Countryside

Today I drove from the Capital, Antananarivo, to a city about 3 hours to the south, Antsirabe, for the weekend. I was interested by all the small villages and groups of houses that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. These communities seem to better represent what I imaged Madagascar would be than the capital or Antsirabe. They didn’t seem to have power or running water. The people that live there rely on the land to survive.

Another thing that I noticed is that there were not any roads leading to the houses. I realized that there was no need, the people simply walked or took bikes. We would drive by people walking along the road or biking along the side. They don't depend on cars; they just transport themselves with their own energy.

I was envious of simple lifestyle these people seemed to lead. I understand that there are obvious downsides, but appreciated their connection to the land and to nature. They do not rely on all the technology I do to survive. If I don’t have my phone with me I get anxious, they don’t depend on thing I depend on. It was interesting to see the contrast between those that live in the countryside and those that live in the cities. These people are content with their lives although they don’t have all the technology that others do.