03/08/2025
I wanted to share a few of the amazing critters from the last few weeks here in Madagascar. 🇲🇬
And on a more personal note, a bit of a reflection.
Madagascar, as a country, has been a place I’ve wanted to visit since I could pronounce the word ‘Madagascar’ but a dream has never felt so foreign especially considering I’m living it. However, I’ve found something uniquely homey in the universal languages of community, food, and family.
That being said, my first three takeaways are;
🌱 The biodiversity here is a testament to how little we know about the world we live in. For example, the amphibians of Madagascar are nearly 99% completely endemic, meaning 99% of species are found nowhere else in the world. There are about 426 species of known amphibians in Madagascar today, in 2009 that number was about 244.
🌍 Necessity will overpower change. What I mean is in choosing between feeding your children or protecting biodiversity, the former will win. Solutions must make both not only possible at the same time but harmonious to one another.
🤝 And third, my little host brother didn’t want to go to school this morning. Enjoying a cold b**r with good company after a long day is the optimal way to spend a Malagasy evening. And last, a smile here is the first step to a conversation. You have way more in common with Madagascar than you think.
I’m feeling incredibly grateful for the opportunities my university has granted me in studying here, for the people of Madagascar who have opened their doors, hearts, and homes in such a raw and honest way, and of course, for you, reading my attempt to try to put words to the experience.
So much more coming very, very soon! 🌍🇲🇬💚
