Start the Clock

I hate calenders and count downs. They fill your head with numbers when you should be concentrating on just enjoing yourself but heyho..human nature is not known for its flawess logic and so it is that I have found that over the past few weeks I have entered the zone of the count down.

I’ve been on this big red island for 15 months now with only a 2 week break in the UK last Christmas. I am expecting my arrival back in the UK to throw up a few issues with integrating back in to western society but for the moment I am focusing heavily on soaking up as much as I can from my last few days here (19 days from today).

Work in the office has stepped up a few notches with several reports for funders being due at the same time which keeps me good and busy!

Spare time is taken up by sunset drinks at freedom to watch the sunset, surfing (still can’t stand up), meals at Chez Bernard and trying not to dwell too much on thoughts such as “I wonder how many more times I’ll get to do this before I go back to the UK?”. Not a very constructive or positive way to look at things!

The single biggest thing I will miss from being here is the people. Both the Malagasy people in general and the vazaha friends I have made over the past year or so. You have to rely on people so much more out here for support and you go through some bizarre and sometimes scary situations together. As a result, you form incredibly strong friendships with people out here in a very short space of time. It’s hard to imagine that I won’t be seeing these people who are like a family to me on a regular basis in a few weeks time.

I have come across situations I would never have imagined coming across whilst I have been here. The political crisis, cyclones, serious illness in myself and in friends and seeing how Malagasy people approach these difficulties with a smile on their face a shrug of the shoulders and joke makes you think long an hard about how you respond to the same situation. That attitude along with the incredible generosity and community spirit that you’re a part of here in Madagascar is something that I’ll never forget. I hope some of it has rubbed off on me!

Leaving Madagascar at the same time as me is Lisa Carrier (bag) from Lemur Venture. Whilst I am sad for her that she’s going to leave something that she loves doing, I am delighted that there’s going to be another flat broke and uncouth young female not too far from where I live that I can go and act childishly with. She’s been an absolute star and I know I’m going to miss my sidekick a lot when we head off.

I don’t want this post to turn in to a reflective, morbid and snore-inducing piece so I’ll keep it short. I am so looking forward to seeing friends and family (and how pale you will all be, ha ha!) but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t more than a little apprehensive about how I’m going to fit in to the UK mid-winter with no money and with most of my friends living a fair way away.

So, please have patience when you see me if I waffle on for too long about stories from a far and distant land and please don’t be offended at the way I will devour and inhale a roast dinner, a fried breakfast, crumble and custard, cheese and biscuits or fish and chips given half a chance. Remember that it's been a long time!