Chapter 2

21.11.2010 I’m not sure what to think. Or rather, I have too many contradicting feelings right now to fully comprehend.

So my plans have changed a bit; as it turns out, I didn’t leave Madagascar. And you all thought I was joking about hiding in the woods. . .

But really, I just didn’t get on the plane. In 17 minutes the flight that is to take Stony Brook’s Study Abroad 2010 out of Madagascar is scheduled to lift off. At 20:00 I loaded onto the bus with the rest of the students who I’ve grown to know and love so well and off we headed to the Antananarivo airport. We spent some time having one last look through the various Madagascar merchandise for sale in the inevitably over-priced airport souvenir shops, waited in lines to check baggage, and then said our goodbyes. 12 people in total, boarding passes out and carry-on luggage in hand, made their way around, giving hugs and exchanging wishes for safe travels and talk of future interactions. I gave them each a hug, and sadly watched as they made their way through the frosted glass doors toward the (only?) gate in the Tana airport.

After that it was my turn to turn away and accompany the group of Malagasy who had been such an integral part of our study abroad back out into the not-so-fresh Tana air.

And now Mike and I are the only two Study Abroad vazaha remaining. Since that moment I left the airport I’ve been in a strange surreal daze of disbelief. Study abroad is over, but here I am, in the hotel in Tana, eagerly awaiting the begin of a new adventure.

So some clarifications are probably in order at this point: I’m staying in Madagascar. Surprise! About 4 days ago, while we were in the secondary rainforest in Andasibe, I realized that I wasn’t ready to leave. It wasn’t much of an epiphany, but the significant realization that I made at that same point was that I really didn’t have to. I had allotted myself 10 days to adventure in Paris, but had no specific agenda holding me to that country.

Before we had even departed from Stony Brook was back in September Mike had been planning on staying in Madagascar for a while after our study abroad program ended. I knew that he had changed his flight out of Tana to a later date, and was suddenly very aware of the complete feasibility of my doing the same thing. And so I decided that if at all possible, that is what I would do.

Of course I procrastinated a lot, and the travel agent who had booked our flights into Madagascar was terribly unresponsive (I’ve still not received a response from her, in fact), but luckily Tiff is a do-something-about-it kind of person, and she skype called Airfrance and got my flight changed. I don’t know what I’d have done without her, it’s likely that I’d be waiting around in the Tana airport for a flight to France right now.

However, I’m not. So instead my plan is to revisit several locations in Madagascar over the next 2 weeks. Tomorrow morning I’m boarding a taxi-brousse with Dadah and we’re headed out on a 9 hour crowded public bus ride back to Fianarotsa. From there I’m either headed out to Isalo to explore the national park some more, back to Ranomafana to hopefully accompany some of the researchers into the field and get a sense of what their studies involve, or I may be headed aboard a train to Manakara, a village on Madagascar’s east coast.

My plans are still pretty up in the air, but the important part is that they don’t involve my departing from this country for another 14 days. Having never traveled on my own before, I’m terribly apprehensive, a feeling which is largely intensified because I speak neither French nor Malagasy, the two main languages of Madagascar. I have, however, purchased an English-Malagasy dictionary, and have been persistently bothering the Malagasy students here about nuances of the language, and am fairly confident that if need be I can mash together some terribly pronounced statement that will hopefully convey the basics of whatever I need to communicate.

Despite my inexplicable excitement about my upcoming adventure, I feel it’s absolutely necessary for me to mention the happenings of our final week of Madagascar Study Abroad 2010.

Our final weekend at ValBio was certainly bittersweet, I spent as much time as I could with all of the people there I’d grown to love, and realized I’d be leaving behind. The on a few occasions the Malagasy all got together and just sang songs that I couldn’t understand, accompanied by a single guitar and perhaps a shaker-thing. Despite my lack of comprehension I must have sat there and listened to them sing for at least 2 hours, enjoying every syllable.

What really impressed me was the number of songs they all seemed to know. 2 hours is a lot of songs, but generally, as someone started strumming a rhythm and announced a few words in Malagasy there’d be a momentary babble soon replaced by all of their voices, singing (nearly) all of the words of whatever songs had been chosen.

The last two nights in Ranomafana were incredible, albeit not particularly restful. About 4 days prior to our leaving ValBio for the last time I convinced myself that sleep was a waste of the little time I had left, and therefore opted to just not sleep more than 4 hours a night. Those last two nights I never even made it back into my tent but rather found that the top of the water filtration building (The Box, as it became known as) was a fantastic place to drift to sleep, as it allowed me to watch the stars until slumber arrives and disturbs my vision. The top picture on the previous post is a photo of our pilot night (though actually the following morning) sleeping atop The Box.

Farewells at ValBio were brief but still sad and once completed, the 15^th of November faced us with about 13 hours of travel northward to Andasibe, another national park. The ride passed with surprising ease, however and before too long or too much boredom we were moving out stuff into bungalows which looked out over the lemur infested forest of Andasibe.

We spent 2 days in there, seeking out lemurs in the forest by day and being awoken to the Indri indri’s haunting wails as the sun rose each morning. My time in the forests there are really what confirmed my decision to remain in Madagascar, and although I don’t for a moment believe that this will be my last experience in this country, I simply couldn’t bear the thought of parting with the warm fresh air, the beautiful friendly people, or the majestic (dare I say magical) wilderness in order to travel through industrialized Europe.

After our 2 days in Andasibe we retraced The Road back to Antananarivo where we had a few days to chill, fix our presentations, and do some souvenir shopping. Some political turmoil here had us cooped up in the hotel the first night, but we were never faced with any imminent danger. Thank goodness for that. It certainly was exciting, however, knowing that we were in Madagascar's capital city as their history was being made.

The 19^th found us in an Indian restaurant for dinner, we were all presented with awesome straw hats from our two Malagasy students and I was graced with 2 birthday cakes and several highly entertaining Bollywood birthday music videos (who knew Old McDonald Had a Farm could be so fluently merged with Happy Birthday).

Yesterday we presented our research projects to the President and Vice president of the University of Antananarivo (among some other spectators), and then had a cocktail like party in celebration of our completion of presentations. That evening we headed out to a karaoke bar/restaurant for some fun on our last night in Madagascar.

Now I need to sleep, however, as we leave in 6 hours to travel to Fianar. My return to the states has been postponed 4 days with the change of plans, but I’m not very upset about it. I’m preemptively asking for forgiveness for the severe nostalgia which I’m sure I’ll fall susceptible to upon my return. But until then I’ll be frolicking about in the sun, drinking in the spirit of Madagascar.

Pictures:

1. A majority of us crowded around the small TV in the lobby, trying to decode the Malagasy vaovao (News) about the current political situation and potential turmoil in the center of Antananarivo.

2. Tana has a Hollywood-like white sign on a hillside. It's pretty neat.

3. The bungalows in Andasibe, taken from our back porch (which looks out over the forest). Gorgeous: Yes.

4. Our whole group (sans Franck, our Malagasy TA) after presentations at the University of Antananarivo.

Also: Happy Thanksgiving!

Some Pictures

1. Where we slept under the stars on The (water filtration) box. Cold, but awesome.

2. Tess, Dede, Michaela, and Franck dancing to Afindrafindrao, Madagascar's national dance.

3. My tent at the campsite in Ranomafana.

4. Hiking back from the canyons on the first day in Isalo National Park.

5. The view from the ValBio Balcony; the day we arrived; foggy.

6. The part of the kitchen set up at the Valo campsite.

7. Jethro and Tiff, photographing and drawing a comet moth on the wall.

No time to write now. But visuals are nice.

I can't believe I forgot my time-turner.

11/11/2010 Our days here are passing at a disgracefully constant pace, much to my dismay, and so now I’m sitting outside, gazing around me and trying to slow down time with sheer brain power and want. Unfortunately, I seem to be failing.

The past week has been pretty busy with busy work and preparation for the presentations of our research results. It’s taken a lot more brain power than I had expected, but come tomorrow morning when it’s time to dress up in our smart outfits and explain our projects to the mayor of Ranomafana I think we’ll all be prepared.

Last night a few of us ended up pulling an all-nighter trying to complete our statistics and powerpoint presentations. At around 4:30 we all called it quits and stepped outside to realize the sun was rising.

I, personally, immediately forgot that I was tired, grabbed my camera and tried my best to capture the mist rolling over the forested hills in the slanted rays of early light. Despite my 100+ tries I don’t think I’d ever be able to do the beauty of it justice, as I imagine my preemptive nostalgia boosted it gorgeous rating by an additional 12 (out of 20, perhaps? Arbitrary numbers are fantastic). Tiff and I both decided to hang around for the sunset and eventually made our way to the top of a water filtration building where we had a fairly spectacular view of the surrounding forest and were able to await the sun’s arrival as it slowly rose above the nearby hills.

As the morning crept on we greeted the various ValBio residents as they made their way down to breakfast from the campsite. It was a morning I hadn’t expected, but one that I hope to never forget. I’m taking the end of my time here pretty hard, already.

More interesting that the sunrise (for it happens every morning, generally), however was the 5 days a group of us spent in the primary forest Valohoaka (Valo) completing the second half of our independent research. It was exactly the experience I was hoping to gain from our independent research project, and one I will always hope for a chance to repeat.

The Tuesday (Nov. 2) we were to depart for Valo we aimed to leave around 7:30; this of course means we were headed up the ValBio driveway around 8:45, packs on our back with 5 days of clothes, our sleeping pads and bags, and various other generally unnecessary items snugly packed away. The hike took us about 4 hours to get there, though we stopped several times for breaks and scenic appreciation.

The campsite at Valo is simply terrific. It’s on a mildly steep hill, which consequently tends to be mildly treacherous when wet, but everyone managed to keep their footing the first 2 nights when it was very wet. The great thing about the campsite’s being situated on a hill was the view that it allowed. The bottom of the campsite (was still about 2/3 of the way up the hill we were situated on) was terraced and cleared in about a 4x20 meter area, providing space for a clothes line on which we could dry laundry and the dining tent. The clearing also provided us with a brilliant view of the hill looming up the other side of the ravine, at the bottom of which was the stream from which we got our drinking water, and for anyone who wanted to shower (which none of us found time to do while we were there) a waterfall.

The dining tent I feel absolutely inclined to mention and describe, simply because I adored it more than any other place I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy a meal, almost certainly in Madagascar, maybe even ever. So the word ‘tent’ is a bit misleading in this circumstance. It was actually just a collection of tarps, set up to provide a roof and 2 walls, stretching length of the area where the food was prepared and consumed. The front and back were both open, though the back of the tent was largely blocked off by the cooking fire, a quaint set up with rocks arranged to hold an iron pot over the fire in which they cooked rice, beans, vegetables, eggs, and even smoked zebu.

There was a single hand crafted bench along one wall of the tent, and a long uneven table which about 5 people could sit at comfortably. We had 13 people including the Malagasy guides and cooks, so meal times were crowded but cozy. My last comment on the food and dinging circumstances in Valo: Never, in my life, have I so thoroughly enjoyed a small tin cup of plain boiled water. As was mentioned several times during our stay there, consumables are always better when you’re camping, and maybe it was just knowing that they retrieved the water from the very stream in which I was studying for my independent research, but come the end of the day the scorching water which they set out for us was quite likely the most enjoyable beverage I’ve had since I’ve been in Madagascar.

The only real hesitation I had with our stay in the primary forest was the leeches. Yet despite my long standing distaste for the blood-sucking slugs it was surprisingly easy to get over my absolute repulsion for them. Fortunately, after the second day the sun came out and finally decided to stick around. As the ground dried out the leeches retreated to where ever leeches hide and we spent a delightful few
days in the sunshine-lit primary forest, nearly entirely leech free.

The other 5 students staying in Valo were all doing their research projects on the behavior of a group of Propithecus edwardsii, Sifaka lemurs. Sadly, the second day we were there word got back to Hannah and I at the campsite that one of the babies was missing. It was assumed to be dead, likely the victim of an infanticide. That evening after dinner someone procured a bottle of whiskey and we all took a swig and Will, the student who had been studying the 2 infant lemurs, poured out a shot for poor little Jameson, the late lemur infant. It was a touching moment, though inevitably tainted with the bitterness of a young life lost.

Our last day there found us with a morning in the primary forest, free to do with as we pleased. I decided to accompany the group that was going to continue following the Sifakas. I’d yet to be presented with the opportunity to spend any extended period of time following and watching the lemurs, so I eagerly grabbed my camera and headed off into the woods to romp and stumble up and down hillsides,chasing after the arboreally inclined primates. The day was beautiful and I took an obscene number of pictures (of course) and managed to deplete my entire battery about half way through our time in the forest.

Something I’ve failed to mention until now; every day the students following the Props had to follow them from essentially sunrise to sunset. The group they were following was one which had been studied for years prior, one of individuals in the group had a radio collar which usually allowed for the guides and researchers to find them in the forest each day. Unfortunately there was some difficulty acquiring permits to re-capture and replace the radio collars, and consequently the only way for them to ensure they’d find the lemurs each day was to follow them until the lemurs had settled into a tree for the night, and rise early enough to catch up with them before they strayed far from their resting spot the next morning. I got to witness some really intense science in action, and it was an experience I had never expected, but yet another memory I’m certain I’ll never forget.

That afternoon we made the hike back through the forest to ValBio. We were greeted by the rest of our group as well as 3 new Malagasy students from the University of Fianar, here for internship-like work, and 2 new researchers.

It’s been an enjoyable and relaxing though busy week here since our return; I’ve been doing my best to learn as much Malagasy as I can while I’m here around native speakers. Unfortunately that’s still not a lot. More than anything, I’ve just been doing my best to enjoy every moment I have left in Ranomafana. The weather’s been sunny and warm for the last few days, and I’ve had spent a fairly impressive amount of time procrastinating by simply staring off the balcony of ValBio, trying to memorize every leaf and shadow in view.

Last night we were talking about Christmas for about an hour after dinner. Christmas carols mid-November in Madagascar just aren’t quite the same, but it certainly didn’t prevent “They’re singing deck the halls, but it’s not like Christmas at all” from imbedding itself in all of our heads for a few hours. It’s strange to recognize that it will likely (hopefully) be snowing when I return, but the Christmas season is certainly something I’m excited come home to.

Tomorrow night we’re having a party here in honor of the completion of our independent research, as well as the birthday of one of the researchers. It should be fun. Photo and music swaps have begun, and talk of home has been growing more and more prevalent. Hannah and I have been conferencing about plans for my time in Europe (I’m planning to visit her in England!) before returning to the states, but I’m trying not to think too much about being anywhere aside from Madagascar for the rest of my time here.


11.13.2010 So I didn’t make it to town to post that last entry after I wrote it, and now I’ve more to write. Joy!

Yesterday morning we descended the hill to ValBio for breakfast and found nearly all of the tables cleared out of the main dining room. Breakfast was a (more) casual affair than usual, and then it was time for our smart outfits and last minute run throughs of our presentations. The first student was to present 8:30, because Patricia Wright had to leave at noon and wanted to see all of our presentations before she departed. With 14 of us each doing 10-15 minute long presentations it took the better part of the morning, but it was pretty interesting and was great to see what everyone took away from their 2 weeks of research.

After presentations we had most of the day until dinner time to do what we wanted. Most of us headed up the Gite for a drink and just to hang out. We were accompanied by 2 of the students from the University of Fianar which allowed for some hilarity as a result of language barriers and foolish games requiring rhyming.

We returned to ValBio a few hours before dinner, met with our resident coordinator for feedback on our presentations, and just lounged around, enjoying the company and the warm weather. Eventually we made our way into the dining hall which had once again been re-arranged; only this time it was arranged for the going away party that they were throwing to celebrate the conclusion of our time here.

All of the guides were invited, of course the researchers and students staying at ValBio, and pretty much anyone else we had interacted with during our time here. Upon realization that this would be the last time I saw a lot of these people, I started tearing up, honestly this surprised me (I usually don’t cry until I’ve left), but then I realized that Jethro (another study abroad student), was playing what may be the most depressing German song I’ve ever heard in my right ear, and partially attribute my overactive tear ducts to that. . .

Dinner was accompanied by a party – which meant a ton of delicious, buffet-style, Malagasy food. They made us miniature zebu-burgers, samosas, bean pies (which are brilliant), and Malagasy pizza, among an assortment of other sensational food, carbonated beverages (I refuse to generalize with either the word soda or pop), fresh squeezed mango juice, and THB to drink, finished off with fresh bananas and mangos, and a while later chocolate cake. So much food, so little stomach capacity. . .

After we had finished eating the music came on. Malagasy love to dance, and are just so good at it, I’ve mentioned that before, but it’s true and it’s phenomenal. It was a blast as always, trying to keep up with their crazy footwork and generally jumping around like a fool to the music. It was particularly exciting to periodically realize that we had all started to recognize some of the Malagasy music and knew some of the dances that went along.

The night lasted a while, it was great to see everyone and enjoy a final night with all the people we’ve grown so familiar with. Yet it was also a distinctly bittersweet evening. There were so many people I’ve grown to know well and love, so many people I’ve only recently met and want the chance to get to know better, and so little time to express my appreciation for everything everyone there has done for us.
The night carried on with a jovial atmosphere, however, and we have tons of pictures and videos that I can’t wait to revisit upon my return to the states. By the end of the night it was nearly only study abroad still hanging out and dancing. At some point the two decorative wicker giraffes made their way onto the dance floor to take part in the dancing.

Now all we’ve really got to do is make a few final changes to our presentations for when we present them in Tana a week from today, and pack up our stuff. I’m distraught at the thought, and am reluctant to even begin packing – so instead I wrote this up and am headed down into town, probably for the last time. . .

We’re headed out early Monday morning to visit one last national park in Andasibe, but I think I’m going to hide in the woods until the bus leaves. Aw shucks, I guess I’d just have to stick around here for a while more.