Sell, Sell, Sell!

Recently, during one of our language lessons, I was thinking about how many words the Malagasy have that are related to selling. They have names for different shopping locales, the marketplace (tsena) or the small shops along the street (mangazay). But they also have names for the various sellers according to what they sell. There is the fish seller (mpivaro-trondro), the bread seller (mpivaro-mofo), the meat seller (mpivaro-hena), the fruit seller (mpivaro-voankazo), and on and on it goes. Thankfully, most of these words have the same root which makes learning the language a little easier.

This morning, as we walked home from our language lesson, I was marveling once again at everything one can buy on the street. I'm beginning to become more accustomed to the sight but every once in awhile, I can't help but say, "Daniel, look! There's a blender! And there's a hair straightener!" You can buy extension cords and super glue, sunglasses and hats, jeans and shirts. They don't have a shopping mall in Tana, but I guess that's because you can buy anything you need along the street!

We are particularly intrigued by the street food for sale. You can buy a cup of coffee, thick with sweetened condensed milk, from a vendor strolling along the street. You can also buy a glass of fresh fruit juice. The only catch is that if you didn't bring your own glass or cup, you'll have to use one provided by the vendor, and the washing of dishes isn't a reality in such a mobile business.

Some of our favorite foods are the bonboncoco (the coconut cookie I am pictured with in a previous post) or mofo mangazo (manioc with ground peanuts rolled into it) which we buy from children in a little shop. They get a laugh out of our Malagasy and we enjoy delicious treats along with a chance to practice our language. The relational culture of the Malagasy which is so apparent in their constant buying and selling is an open door for us to engage in their lives. We really enjoy these interactions and look forward to being able to get to know them on a deeper level.