JokerValentine
We Out
THIS REPORT IS 32 PAGES ON WORD. I APOLOGIZE IF THIS IS TOO LONG. I HAVE ORGANIZED IT BY EVERY DAY. ENJOY!
@Kestrel @McMajestic @StoneWolf18 @SunshineZombies7 @Yaoke Saint
5/20- 5/21
During my trip to Madagascar, I learned a lot about the similarities and differences regarding the culture and biology behind the country, during my 18-day stay, I feel that so much has changed regarding how I view the country. To chronicle my journey from start to finish, I present to you my story.
The trip started bright and early for me on May 20th. Catching a red-eye to JFK, we then connected to the South Africa terminal and took a rather long flight (20 hours with time change) to Johannesburg, arriving of course on May 21st. While not all of our travel experiences were positive, they were thankfully minor. We managed to arrive to every gate right on time. At Johannesburg, however, we learned that not all of us were fortunate. The Smithsonian scientists we had been working with during the stay, as well as the National Geographic photographer David Liittschwager, had been severely delayed after missing a flight. Some further issues soon presented themselves to their group at Jo-berg, but needless to say our group was alright. Everyone eventually reached.
We then flew to Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. The airport was definitely the smallest I had ever seen, slightly smaller than the Liberia airport in Costa Rica. After clearing bureaucracy, we made our way to our bus to meet our guides and exchange cash. Our guide, Franck, was a rather energetic man with an unforgettable laugh. He was very sarcastic, but in a very enjoyable way. His laugh, a rather high-pitched chuckle, still makes everyone laugh at the mere thought of it. When we had regrouped and settled in, the bus departed from the airport, heading towards downtown.
Our first stop: a Shop-Rite. Madagascar boasts very few chains, surprisingly. Namely, La Gastronomie pizza (endemic), and Shop-Rite were the main chains. We were very initially excited to try the foods found in the store! Chip favors consisting of roast chicken, strong cheese, and Caribbean onion and cheese were quite foreign to us. Of course, having middle school companions, they naturally bought all of the flavors to try them. When we cashed out, what really surprised us were the prices! Approximately 3100 Ariary (currency) is equal to 1 dollar, but even then prices were amazing to the average foreign shopper. A six-pack of liter-sized water was around 50 cents. Can't argue with that. Water is truly an essential item to have on the road.
After our shopping spree, we headed towards the hotel. The SakaManga, a very upscale pseudo-hotel found in the heart of the city, was a very comfortable fit for the night. It didn't feel like a hotel at all. Every room was different; there were no carbon-copied rooms that all look the same. It was also in a museum, and for those that know me well... Enough said. After a comfortable night of adjusting to the atmosphere, we woke up bright and early to board a bus (yet again) bound for Ranomafana National Park, at the very heart of the rainforest.
5/22
I said earlier we were initially excited about the exotic food. This is where it gets rather... regrettable. The chips had an unbearable odor that hung in the bus for the rest of the ride in my area. But this was simply the beginning. I myself, never having been off of my native continent, was not used to the sights of the country as we travelled by bus down to the rainforest. I was also not used to being in a bus for so long either! 12 hours by bus, as it turned out, hurts an individual in the legs.
With these long journeys on the road, however, one truly gets to appreciate the changing scenery. Madagascar was once covered vastly in foliage, but eighty percent has been removed by logging and slash-and-burn agriculture. The exposed landscape reveals gigantic mountains, valleys with running rivers, and rice fields for miles. What was equally memorable for me, certainly, were the people. Everyone we passed waved to us and smiled, even young kids to older individuals. Naturally, we waved back. In America, I am not used to this type of common courtesy. Never have I seen someone just spontaneously wave at a passing car!
As we made our way down, two things greatly presented themselves very numerously, villages and potholes. Potholes, certainly everyone's favorite part of a long bus ride, jostled the bus from time to time. But, along the single road we traversed, nearly every village is located along the main road, while others are extremely isolated. The houses along the roads in the villages are so different from our own, I immediately noticed. The houses are mainly clay with a wood foundation, mainly consisting of either a tin or straw roof. Animals roam freely all over the place, especially chickens. We got to experience the houses firsthand as we made on our way down. After a rather long ride, we finally arrived at the research station, Centre ValBio. It was huge, made completely from local materials. There were two main buildings, Namanabe Hall, which had three floors of dorms, two labs, patios, a roof garden, lecture hall, library, and lounge area, was where we entered. When we had unpacked and gotten roomed, we went to Lovabe hall, the dining area. A tad smaller, this building still boasted a dining hall, several offices, a lab, and connection to a garage, it was quite impressive. As we entered and sat, Dr. Patricia Wright, a renowned primatologist from Stony Brook University, greeted us. Centre ValBio, as well as the National Park, only happened because of her years of dedication to conservation. But, as were tired and it was late, we did not learn of her undertakings until a later time. Some of us were vaguely aware of her undertakings from her book, so it was a good baseline. We went to sleep after a hardy meal.
5/23
The next day, getting up early, we departed for Anja, a lemur reserve. Sadly, the reserve was quite a drive away, so we were in for a long car ride. Before we left, we learned that we had left a bag at the airport. It was a bag containing sleeping bags for the trip. Thankfully, as we would learn later, the bag would make its way down to the center, and we wouldn't use the sleeping bags after all. Luckily for us, to liven our spirits, we had some enjoyment during the car ride, namely from a market we on the spot decided to stop at (located at a remote town name Alakamisy). Again, prices were unexpectedly different than what was expected. We walked for thirty minutes or so, buying some souvenirs. As foreigners, the group was unacquainted to the seemingly typical lifestyle of the market. For example, as we explored, a younger boy of around eight years old carried a basket of ducks upon his head, the ducks quacking as he went towards the livestock selling area.
On the previously mentioned subject of friendliness, one particular incident has stuck with me regarding friendliness. After the market, we passed several villages at had kids waving at us, and became overjoyed as we waved back. One kid, seemingly eager to see the car, walked towards the bus (as it was slowly going through a pothole) with both arms waving and a huge grin on his face. When we waved back, the kid, still smiling, extended both middle fingers at us in a joking manner. A roar of laughter quickly filled the bus.
Eventually, we made it to Anja. Anja was a very rural site, completely maintained by the local people. It was a huge site, certainly, featuring mountains, caves, and most importantly, ring-tailed lemurs. We eventually sought them out in the forest, immediately spotting them. The picture opportunities were immense, but as they were wild animals, we could only get so close. But the lemurs were merely the first part. Anja boasts a view of a small lake, around 250 feet wide, and apparently home to a very hungry crocodile. We then went to see the cliffs that the site boasted. But, as I was not expecting, we were to climb them. Carrying 50 pounds of camera and essential equipment was quite straining, especially on a steep cliffside! Needless to say, I survived to take in the sites of both mountains. The last thing we did was view the caves. One cave, in its ceiling, featured an 18th century tomb, marked with the skull of a zebu (the Madagascar variety of a cow). As we explored another cave, we eventually came to an outside area behind one of the "mountains". In that area, a thick vine hung down maybe 60 feet. Of course, naturally, we had a competition to climb to the top of the vine. I abstained. But, Fox, the son of a Smithsonian researcher who was with us for the day, as well as several others from our group, attempted the climb, Fox and Matt, an eighth grader, made it to the near top.
After a long drive back, we arrived late for dinner (again) and attended a lecture on a cave system in Madagascar a fellow researcher had been analyzing for its fossil content. I was rather interested. Needless to say, fossils would later become a more important part of this trip for me later, but after dinner we went to sleep yet again.
5/24
Tuesday, thankfully, was a shorter journey than the previous days. We were headed for the town of Ranomafana, a mere ten-minute drive from the research station. As we gathered ourselves, we soon realized the first of many adjustments: constant rain. They didn't call it a rainforest for nothing! It didn't rain that morning, thankfully. At town, we met with the newly elected mayor of the town, formerly a tour guide, who welcomed us. He invited to participate with a local event that featured the education of all the local kids. We graciously accepted being a part of it. After a short meeting discussing the town, we eventually made our way towards the hilltop of the town, were Pivot was located.
Pivot is a multi-national distributor of medical supplies. Before the trip, Kate, a member of the group, talked with the individuals in charge there and arranged a meeting to learn of their mission, as well as donate medical supplies. After a small meeting, we donated the supplies and departed. After exiting the compound, we soon learned of a recurring pattern in the landscape. Everything seemed uphill, at least for us. The worst, unfortunately for us, was yet to come.
Next, back at CVB, we prepared ourselves for the rainforest. We donned our best rain gear to keep us dry, some better than others. The guides, surprisingly, wore shorts, while people like myself dressed completely in head-to-toe cover. Why? Leeches. For a rainforest, it is always rainy season. Leeches, during a rainstorm, love to drop from trees and land on passers by. But, the leeches there were "around the size of a grain of rice". The guides barely got leech bites (one), while some better-dressed kids got many more (around three or so). Leeches aside, the rainforest was beautiful. The part we saw, sadly was secondary forest, and not completely dense. It was already quite filled with trees, but the primary forest, apparently, is where the biodiversity truly is the greatest. We did not get to visit such a place.
The purpose of the hike was to spot out a place for a possible area to do One Cubic Foot. As the collection visas were not to be valid until that Friday, the 27th, we could not collect. We could only scout out a spot. We didn't exactly do such a thing, as the group became to spread-out to communicate to one another, but we had time. The leeches were certainly the worst part. Almost everyone got a leech bite by the end of the trip, some more than others. I got one on my ankle, but only after I rolled up my sleeve to check for bites, ironically enough. Other than that, no bites. We headed back to CVB, as the entrance was a five-minute hike (uphill, of course) from the center. It was quite a quiet day, other than that.
5/25
I woke up that day not feeling completely well. I believe, as of this moment, I got the sickness in transit, as we were not around people close enough to spread a cold other than in flight. And, among people in the airport, there was a bug going around, But today was certainly the most trying day: Menarano. This was a school located in the mountains, a close ninety-minute hike almost completely uphill. After a short car ride, we began our walk towards the school. After ten minutes, we reached the riverbanks. We had to cross, apparently. The only way to do that was via a ferryman. The ferryboat was a hollowed out tree, with a capacity for three passengers at a time. With seven trips, we all made it across. I, unfortunately, was stuck with Franck. He threatened to tip the boat over, rocked the boat, and quoted a very memorable Lonely Island song that fit the scene. Needless to say I was a tad concerned, and was happy to get across, while Franck was happy to get his laughs.
But crossing was the easiest part of the journey. We faced, as previously mentioned, a steep uphill hike, around seventy-five minutes of pure pain for many. But, for the cross-country runner in me, I managed to make it. Not without absolute difficulty of course. It also just happened to be the hottest day of our journey, and no rain on this hike either! People truly felt the hike afterwards. As we began our short descent into the village, completely out of breath, we saw the school. The school, so very small, held three classrooms. The floors were concrete, but had potholes all over. The desks were old, some falling apart. Some kids sat at the same desk, watching the instructions of the teachers. When we arrived, however, it seemed to have thrown off the vibe, as now it was a break time.
There were thee grades: 1st, 2nd/3rd, and 4th/5th. Our plan was simple: meet with each grade, play with them, showcase them the iPads (which were later donated to an education outreach), and give each class gifts at r end of each session. We met with the first graders first, coming into the classrooms with donated iPads to show them. We had downloaded apps before the trip, so the kids could play games where Wi-Fi was sparse. Needless to say, they enjoyed them thoroughly. They especially enjoyed the drawing app, and the counting game. Next, we went outside to aid with recess. Their games usually consisted of soccer (played with a grapefruit in lieu of a ball), and drawing in the clay. We decided that we out to teach them some other games. After breaking into groups, we decided that the best games would be Red Light Green Light and Duck Duck Goose. Both games went extremely well; there were plenty of smiles among the kids, who were overjoyed with the games. Some other games that were taught were Ring Around the Rosie, Patty cake, and Tag.
We decided that since these games were the easiest to teach, and they went over well, we taught the other kids as well the same games. Also, we showed them the iPads. I am still uncertain which of those they liked better, but I can guarantee that was not the best memory the students will have. After we had entertained the kids of a certain grade, took several Polaroids as gifts to them, and regrouped, we presented each of the teachers’ gifts. Each boy got a hat, while each girl got a dress. Each kid then in turn received a Beanie Baby, and a sticker. They were quite ecstatic to receive such gifts, overjoyed with these presents. The teachers of each class received class Polaroids, chalk for the class, and Allendale Columbia gifts. With many thanks, we regrouped again to present the ultimate gift.
If one has ever seen a foreign country with a European influence, then he or she knows how important the concept of soccer is. In Madagascar, kids play the sport any chance they get. Several times during this trip, actually, we saw many soccer games going on. But, the ultimate gift for the kids of Menarano, especially considering the previous one, was a soccer ball. The former ball, as formerly mentioned, was a grapefruit. When you flash a soccer ball to Malagasy kids, especially if it is their ball to have, I don't think there is anything quite more pleasing, more energetic, and more pure joy. When we took out the ball and gave it to the teacher, the kids shouted loudly, circled the teacher, and lost their minds, of course, peace was eventually reinstated, but the kids were still overjoyed.
With all of our gifts given, we departed, happy to have made others happy. The kids, with their new soccer ball (and pump to keep the good times rolling), sought us off as we began heading back towards the town to CVB. Our bags may have been lighter, but we were certainly very happy to see such ecstatic kids. We were even more elated to realize that the feast of the hike was downhill, so no more bodily abuse for the day!
The rest of the day, personally, would be a bit more adventurous. The class regrouped with the scientists, and decided it was time to work on our One Cubic Foot skills. Today was a collecting practice. As the collection visas were still invalid for the rainforest, we were stuck to practice on the property. We decided to explore areas of the campus to capture any biodiversity we could, and hopefully give them to the scientists to analyze. While this would not be for the One Cubic Foot project, it would be for another project: DNA bar-coding. The second project of this trip was to capture and extract the DNA from every species we could find, and upload it to a DNA barcode database, to compare the relationships between the species here and abroad.
We spent the afternoon exploring the woods surrounding the campus for specimens, collecting around twenty-five good specimens among the fifteen of us. Some of us chose easily accessible spots, such as the lawn (good for moths), while others chose more adventurous places. Garrett, another middle schooler, and I went down to the small creek beside the complex. There was no trail down there, but we made one. We only caught a water bug, not well for our efforts, but it was the adventure that counted. The two of us had captured more, but the organisms we had had either already been captured, or had been of very little interest. The scientists were quite selective with their species, it seemed. A few more samples made their way in overnight, as some students had captured insects after hours (which was perfectly valid). By the end of the trip, we had collected seventy specimens, fifty-five of which will be used in the database.
I got to see some of the samples firsthand. Some of them were moths, most of them actually. But there were some other things. If it is one thing I cannot stand, it is spiders. CVB had so many spiders, and such arachnids are rarely small. One sample, the largest of course, was a Funnel-weaving spider. For reference as to how big it is, I will say six inches with the legs. Huge spider indeed, and although it was a foul creature, I didn't scream or freak out. Even though, as I later learned, it was found hanging right outside the dinner hall. I still can picture it in my head as I write it. But, unsurprisingly, this would not be my last spider encounter for this trip. Spiders aside, the other specimens were quite magnificent. The moths all had intricate, unique patters and colors. The moths were the most amazing, as out of everything we. Found, they were the most diverse and plentiful. They were also beautiful to look at.
Before our meal, we attended a lecture on birds by Jean-Claude. Jean-Claude was the resident bird specialist, and taught us about the different species of birds in the area. There are 118 different species of birds endemic to Madagascar, as he so taught us, and many of them are only found in the park. Such famed ones, such as the Pitta-Like Ground Roller, is a tourist favorite. He would be our guide on the bird watch hike the next day, I would've been happy, if I wasn't so sick from the cold I had.
With the collecting done, we called it a day. I was thoroughly sick by this point, and needed my rest. We continued to collect specimens throughout the trip, keeping the barcodes in the lab quite busy during our stay.
5/26
Sadly, I would not get too much rest. Thursday was a bird watch hike, starting bright and early. I, still a bit sick, was rather happy to go, as I have a thing for birds. However, getting up early was not in my best interest, there was also a hike involved (of course with some uphills). With this hike, we sadly did not see much. I say this because I was in back, and never was able to get to the front. So, by the time, everyone had gone through, the bird (if there had been one) was gone. Luckily, Jean-Claude had set up mist nets near the entrance to the bird watch trails. We caught a Magpie Robin, a common bird. It wasn't especially happy with his capture, but the sacrifice gave Jean-Claude an example for how birds are tagged, noted, and released.
During his lecture on the previous night, our guide told us about the process of capture collecting for birds. To help study population size, researchers capture a bird, note its weight and body measurements, and tag it. The weight of the body helps determine the overall health of the bird, and the tagging can help track the migration pattern of birds. With this process in mind, Jean-Claude demonstrated the application in front of us with the Magpie Robin (the bird that had been found), before releasing it.
After returning back to the center for some rest, we took a more "leisurely" afternoon. I put quotations because for me, it was not entirely. Enjoyable for me, and it had involved plenty of spiders. Spiders, as I have previously written, are not at all my favorite. When we began our rafting expiation, I soon realized that the river boasted huge spider webs. Bark spiders, as they are called, are half-dollar sized spiders that weave huge webs across rivers. These webs were over thirty feet long! To make matters worse for myself, there was no shortage of them either. Each time we went forward, we would see the spiders in the webs. Often, our boat would touch the webs. I tried my very best to stay as far away from the spiders as possible, while the others in the boat thought my reactions were quite hilarious. After some close calls, I survived.
Perhaps this was desensitization to spiders, because as I write this, large spiders don't bother me as much as they used to. However, I will most likely forever remain wary of arachnids. Also, my classmates won't ever forget me laying flat in the raft, or shouting when a spider got too close.
5/27
Friday was thankfully a day of better health for me. The spider experience of the previous day certainly cured me of my cold. That day, we were to hike to a remote village to meet the people. The hike, as we were instructed, was less than ten minutes and flat. As it turned out, it was instead thirty minutes with some hills. Although this was unexpected, in comparison to the other days this was quick. The road to the village, however, was poor condition. The clay on the path had been heavily eroded by rain. Zebu tracks permeated the still-drying soil. Our shoes were quite caked with red and brown clay when we had reached he village.
Abodiavyavy, as the town is named, houses 500 people in around 6 acres of housing. The houses are quite close to both each other and the ground. We got to witness the construction of one, which involved the children of the village painting wooded logs thickly with clay. The clay then is cooked until it is brick-like. As we made our way past several of these houses, we soon reached the edge of the town, where a slightly larger house resided. This was the house of the King of Abodiavyavy, who kindly invited us in. As the amount of guests we had brought with us was not expected, there were not enough chairs for everyone. This, however, made no difference, as we were all happy to be in the village.
The people of the village must not have been used to visitors from the outside. Before our meeting had even begun, we had attracted a small crowd. The people of the village crowded around the house, eager to see the guests. Some were curious, coming up close to us. Some even entered the house! But, this only made us feel welcome. The king of the village welcomed us very kindly to his village, and said that before we could interact with his people, we would need to ask the ancestors for permission. We each gave an offering to the ancestors. With these gifts, the king said that the ancestors had accepted the gifts. From a room off of the meeting room, a glass and a bottle of moonshine were brought out. A large glass was poured. One round was distributed to us, the guests, to drink. Many individuals touched their lips to the moonshine, as was permitted for younger individuals not wishing to drink. But, this meant that Franck, our guide, had to finish the rest, he didn't mind one bit, one glass was poured out for the ancestors. With that, we were welcomed into the village by the ancestors as well as the king.
The people of the village held a celebration for us as a welcome. The local band, which played with a handmade drum set and guitars, played songs for us. As we stood in a circle, we suddenly were surprised to see some kids make their way towards the center of the ring. They started to dance in sync, which soon prompted us to follow suit. They were better dancers, surely. Some of us refused to dance, which may have been seen as rude by some of the people. However, the villagers seemed to be very joyed with those who danced (including myself, I shamelessly admit). Suddenly, the dancers departed, and the band played on. This was our time to dance, it seemed. We tried our best to formulate a dance, but ultimately we were not as good as the boys of the village.
After our dance party, we moved back to the palace of the king, and sat around the fire. We were given cassava, the local vegetable, as well as sugar cane coffee. Prior to this, I had never had coffee before. The sugar cane made the coffee taste amazing sweet. The cassava was quite good too, tasting like a drier potato. For my fellow students Kate and Emily, as well as myself, our meal would soon become a tad interesting. The bench we had been sitting on gave way while we ate, sending a loud break. I nearly rolled down the hill into the rainforest (until Franck caught me). We were all alright, and we later laughed about it. We did feel bad about their bench, however.
Next, we met with the medicine man of the village. In these remote towns, professional medical care is sparse. Businesses such as Pivot are new to the area, and can only reach isolated villages every so often. The medical solution for this is medicine men and medicine women. The villages rely on these individuals to use natural supplements to heal sick and injured villagers. As the medicine man explained his job, I hate to admit I found myself distracted. The room adjacent to the medicine man, some kids had gathered. One tapped me on the shoulder, and in English asked for my name. I replied with my name, and quickly word passed. When our time in the village had finished, the kids that had been present began to chant Luke as we left, and waved to me. I was very happy, as something so small goes such a long way.
When we returned to the center, our focus shifted towards One Cubic Foot. Today, we would be attempting our own cubes. Our instructions for the day: find a spot for a cube, observe the spot for some time, and collect any animal samples we find within it. As it turned out, this would later be the wrong instruction, but nonetheless we did it. Our group divided into smaller groups of five, and we were given a collection cube, nets, and tubes. The five of us came up with a list of possible spots. After narrowing down by competition, accessibility, and favor ability, we picked a spot near the head of a creek. I used my GoPro to record footage of the cube. After some time, we decided it was time to move forward. We collected soil samples, and found nine organisms within the dirt. This was a small find, but we were pleased. However, as this later turned out, there had been a miscommunication. We had only been supposed to observe our cube, not collect. The samples nonetheless were taken for DNA bar-coding.
I found the mini-cube project to be very insightful into the process behind it. Our group learned several things that worked towards and against our benefit. We looked forward to being able to delve further into the One Cubic Foot project in the near future.
Before bed that night, Mrs. Guzzetta approached everyone. She asked us if anybody was interested in bones. I said yes, one of the only people at that time. She instructed me that tomorrow, I would work with Dr. Wright with her collection of bones. She, in 2008, led an expedition to Sapphire City to collect sub fossil bones. A collections building was to be built, and the bones were not at all organized. Our project tomorrow would be to catalogue, photograph, and examine all of e hippopotamus bones in the lab. As it later turned out, this would not happen tomorrow, but I was very excited to work with bones. This was an unexpected pleasure to the trip,
5/28
At breakfast, I met with Dr. Wright to discuss the bone project. Overnight, our group had grown to four people, including the previously mentioned Kate and Emily. I was happy to be able to work with Dr. Wright, as she had an aura of intrigue around her, I found myself quite curious to learn from her. After breakfast, she led us down to the lab where her bones were stored. We were instructed that we had to transfer the bones to an adjacent lab. The good new was that it was not raining. The bad news, however, was that there were 800 bones to transfer, most in bags of no more than eight. It took half and hour, but we made our way. As we prepared to photograph the hippo bones, the resident paleontologist, Angelin, was perplexed. He realized that the bones were not all hippopotamus! The bones had been wrongfully sorted! This set our plans back a day, as it seemed today would be for sorting.
Angelin was a younger man, but was extremely knowledgeable on bones. He was the grandson of a queen, meaning that he was in line to be king of a village someday. He, for the meantime, was a bone man.
We spent the day sorting the bones into four groups: Crocodile, hippopotamus, turtle, and Aepyornis. Aepyornis is a giant bird that went extinct 500 years ago. It was eight feel tall, flightless, and commonly hunted by humans, it was also known as the elephant bird. Their bones were the easiest to identify, as they were porous and huge. Turtles were the next easiest, as their bones were smooth, short, but wide. This left crocodiles and hippopotamus bones. The hippopotamuses that we were going over were not those you'd imagine. The hippos were known as Pygmy hippopotamuses, and were less than a meter tall. This made them comparable in size to the crocodiles. However, we did manage to separate the bones. This was a monotonous practice, but we were overjoyed to be a part of this project. This project was instantly an intrigue to us, and even though we missed some things in town on that day, we didn't mind.
After the bones had been finished for the day, we went into town for a small band performance. One of the cooks at the research center was in a band, and he gave us a concert. A little bit into the show, however, the power cut out. As a matter of fact, it cut out three times during the show. It only affected the play once. When the power continued to go out, they played on, and the sound was fine. I tell myself that the lead singer sounded a lot like Steven Page, for reference. I enjoyed the concert, although I wish the power had been more predictable.
5/29
Sunday was market day. In the town of Ranomafana, the merchants came out in the rain to sell their goods. This was the perfect chance to buy souvenirs for our families. Although the gifts were nothing outstanding, I was very impressed by the crafted goods. At the time of writing, I had given my family their gifts, and they were very grateful with their gifts. There was also a pastry shop that sold simosas and cupcakes. We were comfortable to get some snacks, as everyone is! The shopping did not last long, but we were very satisfied with our buys.
There was nothing planned today, giving us the perfect opportunity to work with the bones. We spent the afternoon with Angelin in the lab going over bones. As it turned out, everyone wanted to be a part of it. We even had some newly arrived researchers in on it! We would process the hippo bones today, but how? We needed to determine what exactly we needed to do. We came up with an algorithm (a way of doing something) for processing. We made up a code for how we label the bones. We wanted to include where they were stored, where the bones came from, what year they were collected, what they were, and what number in the series they were. Next, we divided up into groups. Some would sort the bones by what they were (which is what I did), some were photographers, some were labelers, and some were scribes for the collection lists. In four hours, we had processed all of the hippo bones. We had 136 bones, and all but 5 of them were identified to a place on the hippo. The other bones were unidentifiable due to wear.
Another purpose of the sorting of the bones was for the prospect of cut marks. In the upstairs area, by the display cases, an Aepyornis bone was found to have a cut mark from a weapon it. To ensure that this is not a fluke, we set out to find if the other bones had cuts. This is why we wished to focus on the hippo and Aepyornis bones, as those creatures would most likely have been hunted. Overall, we had ten hippo bones that may have had cut marks on them. Aside this, we found evidence of chalcedony. Chalcedony is a quartz-like material that was used for spearheads. We found a few segments that looked like flakes, and one that resembled a weapon. An associate of Dr. Wright’s would later state that the chunk was very likely a segment of a weapon.
This would be a huge find for the history of Madagascar. While concrete evidence is sparse at this point, since the cut marks are small, we may be a part of history. Historically, the earliest evidence of humans on Madagascar is 2000 years ago. The bones are dated at 9000 years old! If this evidence becomes fact, we may alter the timeline of the human history of Madagascar!
I truthfully enjoyed working with the bones. As a matter of fact, it was my favorite part of the entire trip. Although we would not work with the bones for the rest of the trip, I would have if given the chance. I truly hope to do projects like this later in my life, as this project was especially amazing
5/30
On Monday, our time at CVB was drawing to a close. There was not much time left on the trip. Today, we would venture out to the rainforest for the last time to collect samples. The One Cubic Foot people did not accompany us this time, but we would encounter them later in the forest. They had found a great spot for a cube within the forest near a stream. We spent a few hours collecting samples to bring back to the lab for analysis. The best find of the day was certainly a memorable one for myself. On the path, Mrs. Guzzetta and I spotted a large creature in the path. It looked like a snake, but as a matter of fact it was a worm! It was 8 inches long, as round as a nickel, and pink! We caught it, but barely, since it nearly escaped. We brought this monster earthworm back to the lab for bar-coding.
This would be our last time in the rainforest, as previously mentioned. We would exit without many leeches on ourselves, luckily. The first time we had entered, we had way too many leeches on ourselves. This time, there were fewer leeches.
The rest of the day was quite uneventful. We spent the rest of the day preparing a presentation for the researchers. At CVB, it is expected of each group, before departing, to give a presentation regarding our endeavors in Madagascar. We spent a lot of time, even with spotty Wi-Fi, crafting a PowerPoint chronicling our adventure thus far. Other than that, the day was very low-key.
5/31
Today was our last day before departing from CVB. After getting up late, my group was led to the lounge area. The servers at CVB, from a small town known as Sahavadronana, doubled as weavers. They spent the morning teaching us the trade of weaving baskets. Many of us found it difficult to keep the basket shapes. The process of weaving involves using a thin reed-like substance and colored straw. The straw, which had been colored in several different colors, we wrapped the straw around the reeds using a carpet needle. The goal was to make a basket that progressively got taller. Personally, I settled for a Frisbee. The hard part about weaving is that you need strong hands. Many of us struggled to keep the rope taut. Many of us also struggled making the basket shape. Meanwhile, students like Ava put us to shame, creating an entire basket with handles during our session. Everyone was quite impressed.
After our session, the day was not very eventful. We continued our work on the presentation, which was to be given today. We had to start over, simply because we wanted an offline version. It took a team, and a lot of Airdropped photos, but we managed to craft a good presentation. That night, we gave it to the staff. Many of us were quiet, saying only small things. People were definitely tired, but little did we know we were in for a treat.
The very day we gave the speech, it was the 25th anniversary of the park. This was a huge milestone. To celebrate our departure (in a good way), as well as the park’s milestone, we had a party in the mess hall! Music boomed loudly as several researchers took the floor. Plenty of food, although a bit cold, filled the tables. We danced for a bit, filled our stomachs, and had many laughs. I will save most of the party description, however. I personally think that there are a few things that are meant to be left in the moment. Needless to say, I enjoyed the party, and so id everyone else.
I was going to miss the research center. There were a lot of good memories. However, the rain seemed to be a bit depressing at points.
6/1
Wednesday was the day to leave. As if it were a good omen, the rain, which hadn’t stopped for four consecutive days, ceased. We even saw the blue sky! Although the trip to the airport was not all peachy, as I will later recount in vague detail, our flight home would be redeeming. TO pass the time after breakfast, we decided to take one last walk down the road. On our way to the town, we saw an overlook tower, near the edge of the river. We decided to check it out, and so we hiked towards it. There was a great view of the falls near the station. The view was quite breathtaking, a last memoriam of the rainforest, perhaps.
Our bus soon arrived after that. We packed our bags, said our final goodbyes with Dr. Wright, and were just about to leave. Then, I had an idea. Dr. Wright is an amazing scientist I learned so much from during my stay. Her heroics in Madagascar are so astounding. I had a copy of her book, and I decided to ask her to sign it. She did, and as of now it is on my top shelf. I am quite proud to have it!
This would be a very good memory of the day, as now, we would have to drive for several hours. 8 hours or so in the car later, we arrived at Antsaribe. Riding in a bus is not so bad, so one gets to sleep, read, talk with friends, or do nothing. But, eight hours is a lot. We arrived at our hotel, and instantly the calm nature of the trip changed. Our hotel had formerly been an upscale retirement home, and was now a hotel. It had a creepy vibe, an aged façade screaming “haunted”. The hallway outside of our room dimmed lights randomly, making the hallway dark. It was eerie, too eerie. I also got the bed nearest to the door, which were shutter doors that looked to be a hundred years old.
After settling in, we went to diner at Zandini’s. This restaurant had become famous through its pizza. We, being so starved of pizza for so long, were hungry for some pizza. We ordered 18 pizzas! That is one for everyone. I had 18 slices, much to the surprise of others. We had around eight slices left over afterwards, which just goes to show how much we missed pizza!
Back at the hotel, we settled in. My bed sagged in the middle, making me into some sort of human taco. Also, we had fear of ghosts disturbing our sleep at night.
6/2
Thankfully, we were fine. The hotel was rather comfortable, aside from the scary vibe it gave but today, as we feared, there was more driving to be done. Before we left however, we made a quick stop in town. After making our way down a clay road definitely not designed for a bus, we made a quick stop at a Zebu factory. Here, a family showcased to us their talents of preparing and carving objects out of Zebu horn. Next, we went to a local shop that showcased the talents of a crafty craftsman. Taking expired supplies, and recyclables, the man showed us how he constructed toys. Both of these shops were completely fascinating, but our visits were short. After six more hours of driving, we arrived at the base of a mountain, and stopped the bus. WE had arrived at Peyreiras animal reserve. This reserve, which was located closely to the town, featured exotic animals. The visit included lemurs, chameleons, tenrecs, and snakes. With our sore legs, we hiked a short uphill hike. After some time, we saw sifakas.
In the rainforest, we saw the lemurs from a difference. However, these lemurs were different, as they came right up to us. This was because the guides fed the sifakas regularly. The lemurs were extremely close, giving us great photographic vantage. The pictures were great. We even got to feed the lemurs. We spent the next hour examining the various reptiles of the reserve. The chameleons were the most interesting, as they ranged in size and color. The biggest one was the size of a large beanie baby, and was blue-green. This was known as the “elephant eared chameleon”. Next were the snakes, which we got to hold. All snakes in Madagascar are not poisonous, so there was no danger. Lastly were the tenrecs. Tenrecs are relatives of the hedgehog. They live in holes in the ground. When we first saw them, they resembled pinecones. However, they were quite active. The nature reserve was quite interesting in its display of exotic animals. It was not extremely educational, but there was an emphasis on the diversity of the individual species.
After this there was yet more driving for the day. I was not, surprisingly enough, tired of the scenery. Everything seemed quite beautiful, even from a cramped bus seat. At dusk, we arrived to the bungalows. The accommodations were unsurprisingly spectacular. The sounds of the rainforest were quite lulling to ourselves, as we went to bed quite early.
6/3
As our trip neared a close, we found ourselves at breakfast (still at the bungalows where we had eaten the night before) discussing what to do. We decided that we were going to hike in the nearby rainforest. The rainforest was not Ranomafana, but another protected reserve. The area, named Mantadia, was a tract of land that had been fragmented by a road. IN the forest, however, were tons of animals. The most famous of which were heard loudly throughout the early morning. Indris, a type of lemur famous for their eerie calls, called Mantadia home. The hike, no surprise, was uphill. By this point in the trip, we had stopped expecting inclines and just began top know they’d be there. However, the hike was worth it. First, we saw some common brown lemurs and golden sifakas hanging out in the trees above us. However, branches and leaves, making visibility poor at some spots, heavily shielded them. On the way of the hike, we also learned much about the diverse plants of the rainforest. Namely, palisander, elephant ears, and birch trees. Then, around 90- minutes into the hike, we heard the booming calls. Sure enough, right there in front of us, were the Indri. They were calling from branches, which was a practice used to mark territory, and they were not obstructed by anything at all. This made for great photography, certainly.
After our morning hike, we were back on the road. However, the car ride was merciful, a short trip only an hour away. By this point, hour car rides were nothing. We headed to Vakôna, a hotel resort, to experience Lemur Island. This island was not an educational endeavor; it was merely for the pleasure of the group. Lemur Island was a man-made island featuring two species of lemur (black-and-white ruffed and lesser bamboo). They were completely domicile, and would come up to us as we rafted over the small creek. With bananas in hand, we had our cameras at the ready. Sure enough, they jumped on us! This made for amazing photography. One memory I had was of the black-and-white ruffed lemur hanging upside-down from a tree while eating a banana! It held onto the branch with its feet, and like a spider extended down to get a banana. While I was observing the lemur, a lesser bamboo jumped onto me and climbed to my head. Even though I had no food, he stayed there for five minutes, just watching. Being the tallest person in the group, I believe that the lemur used me as an observation post. Having taken so many photographs, we left Lemur Island. We may not have learned anything, but it was an enjoyable pleasure to see the lemurs face-to-face.
But Vakôna was not done yet! We made a split decision to look at the other animals on display. We saw the hotel’s attraction of 50 Nile crocodiles, a fossa (the feared operators of lemurs), geckos, chameleons, and some unreliable rope suspension bridges! However, little did I know at the time, this would be a very unfortunate experience for myself. Back at the restaurant (where we had breakfast), I began to not feel well. I couldn’t finish my meal. Although it was a light stomach pain at the time, it would develop worst. After a nice lunch, we boarded the bus for Tana. We expected to arrive in two and a half hours. The bus ride ended up becoming a five-hour ride into the darkness. I did not feel well one bit. As a matter of fact, I got worse as the trip developed. I was just hoping I could wait for the arrival of us at the hotel.
Food poisoning is a terrible experience to have. Being on the road for five hours, and being unable to sleep or be comfortable, I did not enjoy the ride. I will spare the details of my illness. When we arrived at our hotel for the night, I was shocked to discover our reservations had been moved! There was no room for us for the night, and that meant we would have to go hotel hunting. Being severely ill, I was not fit to travel. We traveled to another hotel, where one of our former guides, Franck, was staying. The last Monday, Franck had left to go take care of the newly arrived Stony Brook graduates. There were thirty of them, eager to learn and research. Franck helped us find another hotel, as the one he was staying in had no rooms. The hotel we went to next had a very nice lobby, but the rooming floors were unsanitary. The rooms were not made, and were too dirty for us to stay in. We departed the hotel, and went back to Franck. Franck told us of the Hotel du Louvre, a hotel downtown that had room. We agreed and went there. After hours of travel, and myself being completely sick and dehydrated, found solace in sleeping in a room by myself for the night. I had a completely restless night.
6/4
Saturday boded better health. I was unable to eat for the day, but I was no longer sick. I tried my best to eat food, ultimately relying on tea and sparkling water for nourishment. Today would be a quiet day. Nothing much was to be done, most likely due to the stress of the previous night. We were to meet with the Chief of Mission of Madagascar, the second in command for the US embassy, Steven Anderson. Mr. Anderson explained to us about the importance of his position, what he does, and his reasons for choosing his experience. There was a heavy strive for staying off the record with our conversations, so I am not certain about how much I can say.
We decided to tour the chocolate factory next. In Madagascar, chocolate is manufactured from domestically grown products. We were excited to see the factory. As it turned out, they would not give a tour, so we stopped at the gift shop and departed for lunch. After lunch, we rested at the hotel for the day, while some of us went to the Queen’s Palace for a tour. I stayed back to nurse my sick self in my own room. I slept a lot. After the group returned, we moved over to SakaManga, where our reservations had previously been mishandled. As a result, we all got suites. One group was lucky enough to get the deluxe suite, which was a two-story house! I was given a foldout couch to rest on, but I did not mind. I was so tired from my ordeal that I slept at 6 pm, and did not wake up until 6 am!
6/5
Sunday was an emotional day for all of us. We were to leave today, to go back home. Reflecting back on how I felt, I wanted to go back at this point. I had had a lot of good times, quality times I will cherish. With my illness, and also not looking forward to 36 hours of plane travel, I was ready to leave. Before we left, however, we went to the shops that lined the streets in Tana. 200 shops stretched for eternity down a side street. The merchants were all too eager to sell their goods to us. From walking around, I saw a lot of rocks and stones. This was absolutely perfect for myself! Some stores were even selling coins (although at bad prices, as I knew from my coin knowledge)! This backfired, as I attracted a crowd of eager salesmen!
The exchange I remember most was the sapphire one. One salesman offered me a sapphire, cut beautifully, but certainly fake. He told me 100 dollars, and I said no. He followed me, not relenting. I dismissed him several times, but he continued to follow. Soon, others followed, asking me to buy. I found myself pinned against the wall, with twelve salesmen offering me rocks and scorpions. I managed to escape, and made it to the bus. By the time the battle had ensued, the salesman had lowered the price of the sapphire all the way to ten dollars! I still refused. But, the gifts I found were absolutely beautiful! I bought two rock displays, both chronicling the various stones of Madagascar! This as the only gift I got for myself, having bought gifts for all of my family. I loved this market, as the gifts I bought were great tourist items to bring back! It was a shame, however, that the salesmen outside were so aggressive.
After our shopping spree, that was the end. We headed to the airport, and checked in. After waiting an hour, we were given our tickets, and went to our gate. The plane ride went smoothly, fours hours of my time spent writing as we went to South Africa. We arrived at dusk, and settled down after customs with plenty of time. We found a nice restaurant to eat at, and indulged ourselves. I found myself eating an entire burger, meaning I was nearing full health, bite by bite. As we went to the gate after dinner, however, our luck soon began to change. There was a huge line, separated by sex, and filled with security personnel. This looked odd, truly. As we found out, there were security threats, resulting in heightened procedures. Many people felt a bit panicked, as what would this mean for us? People were fearful. We managed to board the plane, and although a bit late, flew into JFK with no problem. On the flight, my seatmate was an individual from NYC named Norman. He was younger, in his low 20’s, and very friendly. We had great discussions throughout the flight. We even played a game of chess on the screens! I enjoyed that flight very much.
6/6
We arrived into JFK early morning, but we were in a crunch for time now! We only had two hours to clear immigration, get our bags, go through customs, check in to jet blue, transfer terminals, clear security, get to our gate, and board! In a rush for time, we became stressed. Our extra bags proved difficult to carry. Nonetheless, we made it, and our flight to Rochester did not leave without us. Once on the plane, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
On the flight back, I began to reflect on the trip. There had been good times, bad times, and sick times. What did I get out of this trip exactly? As we took off, I began to see it; some things in life we may only be able to attempt once, one shot only. Trips like this to Madagascar, they are not easy to come by. I know not if an opportunity like this will ever surface again, with absolute certainty of course. For all I knew, this could be the last abroad trip I ever see. I made great friends out of students I had never met, such as Emily and Garret, as well as scientists like Dr. Wright. Even my neighbor on the JFK flight connected with our 17-hour flight! The most important lesson I realized I learned, s the wheels touched down, was that some things in life only happen once, and our chances for doing them again sometimes never show. Take risks, as without risks, we cannot grow as individuals.
And just like that, after 18 days, I was home.
@Kestrel @McMajestic @StoneWolf18 @SunshineZombies7 @Yaoke Saint
5/20- 5/21
During my trip to Madagascar, I learned a lot about the similarities and differences regarding the culture and biology behind the country, during my 18-day stay, I feel that so much has changed regarding how I view the country. To chronicle my journey from start to finish, I present to you my story.
The trip started bright and early for me on May 20th. Catching a red-eye to JFK, we then connected to the South Africa terminal and took a rather long flight (20 hours with time change) to Johannesburg, arriving of course on May 21st. While not all of our travel experiences were positive, they were thankfully minor. We managed to arrive to every gate right on time. At Johannesburg, however, we learned that not all of us were fortunate. The Smithsonian scientists we had been working with during the stay, as well as the National Geographic photographer David Liittschwager, had been severely delayed after missing a flight. Some further issues soon presented themselves to their group at Jo-berg, but needless to say our group was alright. Everyone eventually reached.
We then flew to Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. The airport was definitely the smallest I had ever seen, slightly smaller than the Liberia airport in Costa Rica. After clearing bureaucracy, we made our way to our bus to meet our guides and exchange cash. Our guide, Franck, was a rather energetic man with an unforgettable laugh. He was very sarcastic, but in a very enjoyable way. His laugh, a rather high-pitched chuckle, still makes everyone laugh at the mere thought of it. When we had regrouped and settled in, the bus departed from the airport, heading towards downtown.
Our first stop: a Shop-Rite. Madagascar boasts very few chains, surprisingly. Namely, La Gastronomie pizza (endemic), and Shop-Rite were the main chains. We were very initially excited to try the foods found in the store! Chip favors consisting of roast chicken, strong cheese, and Caribbean onion and cheese were quite foreign to us. Of course, having middle school companions, they naturally bought all of the flavors to try them. When we cashed out, what really surprised us were the prices! Approximately 3100 Ariary (currency) is equal to 1 dollar, but even then prices were amazing to the average foreign shopper. A six-pack of liter-sized water was around 50 cents. Can't argue with that. Water is truly an essential item to have on the road.
After our shopping spree, we headed towards the hotel. The SakaManga, a very upscale pseudo-hotel found in the heart of the city, was a very comfortable fit for the night. It didn't feel like a hotel at all. Every room was different; there were no carbon-copied rooms that all look the same. It was also in a museum, and for those that know me well... Enough said. After a comfortable night of adjusting to the atmosphere, we woke up bright and early to board a bus (yet again) bound for Ranomafana National Park, at the very heart of the rainforest.
5/22
I said earlier we were initially excited about the exotic food. This is where it gets rather... regrettable. The chips had an unbearable odor that hung in the bus for the rest of the ride in my area. But this was simply the beginning. I myself, never having been off of my native continent, was not used to the sights of the country as we travelled by bus down to the rainforest. I was also not used to being in a bus for so long either! 12 hours by bus, as it turned out, hurts an individual in the legs.
With these long journeys on the road, however, one truly gets to appreciate the changing scenery. Madagascar was once covered vastly in foliage, but eighty percent has been removed by logging and slash-and-burn agriculture. The exposed landscape reveals gigantic mountains, valleys with running rivers, and rice fields for miles. What was equally memorable for me, certainly, were the people. Everyone we passed waved to us and smiled, even young kids to older individuals. Naturally, we waved back. In America, I am not used to this type of common courtesy. Never have I seen someone just spontaneously wave at a passing car!
As we made our way down, two things greatly presented themselves very numerously, villages and potholes. Potholes, certainly everyone's favorite part of a long bus ride, jostled the bus from time to time. But, along the single road we traversed, nearly every village is located along the main road, while others are extremely isolated. The houses along the roads in the villages are so different from our own, I immediately noticed. The houses are mainly clay with a wood foundation, mainly consisting of either a tin or straw roof. Animals roam freely all over the place, especially chickens. We got to experience the houses firsthand as we made on our way down. After a rather long ride, we finally arrived at the research station, Centre ValBio. It was huge, made completely from local materials. There were two main buildings, Namanabe Hall, which had three floors of dorms, two labs, patios, a roof garden, lecture hall, library, and lounge area, was where we entered. When we had unpacked and gotten roomed, we went to Lovabe hall, the dining area. A tad smaller, this building still boasted a dining hall, several offices, a lab, and connection to a garage, it was quite impressive. As we entered and sat, Dr. Patricia Wright, a renowned primatologist from Stony Brook University, greeted us. Centre ValBio, as well as the National Park, only happened because of her years of dedication to conservation. But, as were tired and it was late, we did not learn of her undertakings until a later time. Some of us were vaguely aware of her undertakings from her book, so it was a good baseline. We went to sleep after a hardy meal.
5/23
The next day, getting up early, we departed for Anja, a lemur reserve. Sadly, the reserve was quite a drive away, so we were in for a long car ride. Before we left, we learned that we had left a bag at the airport. It was a bag containing sleeping bags for the trip. Thankfully, as we would learn later, the bag would make its way down to the center, and we wouldn't use the sleeping bags after all. Luckily for us, to liven our spirits, we had some enjoyment during the car ride, namely from a market we on the spot decided to stop at (located at a remote town name Alakamisy). Again, prices were unexpectedly different than what was expected. We walked for thirty minutes or so, buying some souvenirs. As foreigners, the group was unacquainted to the seemingly typical lifestyle of the market. For example, as we explored, a younger boy of around eight years old carried a basket of ducks upon his head, the ducks quacking as he went towards the livestock selling area.
On the previously mentioned subject of friendliness, one particular incident has stuck with me regarding friendliness. After the market, we passed several villages at had kids waving at us, and became overjoyed as we waved back. One kid, seemingly eager to see the car, walked towards the bus (as it was slowly going through a pothole) with both arms waving and a huge grin on his face. When we waved back, the kid, still smiling, extended both middle fingers at us in a joking manner. A roar of laughter quickly filled the bus.
Eventually, we made it to Anja. Anja was a very rural site, completely maintained by the local people. It was a huge site, certainly, featuring mountains, caves, and most importantly, ring-tailed lemurs. We eventually sought them out in the forest, immediately spotting them. The picture opportunities were immense, but as they were wild animals, we could only get so close. But the lemurs were merely the first part. Anja boasts a view of a small lake, around 250 feet wide, and apparently home to a very hungry crocodile. We then went to see the cliffs that the site boasted. But, as I was not expecting, we were to climb them. Carrying 50 pounds of camera and essential equipment was quite straining, especially on a steep cliffside! Needless to say, I survived to take in the sites of both mountains. The last thing we did was view the caves. One cave, in its ceiling, featured an 18th century tomb, marked with the skull of a zebu (the Madagascar variety of a cow). As we explored another cave, we eventually came to an outside area behind one of the "mountains". In that area, a thick vine hung down maybe 60 feet. Of course, naturally, we had a competition to climb to the top of the vine. I abstained. But, Fox, the son of a Smithsonian researcher who was with us for the day, as well as several others from our group, attempted the climb, Fox and Matt, an eighth grader, made it to the near top.
After a long drive back, we arrived late for dinner (again) and attended a lecture on a cave system in Madagascar a fellow researcher had been analyzing for its fossil content. I was rather interested. Needless to say, fossils would later become a more important part of this trip for me later, but after dinner we went to sleep yet again.
5/24
Tuesday, thankfully, was a shorter journey than the previous days. We were headed for the town of Ranomafana, a mere ten-minute drive from the research station. As we gathered ourselves, we soon realized the first of many adjustments: constant rain. They didn't call it a rainforest for nothing! It didn't rain that morning, thankfully. At town, we met with the newly elected mayor of the town, formerly a tour guide, who welcomed us. He invited to participate with a local event that featured the education of all the local kids. We graciously accepted being a part of it. After a short meeting discussing the town, we eventually made our way towards the hilltop of the town, were Pivot was located.
Pivot is a multi-national distributor of medical supplies. Before the trip, Kate, a member of the group, talked with the individuals in charge there and arranged a meeting to learn of their mission, as well as donate medical supplies. After a small meeting, we donated the supplies and departed. After exiting the compound, we soon learned of a recurring pattern in the landscape. Everything seemed uphill, at least for us. The worst, unfortunately for us, was yet to come.
Next, back at CVB, we prepared ourselves for the rainforest. We donned our best rain gear to keep us dry, some better than others. The guides, surprisingly, wore shorts, while people like myself dressed completely in head-to-toe cover. Why? Leeches. For a rainforest, it is always rainy season. Leeches, during a rainstorm, love to drop from trees and land on passers by. But, the leeches there were "around the size of a grain of rice". The guides barely got leech bites (one), while some better-dressed kids got many more (around three or so). Leeches aside, the rainforest was beautiful. The part we saw, sadly was secondary forest, and not completely dense. It was already quite filled with trees, but the primary forest, apparently, is where the biodiversity truly is the greatest. We did not get to visit such a place.
The purpose of the hike was to spot out a place for a possible area to do One Cubic Foot. As the collection visas were not to be valid until that Friday, the 27th, we could not collect. We could only scout out a spot. We didn't exactly do such a thing, as the group became to spread-out to communicate to one another, but we had time. The leeches were certainly the worst part. Almost everyone got a leech bite by the end of the trip, some more than others. I got one on my ankle, but only after I rolled up my sleeve to check for bites, ironically enough. Other than that, no bites. We headed back to CVB, as the entrance was a five-minute hike (uphill, of course) from the center. It was quite a quiet day, other than that.
5/25
I woke up that day not feeling completely well. I believe, as of this moment, I got the sickness in transit, as we were not around people close enough to spread a cold other than in flight. And, among people in the airport, there was a bug going around, But today was certainly the most trying day: Menarano. This was a school located in the mountains, a close ninety-minute hike almost completely uphill. After a short car ride, we began our walk towards the school. After ten minutes, we reached the riverbanks. We had to cross, apparently. The only way to do that was via a ferryman. The ferryboat was a hollowed out tree, with a capacity for three passengers at a time. With seven trips, we all made it across. I, unfortunately, was stuck with Franck. He threatened to tip the boat over, rocked the boat, and quoted a very memorable Lonely Island song that fit the scene. Needless to say I was a tad concerned, and was happy to get across, while Franck was happy to get his laughs.
But crossing was the easiest part of the journey. We faced, as previously mentioned, a steep uphill hike, around seventy-five minutes of pure pain for many. But, for the cross-country runner in me, I managed to make it. Not without absolute difficulty of course. It also just happened to be the hottest day of our journey, and no rain on this hike either! People truly felt the hike afterwards. As we began our short descent into the village, completely out of breath, we saw the school. The school, so very small, held three classrooms. The floors were concrete, but had potholes all over. The desks were old, some falling apart. Some kids sat at the same desk, watching the instructions of the teachers. When we arrived, however, it seemed to have thrown off the vibe, as now it was a break time.
There were thee grades: 1st, 2nd/3rd, and 4th/5th. Our plan was simple: meet with each grade, play with them, showcase them the iPads (which were later donated to an education outreach), and give each class gifts at r end of each session. We met with the first graders first, coming into the classrooms with donated iPads to show them. We had downloaded apps before the trip, so the kids could play games where Wi-Fi was sparse. Needless to say, they enjoyed them thoroughly. They especially enjoyed the drawing app, and the counting game. Next, we went outside to aid with recess. Their games usually consisted of soccer (played with a grapefruit in lieu of a ball), and drawing in the clay. We decided that we out to teach them some other games. After breaking into groups, we decided that the best games would be Red Light Green Light and Duck Duck Goose. Both games went extremely well; there were plenty of smiles among the kids, who were overjoyed with the games. Some other games that were taught were Ring Around the Rosie, Patty cake, and Tag.
We decided that since these games were the easiest to teach, and they went over well, we taught the other kids as well the same games. Also, we showed them the iPads. I am still uncertain which of those they liked better, but I can guarantee that was not the best memory the students will have. After we had entertained the kids of a certain grade, took several Polaroids as gifts to them, and regrouped, we presented each of the teachers’ gifts. Each boy got a hat, while each girl got a dress. Each kid then in turn received a Beanie Baby, and a sticker. They were quite ecstatic to receive such gifts, overjoyed with these presents. The teachers of each class received class Polaroids, chalk for the class, and Allendale Columbia gifts. With many thanks, we regrouped again to present the ultimate gift.
If one has ever seen a foreign country with a European influence, then he or she knows how important the concept of soccer is. In Madagascar, kids play the sport any chance they get. Several times during this trip, actually, we saw many soccer games going on. But, the ultimate gift for the kids of Menarano, especially considering the previous one, was a soccer ball. The former ball, as formerly mentioned, was a grapefruit. When you flash a soccer ball to Malagasy kids, especially if it is their ball to have, I don't think there is anything quite more pleasing, more energetic, and more pure joy. When we took out the ball and gave it to the teacher, the kids shouted loudly, circled the teacher, and lost their minds, of course, peace was eventually reinstated, but the kids were still overjoyed.
With all of our gifts given, we departed, happy to have made others happy. The kids, with their new soccer ball (and pump to keep the good times rolling), sought us off as we began heading back towards the town to CVB. Our bags may have been lighter, but we were certainly very happy to see such ecstatic kids. We were even more elated to realize that the feast of the hike was downhill, so no more bodily abuse for the day!
The rest of the day, personally, would be a bit more adventurous. The class regrouped with the scientists, and decided it was time to work on our One Cubic Foot skills. Today was a collecting practice. As the collection visas were still invalid for the rainforest, we were stuck to practice on the property. We decided to explore areas of the campus to capture any biodiversity we could, and hopefully give them to the scientists to analyze. While this would not be for the One Cubic Foot project, it would be for another project: DNA bar-coding. The second project of this trip was to capture and extract the DNA from every species we could find, and upload it to a DNA barcode database, to compare the relationships between the species here and abroad.
We spent the afternoon exploring the woods surrounding the campus for specimens, collecting around twenty-five good specimens among the fifteen of us. Some of us chose easily accessible spots, such as the lawn (good for moths), while others chose more adventurous places. Garrett, another middle schooler, and I went down to the small creek beside the complex. There was no trail down there, but we made one. We only caught a water bug, not well for our efforts, but it was the adventure that counted. The two of us had captured more, but the organisms we had had either already been captured, or had been of very little interest. The scientists were quite selective with their species, it seemed. A few more samples made their way in overnight, as some students had captured insects after hours (which was perfectly valid). By the end of the trip, we had collected seventy specimens, fifty-five of which will be used in the database.
I got to see some of the samples firsthand. Some of them were moths, most of them actually. But there were some other things. If it is one thing I cannot stand, it is spiders. CVB had so many spiders, and such arachnids are rarely small. One sample, the largest of course, was a Funnel-weaving spider. For reference as to how big it is, I will say six inches with the legs. Huge spider indeed, and although it was a foul creature, I didn't scream or freak out. Even though, as I later learned, it was found hanging right outside the dinner hall. I still can picture it in my head as I write it. But, unsurprisingly, this would not be my last spider encounter for this trip. Spiders aside, the other specimens were quite magnificent. The moths all had intricate, unique patters and colors. The moths were the most amazing, as out of everything we. Found, they were the most diverse and plentiful. They were also beautiful to look at.
Before our meal, we attended a lecture on birds by Jean-Claude. Jean-Claude was the resident bird specialist, and taught us about the different species of birds in the area. There are 118 different species of birds endemic to Madagascar, as he so taught us, and many of them are only found in the park. Such famed ones, such as the Pitta-Like Ground Roller, is a tourist favorite. He would be our guide on the bird watch hike the next day, I would've been happy, if I wasn't so sick from the cold I had.
With the collecting done, we called it a day. I was thoroughly sick by this point, and needed my rest. We continued to collect specimens throughout the trip, keeping the barcodes in the lab quite busy during our stay.
5/26
Sadly, I would not get too much rest. Thursday was a bird watch hike, starting bright and early. I, still a bit sick, was rather happy to go, as I have a thing for birds. However, getting up early was not in my best interest, there was also a hike involved (of course with some uphills). With this hike, we sadly did not see much. I say this because I was in back, and never was able to get to the front. So, by the time, everyone had gone through, the bird (if there had been one) was gone. Luckily, Jean-Claude had set up mist nets near the entrance to the bird watch trails. We caught a Magpie Robin, a common bird. It wasn't especially happy with his capture, but the sacrifice gave Jean-Claude an example for how birds are tagged, noted, and released.
During his lecture on the previous night, our guide told us about the process of capture collecting for birds. To help study population size, researchers capture a bird, note its weight and body measurements, and tag it. The weight of the body helps determine the overall health of the bird, and the tagging can help track the migration pattern of birds. With this process in mind, Jean-Claude demonstrated the application in front of us with the Magpie Robin (the bird that had been found), before releasing it.
After returning back to the center for some rest, we took a more "leisurely" afternoon. I put quotations because for me, it was not entirely. Enjoyable for me, and it had involved plenty of spiders. Spiders, as I have previously written, are not at all my favorite. When we began our rafting expiation, I soon realized that the river boasted huge spider webs. Bark spiders, as they are called, are half-dollar sized spiders that weave huge webs across rivers. These webs were over thirty feet long! To make matters worse for myself, there was no shortage of them either. Each time we went forward, we would see the spiders in the webs. Often, our boat would touch the webs. I tried my very best to stay as far away from the spiders as possible, while the others in the boat thought my reactions were quite hilarious. After some close calls, I survived.
Perhaps this was desensitization to spiders, because as I write this, large spiders don't bother me as much as they used to. However, I will most likely forever remain wary of arachnids. Also, my classmates won't ever forget me laying flat in the raft, or shouting when a spider got too close.
5/27
Friday was thankfully a day of better health for me. The spider experience of the previous day certainly cured me of my cold. That day, we were to hike to a remote village to meet the people. The hike, as we were instructed, was less than ten minutes and flat. As it turned out, it was instead thirty minutes with some hills. Although this was unexpected, in comparison to the other days this was quick. The road to the village, however, was poor condition. The clay on the path had been heavily eroded by rain. Zebu tracks permeated the still-drying soil. Our shoes were quite caked with red and brown clay when we had reached he village.
Abodiavyavy, as the town is named, houses 500 people in around 6 acres of housing. The houses are quite close to both each other and the ground. We got to witness the construction of one, which involved the children of the village painting wooded logs thickly with clay. The clay then is cooked until it is brick-like. As we made our way past several of these houses, we soon reached the edge of the town, where a slightly larger house resided. This was the house of the King of Abodiavyavy, who kindly invited us in. As the amount of guests we had brought with us was not expected, there were not enough chairs for everyone. This, however, made no difference, as we were all happy to be in the village.
The people of the village must not have been used to visitors from the outside. Before our meeting had even begun, we had attracted a small crowd. The people of the village crowded around the house, eager to see the guests. Some were curious, coming up close to us. Some even entered the house! But, this only made us feel welcome. The king of the village welcomed us very kindly to his village, and said that before we could interact with his people, we would need to ask the ancestors for permission. We each gave an offering to the ancestors. With these gifts, the king said that the ancestors had accepted the gifts. From a room off of the meeting room, a glass and a bottle of moonshine were brought out. A large glass was poured. One round was distributed to us, the guests, to drink. Many individuals touched their lips to the moonshine, as was permitted for younger individuals not wishing to drink. But, this meant that Franck, our guide, had to finish the rest, he didn't mind one bit, one glass was poured out for the ancestors. With that, we were welcomed into the village by the ancestors as well as the king.
The people of the village held a celebration for us as a welcome. The local band, which played with a handmade drum set and guitars, played songs for us. As we stood in a circle, we suddenly were surprised to see some kids make their way towards the center of the ring. They started to dance in sync, which soon prompted us to follow suit. They were better dancers, surely. Some of us refused to dance, which may have been seen as rude by some of the people. However, the villagers seemed to be very joyed with those who danced (including myself, I shamelessly admit). Suddenly, the dancers departed, and the band played on. This was our time to dance, it seemed. We tried our best to formulate a dance, but ultimately we were not as good as the boys of the village.
After our dance party, we moved back to the palace of the king, and sat around the fire. We were given cassava, the local vegetable, as well as sugar cane coffee. Prior to this, I had never had coffee before. The sugar cane made the coffee taste amazing sweet. The cassava was quite good too, tasting like a drier potato. For my fellow students Kate and Emily, as well as myself, our meal would soon become a tad interesting. The bench we had been sitting on gave way while we ate, sending a loud break. I nearly rolled down the hill into the rainforest (until Franck caught me). We were all alright, and we later laughed about it. We did feel bad about their bench, however.
Next, we met with the medicine man of the village. In these remote towns, professional medical care is sparse. Businesses such as Pivot are new to the area, and can only reach isolated villages every so often. The medical solution for this is medicine men and medicine women. The villages rely on these individuals to use natural supplements to heal sick and injured villagers. As the medicine man explained his job, I hate to admit I found myself distracted. The room adjacent to the medicine man, some kids had gathered. One tapped me on the shoulder, and in English asked for my name. I replied with my name, and quickly word passed. When our time in the village had finished, the kids that had been present began to chant Luke as we left, and waved to me. I was very happy, as something so small goes such a long way.
When we returned to the center, our focus shifted towards One Cubic Foot. Today, we would be attempting our own cubes. Our instructions for the day: find a spot for a cube, observe the spot for some time, and collect any animal samples we find within it. As it turned out, this would later be the wrong instruction, but nonetheless we did it. Our group divided into smaller groups of five, and we were given a collection cube, nets, and tubes. The five of us came up with a list of possible spots. After narrowing down by competition, accessibility, and favor ability, we picked a spot near the head of a creek. I used my GoPro to record footage of the cube. After some time, we decided it was time to move forward. We collected soil samples, and found nine organisms within the dirt. This was a small find, but we were pleased. However, as this later turned out, there had been a miscommunication. We had only been supposed to observe our cube, not collect. The samples nonetheless were taken for DNA bar-coding.
I found the mini-cube project to be very insightful into the process behind it. Our group learned several things that worked towards and against our benefit. We looked forward to being able to delve further into the One Cubic Foot project in the near future.
Before bed that night, Mrs. Guzzetta approached everyone. She asked us if anybody was interested in bones. I said yes, one of the only people at that time. She instructed me that tomorrow, I would work with Dr. Wright with her collection of bones. She, in 2008, led an expedition to Sapphire City to collect sub fossil bones. A collections building was to be built, and the bones were not at all organized. Our project tomorrow would be to catalogue, photograph, and examine all of e hippopotamus bones in the lab. As it later turned out, this would not happen tomorrow, but I was very excited to work with bones. This was an unexpected pleasure to the trip,
5/28
At breakfast, I met with Dr. Wright to discuss the bone project. Overnight, our group had grown to four people, including the previously mentioned Kate and Emily. I was happy to be able to work with Dr. Wright, as she had an aura of intrigue around her, I found myself quite curious to learn from her. After breakfast, she led us down to the lab where her bones were stored. We were instructed that we had to transfer the bones to an adjacent lab. The good new was that it was not raining. The bad news, however, was that there were 800 bones to transfer, most in bags of no more than eight. It took half and hour, but we made our way. As we prepared to photograph the hippo bones, the resident paleontologist, Angelin, was perplexed. He realized that the bones were not all hippopotamus! The bones had been wrongfully sorted! This set our plans back a day, as it seemed today would be for sorting.
Angelin was a younger man, but was extremely knowledgeable on bones. He was the grandson of a queen, meaning that he was in line to be king of a village someday. He, for the meantime, was a bone man.
We spent the day sorting the bones into four groups: Crocodile, hippopotamus, turtle, and Aepyornis. Aepyornis is a giant bird that went extinct 500 years ago. It was eight feel tall, flightless, and commonly hunted by humans, it was also known as the elephant bird. Their bones were the easiest to identify, as they were porous and huge. Turtles were the next easiest, as their bones were smooth, short, but wide. This left crocodiles and hippopotamus bones. The hippopotamuses that we were going over were not those you'd imagine. The hippos were known as Pygmy hippopotamuses, and were less than a meter tall. This made them comparable in size to the crocodiles. However, we did manage to separate the bones. This was a monotonous practice, but we were overjoyed to be a part of this project. This project was instantly an intrigue to us, and even though we missed some things in town on that day, we didn't mind.
After the bones had been finished for the day, we went into town for a small band performance. One of the cooks at the research center was in a band, and he gave us a concert. A little bit into the show, however, the power cut out. As a matter of fact, it cut out three times during the show. It only affected the play once. When the power continued to go out, they played on, and the sound was fine. I tell myself that the lead singer sounded a lot like Steven Page, for reference. I enjoyed the concert, although I wish the power had been more predictable.
5/29
Sunday was market day. In the town of Ranomafana, the merchants came out in the rain to sell their goods. This was the perfect chance to buy souvenirs for our families. Although the gifts were nothing outstanding, I was very impressed by the crafted goods. At the time of writing, I had given my family their gifts, and they were very grateful with their gifts. There was also a pastry shop that sold simosas and cupcakes. We were comfortable to get some snacks, as everyone is! The shopping did not last long, but we were very satisfied with our buys.
There was nothing planned today, giving us the perfect opportunity to work with the bones. We spent the afternoon with Angelin in the lab going over bones. As it turned out, everyone wanted to be a part of it. We even had some newly arrived researchers in on it! We would process the hippo bones today, but how? We needed to determine what exactly we needed to do. We came up with an algorithm (a way of doing something) for processing. We made up a code for how we label the bones. We wanted to include where they were stored, where the bones came from, what year they were collected, what they were, and what number in the series they were. Next, we divided up into groups. Some would sort the bones by what they were (which is what I did), some were photographers, some were labelers, and some were scribes for the collection lists. In four hours, we had processed all of the hippo bones. We had 136 bones, and all but 5 of them were identified to a place on the hippo. The other bones were unidentifiable due to wear.
Another purpose of the sorting of the bones was for the prospect of cut marks. In the upstairs area, by the display cases, an Aepyornis bone was found to have a cut mark from a weapon it. To ensure that this is not a fluke, we set out to find if the other bones had cuts. This is why we wished to focus on the hippo and Aepyornis bones, as those creatures would most likely have been hunted. Overall, we had ten hippo bones that may have had cut marks on them. Aside this, we found evidence of chalcedony. Chalcedony is a quartz-like material that was used for spearheads. We found a few segments that looked like flakes, and one that resembled a weapon. An associate of Dr. Wright’s would later state that the chunk was very likely a segment of a weapon.
This would be a huge find for the history of Madagascar. While concrete evidence is sparse at this point, since the cut marks are small, we may be a part of history. Historically, the earliest evidence of humans on Madagascar is 2000 years ago. The bones are dated at 9000 years old! If this evidence becomes fact, we may alter the timeline of the human history of Madagascar!
I truthfully enjoyed working with the bones. As a matter of fact, it was my favorite part of the entire trip. Although we would not work with the bones for the rest of the trip, I would have if given the chance. I truly hope to do projects like this later in my life, as this project was especially amazing
5/30
On Monday, our time at CVB was drawing to a close. There was not much time left on the trip. Today, we would venture out to the rainforest for the last time to collect samples. The One Cubic Foot people did not accompany us this time, but we would encounter them later in the forest. They had found a great spot for a cube within the forest near a stream. We spent a few hours collecting samples to bring back to the lab for analysis. The best find of the day was certainly a memorable one for myself. On the path, Mrs. Guzzetta and I spotted a large creature in the path. It looked like a snake, but as a matter of fact it was a worm! It was 8 inches long, as round as a nickel, and pink! We caught it, but barely, since it nearly escaped. We brought this monster earthworm back to the lab for bar-coding.
This would be our last time in the rainforest, as previously mentioned. We would exit without many leeches on ourselves, luckily. The first time we had entered, we had way too many leeches on ourselves. This time, there were fewer leeches.
The rest of the day was quite uneventful. We spent the rest of the day preparing a presentation for the researchers. At CVB, it is expected of each group, before departing, to give a presentation regarding our endeavors in Madagascar. We spent a lot of time, even with spotty Wi-Fi, crafting a PowerPoint chronicling our adventure thus far. Other than that, the day was very low-key.
5/31
Today was our last day before departing from CVB. After getting up late, my group was led to the lounge area. The servers at CVB, from a small town known as Sahavadronana, doubled as weavers. They spent the morning teaching us the trade of weaving baskets. Many of us found it difficult to keep the basket shapes. The process of weaving involves using a thin reed-like substance and colored straw. The straw, which had been colored in several different colors, we wrapped the straw around the reeds using a carpet needle. The goal was to make a basket that progressively got taller. Personally, I settled for a Frisbee. The hard part about weaving is that you need strong hands. Many of us struggled to keep the rope taut. Many of us also struggled making the basket shape. Meanwhile, students like Ava put us to shame, creating an entire basket with handles during our session. Everyone was quite impressed.
After our session, the day was not very eventful. We continued our work on the presentation, which was to be given today. We had to start over, simply because we wanted an offline version. It took a team, and a lot of Airdropped photos, but we managed to craft a good presentation. That night, we gave it to the staff. Many of us were quiet, saying only small things. People were definitely tired, but little did we know we were in for a treat.
The very day we gave the speech, it was the 25th anniversary of the park. This was a huge milestone. To celebrate our departure (in a good way), as well as the park’s milestone, we had a party in the mess hall! Music boomed loudly as several researchers took the floor. Plenty of food, although a bit cold, filled the tables. We danced for a bit, filled our stomachs, and had many laughs. I will save most of the party description, however. I personally think that there are a few things that are meant to be left in the moment. Needless to say, I enjoyed the party, and so id everyone else.
I was going to miss the research center. There were a lot of good memories. However, the rain seemed to be a bit depressing at points.
6/1
Wednesday was the day to leave. As if it were a good omen, the rain, which hadn’t stopped for four consecutive days, ceased. We even saw the blue sky! Although the trip to the airport was not all peachy, as I will later recount in vague detail, our flight home would be redeeming. TO pass the time after breakfast, we decided to take one last walk down the road. On our way to the town, we saw an overlook tower, near the edge of the river. We decided to check it out, and so we hiked towards it. There was a great view of the falls near the station. The view was quite breathtaking, a last memoriam of the rainforest, perhaps.
Our bus soon arrived after that. We packed our bags, said our final goodbyes with Dr. Wright, and were just about to leave. Then, I had an idea. Dr. Wright is an amazing scientist I learned so much from during my stay. Her heroics in Madagascar are so astounding. I had a copy of her book, and I decided to ask her to sign it. She did, and as of now it is on my top shelf. I am quite proud to have it!
This would be a very good memory of the day, as now, we would have to drive for several hours. 8 hours or so in the car later, we arrived at Antsaribe. Riding in a bus is not so bad, so one gets to sleep, read, talk with friends, or do nothing. But, eight hours is a lot. We arrived at our hotel, and instantly the calm nature of the trip changed. Our hotel had formerly been an upscale retirement home, and was now a hotel. It had a creepy vibe, an aged façade screaming “haunted”. The hallway outside of our room dimmed lights randomly, making the hallway dark. It was eerie, too eerie. I also got the bed nearest to the door, which were shutter doors that looked to be a hundred years old.
After settling in, we went to diner at Zandini’s. This restaurant had become famous through its pizza. We, being so starved of pizza for so long, were hungry for some pizza. We ordered 18 pizzas! That is one for everyone. I had 18 slices, much to the surprise of others. We had around eight slices left over afterwards, which just goes to show how much we missed pizza!
Back at the hotel, we settled in. My bed sagged in the middle, making me into some sort of human taco. Also, we had fear of ghosts disturbing our sleep at night.
6/2
Thankfully, we were fine. The hotel was rather comfortable, aside from the scary vibe it gave but today, as we feared, there was more driving to be done. Before we left however, we made a quick stop in town. After making our way down a clay road definitely not designed for a bus, we made a quick stop at a Zebu factory. Here, a family showcased to us their talents of preparing and carving objects out of Zebu horn. Next, we went to a local shop that showcased the talents of a crafty craftsman. Taking expired supplies, and recyclables, the man showed us how he constructed toys. Both of these shops were completely fascinating, but our visits were short. After six more hours of driving, we arrived at the base of a mountain, and stopped the bus. WE had arrived at Peyreiras animal reserve. This reserve, which was located closely to the town, featured exotic animals. The visit included lemurs, chameleons, tenrecs, and snakes. With our sore legs, we hiked a short uphill hike. After some time, we saw sifakas.
In the rainforest, we saw the lemurs from a difference. However, these lemurs were different, as they came right up to us. This was because the guides fed the sifakas regularly. The lemurs were extremely close, giving us great photographic vantage. The pictures were great. We even got to feed the lemurs. We spent the next hour examining the various reptiles of the reserve. The chameleons were the most interesting, as they ranged in size and color. The biggest one was the size of a large beanie baby, and was blue-green. This was known as the “elephant eared chameleon”. Next were the snakes, which we got to hold. All snakes in Madagascar are not poisonous, so there was no danger. Lastly were the tenrecs. Tenrecs are relatives of the hedgehog. They live in holes in the ground. When we first saw them, they resembled pinecones. However, they were quite active. The nature reserve was quite interesting in its display of exotic animals. It was not extremely educational, but there was an emphasis on the diversity of the individual species.
After this there was yet more driving for the day. I was not, surprisingly enough, tired of the scenery. Everything seemed quite beautiful, even from a cramped bus seat. At dusk, we arrived to the bungalows. The accommodations were unsurprisingly spectacular. The sounds of the rainforest were quite lulling to ourselves, as we went to bed quite early.
6/3
As our trip neared a close, we found ourselves at breakfast (still at the bungalows where we had eaten the night before) discussing what to do. We decided that we were going to hike in the nearby rainforest. The rainforest was not Ranomafana, but another protected reserve. The area, named Mantadia, was a tract of land that had been fragmented by a road. IN the forest, however, were tons of animals. The most famous of which were heard loudly throughout the early morning. Indris, a type of lemur famous for their eerie calls, called Mantadia home. The hike, no surprise, was uphill. By this point in the trip, we had stopped expecting inclines and just began top know they’d be there. However, the hike was worth it. First, we saw some common brown lemurs and golden sifakas hanging out in the trees above us. However, branches and leaves, making visibility poor at some spots, heavily shielded them. On the way of the hike, we also learned much about the diverse plants of the rainforest. Namely, palisander, elephant ears, and birch trees. Then, around 90- minutes into the hike, we heard the booming calls. Sure enough, right there in front of us, were the Indri. They were calling from branches, which was a practice used to mark territory, and they were not obstructed by anything at all. This made for great photography, certainly.
After our morning hike, we were back on the road. However, the car ride was merciful, a short trip only an hour away. By this point, hour car rides were nothing. We headed to Vakôna, a hotel resort, to experience Lemur Island. This island was not an educational endeavor; it was merely for the pleasure of the group. Lemur Island was a man-made island featuring two species of lemur (black-and-white ruffed and lesser bamboo). They were completely domicile, and would come up to us as we rafted over the small creek. With bananas in hand, we had our cameras at the ready. Sure enough, they jumped on us! This made for amazing photography. One memory I had was of the black-and-white ruffed lemur hanging upside-down from a tree while eating a banana! It held onto the branch with its feet, and like a spider extended down to get a banana. While I was observing the lemur, a lesser bamboo jumped onto me and climbed to my head. Even though I had no food, he stayed there for five minutes, just watching. Being the tallest person in the group, I believe that the lemur used me as an observation post. Having taken so many photographs, we left Lemur Island. We may not have learned anything, but it was an enjoyable pleasure to see the lemurs face-to-face.
But Vakôna was not done yet! We made a split decision to look at the other animals on display. We saw the hotel’s attraction of 50 Nile crocodiles, a fossa (the feared operators of lemurs), geckos, chameleons, and some unreliable rope suspension bridges! However, little did I know at the time, this would be a very unfortunate experience for myself. Back at the restaurant (where we had breakfast), I began to not feel well. I couldn’t finish my meal. Although it was a light stomach pain at the time, it would develop worst. After a nice lunch, we boarded the bus for Tana. We expected to arrive in two and a half hours. The bus ride ended up becoming a five-hour ride into the darkness. I did not feel well one bit. As a matter of fact, I got worse as the trip developed. I was just hoping I could wait for the arrival of us at the hotel.
Food poisoning is a terrible experience to have. Being on the road for five hours, and being unable to sleep or be comfortable, I did not enjoy the ride. I will spare the details of my illness. When we arrived at our hotel for the night, I was shocked to discover our reservations had been moved! There was no room for us for the night, and that meant we would have to go hotel hunting. Being severely ill, I was not fit to travel. We traveled to another hotel, where one of our former guides, Franck, was staying. The last Monday, Franck had left to go take care of the newly arrived Stony Brook graduates. There were thirty of them, eager to learn and research. Franck helped us find another hotel, as the one he was staying in had no rooms. The hotel we went to next had a very nice lobby, but the rooming floors were unsanitary. The rooms were not made, and were too dirty for us to stay in. We departed the hotel, and went back to Franck. Franck told us of the Hotel du Louvre, a hotel downtown that had room. We agreed and went there. After hours of travel, and myself being completely sick and dehydrated, found solace in sleeping in a room by myself for the night. I had a completely restless night.
6/4
Saturday boded better health. I was unable to eat for the day, but I was no longer sick. I tried my best to eat food, ultimately relying on tea and sparkling water for nourishment. Today would be a quiet day. Nothing much was to be done, most likely due to the stress of the previous night. We were to meet with the Chief of Mission of Madagascar, the second in command for the US embassy, Steven Anderson. Mr. Anderson explained to us about the importance of his position, what he does, and his reasons for choosing his experience. There was a heavy strive for staying off the record with our conversations, so I am not certain about how much I can say.
We decided to tour the chocolate factory next. In Madagascar, chocolate is manufactured from domestically grown products. We were excited to see the factory. As it turned out, they would not give a tour, so we stopped at the gift shop and departed for lunch. After lunch, we rested at the hotel for the day, while some of us went to the Queen’s Palace for a tour. I stayed back to nurse my sick self in my own room. I slept a lot. After the group returned, we moved over to SakaManga, where our reservations had previously been mishandled. As a result, we all got suites. One group was lucky enough to get the deluxe suite, which was a two-story house! I was given a foldout couch to rest on, but I did not mind. I was so tired from my ordeal that I slept at 6 pm, and did not wake up until 6 am!
6/5
Sunday was an emotional day for all of us. We were to leave today, to go back home. Reflecting back on how I felt, I wanted to go back at this point. I had had a lot of good times, quality times I will cherish. With my illness, and also not looking forward to 36 hours of plane travel, I was ready to leave. Before we left, however, we went to the shops that lined the streets in Tana. 200 shops stretched for eternity down a side street. The merchants were all too eager to sell their goods to us. From walking around, I saw a lot of rocks and stones. This was absolutely perfect for myself! Some stores were even selling coins (although at bad prices, as I knew from my coin knowledge)! This backfired, as I attracted a crowd of eager salesmen!
The exchange I remember most was the sapphire one. One salesman offered me a sapphire, cut beautifully, but certainly fake. He told me 100 dollars, and I said no. He followed me, not relenting. I dismissed him several times, but he continued to follow. Soon, others followed, asking me to buy. I found myself pinned against the wall, with twelve salesmen offering me rocks and scorpions. I managed to escape, and made it to the bus. By the time the battle had ensued, the salesman had lowered the price of the sapphire all the way to ten dollars! I still refused. But, the gifts I found were absolutely beautiful! I bought two rock displays, both chronicling the various stones of Madagascar! This as the only gift I got for myself, having bought gifts for all of my family. I loved this market, as the gifts I bought were great tourist items to bring back! It was a shame, however, that the salesmen outside were so aggressive.
After our shopping spree, that was the end. We headed to the airport, and checked in. After waiting an hour, we were given our tickets, and went to our gate. The plane ride went smoothly, fours hours of my time spent writing as we went to South Africa. We arrived at dusk, and settled down after customs with plenty of time. We found a nice restaurant to eat at, and indulged ourselves. I found myself eating an entire burger, meaning I was nearing full health, bite by bite. As we went to the gate after dinner, however, our luck soon began to change. There was a huge line, separated by sex, and filled with security personnel. This looked odd, truly. As we found out, there were security threats, resulting in heightened procedures. Many people felt a bit panicked, as what would this mean for us? People were fearful. We managed to board the plane, and although a bit late, flew into JFK with no problem. On the flight, my seatmate was an individual from NYC named Norman. He was younger, in his low 20’s, and very friendly. We had great discussions throughout the flight. We even played a game of chess on the screens! I enjoyed that flight very much.
6/6
We arrived into JFK early morning, but we were in a crunch for time now! We only had two hours to clear immigration, get our bags, go through customs, check in to jet blue, transfer terminals, clear security, get to our gate, and board! In a rush for time, we became stressed. Our extra bags proved difficult to carry. Nonetheless, we made it, and our flight to Rochester did not leave without us. Once on the plane, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
On the flight back, I began to reflect on the trip. There had been good times, bad times, and sick times. What did I get out of this trip exactly? As we took off, I began to see it; some things in life we may only be able to attempt once, one shot only. Trips like this to Madagascar, they are not easy to come by. I know not if an opportunity like this will ever surface again, with absolute certainty of course. For all I knew, this could be the last abroad trip I ever see. I made great friends out of students I had never met, such as Emily and Garret, as well as scientists like Dr. Wright. Even my neighbor on the JFK flight connected with our 17-hour flight! The most important lesson I realized I learned, s the wheels touched down, was that some things in life only happen once, and our chances for doing them again sometimes never show. Take risks, as without risks, we cannot grow as individuals.
And just like that, after 18 days, I was home.
thank you for sharing. It sounds like a great place to visit I hope you get to go back some time.
