Wild and Free
in Photography, Blog
kids
The kids of Itaosy.
in Photography, Blog
My first week in Madagascar I stayed in Itaosy, a suburb of Tana, the capital. I have known these kids and their families for years now and have watched them all grow up. They are an amazing group of kids!
This here is Princy. His is 22 now, but I remember when he was just a little guy, always talking to me in French and was super friendly. He would always come up to the room where I was living in at the time, and would tell me story, after story. And now, he is going to medical school to become a doctor!
This is Fita, who just turned 15! This kid is pretty awesome and a great model!! I remember when he was just a couple of years old, he would always come and visit me. And if I was gone for some reason, he would go throughout the house, calling my name!
Jedidiah, 11 years old.
Mihary, 6 years old.
Miandritiana, 18 years old
Sahaza, 17 years old
Manovo, 11 years old....too cool for words!
My time in Tana was a bit short because I have to start working on my visa, but I hope to get back over there sometime while I'm here and spend a bit more time with my friends. I am glad though I could have last week with them!
homesick.
in Photography, Blog
Have you ever been to a place, a home, a city, anywhere? And once you left, you wish you could be there again? You wish you could just teleport yourself to that specific place? That's how I've been feeling lately. There are times when I miss a specific place, I miss the smells, I miss the views, I miss the people, I miss my friends...and lately, that place has been Madagascar. More specifically, Tamatave, at the place where I was last year for three months, with my friends Victor and Douce, and their three kids.
Douce (far left) and Victor (far right with Jo) at a small market in one of the villages we visited.
I miss waking up in the morning, having breakfast with them, watching the kids get ready for school, and either getting ready myself for a day in a village, or just staying at the base, working on communication stuff for my friends.
A little boy in one of the villages I visited.
I love the days when I would play for hours outside with the kids around the base. I would teach them some games, and they taught me some as well. They would sing, dance, and they loved having their photos taken, and videos. Pretty much after every photo or video I took, they would run up to me, asking to look at themselves. And of course they loved it!
Sina, Petro, Sharone and Ariel jumping
I remember little Jo, he loved playing with my phone and looking at his photos. Whenever I came into the room, he would ask 'Where's Jo' ('Aiza Jo')? I would sit with him on my lap and go through the videos or photos of him and he would love it! It would always bring a smile to my face. And if for some reason I put my phone away, he would continue asking 'Aiza Jo' until I brought out the phone again.
Little Jo, posing for the camera. He's a natural!
When I was on my flight back to the states, after my time in Madagascar, last year, I wasn't sure if I was able to do it again. I wasn't sure if I could make that long flight again. My flight coming home was longer than normal, but I just wasn't sure if I could make it again like that. But you know what, at the beginning of the year, I couldn't help but think, 'when am I going back to Madagascar'. I don't think too much about the flying, yes, I wish I could teleport myself back there in an instance, but things doing work that way. But my love for this country, for the people, is stronger than my thoughts of having a to take a long travel back. I do plan to go back, and I hope soon. Though the travels may be long, those feelings soon dwindle away once I step onto the big red island and let the adventures begin!
Be ready Madagascar, I will be back!
Me and Petro
'Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive' -H. Thurman
Crossing a bridge, going to a village in Tamatave.