...just kidding that would be a super boring post probably. Unless you really really like trees. In which case call me up and we can chat grafting techniques.
At any rate- that's what I've been doing for the past week at my 7:30 am- 5pm job. It's been a 4 day long training workshop (though it's just me and one other Gasy guy getting trained in Malagasy by another Gasy- so that was tough) in all things trees. I get to take these skills I now have back to my home and propagate trees on my compound. Rockin'! If anyone wants hot chili peppers let me know- though it would be illegal to send them to you. Oh man do I need to share my hot chili pepper story with you all. Not my most brilliant moment- but entertaining nonetheless.
So about 2 or 3 weeks ago I was preparing my dinner of spicy beans and rice. I take 3 of those tiny peppers we call "sakay" and tear them up with my fingers because I don't have a cutting board. I would like you all to keep in mind that I had never cooked with these peppers before and therefore didn't know what I was getting myself into. So I throw the peppers into my simmering beans and wipe my nose (i had previously chopped onions and my nose was all runny). About 20 mins later my nose begins to tingle. Then it begins to hurt. Then it feels like I have flames shooting out of my nostrils and I'm a mythical dragon freak. So I of course try to wash my face with buckets of water, but where ever the water goes the burning seemed to spread. As a former chemistry student I know that water dilutes things, but it doesn't neutralize acid burns. Bases do- like milk. But I don't have milk, I have powdered milk. So in a stroke of pure genius I decide to put powdered milk all on and up my nose to see if that will help. It didn't. Now, in addition to the virtual flames shooting out of my face, I had cheese paste in my nose making me nauseaus. At this point my food is cooked, and I've been in pain for a good 40 minutes. So I call up our doctor over here (probably disturbed his dinner) and asked what I could do. "Wash with water" he says "it may take several buckets full." Great. After 2 full buckets of water my face calms enough to be able to sorta eat dinner, wash dishes, and crawl into bed. I'm in bed reading Dune (at that point I was reading about the gom jabber- I think you should look that up right now bc it adds to this story) when all of a sudden my hands have that same on- fire feeling. It hurts so bad I untuck my mosquito net and bring my bucket of water next to my bed, all the while using the light of my candle to check and see if my skin was blistering from the 'burning.' Everytime I took my hands out of the water it's excruciating pain, so I lay half in bed, half out shaking my hands in my bucket of water- for a good 2 hours. I was so exhausted at that point (it was close to midnight) that I was able to fall asleep half in bed half out. I woke up the next morning completely fine, my hands slightly dried out from keeping them in water all night long.
I'm completely fine now, though I may forever be a little emotionally scarred from the powdered milk failure.Two weeks later I braved the chili peppers once again, using only one this time. Delicious!
I've had a great past few weeks, and I great few weeks coming up. We are getting a new group of trainees in (today actually!) and the environment volunteers will be taking a field trip to see my tree nursery and the national park I live next to. I get to tag along with the newbies for a night hike, teach them all about grafting (maybe?) and show off my super awesome home. I'm super excited. We've got St. Patrick's day coming up (we will partay), Passover (I will make people get together for a sedar), Easter (probably a rockin' time with my villagers), and my bday! (see below for possible care package ideas :)
Peace and much love to you!
-Photos! Of you right now, of us before I left of us from 1st grade(shout out to Jillian- your pictures are so very amazing it’sfantastic)
-Reading Materials! Magazines like Time or Nature or NationalGeographic are great. If you just read an awesome book send that too!
-Any Gators paraphernalia- it makes me ridiculously happy. I specifically could use a pillow case or blanket if anyone can findthose. But anything would be awesome
-Funny shirts, movies, Q Tips, hand made crafts (noodle frame to go with the pictures you send- absolutely!), or anything silly.
And now that I’ve waited an appropriate amount of bullets to make me seem less the glutton I am…the food category!
-Condiment packets- BBQ, ketchup, mayo, etc. Extremely useful here.
-Anything sweet- cookies, gummies, frosting, starbursts, m&ms, reeses- anything chocolate, really anything sweet.
-Dried fruit- blueberries, apples, mangoes, etc
-Trail mix! Granola! If it has oats and or nuts and/ or dried fruit its for me!
-Beef Jerkey! I never liked it in the states but Teryiaki BBQ sooo good!
-Tuna in water! It’s impossible to find here!
Just some ideas. Don't feel like you have to send a care package, letters really make me super happy and are $0.98. I have successfully received my first package (thanks Staci and Gabe) though it was sent to the address below- which still and will always work. My new one has so far been pretty unsuccessful- but you can try (my new one is on the right hand side of this webpage and on facebook).
(old address- still works well)
Sara Tolliver, PCV
Corps de la Paix
BP 12091
Poste Zoom Ankorondrano
101 Antananarivo
Madagascar
LOVE YOU ALL! Healthy and Happy Passover and Easter!
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Good to know you can still receive mail at your old address ;]
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