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Saturday, June 5, I went hiking in Ambohitrabiby. Before going up to the Palace, we visited a family who works on producing silk. A man had explained the process of silk production. I really loved it because it was the first time for me I could see how it works.
They place the silkworm moths to lay eggs on a paper. After about 10 days, when the eggs hatch, they cut mulberry leaves into little pieces to feed the larvae. A month after hatching, the silkworms stop eating and spin their cocoons. Some cocoons will be kept to allow them complete their life cylcle for the silkworm to lay eggs again and ensure continuation of the species. The other cocoons will be used for the silk production.
The cocoons are poured into a big pot of boiling water for 10 to 15 min. to dissolve the gummy substance that holds the cocoon filament in place. This will make the filaments of some cocoons join. These filaments are then ready for reeling.
I noticed that their methods were simple and the machines they used were old and traditional ones. But the silk they made was just… NICE. It was quite expensive; one meter of silk costs 50,000 MGA. Imagine how much my sis in law would spend for the tablecloth she wanted to order! Anyway, I think it is normal if you could see the thousands of cocoons they used to make it.
the silkworm moth
For the first time in my life, yesterday, I made blood donation.
I wanted to go hiking with the association ‘Femmes Médecins de Madagascar’ - AFMM (Women Doctors of Madagascar). Before the departure, the AFMM organized a blood donation so everyone who was taking part into the hiking plan was invited to do so. Not many people were willing to make it ‘cuz they were worrying about the effort that they would still have to do for the 12 or 13 kilometers of walk and climbing. I would not deny that I was worrying myself but I really wanted to make this blood donation ‘cuz I believe doing so may save a life.
So I registered my name. They checked my weigh (OMG I don’t wanna talk about this 
) and my blood pressure . A doctor had asked a lot of questions about my health if I took medicine the day before, I had flu, I had headache… Result: I was able to make blood donation (not like five other people in the group).
I was the last person ‘cuz it was a lil hard for the doctors to find my vein ( they made two holes in my arm 
). Yesterday, I gave 300 ml of my blood. One of the doctors asked how many people took part into the blood donation. They were kind of happy when they knew that we were fifteen.
A lil comment for everyone else who was afraid of getting too tired ‘cuz of blood donation. There was no need to worry because yesterday I was really okay during the hiking (and kind of proud of myself )
I will get my card next week so I can be part of those who make blood donation regularly.
My Mom was always ready to help everyone as much as she could. And sometimes I got angry ‘cuz many people were taking too much profit on her kindness. But the story I’m gonna tell you has changed my mind.
My mother owned a school. There was a very poor woman who couldn’t afford to pay the scholarship fees of her daughters. As the two girls were supposed to have their first academic diploma; my mother was too sad not to let them have the chance to do this exam so she tolerated them. Luckily, the two girls passed the exam and got their CEPE (the diploma). The little family came and thanked a lot my mother for her generosity. They also explained that life in the Capital City is not for their good so they would plan to go back to their countryside where at least they can have their own home and land.
My mother kept on helping people by giving them food, a little money, little jobs… But one day, we were the ones who needed help. We were completely broke on that day. It was 11.00 a.m., but we had no money to buy foods for lunch. We started worrying we would miss lunch. My parents went and tried to borrow some money with some friends and relatives but none could help.
Amazingly, two people came. The man was carrying a bag of rice that he offered my mom. The lady said, you were too nice with us letting our kids study when we were so broke. We know these are not enough but here are the crops of our land: some rice, some greens and manioc.
A little late than usual, but my family could have lunch on that day. Who would have ever believed that the poor lady that we used to help would be able to help us someday.
As Moonlightgirl said:
