I am able to give a quick update as we(fellow Peace Corps Trainees and I) are traveling through Tana (capital) on our way to our respective sites. My site is near Ambatondrazaka. I will stay there for a few to meet key people and learn about the town and about the health structure of the town and the services they currently provide as well as check out my apartment so that I know what I will need to buy when I move.
LANGUAGE:
We just had our first language assessment this week which helps us to identify areas for improvement. It is hard for me to remember meanings for vocabulary and sentence structure, but practicing the language with my host family and other in the community is really helpful. The description of the language level that we are supposed to test out of right now says something about sympathetic people being patient to understand when we speak. This is definitely important as it may take quite awhile for me to get one complete thought conveyed in a conversation. The following letters don’t exist in Malagasy; c, q, u, x, and w. There are many pronunciation differences for instance; an “o” in a word has an u sound. So, Veloma (goodbye), sounds like Veluma. One of the longest words I’ve learned so far is mihazakazaka (to run).
Host Family:
I am still enjoying living with my host family. I miss them already and it’s only been a few days. The older brother just returned from studying in the Capitol and the daughter is on break from school. I enjoy the food the family cooks for me. It would be great if there was a little less oil used in cooking the food; but regardless; I am still always the last one at the table eating and I am eating serving myself more rice now than the first few weeks. The cat finally had its kittens. I was a bit confused because I was telling a visitor that the cat was pregnant last weekend and the family informed me that the cat already had its kittens in the forest and she would bring them home soon. I showed up today and the kittens were there in a box.
I think I will end my post by listing a few funny/interesting sentences that I’ve said when I am here to help to convey some unique things about my experience thus far:
“I can touch the ceiling of my room” (Yes, I am 5ft tall and can touch the ceiling of the room I am staying in at my host family’s home)
“I am going to go visit my host family’s pigs”
“Wait, you mean all almost all the verbs in present tense start with the letter M?”
“I hope I don’t have to touch the bones” (I was able to attend a famadinia; turning of the bones ceremony. This is when a family takes the bones of a loved one of the tomb, dances around the tomb holding the bones, re-wrap the bones in white linen clothes, and place them back into the tomb).
All the best,
Teena
* Thank you for all the letters I’ve received so far. Mail day is definitely the highlight of my week.
LANGUAGE:
We just had our first language assessment this week which helps us to identify areas for improvement. It is hard for me to remember meanings for vocabulary and sentence structure, but practicing the language with my host family and other in the community is really helpful. The description of the language level that we are supposed to test out of right now says something about sympathetic people being patient to understand when we speak. This is definitely important as it may take quite awhile for me to get one complete thought conveyed in a conversation. The following letters don’t exist in Malagasy; c, q, u, x, and w. There are many pronunciation differences for instance; an “o” in a word has an u sound. So, Veloma (goodbye), sounds like Veluma. One of the longest words I’ve learned so far is mihazakazaka (to run).
Host Family:
I am still enjoying living with my host family. I miss them already and it’s only been a few days. The older brother just returned from studying in the Capitol and the daughter is on break from school. I enjoy the food the family cooks for me. It would be great if there was a little less oil used in cooking the food; but regardless; I am still always the last one at the table eating and I am eating serving myself more rice now than the first few weeks. The cat finally had its kittens. I was a bit confused because I was telling a visitor that the cat was pregnant last weekend and the family informed me that the cat already had its kittens in the forest and she would bring them home soon. I showed up today and the kittens were there in a box.
I think I will end my post by listing a few funny/interesting sentences that I’ve said when I am here to help to convey some unique things about my experience thus far:
“I can touch the ceiling of my room” (Yes, I am 5ft tall and can touch the ceiling of the room I am staying in at my host family’s home)
“I am going to go visit my host family’s pigs”
“Wait, you mean all almost all the verbs in present tense start with the letter M?”
“I hope I don’t have to touch the bones” (I was able to attend a famadinia; turning of the bones ceremony. This is when a family takes the bones of a loved one of the tomb, dances around the tomb holding the bones, re-wrap the bones in white linen clothes, and place them back into the tomb).
All the best,
Teena
* Thank you for all the letters I’ve received so far. Mail day is definitely the highlight of my week.
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