Talking With Tina

I wrote a book! Well, not a full-length novel, but a book nonetheless. It's a children's book titled Talking With Tina. I know that I don't have a publisher, illustrator, or even a clever pen name, but I do have a few rhyming lines and good takeaway message. Just use your imagination to visualize your 1st Grade teacher reading you this book, rhyme by rhyme, with the proper pauses in-between to make sure that everyone gets a good look at the captivating illustrations (preferably in the style of The Very Hungry Caterpillar).

This story captures my longing and struggle for companionship in a place where communication can be, in a word, difficult. I know that this concept rings true for many of my other volunteer counterparts in Madagascar and around the world, and I hope that it also is relatable for those of you reading back home. However, as you will find out, you don't always have to be able to communicate to be able to build relationships in a place such as this...

Talking With Tina

By Nicholas Sutherland

I have wondered far and I have wondered wide.

I’ve gone up mountains and I’ve surfed the tide.

People, places, food that smells rad.

Around the world, many adventures I've had.

But now, I suppose, I just have the notion

to go to an island in the Indian Ocean.

This place that I'm going is amazing, you see!

It's called Madagascar, and it holds the key...

...to adventures with flowers and fauna galore.

With lemurs and geckos and oh so much more!

But now that I'm here, when I look around,

cows, pigs, and chickens are all that I’ve found.

I can find these animals wherever I go!

It seems kind of lame, but, you know...

...there is this one cow that I milk everyday.

She prefers the name Tina just like Mrs. Fay (Tina Fay).

Tina's great to talk to and always listens well.

She doesn't care that I'm American or even that I smell!

When I ask, "Vaovao?" which means, "What is new?"

she always turns her head towards me and lets out a hardy, "Moo."

She is indifferent to my topic, yet listens intently.

She likes it when I rhyme, and likes it when I don't.

Tina's not the only one that I like to talk to here.

I'll say hello to any creature that happens to be near!

Conversing with cows and pondering with pigs.

Chatting with chickens, while I imitate their jigs.

Ramblings with rabbits and dawdling with a duck.

Even wonderings with worms if I have any luck.

If talking with Tina has taught me one thing,

it's that everyone always has something to bring...

...to any conversation, though the topic depends.

You don't have to understand to still be friends.

The End