Is it hard to be alone or not?

We are not from in rich family even in the really poor; my mum is a teacher in public primary school. We are not like a really poor but I can say one of the poor people compare the other. I am proud of my Mum because she is working really hard for her family since my Dad died. Since my Dad died I can see the sadness on my Mum’s face. I learnt from my parent that it’s better for the both of parents to have a good job. The man doesn’t have to depend on the women’s income and the woman doesn’t have to depend on the man’s income but they have to help each other when they face a difficulty or the hard time.
Sometimes I am asking my self: when can help my Mum out of this poorness and this trouble? I wish I can pay my Mum’s ticket to travel around of Madagascar by Plan. I am proud of myself too because I don’t depend on my Mum much more that before right now. She didn’t pay much on me anymore even my trip or my pocket money but she still helping me when I am stuck.

How do I get money then?

I become a translator for any tourist, NGO, Student and some journalist foreigner and I become a photograph with my small digital Camera which was my Christmas gift from my host family in Norway.
About the photograph’s job is a really funny story.
I learnt a bite how to take picture when I was at Hald, this can help me a bite on how to take a picture. And also I have my old laptop which I got from Norway also, who I can use to edit the picture that I took. Many of my friend or my Mum’s friend asks me if I am able to take a picture for them. They charge me $ 0.8 to $ 5 per photo, it depend on the size of the photo. I took more than 20 photos per week from September 2008 to June 2009. Why did I stop in June? Because the scream of my camera was broke so my client did want to ask me to take a photo of then. Even thou I lost that job, I still work on the translation thing. Andrew Lees Trust offers me a job of Book translation from English to Antanosy ( my own dialect in my home town) I participate a bite but I was really busy school project so I didn’t do it anymore.

I can see how hard is life and how hard is to be an only child, you don’t have any support from anyone else, you work for your on like my Mum did even she has her sister around. I can see through her face that is suffering much of finding out about what will happen tomorrow, where I can find money to buy my needs. All of those questions are in my mind right since I live alone. Even its hard, suffering and it might makes me crazy, I am always say that today is a bad day but tomorrow will be a prefect day. I never give up. I am trying to be up and having the better day tomorrow. In my mind says that God never let you down, I might be suffering in this earth, and somewhere which I couldn’t see, will be the paradise where I will be happy forever and ever. Or it’s not the time yet.

God helps me out of the trouble so he show me the way to the future. Soon I will graduate from my University; I hope my real life will start after that.

I wish that I have 6 brothers and 7 sisters, so my Mum and I never be alone.

SCHOOL FIELD

December 17th, 2008.
This is my first school field so I was really exited. The entire student from my class has to meet at FASIMAINTY early in the morning (7h 30mn) but the car did show up after one hour later. We had a school field in the RIO TINTO site (QMM). We visited their mine site in MANDENA and the TREES NURSES. The trip was really nice and we got lots of information about the mining project and how to prepare the TREES NURSES. The study was finished at 14h 30mn but the buss picked up us at 15h so we had 30mn to relax and talk with friends. I taught my class mates a CARD Game MAFIA but the story teller have to do in Malagasy. It was really fun to hear the story in Malagasy; especially I did it my own dialect. I was really happy to see my class mates really exited doing the game. I am looking forward to have another school field again.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR EVE PARTY IN MADAGASCAR 2008

SUNRISE IN MY HOME TOWN ( NEW LIFE)

We had our vacation from 19th of December 2008 to 6th of January 2009. Christmas and New Year vacation after I finish my English exam at 10h and the Party start. There was a festival for ten days so lots of thing going on. All of my friends were in Town, Stella, Lalaina, Alpha, Eliot, Tantely and the rest of the old friend from high school. The parties start From Friday 19th of December. The Saturday night 20th of December, Lalaina and I drove from the Beach to down town to pick up someone. We didn’t know that someone sat behind the pick up (4x4) because he didn’t tell us that his going to be in the car. The road is really good, we drove really fast and suddenly we hear a bottle felt down from our car. We stopped and looked for what was that. We found one of the guy from the party was lying in the road and his face and his body looked like it burnt covert of blood. I was really afraid; I said to my friend that we had to drive him to the hospital. We found a doctor in the hospital and they took care of him. He went well because the damage wasn’t really big. We didn’t sleep until in 6h am because we were a bite worry. After while the doctor came to us and said that he is fine we can drive him home.
I like being in Madagascar and it’s really fun but I prefer to be in Norway with a safe drive and the security. But God has his plan even thou you are in safe country so I just have to wait my turn wherever I am.
All of my family who lives abroad arrived in Town to celebrate a Christmas and New Year. We had party in town with friend and at home with my family. I couldn’t realize that time is running and Christmas is today. I have to be ready for church. The 24th I was with friend. We didn’t go to Church but we spent time in Center where you can meet so many old friends. We had some “Brochette” and some drinks and music in Center Town. Lots of Cars and people were there. It was really nice to see.
The 25th morning I woke up at 7h because I have the church will be full if I am late. My church is 20mn by walk from where I live. We had two services but the last one was really long. It was really hot in Fort dauphin. Our church is made by Rock so it more hot inside than outside and full of people. I gave someone my sit and I prefer to stand outside than inside. I wish I could be in Norway to be in the snow but that’s the way it is. I didn’t stay until the end because the service finished until 11h. Everyone get a new close. I didn’t have time to go to store to buy a new one so I wear my old shirt and pant. It looks new for them because the last time I wear it was in Norway.
I didn’t spend time with Family the 25th afternoon. I went back to my apart and had a little sleep. The owner of apart that I rent wasn’t in Fort-Dauphin, she went to Ambalavao so Her son and I were alone at home. Her son invited me to have a party at their house. I called Tantely to come over and and we planed what we going to do. We had some drinks and some found so the party start in for the afternoon. The party didn’t stop at our apart, we took a Taxi and we went at friend’s house to celebrate with them. I was really tired and my stomach hurt me so I have to go home to take some medicine.
I missed my host family. I want to have Christmas Eve with them in Norway then back to Madagascar for the Christmas day. I missed the time with them sharing gift and the family time but I do like the party in Madagascar that everyone dances and happy, everyone is out having fun. It wasn’t like in Norway but I do miss my Christmas Eve in 2007.
The party still going until going school will start. The 29th of December I got a call from AZURA HOTEL (3 stars Hotel in Fort-Dauphin), they need some extra waiter for the New Year Eve. So I accepted to work with then instead of having party with friend all the time.
It was my first time to work in big Hotel like AZURA so it was fun to serve the clients and the people who used the swimming pool. I worked all the day in 30th and in evening, we went to the Karaoke party, singing lots of Malagasy song and foreigner songs, that was really fun. I didn’t have New Year party with my family because I still had to work at the Hotel. It was sad but I need money to pay my rent and something else. I finished work at 2h am in 1st of January so I called my best friend and we went in center town to join our friend. We stood up until 10h in morning and I still have to work from 11h to 21h in evening. I was really tired but it was fun to be with friends. The day after, I had a break so I had time to see my Family.
The vacation is over so it will time to think about the future. The direct of the Hotel wanted me to be a DESK CLERK in the Hotel if it is fine for me. If I accept that then I have to work from 18h until 7h in the morning.
I hope I can manage to do that. I had lots of fun during the Christmas and New Years. My vacation was fun but I do miss my friend and the people that I used to be the entire world. I really miss them.
That’s the end of the story.

BACK TO MY UNIVERSITY AGAIN

Finally I am back to school again. The Monday 13 of October, I started my last year at CEL/GED (3rd year). I am studying about management of environment. We are 15 students in the same program and we have one student from England. The school is 45 minute for walk from where I live and near the beach where used to go. I am walking everyday even its really hot in Fort-Dauphin and the school is in hill too so its quite hard to walk all the time .
Maybe you ask me, why I chose this program. Four years ago I apply in this private university because I liked to conserve our biodiversity. Fort-Dauphin is rich of Biodiversity but we didn’t have enough technicians to work and learn about how to conserve and protected our richness.
I am back again to continuous my last year. This year I have a goal to learn really hard and doing my best. I am still wanted to develop my hometown and conserve the biodiversity.
I didn’t study with my class mate from four years ago because I missed school for two years so I look like a new student at CEL/GED right now. My Old Group called “LAFA” but now I am studying with Group “HASINA”. Seeing my friend and my classmate from four years ago makes me sad because they will graduate this year and I am still in 3rd year but I know that I have been away for some years and that was good for me and it’s a good experience.
After I graduate this year, I want to work a bite then I am looking forward to be back in Norway or somewhere else because I want to study more and I am not going to stop here. Being in Norway for ten Months taught me many things that I can think about my future.
At the end I would like to say thanks to:
• To God that gives me a life again so I can study
• My Host Family in Norway ( Orkdal, Fannrem) to help me and posse me to do my last year.
• My contact Person and her Husband in Norway( Orkdal, Fannrem) for their help.
• Ingrid Karin swan to suggest me to continuous to study and finished my last year
• And my best friend Tanately and the rest of my friend.
Thanks for all of you and I hope God will help you back.

INFORMATION WORK

Since I arrived in Fort dauphin, my plan was to build my hometown by helping the Christian youth to do something.

During my stay in Norway I tried to find something which can fit for Christian youth in Madagascar specially Fort Dauphin. I found many things but I choose only two which are “KRIK or Chrisc” and “Natt Kaffe”.

I didn’t stay for long in Fort-Dauphin. I left the 1^st of July because I have to meet some friends from Norway in Tananarivo. I was so exciting to meet Inki’s Sister and her husband. I have the opportunity to talk again about my first impression after been away from my home country and talk a bit in Norwegian. They had two days left in Tananarivo when I met them so we have to hangout and spend those two days. I really liked to talk with them because I felt that I am in Norway and next to my friend Inki. We were five people walk together and looked for Malagasy Arts: Tanately my best friend, Doctor Daniel, Christine and her husband.

As you know, I had an Information work in Madagascar. I went to Manakara ( East part of Madagascar in coast) with Glad ( my teammate).

We took the “taxi Brousse” from Tananarivo to Manakara. The Malagasy time still used because they said that I have to be in the Bus station at 15 h 00pm but the Bus left at 17h 00pm. Our Bus had some problem in our way from Tananarivo to Manakara, we have to stop many time and we have only one driver.

It was my first time to go to Manakara, but I was so exciting. I live in south east of Madagascar who has rain forest so and Manakara seems like the vegetation there too.

We had to work with Group which doing the Bible Camp. We take part as a leader during the Bible camp during two weeks. So nice to be with the group from Tananarivo because we met many students who have been in Norway specially at Hald: Pastor Barson, Aina and Ando, we never stop talking about people in Norway and the life there compare Madagascar.

The Bible camp is camp lead by the some group from Tananarivo which is teaching the youth Christian from 17 years to be a leader during the first week; They learn about Jesus is son of God, my Doctor, our teacher , my savior, my good friend. Each theme has to link with a game and handcraft so they learn about how to do it in the first week. They learn to be a leader, to be a teacher for the Sunday school, some notion of communication and VIH AIDS. The second week, they divide the leader who follow the teaching in the first week in different group. They had practice with some Sunday school and they became a teacher so they taught the kids everything they learnt in the first week.

During the first week Glad and I had one and half hour for our Information work. They were from 17 years Old up so it fit for our project. It was 37 young Christian who attend the Bible Camps Days, I was very happy to see them. We talked about our stay in Norway, and its time for us to give them what we have learnt really far. We taught them how to start “CHRISC” and “NATT CAFFE”; they listened to our presentation and they asked us many question about CHRISC and NATT CAFFE because it possible as they said to do it in Manakara, We told them to start it and give us some report later. We made a book in Malagasy which is talking about how to start CHRISC and NATT CAFFE so they can read and follow the notion.

In the second week I took part as a teacher in Sunday school but our student was a bit old from 11years up so it was a big problem. I did teach about games and handcraft but I used the gift that God give to me. When I was in Norway or in Madagascar I really like to talk what written in the Bible, the mean of it. It was nice because the children listened to me and the ask me many question about Jesus, and her mother so sometime I was stuck because I didn’t go to theological school. When I was stuck I like to say “ask me later, I will look for it tonight and give you the answer tomorrow”.

I would like to stay in Manakara for while but I had to go back to Tananarivo to meet my Host family and my contact person in Norway. My contact person and her husband have lived in Madagascar for some years so it wasn’t their first time but for my host family it was their first time. We didn’t have much time to be with them, it was only for one day because the arrived in Madagascar during the time that I was in Manakara. I tried to speak Nowegian again and I supposed to say “I have been waiting you for one hour but I said I have been waiting for you for one year”, I said in Norwegian “ Jeg har varæt her for ett år”. They didn’t say I was wrong but I found out like 30mn later that I said the wrong sentes. We talked about being in how was to be in Madagascar again since I have lived in Norway for ten Months.

I stay in Tananarivo for three weeks because I have to meet Barson and say good bye for him and doing some school work. I lived with my cousin. During my stay in Tananarivo I get to use to be in Madagascar again so it was a big problem for me to communicate and running after the bus, everything was nice.

I went back to my home town after being away for while. I took the bus again from Tananarive to Fort-dauphin for two and half days. We didn’t have any radio in the car so we sung with the passanger in our way night and day because its realy boring just sit and sleep. I really like being in the Bus in Madagascar.

I arrived in Fort-dauphin 17th of august and they were a big festival there. Long time from home and I didn’t spent much time with friends so I was very happy to be back again. We had many party, camps and trip in Rain Forest. It was very nice to back again I said but I missed something, I wanna be in my home town with my friend from Norway, I wish they can be with me in Fortdauphin so it will be much better but they still in my mind and always next to me.

After two week I had to move out from my home town again because I still doing my Information work. I went in Mahatalaky, outside of Fort_dauphin, 32 km to the north east. I was there for one week. It was a Choir meeting but we profited the time that we can talk about our Stay in Norway and our Project again. We had a bite problem about Video projector but we found a solution at the end. Our presentation went well and people were happy to hear what we want to do and they said that they want to help us if we need it.

I can see that they really to do CHRISC and NATT CAFFE, because during that meeting they have something like KRIK in Norway did each year. I said that it’s possible to start CHRISC and NATT KAFFE. My only problem for CHRISC is the Material and someone who can support for now because the Group that I supposed to work with they are busy but soon you will heard what happen with our project CHRISC and NATT KAFFE. I am done talking about my stay in Norway but I am still working about how can I start CHRISC and find the place and some one who can support me. I am going back to school soon doing the same subject that I have done two years ago.

Back to Fort-Dauphin, Madagascar

We took the Plan from Paris to Madagascar on Sunday 15 June 22, 2008. I couldn’t believe that I met the Hald student from Cameroun in Charles de Gaule airport; we are not supposed to meet there because they left one day before us from Norway. Since that time, I believe that its possible to see again our friends from Hald one day, we need to wait then it will show.
We arrived in Tananarive Sunday evening really late and dark, it was about 23h in evening but its already dark. I missed the light from the sun utill 23h or 24h in Norway. When I saw the darkness in Antananarivo in the first time we arrived in the airport then I felt that I am home again far from the light again. It not problem electricity but we don’t have sun until 23h if you see what I mean. It’s not like in Norway.
Pastor Barson and Gwladys’s Mother picked up us from the airport. My contact person and one driver drive me from the airport to my cousin house. When we arrived there, my cousin wasn’t there. I knocked in the wrong door so I have to say sorry to the neighbor but I didn’t say it in Malagasy , I didn’t realize that I am not in Norway anymore and people doesn’t speak English at all. Barson and the driver had to drive to Sabotsy Namehana because I didn’t know where to sleep and it really late in evening too so I don’t know where to go. I slept in Sabotsy Namehana .
On Monday Morning we had meeting with The FKTLM President, my contact person, our new contact person Helisoa and Doctor Daniel. It was a bite difficult for me to explain and find the word in Malagasy about everything that I have leant in Norway because I used to learn everything in English but it was ok after few hours. I didn’t know how to behave when I talk with the FKTLM President because I used to explain something with my hand but I look strange when I did that during the meeting. I looked many time on my watch when we still waiting someone. I didn’t know that time is running after you in Madagascar not you run after the time. I get angry when the meeting start late but my contact person said you are not in Norway anymore, relax and take your time. Everything went well during the meeting, we learnt a new thing again and I have to think that we are in Madagascar not in Norway anymore.
I arrived in the night in Tana and I stay in Sabotsy Namehana during the day so when I went back to my cousin’s place to stay there, I realize that I am not in Norway anymore because many people walk in the street, inside the bus there is no button that you can press when you want to stop, you have to say “Misy miala” it mean we stop here, they play a music really lowed inside the bus, drive really fast, you don’t have your space and its really noisy around you.
When I arrived in my cousin’s house people, I saw many people smile and give you singe that they are happy to see you again. I get tired to say “hi” to everyone I see because they have to stop and greet them, I was a bite late in my way from Sabotsy Namehana to Ankatso.
I took the Bus from Tananarive to Fort-dauphin on Tuesday afternoon. They ask me to come to the bus station at 12h am with my luggage and I was a bite late because I many traffic in the way from Ankatso to the Bus station so I called them that I will be there in one hours. I get angry when I was there at one o’clock and they didn’t start to fill the car yet. We have to wait until 17h so we stay in the bus station doing nothing and waiting for the Bus will leave, finaly we left Tana around 18h. it was really funny to see inside the bus if I compare the bus that I used to take in Norway. Many people and we sat in the sit supposed to for five people but we are six sit together and I care my hand luggage on my legs, no one listen IPod or read a book but they talk and talk. They have to drive for two days and they drive during the night too because they have two driver and they switch all the time. It was realy hard to sleep in the bus because they drive really fast and you don’t have enough space. There are many policemen in the way from Tana to Fort-dauphin so we have to stop many times. From Ihosy to Ambovombe (105 km before Fort-dauphin) the road was really bad so I become really red from the earth which can come inside the car when they drive really fast and someone open the door or the windows.
I arrived in Fort-Dauphin on Thursday afternoon around 16h; it will be nice to be home again but I really want to go back again to Norway to see friends. I didn’t felt that its really important to see my family and my old friends again.
I brought some gift from Norway to my family and some friends, they were happy to received the gift, they didn’t expect me to be a rich guy because I called my Mum when I was in Paris tell that I didn’t get any money. When they ask me about something, I just answer I have in my mind and I need you to work with me, they expect money or gift.
I was a bite shocked when I met many prostitute in the street and outside the bar or night club in the evening, most of them are teenager. I ask to my friends:” why does Fort-Dauphin has many prostitute, they said: “because of the mining project and the works from abroad like South Africa, Fillipine, and the rest of the world, they can pay much money so the parents send there daughter to find someone who has lot of money”. This is the problem in the poor country and the foreigner profited the situation. The parents need money so their young daughters have to work for the rest of the Family.
I could realize that ten months in Norway it really long and many things can changed during that time. Many family has cars 4x4, people has mobile, many new building, new road, the internet connection work really fast than I expected, new feelings, new song in my choir and on TV and new language.
It’s really nice to heard that most of people in Fort-dauphin speaks English, I can say Fort-dauphin is the first place in Madagascar who speaks English because of the foreigner for South Africa, Canada, Asia……..The national TV (TVM)has emission in English called “TEEN walk”. The English language can’t stop to grow in Madagascar right now, I really like it.
I went to Church on Sunday morning. The Service start at 9h and they start on time but we finished really late compare in Norway. We end at 12h because we had baptism and confirmation. It was realy nice to see many people in the church and different voice when the sing. Everything was in Malagasy so I didn’t need to translate for me like in Norway sometime.
At 19h in evening we had kind of welcome Service for us in my Church and we talk about our stay in Norway. I arrived there at 18h 45mn, I saw only three people in the Church and I ask if I came early or it supposed to be at 19h 30 but they said at 19h. People arrived around 19h 15mn and we start at 19h 30mn. The leader of the meeting arrived 30mn after we started. That was very exiting. Everything went well in Fort-Dauphin and in our Church, people nice to me and kind but I want to go back again in Norway. I hope that I can come back again one day.

That’s all of my life stories since I left Madagascar and back again after ten month.
Thank God, all of the Teacher from Hald , FKTLM, all of my friends from Hald and the rest ….Learn many thing in Norway I hope I can used here in Madagascar all of the good thing that we can use. Hope to see all of friends from Hald again one days.
Thank for all of you

See you next time
ROCK

LAST WEEK IN NORWAY

Finaly I will go back to madagascar on Saturday 14th of June. I am looking forward to go home but I am gonna miss my friend from Hald and the people that I hanged out with in Norway. Nice people leave and nice people come, so it'll not a big problem to get a new friends again.
I have been in Norway for ten month now so I have learnt so far about my self and my future and also about the thing that I want to start in my home twon.
I going home on Saturday but I am not realy to be in my own culture again because I have been changed since my stay here in Norway.

On Thurstaday 12th of june after, the farwall party, the sad time start for everyone. Class is over and the stay in Norway is over for the international students. I though that it will be easy to leave friends from Hald so I try to be happy and not to think that I am going home. I looked arround and I saw the sadness on their face but I keep smily. On thursday too it was my first time to see peoeple handed out in the living Room and they didnt feel tired utill the first taxi came to pick up some student who will take the plan back home at 4h am.
I didnt cry when I saw my friends from east afrika and america latine leaving because I said I am a man but I was realy sad. the second taxi arrived at 8h am pick up the next stundent from cameroun, asia and serbia. I was realy realy tired but I have to say good bye, I couldnt manage to keep smily and laughing even I tried to that; I started to cry when I saw one of my friend from Cameroun take his taxi because, I reameber that its not possible to see himm again and we had agreat time and sharing a problem. I felt that I had brother when he was at hald because when I had problem, he always there to give me solution and I can tell him my problem......

I can say I was lucky because I have one extra day in Norway compare of the rest of the student because they left one day before me. I felt alone when all of the international student left even we still have student from Norway that I can talk with at Hald. but even thou I have good Norwegian friends from hald that I can talk and makes happy again.
Hard to leave Norway but I always think that everthing is possible with God.

I wish I can come back and see again all of friend in Norway as my frends from Thailand say come to visit us.
thats the end of my stay in Norway.
Now its time to be home again.