Part 4: Summary of Swear-in, Installation, and the first week in my new home!

Hi everyone, so as many have heard, I have been installed in my new town, and low and behold, there is some internet (I say “some” internet because the deal is that I exchange English with a telephone company operator for internet use once a week…). But it works out. It feels like weeks since I left for site, but it’s just been one week, one long, emotional week.
First, we spent 2 days in Antananarivo, where we had very little time to do any site-seeing as health volunteers..we were shuffled off to visit the offices of different health organizations there: The Ministry of Health-Initiative on SIDA (HIV/AIDS), the office of PSI (Population Services International, very interesting, though among those organizations that believe that if people don’t pay for products related to health (i.e. a mosquito net) then they won’t get it and actually use it….which in my community seems to NOT work when everyone seems to complain about how expensive the mosquito nets are (3,000 Ariary, about $1.5, but somewhere where people spend less than 50 cents a day…) and therefore do not get them. And then almost every day there are 20 or so people that come to my clinic to get tested for malaria and almost half of them are positive! Sorry for the rant…), and finally we saw the USAID group working in Madagascar.
Then on Tuesday the 26th, we were sworn is a volunteers…it was great! First of all, we had amazing speeches made by the Peace Corps Country Director, Dan Evans, the Ambassador, and my fellow site-mate Devyn, and there was also a special guest of a huge pet tortoise! Then a few of us (including yours truly ;) ) were interviewed by the local Malagasy TV stations, and then there was PIZZA and a POOL! Oh the perks of getting a 1 day trip to the Ambassador’s house ;)
Then we had a hurried chance to do some shopping for our sites…and then a few of us went dancing/karaoke singing with our language instructors, lots of fun!
Wednesday morning, bright and early, Devyn, Ester (living in a village 2 hours south of us), and I piled our stuff and ourselves in a car with the most amazing Peace Corps installers ever: The Peace Corps Madagascar Current Country Director Dan Evans (who was the CD of Guinea, which was recently closed), Hari, a Malagasy man and 10 year veteran of the Peace Corps Office, and Donnie, our driver and master handy-man (I don’t mention their last names because Malagasy last names are soooooooo long, like 20 letters at least, and easily forgettable (as I’ve already forgotten theirs!)). Here, the basis of name-calling is asking, “what is your name?”, response: “something really long and ridiculous”, “Awesome, what would you like to be called?”
We had an awesome three days getting to know Ester’s small, cute village, then getting to know our rumbling medium-sized town. I won’t lie, but I was kind of shocked when first arriving because there is just so much disorganization and trash here…which I guess is normal. I was worried about how I would like it, but so far, things have been fine. I live in a pretty big house next door to the doctor with whom I work at the CSBII (the centre de santé de base II), which is down the street from the market area. I have electricity, a fan, an amazing gas stove, a private outdoor squat toilet and bucket bath space, and I guess it couldn’t get much better than this! Funny though, I was so ready to move out of my host family’s house because I just can’t stand being observed that closely, but now I’m kinda lonely in this “big town” without a family caring for me…I also realize just how hard it is to cook for myself! I love to cook, but you really take for granted RUNNING WATER. Holy shit! I can’t believe it how good all of you have it at home! I go through about 20 L of water every 2 days or so and then have to go get more…it’s kinda annoying. And then you have to clean everything immediately after eating because of the bugs. If only my mother could see how clean I am now!
Now about the work: thus far, I’m going to the CSBII every morning to watch what’s happening and also to give a sensibilisation about some health topic. It’s been ok, but I really feel like such an alien here…people are just shocked that I can speak Malagasy…and most of the time they just greet me with “Bonjour,” because of course we couldn’t be American…
I am also trying to set up a schedule with the local high school and elementary school in order to teach sensibilisations there too. I kinda want to recreate some of the work I was doing in Guatemala that was so great, though it’s hard to start it off by myself without adequate knowledge of the language…I guess I’m still getting ahead of myself! Patience, Patience.
And I guess that’s it. First week as a Volunteer, and I guess I’m feeling a little more homesick than normal  but I know I’m strong enough to get through it (but the question is can I get through a week of diarrhea???). Being at my new post has its fair share of challenges!
Anyways, don’t hesitate to send an email/letter/text (011-261-34-189-0600)/or call my way! Miss you all sooooo much!