Most people
will never see Vondrozo in their life, which includes Malagasy people, so I
have compiled a top 5 for what you must see/do in Vondrozo.
#1: The view
of Vondrozo from the hill over looking it in the south
This
is the #1 pick by every Malagasy person asked, as well as my own. Although this view does not give a good view
of the town proper, it does give a good view of the area as a whole. From this vantage point you can see the tree
filled town backed by the Corridor (mountain range) with views of things like
the High School and Middle School, Protestant Church, both the public and
Catholic hospitals, and the Chef de Districts house.
Catholic hospitals, and the Chef de Districts house.
#2: The market on Market Day
There
is a market everyday, but on Monday’s people from all over the district, and
from as far as Farafangana, converge on Vondrozo to sell or buy their
goods. This causes the regular market to
fill shoulder to shoulder with people and to overflow into the street.
#3: The Chef de Districts house and view from his porch
The Chief
de District’s (equivalent to County Mayor)
house is on the top of a hill overlooking the town. The house itself was built towards the end of
the colonial period in Madagascar. The floor plan is still in the earlier
colonial method of having a central air spillway with four rooms, two on each
side. From his house you are able to get
view of all parts of Vondrozo proper.
#4: The Lycee
The Lycee
(High School) makes the list for many reasons.
First, it gives you a view of what schools in Madagascar
look like. Schools here are very rarely
only one building, but are complex of smaller buildings. Vondrozo has electricity only from 6pm – 11pm so all light for the rooms in the
Lycee of Vondrozo come from open windows or doors. The rooms themselves have a blackboard on one
wall and are filled with wooden bench desks.
Secondly, it is the place where I work. And last but not least it is the
site of my house; I live in an old office on the Lycee compound.
#5: The brousse ride into Vondrozo
Though not
technically in Vondrozo itself, the brousse ride to Vondrozo had to make this
list. This ride, 70 km in length, takes
approximately 6 – 8 hours to complete on a good day. The road is one of the worst in the country
and is done in the bed of a 4x4 truck.
The description certainly does not sell the ride at all, and is why most
people will never see Vondrozo, but it must had experience for anyone that
wants to get a feel for the life of the people that live here.
Honorary mention: Circumcision party
Though this
could have easily made the top 5 list, it did not because it is something that
can be seen anywhere in my region, the Sud Est.
Circumcisions are the biggest cultural events in this region and are
means for a huge party. The circumcision
usually happens when the boy is about 10 years old and is a defining moment in
his life. The party itself last for 1 ½ days,
starting usually with just the family and close friends the night before. The circumcision happens at 5am and is followed by a huge party of dancing and
drinking the rest of the day.
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