Madagascar

1994–95 • An epic stay in a remote corner of the world, just before the sea change in global communications. I mailed doomed postcards from the dysfunctional post office and made international calls at a public phone station powered by hamster wheels—memories that today make me feel like an old codger reminiscing about castor oil and barbershop quartets. Stayed 6 months with Mark and Marcia, whose incredible hospitality changed my life. Explored most of the island before settling down in the capital city and teaching English with no training and the barest of lesson plans. One measure of how much things have changed since those days: The couple in the wedding photo recently googled my name and sent jpegs of their teenagers via email. I transferred their wedding video to a QuickTime file and put it on a USB drive to send via courier. No post offices or hamster wheels.