MANOW-OWN FROM MADA!!!

North side of Antananarivo (Tana)  coming from the airport. Rice fields and stacks of red brick galore.

Manow-own (hello) from Madagascar!!! After an extremely long trip, I landed safe and sound on Tuesday afternoon in this beautiful green paradise. Flying from Johannesburg to Mada was so surreal. I had never seen the east cost of the African continent before. We were hugging the shoreline of Africa until we were midway up Mozambique. When the small plane finally flew over the island, I smiled like a kid in a candy store, I couldn't believe this was finally happening!

Eastern coast of Mozambique

The smell of the air as I stepped off the plane was sweet and wet. As I scanned the open land around me, I could see a patchwork of storms brewing, though above me the sky was clear. It's cyclone season in the summer months here and the storms come and go in minutes: short, but mighty. Good thing I love rain!

After getting my visa and going through customs, I waited eagerly for my bags which had a promising shower and delicious pair of fresh clothes waiting for me after 36 hours of travel. Waiting...waiting...waiting...hm. What a better time then now to adopt the country's philosophy of MORA MORA (similar to 'little by little', 'wait a minute', 'be patient') as I had to accept the fact that my bags and all my equipment had not joined me on the plane. I was instantly reminded of my Peace Corps days in Morocco and how slowly things move in other countries, Mada was no exception.


As I stood there in the airport, the kindest smile came walking toward me with a little piece of paper with my name on it. "Are you Jacqueline?" he asked "Rocky!" I said. I was so excited that the 'rendé vous' aspect of the airport was complete. Rocky has been my contact in Mada. He works with the Cal Academy of Sciences (CAS) as an eager botanist and corespondent to visiting researchers like myself. We slowly meandered over the baggage office to report my missing luggage, but in his company and with More Mora in my mind, I didn't care. I was just happy to be here and to have a bed to go to.

Views from the car on the way to CAS station in Tana

During the drive the Tana my eyes were wide open as I absorbed the world around me. Madagascar is a very poor country. Roughly 77% of the population live below the poverty line, and the economy has been steadily suffering for over a decade. Despite this, people here seem so kind and respectful. I couldn't help but notice that women roam and dress the way they please, and work alongside men equally. It is always refreshing to see respect among people.

RICE IS LIFE here in Mada. While flying over the land I could spot rice patties for miles reflecting the clouds from the sky. People here eat rice three times a day everyday, and I plan on eating a ton! My first batch was of the popular, but more pricey red rice which has a rich almost bean like flavor to it.

Yesterday Rocky took me to the Tana herbarium and zoo which are all situated together next to the research station. The whole area I am in is called Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (P.B.Z.T.). The zoo is pretty big for being in the middle of town and the herbarium was incredible!!! Over 140,000 specimen of 270 families of plant all from Madagascar, a tropical botanist dreamland. I couldn't help but check out some of the orchids myself of which there are tons and more being described all the time. Yet, not a single fungal specimen in the herbarium, though everyone seems very keen on changing that soon. ;)

The two days I have been here have been amazing. The team and I have developed a plan of attack on the mushrooms of Madagascar. We have two trips planned, one to Ranomafana National Park and the other to the east coastal rainforests of Vohimana and Albima. It will be a wonderful trip!

Upon discussing the plans for the month the local mycologist, Emile Randrianjohany, took me aside and wanted to develop a more sustainable collaboration with SFSU and CAS in terms of mycology! I love building bridges and networking, so I hope that this trip is a beginning to a new and fruitful (literally) frontier of mycological exploration and continued research. Yay mushrooms! Yay science! Yay!!!

Me in front of my little home and research station: CAS

 P.S. It has been confirmed that my bags are in country, but I will have to wait until tomorrow to get them along with my dear friend and colleague Danny Newman at the airport. Until then I will turn my clothes inside-out. :P