After 10 Weeks, I Finally Left Madagascar

You know it’s been a good summer when you can’t tell if the dark spot on your leg is from dirt or a bruise.

Was it an easy summer? Not exactly.

Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Now that I’m back in the United States, it almost feels like Madagascar was a dream and I just woke up to my real life. Except it was my real life, and it was amazing.

Some Reflections After Two Months in Madagascar

In less than two weeks, I’ll board a plane, spend a lot of hours in the air and arrive home in California. It’s strange to think about returning to the U.S. It’s my home country, yet it’s such a different world from here.

I believe that once you have an experience where you learn and grow and stretch yourself, you can never go back to being exactly the person you were before.

Basketball, Construction and Volunteer Life in Madagascar

Five weeks down, five to go!

While my first two weeks in Madagascar actually felt like two weeks, the next three weeks passed so quickly that I can’t believe I’m already halfway done with my time here. Since I’m here for 10 weeks total, I have the unique opportunity to watch many different sets of volunteers come and go. It’s been wonderful to meet and get to know people from all over the world, but it also means that most of them will leave long before I do. It’s really nice to have friends who are here for a longer period of time like I am, but I enjoy getting to know everyone no matter how long their stay is.

A lot has happened in the past few weeks, but here are some highlights.

Madagascar: Volume 1

Mbola tsara from Madagascar!

Most days this summer, you’ll find me hiking through the forest on a tiny tropical island called Nosy Komba, located off the northwest coast of Madagascar. I’m volunteering with an organization called Madagascar Research and Conservation Institute, doing forest conservation work in a threatened type of rainforest called sambirano. Despite the hot and humid weather, the absurd number of mosquito bites on my legs and the occasional pangs of homesickness for the people and places I’ve left behind, I’m incredibly glad to be here.

I’ve met some really cool people from all over the world, I’m learning new skills while helping to protect a valuable forest ecosystem, and I get to live in a beautiful location all summer.