3/13/06

you know you are a new malagasy in town if .....

I don' t know if this version of John Foxworthy routine: "you know you are a redneck if ...." has been done for malagasy folks yet. So here is my version: (If it has, I apologize and can I get a copy please ? )

You know you are a new malagasy in town if:

1) The first thing you check in the phonebook are the names that start with RA or AN....
2) you brought in your luggages tons of traditional malagasy songs that you will listen to for the next 2 weeks and then ignore until your next homesick phase.
3) you suspect every brown-skined people in the street to be a former classmate or a former neigbhour.
4) you are surprised that bus routes are actually mapped at the bus station and not yelled out by the bus driver.
5) You learn quickly that Taxicab fares are not negotiable and neither are the produces at the market.
6) You start to languish for your Grandma "enakisoa sy anana" after your 5th BigMac.
7) You are called a GVT ( Gasy Vao Tonga: newcomers) at a malagasy party and you learn that it is not a compliment.
8) Your first friends will most likely by other GVTs.
9) You have to visit distant relatives that you barely new existed. You then realize that you still don't have much in common with them as the conversation turns awkward.
10) You start to formulate project about improving the education system back home and building new school so that your kids will never have to leave home again.
11) Your international phone bill is outrageous until you learn about calling card and Skype. Yet, you are still broke because of internet bills and the new camcorder/mircophone you bought. ( Internet phoning is not reliable to Tana anyway)
12) You wish you worked for an airline company so that you can get cheap tickets back home
13) you play again and again Mahaleo's song: " Manimanina tahy hody izao O " ( apologies for the spelling, trans: I am longing for home) .
14) You are happy you can curse and gossip in your language without anyone else understanding you ( until you run into a zanatany who tells you to grow-up and stop cursing)
15) you blog until your fingers bleed :-)

Did I forget anything ?

13 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:16 PM

    I just love your post!the airline company is a very good idea, that could become my next aim! ;D
    perhaps should I try: you know you are a malagasy back home when... :)

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  2. he he he good ones in there... the malagasy is lost on me though. at last a funny post that doesn't make us targets of homeland security!

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  3. hey dude,

    Ginga is just the funniest ever, check out what he did this morning on the dog blog :)

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  4. Anonymous1:12 PM

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  5. THB IS the best beer ever! I think we are all still GVT at heart :). Do u get THB in DC ? Another reason to come visit you guys :)

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  6. My mom and I love to call each other in huge department stores with the Malagasy whistle call. We just pray no other Malagasy will be around to answer it for us. :)

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  7. Ah the whistle ! Very true, I tried to explain it to my friends here but I forgot the "proper" translation ( it's not a a bad word, is it ?)

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  8. Anonymous6:28 PM

    I think that whistle translates to a bad word !
    No, we don't get THB in DC, though I still have hopes. Do you know Brickskeller in Dupont circle?They are famous for having beers from all over the world, even Kenyan and Zimbabwean beers, but I haven't seen Malagasy beer there yet.

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  9. Brickseller ? is it close to that ancient bookstore/cafe just across the metro station? I think that whistle is so common place that no one sees it as out of place :-)

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  10. Anonymous10:39 AM

    exactly !

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  11. Commonplace here in the US or in Madagascar? I've never heard this whitsle here in the states. Which is why it works when I'm trying to find my mom at Walmart.

    I'm curious about Brickseller. Gotta check that one out. The address is 1523 22nd St. NW.

    Out of curiosity, are you in DC, too, Lova?

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  12. the whistle is still totally unknown here,thank god ! It reminds me of a Rossy song that goes:" your culture, we know. However, it's not sure whether you'll catch ours." ( I spare you the original malagasy lyrics because I will butcher the spelling.) I am only a DC wannabe, I live in always-hectic Lafayette, IN. :)

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  13. Anonymous5:30 PM

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