Malacrazy

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 today. For no reason. But really busy. Wondering how I’ll ever get any progress done on my work (and don’t worry – I’m typing this out on my lunch break!), I was thrown a presentation that I have to give in an hour – but in English and the power point presentation given to me is in French…and well, it’s just been one of those days.

Because I don’t have time to go out (and I wanted to type some malacraziness) I ordered lunch in, gave my driver like a $3 tip for going to get my food (which he was so grateful for he almost didn’t take) and then realized – CRAP – I don’t have a bottle opener!!! I always order a bottle of tonic at lunch (I’ll discuss why another post) so I walk over to a group of coworkers that I have started to develop a bit of a relationship with – and ask them for help. They manage to fandangle the bottle open and we crack a few jokes.

I thank them (in Malassy), and as I was walking away – I realize I have this huge smile on my face.

I had just cracked some jokes – in French and with a few words in Malagasy – with a group of Malagasy accounting clerks.

I’m sitting in my office in Madagascar, working my butt off, having the best time of my life with the locals and expats, learning how to speak Malagasy, becoming almost fluent in French again....and every day I when I go outside or look out the window, I’m surrounded by the most beautiful country ever.

And I’m getting paid to do this (and paid more than I ever would anywhere else…like….for the next ten years..)?!!??!?!

FOR REAL!?!?! Some days its so hard to beleive!!!

There are so many times I complain about this and I complain about that – and I’m not saying I’m going to stop – but – I just have to say – publically – in case I haven’t for a few days that, F*CK, I am the luckiest person in the whole entire world. My life isn’t perfect. And I have a lot of hard days. But the experiences I have here…far, far, far outweigh any of those negatives. And I feel so grateful and honored to be here.

Malacrazy rant over.

For now.