Wandering Through Tana

Classes have been going well! We always have french first, followed by Malagasy. After that, we have a 20 minute snack break, followed by a lecture on some aspect of culture or research strategies. Then it is time for lunch. We normally get 2 hours for lunch, so we are able to eat (takes about 30 minutes) and then go explore or go online or something (we have wifi in the SIT classroom! No need for cyber cafes anymore!) Yesterday, after lunch we were totally free. I went walking/exploring with a group of people and we walked all over the place. We were probably in at least 8 different neighborhoods and walked probably 3 miles at least. In the end, we were so tired and didn’t know where we were that we decided to take a taxi back.

Normally when we are out we get a lot of attention, both from people who are happy to see vazahas, and from beggars. Yesterday was no exception. In fact, it was worse than normal. First, when we were in Analakely, we were hassled by a crazy woman. She was trying to talk to me, but I just sped up, but then she went and started touching some of the other people, which is incredibly taboo in Malagasy culture. When we finally got away from her, we were again hasseled by people but this time it was a 10 year old (probably) boy and an adult man. In the end, one of the people I was with literally had to grab the boy by the shoulders and shove him aside because he was walking right in the middle of our group. Not a good time. And then when we were taking the taxi back, there was a boy (carrying a baby on his back) who found our taxi and ran along with it, sticking his head in the window, for a few minutes, even though the taxi driver was telling him to go away. It is one of the saddest things to see, but you really aren’t supposed to give anything to the beggars.

We ended up at one point in Antaninarenina (where the presidential palace and Hotel Colbert, the nicest hotel in Tana, are) and ran into another group of people from out program. While there, we were walking down the street when someone honked at us (not an uncommon occurrence) but this time, it was Rivo! It was so random to be found by someone in that large of a city, but it was cool.

Anyways, the time keeps rolling by. The next 2 days will just be classes, and then on Saturday I am going to a wedding (my host father’s nephew) with my host parents and Tania, my 13 year old host sister! That should be fun, although everyone apparently got excited when they found out that I, a vazaha, would be at the wedding, so it will probably be an overwhelming experience, at least at first, because everyone is going to want to meet me, shake my hand, and talk to me.