June 7, 2012
So, I would call our market presentation a success. I set out to be more visible in the
community; just sit the in the market like we did in Ampefy and Arivonimamo and
talk to people. My co-workers had
another thing in mind entirely. First, I
went to the mayor with my counterpart, Nary, to ask if it was ok to set up
posters and a table and do a little presentation. He and Nary start talking very quickly about
stages and microphones and occasions and Independence Day, June 26th. Whooooooooa buddy. So I tell them I will be
out of town for fetim-pirenena (Independence Day), which is not a lie. They then agree to let me do it the next
Wednesday, just a normal market day.
There was still talk of a megaphone, but I would put up with that (or
just not use it) if that was the compromise.
So Wednesday morning, Nary tells me we are going to set up
our stand in the market. I am a little
worried because we take the car, which means there are things in the back that
we can’t take walking. We get to the
market, and people start unloading two tents, a banner, and sound
equipment. Crap.
So all of that gets set up, and a woman begins playing music
to draw a crowd. Then Nary starts
talking into the microphone, explaining a little bit about who we are and what
we do. Emphasizing that our name is not
“vazaha,” and so we should be called by our actual name. Then he periodically handed Eric and me the
microphone to introduce ourselves and explain a little more. Then he got really into it, and started an
interactive question and answer session with the crowd. He particularly enjoyed it when he found out
one of Peace Corps’ goals is cultural exchange.
So he started asking us questions about the difference in food and
holidays and other differences between the US and Madagascar. We were out there for almost four hours, and
the crowd would come and go, so we probably saw a couple hundred people. Not to mention the people who didn’t come
over, but could hear us because of the microphone.
Now, the other market presentations in Arivonimamo and
Ampefy served their purpose, but here is how I know we hit home on this one:
·
Several people today said “manahoana Sarah,” and
they are not people I know
·
A few children said “bonjour, Sarah,” which is
still better than “bonjour vazaha”
·
Three people came to see me at the Chamber of
Commerce office this morning, wanting to talk about their businesses (or lack
there of) and their problems. These were
not people I have ever worked with before
·
And finally, two people have told me that they
heard me on the RADIO! One wasn’t even from the same town, she texted me to
tell me. There are definitely fewer
privacy laws here, and no waivers to sign it seems, as this is not the first
time I have been broadcast without knowing it.
The first was the song we sang in Malagasy at Swearing In at the
beginning of May. I think that one may
have even aired on TV, haha.
So, definitely successful, and I am building up not only my
recognition in the community, but a new client list. That will go nicely with the new business
cards I printed today—my first ones ever! I am such an adult (riiiight)
Love,
-Sarah
