Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 60

March 28, Madagascar Day 60

Let me qualify this post by starting that things are great here for me. I would like to share some thoughts and difficulties, though, as not everything is not roses and chocolate-covered strawberries.

It's currently Sunday afternoon here. We've moved from Mahajanga to Nosy Be (pronounced Noosy Bay), the most popular tourist destination in the country. Since the last post, more sanctions have been imposed upon Madagascar by the African Union, and civil unrest has kicked back up slightly because of it. It's been a year since former president Ravalomanana, put simply, handed his power over to opposition leader, mayor of Antananarivo, and former DJ Andry Rajoelina. I haven't seen any manifestations of this increase in violence and demonstrations as I am so far away from the capital city. And I'm fine with that.

I have, though, experienced the effects of the current state of things. As I have mentioned many times before on here, my father sent me a package to replace the items stolen from my baggage on my trip here from the States. The government has no money, so I guess they feel that charging foreigners exorbitant customs fees is warranted, thus I had to pay over $400 in fees to get it out. That on top of FedEx's terrible service, led me to getting my package about a month after it arrived in the country. So I got it last week. So excited, I opened my package to find a letter from my parents, goodies that included gum and Fig Newtons, and my video camera (YAY!!!). To my dismay, though, my portable hard drive, along with a digital camera I had gotten for my Tana host mom, was again stolen. This time it had to be by customs!!!!

My thoughts on the matter? Ultimately, I've got to keep my head held high as there's no use in crying over spilled milk--no matter how many times it spills. I know that I can buy that hard drive again, and I hope that whoever stole it would never be able to afford such an electronic. I'm positive that, at this point, it's sitting on the side of some street in Tana waiting to be sold at a ridiculously low price. But maybe that theft has meant that a family could eat dinner last night or that a man could purchase medicine for his child. Man, it's really disappointing to have gone through all of the hurdles and expenses to get an incomplete package. Put into perspective, though, it really is a drop in the bucket compared to the pain through which countless others are suffering--even here in Madagascar.

Sickness & Syracuse

Not much excitement from this past week other than feeling not quite up to par, attending class and awkward tutorials, and going to the best restaurant everrrr. On Monday, Jill and I went to a great restaurant in the city called "Syracuse" aka the best place in the world (never been but we all know I am a true Syracusan). Got a delicious steak and great calamari! Had a few adventures after, which I will not expand on involving McDonalds and other various places (Jill- I won't tell if you don't).


Tuesday... Still sick and had tomato soup all day. Reading. Homework. Class. Boring.

Wednesday... Class all Day! Started to feel better. Ended the day at 7 after my severly awkward Jane Austen tutorial in which no one spoke the entire time and the teacher sat staring at us waiting for responses the WHOLE time. Almost got attacked by a duck. Nature Walk with Jilly in the evening.

Thursday... Lots happened today! Thank goodness, right? Who wants to hear about sore throats and text books any longer? Felt great this day! Did lots of school work during the day and laundry. Had a dinner planned at Northside Church at 6 pm and went with Casey, Niya, and Jill. We had a crazy time trying to find the church after we got off of the tram stop and ended up eating somewhere else. I was really bummed because it was supposed to be a good dinner and I was anxious to check out the church and possibly make some new friends. After dinner, I went grocery shopping and headed back to La Trash. Jill and I watched hilarious YouTube videos with her neighbor Maeve and had a ball. We spent the rest of the night socializing in Tower 9 downstairs and then at the Bald Eagle. Used some of your dance moves Dad :)

Friday... Got up ready and excited for the beach!! Ended up going to breakfast and then on a wild goose chase around campus helping Jill look for her advisor's office which ended in the decision to stay on campus and watch movies all day. You see, Jill and I discovered this amazing secret room (don't tell anyone) in the common room that is called the Roger Joyce lounge. There are tons of couches in there and old videos! I mean videos. Not dvds... So, we headed up there and watched some pretty great classics (Anastasia, The Emperor's New Groove, and Bring it On). Guess we were having a childish afternoon ha After our movie extravaganza, we decided to be something a little more than worthless and headed to the tram stop to find a great spot for dinner. We found the perfect small Thai restaurant and shared some great Pad Thai :) All in all, great Disney movies, pretty good company (ha), and a yummy dinner.

Today... Going to catch up on some emails and reading for school. Have to finish Northanger Abbey and Heart of Darkness by Wednesday! Anyone want to read one for me? Also going to write some letters to some special family back home :) Miss you guys!

Free Fish and Chips at 830 accompanied with a movie and fellowship on the hill outside my dorm. Should be fun!

G'day Mates!

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 53

March 21, Madagascar Day 53

I think it's just about the half way point in the semester. Crazy that it's going by so quickly! Updates on life include I have found where to buy delicious ice cream, where to buy laundry detergent made for washing clothes by hand (yes, I do it all the time now), and where to find every single NGO based in Mahajanga. Not bad for a week here.

Big news. I've decided to do my ISP here. That means that I'll be coming back here alone at the beginning of April to spend a month doing my independent study. Clearly I've made a good decision since, literally, the best ice cream in Madagascar is right here in town.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 51

March 19, Madagascar Day 51

Today I took a boat ride to Katsepy, this place that isn't an island but you'd think it was given how it looks from downtown Mahajanga. We spent the day in the village there learning about how life there is lived.

When we got off the boat, I asked for the bathroom and was told that there wasn't one at the restaurant that was to be our base for the day. Knowing that someone had just come back from the restroom, I knew that wasn't the right answer. My confused look must have given me away because the lady then clarified, "Pissoir?" (Is a translation necessary?) So the pissoir ended up being a closed off area on the beach with a rock (target I guess?) planted firmly in the ground and wet sand all around it. I laughed to myself at seeing it. "Oh, right. I'm in Madagascar."

The visit was really fun though. We got to go to the village mosque, a senator's house, and talk with a Peace Corps volunteer who is stationed there.

The time came for us to depart, so we literally walked into the ocean where our speed boat was waiting for us by the shore. Upon leaving, and my Gwynn Valley Camp (www.gwynnvalley.com, shameless plug) friends will appreciate this, the song People Now Our Meeting Is Over immediately entered my head. The simple lyrics are as follows:

People now our meeting is over.

People we must part.

And if I never see you anymore,

I'll love you in my heart.

And we'll stand on the shore.

And we'll stand on the shore.

Yes we'll stand on the shore,

And be friends for evermore.

Although the semester isn't nearly over, it is passing quickly. Can you believe it's already mid March? Yeah, me neither.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 50

March 18, Madagascar Day 50

So class this morning was really fun as we welcomed Prince Tazinidrinzy (He corrected us when we called him Mr. as he considers himself a prince). We learned about Fortune Telling and its role in traditional religion. He concluded the talk by reading our fortunes. He reads the seeds of the Sikidy tree to discern what the ancestors are trying to convey. Well, the ancestors weren't really feeling us because when he told us the divine information about the two girls who volunteered we found out that one of the students likes to go to bed early and study and that another is apparently gassy, so she should watch out. I didn't get my fortune read, but hopefully there's no gas in sight.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 46

Mar. 14, Madagascar Day 46

My host family is awesome! My mom works with the environment (the environment says "Hi," btw), and my dad works at a TV/Radio station (it's 100.3 FM if you want to listen. Go ahead, listen!). I went there earlier today with him and saw them filming a TV program and the DJ mixing up some tunes (isn't that what the kids say these days?). My host dad's a musician as well, and so guitar music often fills the house. That and the sound of their two (2 and 4) children bouncing over everything--me included.

So I'm happy here, even if my sweat glands get a workout all the time. We're going to the beach tomorrow for a picnic. Fun shall be had by all (passive voice negated by Old-English "shall," which makes it okay).

I promise to have pictures soon...As soon as I pay the $409 customs fee the wonderful gov't wants me to pay to get my package...injustice!!!! I did get to download a few pics to my computer the other day from my last host family. I'll post some of the good ones on my old blogs to make it look like they were there the whole time. Clever, ain't I?

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 45

Mar. 13, Madagascar Day 45

I left the national park the other day with plenty of pictures of lemurs and lizards, the experience of camping in Madagascar (because everyone's doing it), and a backache...my mattress was as hard as rocks...oh, wait. It was a lot of fun, though. I loved it.

We got to Mahajanga on the 11th and slept in a hotel for one night. Let me tell you, we were living in luxury. Not only did we have a ceiling fan, but also we had--get this--climatisation (AC)!!!!! It's the first time I've felt "artificial-conditioning" in months, and it was glorious. There's a downside to it, though: they have it because Mahajanga is hot (read: hawwwttt). Now I'm in home stay, and the first night here (the 12th) I just about died...neither AC nor fan. I quickly resolved that problem the next day, dropping fifteen bucks for a fan with 3 speeds. I only use one speed, though, and I bet you can guess which one it is.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 41

Mar 9, Madagascar Day 41

After a busy and fun weekend of celebrating birthdays, washing clothes, and repacking my bags, I'm on the road...journeying again...toward Mahajanga (Muh-'shjun-gah). The ride is supposed to take between 11-12 hours, although we're only traveling about 280 miles. That distance would take under five hours if traveled at a consistent 60 miles per hour...that may give you an idea of the state of the roads in the country. As of yet we've had no problems. We've picnicked under a grand tree near a muddy river (most rivers here are muddy), and when we crossed over said river, I noticed for the first time that bridges are only one lane wide. Who needs two lanes anyway? Before we get to Mahajanga, we'll be stopping in Ankarafantsika for a two night camping trip. I hope to see lemurs and crocodiles...from a distance. Remember: Alex, Gloria, Melman, and the penguins took off to mainland Africa in Madagascar 2, so there are no "safari" animals on the island. Sorry to disappoint.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 40

Mar. 8

What do I think of all of this? It's hard to know what to think? What do I expect out of what's coming? It's hard to know what to expect. What's my reaction to this whole experience? Well...this island is living and breathing...and bleeding. Why are there corrupt police that stop people every 30 minutes or so to check papers? Why can't this country seem to get on the "right" track? What is the "right" track?

It's puzzling, and it sparks many questions about humanity in general--questions that religion and philosophy and psychology classes that I've taken have all raised. But now these questions are real, for they're no longer something that I'm reading about in a book. They're life here. I'm not going to attempt to answer these questions, but always I'm thinking about them. People would ask me, "Why exactly are you studying culture in Madagascar?" My response included some sort of shoulder shrug and an answer involving, "Because it seems cool." But now I realize the point: Truly, to study others is to study ourselves for we are all people with a common humanity. Chew on that, as I'm beginning to, and I'll go chew on some rice.

John's Visit- GREAT WEEK

Where do I begin or how do I describe my week? The image above is probably a good indicator. There are no words to describe the amount of fun I had, heaps of laughter, or unforgettable memories (hallmark I know). I experienced Melbourne in a way that I have yet to experience, through the eyes of someone else. I will not fool you into believing that I am some kind of expert tour guide or trip planner because trust me, we (John and I) both ended up walking down some of the same streets more than 9-10 times (It was intentional though John!) and some days did nothing more than having a relaxing dinner and strolling through the city.

Before I begin on the detailing of this week long journey, I will conclude last week's post with updates from the Tower Dress Up Party and Dinner (11/03/10). It was a grand time and we all had fun eating kebabs together and attempting to choreograph a dance (lots of holding hands, turning circles, and awkward hand jives). Aubray and I stunned the crowd with heaven reaching hair (pictures to follow) and some pretty wild outfits. If you can't really decide if we are zebras, cheetas, or leopards, then you probably aren't alone. All in all, we didn't win the dancing competition but sure had a good time attempting zebra walks and taking tons of pictures in which we utilized and overused our "fierce" look.

Now to the week of 15/03/10-20/03/10. Only one word can describe it. AMAZING. John arrived that Monday and we headed back to school so he could drop off his luggage. I mean how on earth could one boy need 3 whole bags full of things for just 1 week? John, we have to work on your packing skills... haha I mean I only asked him to bring a few things (think it was a pack of bobby pins and a bottle of aleve that I recall). We headed back into the city for dinner and into Chinatown! We looked everywhere for a great Indian restaurant (John's favorite and something I have yet to experience). We ended up at a great Irish Pub called The Elephant and the Wheelbarrow. Close enough to Indian right? We had a fabulous dinner and then headed to the St. Kilda's to see the sites at night and walk along the beach :)

How should you spend your first full day in Australia? On the beach of course! John and I headed to St. Kilda's for the day in our stylish Pike tops not knowing what the day would bring. We were in for some laughs as the day began with John tripping multiple times on the way to the beach (everyone imagine that for a minute-you know I died on the spot) and me falling into the water as I tried to act all "smooth" walking along the beach. I even got my shorts all wet! After our falls and subsequent laughs, we got a great tan and smoothies (of course I got the better one and John tried to switch) and then headed back on the tram home. We stopped in the city and grabbed a few groceries, walked around in our shirts which got a great deal of attention (picture to follow), and just acted like the goobers that we are before we grabbed our final tram back to Bundoora ("I coming from a BUNDOORA"-just for you John). We hopped back on a tram for dinner that night and went to a fabulous restaurant with great food! Ate outside, had good conversation, and contemplated life. Ended the night with returning to La Trash and watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Yes, ladies you would think this night would end with possibly a romantic film but nope... I got Sarah Marshall. Thanks John. heh.

Me Falling in the Water... Of course John caught it on camera.

St. Patty's Day Wednesday!! This day was the most fun of all and began with our trip to our true home... the zoo.

I mean, I thought John fit right in. Was wondering how he got out of his cage. Enough with the jokes (I know everyone is DYING laughing).

The zoo was great and huge! We saw soo many animals from lions, tigers, bears, OH MY!, to kangaroos, koalas, and rhinos. We got some great pictures and had a great lunch :)

After the zoo, we headed back downtown and I had my first Indian experience. John and I, being the spontaneous travelers that we are, decided on a whim to stop at this cute Indian restaurant so he could expose me to a great Indian delicacy known as a samosa. Mom, you have to learn the recipe! It was so wonderful but apparently really hard to make, so may take a few tries (I know you will get it). After our delightful food stop, we headed back to BUNDOORA (for you once again) and got ready for a St. Patrick's Day celebration!!! Everyone was heading to Father Flannagans for some great Irish music and fellowship. We got all dolled up in our dressy outfits and went on our Irish way!

We discovered that Father Flannagan's was packed and we couldn't get in :( John and I didn't let this stop us! We headed down to Brunswick Street to another St. Patrick's get together and went on a great rooftop with a great view, made some great new friends, and had many laughs. Successful St. Patty's day night!

Thursday was a rather relaxing day in the city and we decided to go back to our favorite restaurant spot, The Elephant! We had a great relaxing lunch and stayed and watched some Aussie football and cricket. We went back to school and I showed John the campus. We ended the night with a mini picnic on the picnic tables outside of my residential college in which the 2 of us proved to be sufficient entertainment for each other. Glad John is funny at least:) ha







Friday brought many suprises as we headed off at 8 am to the Queen Victoria Market! We instantly became overwhelmed with all of the selection and the multitudes of offerings! The fruits and veggies building was amazing and had any type fruit/veggie that the mind can fathom! The meat building was even more interesting and they had everything from huge ribs to huge fish on display! After our mouths could water no longer, we decided to head to the general retail buildings. There was so much stuff here to look at too! We managed to stumble across this pretty sweet hoodie that John insisted I try on. Who on earth would actually buy this? I bought John a fluffy stuffed animal koala key chain THAT HE HAS TO ACTUALLY PUT ON HIS KEYS and John bought me a little bug box that I wanted :)After we spent our money wisely on a few other purchases, we headed back to the grocery section to pick up some things for our dinner! We ended up selecting fresh corn, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, chicken rissoles, baby octupus (my choice of course), and mozzarella ham. How delish!

After our market adventure, we headed off to a bottling tour in which we got to go behind the scenes to see where tons of bottled beverages get bottled and also got a taste test. We got to try some of Australia's finest local drinks. They have a particular soda that is my favorite called Solo. To me, it is a mix between Mountain Dew and Lemonade and pretty great!

John and I look Pretty Official in our Outfits

After the tour, we came back to LaTrobe and made a feast! We turned up the music and put on our aprons! Everything turned out just scrumptous and we had a great time preparing it. As fun as this night was, I was very sad because I knew that this would soon come to an end and that John was leaving tomorrow. The night ended with a great movie after dinner and then John was off to the airport :(

Saturday was a sad day and I watched movies most of the day. Got to talk to John a good bit and found out that he landed back in the U.S! Praise be to God that he made each plane and landed safely. Thanks John for such a good week. I had a great time and will miss you dearly! I will have a few cases of water on hand next time you visit :)

This now leaves me to today 21/03/10... You may wonder why I have not talked much about school? Well guys, its only the 2nd week! Nothing major is going on in my classes at the moment. Just lots of reading and discussion. Pretty interesting. I am looking forward to meeting with the head of the law school this week to discuss some possible options for an internship. Let's all pray that I get good news and that something works out.

Hope everyone enjoyed the pictures! I miss you guys so much! Until next time :)

Emu and Crocodile? Yummy.

So lots has happened to me in this past week.

#0.5 Jill and I had fun in the toy store. See above :)

#1 I finally got feeling back in my lower extremitites.

#2 I got my computer back.

#3 I lived without a computer for exactly 1 week. Pretty impressive if you ask me. Had to learn to get pretty comfortable with my thoughts.

#3.5 Because of a lack of computer, I finished 2 novels this week.

#3.7 Jane Austen is my new favorite author.

#4 I have now attended all of my classes and tutorials.

#5 I had Crocodile, Kangaroo, and Emu for dinner

Things in my Future:

#6 Tonight I will be dancing in front of hundreds of people.

#7 I will be dressed up in an African Jungle theme. Hopefully no one will recognize me while I am dancing.

#8 John will be here in 4 days! Pretty darn excited.

Things are going great here and I am really starting to love it! Not having a computer for a week (as bratty as it may sound) has really taught me a lot. I have learned to rely on reading more, which is a great thing, and also have had time to really decompress and think about things (life, love, and learning I guess). I am somewhat sad to have it back because now I know I will turn it on and will fall asleep to library movies such as Mrs. Doubtfire (about the best that they had, going to have to appreciate the classics ha) instead of reading by my torch light on my phone (I pretend like its candlelight and I am back in the day). I did however make a promise to myself to at least read for pleasure 3 nights a week instead of surfing the web. Also, without the presence of technology, I find myself praying more which is great and having some time for reflection. These things I am going to try my hardest to continue.

Last night, I went to an authentic Australian bbq with my study abroad group and had the opportunity to have crocodile, kangaroo, and emu. It was delicious and I had a very pleasurable time. The crocodile sadly kinda tasted like chicken. The kangaroo had great flavor! The emu was the leanest of the meat and had great texture (tasted like a steak)! I am part of the 'Down Under' program and there are many more exciting trips/adventures like this one in my future. Next one is a food tasting all throughout the city- pretty excited!

My classes are going great and I find myself really involved and ready to learn here. I am doing extra supplemental reading and contributing in class. I want to get all that I can out of each class and taking the proper procedures (I hope). Looking forward to learning more!

My newest project (and those of you that know me know that there is one constantly in the works) is to find an internship in the city in a law firm. I have emailed lots of people on campus and plan to meet with the head of the law school on the 16th. SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY and everyone please pray that this works out. I would love to travel into the city 2-3 times a week and work in some legal field and attempt to learn/make a difference. Can't wait to get this project started.... Anyone have any connections? Please let me know ha.

Seems like that is all for now. Excited about the dance this evening and dinner. I won't promise to upload pictures of it because there is no telling what I will look like this evening. Guess you will have to wait and see...

Pictures of the flooding in the city

Titanic!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday 06/03/2010 I experienced the Titanic. I kid you not. I walked through a car garage in which the water level was above my waist and cars were completely covered beyond their headlights. The city of Melbourne experienced a mini cyclone, as the news stated. This epic day began with Jill and I decidimg to venture to St. Kilda's to the beach for the day to relax and listen to Kenny Chesney while sunbathing with smoothies. As Kenny would say, "No shoes, No shirt, No problems" right? WRONG. We laid on the beach for a total of 20 minutes before we both looked over to each other at the pivotal moment in which we both sadly admitted that it was too cold. We were so bummed because we traveled 1 hour and 30 minutes to rapture in its beautiful sunlight and rolling waves. But... We got up and packed our bags and decided to shop. Why not take some advantage of the area? As we graced the doorstep of store #2, I felt a little tap on my shoulder. I looked around and no one was there. For a moment, I questioned my sanity but then seconds later was confirmed that indeed I was not crazy. It started hailing! Full blown hailing! Jill and I ran to the tram (caught it just in time) and hopped on to get to the city. Once in the city, we knew we had to get on another tram to take us back to Bundoora (where LaTrobe is). Sadly, we did not make it to the city. About 3/4 of a mile from the city, our lovely tram driver announced to us that we, in his words exactly, "are better off walking." The public transportation system was completely shut down due to the storm and all the trams were no longer running. So Jill and I heeded his advice and began our pleasant stroll in the cold and windy rain/hail. As we got closer to the city, we discovered that it was completely flooded (pictures to come). There were ambulances and fire trucks running around everywhere and accidents lined the streets. We determined that we would have to cross the street to get to some form of shelter. As we began to cross, I went in first and stuck my foot in the road and lost my shoe! The water went up to mid calf and I lost it immediately. GREAT. After a moment of recollection, I grabbed Jill and my other shoe and we headed across the street. The water was freezing and I seriously questioned if we would contract hypothermia. Once we FINALLY made it to the other side of the street to Crown Towers, we were kicked out! They turned us right around and kicked us out, and they weren't even polite about it! They sent us to a different exit which ended at a car garage. The water met the front step inside the hotel! It honestly resembled the Titanic and I thought we were heading out to search for an iceberg. Walking through the car park was absolutely miserable and we practically had to swim. There was debris everywhere. You couldn't find your footing at any point so we were constantly falling due to random steps and ramps that popped up for amusement. But 15 minutes after the beginning of our trek, we found dry ground! We headed to the closest hotel we could find and decided to check in. There was no way that people were going to be exiting the city anytime soon. We stayed at the Crown Plaza and it was so nice and relaxing!We hadn't eaten since "breaky" so we decided to go to the restaurant downstairs. This plan immediately came to a crashing halt after we realized that we were in bathing suits and cover-ups and I only had ONE shoe. Instead we ordered delicious room service and ordered movies. It was such a great night and we were so relieved and happy to be warm, dry, and safe!

Now no other story that I have or nothing I attempt to say will merit the reaction or gain the interest as my previous story so I will keep it short. Friday neither Jill nor I had class so we decided to go to a movie. We traveled to Northlands and saw Shutter Island at Hoyt Cinema. It was so good and we walked the rest of the night hand in hand. If you are freaked out easily (John), do not go see this film. You will think about it for days or at least take a strong buddy with you.

Going to get my computer tomorrow hopefully so then I will be able to keep up more. Also have lots of reading for Tuesday so I guess I better get started. See ya!

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 33

Feb. 29 (just kidding...it's March 1), Madagascar Day 33

After my nap, something I've been afforded everyday, I woke up to the violent rain and thunder reinforcing the idea that life here is subject to the plate it's handed. We went to visit the village chief and the commune mayor--think city and county gov't, Madagascar style. The chief's house was not as nice as my host family's. The mayor's, on the other hand, was like a mansion. Which leads me to the thought that wealth is so relative. Here, the chief's house is standard, my host family's house is nice, the mayor's house is wealthy, and my real family's house in Spartanburg is unthinkably rich. But at home to say that is an overstatement would be an understatement. Does my point make sense? It does in my head at least which probably isn't saying much.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 32

Feb. 28, Madagascar Day 32 (1 mo. since arrival)

This has by far been the most interesting day I've had in awhile. I woke up to the familiar sounds of the zebu mooing and pigs snorting only to find out an old man in the village had passed away in the night. Everyone when to visit and pay their respects, his body simply laying on the floor in the corner of the room with everyone crowding around and praying. Maybe I missed the crying, but the feeling in the room was of reverence, not sadness. We left and went to church. There are 2 in the village: Protestant & Catholic. My host mom is Catholic so we went there. The service was so much fun, and we sang a lot. It lasted around 2 hours, and then we left & went back home. I've gotten frustrated here in the village because, with the children--what seems like hundreds of them--constantly grouping up and staring at me (and running away when I try to approach them to play), I can't assimilate very well.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 31

Feb. 27, Madagascar Day 31

I just rode a bicycle, a situation which apparently requires the attention of everyone in the village. People lined the streets laughing as I would maneuver around zebu manure and a chicken crossing the road (I still wonder why it did). The bike itself felt like it would fall apart under my comparatively giant stature. It was already missing a pedal, and the seat was useless. But we, the bike and I, made it and I had this sense of freedom with the wind blowing through my hair. I'm coming to learn through all of this that it's all about the journey. The destination will always be there, and all in all it's a common, shared thing. But the journey--whether it's life in general, a semester abroad, or a 2 minute ride on a rickety bicycle--is unique and valuable to the person experiencing it. I hope you've enjoyed a slight peek into my journey.

Tyler Swain Madagascar Day 30

Feb. 26, Madagascar Day 30

Here I am, writing by candlelight, trying my hardest to remember what has happened these past 10 or so hours. It's hot, there are moustiques, mosquitos everywhere, and I have no idea what exactly is and isn't my personal space here. Let me explain: I arrived at my village, Androtra, at about 10AM this morning to a slew of children and my host mother welcoming me. She showed me to my room, a small 10 X 10 space similar to a cube in the Apartment Village...and withe her followed the entire entourage. That seemed to be the trend all day, as wherever I was in my room & not napping (yes! I got a siesta!) there would be upwards of 35 people (read: children under 10) in my room and staring through the window looking at me. In fact, as I'm writing this my host mother is sitting at the edge of the table either watching me scribble these thoughts or looking elsewhere around the room. Is this fihavanana? Maybe, or it may be the fact that I'm the first vazaha in these parts in 1.5 years. All in all, I think this will be fun. I'm still nervous though at it's extremely, extremely, extremely hard to communicate (no French spoken in rural Madagascar). But on a positive note, I have now pounded rice (and know why it's done). Night One, here I come...

Madagascar Day 27

Feb. 24, Madagascar Day 27

Well, I leave tomorrow to go to Tsiroamandidy (say that 10 times fast) in the Bongolava region--google images could give you an idea. We've already learned so much about the culture outside of the city, and I'm super excited to see it in action. For gifts, we're all bringing notebooks, pens, colored pencils, and chocolate to our host families, all of which are too rare and expensive for them to have frequently. My host father is an agriculteur, or farmer, and there will be 10 people living in my house (not including me). So all in all it should be a fun-filled, eye-opening adventure. At least I'm already well practiced on the bucket showers! All of this said, I have terrible news: I won't be able to blog for something like 10 days. I know, I know. But don't worry, I'll still keep a journal and will be sure to share clippings, much as I have done as of yet.

And I despise government bureaucracy...it's going to cost me between $50-100 to get the package my Dad mailed me out of customs--a package filled with what was stolen out of my bags when I first arrived. Me and cameras just seem not meant to be...

This Week Can Only Get Better

Robert Collier once said, "“All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going - is the man who is there when the good luck comes - and is ready to receive it.” I sure hope this is so because this weeks seems to be one thing after the other. I am currently on a friend's computer to get to you because mine broke (of course). I took it to the computer store and of course they could not guarantee that they could fix it. You may ask what else is going wrong? Well a computer is pretty important this week because I need to sign up for tutorials and register for workshops. Why not go to the library? Well there is never a computer available in the library and you have to wait for about an hour. I guess everyone's computers broke this week. Also, my cell phone is also messing up. Won't send messages half the time or complete calls so please people don't think I am ignoring you. It is the NOKIA. I have only a noodle to my name in the kitchen. The dryer completely ruined my clothes. And I also cannot manage to get my schedule fixed to accomodate each of my classes with their accompanying tutorials. I am starting to think someone has it out for me. BUT....

On the bright side. I am in Australia. Just had a bright moment in the midst of all this darkness, I am fortunate enough to be across the world in an amazing country at a great university. With that said, I think I can manage some mildewy clothes, small lunch, and long lines in the library. Hey who knows, maybe I will make some friends during the wait!


Now to my updates (other than all the negatives). I have great classes. My Jane Austen class is going to be absolutely fabulous and I already have a crush on my teacher. She is australian and so nice and funny. Can't wait to learn all about Jane during this course! We have a workshop this Friday from 10-4:30 which seems like a long time but our professor isn't making it mandatory and also is bringing food and including interactive games. Now that's my kind of workshop! Cant wait.

My other class, Resituating Modernism: Decolonizing Texts (isn't that a mouthful), is also going to be great fun. My teacher is very interesting, from Canada, and super pumped about the subject. There is really nothing better than a teacher being MORE excited about the subject that they are teaching than the student being excited about the clock striking when they get out. Why shouldn't teachers be passionate about their occupations? Anyways, the only kicker for this class is the amount of reading. It is such a LOAD! She warned us in her first few sentences that this class was going to be a challenge and not one just to take for fun (although she asserted it would be!). So I say bring it on. We are studying authors that use modernist techniques from all around the world, not simply the U.S. and England. We are also looking to some women writers, which were often neglected and regarded as inferior. HOW dare they! It's a 2 hour lecture which is a little attention demanding but I suspect that the course material will keep it interesting and the professor lively.

Also, don't know what it is about Australians but they are so laid back. 3 cell phones went off in class and my professor just kept on going. One person ANSWERED! She never once mentioned it and it was clear that it did not bother her. She cursed a few times in her opening and she also opened her lunch! I was thinking, Am I on a different planet? She told us to feel free to do as we please in the class. I just wonder where these boundaries lie.... ha



Now to my most interesting class, Law and Society. This class is going to be great and will improve my critical thinking skills and analytical thinking. There are about 300 people in the class! Coming from Wofford, where average class size is 15, to a class of 300 or more was needless to say a transition. The second lecture I went into the video room to see what it was like and loved it! Because the class is so large, there are two lecture rooms. The first one is where the actual professor is teaching and the second is a similar room with a screen of her video and powerpoints. The video room was much more laid back and I really liked the atmosphere. I think the class will be very interesting because we will be learning about law, what comprises it, how to enforce it, is it even something enforcable etc. She posed an interesting question that I will leave with you: What is law? Pretty hard to put your finger on if you ask me.

Now to more fun things aka non class related ha! Yesterday, I took my computer to the computer store and got to experience a little more of the outskirts of Bundoora. It was really pleasant and quite pretty! Once I got back, Jill and I went to the pool on campus and went for a swim. I even got on the Tarzan rope and swung into the pool! Sure I looked like a monkey but oh well....



Today's plans are to go get groceries (HALLELUJAH) and get school supplies. There is a really nice shopping center called Northland that is a 15 minute bus ride away that has everything under the sun! After our outing, we are planning to come back and make a yummy dinner and then go to the Bald Eagle tonight for an orientation party. Should be fun and I hope there is dancing!

Side note... John comes on the 15th!!!! So excited and if anyone wants to send me something great, he can bring it with him :) We all know thats why I asked him to come anyway haha JK JOHN! Well, that's something to look forward to and I can't wait to show someone else this great city.


Until next time!