May 25, 2004
"Welcome to Trano Fossa"
by Jodie LaPoint

Flying to the other side of the world really messes with your internal clock. After spending the last 35 hours traveling, I really can't tell what time it is, much less what day it is. I stumble off the plane, squint in the bright afternoon sun, and numbly follow the other passengers across the tarmac and into the angular-roofed terminal. My apprehensions about lost or damaged baggage dissipate as my familiar green duffel bag swings around the corner on the conveyor belt. Finally, I have arrived in Madagascar!The few weeks between the end of classes and my impending departure for the field had been hectic, to say the least. Not only was I scrambling to plan for the summer, but also to pack up my apartment and move to a new house. Fretting over project topics and packing lists, writing grant proposals all night to meet deadlines, and running to Target for "one more thing"...all that fades away, now that I'm here. The taxi weaves down the road, tooting the horn as we pass carts pulled by hump-backed cattle, busses with baggage piles on the roof, and barefoot people with huge baskets balanced on their heads. Peirrot huddles in the back seat with a blanket, as he came to meet me at the airport despite having a fever, possibly maleria.

He leaves me at Luke's house and goes home to sleep. Luke, Jenny, and Haley greet me at the door and give me the grand tour. I can hardly believe my eyes, the Trano Fossa (or Fossa House) is totally beyond my expectations. On the entry level there is a kitchen--perfect for cooking our own meals rather than always eating out. Up the wooden staircase are the bedrooms and on the bottom floor is an office space, complete with internet connection and a small library. This is a far cry from the hotels I usually stayed in when previously in Tana. I open the bedroom window wide and lean out. The city stretches before me--house-covered hillsides, blue skies, and rice paddies nestled in the valleys. I smile, ready for the adventure to begin.