Hello Blog readers!!
I wanted to write to update everyone on my crazy adventures here in Madagascar, in particular my last 4 days heres.
In case you didn't know there was a Cat 4 cyclone here... yup.
On Sunday night I got a call from the Peace Corps telling me that I should pack a bag and get ready to come to the capital, Tana, to ride out the storm in the safety of the PC house that they have there. So I grabbed a handful of clothes and another of underpants and threw them into my backpack and the rest into my waterproof suit cases and went to tell the principals of the school that I work at that I was leaving the island to go to Tana because of the cyclone. Then I talked to my parents, texted with friends and finally fell asleep at 2am. At exactly 3:30 I woke up to pouring rain and super wind... I was not happy. I had to wait till 4:30 to walk to the downtown ( about a 2 min walk from my house) so I finished my cyclone prep of my house and then at 4:30 I locked my windows and door said a little prayer for my house and walked to the downtown.
When I got into down town there was no one around. I sat on a bench and waited about 15 minutes. Then a little light came on in one of the small coffee places.I went over and ask the guy if he had the number of a taxi that I could call, he gave me two, neither worked. Just as I was about to have a panic attack because I needed to be to the airport in exactly 30 mins and that is how long it takes to get there, the small man said , in English, there is a taxi at my house I will go get it, you will get to the airport. He left and 10 mins later came back with a taxi for me to take.
I got to the airport and in true Gasy fashion there was no one there, at this point it was 6:00 my flight was leaving at 7:40 so I needed to check in. After sitting awkwardly in the empty airport, people started showing up. I checked in and sat for a little bit. At 6:40 the plane came we boarded and took off I arrived in Tana at 7:40! YAY!!
So now lets skip to yesterday, February 15th, the storm was over here in Tana and it was nothing special. Some trees and billboards down but nothing too horrible. Me and Jessie went downtown Tana to meet up with, Brad,Sam, Corey and James. As we are walking a bunch guys came up and ripped my purse off my body. Yup thats right I got robbed and on my half birthday! They got some money, my sunglasses, Peace Corps Ids and my phone :( Looking back at it I was lucky that they didn't try to use a knife to slash the bag ( it happens here that they slash your bag with a razor blade or knife) because they way i was wearing the bag I would have been cut.
So other then a cyclone and being a robbery victim I am doing really good here in Madagascar!
<3
Peace love and no more craziness for awhile please...
