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Woken at 3.20 a.m. your time by the second mozzie of the night. Not bitten just that really annoying drone. Score remains BEER 4 v 0 BITES,
There is a gecko/lizard outside my window who keeps up a pretty constant 'Chip, ribble, ribble, ribble.' but the mozzies must have got past him.
The reason I decided to write at this ridiculous hour is that I suddenly realised what I was missing, The call to prayer. Been here over two weeks and haven't heard it once. I know that Antanasaribe in the far north is pretty much 100% Muslim but I have seen Muslim families around the place and young lads with their lace caps, but no call to prayer. Odd.
I have to say that I have noticed no racial or religious tension here at all which is remarkable when you look around at the poverty on the street or Madagascar's place in the league tables. (IMF - 171/181 Bangladesh = 153, India =128.) I was chatting to the patron yesterday after I failed to fix someone else's wi-fi (no surprise there then.) He says that Malagasies are infinitely exasperating in terms of getting things done, but infinitely lovely in their friendliness and lack of aggression. They may pickpocket you but hey, it's only 'cos they're starving. Nothing personal!
When I went to see Dr Ramanantseheno yesterday he had a rugby ball on his bookshelf. We didn't discuss it because his English is far worse than my French but I did discuss it with my class as we were finishing the lesson. I said that I had been to watch the end of a game at the stadium last week and they were horrified. They said I should never go again as it was only played by hooligans and I would be robbed. If I wanted to see sport I should go to watch football, a proper sport. Apparently there are differences between Madagascar and England.
- comments
Beki "after I failed to fix someone else's wi-fi" How could you possibly imagine that you were going to do anything else to it? Moloney + WIFI is a big TSIA TSIA
Robert Lee Good to hear you're thriving (or at least surviving) mate. Sorry, can't help about Bristol - a lost cause. Suggest you transfer allegiance to Exeter when you get back! Bob Bah! Humbug!!