I am returning to Madagascar with yet another new mission. I have left my position as project coordinator with Reef Doctor in Ifaty, Tulear. I will retain an advisory role there and may yet return sometime in the future. For now, however, I am heading to Blue Ventures in Andavadoake (4 hours South of Morambe). I will be project coordinator there as well. The organization is very similiar to Reef Doctor. They are a british NGO focused on marine conservation. I would encourage all of you, if you have not already done so, to have a look at their website: www.blueventures.org.

I'm hoping to start updating this website more often so check back frequently or subscribe to the RSS.

So, you might wonder what Project Coordinator means. In a word, it means: Boss of Everyone and Everything. Well, ok, maybe not. But, I am in charge of the day to day operation of the Reef Doctor team in Ifaty. I am responble for coordinating the various scientific activities and development projects that RD has undertaken and for helping to plan our next steps. Roderick is the company director and therefor is still the boss of me. That's alright though, because he's a smart guy and works hard to get us funding. He started Reef Doctor and has lots of experience working with government officials, the big NGOs and other assorted noobs. Besides, he doesn't mind the draconia "efficiency beatings" and "productivity torture" policies that I've instituted.

Our current team in Ifaty consists of 4 (3 Malagasy and one British) Science Officers, a French Head Science Officer, 2 Volunteers (one American and one check) working on agricultural development projects, a american masters student (from the University of Cape Town) writing a masters thesis on environmental management, 2 boatmen, 1 socioeconomic data collector, 2 guards, one cook, one washwoman, and one cleaning woman.

Under the glossy sparkle of starlight the gentle waves flop morosely onto the shore. A light rumbling of voices and portable gas generators drifts in and out of the ear as the ocean`s breath inhales and exhales gently. Distant dogs ring out a low bassline accompaniment to the scattered and hurried beat of multiple speakers playing a multitude of music. The sweet and newbie flurry of children`s singing rises ahead ending in frustration and cheers. A passing man violently interrupts your thoughts with an exasperated `Bonjour Vazaha!` A bleating goat pulls you back into concentration as you pass a crackling fire and snapping sail whipped around by an excited gust. A gush of laughter whooshes around you as children grab at your hand screaming `Soni, Soni, Soni!`

 
<<Tonga Zaho>> I've arrived. This is Ifaty.

I thought I`d use this post to explain exactly what I`m doing here since I was a little sketchy on the details before I left.

 I work for an NGO called, Reef Doctor. We are a tiny NGO that works only in the Bay of Ranobe here in Madagascar. Our main objective is to organize a community resource management scheme for the entirety of the Bay in order to preserve the reef system and therefore the lives and livelihoods of the people who leave there. The first step toward this goal was reached last year with the formalization of a traditionally protected piece of coral known as `The Rose Garden`. Reef doctor worked with the local community, local officials and the national government in order to put in place the first officially (legally) recognized community managed Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Madagascar. From here the goal is to use the legal framework already developed to create several more MPA`s in the bay as well as to set up rotational fishing areas (where fishing is closed for months at a time) in order to relieve fishing pressure on sensitive areas during breeding times.

Secondary to this main project, Reef Doctor does marine research and runs environmental education and community development programs. My primary task is to help organize the education and development programs. To this effect I will be taking over coordination responsibilities for the local women`s group that we helped organize, the sunday kids club where we teach kids about the environment and also get them out of there normal work chores for a bit of fun. Additionally, I am working to further develop the Pirougers club which is an association of local guides who take tourists out snorkeling on the reef. Also, I`m going to be working with the local primary schools to introduce a new environmental education program and also a weekly art class.

So there. That`s what I`m doing. So far I`ve found the villagers to be friendly, open to new ideas, and very receptive to our ideas. It`s going to be a busy year, but one that I know will be highly rewarding and meaningful. Life is good. 

 It smells like Madagascar. Dust, diesel fuel, rotting vegetables, bananas, baking bread, charcoal briquettes, sweat, cows, and cheap perfume. It also smells of hot, like I can smell the sunshine. Maybe it's only the smell of my skin tanning.

Walking down the street is an activity worthy of strong concentration. No leisurely strolling allowed. Dodge the car, step around the muck, watch out for the approaching rickshaw, "who's that following me?," "where's the hardware store?" "what's that guy saying to me?" "tell the painted lady to go away," watch out for the car! "that's a particularly offensive smell," "that girl is cute!" "no thanks, I rather don't need half-rotten bananas or coat hangers, maybe next time," "sorry, beggar, no money here"

Note to readers:

I ask two things of you now. You must remember two places. Toliara and Ifaty. I can't explain them in every post, so don't forget them. Here they are:

Toliara: My banking town. The place where I do all business that I can't do in Ifaty, my village. Toliara is the second largest city in Madagascar. 400,000 people. It is hot and dusty and full of charm, hotels, slums, ox-carts, and great and not-so great restaurants. It is the only place where I have internet access. Hence, I am here right now.

 Ifaty- My village. Located 25Km north of Toliara. There are 3 fancy hotels nearby and 7 or so fancy hotels sort-of nearby. The village is located on the Bay of Ranobe. This is the lagoon / reef system which Reef Doctor (my new employer) is aiming to protect / conserve / slow the destruction of. Ifaty is quite a bit bigger than my village from my Peace Corps days (that village was called, Antsanitia as my frequent readers may remember). Ifaty has 1000- 1200 people. It has 2.5 bars. It doesn't, of course have electricity, running water, or fabulous cell phone reception. Actually, it doesn't even have fresh water. The girls and women fetch water (in buckets on their heads) from a source some 2 kilometers away. It can also be purchased from a rich villager who trucks it in from Toliara.

So those are the future settings for the play. Remember them. For now I've got to run. I'm back to Ifaty for another week or so. I'll write again then.

Farewell,

Shawn 

 "Yes, sister, I'm getting up now."

 A few moments later, she's at my side as I start up my gas stove and put on a sweatshirt. It's dusty from disuse. I rub my eyes and ask her to hand me the eggs. "You haven't any eggs, of course." She says with a smile and hurries back to her hut to fetch some from underneath the still sleeping ducks.

The goat tied up outside my house bleats as she comes back in. "I hope that one goat and 2 chickens will be enough food," I say.

"It's enough, Soana."

"If I bought a turkey too, would that be good?"

"It won't go uneaten."

"So it's a good idea?"

"There will be enough to eat."

"Ok, I'll trust you."

"Thank you, Soana."

As I sit down to eat my 3 fried duck eggs. The yokes are bright orange and gigantic compared with chicken eggs. I bite in. They taste roughly like chicken eggs, only with a stronger yokie aftertaste. They need lots of salt.

Monesa's baby waddles in the door. Her name is Ziena. She is my favorite person in Madagascar. She is adorable, sneaky, clever, quiet, and has a veracious apatite for a 3 year old. She has a special little buddah belly. Everyone in the village is rewarding her cuteness with extra rice cakes and fried bread. I pull her up on my lap and give her the last of my eggs.

"She's going to miss you, Soana."

"Really? Will she remember me? She's so little!"

"She'll remember you, I think."

"Ziena, listen to me really well. I'm going to tell you something very big and important. I'm going away tomorrow. I'm going home to the land of my ancestors. I won't be here in this hut anymore. However, I promise to come back and see you. I don't know when. Maybe a long, long time. But, I'll come back. And here's what you have to do. You have to remember me. Don't forget me oh! Don't run up to every tall white man you see, yelling, 'Soana, Soana!' No. Remember me and don't be confused. I will miss you, mon cheri. Don't forget!" My voice cracks as bit as I choke back some tears.

Ziena looks over to her mother and then starts to cry furiously. I pull her into my arms and rub her back. "It's ok, cheri. I'll be back. Don't be sad." She's asleep in a few minutes.

I hand her over to her mother so that she can put her back to sleep in her house. When she comes back I say, "Oiy, aiy, I didn't really think she could understand me. She doesn't talk much yet."

"She understands enough. Now, come. Who do you expect to cook all this food today?

"All of us?"

"Yes, yes, of course. now let's go get everybody out of bed." 

On day two, our guide brings along his brother who supposedly is the "actual cave guide."  I mention to our guide that when we hired him there was no talk of him being the "amateur, brother of the actual guide." Because, knowing that we certainly would have demanded a better price. Fake guide is unimpressed by my "arguments." Anyway, in we go. For today's quest, I ask to be taken to the underground river which I had heard about. A Baptist missionary in majunga had told me that the best caving was past this river- deep down in the land of Mordor. Our driver refused to go back into the cave on account of still being scarred from the previous day's slight misadventure. The "real guide" tells me that the river is way down in the cave, past a "worm hole" 10 meters long. "Sounds great," I say. "You're not afraid?" he asks. Quite the adventurer this guy is.   

After maybe an hour and a half we reach the "worm hole." The guy must have left his tape measure at home last time he was here because by my count the hole was 1 meter long, not 10... but whatever. "Ok, let's get in the water" I say. "No no, I'm not going in there." He says. "Why? Is it dangerous? Are there monsters / animals (same word in gasy)in there?" "Yes, there are fish." "Man eating fish?" "No, just fish." "Right, well, we're going in." "Ok, we'll wait here." After a fun little 15 minutes spent apprehensively frolicking in the very dark, underground river (which is stagnant this time of year) and tiptoeing on very very sharp stones through the shallow parts, we decide to go get the guide and continue down into the cave. "Ok, lets cross over to the other side" I say. "Nope, I told you that I'm not getting in the water" he says. "I thought you meant you didn't want to swim. How are you going to lead us farther into the cave if you want cross over." "I'm not crossing over" he repeats. John and I consider going on without him but decide that we've had enough of the damp darkness for the time being and reluctantly climb back out of the water.

Our quest complete (enough), we return to the surface. Later, we vanquished a hobbit and called it a day. And that was the climax of my trip with John. The rest of the time was spent on other adventures which, while quite enjoyable, exciting and haroing, would be boring to read about.

I haven't posted in a while. Each time I've made it into the city I've perused my mind for recent mishaps, adventures, or particularly lucid insights. No dice. I try to have a least one misadventure a month so I am way overdue. I'll see what I can do.

Work is going fine. I spend much of my time simply waiting. Waiting for a meeting with so and so, waiting to learn more about the village or about what is needed, waiting for materials, waiting to hear back from Peace Corps. I do work in great spurts when the stars align and the gods approve. Mostly, I work on agriculture, ecotourism, and mother and child nutrition. So, for example, I might teach improved rice agriculture to the pregnant tourists with hungry children. All pretty standard peace corps stuff. 

My main project though, is working to get a community health clinic built in the village. Currently, there are no health facilities within 30 Kilometers of my village. The only medicines available are tylenal and herbal "remedies" made by the witch doctor. Women often give birth in their homes without the assistance of a trained midwife. The need for a health clinic is obvious and understood by all the villagers. The hotel has agreed to help by supplying water, electricity and some building materials. The community has agreed to provide the land and most of the labor. A French nurse, who is retiring to a bungalow at the hotel, has agreed to work at the clinic. My job is to find some additional funding, negotiate the final deal and make sure everyone lives up to the agreement. I may apply for funding through the Peace Corps Partnership. This is a program that lets American citizens (especially friends, family, and associates) donate small sums of money to help finance volunteer projects (e.g. my project). In case any of you are interested in contributing, I'll be sure to let you know how and when you can help.

That's all for now folks. Somebody should send me a letter. My mailbox has been empty for quite a while. If I have neglected to respond to one of you, don't take it personally but do remind me that you're still waiting for an answer. Peace out.