school….I’ve only been doing it for… oh my god, I don’t even want to say out loud how many years I’ve been doing it… Anyway – I’m back to night school yet again! Except instead of learning financial consolidations (for the eighth time – when am I ever going to pass that class!?!?!?) I’m learning how to speak Malagasy! A few months ago, the project sent out an email to sign up for twice weekly Malagasy lessons. I’m pretty sure that I could get around with just speaking French but I’ve been really interested in learning the local language – so I signed up. (Also, in my opinion, if someone moves to Canada they should learn how to speak English or French – so why shouldn’t this apply to me?) Last night was my first class. Because of my rotation schedule, I had missed two classes, but with all of the practicing I’ve been doing talking to the locals and drivers, I thought I would have it covered. UM. WRONG. The number one ru...

Throughout my time here I have been fortunate enough to meet some super nice people and have met some extremely generous and helpful people along the way. I thought I’d give an update on one of those people: The St. Denis Reunion Shopkeeper. I’m not sure if I told this story on the blog before (well, I’m sure I did, but I want to re-tell it because I feel like typing right now). A long, long time ago (not really but it sure feels like it!!) I was travelling to Tamatave my first time. And, I had a bit of a blip. Now – in the grand scheme of a 15,000km travel – this was an extremely small blip – but it didn’t feel like it at the time. In the Paris airport lounge, I took my anti-malarial medication. The medication directions specify: TAKE WITH FOOD. Now…I wasn’t that hungry, it was really like… 4h00 for me (and I hadn’t been drinking so I didn’t have the “lets hit up the Denny’s ‘cause we’re drunk and want pancakes” kind of feeling), so I had about a half of a banana and an latte. I thoug...

One of my very first posts was about all the bullshit that I have to go through to get a ride anywhere. **I am not going to get into reasons why I have driver issues. I’d rather take care of this myself – even though it’s a bit harder – than deal with all the political garbage and arguments it would take to get my own driver*** I still never know who is taking me to work at what time or how I’m getting there. If it was safe – I’d ride my bike to work (there are no road rules and I’m pretty sure dozens of cyclists are injured or killed every year). Up until now, I randomly approach other expats and try to catch a ride with them. (My expat BFF’s work far away from me or else I’d catch a ride with them). We are all leaving from the same place and going to the same place….so what is the big deal if I sit in their car or not? I don’t get it. Some of them are very nice and accommodating…others…well, not so much. I’ve made to work every day and most days just go out for lunch with friends. Bu...

The night before I left home (I’m referring to my Canadian home now) – I was really nervous. I was nervous about leaving the people that I’ll miss, and, on top of that my very best friend in the whole world’s baby was in the NICU – and it tore my heart out to leave while baby wasn’t at home with her mom.   I was also feeling what I think a little kid feels the night before his first day back to school after summer vacation. Will he have the same friends as last year? Will he like his teacher? Will his day-to-day routine stay the same? I’m sure these feelings of uncertainty and anxiety have kept up a lot of little kids up that one night before school starts. And what about me? What if I when I got back to MG things were really different? What if my BFF Old Men Expats weren’t all there? What if we didn’t have our little family like before?   It just made me uncomfortable, a bit batty (for lack of a better word) and I...

And I'm off again! I'm sitting in the Toronto airport, sipping a glass of wine as I type this. Part of me is so excited...the other part is nervous! Kind of like a "back to school" type feeling. I'm looking forward to seeing my good friends again...but nervous to be back in a country that makes me feel a little crazy at times. Yesterday I was a bit of an emotional wreck! A lot of crying, a lot of running around with no real purpose and just being frazzled....so I'm looking forward to being setttled back home again. Thanks to everyone that made an effort to come see me and spend time with me. It was so nice to see everyone, meet a few new people, and live the high life for a few weeks! It was great to always smell so nice! I miss how great Canada smells... (even in my ghetto side of town!!) I'll be back December 14th ready to spend some time with you all again....especially baby Emma. So happy she is safe and sound back home. Made me leaving a lot e...