Rachel, still in the capital for a day or two, waiting for a plane back to her banking town, just sent this email:

Hi Mom & Dad,

Sorry I missed talking to Mom yesterday. [Mom was going out just as Rachel called and had to leave much as she would have liked to hear Rachel’s voice.] Reception cut out on Dad and I didn’t get the messages he left until this morning.

Yes, here on the plateau I have been saying a lot of tratry ny taona [Happy New Year in Malagasy]. In my region everyone Betsimisaraka just says “bonne annee“. On the plateau I have come to learn that when people say “aiza ny bonne annee” they are not kindly asking me where I spent my New Year’s. Instead, it means “where’s my New Year’s cadeau, huh?” [T explains: a sort of tip, ensuring good treatment during the coming year]

Trying to talk my friend into going to Blanche Neige for ice cream when we’re done in Analakely. [Analakely is the market area at one end of the main street of Tananarive. Blanche Neige is an ice cream parlor at the other end, near the train station; has been there for about 40 years. Rachel’s dad took her big sister and brother, then 8 and 6, there for vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce in early 1977. It was a truly momentous treat since they had never, ever had a sundae, nor been in an ice cream parlor in Madagascar, though they had had Baskin and Robbins’ cones in the US on visits.]

Just got back from the WWF headquarters in Tana and picked up Vintsy magazines in French and Malagasy for my students, to go with your donations [20 issues each of the three magazines published by National Wildlife Federation, which NWF kindly donated to Rachel, to be sent out to her soon to use as texts in teaching conservation in schools around V]. Tomorrow will visit the education coordinator at Wildlife Conservation Society [for whom Rachel works part time] Tana office.

Much love,
Rachel