Vinnie and Liz in Tanzania

Kasa Beach in Kigamboni, Tz

2011-10-05T01:46:00.000-07:00

We will now make you suffer through a rather long post aboutour trip to the beach, mostly because we have been stuck in a land-lockedcountry for 2.5 years. And there will be many pics, mostly because Alex was sodern cute the whole time.

Liz planned a surprise trip for us to Kasa Beach inKigamboni for my cough cough *nd birthday.

Kasa means Turtle in Swahili – many turtles lay eggs on this beach.

It is one of the most beautiful beaches either of us hasseen. There is a beautiful lagoon off the beach with shallow water.

The hideaway was set off of the beach a bit. It is eco-friendly, built into the natural architecture with local materials such as coral rocks.

They also featured local artists and sold their art upon request.

And they had port wine!

Here is a picture of our bungalow.

This was the view from our porch.

They harnessed natural energy such as wind and solar power.

As you can see, they were also cat-friendly. And littlebaboon-friendly too, but the baboons didn’t cooperate with the photo shoot.

We ate fish and lobster that was all caught locally. Sometimes we ate on this beached boat.

Sometimes we ate on the beach, like at night around abonfire.

We would eat our breakfast here.

This was also the fallback when the weather was sketchy –but it was really nice the whole weekend.

Alex really enjoyed exploring.

And, like most children, she liked to put things in hermouth. Not a good idea.

Alex loved the ramps. This place was made to be wheelchair-accessible.

She also liked that she could climb into some ofthe chairs all by herself and sit like a big girl.

Now, we get to the good part – the beach!

Alex found a newfound love for the dynamics of the ocean.

Alex love love LOVED the beach!

Okay, I need to do some sit-ups. But I can’t let that stopme from showing these pics.

How does that water taste, Alex?

Alex found a new friend.

You just can’t stop this girl from stomping in puddles!

And we found a newfound respect for the ocean as well, as it proceeded to wear her out!

Okay, this was just charging her batteries.

Okay, now she’s worn out.

Alex woke us up to make sure we did not miss the sunrise.

A little too early.

Unfortunately, the clouds did not cooperate, so we went backto bed.

On the way home, Alex enjoyed an ice cream.

She was supposed to share it with mommy, and usually she isreally good about sharing, but she found that liked it and wanted to eat thewhole thing.

She REALLY REALLY liked it.

As we waited for the ferry to bring us back to Dar, we founda must-have pair of sunglasses for Alex.

It was an awesome birthday weekend. Anyone who comes to visit us in Dar es Salaam can experience the place (with us in tow of course:). Just say the word.

Our Government In Action

2011-09-20T04:15:00.000-07:00

My first visit to the US Embassy in Tanzania

Something that I never really touted on this blog is the fact that I am an armed forces veteran. I served on a submarine a long time ago. I don’t flaunt my service often, although I foolishly ‘expect’ to be treated by my government as one who made some form of sacrifice for our country.

We are instructed by the State Department to register with the embassy when we are overseas. So I was standing outside of the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam at 9:30am, with my 17-month-old daughter in a stroller and two passports in my hand for each of us, to find that we are refused admittance.

The passports clearly state: “The Secretary of State of the United States of America hereby requests all whom it may concern to permit the citizen/national of the United States named herein to pass without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection.”

Yet the African rent-a-cops of KK Security, Tanzanian Africans who are merely following the mandate of their employers (The US Embassy of Tanzania), tell me that I must make an appointment to gain admittance to the embassy.

WTFF?

They give me a business card (above) with a number to call, which I proceed to call to see if I can make an appointment for that morning.

‘Call Refused’ my cell phone tells me.

Minutes before, I phoned buggy-bug (my beloved wife) to verify her passport information, so that I can register all of us en masse (as instructed by the State Department). So I know that the phone is working.

I ask the guard if they have a phone I can use. I am unable to proceed past the secure doors and bulletproof glass.

I dial relentlessly, with and without country code, to find the same error:
Call refused.

Thankfully I am not in a crisis, as their webpage clearly gave the same phone number that I, as a law-abiding citizen, programmed into my phone in case I should find some emergency. What a worthless phone call that would be, had I encountered some road bandits or corrupt cop trying to extort a bribe from me: Call Refused.

They show me their laminated document, which clearly states that, in the final days of 2010, that is in fact their policy.

It is not on the state.gov website. I tell them.

I ask for another number, and they direct me to the opposite side of the business card. On the back is a number for the US Embassy Call Center.

I call that number, and in the gruff voice I would expect from an FBI agent, the man tells me that it is the policy of this embassy that I make an appointment. They give me a second phone number, which I immediately call.

A recorded voice tells me that the number has changed, and gives me a third number to call. I dial.

Call refused.

Is this some kind of joke? I look for Ashton Kutcher, to see if I am being pwned. No such luck.

Again I ask the Tanzanian guards why I am unable to speak to someone, and they show me on the card they handed me, where it says, by appointment only.

However, I am two or three levels more literate in English, as it is my native language and not theirs. It clearly states, Am Citizen Services, M-Th 8-4, Fr 8-10. Visa Services, by appointment only.

I cheek my banker’s hours quip, as I am already exhausting my courtesy points and the joke would be lost on ESL speakers. I point out that I am not in need of visa services, but Am Citizen Services.

They slide a second card under the counter. This one states: Citizen Services by appointment only. Visa services by appointment only.

I am effectively neutered, mutter loudly a few explicatives for the people watching me through closed surveillance cameras, and retreat back from whence I came.

And this authority will be handling health care in the future? I am considering dual citizenship.

UPDATE:
I did register online, and received a slew of emails. One of them referred me to the following website, which states:

CITIZEN SERVICES

American Citizen Services Appointments

In an effort to provide more efficient service to American citizens, the Consular Section of the Embassy of the United States of America will be implementing revised public hours and an appointment only system effective January 3, 2011.

Please note that, with the exception of true emergency situations, all U.S. citizens services are now by appointment only. To book an appointment, please click here. You do not need an appointment to pick up a passport.
Passport Services: Monday-Friday
Notarials/Federal Benefit Inquiries*: Monday-Friday
Extra Visa Pages: Monday-Friday
CRBAs: Monday-Thursday
Filing an Immigration Petition: Monday from 2-4pm only. No appointment needed.
If none of the services above match the service you require, please email drsacs@state.gov for an appointment. We can only accomodate walk-ins for emergency services.
*For Federal Benefits Inquiries, please select an appointment for "other sevrices."
The U.S. Embassy is closed on U.S. and Tanzania Public holidays and will not be able to provide non-emergency citizen services on these days. We are closed to the public the last Wednesday of every month.

Please click here to view the holiday calendar.
For any other American Citizen Services questions, please email drsacs@state.gov .

Only the US Government would think that this would provide us more efficient service. They can't even consistently spell "accommodate" or "services" correctly. We spend millions on govt websites, and they can't use a spell checker? It is already built into most every word processing program! And, if you follow the link to make an appointment, it requires that you print out the appointment form to present at the gate. So, if you don't have a printer, let alone internet access through which to make the appointment, you are screwed. Thanks, US Government!

Le Fleuve

2011-08-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Liz, Alex and I went to Park W with our friends Navid and Chandra. While riding a pirogue on the river, we encountered some ladies on their way to a wedding.

Random Shots in Niger

2011-06-19T00:13:00.001-07:00

In yet another attempt to knock the dust off of this blog, here are some random shots from Niger.

Young entrepreneurs got it made in the shade

Prayer area built to weather the elements

A man showing off his ram on the morning of Tabaski. If you want to scare a sheep, say Tabaski.

A common childhood game is running next to a tire

A Nigerien traffic jam

I am toying with the idea of just driving around the town with a video camera on the dashboard. It is quite a contrast from what one would see in the states, or many places for that matter. What do you think?

Big Trouble In Little Niger II - The Return to Democracy

2011-01-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

Today is a big day in Niger. Today's presidential elections are a big step towards returning the country back to the path of democracy.

A little background: Niger has a constitution that states presidents can serve two five-year terms, and no more. This is not changeable. President Tandja was elected in 1999, so there was supposed to be an election in August 2009 - but there wasn't.

One of Africa's recurring problems is that men in power are hesitant to relinquish it (i.e. Cout D'Ivoire). History repeated itself, and Tandja held a referendum just before the election that extended his mandate three years and gave him the authority to rewrite the constitution. He then rigged the vote to ensure he would win.

One of the side effects of this was that violating the constitution made Niger ineligible for foreign aid through certain programs. This is no small amount of the Nigerien GDP - most of their money comes from foreign aid. So this political move caused a loss of funds that coincided with a famine.

In February 2010, a military coup d'etat dethroned Tandja. I remember this day well. It was four days after Liz (with Alex in utero) got on a plane back to the states. That was a huge relief. I awoke to what sounded like construction work, except for there are no jack hammers in Niger. The fighting was less than a mile from the house. Fortunately, it stayed there and only lasted a few hours.

The military formed a transitional government, and today nine candidates are on the ballot for president. It is a positive step to see the transitional government respect democracy, as sometimes these guys also don't want to give up power.

On a side note, Liz and I have been residents in the countries of the two most recent coups - Madagascar and Niger. We joke that it is following us, like we are tracking it on our shoes or something. Time to buy new shoes.

Il fait froid!

2011-01-09T22:55:00.000-08:00

A thousand pardons for neglecting the blog for so long. My wife and I have been using the popular social networking tool (starts with an F and ends with 'acebook') for posting pics of Alexandra, and in a selfish manner I have been hoarding material for a book. A dear friend informed me that I have alienated some by doing so, and I apologize. So the blog is revived! If you wish to be included in our social network, just send us an email and we will send you an invite.

We spent some time in the states where the cold is really cold. We are now back in Niger where today's low is a pleasant 61F, and we are in the cold season. Our guards wear ski jackets with the fur-lined hoods up. This may be in part to protect against the malaria-carrying mosquitoes, but they also believe it is cold. Il fait froid! (pronounced ill-fay-fwah) they say. Well, they have no idea what cold is, just as those who live in Arizona have only experienced a mild heat. Today, inside the coldest days in the Sahel, we can expect a high in the mid 80s. During the summer, of which there are actually two - one from March-May and a mini-summer in October, the highs are OVER 130F. To simulate what this feels like, set your oven to 400F, let it warm up, and then open it while keeping your face 12-18 inches from it. And keep it there.

We would to share with you some recent pictures of our daughter Alexandra, or Allie-girl as my wife has been calling her:

We will consider any offers for child modeling.

Lexie's First Movie

2010-04-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here is Alexandra and her video debut! We have had requests for more pictures, but we thought we would go a little further and show you how she moves and grooves.

Here is a video of her first bath. This video is safe for work.

She Knew Me Before

2010-04-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

I had a special little moment when Alexandra was born. Of course the whole experience is special, but I wanted to share this so that future fathers can experience what I did.

While Liz was pregnant, I used to talk, hum and sing into her belly. I read that a baby can hear in the womb somewhere between 25-30 weeks into the pregnancy. When we were choosing names, I would say the name into her belly, and Liz would tell me if she felt a kick. But nothing caused more flutters than when I would hum a specific descending musical pattern.

I was with Liz during the surgery, and when they pulled little Lexie out of her tummy, she had a couple of things to say. One could say she was screaming, but it was a beautiful sound to both of us. After they showed us our new daughter, they took her over to the other side of the room to tag her and do whatever else they do to newborns. The entire time, she was crying. Loudly. Very loudly.

They were sewing Liz up, and the nurses had finished with Lexie, so I asked the doctor if I could go over and see our new baby. I crossed the room, leaned down towards her, and hummed our little song. In the next breath, she stopped crying. It was quite amazing. I thought she would recognize my voice, but I had no idea she would be instantly calmed by the sound.

Lexie, minutes old, holding my finger

I wonder if, in future years when daddy’s little girl gets upset for some reason, can she be soothed this same way?

So to all those expecting daddies out there - talk, hum, and sing to your baby while she is in utero. Even if you think you can’t sing well, it may be beautiful music to your son or daughter.

More pics of BP

2010-04-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

We are composing a post that describes the roller coaster that brought little Alexandra (aka Alex, Lexie, Alexa, Exa, Dra, Dre, Dr. Dre, etc., etc.) our way. It will be up soon. For now, by popular demand, here are some more pics!

Happy Birthday BP!

2010-04-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

Alexandra Marian Payne joined us today at 1:19am this morning, more than a couple days early.

She's a tiny little one, only 5 lbs 3 oz and 17" long, but she is beautiful and healthy. She is an overachiever, just like her momma - she scored a 9.9 on her apgar test.

She even came with her own Lojack system - the green tag on the umbilical cord is also an RFID.

Momma and baby are both recovering well.

Random Shots of Niamey (Take Three)

2010-02-13T05:43:00.000-08:00

This isn't quite Niamey ...

Can you tell what they have on the bus?

My friend's neighbors.

And now for a not-so-random shot. This is our friend Joshua, a consultant for CRS, the night before he left Niger. He was in Port Au Prince when the earthquake hit. Miraculously, he is fine. However, the cupcakes didn't have a chance.

Random Shots of Niamey (Take Two)

2009-12-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

We wanted to take a picture of the little sheep that wander the streets of Niamey looking for ANYTHING to eat.

We also wanted to get a picture of this guy who was selling winter coats (50F-80F winters here) who carries them around on his head.

We got lucky and got them both in one shot.

This is typically how auto parts are sold in Niger.

Obama fever is everywhere!

This is not a pile of lumber. This is a structure.

More new pics soon!

How Does Our Garden Grow?

2009-11-29T06:35:00.000-08:00

Slowly and Surprisingly. We are never sure of the season for planting here, so we just plant and see what happens. Quality seeds are not easy to come by, so what we plant depends on what we can find in stores or what our friends have left over from their attempts.

As you may remember, we have been fueling a compost pile for a couple of months now. Vinnie likes to talk about some Sam Kinison comedy bit about growing food in the sand (he uses profanity, so don't click the link at work!), but the compost is working miracles (relatively speaking, of course) in the Nigerien soil. We planted radishes recently, and a few of them actually made it.

Most recently we planted parsley seeds and were totally shocked to find that tomato plants have started growing instead. Now that is miraculous!

Our basil is doing great as you can see here. We have kept it off of the ground where it gets more sun and less visits from the leaf-eating lizards.

Because the lizards prefer the fresh baby leaves, Vinnie covered our onions and arugula plants a few weeks ago with an old mosquito net and sticks.

We also have cilantro planted in anticipation of Mexican nights, and a backup supply of basil which we hope will be as good as the first.

Random Shots of Niamey (Take One)

2009-11-29T06:06:00.000-08:00

I took an informal survey to find out if random pictures might be appealing, and I received positive results. It is interesting to see some of the vast differences between Africa and the States, so even a shot while driving down the road might have value. Not every picture needs to qualify for the National Geographic Picture of the Year!

So welcome to the first in what hopes to be many more installments of 'Random Pictures of Niamey.' Sometimes the photos will have captions, and sometimes they won't. But they are all original photos taken in Niger's capital, Niamey.

Le Fleuve Niger, or as Anglophones like to call it, the Nigerien River.

There is only one bridge in Niamey, and this is it. During rush hour, it is not a pretty sight.

I don't know which is saddest - that I am unsure which corner I took this picture on, or that this looks like so many corners in Niger.

At a glance, some pictures could be mistaken for rural areas in the States. This is arguably the best road in Niamey.

This photo shows above average safety consciousness for a Nigerien family on a motorcycle. First of all, there are only three passengers, and the baby is held on the mother's back by a cloth. She put her shawl over the child to protect it from dust and mosquitoes. And in a rare display of concern, one of them is actually wearing a helmet.

Cow crossings are unmarked, and they always have the right of way. If you hit it, you bought it.

Vinnie's Nigerien Debut

2009-11-29T05:41:00.000-08:00

As I have been networking with ex-pats, I have heard of a woman named Ginger who is all about the music scene in Niamey. Eventually I met her at a party and finally got to talk to her. She told me of a concert that was coming up on the last day of the Pangea Festival. This week of activities was focused on empowering girls and women, on education and making a difference. I told her I was in, so she teamed me up with:
Two french accordion players
One African drummer on an African drum
One African drummer on a drum kit
One American Peace Corps volunteer on an Alto Sax
and two Nigerien rappers

The music was fusion style, as you can probably guess. There were other musical acts thrown together in what seemed like random fashion, along with poems and dancing. It was really interesting, but it was also really hot. Even at 8 pm it was necessary to drink copious amounts of water, which was then passed through the pores soon thereafter.

The song we sang was about Sarrounnia, a legendary Nigerien Queen who lived over a hundred years ago. She fought off the French colonizers, and is described as an incredibly beautiful woman who could fight with a sword and strike fear into men's hearts. I think some of it was glorified through the ages, but she must have been amazing because everyone knows of her.

I really liked performing with the band. It was little tough in the studio, but I really got close to Aziz, one of the rappers. I don't think we will be touring West Africa any time soon, but it was fun.

The response from the crowd was positive. "It was the best act of the night," said one concert-goer, "except for the scantily clothed rhythmic dancers."

Yeah, I kinda liked them too.

Exciting News from Niamey

2009-10-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

The last few years have been full of many exciting changes. Marriage and moving to Madagascar. Political coup then patiently waiting in Baltimore. Moving to the desert, new jobs, and settling into our house in Niger.

Well, not long after we celebrated our first anniversary on August 2, 2009, we learned of another big change that we would be embarking upon for the next 9-10 months. I realized I was pregnant! August 13 was an evening we will always remember. With a test strip in hand, we eagerly called my parents in the States for a favor. We needed them to run to Target and verify what the strip was showing (we had lost the directions somewhere along way). Lots of excitement ensued and toasting of Beer Niger and water quickly followed for Vinnie and me in that respective order.

I am now 15 weeks pregnant and starting to develop a little bump. Baby Payne is moving and shaking trying to get my attention I am sure. But I have not felt anything just yet. Vinnie enjoys singing and reciting mathematical equations to my belly. He wants to be sure BP hears both our voices.

As you might have read in the previous Malaria post, I came down with it in mid-September. It was one of the hardest emotional weeks of my life. Not only did I feel physically unable to function properly, but the worry and anxiety that overcame me was so extreme and intense. It made my anxiety before grad school comps and marathons seem like nothing. I came out of the week of malaria feeling defeated and emotionally empty. Thoughts of blame circled my head, but Vinnie helped me realize that we had done everything in our power to prevent getting sick with anti-malarial meds, the bed net, spray, etc. I was supported by other women who told me of stories when they were pregnant and had gotten sick. I realized that millions of pregnant African women each year are infected and deliver healthy, normal babies. This was just one more way of feeling closer and in more solidarity with those around me. I am not impervious to getting sick nor am I too weak to overcome it. I truly believe I am stronger now, and the baby will potentially have a higher tolerance for malaria in its first years.

In September, I needed to use vacation days before the end of CRS’ fiscal year. Vin and I had planned to trek through Dogon Country in Mali and veg on the beaches of Benin. However, after getting sick, all I could think of was resting at home, my other home in the States. Without much discussion, everyone agreed - Vinnie, my supervisors and parents - that a trip home was a great idea. Two weeks of lying on the couch (HGTV and Foodnetwork), shopping, hanging with family, and just “being” were the perfect prescriptions for me and BP. I also saw an obstetrician who confirmed we were healthy, and all was going well. See some pictures of BP at week 11:

With the first trimester behind us, we are enjoying sharing our news with family and friends. I had always joked about having a spring baby, and it seems our planning worked. We are due April 18th (19th depending on which sonogram picture at which you look) the weekend of the Boston marathon incidentally. Next year instead of running, I will be doing another type of marathon in its place.

We plan to deliver in Baton Rouge where my parents live. I will probably travel home in March around 32-34 weeks according to the travel restrictions for pregnant passengers. Vinnie will probably come a few weeks later since he can not take as many vacation days from his teaching position. Daddy will be home to help arrange baby furniture and maybe even paint a nursery. I envision us doing last minute errands, and sitting out on the dock by the pond fishing our days away while we wait. Momma will be teaching but promises to save some days off to be home with us when the baby comes. And thankfully, she will be off all summer to spoil her newest grandchild.

Malaria in Niger

2009-10-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

I have been contemplating this post for a while. I wrote and rewrote it over and over in my head, and no doubt it was probably better at some point in the past. But the truth is, it is hard imagine living in Niger without malaria and its consequences being a part of every day life. Here is a sample...

My first experiences with malaria were in Tanzania while I was a volunteer for two years. My roommate and fellow volunteer Kathleen got it three times while we were there, and during her first time, I came down with it too. We joked that the same mosquito that bit her must have bitten me too. I saw colleagues and neighbors get sick with malaria, and students missed school when the fevers and chills were too much to sit in class.

Since I have been in Niger, almost everyone I know has had malaria. Each year one million children in Africa die from malaria. I have seen many funerals in the last few months and heard stories from colleagues that validate this sad truth. Malaria is just a fact of life here. The rains come in August and last until September with a few lucky showers in October. The mosquitoes are noticeable throughout the year, but they multiply with a vengeance during the rainy season. When Vinnie and I first arrived here in May there was little chance of getting sick and minimal need to be on prophylaxis. We began to feel differently as we fought off mosquitoes in our bedroom at night and swatted at them annoyingly buzzing around our ears. Knowing the high risk of malaria in Niger, we bought an insecticide treated mosquito net for our bed, and lemon-eucalyptus repel spray became our eau de toilette. We both went on anti-malaria meds and said a special little prayer that our westernized bodies would be spared the trauma of the blood born disease.

Even with all these precautions, we still fell ill the end of September. I tested positive for malaria and was asked to stay home on bed rest for a week. The first day was difficult not to think of work and all the responsibilities that stacked up on my desk. However, with the increased aches and pains, I quickly forgot about my work demands and tried to alleviate the uncomfortableness of just laying in bed. Vinnie showed similar signs and symptoms, but fortunately never tested positive. He decided to rest, relax, and regain his strength hoping to fight off a full blown case.

I must brag for a second about the work that the NGO - Catholic Relief Services - I work for is doing to combat the serious effects of malaria in countries like Niger. CRS is currently implementing a five year malaria project funded by the Global Fund. In April of this year, CRS staff and partners conducted a massive treated mosquito net distribution throughout Niger. Nearly 3 million mosquito nets were distributed to Nigeriens with a special target on pregnant women and children under five years. This included a huge educational campaign, including a nationally televised music video featuring all the top musicians spanning all genres, in partnership with other international agencies and NGOs. The project will continue for the next few years with behavior change communication activities to ensure that beneficiaries are still properly using their nets and making changes to decrease their risk of getting malaria.

Click here for more information on this project.

Our Humble Abode

2009-08-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

We thought it was time to finally heed some of the requests of friends and family and share pictures and stories of what our daily life looks like. Our house provided by CRS is twice as big as anything we could afford in the States. It is a one floor with a big living room, fairly spacious kitchen, and three bedrooms, and a lawn and pool. Like most of the houses here in Niamey, it has been lived in by many other ex-pats. Describing the house to others, we can basically mention the name of someone previously in the CRS office, and people will say, “oh yeah, Jasmine’s old house? or I remember when Jenn lived there.” With the long line of tenants comes the long line of needed repairs and work. Most of this was done before we moved in, but we have taken some of it on ourselves. We love scraping paint, and one of Vinnie’s first manly tasks was changing all the locks to ensure our safety. Umm gotta love him! Here are a few pictures of our lovely, mostly unfurnished house:

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the house comes unfurnished, so the first things we bought were a refrigerator, stove, and a bed. This was followed by a second bed, a dresser, and armoire for the bedroom, and a table and shelves for the kitchen. We also created a compost pile to help us grow herbs and vegetables. The environment is hostile so anything we can do to help plants survive is a plus. We researched how to make compost here, and since it is so arid in Niger, we opted to dig a hole and keep our compost covered. This way,the earth can help keep it moist,and creatures cannot get into it easily.

The prices are pretty high in Niger because resources are scarce. Imagine if everything you bought was basically shipped from another country!?!? Ok not so hard to imagine with countries like China and Indonesia producing many of our products, but you know what we mean. Landlocked countries with desert climate and food insecurity usually results in high prices for food and natural resources such as wood. We have found that many people buy things locally and then sell them when they leave. Much to our chagrin, we arrived after many ex-pats left and had sold their things. (One interesting facet of this side of Nigerien commerce is that you can resell items for the same price you bought them. Not only do things not depreciate, but often the seller will add any money spent or invested on the item to the final price. Totally goes against any economic logic, but we might make out financially in the long run.)

Rather than pay too much for cheap items and resell them when we leave, we decided to invest in some nice things and take them home with us. Not only are there some interesting styles in West Africa, but it is a way for us to invest in local artisans and help create jobs. We ordered custom furniture for our dining and living room. The dining room table and chairs are designed with an iron frame and a glass top, with Touareg leather work under the glass and on the seat covers. It was finished on time, but we ended up having to chase the artisans around for a couple of weeks to fix some minor flaws in the table. Here is our table:

The salon furniture was more elusive. We decided on Rattan furniture with a recessed table and glass cover. We bought some material for the cushions and delivered it to the artisan, and expected delivery on the first weekend of July. We are learning that some Nigeriens don't have an appreciation for time frames, appointments and deadlines. This artisan (actually a man from Ghana named Cliff) is one of them. For a while he delayed us by stating he was getting "special" material from Ghana for us. We visited him regularly to receive a plethora of excuses, and we took note of other items being built with the same "special" material while seeing trivial progress on our pieces. That suitcase of patience we brought has slowly unpacked and hard to find these days. We were giving Cliff the benefit of the doubt, but after two months of waiting we changed tactics and began to visit him daily to remind him of his outstanding written contract. After two months of patience and two weeks of steady pressure, behold the fruits of our (and his) labor:.

Speaking of honoring an agreement and for all of those that have heard the stories about our crazy landlandy in the Bronx, we FINALLY received our security deposit back from our apartment we vacated 11 months ago!! We were good tenants and tolerated a lot of incompetence from the leasing office, and when we moved out we expected a full refund. We strongly disagreed with the landlady - Kathleen Gormally of Ogor Properties - when she decided that she wanted to keep some of our security deposit. (PSA: The Bronx is a great place to live, especially Pelham Parkway, but never sign an agreement with Ogor Properties!) Before addressing it in court, we contacted the New York Attorney General. Fortunately for us, she displayed incompetence to them as well, and in the end we received the full refund. It came at a cost - it would have been nice to have that money when we moved out, and she collected interest on that money for most of a year. But ultimately she was unable to rip us off. Chalk one up to the good guys!

And another issue, slightly unrelated. Our parents were the first one to notice the bulge in one of our pictures, so since the secret is out, we should hide it no longer. We would like to formally welcome the newest member of our family - Vinnie's belly!

Long Necks (no, not beers!)

2009-07-20T03:15:00.000-07:00

One of the ways we can escape the city is to head west to see the only remaining group of giraffes in West Africa. It is only 60km from Niamey, so it can be a nice half-day trip.

We rode with our friends Jacki and Byron, and their son Byron Jr. It was a nice cool morning, so we drove with the windows down. (Needless to say, we used air conditioning on the way back).

It is required to get a guide, and it is a good thing because we never would have found them by ourselves. This guy - we'll call him White Hat (his idea, not mine) - was climbing trees looking for the giraffes.

He was really going out on a limb for us (heh heh).

It took a while, but eventually we caught up to them. First, we saw the little babies.

They just stared at us, not sure if they should flee or not. We didn't get too close. We spotted the adults not too far away. The male was taller than any tree in sight, about 6.5 meters tall.

Yes, that shortie in front of him is Liz, with our guide White Hat. It was pretty amazing to see them get that close. White Hat stood in front of him with his arms straight out, and the giraffe looked at him like he was trying to decide if he wanted to step around him or ON him.

Here's the obligatory couple pose:

Here's a picture of Jacki, Byron and BJ. Little BJ was very interested in the giraffes; we couldn't even get him to face the camera for the picture.

For more information about these giraffes,check out this site.

Spending the Day with Ousmane

2009-07-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

When found that in Madagascar, we usually needed to get out of town every couple of weeks. It did not need to be a big trip, but just some way we could enjoy being out of the bustle of the city, the noise, and pollution. We have been looking for that kind of outlet here in Niger. Our friends Chris and Jen recently left the country for the US after three years in Niger. Before they left, we all took a trip to the village of our colleague named Ousmane, who works at CRS. Ousmane is very personable and always happy to share his home and land with friends and visitors. Chris and Jen have visited him many times over the years, and we hope this initial visit is the first of many more to come.

Ousmane mentioned to us at work that he had a surprise for our visit. When we arrived, he proudly introduced his family as a government - with himself as the Prime Minister, his wife as the Minister of the Interior, and his children as other cabinet members. The children all lined up as he presented them. The paint on their faces is usually reserved for special celebrations, so for them to dress up this way was a great surprise.

As customary when visiting a friend, we brought a few gifts, and we sat around and talked. We then spent about 90 minutes wandering the countryside up to a high plateau and back down through a sandy riverbed that has been dry for months.

After we climbed to the plateau, Ousmane looked around and said, "This is my beautiful country." (in French of course) And from that perspective, it truly was.

We returned to his humble abode and found that his wife had made a big meal for us. We sat around a large plate and ate pasta with sauce. It was very tasty. Ousmane and Vinnie had an unspoken race to see who could eat the most. Ousmane was champ.

As we finished up lunch, Ousmane looked at us very seriously and asked if Vinnie had a Nigerien name yet. We all answered, no. Ousmane looked Vinnie up and down trying to determine what name might suit him. He smiled and said, Salif.

What do you think - do he look like a Salif???

Independence Day in Niger

2009-07-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

When we got to Niger and learned about the political situation here, we both said out loud: Is this following us? Why are these young African democracies going through such pains to find their way? There was an explosive situation in Madagascar, and now here in Niger there is another situation developing.

It is obvious we didn't do it ... the democracy in Niger is 10 years old, and what a coincidence that the president whose second five-year term is coming to an end is maneuvering to maintain his political position. The constitution is clear ... no third term. The constitutional court ruled against the president, so he conveniently dissolved it. Before that he had dissolved the parliament. Most recently the lawyers went on strike. The people are verbally active in wanting to maintain their democracy. But the president is planning to go through with a referendum vote to give him a third term.

In spite of this, we found the opportunity to celebrate the Fourth of July with the American Ambassador and about 300 of her guests here in Niamey.

It was at the ambassador's house down by the Niger River (although you can't really see the river in this shot).

Liz and I hung out with her co-worker Josh, who has been in the country for about a month and is heading home next month.

The US Marines were on call to present the colors, and man did they do us justice.

Ironically, a Nigerien band played the Star-Spangled Banner.

Most moving were the words of the Ambassador, who expressed her desire to see Niger's democracy flourish. But first, the will of the people must prevail. Let's hope her words were respected and have an impact. Otherwise, we might have an early vacation come August 4th, the date of the referendum vote.

Niger: But it's a dry heat!

2009-06-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This is an email from Liz to friends and family. We might have to change the name of the blog to Vinnie and Liz in Niger.

Been a while since I have written and certainly a lot has changed. As most of you know, Vinnie and I were “evacuated” from Madagascar in mid-March. The political situation had gotten pretty unstable, and the US Embassy suggested all non-essential personnel to leave the country to downsize our presence. Not that we were in any eminent danger, but there was the possibility of the situation escalating very quickly.

We returned to Baltimore, MD on March 15th after sad goodbyes and two long days of traveling. We basically packed up our house, sold furniture, returned puppies, and partied hard one last time before stepping on US soil. It was a whirl-wind to say the least. We soothed our lost souls with microbrews and yummy Whole Foods. It was not long before I was hooked again on HGTV and Food Network. Vinnie was quoting the latest from news outlets and planning our nights around the hockey playoffs.

I continued to work for CRS/Madagascar from our headquarters office in Baltimore. Vinnie was the best house husband I could have asked for. We also traveled to see family (see attached current pic of my sweet nephew) and friends as much as possible, making the rounds in the South and Northeast. For those we did not have a chance to visit, we are sorry, but there is always the chance of more coups if I am around.

We were happy to be back in the States for a while, but found ourselves missing the smells and sites and challenges of living overseas. I accepted a Program Manager I job with CRS/Niger. Niger is located in hot, desert, land-locked West Africa.

We arrived to Niamey, Niger on May 19, and I began working the very next day. The excitement and thrill to be in a new place melted around Thursday when the debilitating 130 degree temps caused us to hide in our room with the air on full blast. That was, until the electricity went out. We are currently in temporary housing until ours is ready to move into. We have found the people of Niger to be warm and welcoming. The CRS staff has been very helpful in my transition, but with any new job, I feel a bit overwhelmed and wonder how I will learn it all and be able to stay afloat. We have explored the city a little, including a few shops, restaurants and open markets. You must plan your day around the heat and dust. It can be trying, but with 70 SPF and a little patience, ain’t no thang.

As you might imagine running here has been tough. There is a national stadium about a mile away from our temp house. We usually walk the mile there, then run two miles around the track, and slowly dry heave our way home. We joke about our running in an oven and know it is building character if nothing else good stories for the grandkids. The other night I did aerobics with my ipod in our bedroom when it rained (second time since we have been here). The power started to flicker, so I put on the headlamp too. Also lifted weights with 1 liter milk jugs (eh, you learn to be creative).

Our life here in Niger will be much different than Madagascar, but essentially we are still accompanying those most in need and living a simple, but blessed life.

There is certainly much more to write about and explain. I hope to send more updates soon. We are working on a new website, and hope to post a few final words on the Mada blog. As always, it is good to hear from everyone at home.

One last photo to leave you with, our first Nigerien sunset over the Niger River.

Lots of love,

Liz

The Eagle Has Landed

2009-03-17T03:02:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Reportedly, Madagascar's President will resign. Be careful what you wish for ...

As some of you already know, Liz and I are back in the United States now. A decision was made by the management of CRS that the instability of the region was affecting our security, and they brought us home.

It wasn't a bad decision at all. Our work days were reduced in hours, and sometimes canceled altogether. We lived near the University, where some of the younger men were quite in favor of the opposition, so getting to and from work was difficult due to barricades in the road, such as these:

It was dangerous to go out at night. Liz and I were never threatened at gunpoint, but we often found ourselves at roadblocks that were sometimes manned, and at times it could have gone either way. Chalk it up to divine intervention or working the crowd, I do not know, but I consider us very lucky.

The saddest thing to us is that, although we were taken care of (and we are very grateful for that), there are others who cannot be removed from the situation. We think of them often, and our hearts go out to them.

We will keep this blog alive to report on the ongoing situation. Also, we still have some photos from previous trips, and some memories to share. We will post those in the future.

So now, the latest news. Although the BBC has been following this situation closely ever since it started, other news outlets are starting to report on it now as well. Some of our friends on the ground say that it isn't as bad as the news makes it out to be, but where they live is isolated from the daily events.

The president asked for a referendum on Saturday. He wanted the Malagasy citizens to vote on whether he should continue as the elected official or step down. He said he would honor the decision, and asked the opposition to do the same. The opposition has refused to honor the referendum. The mayor says that he knows the will of the people and it is that the president must resign.

As you may know, the opposition has inspired a rift in the military, and they now claim to be in control of most of the military forces. I do not know how true that is, but they did storm the palace recently. This is the same palace that was approached by the opposition in late January and resulted in somewhere between 20-40 deaths and hundreds wounded. They are calling for the president to resign.

The president retreated to a palace outside of town days ago, and he is currently surrounded by forces loyal to him. He refuses to resign, and has recently been so bold as to say he would die with his troops rather than abandon his country. He has asked the African Union to provide support to help him maintain his power in the country.

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Now, I will do something that many news outlets have trouble doing. I will differentiate between fact and opinion. The following is opinion:

Based on conversations I have had with Malagasy friends before leaving, neither the president nor the former mayor have a majority of the Malagasy people behind them. The majority wants this situation to end. That would have worked in the favor of the president if the referendum would have proceeded, and it is IMHO probably why the mayor wants no part of it. Both powers pay people to show up at their rallies. It is true that the president has done some things with his power that serve his own interests and not those of the people. He has gone from millionaire to billionaire during his time while many live in squalor and hunger. Most of the improvements in infrastructure are focused on roads that lead between mines and ports. There have been improvements such as availability of dairy products and other goods, but they are directly linked to his businesses. That is the crux of the complaints - he is running the country like a business with little regard of the issues that do not directly affect him.

That being said, I would like to draw a contrast. Here in America, many did not approve of President George W. Bush. There were protests, and even calls for his impeachment. There was a constitutional process, and it did not succeed. When his two terms ended, many were happy to see him go. And in the elections, they elected the other political party in masses to voice their displeasure with how the country had been run. But no one stormed the castle, and no one tried to draw the country into a civil war. No one tried to forcibly remove him. No one declared themselves leader in the name of democracy.

The Malagasy constitution has requirements for the president of the country, and one of them is that he must be at least 44 years of age. Andry is only 34 years old, so the only way he can come to power is through a process other than that which follows the constitution. His experience is as a DJ, and he is very charismatic. But he has no experience that could make him a good executive. He has no ideas that he has offered, only criticism. His calls of declaring himself president are self-serving, which is the same criticism he lays on the president. He talks of democracy, but then claims that he already knows the will of the people and it is not necessary to ask them. I am skeptical of his ability to lead the country into development. In fact, drawing the country into a solution that does not follow the constitution is so harmful to the country that, instead of waiting two years for the current president to leave and be unelectable (the president is limited to two five year terms and was first elected in 2001), he is willing to drag his country into a civil war. Foreign governments provide a lot of foreign aid, of which the US is no small part. As soon as the process is deemed to be unconstitutional, which it certainly has to be if he is to succeed, all foreign aid will stop. As it stands, the country has been set back somewhere between 6-15 years in its progress. Foreign investors will hesitate to develop businesses in a country where buildings are burnt and looted with little repercussion. This situation was exacerbated by the president's inability to lead well, but was instigated by the mayor in his bid for power. And the biggest losers, in my opinion, are the Malagasy people. They are the ones who are affected most by this crisis, and they are the ones who will feel its effects for years to come.

72 Hour Ultimatum

2009-03-10T06:15:00.001-07:00

The situation in Madagascar, which seemed to be stabilizing since early February, has taken a turn.

Late last week, there were attempts to arrest the former mayor, leader of the opposition. He is currently under the protection of the French Embassy.

Friday, the French school (Lycée Française) was under siege by supporters of the opposition. There are reports that they were looking for children of government officials. Some of the children spent hours under their desks in dark classrooms. A few parents were able to pick up their children early in the day, but it wasn’t until 7pm that the final students were safe and away from the building. Some of them had to be picked up at an alternate location after sneaking out the back way, through rice paddies.

Over the weekend, a rift in the military developed. Yesterday it was reported that they were united, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

On Monday afternoon, the second of three large grocery stores in Antananarivo was looted. The third was looted today. Also, this afternoon the Minister of Defense was forced to resign under duress, and later claimed that he was forced to do so at gunpoint so - it didn’t count.

The latest development is that the military is giving the president and the mayor 72 hours to find a political solution to the problem, and then it will take over. This could be devastating to the country. If a true coup d’etat takes place, then organizations and embassies will send staff home and funding can be stopped.

Our friend Christina Corbett has contributed to the following article HERE.

The American Embassy has called for an authorized departure of all non-essential personnel. This is not an ordered departure, through which (almost) all government employees would be forced to evacuate. But if it is deemed unsafe for government employees to live and work, they will be asked to leave the country (usually for at least 90 days) until the situation stabilizes.

This order does not affect us, as we are not government personnel per se. But it does make us concerned, and it is accompanied by a new travel warning which can be found HERE.

Indicators of Normalcy

2009-02-08T00:22:00.000-08:00

The situation had stabilized somewhat, but we took a big step backwards yesterday. There was a rally, and thousands showed up. Afterwards, some of them thought it would be a good idea to storm the president’s palace. They did not believe the guards, or whoever it was that did the shooting, when they were told not to cross the line. Shots were fired into the crowd, and somewhere around 20-40 people were killed, with many more wounded. The pictures are pretty atrocious, and the papers here don’t mind printing them.

So it is safe to say that the issue remains unresolved. I think many of the citizens wanted to get back to work, and for the most part that is what appeared to be happening before yesterday. But now there will be funerals, and afterwards there will probably be more unrest.

We have been asked more than once if we have a contingency plan, and the answer is yes. But the big question is – at what point do we leave? Thus the consideration of indicators of normalcy. Some of the indicators of normalcy would be open grocery stores, access to fuel and basic necessities, and services restored. We have partial restoration at this time.

Some restaurants are opened with limited hours. The grocery stores that were not looted and burned have reopened. There are police with rifles outside most of them. There is little milk and butter to be found, and the cooking oil shelves are empty as well. Finding fuel for the car is possible, but finding cooking fuel is another story (all gas stoves run off of tanks of fuel).

Two radio stations – BBC and VOA (Voice of America) – have yet to be restored. It is difficult to get news from the other stations since we do not speak Malagasy, the local language. When they are restored, that will be another indicator of things returning to normal.

The curfew is still in effect. There are still roadblocks at night. Some other indicators would be for rallies to end and people to stop getting shot. If security worsens, that would also be a good sign that it is time to go. But for now, we are safe and avoiding the mayhem.

More news as it becomes available.

2008 Was Pretty Great

2009-02-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Thinking back on 2008, it does not take long to conjure up great memories and so much for which to be thankful - several weddings, births, and successful surgery.

January 9, 2008 Vinnie proposed to me overlooking the ocean at Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur, CA. A date was decided within a few days since I left for Madagascar on January 22, 2008 and arrived in the capital of Antananarivo the next day. I spent two and a half months in Mada interning and researching with the Food Security Unit of Catholic Relief Services/Madagascar. In April, I came home for a whirlwind tour of the States. I ran my first Boston Marathon on April 21, 2008.

The few weeks that followed were full of wedding planning with travel back and forth between NYC and D.C. The last weekend of my trip home Vinnie and I went to California to celebrate the wedding of my good friend Sarah Vagley to Tim Middleton. We visited Vinnie’s sister and enjoyed every minute of the southern California sun.

I went back to Mada mid May and finished up my internship the end of June. After organizing most of my wedding with the majority of help from my amazing mother and girlfriends via email and skype, I was extremely happy to return to a country of fast internet connection and in close proximity to the wedding location!

p.s. My godson Owen’s first haircut was March 29th, and his first birthday was on June 6th. So cute!

Another reason I was very eager to come home was for the birth of my little nephew. My sister in law Melissa gave birth to James Allan on July 5, 2008. Seeing my older brother Randy holding his son was one of those moments I will never forget. My Momma was already in New Jersey for his birth, but my Daddy flew up from Baton Rouge as soon as news came of his arrival. It was super to have the family together for the first Pfifer grandbaby. As you can see below, he is growing up quickly!

Our amazing, glorious, exciting, fun, yet hot wedding took place on August 2, 2008 in Arlington, VA at Vinnie’s church, Our Lady Queen of Peace. We had a traditional nuptial mass complete with gospel choir and plenty of Liz’s tears. We wrote our own vows and shared a special prayer in front of everyone as well. The reception was in Woodbridge, just a hop down I-95. From cocktails to dinner and dancing til the very end, it was a perfect day for both of us, and we could not have been happier having our families and friends surrounding us each step of the way.

With plans to return back to Madagascar for my CRS fellowship, we forewent a long honeymoon but instead decided on three days in the Blue Ridge Mountains at a small B&B we had visited before. Arriving in the area, we headed straight for a winery – the first one we ever visited together. After a few days of relaxing and practicing words like “hubby” and “wife,” we headed back to da Bronx long enough to unpack and pack again for upstate NY. A weekend of more celebration included Vinnie’s Aunt Felicia’s bday party and the Payne Family reunion. Welcome to the family! No turning back!

The last few weeks of August 2008 we spent visiting friends and family and packing up our lives for our big move to Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean east of Mozambique, almost exactly opposite the globe from San Francisco. Except for Vinnie’s days in the Navy, this was his first time living overseas. I still occasionally ask myself what I have dragged him into! After hospitality and delicious Indian food care of my sister in law Beena’s mom Gloria, we boarded Air France on August 28, 2008 and arrived in Tana the next day.

I began work at CRS on September 1 and was very quickly back in the swing of things like I had never left. Settling into life here and reconnecting with friends was a lot of fun. We traveled to several national parks for Vinnie to see his first lemurs and chameleons.

I was amazed in September when my Daddy recovered from knee surgery in record time. Never one to complain but instead endure months of agonizing pain, my Daddy finally had total knee replacement in mid September. His courage and coolness during the whole physical therapy stage humbled me. I only hope that one day when my running knees give out I can be as brave.

November was an exciting month with the election of Obama, birth of more babies, and Thanksgiving wedding! My best friend from elementary and high school, Stacy Cummings, gave birth to Marshall Lowry on November 4, and Fordham friends Brandon and Penny delivered their own son Jonas James in their Manhattan apartment later in the month. Vinnie’s younger brother Andrew got married to Brook Sell in California on the beach Saturday afternoon, November 29. We really missed being a part of such a beautiful wedding!

The last week of 2008, Vinnie and I took a nice trip to the northwest coast of Madagascar to a town called Majunga. The drive east took a full day through gorgeous hills to the low lying coast. We ate amazing seafood and relaxed by the pool and ocean, before spending three days camping in a national park called Ankarafansika.

Upon leaving the park, we took a side road and ended up digging our 4x4 out of the mud with the help of approximately 10 villagers. We should have listened to the guide book when it said not to go that way!

The last few months together in Mada have been full of blessings and learning experiences as a newly married couple, not to mention challenges regarding living overseas. Overall, 2008 was definitely a great year. We look forward with anticipation for the year ahead. I am learning to play the guitar, and Vinnie is hoping to retain his title as Scrabble champion. We wish y’all success in your endeavors and much happiness and peace.

p.p.s. Updated names for our dogs. Petey is no longer “the sleeper,” he is definitely “the barker.” Paulie has traded wrestling to become, “the cuddler.” Mary still loves, so she is now “the favorite.”

Civil Unrest in Paradise (Chapter Two)

2009-01-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

UPDATE 2: So much for cooler heads prevailing …

So the mayor had his rally, in defiance of the President. He declared himself president of the country, which is an odd move for someone who is preaching democracy. (NOTE: The constitution requires the president to be 44yrs old, and the mayor is only 34 yrs old). He ordered the banks to stop printing money. He ordered the military to report to him.

The question is: Will anyone listen to him?
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UPDATE: The President just declared all public demonstrations illegal. Got the word 90 minutes before the Mayor’s rally in the center of town. We have been advised to stay in the house today. Not a good sign.

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The city has experienced a relative calm lately, but there is an underlying tension that is quite palpable. Thursday we returned to work but not much got done and people did not stay long. I spoke to a colleague, and she was afraid. I asked her why, and she said that if the Mayor’s people saw her at work after he called a strike for today, it could cause problems for her. I asked her why she came in at all, and she said she had to catch up on emails and would not stay long.

I don’t see how the Mayor is going to succeed with his stance. Rumor has it (there are many rumors) that he will be offered a ministry post within the current government. How can that help him? He calls for the government to step down in total, and then joins them? He spoke to the people about freedom of speech and standing against corruption, and then he joins them? That will not work for him (IMHO). And the alternative, inciting more unrest and violence, is not a good thing. Is he doing it for personal gain? Or is he doing it for the little people? If he is anything like the politicians in the states, I know the answer far too well.

Friday we found an open grocery store by word of mouth. It appeared closed, but if you approached the front door in a non-threatening manner they would let you inside to shop. Many things were sold out, such as milk and butter, and they were almost out of rice too. But we were able to stock up on eggs and yogurt drinks.

Rumor has it that some of the grocery stores will be open on Monday. But that is dependent on what happens during the Mayor’s rally today. If he incites more unrest, then it could get ugly like before – or worse.

Civil Unrest in Paradise (Day Three)

2009-01-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

Fortunately, things are much calmer today. There is an 8pm curfew, and they are quite serious about it. Except for a walk down to the local market, we did not go out at all. (Oh yeah, Liz did go running in circles around our little end of the neighborhood.) So we get most of our information over the phone. The ex-pat population is highly concentrated in a northern neighborhood called Ivandry, but we are east of town. There is no complex here like the green zone in Baghdad. We are among the general population. But we are not completely vulnerable - we have walls around the house with razor wire or broken glass on them, and rotating guards. As long as there is no interest in us (which there currently isn't) and our guards keep coming to work, we should be okay.

The website www.sobika.com has a timeline of the recent events. It is in French, but using translate.google.com brings it to imperfect English. Most of the unrest is worse in other cities. We are isolated from the epicenter of the events in Tana (thankfully).

We are posting a paragraph from the top of the Sobika page that summarizes some of the feelings the local people have towards the situation:

"Expecting. While the world awaits. What exactly? Nobody knows. It all looks something happens because we had enough to stay in this crisis. What happens today is exactly what nobody wanted: looting, unemployment technical national economy slowed in the crisis ... what? The worst is that we see no end of the tunnel as each player is sticking to its position and certainly preparing their next plan of attack. For Andry Rajoelina (Mayor) is planned for Saturday in which he urged his partisants place May 13 and after that ... will it be? For Ravalomanana (President), it has focused its teams resouder strangely absent and silent see missing, to assert some semblance of authority because the question is this: who governs the country now: A mayor who openly advance that will take over power or a president who could not even prevent the looting of its industrial empire? Suddenly, everyone is waiting ... and ultimately we know what we are all waiting for the outcome of this crisis so that we return to our occupations."

Imperfect English, but you get the idea.

Thursday will be another day of "general strike" - meaning the Mayor has encouraged citizens not to work. There is no rally planned for today, but the President has his own website here and one thing that he said I do not understand. He said to his citizens (and I paraphrase), "I understand that you are poor and hungry and that is why you are looting. My men will not hurt those who are looting." Although I am glad he will not shoot looters, won't that just encourage them?

Stay tuned for more updates as they become available. Our friend Christina Corbett is a reporter for the BBC, and she has been posting daily about the situation, most recently here. CNN finally posted an article about the situation here (We know Christi too!).

We are in good spirits and making progress through the Sopranos discography. No work Thursday, so we should be on Season Three in no time. Thanks for your prayers and kind words. We will keep you posted.

Civil Unrest in Paradise (Day Two)

2009-01-27T07:12:00.000-08:00

Today we woke up, unsure if the day would bring us closer to peace or closer to chaos.

Knowing that the CRS office was closed, we got right to work watching the Sopranos. After one hour/episode, we learned that there was a meeting at 10:30. We dashed across town, avoiding all of the barriers, and made it in time for the briefing.

We were ecstatic to learn that the worst rumor – the prison was emptied and all of them were on the streets – was completely unfounded. So that was a relief. It was the main reason why we packed a bag for emergency travel before turning in for the night. We were briefed on the facts, and they dispelled the rumors. Yes, other cities were picking up on the synergy but it was still minimal. Yes, businesses and buildings were burned and looted, but they only were the businesses of the president. They told us that the next 24 hours would let us know how it would go – for better or for worse. And the odds were for better.

Neither the Mayor of Tana nor the President had a vested interest in chaos. In fact, the previous day’s events were already having an adverse effect on investment in the country. As one person put it, the progress of the country has been put back 6-10 years as it is. Both were calling for peace. But would they listen? We would meet again in 24 hours, if need be, and decide if evacuation was the path we should take. For now, pack a bag, secure your house, and stay in it.

Something else was made clear. Since we were not “official” Americans (i.e. embassy employees), we wouldn’t enjoy the luxuries afforded to those who were. For example, we have to get some of our information second-hand (thanks to those who made that possible, as in telling us about the meeting in the first place!).

We visited a friend after the briefing, and were about to go into the CRS office to check emails. That is when we heard the gunshots. We received phone calls from friends, informing us of a mob moving towards a grocery store less than 1KM from us. That store was across the street from CRS, so needless to say we changed that plan. We headed straight for the house to watch more Sopranos. WWTD – What Would Tony Do?

We like to believe it will die down (no pun intended), but are also preparing for the worst. Ready to leave if need be, we await more information and pass the time enjoying each other’s company and working from home. We will keep you posted on developments and ask for your prayers in return.

For some images of the mayhem during the past 36 hours, click here here and here. Also check this website for up-to-the-minute updates (in French). (HINT: Go to translate.google.com and type in www.sobika.com to get it in broken english, french to english translation)

UPDATE: We do feel a little safer, knowing our gecko friends are joining us during the 9p-4a curfew:

Four in one night - a record. I think we will be okay, with three guard puppies, four guard geckos, and two human guards.

(From Vinnie: What am I, chopped liver over here?)
(From Liz: Apparently, Vinnie is really enjoying our Soprano-marathon.)

Civil Unrest in Paradise

2009-01-26T09:35:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Here is a link to the story on the BBC, submitted by a friend of ours.

Freedom and democracy – words that we hear from our politicians and in the news each day. Liberties that we tend to take for granted. Well that is not the case here in Madagascar. For months, there has been tension building up and now it is spilling over.

The Mayor of Antananarivo and the President of Madagascar have been feuding for a while now. From different political parties, the Mayor beat out the President’s favored candidate to get the job. The President shut down the Mayor’s radio station when the previous President was critical of the current President during an interview. There was a rumor that the President issued an arrest warrant for the Mayor, but now it is no longer a rumor.

On Saturday, the Mayor held a rally at the park in the center of town. Reports indicate that 10,000 people participated. During the rally, the Mayor called for the current government to step down, and he offered to head the interim government. He also called for a general strike on Monday (today), and another rally at 10am.

The President was in South Africa, but he cut his trip short and came back yesterday (Sunday). This morning, many of the roads were barricaded and a warrant for the Mayor’s arrest was issued. We haven’t received much more from news outlets, mainly because we don’t speak Malagasy, but we did go for a walk this morning to see things for ourselves.

Here are some of the pictures that we took (from afar).

We saw hundreds of people gathering in the streets. We saw several fires – up and above the recurring trash burnings – and have heard that some of these fires are either houses of presidential advisors or businesses of the president. We also heard that the police did little to disrupt the protests, but tomorrow will be a different story.

We stocked up on water and food (and internet charge cards) and are ready to stay at home for a couple of days if need be. We have the entire Sopranos disk set (thanks Colby!) and that will keep us occupied.

To lighten the post, here is a picture of our pups and Liz this afternoon. They got there last round of shots yesterday as pups. They are getting to be teenagers now. They each weigh approximately 6 kilos (13 lbs.).

3X5

2009-01-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, no pics in this post - there is a post in the oven and a couple more brewing, but this one is a special acknowledgement of the significance of today.

One year ago, Liz and I were driving down the Pacific Coast Highway when I pulled off the road and asked her to marry me.

Three years ago, Liz and I were driving to her apartment from trader Joe's when she told me that she finally decided to "give us a chance" (thanks to Big O for that one, good advice!).

And tonight, we watched "The Notebook" together - my first time.

Yeah, I'm whooped.

Our Household Friends

2008-12-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

We have this little house gecko, and we don’t mind him because we have seen him eat ants. Just like the spiders, every bug they eat is one less bug to bother us. The spiders can’t come in the house, but the gecko is okay with us:

Here he is in the bathroom – we think it is the same gecko:

And here are a pair of spiders that are definitely well fed:

We spotted a little baby gecko in the yard. This is a good-sized curb he is on:

We recently spotted a chameleon in the tree. He is pretty well hidden:

At night, you can see him more clearly with a headlamp:

And of course, a post about our household friends would not be complete without including our puppies, Petey Paulie and Mary!

They have grown so quickly, and we can only imagine how much they will grow over the next week. We are off to Majunga (Mahajunga) tomorrow morning for a holiday. There is an incredible park out there and we hope to have more pics up soon. Merry Christmas from the other end of the planet!

Fody in the Web

2008-12-25T08:28:00.000-08:00

By popular demand, we have taken the time to capture images of the local bird called a "Fody" - this is a male bird, that is bright red during mating season (like now):

They are very active throughout the day in our backyard. On this particular morning, as I was taking pictures of it, it became tangled in a spiderweb:

I wish I had some better pictures for you, and will work to get some more that show it in better detail. But this was quite a catch. And don’t worry about the Fody – he is fine, and flying around the backyard as if nothing ever happened.

We have some more pictures of geckos, a chameleon and those awesome spiders in the trees – next post!

Giving Thanks

2008-11-30T08:29:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year when we begin to think of all the things for which we are thankful. Being so far from friends and family has allowed us more time to reflect on how special these people are in our lives. But on the other hand, it has been nice to have this time to focus on our relationship. We have had an amazing first four months of marriage full of wonderful new experiences.

We thought that since this is the time we all think of home and friends and family, that it was finally time to share some pictures of our house and more up to date pics of our little family.

THE FAMILY - Petey, Paulie and Mary

As some of you might know, we moved from a small one bedroom apartment to a cute cottage just outside of town. We are 12 minutes from the CRS office depending on the crazy traffic we might find around 07hr45 each morning. Usually children running through the streets in their school uniforms; city buses full of people on their way to work; chickens, cows, dogs, and the occasional stray sheep vie for position on the side of cobblestones. It is always an adventure.

We are posting some pictures of our house which we have quickly made our own.

We have contributed to the local economy by buying nice bamboo furniture. As deforestation becomes a greater problem each day, we have been encouraged and spread the word with others about the great deals that can be found at the local bamboo market. Pier One has nothing on our living room set. Our house was “furnished” very sparsely, so we were happy to enhance with our own flavor. It is still coming into its own. We need to put up pictures and wall décor as well as make colorful pillows, but it will all come together in due time. We have two bedrooms, one of which is pictured:

A living room/dining room area:

And, as our landlord likes to brag, “an American kitchen” (aka bigger than a French kitchen and open to the dining room area):

We feel right at home. Outside we have a small yard with a fruiting papaya tree, 2 peach trees, and a diseased mango tree, not to mention another big tree full of very cool Malagasy spiders and bright red birds called Fody, indigenous to Madagascar. The cacophony is delightful during breakfast.

Our three pups are growing more and more each day. They had to say goodbye to their mum Bobby (pronounced Bubby) last weekend, as she was returned in a sad farewell to the vet clinic. We found it hard to take care of a street dog while trying to bring up her three pups properly. Peter, Paul, and Mary are very happy and do not seem to miss their mum in the slightest. In fact, they have grown tremendously in the last week without her. They eat a combination of baby formula, natural yogurt, raw egg, rice, minced meat, and honey approximately three times a day.

PETEY (The Sleeper)

PAULIE (The Wrestler)

MARY (The Lover)

We later received an email from the director of the vet clinic stating that Bobby had rejected her previous family and showed up at the front gate. She added that Vazaha life (that’s the Malagasy name for us white folks) was just too good to leave. This brought us absolutely no joy, and a tinge of sadness. Sure, we were good to her, but was the other family all that bad?

As Thanksgiving approached, Vinnie and I thought of all the family traditions we would miss. I heard about his family’s sweet potato, cranberry, and marshmallow recipe, and his mouth watered as he recounted all the times his sisters gathered together to discuss which recipes they would cook that year. Thanksgiving is not complete at the Pfifer house without tons of food, especially Mamere’s stuffing recipe, my Momma’s yummy gravy, and lots of football, usually with my Daddy out on the lawnmower escaping the craziness.

This year was a bit different but still special. We were invited to a friend’s house to share in a traditional American meal with colleagues and friends. It was fun explaining to our Malagasy friends the meaning of Thanksgiving and what was on the menu. Two butterball turkeys were shipped in from South Africa, and mashed potatoes, green beans, and corn bread were all part of the delicious spread. We shared Thanksgiving stories with Malagasy friends and ate until we could not move. Some things just don’t change! Our apple pie, which we spent three hours on the night before, was a big hit. And the Jim cracks (or, as Liz calls them, snap Jacks) were nice too. Those are made from leftover pie dough and sugar/cinnamon. They are Vinnie’s new breakfast favorite.

Down South

2008-11-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

The end of September I visited the southern part of Madagascar with a consultant to gather information on targeting the most vulnerable populations in the south. We met with CRS and CARE program staff, saw current water projects in the desert areas, and learned a lot about how people survive in such a harsh climate. Here are some pictures to go along with the narrative.

Flying into Fort Dauphin, a small town on the southern coast, you see the beautiful Indian Ocean against an amazing backdrop of rugged mountains. I really enjoyed walking around town and digging my feet into the sand. I hear this is a good spot for surfing. Too bad I left my board in the States.

From Fort Dauphin, we drove west into the mountains. Once you cross over a particular river just outside of town, it is the last source of water you see until the sink in the hotel. The landscape is mainly prickly pear cacti. I saw my first Malagasy baobab trees here as well.

One of the largest exports of Madagascar is sisal. The fibers from the plant are used to make rope, among other things. It is farmed on large plantations in the south. CRS works with plantation day laborers to make sure they are getting fair wages. Between 10,000-15,000 men and women work on such plantations which average 40,000 hectares. They are huge. Roads just cut through the plantations because they are too large to drive around.

One of the projects we visited was a solar pump installed by the Japanese government. It was a beautiful pump and system; however, I suspect problems will arise when the pump or solar panels have issues. No one locally was trained to repair the system. The impressive thing about the water system is that it provides for both the village and livestock. You can see people filling tanks and carting it off; they also fill the troughs for livestock to drink from. There are fields for planting nearby as well.

Another interesting project we visited was a very grassroots project in comparison to the Japanese solar pump. CRS has contracted with a local artisan group to construct treadle pumps. These pumps bring water to the surface when someone works the pedals up and down, kind of like a stair master. So this project brings drinking water and toned glutes to the region. The picture below shows some men manually drilling a hole before the installation of the pump.

(
One last picture. In this region, there are ringtail lemurs that can be found jumping around in the bushes. We happened to see these on the side of the road coming back from the sisal worker village. It is nicer to see them jumping around in the bushes than as roadkill. These ringtails were much cuter than those in the movie; but we have yet to see the sequel.

In Communicado

2008-11-03T21:49:00.000-08:00

October has been an interesting month full of change. For sure, there will be plenty of change in November - in a day or two, as a matter of fact – but being on the opposite side of the world from friends and family does not mean we do not experience the same things. It just means we aren’t able to communicate it as well. (I know, that is what this blog is for!)

We too are feeling effects of the financial crisis, even from Madagascar. We are very aware of what is at stake Tuesday and are even able to cast our votes from here. We recently moved into a new house and are acclimating to our new environment. We experienced the obligatory Tana robbery. I am learning French slowly (J'apprends francais lentement). And we also have blessings that help put it all into perspective.

Liz has been busy with work traveling all over the island. She travelled south last month and has some stories to share and pictures as well. She recently went to the east coast for a field visit. We have visited some forest reserves and taken many pictures of animals, especially lemurs. And all of this is yet undocumented. Okay, here is a gratuitous lemur pic:

But one of the nicest blessings comes in the form of three babies. No, we are not pregnant with triplets! One of the reasons we moved into a house is to get away from our noisy French neighbor, but the main one is that we wanted to get puppies. So we have been checking in with the local animal shelter regularly. Unfortunately, they have had a parvo outbreak and it has not been kind to the puppies. We picked a couple out more than once, only to find that they did not make it. Well, last week we received a call from Theresa at www.animalsos-madagascar.com, and she told us of a mother with three puppies that recently arrived at the clinic. She asked if we would take them, in the chance that in doing so they will avoid the outbreak that has taken so many. So we swooped in and played super hero, and rescued them. And yesterday, they opened their eyes! Here are a couple of pics:

So look forward to pictures from Ranamafana, Toamasina and the south, the local lemur park, our house, and even our spider tree. You will not have to wait a month for them.

Hope all is well at home. Happy Election Day! Fingers crossed across the world!

Andasibe part deux

2008-09-29T00:31:00.000-07:00

Within an hour of arriving at Andasibe, we put up our tent and headed off to see the lemurs. We arrived late for our day hike, and could only take a short one, so we were out from around 11am to 2:30pm.

As our guide showed us a couple of creatures that were incredibly docile, we ventured out into the woods and approached a man who was clearly the lemur tracker. We found little trails, and in some cases created new ones, as we made our way to the man who was keeping tabs on a small family of Indri. Here is dad:

And mom and baby hiding in the treetops:

We were in lemur heaven! We thought we were getting a special look at these indigenous creatures. The best was yet to come.

Our guide told us to hang out, and they would come down in a few minutes. We thought, we are literally sitting at the base of the tree they are in! Why would they come down? Well, they did.

First to arrive was dad, who was not as timid as we had thought. He jumped to a tree in front of us, and studied us as hard as we studied him:

Our guide, Christian, apparently knew what they liked, and offered them a little peace offering:

We were pretty amazed at how close they were! To give you an idea, here is how close Liz was to them:

And here is a moment they shared:

Then momma jumped to a tree not as close, but definitely within range of our lens:

Then junior, a two month old lemur whose name was likely something closer to a squeal than what Vinnie called him, started crawling all over his mother, giving us many interesting pictures to share:

It is worth mentioning that, after showing off these pics to some other people in the area, they shrugged saying things like “I had an indri drinking from my soup bowl.” And another spoke of having footage of two mating. You will not see any of the latter on this site – it’s a family site! But it does give us hope, when before we thought it couldn’t possibly get any better than this, in fact it can. But for now, you can see more of the pics from our adventure in Andasibe at: http://picasaweb.google.com/vinnievin

As they say, Misaotra (thanks) and Tafandria mandry (good night)!

Andasibe Part Une

2008-09-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

We don’t want to say, “It has been too long since our last blog update” because that phrase will get old quick. But it has, especially since we have some pretty special experiences to share. A couple of weekends ago we went camping and hiking in a forest called Andasibe and saw some amazing lemurs (up close).

Andasibe has some protected forests that are inhabited with many different types of lemurs, reptiles, birds and other creatures that are found nowhere else on the planet (except maybe zoos). We went for a 3.5 hour day hike and later a night hike…

Here is a chameleon that does not change colors (which makes me wonder who classified it as a chameleon!):

Here is one that does change colors – Liz is holding it in her hands, which gives us perspective of how tiny it is:

Here is a nice picture of Liz’s finger – and a small frog that lives in a plant:

And they are sometimes inhibited by geckos as well.
Here are two geckos, Vinnie calls them Mrs Gecko:

And Mr. Gecko:

Only because the second one was slowly following the first one to the rafters above us for what could be what we call a “nooner”

We saw what is called a Common Brown Lemur and he did not come very close, but he did go about his business and allow us to document it:

He was lost in contemplation here:

Our night hike yielded an interesting picture – we could not figure out what it was, but we think it was a cricket going through some form of metamorphosis:

Then again, I hear of mating rituals that end up with the female devouring the male, so it is possible that is what may be happening. We didn’t see a divorce cricket around, but there may have been a snake in the grass.

For more pictures of our trip to Andasibe, including some wonderful hillside pics along the way, visit our picture gallery at: http://picasaweb.google.com/vinnievin

Pics of the City

2008-09-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

We walked through the city last weekend and took some pics, here are some of the sites in Madagascar's capitol:

If you saw "The Amazing Race" last year when they were in Madagascar, here is Lac Anosy - they had to run up and touch the statue:

Liz runs around the lake a lot, and she also runs around this stadium ... lots of soccer (er, futbol) played here ...

These are some cool flowers that are found throughout the city, Liz says they are Fuschia, I say pink ...

This is the old Queen's Palace, we just took a quick shot of it because the locals were swarming us trying to get guide fees from us. Holding a camera is the international sign for TOURIST but on this day, I learned a useful phrase for walkabouts ... "J'habite ici" - I live here.

And it never ceases to amaze me that, no matter where people are impoverished, the government can always find money for projects like this ... this is the new Queen's Palace.

We are going into the forest this weekend, hoping to find some amazing creatures and ask them to say "Cheese!" Or "Fromage!"

Notes from my walkabout

2008-09-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

As I have been exploring the city, I have made a couple of notes about some of the interesting things about this area. Not including the obvious, such as accessibility to Starbucks coffee and other modern developments:

- Things are much smaller here. And no, not just the people - although I do feel like a pale blonde giant at times. I mean like the onions are the size of jawbreakers and the bell peppers are the size of golf balls sometimes. There are some SUVs but most of the cars are tiny! And old.

- If I keep walking up and down all of these hills, I'll have some tone legs of steel in no time!

- Some things are much cheaper, but some are more expensive. The conversion rate is about 1600 Ariary per dollar. We bought a bag full of vegetables for about two dollars, including bell peppers onions garlic and a head of lettuce. Try that in NYC! The local beer is about a dollar for a liter (over 32oz) which is also impressive. But gas is 2900 Ariary per liter, which equates to about 7 dollars per gallon. Luckily these little cars get excellent gas mileage.

Internet connectivity can be summed up in one word - sucky. It is worse than dial-up. I got snookered in to buying internet with a connection rate of 384Ko/sec, no less than 256Ko. I asked if the "o" was byte and they said yes ... well, what they meant was "bit" so divide that by 8. Ugh. I gotta learn this language!

I start language classes tomorrow, two hours per lesson three times a week. I already know some phrases, like "What is that", "How much is that", "I would like a bottle of water please" and thank you/hello/goodbye. And I can count to ten and say I do not speak French. But soon I will!

I was a little paranoid about carrying around a camera, but the pickpockets are no worse here than they are in NYC. Caught a little boy trying to get into one of my pockets, but I just knocked his hat across the sidewalk and he and the rest of his little scammer buddies went scurrying. So this morning, Liz and I will venture out on a little walkabout and get some better pics. In the meantime, here are a couple to give you an idea of what the city is like:

And, by popular demand, here is a picture of Liz's new haircut:

More pictures soon!

The Package Has Been Delivered

2008-09-04T04:13:00.000-07:00

(Time for another one of Liz's letters to home, sans pictures ... a little technical glitch that I am working out as we speak ...)

Hey y'all!

I am back in Madagascar, and this time around I am with my husband! Vinnie and I arrived last Friday night after two long flights. Happy to report all of our bags made it with nothing lost or damaged. I think our bags were on the bottom of the pile so to speak because we waited over an hour for them to come. While waiting, I chatted with some other Americans who were going to be in Mada for a short time. They explained they were working with a production company making a film on rice production. An organization called Better U foundation was picking them up at the airport. Somewhat interesting I suppose…fast forward to Monday in the office. "Liz, welcome back and by the way, we need you to work on this proposal. It is due tomorrow. It is for the Better U foundation founded by Jim Carey." The proposal was finished and sent off to Jim. Not really, but I like to think so.

Rewind…We spent most of the weekend catching up on sleep. I think this flight over might have been the most exhausting of all so far. After packing up the apartment and moving all our stuff into storage, we were just ready to relax. Yet, international flights are not the best place for that...

As I already mentioned, I went back to work on Monday as CRS/MG does not observe Labor Day. It feels odd and exciting all at the same time. The staff has been warm and welcoming. Everyone asks about the wedding and cannot believe I cut my hair (11 in. gone). My schedule and job description are still being worked out as I figured would be the case. I was actually relieved to be in the office during the beginning of the week. I stayed glued to reports on Gustav. My family is all ok. Everyone left New Orleans and spread throughout the South including Baton Rouge where an aunt, uncle, and grandfather are staying with my parents. Thankfully, my parents had little damage. One tree down and some branches. I am not so sure their neighbors faired as well.

Vinnie is settling in pretty well. He is ready to find a job. He has already sent resumes to many places and plans to begin volunteering with the IT crew here at CRS with the possibility of working in the future. For now, he is focusing on his French and doing a lot of exploring around the city. With me working during the day, he has been heading out in the morning with water, sun block and a map. I am really impressed. He has seen and experienced more in three days than I did in three months.

I hope to write more soon with updates on work and life. I will probably continue to send emails once in a while, but also check out our blog. (vinliz.blogspot.com) Vinnie has been writing mostly, but I promise to take it up sooner or later. I usually help him edit (aka spell check and add some humor).

Hope you are all well. Send updates. It's always great to hear from you!

Love,
Liz

Liz Pfifer
Catholic Relief Services
C/O CRS/Madagascar
228 West Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
epfifer@mg.saro.crs.org
(261) 034 05 157 26

En Route to Antananarivo

2008-08-28T23:05:00.001-07:00

Liz and I are sitting in Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France. We await our connecting flight. Three hours does not give us much time to see the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame, so Concourse 2C is where we will hang during our little three hour layover. Could be worse - we could be spending three hours on the tarmac!

Just a little update. In the past few weeks, we enjoyed NYC before we completely packed up and moved out of our apartment. Sorting through grad school stuff, wedding stuff, and well, just stuff was quite a feat. All the work, blood (I have a few cut knuckles), sweat, and tears without even having a fight.

We decided that we actually love New York but mostly for the food. We visited our favorite pizza place in da Bronx, Emilio's on Morris Park. We tracked down the Belgian waffle truck in Manhattan, which isn't as easy to find as you would think - http://www.wafelsanddinges.com didn't even help. We lucked out and heard its location on local radio. Liz's time in Belgium helped us select the best of the best and explained that dinges are extras - strawberries, syrup, whipped cream, etc. I did not know that. We also visited a fun place called Japa's. If only we had found that place earlier! We rented a room with 11 of our friends and had all you can eat sushi, all you can drink sake, and all you can sing karaoke for four hours!

Saying goodbye to our home in the Bronx was bittersweet. I think a few car alarms, ambulances, and blaring stereos bid us farewell as we drove down Muliner Ave. for the last time.

Our next post will probably be from our new home in Antananarivo (AKA Tana), Madagascar. Pictures to come soon!

Madagascar 101

2008-08-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

In response to some of the most common questions I receive when I tell people about our upcoming relocation to Madagascar, here are some fun facts:

• Madagascar is the 4th largest island in the world. It split from the main continent millions of years ago. It is located 250 miles off the southeastern coast of Africa. Madagascar is on the opposite side of the globe from San Francisco.
Click Here for Google Maps - Madagascar

• The capital is Antananarivo. The languages spoken are Malagasy, French and English. Madagascar’s main export is vanilla, followed by prawns. They are known for the finest vanilla in the world.

• Over 80% of the plant and animal species on Madagascar are found nowhere else on the globe. Except in zoos. Right now, the Bronx Zoo has a Madagascar display. You can see their indigenous creatures without flying halfway around the world.

• The weather on Madagascar has been described as similar to Hawaii, with four seasons. Due to the high elevations on the island, winter brings a chill. But its seasons are opposite those of the United States. Summer is felt in December, and winter is felt in June.

• The big predator animals – lions, tigers, bears (oh my!) didn’t make it for some reason, so a unique species of animals evolved. They are called lemurs. They are described as part cat and part monkey. And we hope to bring you actual pictures of them here on this site!

• Madagascar suffers from deforestation. The rainforest that is home to many unique indigenous species is being destroyed. The most common cause called tavy is when it is burned by locals to make room for farmland.

• Madagascar suffers from a high infant mortality rate. And many of the causes – such as malnutrition, dysentery and malaria – are preventable.

Madagascar: No sun for days

2008-07-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

(From Vinnie: The third of three posts from Liz while she was in Madagascar earlier this year. I might have gotten them out of order so instead of spacing them out, here ya go! I'm off to get married. Updates after that.)

Hey yall,

I suppose it is time for another update. This one comes with a story of hope and also with much sadness. I spent Wed-Fri of last week in the field visiting villages that are implementing a model I am researching called the Positive Deviance/Hearth model. This model is a wonderful example of true grassroots development. The model seeks to find mothers (positive deviants) in a village that are able to feed and provide for their children against the odds. These mothers are asked to become volunteers to teach other mothers in the community at the same level of poverty. They show the other mothers (or grandmothers or older girls) how to prepare healthy meals for their babies/children with locally available foods. In addition, health educators from the community teach about sanitation, breastfeeding, agriculture, etc. These daily lessons last for 12 days and take place in what is known as the "hearth" in the village, a special room set aside for classes and learning and sharing. Follow-up is continued monthly after the 12 days.

So last week I visited three different villages where this model was being implemented. I met health educators, mothers, babies, and local leaders that are supporting and encouraging the model's continuation. My job is to meet with all these people, find out why it is working, and gather best practices and lessons learned so that the program can be scaled-up and implemented in more villages where CRS works. In addition, it is possible that I could provide enough data and information to persuade other CRS country programs to begin using the model in their health and nutrition programs. (but let's not get ahead of ourselves…) Anyway, it was an amazing three days. Even with the language barrier (no one speaks French in the village, but I don't really either!), I learned of many successes. It was amazing to see these women work together. In each village we visited, I tried one of the meals they learn to prepare. They consist of different variations of green or yellow bananas, peanuts, oil, sugar, salt, cucumbers, rice, potatoes, and fish. My favorite was a paste-like square of rice powder, yellow banana, and peanuts that had been mashed down and preserved in bread leaves (think Powerbar Mada-style). Not only are malnutrition rates going down and incidence of disease decreasing, but women are becoming more active in household and community development. And the babies are just so much cuter when they are healthy!!

I returned to Tana on Friday evening to reports of a severe cyclone on its way toward Madagascar. It was scheduled to hit the small island Sainte-Marie off the Northeastern coast of Mada on Saturday or Sunday and continue inland towards Toamasina, the coastal town I had just spent three days visiting. Cyclone Ivan has done incredible damage. Assessments are still being conducted, but as of today, 11 fatalities were reported. That number is sure to increase once areas have been cleared and access granted. Not only coastal towns were affected, but strong winds and rains (equal to a category 4 hurricane I believe) have caused major flooding in Tana. The terrible news is that all the villages I visited last week were surely affected. I know for sure that one was next to a river. I was told today "all the homes are full of water." Traditional thatched houses made of bamboo, palm, and wood if available cannot withstand the heavy rains and winds. The majority of local crops are completely destroyed. I read today that along the vanilla coast farmers are still trying to cope after previous cyclones. It takes 3 years for a vanilla plant to mature. For a small farmer, one cyclone can completely devastate their crop for years to come.

CRS along with other organizations is gearing up for an emergency response of humanitarian assistance. There is an immediate need to feed and shelter people that have lost their homes. I have been asked to help write a CRS proposal for funding and possibly return to Toamasina to help with assessments. The proposal will probably request immediate assistance and also funds for longer term safety-net and development projects in the affected areas. I might also be writing an article for the CRS website so stay tuned. If anyone is interested in donating, I will let you know if/when that is possible on the CRS website.

Please keep all those affected in your thoughts and prayers. Not only did Ivan wreak havoc on Madagascar, but it is moving toward Mozambique where thousands of people are already displaced due to major flooding.

As always, I hope you are all happy and healthy. I wish you all the best.

Love,

Liz

p.s. If you ever considered running in a cyclone, I would not suggest it.

Pictures attached:

17 fevrier my crazy running group before 7 mile run in cylcone wind and rain

072 the hearth

091 young mother with baby

097 almost my favorite picture

099 my favorite picture

Madagascar: My Master's at Work

2008-07-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

(From Vinnie: The second of three mass mailings from Liz while she was in Madagascar earlier this year. Hey, it's either post these and space them out, or include wedding stuff!)

Hey yall,

Bonjour Bonjour!! I have had a busy and fruitful past few weeks. The traveling for work was wonderful, and now I have more to keep me busy in the office here in Tana. Just to recap, I spent one and a half weeks traveling down to the southeastern coast of Mada. The nutrition model (positive deviance/hearth model) that I am researching is part of a larger project. This project is being implemented in four different regions of Mada. Therefore, I am visiting all four of these regions in hopes of seeing if and why the nutrition model in each region is working. The two towns (in the same region) I visited were called Farafangana and Manajary. As I was reviewing my itinerary and preparing to leave the office, one of my colleagues mentioned it would take two days to get to our first destination, Farafangana. I asked how much driving we would do. He said, oh about 10 hours the first day and maybe 5-8 the second. I laughed then. But it was true. The first day we drove approx. 10 hours. No lie. However, it was probably one of the most picturesque drives I have ever experienced not to mention the CRS driver and my colleague really enjoyed my music selection. (We listened to everything from Linkin Park to James Taylor and Beyonce.) The central highlands of Mada are considered the breadbasket per se of the island. I saw everything cultivated from rice and carrots to pineapples and kasava. Along the hills, farmers terrace their crops.
See pics below. The saving grace as my bum numbed around the 9th hour was our drive through the rainforest. The Ranomafana rainforest is a lot of kilometers south of Tana. It is thick and green and lush. It was like being in another world. As we drove through, I kept my eyes open for lemurs who are very common in this area, but none happened to swing across the road as we drove. There was a lot of something else across the road though—mud and trees. We saw some of the effects of the cyclone. Huge trees had fallen causing mudslides onto the road forcing a slow crawl at times. I didn't mind though, my eyes were glued to the waterfalls, rocks, and trees that formed a surreal backdrop. Due to the tourism, there are electrical poles right along the road which brought me back to reality and my thoughts drifted to the States as I saw a Stonybrook University sign. They are part of a research station in the forest.

In both Farafangana and Manajary, I met with CRS partners, usually local NGOs or the Catholic diocese, who are implementing the Positive Deviance/Hearth model, and I also met directly with those involved in the village. It was much like my last trip to Toamasina; however, I was much more active and not simply an observer. I conducted focus groups with questionnaires and gathered more solid data. All of the villages I visited in this region were much poorer. They had experienced the worst effects of the cyclone. Each year they suffer droughts and extreme food insecurity. From initial research, I believe this region will be the crux of my report since they are making strides with very little resources. Farafangana is hot and humid and right on the Indian Ocean. The raining season was still in full swing there, so most mornings began with warm showers followed by sunny skies. I visited two different villages, both south of town. In each, I met with participating mothers, volunteer mothers, health educators and traditional leaders. It was amazing to interact with and question their participation and motivations. I literally sat under the trees on a raffia mat conducting interviews. It was brilliant and surreal all at the same time. My master's at work.

There is one story I have to tell about a little boy named Robin. In the first village I visited, I met 2 year-old Robin. He could not walk and only weighed approx. 10 lbs. He was tiny. His mother had died during childbirth and a friend had taken him in. Due to improper care and lack of nourishment, Robin's growth had been terribly stunted, and he did not develop during those crucial first years. However, now his caregiver is part of the Hearth program learning how to make extra nutritious meals for Robin, and he is growing and changing each day.
One of the questions I asked the mothers was, "What changes besides weight have you observed in your children since you starting coming to the hearth?" They all looked to Robin with their answer and said, "He is stronger, happier, and wants to eat all the time." Many children are so unhealthy they have no appetite or will not breastfeed. In some villages, mothers are actually skeptical of programs unless they are distributing food. When people are in dire need, they would prefer to receive food handouts instead of learn how to make their situation better in the long run. Organizations that still practice this are actually creating obstacles instead of alleviating problems (Of course, this excludes emergency cases in which food aid is necessary.) After time passes, the hearth model is usually enthusiastically accepted. They see the results children like Robin are making and want their children to benefit as well. Nutrition programs, such as this one, are changing from food "hand-outs" per se to more development based programs that focus on behavior change (cooking with locally available foods, getting vaccinations, boiling water, washing hands before and after meals, etc). It all seems so simple and common sensical, but many practices we take for granted in the western world are not practiced due to lack of resources and knowledge. I have found this program to be more successful if it also incorporates agricultural, marketing, and/or disaster preparedness. As one father told me, "You must start by making sure women and children are healthy. Then we can farm and produce for revenue." Holistic development, trying to get to the root of problems instead of band-aiding them.

In Manajary, it was raining more frequently. One of the villages we visited was inaccessible by car. We were told the CRS 4x4 would not be able to traverse where we were going (sounds ominous), so we walked.
It ended up being approx. 4 km mostly through mud which at some points was up to our knees. My sandals got lost in the sludge more than once.
It was hysterical. When we arrived to the village, we looked like we had just stepped out of a mud bath at the spa. Far from this dream, we were greeted by mothers and children from two neighboring villages who were gathered for monthly weigh-ins as part of the positive deviance program. Each mother arrives with their child's weigh chart in hopes the baby is in the green category signaling a good weight. For many mothers, this is the first time they have ever been able to follow the weight of their baby consistently, and it gives the mothers a real sense of pride if their baby is healthy. If they are in the yellow or red, they will be singled out and strongly urged to join the hearth program to learn more about nutrition and cooking in the home. Along with the weighing, local health educators do what is called "sensibilization" which is basically awareness raising on topics such a malaria (important during rainy season) and diarrhea. The mothers ask questions and learn from the health educators and each other.
After observing the weigh-ins (adorable by the way), I conducted the interviews and learned more about the village.

My research involves questioning and investigating, but I believe equally important are my observations of the attitudes and motivations and mindsets of the people I meet. They are resoundingly positive and enthusiastic. It is terribly unfortunate that many of the villages frequently face setbacks like natural disasters where in an instant progress is wiped away. With these kinds of experiences, my hope lies in the people I have met.

I wish you all well.

Love,
Liz

Pictures attached:

1 rainforest

2 Robin eating

3 interviews with questionnaires (me in hat)

4 baby being weighed

5 terraced countryside

Madagascar: Living in neutral

2008-07-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

(From Vinnie: This is one of Liz's mass emails from madagascar.)

Hey y'all,

Happy Mardi Gras!! I am finally taking a few minutes to sit and write a few words. (Few is relative, right?) To explain the subject of this email…neutrality. There are always highs and lows when moving to a new place especially a developing country. Exciting, newness surrounds you-sites, smells, and culture-but can conversely frighten you into extreme self-consciousness. In the developing countries I have lived, I have been struck by the rich, and my heart goes out to the thousands I see who have very little. I have found that existing somewhere in the middle works, living in neutral.

This theme carries over in more ways than one. As you might be able to see in the pictures, Antananarivo, affectionately known by most as "Tana," is full of hills and valleys. Upon arrival, pollution wraps its powerful arms around your lungs within minutes as you gasp for air amid the hundreds of Renault taxis, city buses, and oversized Landcruisers. Without emissions standards, these vehicles blow black smoke that billows and hovers over the city. Add warm rain, and it's like walking in a life-size diffuser. Not only am I living in neutral; I am driving in neutral. Vehicles drive in neutral more often than third gear. With the hills and traffic, most buses and taxis switch to neutral and cruise downhill. I am not sure if it really saves gas or not, but it makes for an interesting ride.

Work has been pretty slow thus far as I suspected it would be. My direct supervisor was in trainings last week. He was back in the office this morning, and we met for a couple of hours going over what I will do during the next two weeks while he is out of town again. It turns out I will do my first field visit next week. I am going to travel to Toamasina. It is on the coast in the Northeast. There I will meet CRS partners and learn how they are implementing particular health and nutrition models. It is basically a trip to get acquainted with CRS in the field and develop relationships with people so I can return to do more in depth research at another time. I am looking forward to getting out of the bustling city.

Everyone in the CRS office here in Tana is incredibly warm and friendly as are most of the Malagasy I have met. They are constantly smiling and always eager to practice English with me. I already notice differences between mainland Africans and the Malagasy (obviously not trying to generalize-my observations). Malagasy are a mix of African and Indo-Asian. Besides the obvious physical differences, the Malagasy are less confrontational especially in the market and on the street which is great for foreigners. I have also noticed a difference with men and small children. I see fathers carrying babies and even playing with them. Just the other day, I saw a man bouncing a baby on its lap in the bus. I don't recall ever seeing that in Tanzania or Burkina.

For those that are interested, running has been a struggle. With such narrow streets sans sidewalks and crazy buses and taxis, I have resigned to completing most of my miles on a treadmill. However, I found out about a running group that meets once a week. Some of them are serious runners, and others enjoy the camaraderie and food afterwards. I suppose I am somewhere in the middle. I ran Sunday morning with the group and found wogging up a steep mountain at 8 am to be my most pleasant morning so far in this country (Kat-imagine Mt. Washington in the ultra…that steep.)

I have attached a few pictures of my apt and neighborhood. I live up on a hill and look across town to another hill. I am quite comfortable and live very simply. I have electricity and hot running water. For many reasons, I feel like a volunteer again. For instance, I soak beans a day in advance for cooking, keep and reuse all zip-lock/plastic bags, and was boiling drinking water until today. CRS has given me a water filter that says on the side, "pure purified water." I guess I am safe! The best is that I have a cranky, confused rooster outside my apt. He calls out at all times of the day and night.

So as I continue to learn about CRS and Madagascar and life here, I try not to have any expectations. With all the highs and lows, it is all about just 'being' in the beginning. However, it is never as easy as it seems.

Send me news of what is going on at home. I am always happy to hear from everyone. As always feel free to forward as you wish.

Love,
Liz

P.S. The chocolate here is amazing, and the president of Mada owns a company that makes delicious vanilla yogurt. (What do I give up for Lent?)

Pictures:

My apt building. I am on the second floor.

My kitchen.

My neighbors.

The view from my living room.

What's It All For?

2008-07-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

I noticed some obvious questions were left unanswered in my last post. Let me space them out a bit, and focus on two of the most common queries: Why are you going? And: What does Liz do? I am also asked what I will do once we are out there, but that is speculative.

Those two questions are actually tied together. Why I am going is because I believe in what Liz is doing. I threw out that NGO acronym like I knew what it meant ... I had to google it just like some of you did. It stands for Non-Governmental Organization. I'll let her explain what she does - the three posts that follow are letters that she sent out while in Madagascar, and pictures are included (about time!)

So I am willing to make this trip with her to see if I can help, and I really enjoyed our travels through Africa last summer. And quite honestly, I don't want to be without her for such a long time. I kinda like having her around.

Thus It Begins

2008-07-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

Thus what begins? Not the beginning of our lives together, but the beginning of our chronicles and adventures - Vinnie and Liz in Madagascar.

Liz has spent six months in Madagascar, where she works for an NGO in Antananarivo. She came home in late June to finish planning on our wedding and wrap up affairs on the mainland (she had better end those affairs - we're gonna get married!). After we marry in August, we will fly to our new home in Antananarivo and start our new life together.

For me, it has been mostly mental anguish - self-induced, of course. I am trying not to build up too many preconceived notions, as I'm sure they will all be shot to pieces when I get there. But the unexpected can also be what I expect not to see. The luxuries I have come to take for granted here in America will be pulled out from under me, and that is when we will see what I am made of.

I have seen a few pictures of the island, and some of the remote areas are definitely lacking in infrastructure. In fact, some of the urban areas seem to be lacking in infrastructure. I think about taking pictures around the city to show the local Malagasy what life is like in the big city, the Big Apple. I live in the Bronx, and work in Manhattan. Can it be a more drastic change than that? I don't know, but I'll let you know in a couple of months!

Why, you may ask, is THIS the beginning? Because I turned in my seven weeks' notice at work. I am officially severing my lifeline to the most American aspect of my life - my full time job.