Moonstone Beach
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travel
Morro Bay
in Photography, Blog
Morro Bay is my favorite place to go to when I'm back home. It was one of my favorite places to go to when I was a kid. We would travel there often, as it wasn't too far from where I used to live. My Dad actually worked in this city for some years before they moved.
The last two or three times I've been back, I have been able to catch the sea otters in the bay. Some of them had babies, but it was a little difficult to scope them out. They were all fun to watch though!
Morro Bay would actually be on my top 5 cities to live in, it's so cute and I love the bay!!
This VW bus actually belongs to my friends brother-in-law!!
I remember going to the movies at the theater when I was a kid. My Aunt Mel used to work there, so we would go and visit her and see a movie!
Youth of Madagascar
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I had this idea for a while now, to write up a blog all about the young adults that I know and love from Madagascar. These young adults are amazing! I have known most of them here since they were very little. It's been amazing to see them grow into such amazing young people. Now you have the chance to get to know them a little bit through this blog!
Sahaza - 18
Sahaza is in her second year of studying English and Law, at the local University.
She loves classic movies (we watched some while I was there). Her English is amazing (it was so much fun to communicate in English with her)! She is an amazing singer! She has a huge love for her family, and helping to take care of her three younger brothers.
Instagram account: @tsanta_sahaza
Languages: Malagasy, French, English
I have known Sahaza since she was around 1 or so. This last trip though, we really connected more and were able to have some amazing, long talks, mostly in English. Talks about life, America, photography, music, movies, etc.
Fitahiana - 16
Fita is a senior in high school.
He is a great artist, drawing sketches (he drew two for me that I love). He enjoys photography. He has an amazing sense of clothing style! He is Sahaza's younger brother.
Instagram account: @tony_yzl
Languages: Malagasy, French
I remember when Fita was just a baby. And as he grew up, he would always follow me around. He loved hanging out with me, and having me play outside with him and his cousins. I enjoyed so much this last time with Fita. We did a lot of photography together. It was great to work with him because he also threw in some great ideas for photos, and his style is really awesome!
Hasina - 17
Hasina just recently finished his senior year of high school.
Languages: Malagasy, French
He loves art, especially photography. The day we met, in Sahaza and Fita's family countryside (Hasina is their cousin), he loved watching me take photos, and had all kinds of questions. I could tell he was eager to learn.
Jenny - 17
Jenny just recently finished her senior year of high school.
She has an amazing love for the Lord. She is leading the children's club that I started back in 2003, which she attended. She has a big heart for little kids. She hopes to study abroad one day. She also enjoys playing the guitar and singing.
Instagram account: @jen_hye_12
Languages: Malagasy, French, English
It really encourages me and makes my heart happy with seeing Jenny leading the kids club. I started it back in 2003, and she and her siblings and cousins would attend it every week. Now she, with the help of others, are leading other kids in their neighborhood. She has such a big heart for others and loves serving.
Miandritiana - 19
He's looking into schools abroad, to further his studies.
He is great musician, singing and playing the guitar. Has an amazing love for his little brother, loving on him and helping to take care of him. He loves football (soccer) and playing it with his brother and cousins.
Instagram: @miandritiana
Languages: Malagasy, French
Ranto - 20
Ranto is in his third year of studying Law at the local University.
He loves music, and enjoys photography. He has an amazing sense of style and a great smile!
I remember when he was little, and he would come over to Jenny and Miandritiana's house (he's their cousin), playing and running around!
Karen - 17
Karen is in her senior year of high school.
Karen's English is amazing! She loves classic movies, and has a great eye for photography. She has an amazing heart and love for her country and the children.
Instagram: @karen_andrianaivo
Languages: Malagasy, French, English
I remember when Karen would attend the children's club I held back in 2003. It's fun to see her grow up and to spend more time with her, talking about the things we love...Madagascar and photography!
Nancy - 17
Nancy is studying her first year of Law at the local University.
She is a great musician! She loves playing the guitar and drums, especially with her brother Princy.
Languages: Malagasy, French
I remember Nancy when she was just a little thing. She always loved playing with her cousins and singing!
Princy - 22
He is in his 6th year of studying Medicine at the local University, to become a doctor.
He is a great musician, playing the guitar and singing! Ever since I knew him at a young age, he always loved learning. He has a big heart for other people.
Instagram: @pricnyadolf
Languages: Malagasy, French
I remember when I first started living in Madagascar. Princy would come to my room and visit me. At the time I didn't know any Malagasy or French. He would come though, and start speaking French to me, talking about all kinds of things. He would be there for a long time, though I didn't really say much, he still loved hanging out.
Kezia - 22
She is working right now as a recruitment officer at a company in Tana, called OMT (OutreMer Telecom).
Languages: Malagasy, French, English
I was able to visit and hang out a couple times with Kezia this last time I was there. She wanted to hang out and practice her English.
Kezia and her brothers would come to the children's club that I had started, when they were younger.
The photo above was taken back in 2005, of Sahaza, Jenny and Fitahiana. I love this photo of them, and their adorable smiles!
I first met these young adults back when they were babies and toddlers back in 1999. I love how we have been able to keep in touch and still have a good relationship. Since I moved back to the states, we have still been in touch often, more now than before. And I'm thankful for the time I was able to spend with all of them during my last trip. And I look forward to the day I get to hang out with them again.
Misaotra betsaka ianaoreo t@ ny fotoana isika! Tena mahafinaritra be ianareo rehetra sady cool be! Tiako be ianaoreo!
the last session.
in Photography, Blog
The last couple of days of being in Madagascar I took some more photos for Sahaza and two of her three brothers, Fita and Manovo. They wanted to have as many photos as they could, and I love taking photos and hanging out with them!
I loved the times hanging out with Sahaza and speaking English. The last time I had time with her, she was little. This time, we were able to share similar interests, laugh, joke, talk about future goals and dreams.
Fita is one amazing guy, with lots of awesome style! Fita is also an amazing artist! He has a great talent of sketching and drawing photos, especially portraits of people. I asked him before I left if he could sketch a picture for me. He gave me two, one of a lady and one of Johnny Depp.
Manovo is one bright and funny kid! I remember when I was living in Madagascar full time, playing with Manovo and carrying him around. I can't do that anymore, but it's great to have conversations with this kid. He's got a big heart and is great to be around!
the color green...part 2
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The last weekend of February I was able to go to the countryside again with my friends. I loved visiting the area so much back in January, I told them if I get the chance again, I will definitely go again! I love going on countryside adventures!
Manovo and Mihary in the rice fields.
We left in the morning and went straight to church. After church, some of the kids and I walked down to the rice fields to walk around, explore and get some photos.
My friends church in the countryside.
Manovo
Mihary jumping across the fields.
The boys loved jumping back and forth for the rice fields to the large rocks we were standing on. Though Mihary (in above photo), lost his balance and flew into the muddy rice fields a couple of times.
Manovo jumping across the fields.
My friends and all their family.
After lunch time, we all went out walking and exploring the area. We walked up and down hills, through peanut fields, and through rice fields. We had a lot of fun and the beauty around me was amazing.
My friends sweet parents in the countryside.
This (photo above) is my friends family house in the countryside. They also have a store, as you see in the photo above (the window to the right), where they sells snacks and other little things.
Take by Fita's cousin, Hasina.
The teens had fun either taking my iPhone or my camera at times to get photos of each other. This photo above was taken with my camera by Fita's cousin Hasina.
Fita's cousin Hasina.
I might have mentioned this before, but I love the sibling relationship between Sahaza and her brother Fita. To me, they are like best friends, which they probably are. I can see how much they love each other and how close they are.
Sahaza full of smiles!
Manovo chilling in the bus before we left.
Thank you so much Lalaina and family for letting me come along with you guys both weekends. I had so much fun!
One memory that I will never forget, though it wasn't the best...I was bit by some type of small insect, similar to a bee. It was the most painful bite ever, and had to take off my pants for a minute, to make sure the singer wasn't somewhere in my jeans. It eventually was swollen, itchy and theres still a scar on my leg from the bite.
Ambohitriniandriana...beautiful countryside...part 2.
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So here's part 2 of this latest blog!! I hope you all enjoyed part 1!
While there, I did a bit of exploring around the area. I didn't have to go too far to see so many cool places! The rice fields, which are all over, were incredible!! This was one just down from the school. The photo above is my favorite! I love the bright green fields and the awesome clouds.
I went those these rice fields two days in row. One, because they are so amazing, and two, because I wanted to bring a different camera each time. Both times the two women were working in the fields. And the second day, their daughters were there as well. The younger of the two talked to me almost the whole time I was there. They both attend the school and remembered me.
Sometimes it's good to change your point of view when you are looking at things! When I showed my friends this photo, they thought it was coolest thing and had never seen the rice fields at that angle.
Faly is shucking beans that they have harvested. He said they have been growing these beans for years. He also shared with me that he has been blessing those in the village with these beans, have been planting them all around. He hopes that in the coming years, everyone in the village will have access to these beans to enjoy!
By the second or third day of visiting the school, whenever the kids were out on recess, I could hear my name being said all around me, wanting photos with their friends, with their classmates.
I love black and white photos, and I love black and white photos of kids laughing and smiling! These girls were so funny...I think I took close to 10 photos of them, in different poses. I took one and they said, another, another! This one was my favorite of them all!
These students were learning to play basketball during their recess. Some of the were really good. Later on, in the afternoon, some of jr high students were out playing and I joined in. I hadn't played basketball in years, but it was a lot of fun. As you see in the photo above, many of the kids played barefoot. The ground was pretty dusty. I had never played basketball barefoot before, just soccer. As I was playing, just in my flip flops, they kept flying off. I ended up tossing them off and it was a lot easier!
Of course the kids were playing soccer at every recess! They really good at this game! And very creative as well, as you see the ball is made up of plastic bags tied all together into a ball.
I love being able to capture pure joy and laughter through my photos!!
This girl pictured above, she became my little buddy that week. From the first day she would call out my name, she would run up to me and give me a big hug each time we met. She would want me to take her photos, especially when she was eating something! When I left I had to make sure I said goodbye to her. I gave her a big hug! Her Mom (who’s a teacher at the school), asked her if she was going to miss me…she nodded yes. She was really the sweetest little thing!
"You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you" - John Bunyan
"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can" - Charles Wesley
"Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive" - H. Thurman
Thank you again Faly and Clara for letting me come and spend 8 amazing days with you and your family!!
Ambohitriniandriana...beautiful countryside...part 1.
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I spent 8 days in this countryside, visiting some old friends. I've known Faly and Clara and their family for over 16 years now. I have been to their countryside multiple times, but they were always for a short visit. This time, I wanted to stay a bit longer, spend more time with them and the ministry they have going on.
As you can see, in the photos, it was a beautiful area, lots of green!! Just during those 8 days I was able to do many things, bless them and those around them. I attended and photographed a wedding, explored the countryside, shared my personal testimony, visited the private school there in the village, shared about American and my family to a couple of classes, and taught about American history to the 12 grade class of the school,
Pictured above is the private school. My friends helped open this school back in 2004. It's preschool age up to 12th grade. Almost every morning I would walk down the hill and visit the kids when they were out at recess. Some afternoons I would hang out with them as well, and play basketball.
The photo above is my friend Faly teaching English grammar to some of the high school students. I took this photo during my first day that I arrived. I was coming out of the house and Faly was walking down to the school. He asked if I wanted to come along. I ended up sharing about myself, my family and my country, in English.
My friends Faly and Clara's oldest daughter Mamy got married while I was there. It was great to attend my second wedding this trip! Malagasy weddings are usually long but full of excitement and fun!! Things got under way around 9:30am that morning and ended around 5:30pm.
Me with the happy couple, Raj and Mamy!
One of the mornings I was there, I took some photos of the teachers, as well as each of the classes. In the photo above are most of the teachers in the school, there were a couple of them missing. The man in the front, and the woman to his left are my friends, Faly and Clara.
The kids loved getting their photos taken!! I loved hanging with the preschool class, they were so much fun! I would be walking down the hill towards the school, some of them would see me coming and would shout my name and ask me to take their photos. Every time I took a photo they would have to look at it on my camera and they always burst out laughing! Having a camera with kids around equals a lot of fun and a lot of laughter!!
Here I am (above photo) hanging out with a few of the teachers, during the kids recess time.
The teachers were aware I might be popping into their classroom to sneak a shot of the kids studying. The are used to having foreigners come and visit them.
During lunch time, most of the kids go home during their break, but around 80-90 of the kids stay at school. They have a canteen that runs for the kids during the week, for those who don't have time to prepare lunch ahead of time, or they live further away.
Once or twice a week, they also receive a dessert with their meal. Picture above, some of the older students are handing out fresh fruit to the kids.
Pictured above is the open, covered area where the canteen is. They just hang out their during lunchtime, eating and talking!
The kids have an area to play basketball as well as a field down below for playing soccer. You can see up in the distance the canteen from the outside.
I have so many photos that I would love to share, but didn't want to make a huge blog, so I decide to make two different ones.
Part 2 will be coming soon! Thanks for taking a look!
The view as we walked down to the river.
the color green.
in Photography, Blog
Sunday I spent the day in my friends countryside. We left in the morning to be able to get to church in time, as it took a bit over an hour to get there. My friends own a bus that usually runs daily, taking people to town and back. But on Sundays, they use the bus to go to church in their countryside.
Sahaza hanging out on the bus.
Sisters, Sitraka and Tella.
Fita looking cool on the bus!
Brothers!!! Mihary (back), Fita, and Manovo
Their church in the countryside.
After church let out, me and few of the younger kids walked down to the rice fields that were close by. We took a bunch of photos and Manovo took some videos with my phone.
It was so beautiful and green all around, I loved it!! I could just gaze at all the beauty around me for hours.
Sitraka walking through the rice fields.
I love this photo above...the rice fields, the large open garden, the bright red dirt and the river running through.
Sahaza down by the river.
Sahaza jumping for joy!
Manovo taking a ride on his grandpa's bike.
Later in the afternoon, some of us went on another walk up the hill a ways, and found more beauty around us!
Nothing more fun than dancing on the road in the countryside!
Love this shot of Fita riding his grandpa's bicycle!
Down by the river. Thanks Sahaza for taking this!
This shot below I think is my favorite shot I took, with my iPhone. It was in the afternoon, right before it started raining. Ten minutes later I started to rain a little bit. I was concerned because I had my camera with me and no protection from the rain with me at the time. We still had about a 5 minute walk back to the house. Thankfully we had the bicycle, so I jumped on that and raced back to the house before my camera got wet.
If I get the chance again before I head home, I hope to get back here again and go on some more adventures and explore new areas of the countryside.
street photography
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I went to town yesterday with my friends. I had been wanting to take some street photos but didn't want to bring my large camera. I ended up bringing a small point and shoot to get some shots.
They may not be the best of quality, but I still think they speak a lot, especially in black and white.
another day. another session.
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I had fun yesterday with Fita again, taking a bunch of photos. I'm glad he is always open to the ideas that come to me. And he also has some of his own ideas as well.
"Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are" - Brene Brown
"Don't think about what can happen in a month. Don't think about what can happen in a year. Just focus on the 24 hours in front of you and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be"
I LOVE this shot above!
He's seriously a natural in front of the camera!!
Everything is going to OK!
F I T A H I A N A
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‘Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the common place, the slaves of the ordinary.’ -Cecil Beaton
Fita is 15 years old now and I remember when he was just a little baby. I know I’ve told this story before, but when was a toddler, around 2 or 3, he would love visiting me. One time when I went home on furlough, he still went to my room trying to find me.
Later on, when he was around 5 or 6, he would come over and talk to me after he got home from school and tell me all kinds of stories.
Of course there was a time where I was absent and didn’t see him for a number of years. When I saw him back in July after I arrived, I almost didn’t recognize him. He’s grown into an amazing young man.
I was visiting him and some of his other family the other day. I brought my camera gear along, hoping to get some photos of the kids playing around outside. Later in the day, he asked if we could do some photos. We both had different ideas for the photo session, and I was very happy and satisfied with many of the photos. He’s a born model!!
"Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread through shadows to the edge of night, until the stars are all alight." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
"With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity" - Mark Twain
I hope the best for you Fita, and I hope you can accomplish the things on your heart!
Adventures in the village.
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The church in Marotandrazana
Saturday morning we left early to head to the village of Marotandrazana. It’s the same village where I attended the 7 wedding celebration.
Laundry day!
This village is around 1 1/2 hour drive, plus a ride on a ferry across the river. It normally wouldn’t take that long, but with the state of the roads, it takes a bit longer. After around the first 30 minutes, we came across a river that we have to cross. There is a ferry that cars are able to drive upon to be able to get across. They have canoes as well, for people, mopeds, bikes, etc. With the river being so low, we weren’t sure if we were really going to be able to make it across and back. Going across was fine, but we had a bit of trouble coming back. There were a couple of times that the ferry started to get stuck in the low areas, and so thankfully some of the guys from the village were with us and help push the ferry across the river. As we were getting closer to shore, those were weren’t pushing the ferry, got off and onto a canoe to get back to shore. Once we all got off, it didn’t take them much longer to reach shore again.
I snapped this my phone once I got to shore.
One goal of my time was to take photos of the church leaders with their families, which are around 10. I also wanted to get a little video footage, and photos of the village and it’ surrounding areas.
One of the church leaders with his family. Their little baby is just under 1 month old!
Making coal.
When we arrived, we went into the church and visited a little bit with some of the leaders. After a while, along with a few of the leaders, Sharone (Victor’s oldest daughter) and I went with them to the other leaders homes and take their photos. The only thing I didn’t know (and neither did Victor) was that we were to walk up and down mountains and through rivers to get to the leaders.
One of the leaders with his youngest of 5 children.
The church leaders that took Sharone and I all over the place! Thankful to Patrick for carrying my backpack for me!!
Over a period of 2 hours or so, we walked through the jungles of Marotandrazana stopping through a few other smaller villages. Each time we arrived at a home, they invited us in for a minute and I explained what I wanted to do. I took their photos just outside their homes, and than we continued on our journey.
Another church leader and his family.
One point as we were walking up a mountain, one of the leaders took off on a side trail, and soon came back with a bunch of bananas to share. And in one of the smaller villages they offered us a fresh coconut to enjoy!
A machine to clean the rice. They just received this recently and had been praying for it for a while.
Even though it was hot at times, and I was tired from walking up mountains, the views were gorgeous and it was wonderful to visit the leaders homes and the rest of their families.
Bright green rice field.
One time the mountain was so steep, I almost fell backwards twice and quickly grabbed the arm of one of the leaders. There were two different times we had to forge through two small rivers. The first one we went across, I ended up stepping in the wrong spot, and my right foot ended up falling in around 4 inches of mud. I couldn’t get my foot out with the flip flop on, so took my foot off to get it out of the mud, and I had to dig around for it. Since they were so slippery wet and muddy, and the mountain was steep, I went barefoot for a while until we reach the top.
Sharone and I having fun in the jungle!
I think I will remember this day forever!
Street Photography: Tamatave
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On the way to Las Palmas, since we had to pass through areas of town, I took this time as an advantage and captured some street photography.
The road leaving the center, heading to town.
Boys playing ball down a sandy dirt road near one of the churches Victor and his team started
'He found himself understanding the wearisomeness of this life, where every part was an improvision and a considerable part of one’s waking life was spent watching one’s feet' - Lord of the Flies, William Golding
Get your motor oil!
Rice, beans and other things.
Along a dirt road.
Sponges, rice, beans, brooms....
Wood, gravel and other building supplies.
Las Palmas Village
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‘Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the common place, the slaves of the ordinary’ - Cecil Beaton
This past Saturday afternoon I had the privilege to visit the village of Las Palmas. It had been 2 years since I had been there, and it was great to be back again. Our time there was short, just a couple of hours, but even in that amount of time, we could bring smiles to the peoples faces, especially the kids.
Most of the people in the village remembered me visiting them back in 2013. One of the village leaders, Solo and his wife Zafteny, invited us into their small home to sit and chat a bit, as we arrived. I expressed to them how happy I was to be back and visit them. I told them how important I felt it is that I am able to visit them more than just one time. I told them I wanted to take photos for their families and get as many photos of the kids around as I could.
The kids seemed to have a lot of fun as I took their photos. I think the best part was when I would show them their photo, they would all burst out with this amazing laughter. I wish that I had thought of having someone video their laughter, it was priceless!!!
I had a lot of fun with this little guy (in photo above). I wasn’t sure if he would let me hold him, but he had no fear of new people, or white people. I carried him around for a while until I was offered some coffee by Zafteny, and than I put him down. Once I put him down though, he wasn’t very happy, he wanted me to continue holding him, so I picked him back up and we walked around. Later on, his mother was holding him. He noticed some of the bigger kids playing around in the back of Victor’s truck, and he kept reaching, and wanted to join them. I went and took him and brought over to the truck, and sat him in the truck bed. He loved it and was talking up a storm, telling me stories I supposed, in his own little baby language.
Soon before we left, I sat down by Zafteny who was shucking beans for their dinner. I asked if they grew the beans there, she said they do. They don’t grow them right now to sell, but just enough to have for themselves for meals.
I started shucking the beans along with her, and Victor snapped a shot of us.
The local store in Las Palmas
Local church in Las Palmas
While there in the village, I was really in my element, I loved every bit of it, taking it all in. I can’t wait to get back to Las Palmas again and give them copies of some of their photos and get to the next village.
‘You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you’ - John Bunyan
Beach life.
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I have been to the beach a couple times now since I’ve been here. Most was just to bring the kids and play in the sand.
The other evening though I went with my friend Douce and the kids to walk along the shore. It was about sunset, the weather was beautiful, the sun was about to set and I loved hearing the waves crash against the sand. This was the first time I took my camera along. Even though my battery died before We got back home, I still was able to get some great shots of the beach. I look forward to getting back soon and get some more shots.
I could go to the beach every day and not get tired of it. Being in Tennessee we don’t get to the beach as often as we would like, so to have it here so close, I try to go as often as I can.
We had a bit of an adventure though at the end of our walk. I wish that my battery hadn’t died, so I could have gotten it on film (next time I need to check my battery life:).
As we were about to head back home, we noticed a couple of guys that had been walking their small herd of zebu, there on the beach. We weren’t super close to them, but one started getting upset, started jumping around and running away from the guy. As we weren’t sure which direction the zebu was headed, we ran the opposite direction, as fast as our feet could take us.
Photo above: Jo, Ariel, Sharone and Douce
Some of us were laughing, some screaming and some were tripping and falling in the sand. We go far enough away from the zebu to be out of harms way, though we kept looking back every few seconds to make they weren’t coming back in our direction.
We laughed about it all once we got home and were thankful that nobody was hurt.
Another day while I was at the beach, and this time there weren’t any zebu’s running wide this time, but I fell into a booby trap. It was literally a booby trap!!! I was walking in the sand and all of a sudden my right leg fell into a large hole in the sand. It was up past my knee. As I had help getting out of the hole, there were some small pieces of wood in the hole and pieces of plastic as well. Those things were covering the hole, so all you could see was the sand. As I pulled my leg out, my sandal had fallen off and we had to dig to find it.
Fun times at the beach here in Tamatave!
The kids of Itaosy.
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My first week in Madagascar I stayed in Itaosy, a suburb of Tana, the capital. I have known these kids and their families for years now and have watched them all grow up. They are an amazing group of kids!
This here is Princy. His is 22 now, but I remember when he was just a little guy, always talking to me in French and was super friendly. He would always come up to the room where I was living in at the time, and would tell me story, after story. And now, he is going to medical school to become a doctor!
This is Fita, who just turned 15! This kid is pretty awesome and a great model!! I remember when he was just a couple of years old, he would always come and visit me. And if I was gone for some reason, he would go throughout the house, calling my name!
Jedidiah, 11 years old.
Mihary, 6 years old.
Miandritiana, 18 years old
Sahaza, 17 years old
Manovo, 11 years old....too cool for words!
My time in Tana was a bit short because I have to start working on my visa, but I hope to get back over there sometime while I'm here and spend a bit more time with my friends. I am glad though I could have last week with them!
homesick.
in Photography, Blog
Have you ever been to a place, a home, a city, anywhere? And once you left, you wish you could be there again? You wish you could just teleport yourself to that specific place? That's how I've been feeling lately. There are times when I miss a specific place, I miss the smells, I miss the views, I miss the people, I miss my friends...and lately, that place has been Madagascar. More specifically, Tamatave, at the place where I was last year for three months, with my friends Victor and Douce, and their three kids.
Douce (far left) and Victor (far right with Jo) at a small market in one of the villages we visited.
I miss waking up in the morning, having breakfast with them, watching the kids get ready for school, and either getting ready myself for a day in a village, or just staying at the base, working on communication stuff for my friends.
A little boy in one of the villages I visited.
I love the days when I would play for hours outside with the kids around the base. I would teach them some games, and they taught me some as well. They would sing, dance, and they loved having their photos taken, and videos. Pretty much after every photo or video I took, they would run up to me, asking to look at themselves. And of course they loved it!
Sina, Petro, Sharone and Ariel jumping
I remember little Jo, he loved playing with my phone and looking at his photos. Whenever I came into the room, he would ask 'Where's Jo' ('Aiza Jo')? I would sit with him on my lap and go through the videos or photos of him and he would love it! It would always bring a smile to my face. And if for some reason I put my phone away, he would continue asking 'Aiza Jo' until I brought out the phone again.
Little Jo, posing for the camera. He's a natural!
When I was on my flight back to the states, after my time in Madagascar, last year, I wasn't sure if I was able to do it again. I wasn't sure if I could make that long flight again. My flight coming home was longer than normal, but I just wasn't sure if I could make it again like that. But you know what, at the beginning of the year, I couldn't help but think, 'when am I going back to Madagascar'. I don't think too much about the flying, yes, I wish I could teleport myself back there in an instance, but things doing work that way. But my love for this country, for the people, is stronger than my thoughts of having a to take a long travel back. I do plan to go back, and I hope soon. Though the travels may be long, those feelings soon dwindle away once I step onto the big red island and let the adventures begin!
Be ready Madagascar, I will be back!
Me and Petro
'Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive' -H. Thurman
Crossing a bridge, going to a village in Tamatave.