What's in a name

Sarah Rachel Cecilia Adam. That’s what my name is. Most people call me Sarah. My family calls me Rara. I’ve also been called “Sar Bear”, “Bear”, “Adams”, and “Sella”, but mostly Sarah. 

Upon first arriving to Madagascar, I was known as “vazaha” (foreigner). Even just walking down the street I would lose track of how many times I heard “VAZAHA!”, “Bonjour Vazaha” (because most assume I’m French),  and “Salama Vazaha!” I tried to ignore it and not let it get to me. But when I moved to site and started exploring around my community, I introduced myself to people in hopes that they would know my real name. “Sarah no anarako” (My name is Sarah). And then I’d ask for their name in return… but I usually forgot it unless I wrote it down. Some Malagasy names are long and challenging to remember. This all started with the children – as in my blog from October said, I would try to make friends with them first because they would be patient with my terrible Malagasy… and we most likely had the same maturity level.

 It started with the children, but somehow word spread about this white girl who wears the same 3 skirts and has weird looking shoes (chocos). And her name was Sarah. 

Now as I walk through the streets and say “Salama” (hello) to the familiar faces in my community, there’s always someone who yells “SARAH!” {But they make the “a”s long- like “ah”, emphasizing the second “a”, and roll the “r”}. It’s funny because they don’t even usually say hello. They just yell my name, sometimes over and over again until I’m out of sight. And I think it’s absolutely beautiful. 

When I go downtown or to other parts of Tana, I definitely still get “vazaha”-ed at. That probably won’t change. But what matters to me is that the people I see on a regular basis know my name and call my by it. It’s something so simple. But so meaningful for me.