This is Major Tom to ground control

I stare up at the view. I never expected this view. It overlooks a mountain range less than a mile away. A mountain range that seemingly is both covered with a layer of mist and tipped with low laying clouds that make it appear we are in some dream. I hear my brother come up behind me and I want to express how incredibly beautiful this is, but I cannot.
This next day in language class, I take the opportunity during a break in questions to ask my teacher for the day what the Malagasy word for 'beautifull' is. She tells me, and I smile.
That night, after dinner, I walk to the end of the varangana, and look out at the night sky. I see more stars than I thought could possibly exist. As if there were more spots of dim light than there was black space surrounding them. I hear my host brother walk up behind me again and I say softly " Tsara terehy, Rina. Tsara Terehy." He responds, "Mety. Tsara Terehy" as I hear his head nod in agreement. We both stare at the sky, me with a smile on my face.

So, I am here in Madagascar and everything has turned out expinentially better than I had expected. We are at the end of week 3 of our 10 week long Pre Service Training. It is very difficult to put everything into words right now. It is difficult to try and describe this experience without doing it a grace injustice.
I have been journaling regularly, so hopefully I will get the chance to update this blog with ammended entries. I am also sorry about the lack of photographs (even though I have taken over 600 since leaving Chicago).
But for those of you who cannot wait another seven weeks, when I will have internet again, let's go over some of the basic facts...

1. My bathroom, as a matter of face, is a hole in the ground. More like an outhouse. But still. I crap in a hole in the ground. Hope you all enjoy that one
2. I have found a roach in my food.
3. Be VERY VERY VERY (I cannot stress this enough) happy you do not have fleas
4. I have 26 new amazing friends (When you travel in an overcrowded minibus over vomit enducing turns atop a mountain, you have no choice but to bond....and get along)
5. The Malagasy people are AWESOME!!!! And very short. I am the second tallest person in my town (Next to another volunteer, who is 6'3")
6. I absolutely love it here and there is no doubt in my mind that this was the best decision of my life
7. The stars do look very different, everyday

Space Oddity - David Bowie