Antananarivo, Madagascar

sights, smells, steals

Today completes my first week and a half in Madagascar. I have many thoughts, but I’ll begin by dedicating this post to introducing you to life in Antananarivo.

The family that I am staying with has been amazing. They picked me up at the airport, obtained my visa for me, carried my suitcases, and have put me up in a room of my own. They feed me three meals a day and have made sure I get everywhere I need to go. The first day they said, “We don’t have much for material goods, but we will share our warmth.” That is really what they have done.

A girl my age is serving as a translator for me within the family. She is going to the University of Antananarivo and studying English. She has been an amazing companion on the streets and bridge for me, as the rest of the family speaks little English. She also has a good understanding for which things may be new for me and provides thorough explanations.

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There are certain things that I’ve had to get used to, some of which is specific to the area of the city I am living in, Andavamamba (try saying that three times fast). For example, the water goes out randomly. I learned quickly to check if it’s running before putting a huge glob of soap in my hands. Water is heated on the stove if you want to wash with warm water. The fact that this house does have running water is a luxury which not all have. 20 feet from the house there is a station for those without to fill jugs, which is busy all day. Most homes use charcoal for cooking. This smell, along with burning of trash, I have quickly grown used to. The family has a “helper,” a girl who lives in the house. She hand-washes our clothes, does the dishes, shops, and cleans.

I could sit and observe the streets all day. There are endless tiny stands selling anything you could ever need: vegetables, grains, seafood, crafts, clothing, bricks, charcoal. There are also stands for any service you may require. Need to know your weight? For 100 Ariary you can stand on the scales owned by the woman down the street. Need to print something? There’s a printer stand down the road, where they can also put songs on your phone. You can get your nails filed and painted, or your clothes sewn. Newspapers hang on clotheslines at certain corners and crowds gather to read the headlines. You pass cars, busses, motorcycles, bicycles, hand-pulled and even cattle-pulled wagons. These same cattle are also loose and herded through the streets around where I live. Rice fields can be seen in low areas between neighborhoods. This is the first place I have been in a long time without seeing people with cellphones in their hands at every spare moment.

The public busses are 15-passenger vans that get packed full. You flag one down in the street and enter and exit through the back doors, which are almost never fully closed. A young boy mans the back doors and takes your money, jumping in and out as it moves through traffic. It costs 500 Ariary, which is about the equivalent to 15 cents. My host told me that this is too expensive for many people, as 90% of people in Madagascar live off under $2 a day. I find them so comfortable that I’ve fallen asleep on long commutes across the city.

I have to be very watchful over my personal belongings, as in any foreign country. Madagascar is known for having high rates of petty theft that have been increasing. Foreigners get a lot of attention on the streets, especially where I live. It is something that I am getting used to. Besides the stares, I even got gently poked once as I passed by someone! Yes, sir, I am made of flesh like you. The family is constantly advising me when to put my backpack on front-ways, when to keep a hand on my purse. I’ve been learning how to balance this concern with trust and enjoyment. For the first time in my life I always know where my cell phone is, a skill that I hope stays with me forever…

I wake up to the sound of roosters and children. There are kids everywhere: swaddled up and napping next to their mom’s fruit stand, toddling around with their siblings, running in packs. Running even faster are the chickens. They are quick, fearless things with long legs. There is so much life around me that I don’t have time to feel lonely. I’ve loved getting accustomed to this place and am excited for the next three months of learning.