I keep a journal and every morning I record something that happened the day before that I consider a "little victory". Something that either made me proud, made me happy, or just something good that can always remind me why I'm doing this. So these are my Little Victories from February:
VAC in Andasibe was a good time. Got to relax, see some lemurs, and eat some vazah food. And I'm getting a lot more comfortable traveling on my own
Finally stepped up my cooking game; I made a tortilla, added potatoes, onions, tomatoes and egg which made for a pretty bomb burrito
My kids are slowly learning that I know Malagasy and they love it. I love these goobers so much
If my basketball game keeps slowly improving then I may actually finish off these two years and not be completely horrible
Four hours straight with 6eme always amazes me how I make it through. I love these little guys but man they're hard work
Learning how to deal with difficult, important people. Not fun, but important life lessons coming from it
Did part of the tree planting bike ride and it was so good to spend a couple days with other volunteers. We've got a cool bunch and the program is a really cool idea
Malagasy know how to dance and can dance forever. I sure don't know how to dance but I really did have fun trying today
Today I was playing soccer near the tsena with a group of students and this lady comes and jumps in goal and then played in our PK shootout too. It was amazing
Thankful for mom and dad and our weekly calls. I just need to talk every week and I appreciate their willingness to let me vent and also talk about the good things
A couple of my university students came over and saw all my vocab on the walls and loved copying it. They were so happy to get new English vocab. It was cute
Taught my kids the days of the week song to the tune of the Adamm's family and they loved it. It was one of my favorite teaching days
Some days I feel like I'm not very good at Malagasy but other times like when I'm helping Niny with her homework and I can explain most things in Malagasy then I feel a little better about my language ability
Adulting. I've been locked in my house grading papers all day. But Madame Fanja was a big help in teaching me how to calculate all the scores
Forced myself to take a little break from grading and went out with some of my students and they/I had a great time learning English and then also teaching me how to dance. That was something...
Spent the weekend with my friend and she had done my hair in the morning and then when we got to her cousin's house her cousin and her cousin's daughter had their hair done the same way too. It was cute
The crocs guy by my market that would always call me vezah and who didn't know I could speak Malagasy for the longest time, for some reason called me Katie today. I don't know when he learned my name or why today he started but yay for integration
All the girls from my university class left to go do something and so it was just me and guys and I thought it would be terrible but they were actually strangely good
Today I handed back the exam to my 6eme classes and I said good job and one of the classes started clapping. They're so funny
I played the Malagasy version of dodgeball today. I had never seen it played before today but it was fun
In the morning was the CEG's cleaning day and so all my students were supposed to be helping to plant trees and clean brush but all the girls just wanted to talk with me
In the evening I had a good conversation with a man who was so excited to talk to me in Malagasy
Saturday, March 16, 2019
January Little Victories
I keep a journal and every morning I record something that happened the day before that I consider a "little victory". Something that either made me proud, made me happy, or just something good that can always remind me why I'm doing this. So these are my Little Victories from January:
Today was almost too good for words. I love my friends and the immeasurable amount of kindness everyone here has shown me. Life is good
If you hammock they will come. Pretty sure the whole village could hear the squeals of kids as they swung on my hammock. Joy is such a beautiful thing
Went on a little hike up a mountain to this field with Niny and some friends and planted seeds in the morning. The views were great and the company even better
Today the new batch of vezahs arrived and when MamaZaza was trying to tell me they were coming she was so cute apologizing for using the word vezah to me
My usual mofo Gasy place was packed this morning so I went to a new one and just the way I said "yeah" they said they could tell I already knew Malagasy and we had a really good chat
I was part of the welcoming committee this morning for the new vezahs with Tafita, Menja, Bonefast and Gote. We walked around and showed them the town
I love how whenever I'm looking for one of my friends everyone offers to help and just starts yelling their name. Works every time
I can't get over how good my students are, I don't know how I got so lucky!
Survived getting to, traveling around, and coming back from Tana; that's a big victory in itself
In the evening me and my group of Malagasy friends taught the new volunteers Malagasy. I'd like to think that them seeing me speak Malagasy partially inspired them to learn
Managed to give a 2 hour lesson in one in an attempt to catch my students up from when I was gone
I enjoy teaching. Not everyday is easy and not every lesson goes as planned but I like my kids and I like seeing them learn. I'm thankful for that
Sometimes letting life take you where it may leads to the best kind of moments. A group of little kids that I pass on my way to school everyday always yell vezah so today I stopped to talk to them and next thing I know I'm holding all their hands and going on a little adventure.
Good mofo Gasy in the morning always constitutes a win in my book
I love that my students like me outside of the classroom. They love seeing me at the market and especially when I play soccer or basketball with them and I love that I have the time to do that here.
I appreciate Niny always including me in things every day. Even if at times it feels suffocating I think its better than the alternative of being lonely.
Saying yes even when you're not entirely sure what you're about to do almost always lends itself to a good time. Today I went to Angela's with Niny, Caramel, and Charlene and learned how to make mango and rotcha jam
I finally mastered the perfect cup of vanilla chai tea- the secret: socolait. And perfect timing on a rainy evening too
Did a song lyrics listening activity with my association students and there's something so beautiful about hearing your students sing Heal the World by Michael Jackson
Today it started down pouring in my 5eme class where no one could hear anything (we have tin roofs). I just looked at the class- they knew and I knew I had no clue what to do next and so we all just started to laugh at the situation (and eventually I did find a way to keep teaching)
The little kids here have my entire heart. I spent the whole afternoon first with my neighborhood goobers then with the kids by the field just tickling and chasing them. Days like today a smile never leaves my face
I was able to buy apples today in Amparafa and I don't know if such a simple type of food has ever brought me so much happiness
Climbing trees, picking fruit, having running races, eating so much rotcha it hurts your stomach. Today was like a day from my childhood and I loved every minute of it
Cooking with friends in the morning, getting my hair braided in the afternoon, playing mother hen to dozens of kids in the evening, I love my little life here
Thanks to my lovely Kibo Krew friends advice on how to cook rice I made my first pot of actually good rice. Still not up to par with Mama Zaza's but I was still proud
It started pouring at the end of class today so I told the kids I was going to wait and they could stay and play an English game if they wanted and it was cool to see how excited they were to stay. Also I walked home barefoot and everyone loved that ha!
My students are hilarious and I love them so much. That's all. That's all I need. My heart is full
After days of straight rain and clouds, today, my laundry day, the sun was shining all day. Score!
Today was almost too good for words. I love my friends and the immeasurable amount of kindness everyone here has shown me. Life is good
If you hammock they will come. Pretty sure the whole village could hear the squeals of kids as they swung on my hammock. Joy is such a beautiful thing
Went on a little hike up a mountain to this field with Niny and some friends and planted seeds in the morning. The views were great and the company even better
Today the new batch of vezahs arrived and when MamaZaza was trying to tell me they were coming she was so cute apologizing for using the word vezah to me
My usual mofo Gasy place was packed this morning so I went to a new one and just the way I said "yeah" they said they could tell I already knew Malagasy and we had a really good chat
I was part of the welcoming committee this morning for the new vezahs with Tafita, Menja, Bonefast and Gote. We walked around and showed them the town
I love how whenever I'm looking for one of my friends everyone offers to help and just starts yelling their name. Works every time
I can't get over how good my students are, I don't know how I got so lucky!
Survived getting to, traveling around, and coming back from Tana; that's a big victory in itself
In the evening me and my group of Malagasy friends taught the new volunteers Malagasy. I'd like to think that them seeing me speak Malagasy partially inspired them to learn
Managed to give a 2 hour lesson in one in an attempt to catch my students up from when I was gone
I enjoy teaching. Not everyday is easy and not every lesson goes as planned but I like my kids and I like seeing them learn. I'm thankful for that
Sometimes letting life take you where it may leads to the best kind of moments. A group of little kids that I pass on my way to school everyday always yell vezah so today I stopped to talk to them and next thing I know I'm holding all their hands and going on a little adventure.
Good mofo Gasy in the morning always constitutes a win in my book
I love that my students like me outside of the classroom. They love seeing me at the market and especially when I play soccer or basketball with them and I love that I have the time to do that here.
I appreciate Niny always including me in things every day. Even if at times it feels suffocating I think its better than the alternative of being lonely.
Saying yes even when you're not entirely sure what you're about to do almost always lends itself to a good time. Today I went to Angela's with Niny, Caramel, and Charlene and learned how to make mango and rotcha jam
I finally mastered the perfect cup of vanilla chai tea- the secret: socolait. And perfect timing on a rainy evening too
Did a song lyrics listening activity with my association students and there's something so beautiful about hearing your students sing Heal the World by Michael Jackson
Today it started down pouring in my 5eme class where no one could hear anything (we have tin roofs). I just looked at the class- they knew and I knew I had no clue what to do next and so we all just started to laugh at the situation (and eventually I did find a way to keep teaching)
The little kids here have my entire heart. I spent the whole afternoon first with my neighborhood goobers then with the kids by the field just tickling and chasing them. Days like today a smile never leaves my face
I was able to buy apples today in Amparafa and I don't know if such a simple type of food has ever brought me so much happiness
Climbing trees, picking fruit, having running races, eating so much rotcha it hurts your stomach. Today was like a day from my childhood and I loved every minute of it
Cooking with friends in the morning, getting my hair braided in the afternoon, playing mother hen to dozens of kids in the evening, I love my little life here
Thanks to my lovely Kibo Krew friends advice on how to cook rice I made my first pot of actually good rice. Still not up to par with Mama Zaza's but I was still proud
It started pouring at the end of class today so I told the kids I was going to wait and they could stay and play an English game if they wanted and it was cool to see how excited they were to stay. Also I walked home barefoot and everyone loved that ha!
My students are hilarious and I love them so much. That's all. That's all I need. My heart is full
After days of straight rain and clouds, today, my laundry day, the sun was shining all day. Score!
December Little Victories
I keep a journal and every morning I record something that happened the day before that I consider a "little victory". Something that either made me proud, made me happy, or just something good that can always remind me why I'm doing this. So these are my Little Victories from December:
I had a good morning coffee interaction, its so nice being able to speak Malagasy when people expect me to speak French
Today I cleared the board while all 5 of my students were on break and they came back and said they had the "cool" teacher, ha!
After my last class of 5eme for the day a little girl walked me home and held my hand the whole time.
For my first 6eme class it started pouring right at the beginning and no one could hear anything but by the time Madame Fanja got done helping me with attendance it stopped raining and we were able to begin teaching.
What had started out as a planned day of solitude turned into an afternoon of little people all over my yard, a nice little walk with my new shy little friend, and then a walk with Menja speaking and teaching English and Malagasy back and forth.
In the morning I was at my coffee lady and a rogue omby started coming my way and she opened her door to let me come inside. People are wonderful.
Sat for a couple hours with Aina (my host brother) just trying to work on my rubic cube. It was a peaceful afternoon
I made peanut butter for the first time today! I may never buy peanut butter again
Called home with the gang all there. My heart is so full!
Niny came to my house to see if I wanted to spend time with her. It was such a good afternoon
I have running partners! We start at 5am and its slowly killing me but I am doing it and I have accountability
Maybe my purpose here isn't to save the world but rather to become the best version of myself and to be a good friend/person. Let myself live and enjoy this period of abundance and give that abundance of joy, peace, and friendship to others. Let myself enjoy being in this moment
Thankful for Tafita and Menja and their willingness to help me with my Malagasy no matter how bad my memory is
My little students are so eager to learn and practice English! Anytime they see me they're practicing their greetings, it's so precious!
I had a good morning coffee interaction, its so nice being able to speak Malagasy when people expect me to speak French
Today I cleared the board while all 5 of my students were on break and they came back and said they had the "cool" teacher, ha!
After my last class of 5eme for the day a little girl walked me home and held my hand the whole time.
For my first 6eme class it started pouring right at the beginning and no one could hear anything but by the time Madame Fanja got done helping me with attendance it stopped raining and we were able to begin teaching.
What had started out as a planned day of solitude turned into an afternoon of little people all over my yard, a nice little walk with my new shy little friend, and then a walk with Menja speaking and teaching English and Malagasy back and forth.
In the morning I was at my coffee lady and a rogue omby started coming my way and she opened her door to let me come inside. People are wonderful.
Sat for a couple hours with Aina (my host brother) just trying to work on my rubic cube. It was a peaceful afternoon
I made peanut butter for the first time today! I may never buy peanut butter again
Called home with the gang all there. My heart is so full!
Niny came to my house to see if I wanted to spend time with her. It was such a good afternoon
I have running partners! We start at 5am and its slowly killing me but I am doing it and I have accountability
Maybe my purpose here isn't to save the world but rather to become the best version of myself and to be a good friend/person. Let myself live and enjoy this period of abundance and give that abundance of joy, peace, and friendship to others. Let myself enjoy being in this moment
Thankful for Tafita and Menja and their willingness to help me with my Malagasy no matter how bad my memory is
My little students are so eager to learn and practice English! Anytime they see me they're practicing their greetings, it's so precious!
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