Category: Students

Field notes #11

11/30/2023

Text by Fetratiana Rakotomanga

Before telling about our adventurous fieldwork, I want to say that I feel lucky to have this opportunity to work with my mentor Katherine Culbertson on the project. At first, I did not plan to apply at all because of the fear of not being capable, or not good enough for that type of project.
With the help and advice from my closest friends and my family, I decided to try and have no regrets for taking that opportunity, which has given me the chance to meet and work with extraordinary people.

Fetra and local botanical expert Edouard pose with a waterfall on the hike to Marojejy’s summit (PC: Katherine Culbertson)

We began our wonderful way in Antananarivo (Tana), where I met my mentor and several other members of the Razafindratsima lab. These connections and planning meetings set a strong foundation to strengthen our knowledge, skills and experiences. Our fieldwork had two different parts, the first month was held at KAFS or Kianjavato Ahmason Field Station, Vatovavy region. The place was calm and peaceful. The friendly team we worked with made it more pleasant too. We had the chance to participate in one of their plantation events in a large gap surrounded by forest.

KAFS reforestation coordinator Romuald demonstrates how to plant a sapling at a restoration site near Tsitola forest (PC: Katherine Culbertson)

The day’s work is finished at the Tsitola restoration site

The astonishing view from famous mountains such as Sangasanga and Vatolahy shows how the complex and interesting landscape might influence the vegetation, especially the view from the top of Vatovavy, the region’s namesake. That view was memorable. The 11th of August, we left Kianjavato, heading to Marojejy.

Landscape views from the top of Vatovavy mountain (PC: Fetra Rakotomanga)

We were sad to leave the great team at Kianjavato but Marojejy National Park still held a special gift for us.

Part of our field team (Fetra, Kat, Edouard, and Dezy) pose for a photo in Marojejy National Park (PC: Frederic Ramahavita)

The place changed but the good vibes remained as we worked with our botanist and local guides. I would like to take the chance to thank all of them – Dezy, Edouard, Fred, Richard, and Rabesahala - who helped us gain more experiences and skills. For example, I learned to identify some species by their distinctive characteristics, like “rara” with red sap like blood (“rara” means blood in Malagasy) and many more. They use vernacular names and morphologic criteria to identify the tree species, which contributes important value to scientific study.

I enjoyed the contrast between two weeks inside the humid forest and two days in the city of Sambava. Staying in the forest felt like spending two weeks in paradise, as our guide Dezy always says, and then we came back to the civilization again for two days for supplies. Do not let me forget to say that the song of the stream and all the birds near every camp that we have been in gave us sweet dreams after hard work. I can say that I loved our fieldwork! Thanks also to our collaborators at Lemur Conservation Foundation (LCF) who gave us magnificent days near the ocean when we were out of the forest.

Having a guide that is specialized in mammals and amphibians increased considerably our chance to see many endemic frogs like Mantella sp., Boophis sp.; reptile like Brookesia, almost all iconic birds and amphibians that Marojejy is known for, and also the “bokimbolo”: Hapalemur occidentalis that we can see very near at Camp 1. (Photo 6)

The road became impassable for vehicles on the way to one of our Marojejy field sites, Andongozambe, so we hiked an extra 5km on foot (PC: Fetra Rakotomanga)

A bokombolo (bamboo lemur, Hapalemur occidentalis) snacks on bamboo near Camp 1 in Marojejy (PC: Katherine Culbertson)

Before leaving the first site, we made the hike of 5.1 km and over 4,000ft in elevation to the “sommet” the two last days. On our way, we saw the Helmet Vanga : Euryceros prevostii. We spent a night in camp 3, a very cold and quiet camp it was. We did not feel very lucky arriving at the top with rain, but it was and will always be a part of the adventure and still we had a wonderful experience.

Sadly, during our fieldwork, we also witnessed many activities that threatened the ecosystem including forest clearance, wood harvesting and some lemur traps. These activities can have a huge impact on the biodiversity that the park shelters. Much work has been done before to try to prevent these illegal activities and conserve the forest, but there is still more to do, so we encourage you to stand with us for the sake of our nature. These ongoing threats to biodiversity show us up close how reforestation (the main research of my mentor) is important.

Unfortunately, illegal harvest of precious woods, like this tapika tree, is not uncommon within the park (PC: Fetra Rakotomanga)

To wrap up, I want to thank my mentor first for all of the knowledge and skills that she taught me during the fieldwork, and for continuing to mentor me on the development of my research now. The guidelines she gave have helped me build the first criteria of being a scientist as I advance through the first big steps of my career. Second, a big thanks to Dr Onja Razafindratsima and her lab for their hospitality. I was quiet and a little shy at the beginning when I first met the lab, but they never made me feel outside the box. They are very open to everyone and close to each other, so that it does not feel like a lab but a scientific family where you can grow as a seed in a healthy community.

Fetra enjoys a cup of tea in the forest (PC: Katherine Culbertson)

There is always a starting point for everyone but do not let that make you feel that you are not good enough. There will always be people who have already gone through your stage willing to help you, so I just want to say: “take the chance, give your best and enjoy”.

Field notes #10

10/13/2023

Text by Jessica Stubbs

Even in my initial meeting with Onja and first time entering the scientific arena of the Razafindratsima Lab, I was dreaming of Madagascar. The lab’s fluorescent lights transformed to a warm forest glow, the office chairs into exalted Rahiaka trees, and coffee mugs into prodigal epiphytes. I knew the Razafindtratsima Lab would soon become my ecological haven, a space of immense scientific curiosity and professional cultivation. Propelled by the unparalleled guidance of Jade Tonos and galvanized by the extensive data accumulated by the lab, I conducted my Honors Senior Thesis. With every data point I analyzed, scientific article I consumed, and ArcGIS visualization I inscribed, the magnetism of Madagascar intensified. My burgeoning zeal to experience the ecosystems I had studied through the corridors of academia and investigated through the glow of my computer had fortified into an urgent scientific ambition.

Jessica holding a rufous mouse lemur in Ranomafana National Park

Thus, when the lab offered me the opportunity to become a Field Technician in Madagascar, I felt as if I was finally able to realize my ecological decree and ameliorate the dissonance between my most profound academic passion and personal experience.

Armed with robust rubber boots, a plethora of ambiguous antibiotics, and an inexplicable sense of loyalty to the ecosystems and lemurs I was yet to meet, I was ready for anything. The first week in Antananarivo was a vibrant and kinetic rush of unfamiliarity and culture. Scouring the teeming markets for field supplies, absorbing my first words of Malagasy, and ambling along the restless streets was exhilarating. Most exuberant, was having the momentous privilege to experience lab member Vero’s wedding. Dancing in effervescent swirls of Malagasy family members, consuming heaps of aromatic ravitoto, and reveling in the cultural exuberance of the wedding traditions was a singular experience of exceptional joy. The entangled vibrance of Antananarivo was a sensorial introduction to Madagascar and only a nascent glance into the incredible country I was soon to explore.

Landscape on the way to Ranomafana (photo by Onja R.)

While driving to Ranomafana, the boisterous contours of the city melted into expansive verdant hills, imbricating agricultural fields, and meandering brown streams. The landscape was punctuated by lines of laboring zebus, rich piles of fresh bricks, intimate huddles of market sellers, opinionated discourses among geese, and clusters of enthralled children.

After ten turbulent hours drinking in the amorphous scenery from the car window, we arrived at the ValBio Research Station perched in the hills of the Ranomafana village. Settling into Valbio felt akin to reuniting with distant relatives. I ostensibly felt a powerful undertow of deep kinship while meeting the fellow researchers as we all seemed to vibrate with a similar reverence for the ecosystem and space we were occupying. Science innovators, field technicians, international students, and Malagasy conservation practitioners created a space infused with passion.

View of Ranomafana rainforest (photo by Onja R.)

After a few days gathering our supplies and coordinating our research objectives, we set off through banana fields and up arboraceous mountains to our campsite to begin the real work embedded within the forest.

our campsite in Ranomafana (photo by Kat Culbertson 2022)

Our campsite was tucked into a high forest, adorned with misty condensation and opaque with fragrant smoke from the kitchen. After warm introductions with camp members and satiating piles of rice and beans gilded with spicy Malagasy sakay, I settled into my tent and felt an inexplicable sense of belonging in this novel environment with my newfound family. Daily life at camp distilled down to a very simple equation, one that soon revealed its agency to sharpen intellectual focus, foster scientific curiosity, and promote ontological reflection.

Meals consisted of rice and beans, showers were taken in the river's embrace, purpose was found in the lemurs, and community thrived among the people and biota around us. The endless onslaught of news cycles, inundation of messages and emails, and perennial duty of academic and professional tasks faded into the immediacy and immensity of the forest. The profound reduction in external stimulus honed my abilities as a conservation practitioner and allowed my somatic and cerebral capabilities to unify in the research, questions, and wildlife that enveloped me.

Every morning we transformed into tactical lemur detection machines. During daily eight-hour lemur follows we traversed every path the lemur journeyed, measured every tree they nibbled, collected every fecal deposit they generously left behind, and recorded every behavior they displayed. Wading through rivers, ascending ridges, and scaling peaks, our team became unwavering instruments of observation and scientific crusaders of conservation. We quickly fused to the habitual cadence of the lemurs and the pulse of the ecosystem. When the lemurs flew through the forest, we raced behind them and when they napped in the canopy, we rested on the forest floor. Becoming embedded within Madagascar’s natural vivacity was truly an enveloping practice in ecocentrism, one filled with deep intrigue and profound joy.

Everyday was met with a multitude of novel lessons, inspiring curiosities, interminable giggles, scientific inquiries, lemur connections, persistent leeches, and legions of rice and beans. Never before had I possessed so few material effects and external comforts, and yet felt so fulfilled. My mind was kinetic with research ideas, empirical conquests, and experimental propositions. After lemur follows, we would march to the lab (a makeshift arrangement of tarp and sticks) and dive into preparing fecal samples with multiple treatments to delineate how the lemur microbiome affects seed germination rates. Conducting innovative science in the middle of the forest truly instilled the importance of embracing constant agility, improvement, and adaptation in an environmental arena of finite resources and unlimited stochasticity. As an emerging conservation practitioner, these experiences fortified my scientific problem-solving dexterity and imprinted an enduring zeal for advancing research on the front lines of conservation.

Beyond catalyzing the counters of my intellectual prowess, the endogenous connections and palpable kingship that developed with the lemurs and fellow field technicians were transformative. Camp members and field technicians became an instant troop of unwavering loyalty. Hundreds of hours spent in the forest welded us together interminably. Picking leeches off each other, sharing meals under the canopy, teaching plant varieties, exchanging languages, and collectively immersing in the centripetal intrigue of the lemurs infused every lemur follow with an immensity of supportive reciprocity. Back at camp, the enveloping sense of community transcended challenging conditions and crystallized into interrelational wisdoms, connections, and understandings. Playing dominos with fierce determination, boldly pioneering novel food concoctions, piling around the fire, and passing jugs of steaming burnt rice water around the table were liminal moments of enduring warmth.

Punctuating our time at camp were both restful and exuberant sojourns at the ValBIo Research Station. There, we extracted DNA by processing our fecal samples utilizing advanced laboratory techniques. In the lab, I sharped my pipetting precision, gained confidence mixing fragile chemicals, and advanced my ability to curate immaculate lab playlists to foster the ideal musical feng shui for science. Spending afternoons in the lab, meals with impassioned researchers, and evenings organizing supplies and trading lemur stories with volunteers further reinforced my avidity and esteem for the imperative research we were conducting. From skillfully collecting lemur fecal deposits from the forest floor to methodically purifying and extracting genetic information from samples in the lab, I was developing a comprehensive understanding of advancing conservation research.

By the time I boarded my flight back to Berkeley, my planetary ambitions and personal pursuits had been perennially fortified in the forests of Madagascar. Every connection and curiosity inscribed by Madagascar underscored my resolve and urgency to effectuate critical conservation action. I was overcome by an immensity of gratitude and a profound sense of obligation. The last three months had imbued a steadfast faithfulness and a fierce loyalty to the ecosystem in which we had surrounded our lives for the last three months. Every lemur became kin, every team member an ally, every lab mate a teacher. Each moment in the forest and lab was saturated with a profound sense of meaning and duty. Every lemur follow and data entry carried the weight of the whole species. Living and operating with such thoughtfulness and allegiance is the paramount lesson I will imprint into the futurity of my professional ambitions and personal crusades.

Field notes #9

8/11/2023

My Forest Adventure: Ten Weeks of Discovery and Learning

Text by Diary Randriamora, a Malagasy student who spent last summer working with our research group in Ranomafana through the National Geographic Society's STEM Field Assistant Mentorship program

I spent ten weeks in the rainforest of Ranomafana, Madagascar, working on a research project about lemurs and their environment. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. In this text, I will share some of the highlights and challenges of my forest adventure.

One of the challenges I faced was communicating in English with the American researchers who were part of the project. English is not my native language, and I was not very fluent in it. However, I didn’t give up and tried to learn from them. They were very patient and supportive, and they helped me improve my language skills. As a Malagasy proverb says, “tsy misy mafy tsy laitry ny zoto”. (lit. meaning: nothing is hard with diligence).

Diary in the rainforest of Ranomafana National Park

Working in a rainforest that rains a lot is itself also very challenging. One day, we had a heavy rainstorm on our way to our campsite in Valohoaka. The rain was so strong that it soaked my rain boots and made my feet swell. I also had many leeches stuck to my feet, which was very unpleasant. But I did not let that ruin my mood, because I knew that rain was essential for this tropical forest ecosystem. I embraced the adventure and enjoyed every moment!

Diary holding a red-fronted brown lemur

One of the things I enjoyed the most was watching lemur captures and holding three different species of lemurs: Eulemur rubriventer, E. ruffifrons and Varecia variegata editorium (my favorite!), as a team of veterinarian and technicians checked their health and put GPS collars on them. It was the first time in my life that I touched a lemur, and I felt a strong connection with these amazing animals.

I also enjoyed following and observing the lemurs’ daily activities every day. I learned a lot about their behavior, diet, social interactions, and adaptations to the forest environment. Sometimes they would run away too far and I would lose sight of them, but that was part of their natural instincts. I also appreciated the opportunity to discuss scientific articles with my mentor Dr. Razafindratsima and another student participating in the research program; such healthy discussions helped me get a better understanding of various ecological concepts and think about future research.

Diary surveying seedlings under a seed trap

I came home feeling inspired and ready to go on the next adventure. One of the things that inspired me the most was the story that my mentor shared with us about her experiences and how she achieved her goals as a researcher. She also gave me valuable advice and feedback, improving my research skills.

Diary watching lemurs in Ranomafana NP

I also participated in a new project that the lab set-up to gain a better understanding of plant-frugivore interactions in the system. This project involved both field work and lab work. It was also the first time that I did some practical lab work, such as using a pipette to measure samples. I was nervous at first, but Dr. Tonos, who also mentored and trained me along with Dr. Razafindratsima, was very helpful and encouraging.

I have a message for those who love research like me: don’t be afraid to try something you like and see as beneficial for you because there is always a good way behind adventure. Be determined to achieve your goals and don’t let them be just dreams!

Field note #7

9/6/2022

Torrential rain, ravenous leeches, rainforest bramble, and the all-pervasive bean!

Raine Zulueta, an undergraduate student at the University of California Berkeley, shares his field experience working with the field team in Ranomafana, Madagascar.

It all began in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, where I enjoyed a peaceful sojourn complete with a plethora of snacks and, of course, sambos of all flavors! As a week passed and my jet lag began to subside, we were set onto a 15-hour journey down to Centre Val-Bio via car. With roads bumpy, views blurred in passing, the Malagasy sun beamed down to grant us a sunny welcome to Madagascar’s countryside. I particularly enjoyed passing through Madagascar’s many townships settled right beside the nation’s main speedway, RN7, not to mention the herds of humble zebu that would calmly meander alongside the road.

On the way to Ranomafana. Photo by Onja Razafindratsima

Time would pass in the car, and it felt as though I had gained a heightened sense of patience as I took notice of the passage of time. After around 15 hours, complete with dark winding roads up the mountainside, we would eventually arrive. Our legs numb and figuratively full of static, we turned in for two nights to relax before our very first day in the field. This was only the beginning of this two-month journey, and I was more than excited to take my first steps into the rainforest.

View of Ranomafana National Park from the rooftop of Centre ValBio. Photo by Onja Razafindratsima

After becoming accommodated with the mosaic of other individuals at the research station, from inquisitive graduate students, droves of New Yorker undergraduates, and researchers from all over the world, it was time to say goodbye to civilization and head out into the rainforest. Conditions were ideal; the sun gleamed to warm the earth beneath us, reducing the risk of injury by-way-of falling. I, of course, still fell, slipped, and slid, but I felt that this ultimately was all part of the trek experience. Two miles into this rainforest crash course, elevations dipping up and down as we traverse the mountainsides, I began to lose service and all forms of communication to the outside world. Whilst puffing and panting the thin mountain air, I was alarmed. I had never truly been off the grid, let alone in the tropical rainforests of Madagascar. Yet still, motivated by my Spotify playlist, research mates, and the burning desire to sit down, we would eventually make it to Valohoaka, our campsite.

With about 5 miles under our belts, and food on our minds, we immediately make it down to the camp kitchen to set down our bags. With a new feeling of weightlessness I felt able to truly take in my surroundings, rest, and admire both the rainforest and campsite. Valohoaka, or Valo for short, is situated on the side of one of Ranomafana National Park’s many mountains. Visions of tarps of all colors first catch the eye, acting as roofs to provide shelter against the everpresent rain. Each camper occupied their own tent to create what seemed to be a miniature village on the mountainside, reaching capacities that would force new researchers to set up camp near the peak where the plateau rested. With the gracious help of local guides, my tent was established, and before I knew it I retired to a deep slumber. This was home for the next two months.

Valohoaka campsite. Photo by Raine Zulueta

Time would pass, and by mid-July I had reached a rhythm and routine that felt like second nature. I would scurry down to the dining table, consisting of local wooden planks fastened with homely leather straps and cordage, beginning to devour my breakfast typically composed of either meat or eggs, rice, and beans

At around 7:00 in the morning, we would begin to hike to the research site up the mountain, to begin our search for one of the three lemur species within the project: Eulemur rufifrons, Eulemur rubriventer, and Varecia variegata editorum. My responsibility within the project revolved around tracking and taking note of their behavior every five minutes. With my Rite-in-the-Rain handy, I would utilize different codes that would act as shorthand to describe what the lemurs were doing. For example, sleeping was shortened to “SL”, feeding to “F”, and even defecating and drinking water to “D” and “DW” respectively. To help gain experience in the different species, I would be placed onto one of the three different teams every week or so. This entailed mass amounts of learning through the experience itself, which I particularly enjoyed. It was fascinating to take note of the different temperaments and personalities that each species sustained, in addition to the behavioral patterns that would naturally arise.

Eulemur rubriventer (red-bellied lemur). Photo by Raine Zulueta

Data notebook with a chameleon. Photo by Raine Zulueta

One of my fondest memories in the field happened during an Eulemur rubriventer follow. As you can likely assume, it rains quite a lot in the rainforest, and truthfully I expected the same if not more before arriving to Ranomafana National Park. But on this particular day, I had seen rain in a way I had never seen it before. It was truly torrential, hefty droplets of water plummeting at speeds and in sheer volumes unbeknownst to me as a Californian. We were bounding up the mountain, slashing through the rainforest foliage while chasing a red-bellied lemur as it sprung from canopy to canopy. Seemingly increasing in speed, the male lemur swiftly scaled the mountainside, the slashing of brush audibly constant, almost rhythmic. Crossing through ephemeral rivers, waterfalls, slippery rocks and more, we eventually reached the mountain’s peak. Upon our arrival we were greeted by a sight I hold dearly to my heart, what I think made this lemur follow so special: a lone E. rubriventer female sitting in the middle of a clearing, looking up at the canopy and rainfall misting her visage, almost in admiration. While the rain completely soaked all of our belongings, my backpack and rain coat dripping to the touch, I found solace in the cooling relief that it delivered as I found my body fatigued from the scramble up the mountain. This is but one of many memories created, stories encountered, and experiences lived, throughout this field season.

In all of its totality, Madagascar taught me a lifetime of lessons that I am more than grateful to have experienced. It felt incredible to be able to reconnect with nature, rediscover how far I am willing to push myself, and enjoy science for its ability to hone in on what makes our planet so special. As a child I loved to explore, in addition to the natural world, science, and its animals. And by going on this trip, seeing the lemurs, doing research, and feeling like a scientist, I like to think that my younger self would be ecstatic to see where I ended up.

And with a field experience full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and absolutely everything in between, the summer between my freshman and sophomore year transformed into the experience of a lifetime. Entering the project as a rising sophomore, I truly had no expectations.

Raine & Hasina at Valohoka camp

My association with field work, yet alone tropical fieldwork, could be expressed as a blank slate. Lemur research in the tropical rainforests of Madagascar is not where I saw myself five years ago, but I am genuinely more than grateful to have ended up where I did. As niche as this entire summer was, I firmly believe that this trip helped me find myself on levels deeper than I could ever imagine, all while learning what it means to conduct research and contribute to crucial conservation efforts.

Field note #5

4/27/2022

Mpikaroka mankafy manao sakafo anaty ala

Rindra Nantenaina, a PhD student at the University of Antananarivo, affiliated with the lab, shares a story about how she loves cooking in the field ...

Tiako ny misakafo fa mbola tiako kokoa ny miaina ny natiora any an’ala

Rindra no anarako, mpianatra mpikaroka, misehatra manokana amin'ny fifandraisan’ny zava-maniry sy ny biby mpamafy voa/vihy an’ala aho. Anisan'nyy fialam-boly tiako ny mandeha misakafo miaraka amin’ny namana rehefa mitoetra ao an-drenivohitra. Fa mbola tiako lavitra mihoatra an’izay anefa ny misitraka ny fitsokan’ny rivotra madio, ny mahita ireo zava-maitso isan-karazany ary ny maheno ny hiram-borona sy varika sy ny fikorianan’ny rano ao anaty ala.

Nitsiry tany anatiko ny hevitra hanambatra ireo fialam-boliko roa ireo...

Amin’ny maha mpianatra mpikaroka ahy dia matetika aho mandeha manao terrain any anaty ala, manao ny asa fikarohana izay ataoko. Iarahana mahalala fa any ambany ravin-kazo any dia sady alavitra ny tanan-dehibe, no alavitra tsena, ary alavitr’ireo izay mety ho sakafo haingam-pahavitana sy matsiro isan-kazany koa. Vary, voamaina, kitoza, trondro sy atody no sakafo miverimberina isan’andro rehefa any. Tsy hoe ratsy akory ireo (sady ara-pahasalamana ireo no manome hery ampy hiatrehana ny terrain), fa kosa rehefa lavalava ny fotoana anaovana terrain dia mahatsapa leo ihany ny lela sy ny vavony ny farany; hany ka mahatsiarotsiaro ny fihinanana karazan-tsakafo maro miaraka amin’ny namana any an-drenivohitra.

Teo no nitsiry tany anatiko ny hevitra hoe maninona tokoa moa raha ampisiana aty anaty ala aty izany karazan-tsakafo izany e!!! Sady mampiala voly rehefa tsy miasa iny, no manome fahafaham-po ny lela, ary mahavoky ny kibo. Angaha izay ihany, fa sady mizara fifaliana ho an’ireo mpiara-miasa any an-toerana ihany koa, satria vitsy amin’izy ireo no manana fahafahana hiakatra an-drenivohitra sy ho afaka ny hanandrana ny tsiron’ireo karazan-tsakafo ireo.

Dia nanomboka nianatra nanao sakafo aho ...

Ny olana anefa, raha izaho manokana tsy manana traikefa akory amin’ny fanaovana sakafo. Soa ihany fa amin’izao vanim-potoana izao, dia efa mivoatra be ny teknolojia, ka tsy ny asa fikarohana ara-tsiansa na ny toy izany ihany akory no afaka atao any anaty internet fa na ny fanaovan-tsakafo sy ny fikarakarana ao an-dakozia ihany koa, dia tena feno isan-karazany any. Arak’izany dia naka "recette" tamin'ny internet aho, toy ny fanamboarana mofo dipaina, mofo gasy, pizza, sandwich, crepe, cake, hamburger, beignet isan-karazany sns… Isaky ny miakatra miantsena any an-tanan-dehibe dia niezaka nanangona ireo singa rehetra ilaina amin’ny fanamboarana azy ireny aho. Matetika rehefa faran'ny herinandro, na amin’ny fotoana hafa tsy iasany, na rehefa haivariva avy miasa iny no manao sakafo izahay. Dia miezaka mamoaka "menu" iray isaky ny manao. Sady mianatra aho, arak’izany, no mampianatra ireo ekipa miaraka amiko ihany koa. Lasa fifaliana iombonanay ny fiarahana eo am-pikarakarana, maika moa fa rehefa injay vonona ny nahandro ka hiara-komana, dia tena samy finaritra avokoa ny rehetra e! Tsy hoe akory variana nanao sakafo izahay dia tsy vita ny fikarohana, fa tena nanampy anay hahatratra ny tanjona aza ny fiarahana. Ny kibo voky moa ny asa vita ara-dalana. Mampisy firaisam-po sy "ambiance" ary fahazotoana ao anaty asa ny fisian’ny fialam-boly tahaka an’izany.

Lasa fialam-bolin’izy ireo koa ny fialam-boliko ...

Tombony azoko tamin’izany ny fahaizako nampiaraka ireo fialam-boliko anakiroa ireo: misakafo miaraka amin’ny namana sy ny miaina tontolo maitso any anaty ala, no mbola niampy fahaiza- manao ody ambava-fo isan-karazany hanohananay aina nandritra ny terrain. Ho an’ny ekipako kosa indray dia sady nahafantatra no nanandrana zava-baovao (karazan-tsakafo sy ny fanamboarana azy) izy ireo, no voky sy niala voly niaraka tamiko nandritra ny fotoana izay nanaovako niasako tany. Tsy nijanona ho anay teo amin’ny campement samy irery akory izany traikefa sy fifaliana izany, fa nentin’ireo ekipa nody tany an-tranony avy koa, sady dia nazoto nanao fampiharana mihitsy ary ry zareo rehefa tonga any anivon’ny ankohonany.

Hafatra manokana ho antsika mpikaroka

Azo atao tsara ny manambatra ny fialam-boly tiantsika amin’ny asa fikarohana ataontsika, satria manampy betsaka amin’ny fahombiazantsika ao anatin’ny asa izany.
Azo atao tsara koa ny mampisy fialam-boly any anaty ala ambany ravin-kazo, mba hialantsika sasatra rehefa reraky ny asa iny.