Friday, August 13, 2010

I can’t believe I have already been here over two weeks. Being here longer I’m picking up on things that I didn’t know at first, as far as different relationships between the Vazaha at camp (Vahaza is the Malagasy word for foreigner, so essentially Vahaza are white people) that were kind of unexpected to me. I just assumed that people working and volunteering at an NGO would somehow miraculously avoid mundane and petty drama. But I don’t know why I thought that because if anything, in an environment like this- fairly isolated with a few people trying to run one organization that is trying to do several different things (though all aimed at the same goal)- clique-ish behavior and issues characteristically melodramatic at times seem to thrive. It’s a bit frustrating; at least as far as some of it goes, because I thought the only thing on peoples’ minds would be helping the people of this region. But it’s hard mixing the place you work and live I guess, and it’s also just human nature. On the other hand, some of it can be fairly interesting. I would go into more detail, but it’s not really my business to go into.

Anyway, I started diving last week! And guess who had a full blown panic attack on my second Open Water Dive, equipped with sobbing and crying and my first bout of serious homesickness? Naturally, me. I had some serious issues with the mask clearing and mask removal underwater. It’s my fault, because I didn’t read my manuals properly, so I will be better about that when getting my Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver certifications. The feeling of the rush of water on my face and the bubbles from the regulator going up my nose accompanied by my stinging eyes made me sure I was drowning. And the fact that I am doing Open Water training with another volunteer, Josh, probably didn’t help my nerves and feeling of extreme inadequacy so much. Also in all fairness to myself, all of the Open Water skills are meant to be learned in a pool, not in the middle of a sand patch in the Bay where we do them. But the dive instructor here is really great; her name is Teschna and she’s 23 years old from New Zealand. The panic attack was last Saturday and we quit the dive immediately. I was in a weird mood for the next day and a half just feeling bad about being so incompetent and scared. But Tesch planned a pool session for us by talking to the landlady of ReefDoctor who owns the Bamboo Club, a hotel in Mangily (the next village up) and we got on the boat Monday, rode over there, and did skills in the water so I could just get used to the feeling. I was completely fine, and it was also hysterical the sight of us in full scuba gear swimming around a maybe 4 foot deep pool with all the guests peering over the edge of the pool probably thinking we were incredibly strange. Then Tuesday Teschna and Josh and I went back out to the site (called Aquarium) where we were going to do skills again and I did them without a hitch. It’s so weird how terrified I was because I am almost positive I felt nothing like that the only other time I have dove back in the 8th grade in the Bahamas. But for me, it is always such an endorphin rush when I do conquer something that has literally brought me to my knees in terror (skiing freshly powdered double black bowls/getting carried down them, hiking up to the saddle in CO last summer when the last couple hundred feet of elevation seemed to go almost straight up, any form of public speaking, etc). The fact that I will go from being so scared to even get in the water to being a certified Rescue Diver is so cool. Even though I doubt anyone from home would ever trust me to rescue them in an emergency. I am also getting my Emergency First Responder certification while I’m here. We watched the first DVD for it on Wednesday. I can’t believe how capable I’m going to be by the time I get home.

I have a lot more stuff to say about Kids’ Club, Adult English, and random stuff, but I’m sure it will all come out at some point. I’m going into Tulear this afternoon with Lucy and 2 others for the weekend (the rest of the volunteers went to Isalo National Park until Sunday and I didn’t because I wanted to work with Kids’ Club and English and also I’m hoping to be able to do Isalo with my Dad –*take note Leigh* it would also be nice if you would respond to my text messages**) and we are staying at probably the nicest hotel in Tulear, running us about 45000 Ariary a night (about 23 or so dollars), fully equipped with HOT showers (I honestly thought they didn’t exist in this country so I might just spend two days in the shower), wireless internet IN OUR ROOMS, free breakfast (bread and tea), and who knows what other amazing wonders it has in store. So I will probably post some more entries this weekend (this and the past entries will be old by the time I post them) and please please email me anyone who is reading this. I can also receive text messages on my regular phone, so if anyone feels like just shooting me one to be really nice I would appreciate it beyond belief. I apologize for the fact skype and any other type of instant communication via the internet here is completely impossible and I hate I can’t talk to anyone through it. In order for me to find a decent internet connection I’m going to have to leave the country so I guess I’ll have to wait until the end of October. I actually enjoy not having internet, I’d probably be more homesick if I did have it. But it’d be nice to hear from someone, anyone, at any point on my phone just to be reminded that my home still exists.