Mad Land by Nicola Jane Barratt

More writing by Nicola Jane Barratt sent from Madagascar

We're winding down our two year stint in Madland and our 8 years abroad, at least for a year - returning to Jersey. Lots of wild adventures we have had - trying to get some closure by thinking back through all of it - but the sorting and packing, sorting and packing leaves me too exhausted for deep thoughts! Lots of people stopping by - Boudu and Roundu who have sewn curtains, shirts, suits, mosquito nets and finally a beautiful quilt made from Gabby, Jeanette and Haley's old dresses. Sahandra came with the framed prints from our favorite Malagasy artist who calls herself Sexy Expedition. Eric and Son came by to drop off 8 pairs of amethyst, aquamarine, and garnet earrings i've had made for some of you - he will return one more time with Jeff's birthday present to me - an emerald with 2 pink sapphires set in a gold ring (i got it - it's great). And the crates arrived to pack our stone table tops - jasper, agate, labradorite, petrified wood, and melange de pierre.

Did my last long field trip here last week - took 10 students south to work and visit three sustainable design projects - the Lemur Forest Camp where Daniel and Berenice have created a rainforest tree nursery and are slowly replanting the rainforest using proceeds from their ecotourism project - small chalets and restaurant built from their sustainable eucalyptus and pine forest project. Clearly though, they have been living alone in the forest for too long - when we arrive there is a whole goat roasting over an open fire, dinner is served in a windowless room, french rap music is at loudest volume, while their daughter's semi-nude photography is scrolling by on a computer monitor - quite an experience for many of the high schoolers! On to Fianarantsoa, where we worked for two days with the Society for the Preservation of the Old City of Fianar - we helped rebuild a home that was destroyed in Cyclone Ivan and built a composting latrine for the two families who will live there. On to Andringitra National Park for ring-tailed lemurs, caving, bouldering and views for a hundred miles.

I will keep in my heart the empty white sand beaches, the morning cries of the Indri indri, chameleons walking slowly with eyes in all directions, winding roads through misty mountains, zebu in the rice paddies, mangoes and litchis, bougainvillea and hibiscus, jacaranda and flame trees, the red soils and dust, the amazing game parks of mother Africa with lions, giraffes, rhino, hippo, leopard, cheetah.

But it is also the people, thousands of smiling children of all ages, mostly in tattered clothes, barefoot, a little snotty, running wild, climbing, playing football with anything even somewhat round, carrying little brothers and sisters on their backs. The women wrapped in bright, colorful chitenges or lambas or sarongs and the arab women all dressed in black. The bowler hats of the Malagasy and the covered heads of the muslims. The drumming, dancing and wailing into the wee hours of the dark, smoky nights. And people walking, walking everywhere; carrying anything and everything on their heads.

ok - the shippers have arrived

Back in Mad Land by Nicola Jane Barratt

More writing by Nicola Jane Barratt sent from Madagascar

been back 2 weeks now and have adjusted quite well -
the journey here was almost uneventful - small glitch in that i
accidentally booked both flights for the same day so that when we
arrived in Paris, our flight for Tana had left the day before -
whoops! - lucky for us, the US ambassador and his family had missed
their flight to Paris and we took their seats on the flight to Tana
(you'd think we'd all understand the flying thing a bit better by now,
wouldn't you!!) - when we arrived, after our 19 hours of air time, we
were the last ones off the flight, not unusual except that we were
actually seated right next to an airplane exit, and a flight of stairs
had been pushed up next to the door - the steps were only a meter
from our seats but alas, this is Madagascar and the door leading to
the stairs was never opened - communication error??? electrical
error??? finally we were told that the lights were not working near
that exit .... hmmmm... lights? what lights? who knows? (half our
luggage didn't make it so we were the last ones out of the airport
anyway .....(F____ the french and their airline!!!!))

and then you come down the steps into the Malagasy night and your nose is filled with the smell of cooking fires, the streets are dark and quiet, and you know you are back in Africa (sort of).........

but back at home is mostly great - i love my huge (but standard)
european bath tub, even more, i love the lady that keeps it sparkling
clean. i love the seemingly endless supply of hot water from our 100
gallon hot water heater, that someone else pays the electric bill for.
and the other lady who takes care of the children so i can take a long
hot soak. i love coming home from work to the smell of dinner
cooking, with always enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow. i love when
the children are happily ensconced in their classrooms with their age
appropriate activities and professional educators!!! i love that
there are coaches who occupy the older children with round objects
until 4:30 pm and that this will continue until December because it
never rains until then. i love that the phone never rings (never mind
it's because i've had to unplug it so i can plug the space heater in
to the only electrical outlet!). the stove blew up and we lost all
the electric for a while but the internet appears to be working quite
well!!! more soon, love and kisses, nikki