Hi everyone,
(and by everyone I mean the 3 people who are reading this...)
I've decided to move the blog to a new provider - I like the interface (is that really even the right tech word?) better.
The new address is:
http://azafady.wordpress.com, so please change your bookmarks.
It transferred all of the posts from the blogspot address, so all will be in one place.
Cheers,
Callista
02 September 2008
hmmm
So, I accidently had tongue for lunch today.
I went to Chez Niani, a café down the street that I often go to for lunch. Malagasy food consists of a) vary (rice), and b) laoka (stuff that goes with rice - i.e. veggies or meat, usually not sauce). Chez Niani has Malagsy food as well as a vazaha menu (chicken, meat, eggs, fries etc). I wanted Malagasy food, so I asked what the laokas of the day were. My waitress spoke super quietly, so I heard mostly unintelligible mumbling, possibly mostly in Malagasy, and then petit pois (peas) jumped out. I said I'd have the petit pois thing with rice. I've had rice dishes there before, and often just ask for whatever doesn't have meat (usually lima beans and tomatoes - quite good actually). Today I figured that I wouldn't mind some meat, so even though I didn't hear her say 'langue' as she was describing the specials, I figured that I would wind up with peas and some sort of meat with my rice.
Indeed, a big bowl of rice and a plate full of peas with some slices of meat on top arrived. I cut up the meat a little and started putting the meat and peas over my rice. The meat was a little like the beef that goes in beef stew only quite a bit softer. I didn't mind it. I'm still getting used to meat (chicken is easier, but there's not much good chicken here - most of the chickens are running around eating garbage, so they're pretty thin), so I didn't exactly love it, but it was ok. When I went back to the plate to cut up a little more meat to put into the mix, I noticed one of the pieces. It had what really really looked like tastebuds on the skin on one side. After closer examination, I decided that it was indeed tongue. I ate a little more of it (just not the tastebuds part), and most of the peas. When I went up to pay, the woman repeated what was on my bill to make sure it was mine, and she said, "un café, du riz, et de la langue et des petits pois". Yup, it was tongue. Good news: the tongue meal plus a packet of vanilla wafer like cookies cost about 2 dollars and 10 cents.
I went to Chez Niani, a café down the street that I often go to for lunch. Malagasy food consists of a) vary (rice), and b) laoka (stuff that goes with rice - i.e. veggies or meat, usually not sauce). Chez Niani has Malagsy food as well as a vazaha menu (chicken, meat, eggs, fries etc). I wanted Malagasy food, so I asked what the laokas of the day were. My waitress spoke super quietly, so I heard mostly unintelligible mumbling, possibly mostly in Malagasy, and then petit pois (peas) jumped out. I said I'd have the petit pois thing with rice. I've had rice dishes there before, and often just ask for whatever doesn't have meat (usually lima beans and tomatoes - quite good actually). Today I figured that I wouldn't mind some meat, so even though I didn't hear her say 'langue' as she was describing the specials, I figured that I would wind up with peas and some sort of meat with my rice.
Indeed, a big bowl of rice and a plate full of peas with some slices of meat on top arrived. I cut up the meat a little and started putting the meat and peas over my rice. The meat was a little like the beef that goes in beef stew only quite a bit softer. I didn't mind it. I'm still getting used to meat (chicken is easier, but there's not much good chicken here - most of the chickens are running around eating garbage, so they're pretty thin), so I didn't exactly love it, but it was ok. When I went back to the plate to cut up a little more meat to put into the mix, I noticed one of the pieces. It had what really really looked like tastebuds on the skin on one side. After closer examination, I decided that it was indeed tongue. I ate a little more of it (just not the tastebuds part), and most of the peas. When I went up to pay, the woman repeated what was on my bill to make sure it was mine, and she said, "un café, du riz, et de la langue et des petits pois". Yup, it was tongue. Good news: the tongue meal plus a packet of vanilla wafer like cookies cost about 2 dollars and 10 cents.
lots of photos!
The internet seems to be cooperating this morning, so this post contains a plethora of things I've described before, but not been able to actually post pictures of. Might as well post them all together while the internet is slightly faster than glacially slow.
The first group of photos were all taken during my field visit to Ambatovaky during my first real week in Fianar. They are various facilities/sites of the very active Koloharena farming movement there. (KH is a group of farmers committed to environmentally sustainable farming/conservation of biodiversity that's been around since 1999 or so.)
Maison Koloharenaa – place where Koloharena farmers can hold trainings, have meetings, and store documents to read and share
The meeting we had in the Maison Koloharena.
Centre d’approvisionnement – Small store selling seeds, farming tools, and other needed products. This is an actual transaction happening.
Décortiquerie, rougly translated by me as dehusker/desheller - bought by the Koloharena on microcredit, enables them to sell rice as a value-added product.
Les forgerons - working making mostly farming tools, many of which are sold through various centres d'approvisionnement.
Farmer Field School, where Koloharena members have space to practice different techniques they learn of at the Maison Koloharena.
Also taken in Ambatovaky, I couldn't help but notice how happy this child was playing with such a simple toy. A good reminder of what a shame it is that American children so often play the lead role in parent/child relationships - does each 6 year old really need 30 presents to open at Christmas containing yet another video game?
A traditional Malagasy house foundation/framework.
What they look like finished.
Viewpoint along the RN7 (Route Nationale 7 - road between Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa - perhaps 40k from Fianar)
Malagasy countryside between Fianar and Ambatovaky
A famous rock between Fianar and Ambatovaky. I was having a hard time listening/retaining information after the busy day in Ambatovaky, but I think it might have some ancient writings on it - perhaps describing the location of some hidden gold. Problem is, they're too old for anyone to read. Of course, if people can't read them, how do they know it would tell of treasure???
The very steep path/road leading up into la Ville Haut - the monument in the center contains plaques recognizing all of the people who have donated to the Save the Old City Project.
An attempt to capture the very pretty moon sliver with the first stars of the evening from my porch.
Looking up at the Old City from Lake Anosy - Zoë and I went for a long walk yesterday.
Zöe
One of the SKIP members helping along with a skit. The kids are 'microbes' and they're acting out something about water safety, which was one of the themes they learned about during their time with the SKIPs.
The very lovely dinner that Mariette invited me to on Sunday. Homemade pizza and salads, followed by her famous brownies à la mode.
Mariette et Richard (owners of the Snack (aka café))
Malalatina, one of the children that lives at the house. She was imitating something silly that Danny was doing. She likes to talk, but doesn't speak French, so sometimes she comes up to my room to say hi and we play little kid clapping games.
Theresa's dog, Aza. (like Aza fady, which means excuse me)
And now, a few pictures of crops from my Ranamofana trip. Our hike included a stroll through Tanala (Eastern forest corridor ethnicity/tribe) villages.
Banana tree
Raffia tree
The first group of photos were all taken during my field visit to Ambatovaky during my first real week in Fianar. They are various facilities/sites of the very active Koloharena farming movement there. (KH is a group of farmers committed to environmentally sustainable farming/conservation of biodiversity that's been around since 1999 or so.)
Maison Koloharenaa – place where Koloharena farmers can hold trainings, have meetings, and store documents to read and share
The meeting we had in the Maison Koloharena.
Centre d’approvisionnement – Small store selling seeds, farming tools, and other needed products. This is an actual transaction happening.
Décortiquerie, rougly translated by me as dehusker/desheller - bought by the Koloharena on microcredit, enables them to sell rice as a value-added product.
Les forgerons - working making mostly farming tools, many of which are sold through various centres d'approvisionnement.
Farmer Field School, where Koloharena members have space to practice different techniques they learn of at the Maison Koloharena.
Also taken in Ambatovaky, I couldn't help but notice how happy this child was playing with such a simple toy. A good reminder of what a shame it is that American children so often play the lead role in parent/child relationships - does each 6 year old really need 30 presents to open at Christmas containing yet another video game?
A traditional Malagasy house foundation/framework.
What they look like finished.
Viewpoint along the RN7 (Route Nationale 7 - road between Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa - perhaps 40k from Fianar)
Malagasy countryside between Fianar and Ambatovaky
A famous rock between Fianar and Ambatovaky. I was having a hard time listening/retaining information after the busy day in Ambatovaky, but I think it might have some ancient writings on it - perhaps describing the location of some hidden gold. Problem is, they're too old for anyone to read. Of course, if people can't read them, how do they know it would tell of treasure???
The very steep path/road leading up into la Ville Haut - the monument in the center contains plaques recognizing all of the people who have donated to the Save the Old City Project.
An attempt to capture the very pretty moon sliver with the first stars of the evening from my porch.
Looking up at the Old City from Lake Anosy - Zoë and I went for a long walk yesterday.
Zöe
One of the SKIP members helping along with a skit. The kids are 'microbes' and they're acting out something about water safety, which was one of the themes they learned about during their time with the SKIPs.
The very lovely dinner that Mariette invited me to on Sunday. Homemade pizza and salads, followed by her famous brownies à la mode.
Mariette et Richard (owners of the Snack (aka café))
Malalatina, one of the children that lives at the house. She was imitating something silly that Danny was doing. She likes to talk, but doesn't speak French, so sometimes she comes up to my room to say hi and we play little kid clapping games.
Theresa's dog, Aza. (like Aza fady, which means excuse me)
And now, a few pictures of crops from my Ranamofana trip. Our hike included a stroll through Tanala (Eastern forest corridor ethnicity/tribe) villages.
Banana tree
Raffia tree
01 September 2008
Photo Dump
My porch with the afternoon sun shining on it:
So much hassle and stress just to have stupid stamps put in my passport:
Sunset a few days ago from my porch
The infamous stripper hat
Terraced crops between Tana and Fianar – really quite amazing, as they’re all hand dug – beautiful
So much hassle and stress just to have stupid stamps put in my passport:
Sunset a few days ago from my porch
The infamous stripper hat
Terraced crops between Tana and Fianar – really quite amazing, as they’re all hand dug – beautiful
new arrivals
In other news, there are 2 additions to my living situation:
Dany, a British med student who started the SKIP program, who is doing a one month internship at the hospital here,
And,
A puppy!!! While I was in Tana playing with strays at the vet clinic with Theresa and wishing I could take one home, the kids that live here found a tiny puppy without a mom. His name is Milo and he fits in the palm of my hand. Malagasy dogs eat rice, or often whatever’s left from the table, but he’s really little. I guess that he is in fact eating rice when it’s given to him, but he’s just now learning how to drink – he had been nursing before, so drinking out of a dish is something new. We’ve given him milk and plain yoghurt to take care of his dairy needs. He likes to hang out by the charcoal burners to warm himself (no danger of getting burned though). I’ve heard him crying at night, but not too bad. I hope he makes it… I’m planning on giving him some extra attention this weekend since I will actually be here, and have Monday off.
Also, I may have fleas. Well, I doubt it. But I have a few itchy spots on my leg that are like little tiny bug bites, but don’t see any bugs. No mosquitoes yet, so it’s not that.
adendum:
after writing this, i have decided that i do not have fleas - just a couple bug bites.
Dany, a British med student who started the SKIP program, who is doing a one month internship at the hospital here,
And,
A puppy!!! While I was in Tana playing with strays at the vet clinic with Theresa and wishing I could take one home, the kids that live here found a tiny puppy without a mom. His name is Milo and he fits in the palm of my hand. Malagasy dogs eat rice, or often whatever’s left from the table, but he’s really little. I guess that he is in fact eating rice when it’s given to him, but he’s just now learning how to drink – he had been nursing before, so drinking out of a dish is something new. We’ve given him milk and plain yoghurt to take care of his dairy needs. He likes to hang out by the charcoal burners to warm himself (no danger of getting burned though). I’ve heard him crying at night, but not too bad. I hope he makes it… I’m planning on giving him some extra attention this weekend since I will actually be here, and have Monday off.
Also, I may have fleas. Well, I doubt it. But I have a few itchy spots on my leg that are like little tiny bug bites, but don’t see any bugs. No mosquitoes yet, so it’s not that.
adendum:
after writing this, i have decided that i do not have fleas - just a couple bug bites.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
