Malagasy

It was hard being so far from home while Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the places where family and friends live.

Trying to learn Malagasy is challenging.  I'm making some small progress, but need to concentrate a lot harder.  When I first arrived, I understood speeches like this:

"Hello, how are you?_____________________________________________________Goodbye."

Now, it's more like this:  "Hello, how are you? __________nice pictures_________four months___________hot___________that's all________Goodbye, take care."  Now if I could only fill in the lines!

Today I found a small green lizard or gecko on my bed, about 1 1/2 inches long.  I carried it out to the deck.  Very cute, but I'd rather not sleep with it.

I made curtains for the bedroom windows.  Nice to be able to keep the hot sun out in the afternoon, so the room isn't baking at night.  I can't leave the doors/windows open since screens can't be installed--nothing to attach them to--and mosquitos would freely and happily enter.  I cut and sewed the curtains without measuring first,  so later had to attach another panel on each side so they would be long enough.  Very intelligent!

Today is All Saints' Day, a Catholic holiday which is also a holiday for Madagascar.   You can tell by this rambling post that I don't have a lot to do today at the office!  Tomorrow has been declared a holiday as well so people can have a long weekend.  I may or may not find students in my ESL class tomorrow.