Day 71 - March 12, 2013

Second day of surgery week for Operation Smile. For a little while in the morning, we actually had a quiet ward...but not for long. About 40 patients had surgeries on their cleft lip/palates today.

Day 70-March 11, 2013

Operation Smile Mission in Antananarivo. I helped out as a translator for this 10 day mission. Day one of surgery had a full schedule of 40 cleft lip and palate surgeries. It included my favorite new friend, Sitraka! She was the cutest kid I met all week, but unfortunately couldn't get surgery because she was sick. Hopefully she will come to the next mission in September! As much as I wanted to take her home with me...I thought her mom might be sad and so I decided a picture would have to be enough.

Side Note

I hate not finishing what I started...but my camera was stolen so I can no longer take a picture a day...BUMMER. I'm just going to take a break for a few weeks...and then I'll get a replacement! I might need to rename this the 365(-40) project, but we'll see when I get a new camera!

Day 31 - January 31, 2013

I'm no meteorologist....but this doesn't look like a sunny day ahead! 

And, on another note....Happy birthday Dad, from across the world!

Day 30 - January 30,. 2013

Part of a mural at the PC training center. Especially fitting for the day since a cyclone is heading our way in the next day or two. Tropical storms....not my favorite. 

Day 29 - January 29, 2013

Even in bad weather, the PC training center is beautiful. 

Day 28 - January 28, 2013

Self-timer pictures are funny. Hanging out with a cool group of volunteers at a Training Design and Management workshop at the PC training center. 

Day 27 - January 27, 2013

You know what I love about Tana? Real showers with hot water! Its definitely a step up from a bucket. 

Day 26 - January 26, 2013

Card against Humanity, homemade guacamole, drinks and fellow PCVs... I'm back in the capital! 

Day 25 - January 25, 2013

Meet Sylvanio. One of my regulars. You can see him around Tsarasambo, usually naked, and sometimes in a girls dress...He will impress you with his English and Italian vocabulary which consists of two words..."bye bye" and "ciao." He's a constant source of entertainment on slow days in town, especially when he shows up at my door by himself...a very independent 2 year old! 

Day 24 - January 24, 2013

Stamps may be outdated in the States, but not in Mada. My official document had to be stamped three times, with three separate stamps. 

Day 23 - January 23, 2013

Impending storm coming from the ocean. Looks like there will be another rainy night! 

Day 22 - January 22, 2013

I had a visitor in my shower today... pre-PC this huge snail would have disgusted me...now, I can say I've seen worse! 

Day 21 - January 21, 2013

A typical meeting...men at the table, and women sitting on the ground in the background. (For those who know about my library project...this building will one day be full of books!) 

Day 20 - January 20, 2013

I think I can fairly say its rainy season...this 15 liter bucket was empty when I went to bed and full when I woke up. It is a good thing my house only leaks a little! 

Day 19 - January 19, 2013

I shower in the jungle. Pretty soon I won't be able to get through the door. It might be time to buy a machete and do some trimming...

Day 18 - January 18, 2013

No picture today because my camera is out of batteries. That's life in the ambanivolo with no electricity. But, if I could take a picture today...it would be a pineapple that I bought for 15 cents. Sometimes I love tropical islands. 

Day 17 - January 17, 2013

At a community meeting to talk about new pumps in town and clean water at last! I'm not sure why we're raising our hands, but this is pretty typical since I rarely have any idea about what is going on around me.

Day 16 - January 16, 2013

Sometimes the most exciting part of my day is being able to take a late afternoon nap in my big, but really uncomfortable, bed. 

Day 15 - January 15, 2013

It may be deathly hot with 85% humidity (true story, I looked it up...), but at least we have mangos! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner...this is my signature meal during the hot season. 

Day 14 - January 14, 2013

I finally had a chance to go to the post office (2 hours away) and picked up a care package from friends in Israel! Full of sweet and savory treats and much needed reading material. Can't wait to plan a trip to visit post-PC! 

Day 13 - January 13, 2013

Just a lazy day at home…reading, cleaning, and taking pictures for my town. It took 30 minutes to get a picture of this baby not crying. Apparently, I’m extremely terrifying to a 2 year old. 

January 12, 2013- Day 12

There’s a snake sleeping in my kabone!  This is one of those things I forgot I would have to worry about once I got back to site... he seemed to be nocturnal which made it prettydifficult to use the bathroom today. I had to wait until night time...

January 11, 2013- Day 11

I barely had time to set down my bags before neighborhood kids were alerted to my arrival and my house was FULL. Corey’s Day Care-open for business once again.

Day Ten- January 10, 2013

Still holding onto shreds of America....this was dinner tonight, and it was delicious! 

Day Nine - January 9, 2013

Welcome back to the third world! First stop, the doctor to get some medicine for my foot....not going to go into details, but yay for antibiotics.

Day Eight-January 8, 2013

Waiting in Paris for a 10 hour flight to Madagascar...It was a really long day. 

Day Seven-January 7, 2013

And so began a marathon of travel. First flight, Boston to Paris....

Day Six - January 6, 2013

My trip to Boston was more like a food tour of Boston, and I have no complaints. Brunch at Gaslight with Alyssa's friend....omelettes, Bloody Marys and good company! 

Day Five- January 5, 2013

Coffee shops. We walked all through Boston today, stopping at multiple coffee shops to warm up, re-caffeinate and meet friends. It was a great way to see the city!

Day Four - January 4, 2013

Arrived in Boston for a weekend of eating, drinking and exploring with Alyssa playing tour guide. A good way to spend my last weekend in the States!  

Day Three - January 3, 2013

Suitcase is packed and ready to go to Madagascar. Its sad to leave home, but I'm excited for a weekend in Boston with Alyssa, and then back to the tropics!

Day Two- January 2, 2013

Driving through the Midwest on a cold, snowy day. The trip from Ohio to Michigan reminds me of college breaks, and makes me thankful for paved roads (and minimal potholes), driving laws, and heat! 

Day One - January 1, 2013

Dinner in Columbus with my best friends in the world. A great way to start the new year. Great friends, great food and a great city. I hope this foreshadows the year to come, even if we are spread out across the world! 

365 Days of Pictures

Inspired by my sister-in-law and cousins who have all begun their own 365 projects, I've decided to give it a go! While it might be a challenge to keep this blog up to date with the lack of electricity/internet in my Malagasy hut, I will do my best, and update when I'm in the land of internet!