Well 2012, you sure flew by fast, huh? 

I started off the year as a still relatively-fresh-faced Peace Corps volunteer and ended the year as a “zoky” (older sibling) volunteer to three whole stages after mine!

Some amazing things happened in 2012.  From my parents visiting Madagascar to buying a puppy to visiting the northernmost & southernmost tips of the country - it was quite a year and 2013 has to work pretty damn hard to top it.

{the girls at the beach bonfire}

{getting fancy on NYE 2011}

{my pretty sweet rainboots}

{lemur teenage + momma}

In January, I returned to site after an awesome Christmas in the Sud Est and a crazy New Years in Tana.  Cyclones decided to hit from all directions, so I had to break out the rainboots.  And I visited the park a lot to watch the lemur babies turn into lemur teenagers.

{walking into Anja}

{clouds}

{the lake at the PCTC}

In February, I lost my big toenail to a parasy infection.  My taxi brousse hit and almost killed someone.  Eek!  I had my TOT Conference (training of trainers) in Mantasoa at the PCTC.  I went to a Madagascar/Cape Verde soccer game, where Mada lost (per usual).  I hung around my house while cloudy, rainy weather prevailed.  And I discovered the “Poop In A Hole” music video done by some other Peace Corps volunteers.

{walking across the “road”}

{getting ready to push our car across!}

{my favorite neighbor kid, Sedja}

In March, Cyclone Irina hit.  I recorded a few songs on my ukulele.  I visited the Sud Est and got stranded thanks to yet another cyclone - so we had to ford a river!  I hung out with my Anja babies.  And finally got my tree nursery project put up online for people to donate money to. 

{new volunteer hazing…kind of ha!}

{teaching about gardening & permaculture}

{turning blonde}

{my counterpart Victor who attended the Rio Conference}

In April, I went up to Tana to train the newest stage of Environment volunteers for three weeks…so that was pretty much the extent of April.  Ha!  My hair started it’s slow change to blonde.  My tree nursery project was fully funded!  And Anja Park was chosen to attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. 

{Stuffypants as a puppy, with his mom & dads}

{Stuffypants a few months ago, as a teenager!}

{harvesting rice}

{the marketplace where the riot took place}

{my favorite band in the whole wide world}

In May, I discovered the blog “What Should Africa Call Me” & “What Should PCVs Call Me,” which are so spot-on, it’s ridiculous.  I bought a puppy with some friends, see here, here, and here.  I helped harvest rice.  We gave our puppy (Stuffypants) his first bath.  I got stuck in a riot in downtown Tana.  I went back up to Mantasoa for my MSC (Mid-Service Conference) which marked my one-year point!  And I was introduced to One Direction for the first time, changing my life forever.

{sambatra.  blessed.}

{breaking ground}

{the gang!}

In June, I got my first tattoo.  We broke ground on the tree nursery site!  Then we worked and worked and worked some more on the tree nursery, see here and here.  And I discovered this quote after reading “Blood Brothers”:

“If there is a problem somewhere,” he said with his dry chuckle, “this is what happens. Three people will try to do something concrete to settle the issue. Ten people will give a lecture analyzing what the three are doing. One hundred people will commend or condemn the ten for their lecture. One thousand people will argue about the problem. And ONE PERSON – only one – will involve himself so deeply in the true solution that he is too busy to listen to any of it.” “Now,” he asked gently, his penetrating eyes meeting each of ours in turn, “which person are you?”

- “Blood Brothers,” by Elias Chacour

{work in progress}

{“Is this where the nails go?”}

{Libanona Beach, Fort Dauphin, Madagascar}

{pretty pretty}

{surfers}

In July, I went on a vacation in FORT DAUPHIN!  Check out the epic saga: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.  We finished the building the fence around the pepiniere.  And I was really bad at updating the blog for about a two-month time span…my bad!

{gettin’ to work}

{the finished product!}

{helping explain the procedure}

{playing with adorable children}

In August, I painted the nursery fence white & green.  I ordered the welcome sign from a local artist.  And I volunteered my time with Operation Smile, an organization that repairs cleft lips and cleft palates in children and adults.

{watching the sunset on our safari}

{introducing my Dad to all my park guys}

{me & Mom}

{sailboats on the ocean}

{palm tree}

In September, MY PARENTS CAME TO VISIT!  We went to South Africa, then jumped over to Madagascar and travelled from Tana to Toliara, checking out my village of Anja on the way.  And I visited Tamatave/Ile Sainte Marie with a friend once my parents left, see here and here.  September was an amazing month.

{our Fianar VAC region members!}

{my three girls - Nirisoa, Vonjy & Fanilo}

{duck, duck, goose}

{the gang: counselors, girls & chaperones}

In October, I went out with my girlfriends in Tana.  We held our regional VAC meeting.  I launched the tree nursery sponsorship program.  And we held a GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camp for 15 girls in Fianarantsoa.

{planting in the seed beds}

{the group with the official tree nursery sign!}

{our beautiful turkey that we butchered}

{storming the streets}

In November, we had a big planting event in Anja to officially start the tree nursery.  We held Thanksgiving in Fianar.  I went up to Tana for the national VAC meeting with the other VAC leaders.  A rat crawled on me at the Meva.  I bought a Star Wars backpack.  And we celebrated International Volunteer Day.

{jumping picture on the beach}

{the red tsingy}

{my ladies}

{man, NYE was fun…}

In December, I rode on the escalator in a “mall.”  Went to Diego for Christmas vacation with friends, see here, here and here.  Got a hair cut and dressed up fancy for New Years Eve.  And danced so hard I sprained my ankle. 

Jeez 2012, way to DO.WORK.  2013 - let’s do this!!!

Until next time,

T