January in Madagascar

It has been a while since I have been living and teaching in Ifanadiana. I traveled to Tana, the capital city in the middle of December for a week of Peace Corps trainings and meetings, followed by a few weeks of R & R with some of my Peace Corps friends. We celebrated Christmas on Isle St. Marie, a tropical island which literally was like paradise. When I talked briefly to my Mom on Christmas day via cell phone I was actually standing in the Indian Ocean!!
It was warm and sunny and really didn't even seem like Christmastime at all! It was wonderful to see my Peace Corps friends again, most of whom I hadn't seen since last August. We enjoyed exchanging stories about each of our various teaching assignments since we are scattered throughout the country and communication is not always easy to accomplish.

I don't think that actually missing Christmas with my family sank in until I returned to my village and received about 15 Christmas cards. Thanks to all of you who sent them to me! The mail comes to our town every Tuesday and it is such a treat to have letters to read from everyone back in the USA!! Now I am back in the routine of teaching my classes again and things are getting back to "normal".

It has been hot here...I mean REALLY hot!! but now it seems to be getting a bit cooler. It's the rainy season, so we are getting lots and lots of rain. Every day it is hot in the morning and then in the afternoon it rains which cools everything down a bit. In December, I would sweat when I tried to sleep but now it is comfortable enough to use a sheet at night.

One thing that I miss is staying up on world news. I have a short wave radio but it doesn't always work as well as I want it to. A few days ago, I decided to climb to the top of a mountain with my radio. The radio worked great at the top and I enjoyed sitting and listening to BBC radio for a while. I am hoping to maybe get a satellite radio that is supposed to work in Madagascar. One of my Peace Corps friends has one so I am going to wait and see how his works before purchasing one.

Thank you also for the packages. I can't put into words how much receiving them means to me. I am trying to support the local economy in my village, so there are certain items that I can purchase here or in Fianarantsoa, a large city that I travel to about once a month.

So, I am requesting that you please do NOT send the following items:
tape, glue, paper clips, scissors, rubber bands, pens, pencils, rice products, jelly, peanut butter

If you DO want to SEND some items, here are some suggestions:
markers, construction paper, stickers, books, kids toys (small balls, jump ropes, jacks, marbles)

Thank you for continuing to think of me. I feel so blessed to have such a great support system of friends and family!

Maribeth

**Note: This information was obtained from a conversation with Maribeth on January 13, 2007 and has been posted by her mother.