6/5/2013 We have been here for 30 days! We have been working on extending our visas and that is proving to be So MUCH FUN!!
Everything is corrupt here. We have to go to the Visa people and talk to them about a BRIBE and then.. try to haggle for a lower price. This is just to get to see the Real visa man who can give you the residency card and yes, you have to bribe him too. Currently the first Lady is asking 3,0000,000 Ariary per visa.. so that's $1500 per.. times 5 and that is WAY more money then I want to spend.. We have heard we should be able to get her down as low as 1,200,000 Ariary so $600 per.. that is better
but when you look at I need 5 of them.. its still $3000.. and that is just the start..we can look forward to spending the same amount on our residency cards.. JOY! Somethings I am finding to be very cheep. but the things like a fridge, small 2 burner stove, hot water heater are almost not affordable. They are in almost no ones houses. I am sorry but my little Dar and Allistir are not use to ICE COLD showers.. well not even showers.. pouring cold water on them and washing them and then more ice water.. NOT FUN.. we are still boiling water every night for showers. Blue hooked up the water filter buckets so we get 5 gallons over night. THAT WAS A HUGE HELP!!
6/8/2013 We are still waiting on the selves for the kitchen and the bathroom, and 2 bed frames. Aundry has built them, but we have to wait for paint to dry. (7-10 days with no rain, if it rains your looking at 2-3 weeks) The owner of the house has approved the idea of laying new water pipes, but he does not want to brake the floor. We we are getting the estimate for running then along the walls from the front of the house to the back where the kitchen and bathroom are. WE are also waiting on the OK for the
concrete in the back yard. I'm getting use to going to the market every morning, 4-6 breads (3 in round, 12-18 in long) and dozen eggs. Then we venture in for some kind of meat and veggies. We like our fruit guy, he is always honest with the price and give a few extra pieces. Next to him is where we get our meat and cage range chickens (they are frozen in the AM) There are several
stands that sell the same things, you have to find one that is clean, little flies and who is not going to raise the price cause your white. Lala, our interpreter said yesterday when we were shopping for couch, that we never buys stuff with us, they make it to expensive. For example with his wife we got a blanket for 10,000 Ariary and by ourselves the stating is more around 30,000Ariary
for a USED blanket. does not matter that 30000 is only $15 it is the point. Today is Saturday, Blue is at the priesthood meeting Kenna, Ravo (Lala's oldest son) and some of this friends are going to go around the city, sight seeing from what I gathered. He is a return missionary and is now the 2nd councilor to the Bishop. Dar, Allistir and I are boiling Short Peanuts and getting ready for the youth service project this afternoon, they are coming to clean..(will be interesting, since almost everyone has
a house maid for cleaning and cooking, a laundry maid for well laundry, and some have a maid well a nanny.
I think it is silly when you have a hard time paying for food, but you have 2 or 3 paid maids. But I am told TRADITION!! and I can think is about fiddler on the roof.. TRADITION is not always the way.. is the only ready you do it is cause everyone else always has... well I am off.. Abc is sleep so I have work to do! XOXO
Everything is corrupt here. We have to go to the Visa people and talk to them about a BRIBE and then.. try to haggle for a lower price. This is just to get to see the Real visa man who can give you the residency card and yes, you have to bribe him too. Currently the first Lady is asking 3,0000,000 Ariary per visa.. so that's $1500 per.. times 5 and that is WAY more money then I want to spend.. We have heard we should be able to get her down as low as 1,200,000 Ariary so $600 per.. that is better
but when you look at I need 5 of them.. its still $3000.. and that is just the start..we can look forward to spending the same amount on our residency cards.. JOY! Somethings I am finding to be very cheep. but the things like a fridge, small 2 burner stove, hot water heater are almost not affordable. They are in almost no ones houses. I am sorry but my little Dar and Allistir are not use to ICE COLD showers.. well not even showers.. pouring cold water on them and washing them and then more ice water.. NOT FUN.. we are still boiling water every night for showers. Blue hooked up the water filter buckets so we get 5 gallons over night. THAT WAS A HUGE HELP!!
6/8/2013 We are still waiting on the selves for the kitchen and the bathroom, and 2 bed frames. Aundry has built them, but we have to wait for paint to dry. (7-10 days with no rain, if it rains your looking at 2-3 weeks) The owner of the house has approved the idea of laying new water pipes, but he does not want to brake the floor. We we are getting the estimate for running then along the walls from the front of the house to the back where the kitchen and bathroom are. WE are also waiting on the OK for the
concrete in the back yard. I'm getting use to going to the market every morning, 4-6 breads (3 in round, 12-18 in long) and dozen eggs. Then we venture in for some kind of meat and veggies. We like our fruit guy, he is always honest with the price and give a few extra pieces. Next to him is where we get our meat and cage range chickens (they are frozen in the AM) There are several
stands that sell the same things, you have to find one that is clean, little flies and who is not going to raise the price cause your white. Lala, our interpreter said yesterday when we were shopping for couch, that we never buys stuff with us, they make it to expensive. For example with his wife we got a blanket for 10,000 Ariary and by ourselves the stating is more around 30,000Ariary
for a USED blanket. does not matter that 30000 is only $15 it is the point. Today is Saturday, Blue is at the priesthood meeting Kenna, Ravo (Lala's oldest son) and some of this friends are going to go around the city, sight seeing from what I gathered. He is a return missionary and is now the 2nd councilor to the Bishop. Dar, Allistir and I are boiling Short Peanuts and getting ready for the youth service project this afternoon, they are coming to clean..(will be interesting, since almost everyone has
a house maid for cleaning and cooking, a laundry maid for well laundry, and some have a maid well a nanny.
I think it is silly when you have a hard time paying for food, but you have 2 or 3 paid maids. But I am told TRADITION!! and I can think is about fiddler on the roof.. TRADITION is not always the way.. is the only ready you do it is cause everyone else always has... well I am off.. Abc is sleep so I have work to do! XOXO
P.s. Kenna would love if someone would send her a box of mac-n-cheese! we can get noodles but not cheese that we like. SO CHEEP POWER CHEESE
would be GREAT!! and entire box of it!!! and SOCKS.. (BLACK ones show less dirt)..size 9-12 for Kenna it is so dirty here and not used
sicks are crazy $$ and used one are hard to pick threw..chocolate chips (well any flavor ) are non-existent here. They are all different sizes. Shipping takes about a 30 days.. REMEMBER YOUR
BOX WILL BE GONE THROUGH.. AND $$ THINGS WILL NOT MAKE IT.. ALSO OREO'S NEVER SEEM TO MAKE IT, BUT SKITTLES DO!
Blue Cranewould be GREAT!! and entire box of it!!! and SOCKS.. (BLACK ones show less dirt)..size 9-12 for Kenna it is so dirty here and not used
sicks are crazy $$ and used one are hard to pick threw..chocolate chips (well any flavor ) are non-existent here. They are all different sizes. Shipping takes about a 30 days.. REMEMBER YOUR
BOX WILL BE GONE THROUGH.. AND $$ THINGS WILL NOT MAKE IT.. ALSO OREO'S NEVER SEEM TO MAKE IT, BUT SKITTLES DO!
LOGT 441
CITE-Ambohipo
Antananarivo 101
Madagascar
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