Money well Spent & Respect for the Local People

I have joked on more than one occasion that I wish I had a camera in my eye so I could blink and take pictures of all the beauty in life around me without looking like a tourist. What I would give for some pictures of the things I have seen over the years in Africa and around the world! I have friends who shamelessly take pictures and videos everywhere. As much as I want photos like the rest of people, I just cannot do it. I feel like I am violating some unspoken rule of respect. I wouldn't want people taking pictures of me in the grocery store, on the street, or in town without asking. A few weeks ago when Dustin and I were wandering around town, we happened upon a smoothie shop.  In French, I asked the store owner if I could "buy-purchase" a photo of their shop. They asked why I wanted to take a photo. I told them I just loved all the colors and variety of fruit lined up. I told them many of those fruits are not available in my home country. There was something about the colors in the midst of the dilapidated market shops, dirt, mud, dust, and open sanitation everywhere that captivated me. The store owner was happy to let me purchase a picture. In French I asked the price. They wanted 20,000 Ariary (Ar) , the local Madagascar currency, which makes around $4.43 USD with the current exchange rate. I laughed and they laughed. They knew it was a VERY high price and thought they could pull one over on me. A few days ago, I posted 2 pictures of the local currency. It is beautiful in itself. There are no coins, only bills in Madagascar. For perspective, here are some local costs:

A tuk tuk ride-local mini taxi across town costs 1,500 Ar around .33 cents USD

An entire pizza costs 29,000 Ar roughly $6.44 USD

A 1.5 liter bottle of water costs 6,000 Ar roughly $1.33 USD

One meter of fabric, so almost 1 yard and 3.37 inches of fabric costs about 3,000 Ar roughly .66 cents USD (yes, I have hit up the fabric market more than once here). ☺  I am excited to have a tailor making me a few items. Enjoy pictures from the memory vault of outfits I had tailor made for mere pennies during my years in West Africa. All the outfits in these pictures were made in Africa.

The donut I found for Dustin a few weeks ago cost 2,190 Ar roughly .49 cents USD

Access to the local swimming pool is 15,000 Ar so roughly $3.32 USD

The Pepsi we found that Dustin could tolerate from Pakistan costs 5,000 Ar so roughly $1.10 USD. He is sad that it’s been unavailable for over a month, although I have, in faith, walked the few miles to the little store every so often in hopes I can find a treat for him. We have not yet found any. 

Pepsi Zero costs 5,500 Ar for ½ liter bottle, roughly $1.21 USD

The grocery store sells a “non-Dustin” approved ½ liter bottle of Pepsi for 3,500 Ar roughly .78 cents USD. The giant snail in the picture with Dustin's "yucky" Pepsi was free and he didn't charge for a pic.

I found salsa for Dustin and a small jar cost 11, 790 Ar around $2.61 USD

Tortilla chips to go with the salsa cost 10,990 Ar around $2.43 USD

A box to take your leftover pizza home costs 2,000 Ar around .44 cents USD

For entertainment, yes, I do very different things for entertainment, but you knew that already, I popped into the local pharmacy the other day. I can buy a wide range of things without a prescription. Malaria treatment costs 24,400 Ar $5.12 USD and many cannot afford that and die from malaria daily. The most common worm medicine called Albendazole, costs 16,200 Ar roughly $3.59 USD. A few years ago I tried to get a dose of this same medicine in the USA. Both are manufactured in India and other locations, not the USA and in the USA it was going to cost me over $400 USD. I looked up the cost of it a few days ago and it was over $900 USD at home, unless you had a coupon from GoodRx! Another common medicine for parasite treatment costs 8,300 Ar, so $1.83 USD. 

It costs 5,000 Ar to ride the local Ferris wheel in town. That equates to around $1.10 USD. Yes, there is a Ferris wheel in town. Which I was shocked with as well, do not be fooled, a Ferris wheel is no indication of a country’s poverty status.  Madagascar ranks at 177th out of 193 nations on the United Nations Human Development Index which measures three basic dimensions: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge/education, and a decent standard of living/income. For perspective, Iceland is ranked at the top, followed by Norway and Switzerland, and a number of other European countries follow with the USA pulling in ranked 17th out of 193! It was never my intention to ride this Ferris wheel. It looks sketchy at best with questionable electricity and structures in town. Yet, to my surprise, I learned it was not powered by electricity at all. It was human powered! Yes, human powered. And much to my squealing as heard in the video, it scared the daylights out of me and I had no idea the men pushing it and climbing among the spokes could move it at such a speed. As my stomach dropped going around and around in circles, I yelled sorry to my ship friends if the zebu I just ate came out of me! What a way to celebrate my friend’s 30th birthday! It reminded me years ago of the adventures we create here to celebrate life. For my own 30th birthday party when I was on the ship in 2012 my friends hosted a “dress like Laura Z” party in the main lounge on the ship. It was hilarious to see my friends; even guys wearing basketball shorts, cut off t-shirts, and bandanas or headscarves just like me. Some people borrowed my clothes and headscarves. Many wore giant hoop earrings like I used to! They represented me well! It was a great way to celebrate turning 30!

I know many of you may be concerned that my sweet Dustin may be growing a man bun at this time. Never fear, he’s been without Pepsi for weeks, but still has his wits about him. He would not let that happen and he braved a local barber a few weeks back.  He got a hair cut for 20,000 Ar which was around $4.43 USD. He wasn't a fan of the extra margin left by his ears, but couldn't put the hair back. He wanted it a little shorter in the front, so chopped off the bangs when he got back to our cabin. Ha.

A one hour massage costs 50,000 Ariary around $11.08 (thank you to the donor who supported me to get this massage, it really helped me get rid of the headache I’d had for over 6 days). 

It costs 300 Ar so 0.07 cents to stand to use the toilet here. Yes, you should have been with me for that experience as well. Being a volunteer here, I am on a budget. I knew it cost money to use the local toilet in town. I drink so much water in town to prevent dehydration in the heat, I knew I could not make it back to the port, and then walk the ¾ miles to the ship without finding a bathroom first. Thus, I went with the cheapest option, less you think I am over here living it up and spending my entire supporter’s money on massages. Not once did I think that there would be stand-up and sit down options for women in the bathroom. That never crossed my mind. I was in for a surprise when I was let into the stall for the pissior. It was not a sit down ride, even though I did get a ticket. See the attached photo. I can’t help but laugh that I got a ticket for the toilet. Well, to stand and drip dry. There was no toilet paper included with the purchase of the ticket.  I told Dustin about that experience and we decided next time I needed the toilet we could splurge and spend the 700 Ar so .15 cents USD so I could sit, although I often choose to hover anyway! Dustin then noted well heck, the sign said it’s only 900 Ar so .19 cents USD for an entire shower, you can do that if you want! 

So, when my smoothie friend wanted 20,000 Ariary for a photo of his shop, which most tourists are not even kind enough to offer to buy a photo, we laughed. I settled on paying him 10,000 Ar roughly $2.17 USD which was the smoothie cost, but I declined the smoothie. I love smoothies and prayed for the sweet little girl enjoying her smoothie. I don’t think my photo captured it, but the fresh fruit was covered in swarms of flies. A lovely older man, who was selling mangos next to the smoothie shop, waved a giant make-shift fan out of plastic pieces back and forth in an attempt to keep the flies away. The water the smoothies were being made with came from an open Tupperware of slightly brown water with flies nearby as well. The gentleman was very thankful for my purchase of the photo and Dustin and I continued strolling down the market. 

I had seen the flower section in the market a few times, but never had the chance to stop by. I asked Dustin if he was willing to go with me. He agreed. As I approached the flower section in the market, the lovely shop owner jumped up and started pulling together a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me. I wanted her to make a living as well, so I asked if I could “buy” a photo of her flowers. In French, I told her we could not take the flowers with us.  In many countries, we are not allowed to bring flowers on board, just like when you are asked in immigration and customs at airports if you are bringing plants, flowers, or fruit in with you. This is for our protection as greenery, flowers, and fresh produce can harbor harmful insects and plant pathogens. It isn’t just about control. I did a research paper on soil transmitted helminthes years ago in my Diploma for Tropical Nursing course. This stuff is legit and you don’t want to mess around with the parasites that can “piggy-back” into your life through what appears to be innocent means. The flowers were beautiful and it cost me 5,000 Ar around $1.09 USD for the picture. The flower shop owner appeared very happy that I paid for a picture of her flowers. 

I still don’t have a camera in my eye as I have wished for years, but over the last few months, I sure have enjoyed times off the ship with Dustin and the adventures we have experienced. Thanks for tagging along. I believe my $3.26 USD was well spent for the photo memories I captured and the respect I gave to the local people I am honored to serve here.