There's No Place I'd Rather Be

Not one decoration, not one costume, and not one mention of the word Halloween. It seems so strange that Halloween has come and gone without it being recognized at all on the ship. It is probably for the best considering it is just a reason to eat candy and get dressed up. Let's be honest, I don't need a reason to eat candy because I just do it anyway and I'm not a big fan of dressing up.
Apart from the lack of Halloween, my experience in Madagascar and on the ship has been pretty nuts this past week or so. The ship has been in Madagascar for one week. A week, that's it. I feel like I have been in this country for ages and on the ship forever. That's not a bad thing, it is just an effect of working, living, and just being in a place where things never, ever, stop. People are working all the time. Even during the night and on the weekends there are people responsible for keeping the generators running that make the electricity work, the water flow, and a whole other list of things that I am not even aware of, even though I reap the benefits of that work everyday. Kids have tantrums, people have bad days, things go wrong; all around us life is happening all the time. I know the same thing happens at home, but for some reason here I am just so much more aware of it. I think it is because it is happening in such close proximity to me and with people I see every single day.
The Malagasy people are incredibly friendly! When I run or walk I always practice my greeting of "salama tompoko" and most people will acknowledge my effort. It is interesting because people here automatically assume that I speak French. I suppose it is because most of the white people they have interacted with in the past have spoken French and they are just going based on their experience.
There are also a beautiful array of fish that congregate around the jetty where the ship is docked. I will attempt to take a nice picture that does the angel fish justice!
Tomorrow I am going to be in church starting at 6:30 am until lunch time probably! A friend on the ship is giving a message to the congregation of a Catholic Church in town and she was told she needed to have someone with her. Please, please, please pray that I don't get antsy and that I can stay calm throughout the two masses. Right now I am trying to get in a mindset for it but I am still struggling to be excited. I hope I will give the people a good impression and that the message about Mercy Ships will be received well.

"We're a thousand miles from comfort, we have travelled land and sea. But as long as you are with me there is no place I'd rather be."

-Rather Be by Clean Bandit

Thank you for being here with me and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!