Madagascar: Malgasy Moments

A few weeks ago, I got a knock on my door and a man was standing outside it holding a tortoise. He offered it to me for 10,000 Ar. (about $5.00US my daily budget) so I bought it. It lived in my house for a few days getting stuck in corners and flipping over on it’s back and wiggling around until I got home. I kept dropping food in various nooks and it never ate anything. After agonizing for a bit, I finally let him go. I don’t think he was very happy in my house. My neighbor brought him back to me that afternoon. The next time I let him loose I did it under cover of night. He’s free and (hopefully) happy now.

One day I was sweeping my house and my neighbor came over and watched me for a bit and then grabbed a broom and started helping. She was appalled by the number of ants running around so she left and returned with a can of something and a rag and started wiping my cement floor down. A few minutes later I realized she was wiping my floor down with GASOLINE. I of course thanked her and forced to spend the rest of my day out of the house. This was a few weeks ago and since then her daughter has stopped by twice and offered to wipe my floors down again. I keep politely refusing, but I have a feeling they’re going to just come in and do it one day. Gives a whole new twist to the “kill ‘em with kindness” proverb….

A new volunteer, Caroline, has moved to a site about an hour away from me. She and I travelled on the taxi brusse to Sambava together. At one point (when the brusse was stopped) a cockroach jumped onto her lap and scurried onto mine. we both started screaming and spilled out of the brusse in a tangle of limbs and bags. People were of course staring so i started screaming "bebe lava" (bebe means bug and Lava means big ... OR ... long) - trying to coummunicat there was a big bug. everyone else poured out of the car looking very concerned. A few moments later caroline said "wait, doesn't bebe lava mean snake?". It does. we got laughed at a lot for the rest of the ride .... ah madagascar :)

Madagascar: Zaza Edition

Madagascar: Recipe

Saohaba Ankondro (Coconut Banana Soup)
This recipe is vegan and delicious 
Ingredients:
• 8-10 plantains
• 1-2 ripe coconut
• 2 pinches of salt
• 2 tablespoons of sugar

Materials
• Pots
• Coconut shredder
• Strainer
• Knife and Machete


1. Quarter the plantains lengthwise and then cut them in half. Put them in a large pot and set aside.

2. Cut the coconut in half
a. If in Madagascar - use a machete
b. If in Madagascar – cut coconut in half with the machete while holding the coconut in your hand.

3. Pour out coconut water.

4. Shred the coconut using the shredder. Try not to shred your finger.
a. To shred: Malagasy Official – Mikkiki, Sakalava – Mikaoko

5. Heat water over stove, but do NOT bring to a boil.

6. Add approximately 2 cups of hot water to the shredded coconut. Mush with hands until coconut milk comes out. Strain Milk into separate bowl, set aside.

7. Repeat mushing process at least twice more, but strain coconut milk directly in pot with bananas.

8. Bring pot with Bananas and coconut milk to a boil.

9. Add two pinches of salt to remaining coconut milk and add to bananas and boil more.

10. Add two tablespoons of sugar and boil a little bit more.

11. Take off heat and eat once delicious.