My house, like most houses in Madagascar, has, from time to
time, bug problems. I have had, wasps, regular flies, giant flies, giant mosquito-looking
insects, a weird crazy mini lobster looking bug that I woke up to one morning 4
inches from my face and spiders of various shapes and sizes. The most prevalent
type of spider is the 2-D spiders, flat, usually bigger, spiders that seem to
somehow enter my house in the fall and winter. For two years I have squashed
them flat before they have gotten anywhere close to me. Sadly, this streak came
to end on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2 days before I left site. On that
fateful day, a 2-D spider crawled up my leg. Worst. Fear. Realized. This spider
was as big around as a top of a mug and I have no idea where it came from. I
feel like it might have been on my clothes when I put them on, but that thought
scares me too much to seriously consider. Plus it was trying to climb up my
body, not down. I, needless to say, freaked out a little bit. I quickly flicked
it off my body and crushed it, then proceeded to have a mini panic attack. Now,
in fairness to me, I would have freaked out a lot more if I hadn’t been dealing
with these spiders for 2 years. And it’s not like I hate them, or any insect
for that matter. It’s when they pop up close to me, or on me, unexpectedly. Fun
fact about wasps though, that I have learned here from knocking down their
nests. Their larvae are bright, neon green.
I am currently in Tana, 5 ½ days away from leaving this
country forever (well at least for a good long while. It is way too expensive
to make a trip back any time in the foreseeable future). I packed up my house
in Faratsiho (which my parents still cannot correctly pronounce. It’s
Far-et-see-ooo), giving away all of my dishes/pots/school supplies etc. I am
not being replaced and I didn’t know if anyone would ever be put in my site
again so it seemed like a good idea. All my bedding/towels I brought to Tana
for a PCV who is extending and moving to Tana and needed warm items, since he
is coming from the southeast, where its hot and humid and even sheets are too
hot to sleep under. It was very weird to see my house in the morning before I
left, stripped of most of its possessions and looking so empty.
I had to drag all my stuff to Tana, which actually wasn’t as
bad as I thought it would be. The bush taxi coordiantor at my site is awesome
and helped me arrange helpers to get all my stuff on and off the taxi brousse, at
site and in Tana. I was most worried about Tana, since the station there is
known for its thieves. No problems however, though I did have to pay a high
taxi rate since I had so much stuff. Oh well. As soon as I got in I cleared out
my metal trunk then headed to the bank to close my account, one of my last
admin items to check off. I start all my medical appointments on Monday and I am
really hoping I haven’t picked up something weird. I don’t think so. My worms
are gone (yay!) and I feel fine, but you just never know. I have a chip in my
front tooth that needs fixing (damn rocks in the rice) and one of my fillings
might have fallen out (I have really weak enamel and this happens a lot, so I wouldn’t
be surprised. Thanks dad for the genes) but other than that my teeth should be
fine. Knock on wood.
It is amazing to me that my 2 years on this island are
coming to an end. It seemed to go both fast and slow, with ups and downs along
the way. I have been all over the island, except the deep south and the Sava
region, both of which are extremely hard to get to by car. I have seen at least
10 different kinds of lemurs, chameleons, snakes, a variety of insects (see
first paragraph), birds, rats, mice, the mangiest looking dogs and cats I have ever
seen in my life, and giant herds of cattle. I have watched forests burn, rice
planted, rivers dammed, and roads disintegrate. I have waited 4 ½ hours for a brousse to leave
and been squished in a row meant for 3 with 4 other people. I have learned a
bunch of new recipes and started working out, and I hope to continue both in
America. I have read over 150 books (I haven’t counted up the exact totally,
but its somewhere around or above that) and watched countless TV shows,
including The Wire, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family,
Glee, Game of Thrones, and True Blood. I have taught over 500 students in
middle school, high school and university and graded countless tests. Now this
is all coming to a close.
I am sad and also happy. I know I will look back at my time
in Peace Corps as a great experience that not many people get to have. I have
many fond memories and some great stories. I also have a few awful memories
about a few not so great times. I am happy to start a new chapter in my life
and move back to America, but sad to be leaving a community of people I love.
This blog, by a PCV in Ethiopia, says exactly how I feel about my PC
experience. Just change gunfo to rice (BTW I agree with him about gunfo. I am
not a fan. Too spongy for me). http://waidsworld.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/the-real-peace-corps/
. Read this, as I could never put my PC experience into better words.
I will be posting a photo blog in the next few days as well,
so watch out for that. I will also be starting a new blog, one where I will
post every few days, not every few weeks. It will be more of a lifestyle blog.
More details will come later, when I have it fully set up. 5 ½ more days!
Books I Read
Water for Elephants
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
The Namesake
What is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng
The Winter of our Discontent
Cold Mountain
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