conversations. (or, my fat ass, part 2.)

It is exhausting to constantly be on display, never able to blend in to the crowd and go about my business like everybody else. When I walk down the path to buy a loaf of bread, everyone stops and watches me, then comments upon my return, loaf in hand: "Did you buy bread?" This type of rhetorical question used to literally drive me insane. I used to think: Can't you see?! Yes, I have the bread in my hand!

Now I know that it is just a pleasantry. I've taken to it well enough that now when I see someone washing dishes, my first greeting is, "Washing dishes?"

Even so, when I pass by a group of children playing, they cease all activity and stare relentlessly, greeting me over and over and over again, which is nice, but sometimes I am surprised at the level of excitement after seven months of seeing me walk by.

And then there's the whole openness about, well, my fat ass.
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(while drinking coffee, many people sitting around/ milling about)

me to coffee lady: I like your skirt!
coffee lady: You like my skirt? It would be nicer on you, because I am old and my butt is big.
man sitting nearby: Vanessa has a big butt and a nice body.
coffee lady: Yeah she does. Her clothes are nice and her butt is good. Very big!
woman across the street: Vanessa has a nice body, her butt is big, her arms and legs are strong!
(more people look, join in, make comments)
me: umm... yeah... ummm...
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(while sitting around outside a community building the other day)

person 1: Vanessa is getting skinny!
person 2: Yes, she doesn't eat enough rice!
person 1: When she got here, she was big!
person 3: She was very big! How long have you been here, Vanessa?
me: Seven months in Ambolobozokely, nine months in Madagascar.
person 1: You were big when you first got here, now you are getting small.
me: I am not getting small. I am bigger now than I was in America.
person 2: No, it's because you don't eat enough rice.
person 3: No, it's because she was sick.
me: No, I'm not getting smaller! I eat a lot of rice!
person 1: You are a liar.
me: ok...
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(while walking in the forest collecting seed pods, we pass some women)

woman I've never met or spoken to before: You have a good body.
me: Ummm... thanks. What is your name?
woman: Your butt is big, your stomach is small.
me: Ummm.. yeah...
woman: My butt is big too, but I have a fat stomach. I am a fat person.
me: ummm...
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I tried to remain true to the translation of these conversations to the best of my ability, while taking into account that I still don't speak Malagasy very well.

In case you hadn't checked out Part One of this saga, here's the link:
http://vinmadagascar.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-fat-ass.html