Welcome to Sharon’s Nature World – a unique corner of the internet dedicated to the exploration of the world of nature, the nature of the world, and quite possibly the nature of Sharon.

I was hoping to update this site more regularly with videos and stories, however access to email deep in the forest of Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, is limited and impossibly slow. The “internet café,” a tiny shack tucked into the back alley of the nearby village, has alarmingly old computers and a lumbering modem, all of which have been plastered with charming bumper stickers announcing “USAID – From the American People.” These computers definitely rank up there with small pox and syphilis, which I believe were also gifts from the American people at one time or another.

However, despite this white-elephant-party re-gift, the Malagasy people seem very happy to meet, share life and swap stories (as well as illegal software and pirated DVDs) with visiting Vasa (pronounced Va-zaaaaaa). “Vasa,” literally translated to “whitey foreigner,” is what exceptionally cute little children in tattered clothes run up to me screaming, pointing, laughing and then running away. Although feeling a bit used and empty (similar to the exploits of a pathetically unsatisfying one-night-stand), it is wonderful to bring so much joy, so easily, to so many people. I once saw a video of a waterskiing chipmunk and I can now truly relate to his heroic endeavors.

However, this circulation of joy, was not always the case when Vassa entered villages thirty years ago. In 1896, the French arrived to colonize Madagascar. By 1947, there was a bloody revolt and the Malagasy evicted all foreigners from the island. The Queen led the charge by ceremoniously dumping white foreigners off of her balcony. In 1960, Madagascar became an independent country and the Vassa became a cautionary tale. “If you don’t do all of your chores, the Vassa will eat you!” “Listen to your parents or the Vassa will steal you away!” “Be a good little boy or girl or the Vassa will get you in your sleep!” White people, despite being completely absent from the island, where remarkably busy keeping rule amongst unruly children. When Madagascar finally re-opened its doors to foreigners in the mid-1980s, many Vassa researchers and other white-whomevers were greeted with terror.

But, luckily for me, times do change. I am currently living in the very cushy research station of ValBio, spending a month filming the wildlife, science and conservation flourishing in this region for the South Africa production company, Natural History Unit Africa. Local collaborators are a must for all of these endeavors and I already have two amazing assistants, Tina and Velo, who are an integral part to making my videos a reality. Who says a woman can’t hack it filming in the field?! But that rant will be saved for another blog entry, on another special day. For now, I just want to get to town, so I can begin the painful process of uploading this entry to my blogspot. And while I let the good American people and USAID process my technology request, I will walk through the streets spreading the joy of Vassa. And since I have yet to have lunch, I think I will pick up a bad little boy or girl to munch on as I ponder the nature of this wonderful world.