From the Island of Madagascar to France and beyond – Studying and travelling overseas to France, the US and Australia

I am A Malagasy from Madagascar and I would like to share with you my story…

Before anything, you have to understand a few things. I have chosen to write this story in English so that it will become accessible to a wider range of readers. I also have to tell you that, unlike many other writers here, English is Neither my mother tongue, nor my first language. In fact, it is even not my second language, but my third, after Malagasy (my mother tongue), and French, which not only I speak fluently, but which I pronounce extremely well, to a point where a stranger will not even know that they are in fact dealing with a Malagasy and a non-French person probably it has to do with me hanging a lot with French girls (among others) when I was in Europe! I also speak a bit of German, which will prove to be useful when I will be travelling to Germany in december 1999.

At this time that I am writing this article, I am living in Canada….

Before immigrating to Canada, I have had the chance to visit a few European countries during my studies in France, this includes Germany, Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Spain and Sweden. As you already are aware of, I have spent many years in Asutralia to undertake my Post-graduate studies after having obtained mb BBA degree in Philadelphia, in the United States. However, my first oversea experience took place in the southstern part of France, in a city called Lyon (close to Italy and Switzerland).

I have also had the chance to vist Mauritius Island, South Africa, Namibia, Malaysia and China (which I visited on my way to Canada, mainly because the French Embassy in Madagascar made it complicated for us to transit through France as they were asking for a proof of registration for my son here in canada, a document which I could not provide at that time as to get it, one needed to liaise and meet uop with the school team in canada first! We just decided to « avoid » Europe and fly through Asia: The second reason of this « avoidance » was also because our Canadian Immigrant Visa expiry date was too close and I wanted to avoid at any cost that someone at the French embassy « keeps our passport for too long ». I guess we made the right choice and again, later in thios article, I am going to tell you my experiences with different Embassies and how some of them are more « efficient » and proactive than others).  

Now those are NOT countries but I would say remote parts of the the countries where I have been myself. While staying in Australia, I have had the chance to visit Australia's most isolated province, which is the Island of Tasmania (Tasmanie in French), an island which is rich in history - sometimes full of contradictions - and which defines the past if what Australia is.

Now, while being here in Canada, I also had the chance to visit the City of Victoria, which is located on  Vancouver Island (an island off the western coast of Canada and very few notice).From vancouver, one needs to take a 2 hour ferry to get there!

before we go further, let me start with a few pictures, which I have taken myself!

Those pictures were all taken in Sydney, NSW and are mine.

This is a famous intersection near Sydney's central station (taken between 2006 and 2011)

A neighborhood called "the Rocks", located close to the Sydney Opera House. It is known for its fancy shops and restaurants.

This is a famous place called Darling harbour and is close to downtown Sydney

Sydney skylines by night

A tram in Sydney

The Sydney Harbour bridge

and...

a view of the Sydney skylines from Kirribilli, a famous neighborhood in north Sydney!!! My wife and I used to spend afternoons on this park before our engagement!

Below, are pictures from TASMANIA (Tasmanie), off the coast of Australia (picsI have taken around 2010).

This is Mount Cook, which oversees the city of Habart, in Tasmania

This a picture of Hobart (2 hours flight south of Sydney), Tasmania

The famnous "Tasmanian devil", an animal which is endemic to Tasmania (it does not exist on mainland Australia). 

Those are pictures of Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

These are pictures of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) which I took myself (owns pictures)

The UTS Campus on Ultimo road (downtown Sydney) where I graduated with my Masters in Finance many years ago now..

This is Victoria (On vancouver island), the capital of British Columbia, CANADA. Victoria, la capitale de la Colombie britannique, CANADA. La ville se trouve sur une ile!

Pictures of downtown Victoria, vancouver island (We are at about 150 kms southwest of Vancouve and the only way to get there is by Ferry...or fly) - Nous sommes a 150 kms de Vancouver et le seul moyen d'y parvenir, c'est de prendre le bateau ...ou voler! Bien entendu, nous avons embarque notre voiture dans le ferry avec nous (photo du dessous)

 

This is the ferry (2 hours ferryf rom vancouver to victoria) to Victoria, The capital of the province of british columbia, CANADA

This is the crossing from Canada to the United States (feb 2024)

Just a few kms from the US border...

A quelques kilometres avant la frontiere US!

At the US border, about 50 kms south of Vancouver!

Queuing at the US border...

Once in Bellingham, Washington state, USA

The following ones are Downtown Bellingham, Washington state, USA (february 2023)

During my stay in Europe, I have had the chance to date French girls but also, girls from my own country, Madagascar. I have also dated one Australian and one Chinese girl when living in Sydney, but this Article is mainly about other issues including sensitive issues such as Immigration, Economy, Politics, challenges but you will also read about otehr people’s stories and challenges. So this story isn’t just about me.

There are a number of  reasons why I have decided to write about myself, but to make it short, I wanted to give a voice to this part of the world that people never hear about. A also wanted to give inspiration to young Malagasy and more importantly, to people who – like me, felt disadvantaged at a stage of their lives and who never believed taht one day, they would be able to amke it through – Many years ago, when I was a toddler and a teenager, I was an exctremely introverted kid who never dared to ask questions or even oppose someone’s ideas – my grades were affected by it and so was my enture future – I was amde to believe and even told that NEVER, I would be able to graduate or study at University anon top opf that, some of my relatives were less than supportive and kept insinuating that some of my « related cousins » wpould go much further than I will be. Matter of fact is that today, I am the only one who managed to break the barrier and who dared to come and study and graduate with Postgraduate degrees issues by Universities in English-speaking countries. Rermember, English is the third language for a person born in madagascar after Malagasy, and French! Most of my « relatives » and « friends who were not that supportive » all made their journey to a French speaking environment, which again, was quite uusual and ordinary for someone from Madagascar (a bit like an Indian guy who would come to the UK)! Now, by looking back on how timid and how introverted I was and how that triggered the concern of my teachers and parents back then, I cannot imagien that today, I managed to immigrate and work in a Job where I am constantly required to speak up, discuss points and use elaborate answers for every session taht I am conducting in front of many federal employees, most of whom are Anglo-canadians! Not even once in my youngest age, I would have believed that one day, I would be flying away from my homeland, Madagascar, to stand and train people who are much older, and who are very different from the way I look! Not even once, I never dared toi believ that one day, I would even go to Australia to graduate with a Master degree in finance and not even once during my youth, I believe taht one day, I would just leave Madagascar and stay on my own in a country like France without my aprents and without much of a support of any kind (except from my parents and sibling obviously, some of my closest friends in Madagascar and a few uncles and aunts who supported me during my very first long trip to Europe)!

I now realized that I have changed and have become much more assertive, much more confident than I was in my childhood…. probably all of this has started and my real character has emerged since I ahve started to live and study in France! Then…Australia and the rest have done the rest! As I will always say, despiet of what you could read here, I am very grateful to France and to what this country has offered to me and to my parents! I thank the French so much for their nice heart and for everything they ahve done for us! Obviously, I also thank Australia, the US and Canada for giving me those opportunities! And finally, madagascar is the country that probably made me who I am and where I grew up,a nd I also am grateful to my home country!

 

JUST A FEW WORDS: WHY CANADA, AND NOT EUROPE?

There are many reasons why I have chosen Canada as a place to settle. I will be explaining further that I never regretted to have come to France and really love the time that I have spent in this very beautiful country (France); on top of it, I have a great esteem for the French people but that being said, I ahve to say with time, I have learned how to see countries, not in terms of which one is better than which, but more which aspects are best in one country and which ones are less to be appreciated. In Canada, what I find attractive is the level of safety and security that exists here as compared to many European countries; another aspect that made me chose Canada was that unlike many European countries, the Canadians in general tend to be more tolerant about immigration; Linked with that same point, particulalrly here in English-speaking Canada (does not really include Quebec), the notion of cooloured minorities is perceived quite differently than in acountry like France. 

Now surely, racism does exist everywhere, but what I have noticed here in English-Speaking Canada, although there are many visible minorities living here, the notion of « belonging to a minority group» tends to be put in the second plan; reason being that Canada do not have a huge influx of illegals coming into this country and that is probably one of the reasons why most Canadians do see immigrants as future contributors to their economy rather than « foreigners who are going to take away jobs from their own people » like it is the case in many parts of Europe.The next reson why I opted for living here is because of the cleanliness of the environment. Although I loved France, I came to understand that I would not be staying there after my studies, and that, I always knew I have wanted to settle elsewhere one day…or if it were not possible for me to immigrate, I would have opted to stay in Madagascar as I know that down there, me and my wife would have more opportunities – such as operating a business venture (somnething we have already done actually) – than  staying in France or immigrating to Germany, the UK, Italy…or Danemark (to be entirely frank with you, I would rather be living in Madagascar island where I would have much more comfort and more opportunities (like starting a business as I mentioned earlier) tahn living in a country which is… « short on tolerance » (No hard feelings, just speaking the truth).

For me, Europe was just a « passage » but I never wished to remain there, and for me, it ahs always been « Either Madagascar or a place dominated by Anglo-saxons ». My philosophy is actually quite simple: when one immigrates, one contributes by paying taxes and working. It is way better to contribute for a country that respects human dignity, human rights, one’s religion (although I am a Protestant and my wife a Catholic), one’s cultural identity (in Europe, this aspect is sometimes an issue), one’s language. As for me personally, I prefer NOT contributing to a country which :1. is reluctant to condemn systemic racism; 2. gets involved into the internal polictics of the former French/ British colonies in Africa in order to preserve their own (Europe’s) interests by doing so, namely by influencing those countries elections or by even orgqnizing « coups » or political putches to favour one candidate who would be more appealing to France’s (or Europe’s) interests  3.mistreats demonstrators who are just using their rights to protest againts retirement reforms and 4.fails to condemn police violence against those same French people who are just using their rights 5.deals with (french-speaking) African countries as if they were still colonies.

This is probably why I ended up opting for Settling in Canada, and more precisely in the English-speaking part of this nice country where this « relationship with Africa » is very different from what they have in Europe. THis is also partly why (no hard feelings please) I chose not to settle in Canada’s French part, Quebec (although I tend to think that Quebecers do not necesssarliy align with the French governement views and policies). But again, these are my choices, mine …..and only mine! 

Finally, I will never say it enough: I really love the French people and have lots of esteem for France, for its culture, its humour, its movies, and I also love French girls (for date as I decided to marry a Malagasy woman whom I ahve met while studying in Australia)  but what I tend to dislike are French international policies deals with the former French colonies in Africa; I also tend to dislike the politics implemented by the French government in Madagscar (the current issues witht he famous « iles eparses ») and Africa as well as the involvement and shadows of France’s external politics (an heritage from a neo-colonialist French policy which was called « Francafrique ») on the polictical landscape of Madagascar’s as well as many French-speaking African internal affairs and policies (political putches, manipulation of elections for Europe’s main interests. I will speak – very frankly – in amore detailed manner about those sensitive issues further down this article. I will also address – without reserve – about the hypocrisy that surrounds this issue of Immigration in France, but also  in the United States.

I will also explain further why Racism is a real issue and how it can create anger and push people to commit thing or acts that are very hard to describe. I am going to admit to you HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE GROWN UP IN AFRICA (some of you who love Fox News, France’s Eric Zemmour, Sarkozy, Mr Le Pen and Piers Morgan, this British Guy who became famous because of UK’s « sensitive issues » may find this actually strange). In this article, I will explain why countries where ostracism are strong tend to experience a higher level of violence, a much higher « social malaise », depression issues,w hci actuyallys tem from a society where everyone is being considered as a suspect! Despite falling in love with france and despite having dated two charming French girls (among others), I have chosen to leave France and Europe behind and looked for another option. I SURELY DID NOT WISH to stay nor contribute economically in a country that would « doubt » about its immigrants. Interestingly, in British Columbia (Canada), I have always found that most Anglo-Canadians tend to ahve a very different view of immigration compared to people in Europe (like in Denmark), and as a result of this positive perception of immigrants, many (which are referred to as Newcomers here in Canada) feel much more welcomed to be part iof the Canadian society, and as a reuslt, many are more willing to contribute to canada’s economical and social well-being and feel grateful towards a country that opened their doors to them. 

Unlike some places in Europe, we – in Canada – do not have the same level of violence, hate or even extremism that you would experience in places like Denmark, Germany or Belgium; the secret lies probably in the open attitude that many Canadians (french and English Canadians together) adopt towards Newcomers like myself and to me, it should be something Europe must learn from a country like Canada! Unlike some European countries, at least from my perspective and how I have seen it, many immigrants feel welcome and that feeling translates into a very positive views that foreigners hold about Canadiaans in general! This is why we have no extreme issues and social tensions like in places such as Danemark for example …or like in some zones that could be compared to « ghettos » in countries like France or the UK. Those « ghetto zones » which are mined by poverty and racial xenophobia – constitute a perfect electrorate of extreme right-wing politicians, such as France’s Mr. Le Pen, Mr. Zemmour! Very thankfully, here in Canada, we do not have such « people » and I ahve to dsay it openly and frankly….I am glad that I chose this country to settle in!

BUT FIRST LET ME GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS ABOUT MYSELF….,I have mentionned to you that I am from Madagascar and based on that, I am well aware that stereotypes might be used for many to assess me and to assume things they have been watching on Fox News. 

First this is Downtown Vancouver Canada, the city I currently reside. I live in Burnaby, which is about 30 minutes drive from this place (called Canada Place by the way):

CANADA PLACE, VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

But first...

Let's see some pictures of Vancouver and Burnaby (a neighborhood located east of Vancouver)

Let me also introduce you first to the musics I fell in love withat the time when I was studying in France:I really like:

Claude Michel’s songs:

 

Elsa’s songs:

Alizee’s songs 

Bee Gees songs

Those American songs (and many others), I have heard them for the first time in 1984, right after my Dad came back from his internship at MIT in Boston, massachussetts. I will tell more about that too further down. 

For the Malagasy who will be reading this Blog : 

Ho an’ireo Malagasy namana izay mamaky an’ity article ity, dia ny tenanay efa Monina tsara eto Kanada ary miasa tena (fa tsy aman’olona) izahay aty fa hatreto aloha, dia kely dia kely ny hoe niasa taman’olona na tamin’na orinasa. Na izany aza, nanapa-kevitra hiasa amin’na orinasa Kanadiana eto Kanada (aty Kanada moa tsy misy izany hoe karama “expat” izany fa mitovy tsy misy hafa amin’ny karama raisin’ireo tompon-tany ny karama raisinao na dia vahiny aza ianao, izay amiko manokana, anisany ny antony nandianako taty Kanada). Aty Kanada moa, samy manana ny mahatsara sy ny maharatsy azy ny miasa aman’olona sy koa ny miasa an-tena.

Efa 6 volana izao no nitondraka fiara teto Kanada (tsy maintsy naka « test » mba ahazahoana ny permis ety Colombie Britannique. Ity moa ny pejy-ko youtube izay nizarako ireo « fitsagatsanganana » mandidina an’i Vancouver. Marahiko fa vao 6 mois aho no nitondra taty Canada (nanomboka t@ Aout 2022).  

ity ny faharoa

ity ny conduite en centre-ville de Vancouver

ny mitondra centre-ville ihany

sy en peripherie (willingdon Avenue)

Amin’ny efa elaela moa no nipetraka taty, dia nanao safidy izahay mianakavy haka ny « nationalite » amin’izao fotoana izao. Ny antony ity farany ity dia maromaro: Voalohany, une fois ianao manana pasipaoro aty, dia tsy ilaina intsiny no makany amin’ny ambassade Eoropeana maka Visa makany Frantsa ary Eoropa (pour tout séjours de moins de 90 jours moa izany fa hafa ny hoe andeha hiasa any indray) ary afaka mivezivezy etsy Amerika no sady tsy mila Visa Amerikana intsony. Faharaoa, afaka miasa amin’ny fanjakana kanadiana ary koa afaka miverina aty Kanada (tsy misy fetrany intsony) na dia manapa-kevitra mody aza any Madagasikara iray andro any. Ny farany dia raha tia andeha firenena hafa (australie na Amerique Latine, dia tsy sahirana intsony manao Visa fa afaka Eta na visa electronique no atao, no sady haingana no tsy mila manao entretisns sns intsiny any amin’ireny Ambassade ireny). Eo ihany koa ny resaka hoe raha somary « mampifilafila » ny any Madagasikara amin’ny resaka « delivarnce de passeport Malgache » dia, tsy voatery miandry na miaritra an’izany loatra satria afaka ilay Pasipaoro Kanadiana no ampiasaina andehanana any Eoropa ohatra, na hoe tia hanao vacances kely (en hiver surtout) makany Mexique, Costa Rica na mandeha makany Amerique du Sud, ohatra. 

Ny antony nandianako taty Kanada dia maro: eo aloha ny resaka hoe avantage rehefa miasa, ary io, na aman’olona aza. Aty, araka ny efa nolazaiko teo, dia tsy misy an’izany resaka « salaires expat » izany ary mitovy amin’ny rasin’ireo tompon-tany fotsy oditra ny vola raisinao. Eo kow ny resaka hoe experience international vita ho azy ny miasa aty ary trakefa misy lanjany na dia mbola hiverina any Dago azay any aoriana. Na dia izany aza, na hiverina any ny tenako, mihevitra aho fat tsy mety amiko ny miasa aman’olona na ho an’ny « karana » na »vazaha » izany (raha any Madagascar) satria fantatro loatra fe mety fanambakana no betsaka sady tsoriko koa fa sarotra amin’ireny « vahiny » ao dago iremny ny hioara hioasa amiko noho ny hoe izaho tsy hanaiky izany hoe ho tsindrina fa izaho aza no hanindry azy (tantaraiko eto @ ity blog ity ny fomba nanatsindriko Frantsay sasany sy reunionnais tany ivelany tany satria manao zavatra tsy rariny tamiko na t@ fianakaviako), ka aleo mifanaja dia aleo soit mijanona aty Kanada miasa (aty misy lalana (loi) mazava hoe tsy azon’ny patron atao ny mibetroka na manindry mpiasa fa tonga ianao dia afaka manao plainte aty); na koa, raha hanao safidy hody any Dago, dia tena aleoko lavitra tohizana ilay « projet » nananako niaraka tamin’i vadiko izay tsy inona fa miasa-tena ihany raha any Madagasikara! Aty Kanada moa, tsy olana amiko ny miasa aman’olona satria ny lalana aty miaro tsara ny zoho an’ireo miasa amin’na orinasa. Antony mifandray tamin’ilay teo ihany: TSY METY AMIKO HOE VAHINY LATSAKA DIPLOME NO IZAHO NO HI-KARAMA AMBONY NO IZAHO NIEZAKA SY MANANA DIPLOMA AMBONY! Tsy mety amiko izany ary tsy manaiky an’izany aho fa dia aleoko nandao an’i Madagasikara alola @ ity iray toraka ity satria aty aho, Izaho NO MAHAVITA MANAMBAKA VAHINY SY VAZAHA ARY EXPATRIES! Amiko tsara kokoa ny « cadre de vie »-ko aty sy ny cadre de vie an’ireo Malagasy maro aty no ny fihainana « vazaha » ao Antananarivo satria ty moa tsara lavitra ny secutite (compare @ ny any France ohatra), tsy misy delinquance aotran’ny ao France aty ary tsy dia misy koa fanavakavahana firy, no sady manara-penitra tsara nyresaka karama sy ny fanajan’ny Petron aano na Malagasy aza ianao! Izay no mahatonga an’aho miteny hoe raha miverina any Dago aho, tsy hiasa amin’na vahiny izany mihitsy fa izaho aza no hamalivaly sy hanindry an’i ry jareo any ka aleoko manaja tena mijanona aty (fa juste zaraina kely @ expats sy vahiny sasany any fotsiny ilay fihainana tsotsotra sy milamindamina aty Canada).

Efa somary fantatro mialoha fa hisy sasany no hi-juger amin’na resaka mikasika an’isika Malagasy mipetraka aty ivelany. Fantatro fa misy indraindray ny tsy rariny mitranga amin’isika aty andafy aty ary maro amintsika no tsy sahy miteny na tsy sahy manohitra satria…aty an-tanin’olona (raha sans papier ianao, mbola mety ho normal hoe tsy miteny satria mety ho grave ny fandehany fa raha en regle ny rehetra, tsy hitako izay tsy tokony hitenenana) . Amiko aloho, tsy dia mitovy hevitra amin’ny maro aho satria rehefa manana ny rariny ianao, dia tsy tokony hanaiky ho tsindrin’olona izany (na fotsy aza io olona io nefa ianao vahiny) na dia tompon-tany aza ilay olona. Misy ohatra maro moa eto @ ity article ity, zavatra nitranga tamiko ilay izy ary zaraiko eto ilay nitranga fa indrindra, zaraiko eto ny fomba namaliako an’ilay olona. Nisy cas izay tao Saint Denis (La reunion) tamin’ny taona 1999 (efa nianatra tany Frantsa ahy t@ izay fa sendra nanao vacanaces tao La Saint-Denis fotsiny), nisy lehilahy reunionnais (matavy, ary hita hoe Reunionnais lany mofo no tsy nianatra) saika hanao herisetra gratuit tamin’ny raiko (izay tsy naheno tsara fotsiny ny zavatra nolazain’io reunionnais io), any ka tsai hamely tanana ny raiko ilay reunionnais fa tomnga dia niakarako ary nanaovako « scandale en public » en pleine rue et plein jour tao Saint Denis tao, nefa mbola vao 19 taona teo ho eo izaho tamin’izany. Sady novazavazaiko no nanaovako hoe « pour qui tu te prends espece de bon a rien, pauvre ****, incapable, balai a chiottes  etc…. ». Tadidiko fa efa nanomboka nisy attroupement teo ary nanomboka nataotra ilay reunionnais tsaika hanindry (mievitra angamba izy hoe Gasy aho ka tsy hiteny…diso tanteraka izy t@ iny toraka iny fa sendra’ny gasy pire no izy sy masahy mamalivaly ka niemotra fotsimy nos ady kiriko hoe tsisy zavatra vitany. Tany Frantsa koa, efa nisy Frantsay nanao acte « raciste » aho fa dia sady niverenako no nitenitenenako teny Anglisy hoe « the pocle wants to speak to you, come here mate! » be fa nitsoka ilay Frantsay no sady niporitsaka niampita arabe nefa nisy fiara nandeha teo, ka tezitra ilay mpitondra an’ilay fiara (Frantsay koa mazava ho azy) ka nomeny ompa ilay Frantsay izay niampita no sady tsy nanaja lalana ny code de conduite ao France. Tany Australie koa, nisy annonce izay napetrako t@ site hitadiavana namana Malasy dia an’iray hitadiavna francophone. Nolazaiko tao fotsiny hoe efa nopetraka tany france izaho dia miteny frantsay fa nisy lehilahy mpanavakavaka (supremaciste blanc ilay izy fa tsy raciste fotsiny) ary nanomboka namabany an’i madagasikara sy ny Afrikana en general io lehilahy io. Misy teny tena « raciste » nolazainy. nievitra angamba izy hoe vahiny aho ka hiaritra ny taim-bavany fotsiny. Folo minitra avy eo ighany, dia au lieu hoe « namaly azy en prive » dia novaliko en public ilay email feno teny fanavakavahana sy fanambaniana ary nalaiko baraka tao amin’io site Australiana io ilay lehilahy mpanavakavaka. gaga zao ny alina an’iny fa nisy maromaro ireo Australiana Fotsy izay « ni-soutenir » an’aho ary niteny hoe tsy rariny ialy zavatra nosoratan’ilay lehilahy mpanavakavaka » no sady nisy olona koa mbola ni-propose hoe « raha mbola manoratra-nao io rangaha io, hiaraka aminao any amin’ny AFP (Police australiana) aho ary hametrako fitoriana, how izy. Lehilahy Fotsy Aostraliana io vonona hamapy io hitory Fotsy hafa. Hitako tamin’;izay fa « TSY MANAVAKAVAKA » ny akamaron’ny Aotraliana Any Aostralia satria maro izy ireo no nanoratra ahy. Nisy Aostraliana roa nangataka ilay email an’ilay lehilahy mpanavakavaka ary nitemy ry jareo « omeo ilay email-ny fa ho ataonay mamay ». Izay ilay hoe na vahiny an-tanin’olna aza ianao, dia NY RARINY, RARINY HATRANY.  Izay fasahiana hananako izay (forte personnalite) angamba na koa efa zatra nihaina ty@ firenena tsy dia be Gasy any ka zatra mi-affronter situation kokoa) koa angamba ny antony ahavitako mamily fiarakodia sy nanaokatra « asa-tena » aty amin’na firenena vahiny aty. Tsy ny tenako irery fa misy Malagasy sasany koa masahy ary mahavita aty Canada na amin’na firenena hafa! Tamin’my tao Madagascar ihany koa, efa nisy vahiny sasany somary nahitsiko satria mihavitra hoe afaka manindry malagasy izy (sans aucune raison). Nya atoko dia hitenenako teny Anglisy fotsiny ary valivaliko teny Anglisy rehefa hitako hoe manambany malagasy ary ny mampihomehy dia ny akaramron’ireny vahiny ao amintsika ireny tsy mahavita mamaly na « mot » iray aza rehefa voatsindry amin’ny teny Anglisy tsara! Nisykarana izay koa tany @ centre commercial iray tsy nety nisaka nefa hitany iozao aho…modiko notenena hoe « Sorry mate, just wanna grab those biscuits which are right there close to you! »…. naheno ahy izy niteny hafa fa tonga dia nitsambaotra ka nisaka. avy eo, nisaoraka tsara @ teny Anglisy ihany nio sady nanaovako « sourire anglais » no nataoko tsara hoe « ohhh, thank you dear, it is just sooo kind of you, have a nice daaaaayyyyy » no sady lasa ahy no nevalako teo ilay zatovo karana (fomba fitsiky typique aty @ firenena anglo-saxon io tsiky io ary fomba fahaiza-mihaina ilay izy aty @ firenena anglophone rehetra, y compris any Australie ary New Zealand…fomba tsy dia Frantsay ilay izy fa aleo tsorina). Sinon nisy Frantsay vavy nandreraka ahy izay koa tao @ cafe tao Tana tao ary nisotro cafe niaraka t@ namana iray, namana izay nanan projet andeha any Allemagne. Nataoko henon’zay vhv frantsay nandreraka izay koa fa andeha aty canada izaho satria makaleo aho la Frantsa. Lasa ilay vehivavy tsy nahazaka ka nandeha. Tao @ CDT koa, nisy vhv frantsay antitra izay koa (misy olana mihitsy ireo frantsay ao Madagasikara ireo mahagaga, nefa any France mahazana, agreable ny Frantsay, ianareo ve tsy mandinika???) ary t@ izay izahay hanao « radio des poumouns », jsutement ho an’ilay immigration aty Canada. Nipetraka teo akaikin’io ramatoa io izahay ary apres 2 minutes, nihisaka nifindra toerana izy. Juste 2 minutes hafa apres, niantso ilay olona teo @ reception an’ny CDT hoe no sady niteny frntsay koa en plus nanao hoe « qui sont les personnes qui partent pour la canada? » (satria moa nolazaina t@ prise de RDV hoe immigration no hialana an’ilay radio), ary nitsangana izahay! Talanjona ilay ramatoa frantsay vizanaa ry nojereko tsara (droit dans les yeux) ary nandalovako akaiky no saiarka be izaho niteny hoe « have a nice day,  Madam ». Mazava ho azy fa nanjavona io Madama io no nivaoka tao izahay. Ny olona @ isika indraindray dia mahazana tsy masahy rehefa @ rariny fa mahavita vava grave rehefa ao an-tanana na entre Malagasy. Fa rehefa vahiny na any ivelany, dia mangina aotran’ireny hoe sanatria olona « sans papiers ireny ». Tao Roissy tao, t@ 2015 (izay ny derniere visite nataoka tao france, asa no nataoko tany t@ izay), nisy lehilahy Afrikana mihaja be izay nambanina’ilay olona iray tao Roissy tao fa niakaran’ilay Afrikana tao ilay lehilahy frantsay ary naheno izay teo @ manodin=dina teo hoe « espèce de chenapan! Mais ti me prrrrrrrends pourrrrrr un imbecile ou quoi????? »" fa tena nialatsiny ilay frantsay nanaovan’ilay maizina be manteau sy miaja be azy! Raha Gasy iny izao, sur aho fa nangina sy niaritra na nanana ny rariny aza! Soa fa tsy izaho izany fa ny aho koa niakarako raha hoe misy tsy rariny. Mazava ho azy moa fa raha mifanaja, tsy misy raison hanavako an’izany sy hanatsindriko olona na kely aza fa mahata aho miakatra, ao raha! Farany, mahazana « côtier » foana no masaha miteny sy « expressif » kokoa no isika avy eto ampivaon-tany, fa aleoko atao mazava aloha fa Ambaninadro ny tenako.  

RESAKA RACISME AO MADAGASIKARA (en tant que Tsalo ao no miteny an’ilay izy)

Zavatra iray koa, na malama loha aza izaho, « choque » tanteraka aho nahita an’ireny poste fanavakavahana foko sy olona izay tsy tsotra ny volony. Miresaka discrimination aho ato amin’ity article ity sy resaka immigration fa koa misy resaka hafa (economie sns), fa hitako hoe ao Amadagasikara ao dia mahamenatra izany hoe « oniversite » dia tsy manome falalahana Malagasy sasany satria ngita volo ilay olona. Aty Canada izany, tena tafiditra @ atao hoe « hate crime » sy « racisme » izany ary mety hiteraka scandale mihitsy. mahafgaga ny any Madagasikara hoe hamaivana io zavatra io. Misy post sasany koa hitako mikasika resaka fanavakavahana @  ankizy hoe ngita ny volona dia ilay havana Tsotra vola no manao pression sy tady hametraka regles, nefa zaho mahita fa ny olona samy manana ny mampa izy azy ary raha hoe volo ngita no tiana na ngita no mety aminy, diatsy antsika no tokony hiditra amin’izany. 

Mety misy ho tsy ho faly nys asany amintsika fa ianareo aza ve hanaiky hoe tenenina ny sinoa hoe lokoy mavo ny oditra na andana ataovy maso sinoa ny maso satria izahay sinoa no 1ere economie mondiale dia izay mety aminay no ataonay? Heritrereto fa misy tsy rariny ihany ilay izy. Amiko, izay anataon’Andriamanitra mety amin’ilay olna – na Ngita voloa aza io vehivavy iray – dia izay no mety aminy, amiko manokana! angamba kosa tsy ho sahan-tsika ny « andika » na hanao hoe tsy mety ilay nataon’i Tompo, sa ve diso aho? 

VAHINY AN TANIN’OLONA, FA MAHATSAPA TOMPON-TANY

Na vahiny aza ny tenako aty an-tanin’olona ary na hoe olona tsy fotsy oditra aza, dia sahiko no miteny fa manana fisahina aho manorona asa-tena aty (Izaho sy ny vadiko moa no tena niaraka norona ary izy no tena nahita sy namorona ny fototr’ilay Business fa ny tenako izany dia manotrona azy ano sady miasa aman’olona, asa izay avaeriko eto fa mi-former mpiasa- panjakana aty Kanada), nahavita foana nikarakara sakafo, manadio trano ary mipasoka (zavatre essentiel izany rehefa mipetraka aty an-tanion’olona satria tsisy olona eo azonao antenaina, no sady maka sy manatitra mpianatra…hitako lasa mia salama mihitsy aho aty satria mietsika ilayvatana fa tsy aotran’mny any madagasikara hoe vao voky dia manantena olona foana) ! Ny olona koa indraindray amin’ny Malagasy aty andafy dia tsy mahay mahandro sy mipasoka ny lehilahy, any ka fijaliana ilay « immigration » aty an-tanin’olona (lasa contrainte ilay izy @ izay), ary io na aiza na aiza fa tsy voatery hoe ny eto Kanada ihany. Maheno tantara aho idnraindray hoe misy leihlahy malagasy sasany mikamenina satria tsy zatra manao raharaha; soa fa efa ela ny tenako no zatra fa angamba mety sahirana raha tsy mahay mandro sakafo sns….Ny tenako dia teo amin’ny 17-18 taona teo ho eo dia efa nahay nahandro sakafo, nahay nipasoka ary mahay « mi-demerde » amin’na situation an-tanin’olona koa, any ka tsy matahotra mifindra monina. Raha izaho ny amin’ny toeranareo, mba hitadiavo lalana aty ivelany ireo zanakareo, na hoe resaka residence fotsiny aza, mba hananana « alternative » amin’ny any Madagascar. Efa hiara-mahita loatra ilay situation an’ny hopitaly sy insecurite any ka mety tsara mieritreritra option hafa, juste au cas ou. Rehefa mianatra any ivelany, dia any dia efa mitadiava lalana hijanonana na koa mitadiava firenena mbola misokatra @ resaka immigration (aotran’ny aty).

Maro ny tompon-tany (kanadiana) eto talanjona mahitanay mahavita nividy fiara, maro no talanjopna mahita hoe sady efa miasa tena no mbola en plus koa nahavita miasa mampianatra Kanadiana fotsy miasa @ fanjakana aty. Izahay avy any Madagasikara. Izaho ankizy kely « diso saro-kenatra » sy atao amin’ny teny filamatra hoe » introverti »  ary taloha nisy nilaza hoe « tsy ho lasa lavitra ary na baccalaureat aza tsy ho tratrako » dia miala tsiny sy miala fondro ny tenako amin’ireo olona ireo fa izaho indray ity no lasa nahavita nianaitra  momban’ny « finances » tany Aostralia ary nahavita hatramin’ny farany ny diplome Master; Tsoriko eto moa fa raha tsy nanana an’io diplome io izaho, dia nety sarotra tamiko no nadihanana taty Kanada satria ny aty moa dia « point system » ny fomba fidirana aty, izany hoe ny fahaizanao sy ny diplome-nao no tena mahatonga-nao hoe « qualifie » amin’ilay programme d’entree express. Io moa no ahazahonao residence permanente rehefa avy eo ary ahafahanao mipetraka, miasa na koa manokatra business aty.

Na dia tiako aza ny fihainako mpianatra tany frantsa, dia ny antony taty aoriana izay tsy nipetrahako tany Eoropa, na tany Frantsa dia maro. Voalohany, amin’ny lafony tontolo-ihaianana dia madio lavitra ny rivotra sy ny rano sotroina aty, satria moa aty amin’ny misy anay aty dia ala tsy misy farany, ary ny rano sotroina sia rano avy any amin’ny neige mistonika. Ny lafany faharoa, dia na dia nahafinaritra aho aza ny fipetrahana tany farntsa atloha (t@ izaho nianatra tany), dia hitako fa misy olana amin’nyr esaka « social » i Frantsa indrindra moa amin’izao (delinquance juvenile, violences urbaines etc…); io koa no zavatra miteraka fanavakavahana sy miteraka « malaise social  » any Eoropa any ary io no nahatonga ny tenako nandeha ninatra tany Australie; fa indrindra koa, ny fahatongavan’i Sarkozy, izay niantsoko tato @ ity article ity hoe « president du 16 eme sicele ary kianiko ato amin’ny teny Anglisy, dia evenement izay nahatonga an’aho nifidy an’i Australie. maro moa ianareo mieritreritra eto hoe « raciste » i Australie fa eto aho milaza aminareo fa raha hoarana @ Front national ny parti One Nation (partie d’extreme droite izy io) any Australie, dia 5% fotsiny ny score vitany, contre 16-20% ny an’ny FN any Frantsa! ny daikany dia izao: mety possible hoe manana prejuges raciste lavitra ara ny Frantsay raha base amin’io chiffre io. Aty kanada moa dia hatramin’izao, tsy misy izany partie d’exteme droite izany satria ity firenena ity dia nahay nifehy tsara ny olona miditra sy mipetraka eto. Izay tonga dia misy dilpome sy « skills » (fahaizana), izay vao mahazo « Permanent residency visa » (visa ahafahana mipetraka eto mandrak’izay ary koa ahafahana azahona nationalite afaka 3-4 taona eo ho eo. Ny antony farany tsy nipetrahako any Frantsa dia ny fomban’ny governemanta Frantsay amin’ny firenena afrikana ary Madagasikara. Tsoriko fa nandreraka aho ilay fanambakana nataon’ny gouyvernement Macron t@ resaka « iles eparses ». Amiko, tsy miendrika iremy fomba fanao ireny. Aty Kanada aho, mahatsapa hoe « soulage » satria tsy mividy produit frantsay ary tsy mividy solika @ orinasa frantsay, no tsy mandroha hetra @ LaFrantsa. Aleoko manoha etra @ Kanada lavitra satria fantatro fa tsy ho ampiasain’ny Kanaidiana hanaovana « exploitation » any Afrika na koa « oppression policiere » aotran’ny any LaFrantsa ny vola alohako amin’ny hetra. Farany: Ny tena TIA FRANTSAY ary manaja Frantsay (rehefa samy mifanaja mazava ho azy) fa kosa, alako ny politika etranegre ny LaFrantsa. Aleo izany aloha mazava tsara sao dia misy mauvaise interpretation. Raha tianareo ny zavatra hitanareo, misaotra mialoha ny tenaka raha « Liker » nareo ilay pejy-ko etsy ambony etsy (coeur). Misaotra mialoha

Zavatra tiako ambara koa dia ny tenako Malagasy ary firenena maro no efa noteteziko tamin’ny fihainako, ary firenena « Anglophone » ny akamarony. Maro aminareo no mety mieritreritra hoe « Francophone » i Kanada, kenefa ny tena marina dia firenena « Anglophone » i Kanada hafa tay ny « Province Quebec » ihany. NY any amino dia tenu Anglisy no miasa art izany tenu Frantsay izany dia efa ela izahay try nampiasa an’izany fa aty, tena aleo tsorina fa tse miteny ny ten frantsay patria voalohany aloha, try misy mahazo, ary faharoa, na « bilingue » art Kanada, dia ny « province », dia samy manana ny teniny sy ny lalanany (lois) manokana; izay no mahatonga an’i Kanada atao hoe « confederations de provinces ». Farany, Maro ny Malagasy mieritreritra hoe rhea any andafy aotrany tenako, dia tsy mihinana anana (bredes) ary manary tenin-drazana sy mijanoana mihinana sakafo Malagasy! Ny tenako manokana dia na nianatra ela tany Aostralia (sy Amerika) Ary na dia izany aza dia mbola miteny Malagasy ato an-trano (hazavaiko ao @ artikle moa izany) miaraka amin’ny zanako ary ny ten Anglisy dia any am-pianarana ihany no hitenenany azy. Nefa maharaja fa samy voafehiny ireo teny roa ireo. Maro ny Malagasy sasany ata ivelany (surtout moa any Eopropa sassy any) no canary ny maga-malagasy azy Ary maro amin’ireo Malagasy teraka sy lehibe any dia efa very ilay tenindrazana. Marina hoe safisiny ireo olona creo Ilay izy are hajaiko izay fa kosa amiko, hitako hoe ny maha ianao anao no stara tazomina Ary tokony ho fala aza ianao manana « cultural identity ». Ny tenako mino fa ny trakefa sy fihaianana hitako tany Aostralia ary ny bomba nanavovan’i Aostraliana an’ireo tena tompon-tany tao Aostralia no nahatonga an’ny tenako nanomboka tonga saina ary hitako hoe many an’ireo tena tompon-tany tao Aostralia izany voatery nanaraka kolotsainan’olona ary izany voatery hoe nanadino ny tenin-drazany izan hafa izana ary mino aho fa izay angamba no mahatonga nay hoe na tay Kanada aza, dia tsara ny mitazona ny maha ianao anao; izay amiko no tena zava-dehibe ary na sakafo Malagasy aza, dia inin 2 na inin-3 isak’herinandro izahay dia mangor sakafo Malagasy forna att Vancouver! Ny anana moa Ary ny henakisoa dia feno aty (sao ianareo mihevitra fa tsy misy aty aminay) ary ny akoho dia ahazo hanavana roho sakamalao tsara (fa try maintsy akoho biologique na ireny tao hoe « organic chicken ») fa ny tsirony dia mitovy ny any Madagasikara mihitsy raha hainao ny manao safidy rehefa mividy entana. 

Raha tianao no ahita kokoa momban’i Kanada ianareo, dia mbola misy video maromaro amin’ny section farany ity « article » ity (afaka ilay section farany « Canada »; tena any amin’ny farany mihitsy). Misy koa ity pejy ity izay azaonareo jerevana raha hijery sary vitsivitsy an’i Aostralia ary koa Kanada ianareo: https://madagascanoverseas.blogspot.com/2021/09/this-section-has-been-put-in-place-for.html

Mirary soa indrindra an-tsika rehetra any Madagfasikara sy any amin’ny firenena hafa misy Malagasy any ary misaotra mialoha mitsidika.

NY ANTONY NANDIANAKO TATY KANADA – RESAKA « ECOLE » HO AN’I ANKIZY ETO …NY MAHATSARA AZY: Maro ny antony efa notanisaiko teo aloha fa anisan’ny antony iray lehibe nandihanako dia momba ny zanako. Ao madagasikara, marina fa misy ecole azo lazaina hoe tsaratsara fa tsoriko fa tsy dia hafam-poho loatra izahay t@ n’ireny école « vahiny » ao Antananarivo ireny. Misy ny tsara fa tena vitsy dia vitsy fa ny akamaron’izy ireny dia mahazana vola fotsiny no mahamay azy fa ny kalitao an’ny fampiarana sy ireo fitaovana dia tena idnraindray mampantanin-tena hoe « ca vaut le coup tant que ça??? »  Ny tenako dia tany amin’nireny fianarana antonony ireny no tena nianatra kanefa tonga soa aman-tsara aty no sady nahavita Masters roa no mahasahy lavitra no ny olona sasany nianatra tany @ école vahiny be nefa mifezaka vao aty an-tanin’olona! Maro amin’isika Malagasy « be tratra » fotsiny ao Dago fa rehefa aty an-tanin’olona, tsy dia masahy…fantatro tsara izay olana izay satria izaho efa maro ny firenenna nopetrahiko ary nahita Malagasy maro aho tany fa mahazana, ilay Malagasy mahavita sy masahy dia olona tena tsy ampoizinao! Misy lehilahy izay aty @ faritra anglophone Canada aty, lehilahy avy any @ « cote » io lehilahy io, tena tsotra, fa izy dia nahavita mitondra fiara aty koa nefa vao haingana no tonga no sady manambady vehivavy Kanadiana …izay tsy dia ratsy aleo tsorina. 

Misy nefa olona fantatro any Quebec any efa 20-22 taona no teto fa mbola tsy masahy mitondra. Aty koa, misy olona mitondra, fa tsy masahy mitondra en dehors ny zone de confort, izany hoe manodidina eo ihany (fa izany hoe, efa tsara ihany izany na dia izany aza). Izaho (sy ilay bandy kely avy any @ cote notataraiko teo) dia efa mitondra en centre-ville, nos ady mitondra @ la neige (hitanareo @ le video io ambany io) no sady mandeha lavitra koa amin’na lalana izay mbola tsy nandalovana mihitsy.Izay eo ihany fa ny anntony tena nandianako taty dia mba ahafahan’ilay ankizy mianatra @ fianarana mba manana kalitao no ampy fitaovana (any amintsika  dia maro ireo ecole « vahiny » mipaopaoka ny reputation nefa lafo dia lafo ny ecolage nefa ny service, tsy dia manjary indraindray, ny mpapianatra dia indraindry ireny vazaha valaka sy tsy misy trakefa ireny…fa izany hoe mahita vazaha koa moa ny sasany dia jamba tanteraka ao dago ao na vazaha tsy manjary aza..vao hoe « vazaha » dia hope Grave be syu crac be…nefa …sahiko no miteny eto fa aty, Izaho Malagasy ity no mahavita manambaka an’ireny satria maro amin’ireny tsy mahita lalana ohatra @ bizna atao nefa izahay vahiny indray no mahita lalana sy mahazo vola ary mahavita mamelon-tena aty; maro koa ireny no tsy mahazo io asako aminm’izao io satria maro ny vazaha no tsy manana Masters aotran’ahy nos ahady mahafehy teny Anglisy sy Frantsay en même temps! Ahoana hoy ianareo, izaho no nalain’io orinasa io hiasa ao fa tsy Frantsay na Kanadiana fotsy oditra??? satria ny sasany mety tsy manana an’ilay diplome ambony, ny sasany mety agressif loatra, my sasany koa mety tsy manana experience izay hananako na ny connaissance linguistique.). Antony mifandray @ ilay teo ihany, aty Canada, dia GRATUIT NY ECOLE PUBLIQUE REHETRA!!! TSY ALOHA VOLA na 1 DOLLAR ARA!!!! Ny antony dia tsotra, efa mandoha hetra ianao aty @ fanjakana (nefa ilay hetra alohako io mbola MOINS LAVITRA no ny ecolage alohako @ irey ecole any Dago iremy raha nijanona tany izahay) dia tsy misy vola aloha intsony rehefa mianatra ny zanakao ary koa GRATUIT ATY KANADA ny resaka sante rehetra! Tsy misy vola aloha rehefa mijery dokotera, na manao prise de sang, na manao analyse na koa sanatria miafara any @ hopitaly! marina fa misy fiandrasana kely fa dia GRATUIT DAHOLO ny rehetra! Izay ny « raison » nandihanako taty koa! fa eo koa moa ny resaka hoe aty, tsy misy mifampitsikera ny olona ary tsy misy olona koa aty hiditra @ fihainanao. Na eny an-dalana aza, samy mandeha tsisy mifanome lagy aotrany @ toeranana sasany ao Madagasikara ao indraindray. Tsy mahagaga raha milamin-tsaina ny olona aty.

Farany: aleoko maka Pasipaoro kanadiana satria makaleo izany manome fahefana be loatra ireo « ambassades », indrindra ny ambassade de France izay manao fanoeram-pahefana be loatra ao Madagasikara ao. resahiko moa ilay izy ato amin’ny teny Anglisy (@ izay koa, fantatr’ireo Anglo-saxon sy olona hafa ny adin’ny consulat frantsay ao Madagascar ao) ary efa naparitako t@ reseau anglophone vitsivitsy ity blog ity ary mbola tohizako izany. Aleo maka Pasipaoro matanjaka satria amin’izay, TSY MANANA FAHEFANA @NAO INTSONY IREO fonctionnaires frantsay tsy manjary sy maivan-doha ao Dago ao na @ toerana hafa fa IZAHO MALAGASY INDRAY NO MANAMBAKA IREO VAHINY? Amin’ny fomba ahaoana? Voalohany, aleo mikarana aty ivelany (tsy misy salaire expats aty) ary aleo koa maka pasipaoro matanjaka mba tsy hilana visa sy fasahiranana maro izay vokan’ireo « demande sde visas sns » sy ny « refus possible ». Amiko aloha, abus ireny ataon’ireo Frantsay ao Madagasikara ireo! LAeoko koa maka permis kanadiana, amin’izay tsy vitan’ireo frantsay, n’aiza ‘aiza no miteny hoe « tsy valide ity permis gasy ity ». Kely isisa ny fotoana ahazahoko pasipaoro aty Kanada ary rehefa tonga izay, Tapitra hatreo ny « pouvoir » an’ireo maosivoha eoropeana any Dago sy toerana hafa satria TSY MILA visa izany intsony (pour tout sejour touristique) ny makany Eoropa…sady izaho moa efa nataoka mazava fa TSY HIPETRAKA any Frantsa izany na inona na inona satria moa inona no zavatra hitako any La Frantsa tsy ho hitako eto Canada? Inona no ataoko amin’na firenena manana olona @ resaka clandestins, delinquance sy ny sisa, Aty aho milamina lavitra no ireo Frantsay sy vazaha mipetraka ao frantsa, ka maninona moa aho no hipelipelika ho any? 

A FEW WORDS FOR FRENCH SPEAKERS / Pour les francophones maintenant: Avant tout chose, je tenais a dire que la France est un pays qui m’inspire profondément. J’aime ses valeurs, sa culture, et plus précisément, j’aime les Français. Je suis entièrement reconnaissant envers ce pays qui m’a tant donne et grâce a qui mes parents ont pu acquérir une bonne education. J’ai passe des moments inoubliables dans votre pays – auquel je reste encore très attache aujourd’hui – mais vu les événements et les changements qui se sont opérés en France ces dernières années, j’avais juge bon de prendre comme décision d’opter pour le Canada pour m’y installer.Dans cet article, il se pourrait que vous interprétiez mes dires comme des critiques, mais ces choses auxquelles je fais référence. proviennent de mon expérience et de la réalité tout simplement. Les grèves incessantes, l’insécurité, les bavures policières sur des Français qui ne font qu’exprimer leur droit sur les retraites et qui frôlent la bavure, donnant cette impression parfois que les images ont été  filmées dans une république bananière, des actes d’abus des forces de l’ordre qui ne sont pas condamnes par les responsables politiques en France ont dessiné le paysage social de la France ces dernières années.  Même en étant Malgache, j’ai été choque de la violence des images et me suis demande si ces dernières ont été bien tournées en France dans le pays des droits de l’Homme, mais je sais bien évidemment que ça a été bien le cas. J’imagine sans doute qu’a la vue de ces événements et images sur les écrans alors que j’étais encore a Madagascar en train de décider de mes projets d’immigration, j’avais fini par opter ai final de venir ici au Canada.   De part mon vécu en France mais aussi dans les pays comme l’Australie, les politiques font tout pour lier l’immigration a la délinquance; aussi, cette histoire sur le concept “d’identité française” me met très mal a l’aise et pour moi, c’est la faute des gouvernements successifs en France et en Europe (qui ne cherchent qu’a diviser les Français en les montant les uns contre les autres). De ma part, cette surenchère de haine n’est pas du tout la faute des Français, mais uniquement des politiciens qui veulent gratter des votes. Pour moi, les Francais adorent raller et lorsqu’il y a des injustices provenant de leur gouvernement, ils sont généralement très rapides pour exprimer leur désaccord!  C’est une chose que nous Malgaches devons apprendre car ça, c’est une chose sur laquelle j’apprécie beaucoup les Français, pour qui d’ailleurs j’éprouve beaucoup de sympathie. 

Lors de mes années estudiantines, ces choses me sont passées inaperçues mais avec le temps et surtout en commençant a passer du temps dans des pays anglophones et anglo-saxons (comme les Etats-Unis sous la présidence du très conservateur président George W Bush et l’Australie du premier ministre très conservateur John Howard avec son Tresorier Peter Costello, connu pour son influence et sa vue sur la politique d’immigration en Australie), je commençais a me rendre compte que (pas la France mais plutôt les différents gouvernements Français) avaient cette politique “très speciale” de traiter les immigrants sur son sol. Certes, les problèmes d’illégaux sont bel et bien la (mais avant toute chose, je vous invite a lire mon article concernant ce dernier problème) mais cette façon de considérer les immigres en France comme des “étrangers” me déplaisent un peu, je dois le dire. Aussi, la politique d’immigration – telle qu’elle est appliquée aujourd’hui, s’avère être d’une inefficacité exemplaire et pour cause, les illégaux arrivent toujours a passer, les et les candidats les plus qualifies optent pour immigrer ailleurs, comme aux Etats-Unis ou ici au Canada. Juste a titre d’exemple, ici au Canada, les immigrants sont considérés comme des “newcomers” ou des “nouveaux venus”. Dans beaucoup de pays d’Europe, on lie trop facilement l’immigration a la délinquance et a l’insécurité et d’ailleurs, c’est sur cette rhétorique que se nourrissent  les politiciens d’extreme droite, chose qui n’existe pratiquement pas ici chez nous au Canada, même s’il existe parfois des actes très isolés quand ces actes se passent ici, contrairement a l’Europe, les gens du gouvernement dénoncent haut et fort les actes xénophobes. Regardez juste cet article et a quel point sa narrative diffère de ce qu’on lit en Europe (https://pm.gc.ca/fr/videos/2018/01/29/pm-trudeau-souligne-lanniversaire-de-la-fusillade-du-centre-culturel-islamique-de

Certains d’entre vous – en Europe – me diront que ce ne sont que de simples qualificatifs mais en tant qu’immigre appartenant a la minorité visible (une chose que j’assume pleinement et dont je suis plutôt fier car je ne me vois pas du tout autrement déjà que comme je suis (je suis Malgache avec les cheveux lisses et le teint assez clair et franchement, je n’aimerais pas du tout m’imaginer autrement. Vous savez pourquoi? Parce que lorsque vous êtes une personne de couleur et que avez réalisé des choses dans votre vie et que surtout que vous êtes multilingues, ça choque beaucoup plus certaines personnes serrées d’esprits que si vous êtes comme un “européen”), l’attitude de la vaste majorité des Canadiens (anglophones car ce sont ceux que je connais le plus) tendent à être très respectueux envers les étrangers ici. Comment cela se traduit-il? Bref, on peut le voir clairement a la manière dont beaucoup (de Canadiens) nous regardent dans la rue (aucune animosité comme on voit souvent lorsqu’un Français d’origine maghébrine un peu mal habille par exemple croise un français de souche), avec la manière dont ils s’adressent a nous mais aussi aux autres immigres appartenant a la minorité visible (il y a vraiment beaucoup de politesse, contrairement a certains endroits en Europe, comme au Danemark our aux Pays-bas). Cela se voit aussi lors des entretiens d’embauche. Je pense honnêtement -sans vouloir trop rentrer dans les suppositions – que le poste que j’occupe aujourd’hui est un poste qui ne m’aurait pas été “donné” si j’avais postule dans un autre pays que le Canada! Pourquoi, parce que c’est un poste qui est assez confortable et qui me donne l’occasion de former des employés du gouvernement. Je pense qu’ailleurs, on aurait préféré une autre personne plutôt que moi, mais cela montre bien que les canadiens ont encore un esprit bien objectif par rapport a beaucoup de gens la-bas en Europe.  Contrairement au Canada ou a des pays comme la Nouvelle-Zélande, la France mais surtout des pays comme les Pays-Bas et le Danemark tendent a voir en l’immigration comme une chose a pallier. En France, avez-vous entendu cette phrase de certains Français (pas tous heureusement) parlant derrière le dos de certains Français d’origine immigres « Ah mais ce mec il est seulement français sur papier! Il n’est pas Français de souche! ». Une telle phrase n’aurait pas sa place ici au canada, et d’ailleurs ne ferait aucun sens ici au Canada ou la-bas en Australie. Je vous explique pourquoi: la raison vient tout simplement du fait que les fondateurs de ce pays viennent eux-memes d’Europe (Ecosse, France, Angleterre, Irlande et autre), et dont les ancêtres sont venus au canada il y a a peu près 350-400 ans. Pour la plupart des immigrants appartenant a la minorité visible, beaucoup sont venus récemment et ont fait du Canada leur pays!  La seule différence que nous ayons avec les Canadiens (d’origine Européenne), c’est le fait qu’eux sont venus il ya plus de 100 ans, par contre comme point commun: que nous soyons des Canadiens d’origine Malgache, Africaine, Ecossaise, Chinoise, Indienne, Arabe, Philippin, Brésilien ou autre, nous sommes tous venus d’ailleurs! Seuls les Amérindiens peuvent prétendre être les vrais “résidents” du pays”!  On peut aussi y ajouter le fait que j’ai tendance a ne pas trop apprécier les “ralles” constantes pout tout et rien, le mal-être qui existe dans la société française actuelle, la perception de certains Français (pas tous heureusement) lorsque vous êtes immigres en France; concernant cette dernière, certains d’entre vous vont dire que certains Canadiens sont pareils mais ce que j’ai remarque, c’est qu’ici au Canada, lorsque vous êtes étranger, vous n’avez pas cette impression que les Canadiens veulent que vous quittiez leur pays! Bien au contraire, si vous êtes résident permanent ici (en particulier dans la partie anglophone), beaucoup de Canadiens seraient assez offusqués si vous leur dites que vous avez l’intention de quitter le Canada, croyez-moi, j’en ai fait l’expérience!! En France, si vous dites que vous souhaitez partir, peu de personnes vous retiendraient. 

Au Danemark et aux Pays-bas, j’imagine que ce serait encore pire qu’en France vu les videos que j’ai vues récemment! Pour moi, je vous dis honnêtement, si je n’ai pas eu la chance de venir ici au Canada, je préférerais de loin rester a Madagascar car la-bas, je peux travailler a mon propre  compte et surtout avoir tout le confort dont j’ai besoin? Pourquoi immigrer dans un pays ou l’on doute de vous et surtout pourquoi contribuer économiquement à des pays qui maltraitent ses immigrants (comme l’Europe de l’est et le Danemark surtout)? Une différence que j’ai remarquée avec les pays anglo-saxons est la suivante: en Europe continentale (y compris en Allemagne ou même en Suède), lorsqu’il s’agit de question de pouvoir ou de mettre des minorités dans des rôles de responsabilités, les pays comme France tendent à être en arrière par rapport a beaucoup de pays anglo-saxons (Je suis bien place pour le dire car ayant vécu longtemps ici au canada mais aussi aux Etats-Unis et en Australie…oui, je sais, c’est rare pour des Malgaches et peut-être même, pour des Européens)! Si vous regardez, le ministre de l’immigration ainsi que le Ministre de la Défense nationale ici au Canada sont tous deux des gens issus de la minorité (merci de voir ci-dessous dans l’article) et le dernier porte même un turban en public…un détail qui surement, ne passerait pas si bien en Europe! Les autres raison sont expliquées dans l’article (en anglais) et justement a ce propos, je voulais que cet article soit lu au-delà des frontières de la France et du monde francophone! Je voulais que des Américains, Australiens, Péruviens, Chinois, Indiens, Argentins et plein d’autres puissent profiter de mon expérience…n’est-ce pas bien mieux que de se limiter aux frontières du monde francophone, qui est bien sur un beau monde, mais qui se limite a quelques endroits seulement.Comme je le dirais toujours, la France c’est beau, les Français sont pour moi des gens de grand coeur et aussi un peuple généreux! Hélas, je ne pourrais dire autant en ce qui concerne le gouvernement français, quel dommage que ce dernier ne souhaite que diviser la France et les Français! Quel dommage que ce dernier ne pense qu’à paterniser l’Afrique et a bâtir des murs “administratifs” pour que les enfants de ce continent noir se découragent à venir en Europe (Merci de lire plus bas les comparatifs -bases sur mon expérience – sur les différentes ambassades a Madagscar et comment l’ambassade Américaines est différente de l’ambassade de France par exemple, ou comment l’Australie s’y prend-elle). Quel dommage que les procédures d’immigrations européennes soient si “inélégantes”. Pour moi, ces dernières sont plutôt d’une inefficacité exemplaire malgré les propagandes de certains anciens présidents (aux réflexes du 16 eme siècle) et ministres de l’intérieur car que cela vous plaise ou non, l’immigration en France est un fléau mais avant tout, un besoin (savez-vous que les fruits que vous mangez en Europe sont cueillis par des sans-papiers dans les champs en Espagne et en Italie? et savez-vous qui nettoient les bureaux en métropole a 5 heures du matin?). Les politiciens français veulent rassurer le peuple, mais les entreprises françaises (et américaines) semblent “adorer” les sans papiers pour une raison que nous savons tous! Bref, l’immigration en Europe est assaisonnée a la sauce “hypocrisie” et certains semblent se lécher les babilles!Dernière chose qui m’a fait partir ici au Canada (au lieu de vouloir immigrer en France, chose que je ne souhaitais pas depuis longtemps): les iles Eparses! Beaucoup d’entre vous ne savez pas que ces iles se situent près de Madagascar et s’avèrent être un sujet de dispute entre le gouvernement français et Madagascar. Savez-vous que des pêcheurs malgaches ont été renvoyés par les militaires françaiseet ont péri en essayant de rejoindre les cotes malgaches. Merci de visiter le lien suivant:(https://www.madagascar-tribune.com/Brutalites-de-militaires-francais,23292.html)? 

Beaucoup de Malgaches pensent aussi que le gouvernement français s’intéresse à ces iles parce qu’il y a une très importante  réserve très importante de pétrole brute qui se trouve en-dessous de ces iles Pétrole ou pas, gaz ou pas (pour l’ile de Tromelin), Iles Malgaches ou iles française.. qu’importe! Dans tous les cas, la Marine française a commis une bavure et les militaires francais de la Marine ont failli à leur devoir, qui était de respecter les droits de ces pêcheurs. Malgré le danger imminent qui attendait ces derniers, la Marine les a laisse repartir vers Madagascar et ont mis en danger la vie de ces personnes (article 223-6 alinéa 2 que vous pouvez retrouver sur  https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000037289588)? Que ces iles éparses soient françaises ou pas, pour moi, il y a eu non assistance a personne en danger, donc violation de la loi sus-mentionnée.  Pour un pays qui se dit être un pays des droits de l’homme, une telle action et une telle lâcheté venant d’un corps comme la Marine s’avère être une véritable honte pour le gouvernement français! Oui, HONTE A VOUS! De plus, je ne sais pas mais je n’ai pas entendu des hautes responsables la moindre excuse ou la moindre compassion! Le gouvernement français adore donner des leçons de démocratie en Afrique (francophone) mais je pense sincèrement les gouvernements successifs a Paris devraient déjà balayer devant leur porte en ce qui concerne le respect des droits de l’homme sur le sol français (avec les méthodes policières pires calquées sur les méthodes de Robert Mugabe) et aussi revoir leur image lorsque ces gens sont si lents pour condamner le manquement aux respects des droits humains en Afrique et sur les iles eparses! C’est plutôt a vous politiciens français d’aller prendre une bonne leçon de démocratie en Norvège, vous en avez vraiment besoin! Aussi, pour vous, voyez comment le Canada parvient bien a faire rentrer sur son territoire des millions d’immigrants sans avoir des soucis avec ces derniers! Le Canada parvient à construire avec ces immigrants une Nation dans lequel le respect mutuel, l’absence de haine, une intégration quasiment réussie et la compassion existent et ne sont pas de vain mots! En plus de ceci, les religions diverses ici au Canada arrivent à co-exister et cohabitent en paix, sans heurt, sans provocation et ce, contrairement à ce qui se passe en Europe! 

POURQUOI QUITTER MADAGASCAR 

Alors pourquoi avoir quitte Madagascar? Oui, c’est vrai que je critique les autres mais laissez-moi dire pourquoi ai-je quitte Madagascar. J’ai évoqué les raisons dans cet article (en anglais) et aussi dans cette partie écrite en bleu mais les (autres) raisons qui m’ont fait partir peuvent se résumer aux embouteillages infernaux et interminables a Tananarive, le mauvais état des routes, la corruption grandissante et le système de santé qui est cher et qui parfois… fait trembler. A Madagascar aujourd’hui, dans beaucoup d’endroits, il faut « donner des cadeaux » aux spécialistes pour obtenir de bons soins et être bien « considéré ». Dieu Merci, je ne suis pas tombé malade mais j’ai eu vent de beaucoup de retours venant de la part de gens que je connaissais. Une autre raison concerne les enfants. A Madagascar, les bonnes écoles sont très chères et malheureusement, le résultat obtenu ou la qualité de l’enseignement laisse parfois perplexe. D’après mon expérience, il est bien mieux d’opter pour des écoles assez simples et dont les écolages sont modérés (c’est dans ces écoles que j’ai suivi mon education et j’ai fini par intégrer des universités en Australie et réussi à créer une entreprise a notre propre compte ici au Canada; beaucoup de gens que je connais et qui ont opte pour ces écoles très chères ont pourtant fini « derrière » nous. Beaucoup bossent pour quelqu’un a Madagascar ou a La Reunion). Une autre raison concerne le niveau salarial. A Madagascar, je suis vraiment sidéré de voir certains expatries gagner plus que les locaux alors que ces derniers sont beaucoup plus diplômés. Honnêtement, je trouve cela inacceptable et c’est aussi en fait l’une des raisons pour lesquelles tantd e Malgaches fuient chez vous en France pour travailler! Certes, il ya les illégaux  (certes c’est plus des Africains de l’ouest mais quelques-uns viennent bien de chez nous, ca il faut que je le reconnaisse que je le veuille ou pas), amis il y a aussi beaucoup de Malgache « skilled » qui sont médecins, ingénieurs, informaticiens, architectes, pédiatres, psychologues pour enfants, infirmiers qui choisissent la France comme terre d’accueil. Bien entendu, contrairement aux premiers, ces derniers sont chez vous en situation LEGALE mais toujours est-il utile de préciser que Madagascar a BESOIN de ces gens car nous n’avons justement pas assez de pédiatres ou de spécialistes en tout genre chez nous! leur motivation d’après vous: le salaire est mieux en Europe ou ailleurs ….ou plutôt….le SALAIRE pour des gens travaillant dans ces professions nobles sont TELLEMENT MEDIOCRES à Madagascar que ces gens optent pour soit rester en France ou partie ailleurs…et moi je dis, ILS ONT RAISON DE LE FAIRE! ça va faire rougir certains en Europe mais savez-vous que beaucoup de Français partent aux Etats-Unis ou en Suisse pour de meilleures opportunités/salaires aussi…allons….allons!UN MALGACHE QUI EST PARTI AUX ETATS-UNIS POUR DEVENIR NEUROCHIRURGIEN (A Malagasy who wanted to become a brain surgeon): En 2018, alors que le President Donald Trump était à la Maison Blanche en train de bâtir son projet raciste et anti-immigration, un des neveux de ma femme a pris un visa americain depuis Madagascar et a quitté le pays en 2018, du temps. Ce jeune homme (un Malgache) s’est inscrit dans la faculté de Médecine à l’Université John Hopkins pour devenir un NEUROCHIRURGIEN! Il a déjà fait savoir qu’il ne retournerait pas travailler à Madagascar car il SAIT pleinement qu’il sera sous payé et probablement pas mieux traite qu’aux Etats-Unis! Il n’aura pas non plus les memes choix de carrière! Aujourd’hui, il en est à sa 5 eme année et a déjà pratiqué sur de vrais cerveaux, mais sous la supervision de ses enseignants. A qui la faute de toute cette fuite de « cerveau »? Que l’on veuille ou pas, les responsables a Madagascar ont une grosse responsabilité (et non la France) par rapport a cela et devraient sérieusement mettre en oeuvre des stratégies efficaces (et non de beaux bâtiments seulement vus de dehors, mais vides dedans..comme un oeuf de Pâques!) afin d’encourager les specialistes a rester a madagascar! S’il n’y a aucune stratégie (et ça m’étonnerait qu’il y en ait vu la volonté politique existante la-bas depuis l’indépendance), les médecins, les cardiologues, les ingénieurs mettront le voile pour partir ailleurs…. hélas pour le pays!Au final, je sais que j’ai beaucoup parle de la France mais encore une fois et parfois je pense que je suis parfois dur sur votre pays mais sachez que vous les Français, je vous aime vraiment et beaucoup d’entre vous ont fait tant pour nous. Je ne pourrais jamais oublier ces moments très précieux que j’ai passé dans votre Pays mais sachez qu’avec votre gouvernement (Français), je tend a ne pas developer une histoire d’amour! La France pour moi est un pays magnifique – et ce malgré certains dérapages et certains nationalistes qui sont vraiment aveugles par la haine – et je trouve la majorité des Français chaleureux, sociables, plein d’humour et surtout très agréables! Ces Français et surtout ces Françaises que j’ai rencontre(e)s en France me manquent vraiment beaucoup je dois le dire!  Ces personnes, ces Français – comme vous pouvez le voir dans mon article – m’ont donné la chance, m’ont écouté lorsque j’avais besoin d’eux et surtout, m’ont ouvert leur porte. La France est un très beau pays quand elle le veut bien mais c’est aussi un pays avec beaucoup de “set of problems” et beaucoup de politiciens qui feraient pour diviser les Français entre eux!Aujourd’hui, je suis ici au canada, je travaille pour mon compte avec mon épouse mais aussi pour une entreprise locale (pour gagner aussi une expérience canadienne qui un jour, pourrait s’avérer utile) , je paie mes impôts (je sais que la le gouvernement canadien va bien les utiliser et contrairement au gouvernement français qui les utilise pour taper sur des manifestants qui ne font qu’exprimer leur droit), je conduis avec un permis canadien qui est aussi valable si je décide de conduire aux Etats-Unis, en France, en Suède, ou en Suisse ou aussi, ailleurs(J’ai du passer un knowledge test puis ensuite un autre test de conduite pour l’avoir car sans ça, je ne peux pas conduire ici) et je sais, la France y est pour quelque chose car sans une bonne connaissance du Français et sans l’education que la France m’a offerte, je ne serais pas ici aujourd’hui! Merci surtout a tous les Français et a toutes les Françaises qui m’ont soutenu car contrairement a votre gouvernement, vous êtes – du moins pour 40% d’entre vous – fabuleux, chaleureux, bon vivants et plein d’humour (pour 40% des Français, je dirais, le reste … je préfère ne pas faire leur connaissance) Si vous souhaitez voir des images de l’Australie, merci de visiter:https://madagascanoverseas.blogspot.com/2021/09/this-section-has-been-put-in-place-for.html

Sinon, concernant la France car dans cette section, c’est l'attitude de son gouvernement actuel que je tiens a critiquer avant tout! Lorsque j’entends votre ancienne ambassadrice, Mme veronique V.A (Son nom en entier se cherche aiusement en ligne) sortir des propos indecents qui se reument ainsi: “Ici c’est la France”, lorsqu’elle se referait aux iles eparses situees au large de Madagascar. Il y a de quoi de demander si cette anciennne ambassadrice merite vraiment son poste et si la personne qui l’avait nommee n’avait pas pris trop de Cognac ou bu de la Vodka avec Vladimir Poutine la veille. Si j’avais une chose a lui dire, voici ce que je dirais: ce genre de propos reflete la personne que vous etes Madame - sans le respect que je vous dois -  et honnetement, meme une guichetiere de la RATP aurait plus de tact et de diplomatie que votre personne! Dieu merci, un nouvel ambassadeur - ayant un sens plus aigu de la diplomatie et plus competent - a ete nomme a votre place. Il n’est point etonnant de voir pourquoi certains Malgaches voient la France d’un point de plus en plus negatif de nos jours et il est aussi normal que beaucoup (oui, c’est encore pire en Afrique de l’ouest) choisissent de tourner leur dos a la France et preferent contribuer aux bienfaits d’autres pays (comme les Etats-Unis par exemple).Un autre point sur lequel je n’ai jamais vraiment voulu prendre la nationalite francaise (je pouvais le faire a 3, voire 4 ou 5 reprises, via soit les etudes, le tarvail, ou en epousant une personne de nationalite francaise), c’est de voir cette mentalite francaise tres typique qui consiste a renier son passe.  Beaucoup de Francais (en metrople), j’en suis sur, ne connaissent meme pas ce qui s’est vraiment passe durant les evenements de 1947 a Madagascar et qui, d’apres certaines sources, ont coute la vie a 100,000 Malgaches (un chiffre dementi et apparement tres discute). Certes, il y a eu des attaques perpetrees par des nationalistes a Madagascar (le MDRM), mais la reponse du gouvernement colonial Francais a ete teinte de bavures et d’abus de pouvoir. En faisant mes recherches, je tombe sur des noms comme Guillaume de Fontanges (un aviateur francais sans scrupule qui a apparemmenta ssassinne et balance des “opposants” depuis son avion. Ironie du sort, cet homme a apparemment ete decore par la France (Commandeur de la Legion d’Honneur) alors qu’il a ete responsable de bavures et de tueries de plusieurs centaines de Malagaches dans les annees 40. D’apres mes recherches, cet homme n’a jamais ete condamne par la France, ni par le gouvernement, ni par la justice francaise! Ce qui m’emmene a me poser la question; LA FRANCE MERITE-T-ELLE VRAIMENT D’ETRE LE PAYS DES DROITS DE L’HOMME…ou alors, la France n’est-telle au final que le pays des droits de l’homme au second degre? ou encore est-elle le pays des droits de l’homme quand ca lui arrange uniquement? Je me demande bel et bien si la france ne devrait pas donner le titre aux ….Norvegiens! Car d’apres moi, la Norvege n’a presque jamais colonise et n’a jamais balance des gens, torture ou assassine des gens en Afrique! Certes, il y a des cas ou effectivement la justice francaise est impartiale et fait envier beaucoup - en partriculier ceux qui vivent dans des pays ou l’etat de droit n’est pas toujours respecte, mais quand il s’agit de punir des militaires francais qui ont commis des actes de barbarie pendant la colonisation ou encore plus recemment, des officiers de la Marine qui laissent mourir des pecheurs malgaches, alors la je dis …les colons, ainsi que la marine ont en fait VIOLE les lois francaises, Ainsi, je suis tente de dire que la France ne merite peut-etre plus d’etre LE pays des droits de l’homme! Votre pays est beau, les gens sont en general bien MAIS 1.Quel mal avez-vous a assumer votre passe colonial!!!!!!2. Quel mal avez-vous a assumer la collaboration avec les Nazis aussi! 

Regardons cette video (par un Américain blanc) qui critique ouvertement la colonisation! Honnêtement ca dit des choses que beaucoup (en Europe) n'ont pas envie d'entendre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjieOlWXwTw&t=997s

Je me dis parfois que les Americains ont un passe esclavagiste lourd mais contrairement aux Francais (les gouvernements successifs, certains membres de la police, et les colons francais surtoutont un grand mal a assumer leur passe) ils assument beaucoup plus ouvertement leurs erreurs! 

Vous-souvenez-vous du massacre de Vel D’Hiv durant laquelle plusieurs Juifs ont ete emmenes de maniere lache et inumaine par votre fameuse milice francaise dans des trains de la SNCF (C’est surement la raison pour laquelle je ne voulais jamais epouser une francaise care cela m’aurait condamne a rester et immigrer en france, chose que je voulais a tout prix eviter!)

??? Que vous le vouliez ou pas, vous les francais avez du mal a regarder et assumer vos erreurs ! Vous etes fiers d’avoir combattus contre les Nazis, d’avoir mis a genous le gouvernement de l’Allemagne Nazie, mais ce que vous avez fait en Afrique et entre a Madagascar, est similaire, voire pire que ce que les Allemands ont fait endurer aux Francais fait prisonniers! Lorsque vous lisez l’article https://www.madamaxi.com/actualites-madagascar-l-insurrection-malgache-de-1947-ndash-1948-la-lourde-responsabilite-du-gouvernement-francais-actualites-1610.html

vous realisez le degre d’animosite et de barbarie que les colons Francais ont fait endurer aux Malgaches! 

NE VENEZ PAS CRITIQUER LES ALLEMANDS POUR AVOIR ELU HITLER LORSQUE VOUS-MEMES AVEZ COMMIS DES CRIMES ATROCES!

Messieurs dames, je ne veux surtout pas prendre la citoyennete d’un pays qui - certes beau et bon a vire - mais qui a d’antan, torture, assassine, abuse (oui, des bruits courent aussi que des amnistrateurs civils francais ont abuse des fillettes dans les villages malgaches, mais biene videmment, ils ont ete proteges). Je ne veux pas non plus prendre faire partie de ce pays qui continue de fourrer son nez dans nos affaires interieures. 

Pour votre reference (concernant les violences perpetrees par l'armee coloniale francaise, merci de lire. C'est une histoire qui fait froid dans le dos et contrairement a d'autres pays industrialises (justeemnt comme l'Allemagne qui ose faire afce a son passe nazi!!!) , le gouvernements francais successifs n'ont jamais eu les boules de prendre leurs responsabilites et preferent agir comme deds hypocrites!!!:https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/politique-africaine/1947-la-repression-sabat-sur-madagascar-alors-colonie-francaise_3059485.html

A ceux qui disaient: LA FRANCE TU L’AIMES OU TU LA QUITTES! je l’ai deja quitte physiquement et chaque jour qui passe, je la quitte aussi spirituellement. Mais cette phrase rouillee de xenophobie et d’impuissance qui cree des victimes la-bas en france, j’ai envie de dire aux immigres de retorquer la chose suivante:

“Personne ne vous a demande de venir en Afrique, personne! Vous etes quand meme venus en usant de pretextes bidons, maintenant, ne vous plaignez pas si l’Afrique se retrouve dans cet etat et que les “victimes” de l’heritage que vous avez laisse sur place, viennent fuir chez vous et foutent la pagaille tellement votre systeme d’integration est desuet et votre concept identitaire est tellement “particulier” qu’au lieu d’integrer les gens, ca cree l’exclusion, le rejet, la frustration et de la discrimination dans les 2 sens! De plus, ca cree un mal-de-vivre inoui en France! 

Pour ces Francais (je ne m'adresse pas aux 40% de Francais de souche fabuleux, ni même aux 30% de Francais de souche fréquentables, mais plus a ces 30% de frustrés de souche et ou ceux qui n'ont pas foutu grand chose de leur vie a part récolter les allocations en France en se plaignant des étrangers sans même comprendre que la France ne peut fonctionner sans ces gens car eux font les sales boulots que certains se rechignent a faire!!). Pour ces 30% de frustrés, regardez cette video de la premiere dame de Sierra Leone qui explique pourquoi a surtout a cause de qui l'Afrique ne se developpe pas!

 

Enfin une autre raison pour laquelle je suis vraiment fier d'avoir laisse la France derriere, c'est a cause de cette mentalite de la societe francaise qui est restee 2 siecles en arriere! Voyez cet extrait qui montre a quel point (les 30% de frustres qui - contrairement aux autres Africains qui ont reussi en Europe ..et ailleurs - n'ont pas foutu grand chose de leur vie,c e qui les frustre au plus haut point et ce qui les pousse a agir comme des macaques envers les immigrers qui ont mieux reussi qu'eux!) certains Francais (pas tous) sont encore perches sur leurs arbres en traitant certaines personnes en France comme des moins que rien. (comme les voteurs d'Eric Zemmour)! https://www.bbc.com/afrique/region-47444645. En Fait en lisant l'article ci-dessus, les personnes qui commettent de tels actes sont ceux qui sont frustres financierement, academiquement, socialement et aussi...entre leurs cuisses! Ce sont ces genres de personnes qui en général, sont les moins apte a evoluer dans leur vie, sont les moins aptes a tenir un discours sturcture et elabore et aussi, sont les moins aptes a réussir...meme chez eux en France ou tout jour a leur avantage! Pour moi, un Africain qui reussit en france est 100 FOIS PLUS INTELLIGENT QU'UN FRANCAIS QUI N'A JAMAIS ETE FOUTU DE FAITE QUOI QUE CE SOIT DE SA VIE!!! Pour moi, le "singe" dans l'histoire, c'est celui qui a tous les avantages mais qui malgre le fait qu'il a TOUS LES ATOUTS, ne réussit toujours pas! La dame de la boulabgerie ici est intelligente car de rien, elle a reussi a batir quelque chose...mais qu'en est-il de ses detracteurs (probablement ce des Francais jaloux et frustres entre leurs cuisses que des simples racistes....ici la notion de "race" n'est qu'un pretexte pour nuire a la personne). Il y a certains encore en France qui raisonnent au Moyen-Age et qui voient mal un "noir" reussir mieux qu'eux!!! Vous les Francais pointez du doigt les Americains en les traitant de "segregationnistes"; vous pointez du doigt les Allemands en les traitant de "Nazis"!!! De par mon expérience, même dans l'Amerique de Donald Trump, ce genre de racisme et l'intolérance n'arrive meme pas a trouyver sa place! Oui, il y a de racistes aux Etats-Unis, mais le racisme américaine s'orient plus vers le conservatisme Anglo-saxon alors que le racisme Francais est un racisme primitif, un racisme qui puise ses sources directement aux frontières du Moyen-Age!

maintenant, ne vous plaignez pas si des gens comme moi ne souhaitent pas (encore une fois, il s'agit de moi et moi uniquement, cela n'engage PAS les autres Malgaches qui eux, peuvent avoir une autre opinion!!!) contribuer a la France car avec ce genre de mentalité présent dans certains recoins, je trouve preferable de contribuer a un pays comme le Canada, qui est bien plus tolérant envers ses minorités! Au fait ici au Canada, pas une seule fois, je n'ai entendu dire qu'un immigre s'est faitv traite de ceci ou de cela, et même si cela arrive, le "raciste" serait immédiatement arrêté (in Canada, we have "hate laws") et remis au parquet pour être juge. Contrairement a la France que j'aime mais que je trouve "moyen-ageux" sur certains aspects, le Canada a des lois et des principes qui sont plus efficaces et plus justes!

C'est normal si la France a tant de mal a retouver la paix sociale aujourd'hui...

C'est si normal si la France voit les "bons Francais" partir vers le Canada ou l'Australie tellement le systeme qui y demeure et l'ambiance generale est devenue une totale mascarade!

C'est normal de voir certains immigres africains ne plus vouloir perdre leur temps en France, pays de la greve, des violences policières, du mal-etre social, des frustres votant Zemmour, de la décadence generale et généralisée!!!!

Bref...je suis soulage a l'idee de la quitter et en toute honnetete, je ne pense meme pas venir m'y soigner (j'évite cela, je préfère le faire au canada ou aller ailleurs si je suis hors du Canada), je ne pense meme pas y faire venir mes enfants (Pour les études, c'est NON!!!), ou même venir la visiter!

...Au Canada, je trouve une qualite de vie bien meilleure, un MEILLEUR CLIMAT SOCIAL, une meilleure securite, beaucoup moins de xenophobie (et aussi moins de frustres), des postes meilleurs pour le travail, un meilleur environnement professionnel!!!!! Pourquoi vais-je envier la France d'aujourd'hui avec tous ses problemes et tous le bordel et le tralala qui existe!!! Autant fuir la France si on peut car farnchement, ce pays qui autrefois, etait un tres beau pays, est devenu un cirque dont les acteurs sont des politiciens incapables, gourmands et corrompus (comme Sarkozy et Fillon) qui usent de la haine pour arriver a leur fin!

Au bout du chemin, vous vous prenez sur les Africains mais ...c'est vous - pour la plupart - qui finissez a la pharmacie pour acheter des antidepresseurs..comme quoi, la colonisation (caracterisee par les abus, la violence, les humiliations et les meurtres non punis) a aussi bien des revers et des retours de baton!

 

 

“Moi je l’ai quittee, et j’emmene avec moi les immigres competents et valeureux pour les installer chez moi ici au canada! Mais pour etre fair-play, Je vous laisse le reste!” Mais aussi la chsoe suivante: Il y a certains “mauvais francais) a Madagascar qui n’arretent pas de se plaindre des malgaches, de leur comportement (alors que parfois ils font de leur mieux), de la lenteur des choses et veulent imposer aussi leur vues d’europeens (ca pose probleme car les francais sont les etrangers sur place et se permettent d’imposer leur point de vue, ce qui ne plait pas a tout le monde. Oui, ca m’est arrive de remettre certains a leur place car jusqu’a preuve du contraire, Madagascar nous apprtient et c’est toujours a celui qui vient de s’adapter, et NON LE CONTRAIRE. MESSAGE A CERTAINS “MAUVAIS” FRANCAIS DE MADAGASCAR: Ca ne vous plait pas, tant pis mais c’est ma methode et c’est comme d’ailleurs partout dans le monde! Vous venez chez nous, VOUS VOUS ADAPTEZ A NOTRE VIE, A NOTRE LENTEUR sinon, merci de bien vouloir repartir chez vous ou IMMIGRER AILLEURS!). 

 

Si notre pays ne vous plait pas (je m’adresse uniquement a ces “vazahas” a Madagascar et non aux Francais en Metropole ou aux 40% de francais fabuleux), vous devriez aussi quitter Madagascar si elle ne vous plait pas! Pourquoi rester dans un pays qui vous deplait tant? Faites comme moi, IMMIGREZ AILLEURS si un pays ne vous plait pas trop! ayez au moins de la dignite et arretez de vous plaindre comme des marmites rouillees et partez ailleurs!

Ou alors, vous (certains Français de Madagascar qui se bombent le torse alors qu'ils n'ont pas accompli grand chose de leur vie) n’aimez Madagascar que pour vos propres interets (je m’adresse aux “mauvais” Francais a madagascar)? Peut etre que le Premier Ministre Italien, Giorgia Meloni, a raison sur la politique française en Afrique??? Parfois, je me le demande. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQY1oBwKcXs[/youtube]

Mais encore une fois, je n'en veux RIEN aux Peuple Français - que j'adore encore une fois! Je suis outre contre la politique gouvernementale axe sur le neo-colonialisme et sur une lachete constante qui se reflete sur ce manque de volonté a prendre des responsabilités sur les bavures primitives commises par les colons Français a Madagascar durant la periode coloniale! Honnetement, je pense avoir plus de respect pour le gouvernements des états du Sud des Etats-Unis comme le Mississippi ou l'Alabama, car eux, contrairement certains, osent assumer leur passe beaucoup plus ouvertement! La France d'aujourd'ui est devenu une distraction pour les Italiens, qui d'ailleurs, ne manquent pas une occasion de la critiquer. pareil en belgique ou un depute Belge a ouvertement critique les violences policières françaises commis encore une fois sur des Français (de bons Français, ceux qui rallent pour leur retraite et leurs droits et que j'adore!). 

Le gouvernement Macron a-t-il vraiment perdu le nord et est-ce vraiment un gouvernement ouvert, progressiste s'il opere de cette maniere envers l'Afrique et envers les Francais en france qui manifestent pour leurs droits? 

CERTAINS EUROPEENS NE CESSENT DE SORTIR CETTE EPNSEE STUPIDE COMME QUI LA COLONISATION AVAIT POUR BUT DE RAMENER LA CIVILSATION

Vous ne cessez de parler de CIVILSATION, mais qu'y a-t-il de CIVILISE dans l'art de balancer des resistants malgaches depuis un avion qui vole ou encore a fusiller des resistants dans une foret (de Moramanga)??? Pour moi, je ne vois AUCUNE DIFFERENCE avec les methodes de l'Allemagne Nazie!

Est-ce civilise de dénigrer et d'infantiliser un peuple, dans le but pour certains (MAUVAIS FRANCAIS et BELGES) de pouvoir se sentir supérieur??? Est-il civilise de TORTURER, BRUTALISER, MASSACRER DES PRISONNIERS, comme les colons francais l'ont fait pendant les interrogatoires, parfois de personnes innocentes?? Vosu européens, ne vous plaignez pas que votre pays soit envahi aujourd'hui par des gens que vous ne souhaitez pas...peut-etre est-ce juste....un retour de baton!!!! En Europe, vous méritez que les meilleurs immigrants africains partent aux Etats-Unis ou au Canada car de tout façon, pourquoi contribuer a un pays qui a infantilise, aneanti et hunilie l'Afrique???? Dites moi pourquoi apres, on pourra peut-etre discuter! D'ici la, j'invite ces europeens qui ne respectent aps nos lois en Afrique et a Madagascar, de bien vouloir quitter notre pays et d'aller immigrer ailleurs ou retourner au bled, en France! Les Bons europeens sont les bienvenus, eux peuvent rester car eux nous rsepectent. Est-ce clair!!!

 

 

ASSEZ PARLE DU COLONIALISME, PASSONS MAINTENANT A AUTRE CHOSE...

EN TANT QUE MALGACHE EN AMERIQUE DU NORD, QUELLE DIFFERENCE AVEC MADAGASCAR?

 

Une des particularités du Canada réside dans le fait que c'est un territoire très vaste, contrairement aux pays européens. Afin de mieux le découvrir, et de pouvoir en profiter pleinement de son expérience d'expatrié sur place , il vaut mieux apprendre a conduire sur les routes d'Amérique du nord!  Ainsi, depuis que je suis en mesure de pouvoir conduire sur les routes du canada (avec bien entendu un permis ("British Columbia Driver's Licence") délivré par la province de la Colombie Britannique), je me rends compte qu’avoir une voiture me donne beaucoup d’avantages: D’une part, nous pouvons désormais avoir accès à ces recoins qui, auparavant, nous étaient entièrement incessibles. Ceci comprend les parcs nationaux autour de Vancouver, les endroits fabuleux ou l’on peut se promener et se divertir (car avoir un véhicule nous permet de pouvoir transporter avec nous une/deux bicyclette(s) ou un mini-barbecue lors des petites sorties. 

EN QUOI CONSISTE NOTRE TRAVAIL?

En plus de ceci, le véhicule peut aussi servir de "bureau mobile" lorsque j'attends mon fils lors de ses activités (sports, cours de cuisine, etc...). En effet, j'utilise ce temps pour répondre aux e-mails des clients dont beaucoup demandent de plus amples informations par exemple sur le produit, d'autres veulent s'assurer que le colis leur parviendra à temps tandis que d'autres demandent des informations sur le "tracking" des produits déjà expédiés ou en route vers leur destinataires finaux. Ce moment d'attente, je l'utilise aussi souvent pour promouvoir la petite affaire sur Instagram ou Pinterest (in order to increase visibility and brand awaraeness) afin de faire prendre connaissance aux clients de notre existence...en d'autres mots. Parfois, j'utilise ce temps (confortablement assis dans la voiture) pour appeler au bureau, afin par exemple de s'informer sur les requêtes spécifiques d'un client ou d'un groupe de clients (en ce moment, tous des employés du gouvernement Canadien) sur la formation que je dois leur dispenser, car chaque groupe de clients a des besoins différents en fonction des "requirements" de leur postes et de leur rôle dans la fonction publique du Canada; il est ainsi de ma responsabilité de leur dispenser une formation appropriée et qui répond a leur besoins professionnelles. Une fois ces informations en main, mon travail  (car l'essentiel de mon travail consiste à former les employés du gouvernement Canadien  (appelé "main Job)" consiste à me preparer la "formation" en fonction de leurs attentes et egalement anticiper les questions qui pourraient de présenter le jour venu!

L'autre activité est une activité dans laquelle nous travaillons à notre propre compte (appelé ici "self-employment") et concerne la gestion de notre petite affaire (qui existe depuis plus de 5 ans maintenant) que j'ai déjà détaillé plus haut. La seule chose qui merite d'etre mentionné est le fait que plus de 85% de nos clients (pour le "self-employment" our la "petite affaire" bien entendu et non pour le travail relate aux employés gouvernementaux) sont anglophones (soit des Canadiens anglophones ou des Américains, chose normal vue la proximité géographique avec les Etats-Unis), d'ou il est capital pour moi et mon epouse de pouvoir s'exprimer correctement dans la langue de Shakespeare, de discuter avec des anglophones au telephone ou sur Zoom mais aussi de convaincre (en Anglais bien entendu) de potentiels clients (chose impossible si votre Anglais correspond au niveau de certains "mauvais Français amateurs de Zemmour" (et qui rayerait comme un vieille cuillère sur une casserole, le tympan des clients)! Dans mon cas du moins, le fait d'avoir entrepris mes études aux Etats-Unis, puis en Australie, à sydney (University of Technology Sydney) m'est  trés d'une grande utilité!!!

AUSSI IL SERT A....

D’autre part, vue qu’une autre partie de nos activités consiste à gérer notre petite affaire, il est indéniable d’affirmer que le véhicule nous aide énormément dans l’accomplissement de nos taches quotidiennes. Ceci comprend (mais ne se limite pas) les trajets pour se rendre chez les fournisseurs d’emballages afin d’emballer nos produits (que nous transformons par la suite), qui je le rappelle, sont essentiels pour complimenter nos revenus ici! Le véhicule nous permet aussi d’effectuer des trajets pour visiter des clients et de ramener les produits (une fois finis) soit chez le client (si ce dernier habite sur Vancouver) ou dans un centre de service d’envoi de colis (pour les envois dans les autres provinces du Canada ou vers les Etats-Unis). Avant que je n’obtienne mon permis Canadien (Vu que j’étais bien entendu sur permis Malgache, je devais passer un test de connaissance suivi d’un autre test de conduite, tous deux assez stricts afin de pouvoir garantir une sécurité optimale pour tous les usagers ici au canada, ce qui devrait être le cas d'ailleurs aussi chez nous a Madagascar mais je vois qu'on en est encore loin!), je devais me déplacer au moyen du "Skytrain" (un train suspendu a Vancouver) pour pouvoir livrer ces colis, sans compter les aller-retours. 

Enfin, avoir ce permis de conduire me permet de pouvoir aussi conduire aux Etats-Unis (et aussi en Europe) sans qu’on puisse remettre en question sa validité (comme certains permis qui deviennent soudainement invalides a cause de la géopolitique)! Récemment, en février 2023, nous avons décide de passer la frontière Canada/US pour nous rendre dans une petite ville - très charmante - située à environ 40 kilomètres de l’autre cote de la frontière, juste pour une journée! Cette petite ville s’apple Bellingham. Nous l’avons fait car ce fut une occasion pour ma femme et mon fils de visiter pour la première fois les Etats-Unis (On va probablement revenir et voir une ou deux autre(s) ville(s) des US cet été ou avant la fin 2023). Aussi, chose importante, une fois arrives a la frontière, vu que nous sommes désormais sur passeport Canadien, un visa n’est plus requis pour rentrer aux Etats-Unis (ni en Europe d’ailleurs, y compris en France!!!!) pour tout séjour touristique (90 jours ou moins) ou pour tout transit (en effet, plus besoin d’aller frapper sur les portes des chancelleries (surtout européennes, et honnêtement je trouve les Américains bien plus agréables a ce niveau!!!) pour demander un visa de transit, prendre RDV dans les chancelleries, faire les paperasses et même faire face a un éventuel refus pour on sait quel motif)!! Vous savez, détenir ce passeport canadien, c’est un peu comme si j’avais en permanence un Visa Français et un visa Americain (et 160 autres visas) qui sont en permanence valides!!!! Aujourd’hui, nous nous rendons tous compte de la chance que nous avons d’avoir ce passeport et heureusement que nous avons fait l’application! Détenir un passeport puissant permet en fait d’enlever ce “pouvoir” que certaines personnes dans certaines chancelleries européennes (encore une fois j’explique plus loin le la différence d’attitude avec l’ambassade de France et celle des Etats-Unis a Madagascar!) Une fois aussi, nous avons pris la voiture depuis Vancouver, puis l’avons embarqué dans un ferry (Embarquement a Tsawwassen port) et après 2 heures de traversée, nous avons atteint Vancouver Island (cette ile assez large a l’ouest de Vancouver que peu remarquent et qui est pourtant bien plus grande que l’ile Maurice et la Reunion combinées). Une fois sur l’ile, nous avons conduit jusqu’a Victoria, qui est en fait la capitale de la province de Colombie Britannique. Nous avons passe une semaine sur l’ile et avons découvert des coins fabuleux que nous n’aurions pas pu voir sans être véhiculé. 

 

PETIT BEMOL: En toute honnêteté, un aspect positif ici au canada concerne les fluidité et l’efficacité des administrations  (comme en France et en Europe pour etre honnête!!!). Prenons l’exemple des Agences d’envois ici au Canada (C’est également le cas aussi lorsque par exemple vous choisissez d’envoyez n’importe quel colis via la poste canadienne. Oui, ils ont tres avancés par rapport aux administrations a Madagascar, et la-dessus, pour etre honnete, il n’y a rien a dire!).

 

Lorsque j’envois des colis vers les Etats-Unis (et en Europe, notamment en Allemagne, aux Pays-Bas mais aussi parfois en France metropolitaine car certains de nos cleints s’y trouvent), il est encessaire de remplir un formulaire douanier pour chaque envoi. Contrairement a Madagascar ou il faut se taper des embouteillages monstres pour se rendre dans un bureau  - mal aere et deprive d’air de bonne qualite - pour le faire (sans parler de fait qu’on doit deambuler pour chercher un “Sefo” (chef)) pour faire estampiller le bas d’un document - froissé en plus - le formulaire  de douane au Canada se remplit directement sur le site meme de l’agence d’expédition! Une fois le formulaire rempli, vous obtenez un code barre que vous pouvez envoyer sur votre e-mail et une fois au bureau d’expediction et ils obtiennet les informations (nature des colis, nombre, poids, details sur le destinatire etc…) que vous avez rentrees auparavant! Pareillement, lorsque je devais renouveller mon permis de conduire (qui a expire), il a juste fallu se rendre au bureau (ici en Colombie britannique, l’agence s’appelle ICBC),,a ttendre environ 45-50 minutes, presenter 2 pieces d’identité et une fois ceci fait, pas besoin de revenir, le permis et votre carte medicale (j’en ai profite aussi pour la renouveller) m’a ete envoyee en 3 semaines directement dans ma boite aux lettres. A Madagascar, ce meme renouvellement du permis (dont le niveau de validite est bien entendu bien plus faible que le permis canadien, beaucoup plus facile a renouveller et valide aux Etats-Unis, mais aussi pour condurei en Europe) aurait valu au moins plusieurs heures d’attente (a moins de connaitre un “chef” et donner des cadeaux), des “filam-baniny” (exces de zele de la part de fonctionnaires frustrés, lésés et incompétents), des aller-retotur sous pretexte que tel document n’est pas valide (car certains veulent obtenir des cadeaux). Pour l’obtention du passeport caandien, je n’avais qu’a me rendre aussi une fois seulement dans un bureau en centre-ville (appele “Service Canada”) juste pour m’assurer que les formulaires étaient bien remplis (j’ai bien fait car une des cases n’a pas été cochée correctement). J’ai envoye les documents et tous les justificatifs par lettre recommandee a un bureau dans les provinces maritimes du Canada (car toute demande de naturalisation est centralisee la-bas a l’extreme-est du pays) Apres 5-6 semaines d’attente, le passeport canadien (qui permet de rentrer sans a faire de demande de visas dans plus de 160 pays) nous avait ete delivre directement par un service postal! En plus, contrairement, au passeport malgache qui n’est valide que 5 ans (son delai de validite de 10 ans a en fait ete raccourci histoire de permettre a certains de gagner plus de “cadeaux”), le passeport canadien est valide pour 10 ans et permet vraiment de pouvoir faire des aller-retour aux Etats-Unis sans qu’on vous demande trop de questions! Il vous permet aussi d’acceder a certaines positions (du gouvernement) si un jour vous souhaitez le faire ou d’obtenir l’aide des services consulaires et une assistance a etre rapatrie au Canada s’il vous arrivait quelque chose en dehors du territoire Canadien (exemple: guerre dans un pays tiers, catastrophes naturelles, etc…)

En deux mots, Madagascar devrait vraiment s’isnpirer soit des administrations en France ou au Canada si ce derneir aspire a se developepr plus car il est indeniable d’avancer que la “consipation” de la machine admninistrative constitue un frein majeur au developpement! Pour dedouaner quelques marchandises chez DHL ou Fedex a Madagascar (et le faire vous-meme sans leur assistancwe) requiert beaucoup de patience et peut vous faire eprdre 2 jours dans les buereaux crasseux avec des focntionnaires inefficaces et incompetents (ceci etant, certains focntionanires malgaches sont vraiment bons (une dame - une douaniere - nous conseille une fois de declarer les marchandises d’une certaine maniere afin de payer moins de droits de douanes mais elle l’a fait tres discretement, mais hélas… le systeme inefficace qui prévaut dans les administrations a madagascar dicte les regles!). Je ne peux pas me retenir en voulant vous dire que toutes ces années passées au canada ont été un très bon moyen pour éviter de “dealer” avec les têtes de noeuds a Madagascar et ont constitue plus que des “congés” sur le plan administratif!

...

Jusqu’ici, nous n’avons eu aucun souci avec la voiture (It is a Small SUV, comme ça, on peut aussi passer sur des routes un peu chaotiques sans craindre que le châssis “frotte”) et en ce qui me concerne, j’ai déjà parcouru depuis 16,000 kilomètres (ça fait environ 1 année et quelques - presque 2 ans quasiment -  car j’avais eu mon permis Canadien fin 2022 kilomètres) sur les routes canadiennes (et aussi un peu aux US). Contrairement à Tananarive, les routes nord-américaines  sont essentiellement constituées de boulevards à 4 ou 6 voies (sans séparations physiques sur le milieu contrairement aux routes que l’on trouve en Europe), les « freeways » (autoroutes) pouvant contenir jusau`à 10 voies dans certains endroits, les routes non bitumées  (oui!!! étonnamment, ça existe au Canada mais il faut se rendre un peu loin, notamment dans les espaces forestiers encore peu accessibles), les routes enneigées  (il faut s’y habituer, on n’est ni en Provence, ni à La Reunion et décidément, même pour les Parisiens, la neige semble être un vrai défi car beaucoup n’ont pas l’habitude en France!!!), le verglas (fait un peu être habitue sinon…ça glisse et ça part hors contrôle), les routes de montagne, les routes des Centre-villes (ou il faut s'habituer aux façons de conduire de certains conducteurs assez "imprévisibles") mais aussi …les routes situées de l'autre cote de la frontière dont le fameux “Interstate 5” entre la frontière US et Bellingham (les 2 pays ont des routes assez similaires par contre, je remarque des différence dans les signalisations ainsi que dans la manière avec laquelle les feux de circulations se manifestent...dans le code de conduite de la Colombie britannique (Canada), par exemple, les flèches rouges pour signaler que vous ne pouvez plus bifurquer à gauche n'existe pas!!! il existe bel et bien des qu'on traverse aux Etats-Unis!!) ! Enfin, une fois à la frontière, les douaniers Américains - contrairement aux idées reçues - ne nous ont pas trop embêté et nous ont juste demande le motif de notre voyage, le lieu ou l’on se rendait et aussi quel était le lien familial entre nous. Apres, il nous a juste rendu le passeport en disant “have a nice day!”.

 

 

 BACK TO WHERE WE LEFT - FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS 

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT I THINK OF COLONIALSIM?

LAST THING (FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS ABOUT FRANCE: I never believed in the civilization aspect of colonization! I strongly Believe this is Bullshit and to me, colonization (whether it was French, Belgian, Dutch or British), was an exploitation of other human beings by some other humans (or the term “morons” is probably more appropriate knowing the amount of abuse they have made people endure) who thought and were convinced they were superior, just because of the colour of their skin, and surely not because they were smarter in any ways (as i am myself convinced that the French “colons” came mostly from the lesser educated and elsser refined of the French population! Many of the smartest French, most educated, most open-minded and the MOST CIVILIZED ones (yes!!!! those French do exist fortuntaly! Not ALL French people are bad!!!!) were probably those who were living in Mainland France and trying to condemn colonization as they knew it was abuse and a BREACH OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS! Only the dumbest ones came to Africa to colonize! It is not astonishing why the Malagasy who opposed colonization found allies among the ANTI-COLONIALISTS (white) French living in Mainland France or France Metropolitaine (not in Madagascar and surely not anyhwere in Africa).

 

Please see the English version of the documents as follows: https://www-madamaxi-com.translate.goog/actualites-madagascar-l-insurrection-malgache-de-1947-ndash-1948-la-lourde-responsabilite-du-gouvernement-francais-actualites-1610.html?_x_tr_sl=fr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=fr&_x_tr_pto=wapp

But Beyond everything, colonization was designed to steal, reposessess and exploit the wealth of a country, in my case, Madagascar. How many persons have been tortured, abused and assassinated in the 1940s by the French colonialists down there. We will never know and we all know JUSTICE WILL NEVER BE SERVED NO MATTER WHAT ! BUT…… PUTTING AND SHARING THOSE EVENTS on this article is a way to condemn, denunciate and make people know what happened in Madagascar. Here is a snapshot of what happened there (in french)

 https://www.madamaxi.com/actualites-madagascar-l-insurrection-malgache-de-1947-ndash-1948-la-lourde-responsabilite-du-gouvernement-francais-actualites-1610.html 

I surely want English-Speakers and Anglosaxons to have an idea of what happens in a colonization period, but I also want the Malagasy to be aware and more importantly, I want the French (those who are fabulous, so the 40% of the French people, not the ones who are voting for Zemmour or those wishing for Farnce to continue being a colonial power) to know what the French colonial governemnt has done, how cowardly it acted and assumed its responsibilities (compared to America or Germany) when it came to the abuse of force, murders, assassinations, droipping people from a flying Aircraft (a specialty of another Coward pilot  named Guillaume de Fontanges).

Some people are quick to demounce how undemocratic Africa is and how corrupt our government are, which again is not untrue but the (french) colonists  during colonisation - came to Africa and Madagascar to impose their will and exteriorize their frustration. Which frustration? I assume it must have not been easy for some French (particularly those who find something satisfying about feeling “advantaged” because of their skin colour) to see their country being brtulalized by the Wehrmacht. People like Guillaume de Fontanges, Marius Moutet, marcel de Coppet were names that were known to be notouriously terrifying during the colonisation history. The two last names violated the French laws to come to their end, murder and assassinate Malagasy people who were just asking for the Independence of Madagascar. When I was Young, I Heard of a story (told by different people in Madagascar, from teachers, Family Friends and even my grandfather) of MDRM militants (indepedentists) who were brought by force by the French “colons”, out in trains (just like what the French milice did to the Jews in the massacre of vel d’Hiv), eliminated those men and put their remains at an unknown location. I even Heard that “Some were even buried alive” (I am trying to find some sources of that one and will post it here once I will).

 

MOST MALAGASY LIVING IN FRANCE LOVE FRANCE AS WELL AS THE FRENCH PEOPLE

Many Malagasy live in France and love France. I actually do love France as well and really love the French people (except the colonialists, and some of the french institutions in which colonialist reflexes are still very well alive. I also tend to be tough on how I see the successive government who have been extremely passive in how they do recognize their wrongdoings. For some French unfortunately, the colonisation was a useful mission, designed to Bring Africa out of the “darkness”. I would say the darkness that some (not all) French thought “suppressing” from Africa was brought by the “colons” who used barbaric, primitive, and uncivilized methods including tourture, intimidation, blackmail, killings, inhumane treatments. The FRENCH and other European colonists CAME TO AFRICA and FORGOT TO BE CIVILIZED! The “colons” taught Africans how to corrupt, how to use intimidation to remain in power, how to be greedy, how to be selfish, how to divide people, how to fear one another (have you noticed that in Africa, people tend to fear one another more than in any parts of the world?). Now, you are all wondering why in Africa many government leaders fall into this trap called “greed”? Now, are you all surprised to see how intimidation tactics and torture are being used by many african governments? Who taught them this very “useless” skill? Tell us!

Now dear french and Europeans, DO NOT SURPRISED TO see SO MANY MIGRANTS KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR!

Many of you would say: we vote for someone like Donald Trump! I got some very bad news for you! I ahve written furtehr down WHY those tactics of walls and tough immigration do not work and actually, I will tell you HOW people do to go around them..sometimes…in a very very LEGAL way!

 

I DO PERCEIVE COLONIZATION AS A NEGATIVE THING

'Now, some of you may be angry at me with my View on colonisation which I summarize as follows: Colonisation WAS A BURGLARY (Africa was exploited, its wealth was taken and abuses of all sorts were common and Unpunished), IT WAS THE BIGGEST SCAM EVER that Europe has done and it was an Opportunity for some “douchebags” (those europeans of many origins who feel frustrated by their incompetency, stupidity and colonizing a country was for them a way to feel “priviledged”) to exercise their frustration on other human beings!

AT that time, Europe found some Prestige in colonizing countries, and today, many people from those “colonized places” come to Europe illegally! Isn’t that a paradoxe??? We all see what is happening in France now (cars and tramways burning, destroyed building, delinquency, violence, etc…) and sometimes, as a Canadian of Malagasy Origin, I am wondering if Europeans were thinking they were so smart by invading Africa? Were Europeans thinking at that time that one day, those people they are exploiting and oppressing would one day be those who will be sending their descendants to Europe? Of course not! The only thing those “Colons” could think of was immediate profit, the prestige being a “European”, a Quality of Life that couldn’t get in Europe, the sensation that finally, their Frenchness or belgianness could mean “something” (I ahve this feeling that many of the “colons” in Africa were europeans who were being mistreated and under-respected in Europe, which has struck deeply their self-worth; This is why many of them felt the need to become colonizers as they were tehmselves frustrated of their lives in France - probably many were called or referred by other French (the better French and the most educated) as “bande d’incapable”, “pauvre con, “pauvre idiot” or “imbecile”).

 

Now, in my article, please feel free to read WHY did I go to Europe to study (if I Haven’t come to Europe, I would have kept believing that the French are bad; fortuntaely, coming to france allowed me to have a much more positive experience and changed my View on the French population. Then I knew that MANY FRENCH WERE NICE, warm-hearted and very VERY COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS)! Unfortunately, the French who came to Africa (mostly profiteurs, exploiteurs, opportunists and douchebags) in the 1900s were far from the description of the French I have met in france.

 

 Criticising Africa is easy, calling it “corrupt, violent, backward land” is easy but remember your prersident Mr Sarkozy as well as former Prime Minister Francois Fillon were accused of corruption: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/01/world/europe/france-sarkozy-trial-guilty.html

Last but not least, please find a very provocative interview by the Italian prime Minister, who openly accuses France (the government as well as some French corporations) of getting rich on the back of Africa:

Also, please find an interview from the wife of an African president, who explains WHY AFRICA remains at the "back of the train" despite having resources. whetehr or not some of you like it, it is NOT SOLELY due to corruption and African leaders! 

But the problem of Immigration to me, comes from COLONIZATION. If Frane (and England) did not colonize Africa, we WOULN'T BE HERE NOW DEALING with this wave of illegal migrants coming from the south. What pushes them north???? INEQUALITY does!!!! I am explaining it further down this article but to make it short, if Africa remains as it is now, Europe wil ALWAYS SE MIGRANTS coming North! May be it is time for us here up North to be more fair towards Africa (like putting in place inititiaves like the Biden administration did). But a prt of the problem is also the practices made by some Europeans (and north American companies) which keep impoverishing Africa and other southern countries. One of the best example is the chocolate industry [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcf2o42txUE&t=109s[/youtube] in which the African formaer basically remains at the bottom of the pyramid and earns a very little profit (less than 1 dollar a day) for a work that requires lots of enery, time and investment! In this industry, most of the profits go into the pockets of few companies that monopolizes the trading of cocoa beans as well as many european producers. If you are interetsed in this Info, there is a documentary on netflix entitled "Bitter chocolate" in a documentary called ROTTEN  [youtube]. Another issue with Europe if the way how many of its corporations control Africa, just likethe Italian prime Minister wants to mention in an indirect way.

Now for those who are nostalgic of colonialism, please have alook at this documentary. Again it confirms how Europe once made people believe they wanted to beinf civilization. Many people in Africa still believe taht, whereas I just DON'T. I DO FIRMLY BELIEV THAT COLONIZATION WAS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE EUROPEAN COUNTRY'S PRESTIGE, TAKE AWAY RESOURCES, EXPLOIT PEOPLE WHO WERE DEEMED TO BE INFERIOR ( and actually a narrow-minded and backward Belgian King namled Leopold II tried to build evidentce around that theory). NOW I would like to tell this to anyone Liking and aknowlediging Leopold II project. IF YOU WERE THAT SMART, YOUW OULD NOT HAVE COLONIZED AFRICA! You know why???? I know that if you did not come there to invade our countries, very few immigrants would have come to Europe now and We all know that! Now please listen to what this man ( apparently an American) has to say about colonialism. I found it extremely interesting: 

LAST point, may be it is time for the French government to stop putting their nose into Africa's affairs:

LET'S MOVE AWAY FROM FRANCE...TO BE FAIR!

Now, I do not want to give the imprression that I am only criticizing the French. In fact, should I be fair, I should also let you know that some Malagasy have done wronmgs during the colonization, one of the most famous names that goes viral today is the name Rasanjy. Among many other tratitors, a man named RASANJY has literally “served Madagascar on a plate” to the French colonists and turned his back onto the Malagasy Royals at that time. He is not the only one as there were many other Morons (of Malagasy origins, and I am not ashamed to denounce it) who sided with the French Colons to during the colonization. Man y worked for them to kidnap “dissidents” and “independentists”, abused them, tortured them and even participated in the physical elimination process. Many of those Malagasy traitors (whom I qualify as “imbeciles” and morons, just like the French colons), begged the French to allow them to flee to France and change their identity. So in a way, some (not all) Malagasy who have been living in France are the descendants of those perpetrators who licked the “ass” of the colonists (just like the famous “collabo” in France who kissed the boots of the Nazis during the German occupation of France). I would probably come up with additional names as I Progress in my research.

 

But let us may be drift away from Colonization now and go into another sensitive topic… which is violence.

 

Lately, when we Watch TV or log onto or preferred social media accounts, we keep saying an increasing number of violence, manynof them are unjustified.

Many, starngely, come from below the 49th parallel, in a country that is the first economical power on the planet, a coutnry which is prou of its Constitution, but seems to have Lost itself lately.

When I was a kid in Madagascar Island in the 1980s and my dad went to Boston to attend the pretigeous Massachussettes Institute of Technology or MIT ( please read my blog further and you will understabd better where I come from), I used to have a much better perception of America! For me, it was the land where kyscrapers touched the Sky, where many famous singers cam from (like the Bee Gees or Kenny Rodgers. I really fell in love with their songs) and where men have managed to conceive a rocket to reach the Moon! America was very respected back then!!! Today, the country has become the laughing stock of many people, particulalrly in France, Germany and Scnadinavia, the last one seem seeming to do exceptionally well when ti coems to respect human Rights. Nowdays, with the killing of TYre Nichols by 5 black police officers or the killing of George Floys in 2022 in an inhumane way created oputrage not just in Europe, but also in America itself. Now let me be clear, I am not siding the BLM movement as I really belieev it is a movement taht tends to crate hate, like a softer version of David Duke’s Organization. Another thing that I totally disagree with many is the following: the defunding of the police. Let me tell you that it is a very bad idea. Now you can criticize me that I am from Madagascar and grew up there, and therefore have a distorted View of what I see in Europe and America, but soemtimes, people from Afar are the ones who ahve the best and most objective views!!!!! I Believe that on the contrary, governments shoud INCREASE THE FUNDING of the polcie. Why do I think so? Because if you increase the funding, you woudl have the opportunity to improve the Quality of the hiring. Right now, it looks like some departments are hiring people whose incompetence and capacity of judgement are really Limited. Some of them even hire people with some possible “psychological” issues. Why do I Believe this? If you look at hopw Floys was handled, the officer who was handling the arrest had more than 500 seconds to CHANGE HIS MIND, 500 seconds to un-do what he has done and what everyone now knows he’s done, 500 seconds that could have changed Derek Chauvin’s life. Instead of rotting in jail now for murder, he would have been free, he would not have been labelled as a “murderer” and he would have let the US justice system do its work, which is to condemn and out behind bars George Floyd. I will never understand why he did not let the judicial system do what it is supposed to do as in any acses and as far as I am aware of, would have enough evidence anways to put the man in jail.  I do not want to discuss the issue of race here (as this blog is about a Guy from Madagascar  - myself - studying and exploring Europe, the US as well as Australia. But before anyhting, it is about my life and challenges in those countries and more precisely in France, a country taht I love deeply, despite me criticizing some of its coloniaslist policies! To me, discussing about issues of a country does not mean one necessarily dislikes that particular place and I have to say again that although there are things I am criticising, I love the French people (but not its governement policies towards Africa and towards the Nice French people who are demonstrating for their reitirement) and am extremely garteful towards France and the French for the opportunity that this country has given to my parents (as well as tehir Brothers and sisters) by providing many of them with a good quality education back in the 1970s and 1990s. France has also given me a great experience and a good education, whicha llowed, allowed me to study further and eventually, settle in Canada.

 

But back to what we have discussed earlier, what happens now in the US is captivating all my attention as my perception (and probably yours too) towards this once imposant country has changed…a bit for the worst. When my dad was sent by his Company (in Madagascar Island) to attend a course at MIT, America was a country that has just dealt with the Civil right movements, but obviuously, back then in the 1980s, I was not even aware of that as I becalme aware of it only once I came to Europe in 1998. The 80s where just 20 years after those volent protests that took place in States like Alabama or Mississippi and back then, the violent actions unbdertaken by officers were directed towards Black Americans who were in the middle of a demonstration, in other words, the police violence back then existed because of a particular context. We knew why it happened, we knew some people were very angry about ending racial segregation in the American south, many were angry to see black americans have access to better priviledges. In a way, now taht I am being aware of the US history, I am just so relieved that my grandfather had enough money to send his children to France as if he was far Richer, he would ahve sent his kids to the US probably. Thanks God he did not! The reason why I am saying this is because if they were studying in the America of the 1970s, they would have experienced much more issues than in a country like France for example; on top of taht, my uncle - very probably - would ahve had a lot of issues dating and marrying his French wife as he did in the early 1980s.

 

Anyway, that being said, I am following what is happening in the US those last years and what I am noticing is that, the more we are moving away from the 1960s and 70s when America was trying to knock down the Jim Crow laws, the more we notice more unjustified violence.

 

WHY WE HAVE MORE VIOLENCE IN THE US (and elsewhere) NOWADAYS?

 

Now…why is that?

Many would answer: Racism

But I would say racism has always existed, so why do we see more violent actions?

Now, many of you would point at technology and the increasing ease of access to it.

In a way, you wouldn’y be wrong and I admit that technology plays an important role in how often we see those actions, but I have another theory, which I think makes those unjustified violence frequent than ever before.

In the 1990s, if you recall, many factories in the US closed down as jobs were moved out of the US to countries where labour costs were lower. Asa result of this, many blue collar workers in the US lost opportunities or had to revert to other jobs. Not only that, but this “move” has  - in my (Malagasy) opinion and perspective - destroyed the strong ties that blue collar workers have built as they were working in those industries. This has led many to desillusion, loneliness and a loss of sense of belonging (to a Group or an Organization) pretty much everywhere in the United States. This hasd led many to turn towards extremists groups (hate groups) as a way to vent off their frustration and anger against a system, which they think, was ungrateful towards their hard work to make America a better place.

Now, this is how I see it from a Malagasy perspective, I may be entirely wrong, but this is the weay I see it.

Now, what does it have to do with violence today?

I think many of those who hold Authority roles in the US came from a blue collar background and this achange has affected many of them, in how they grow up and may be even in how their dad has turned abusive or violent towards their mother and themselves. This drastic change has just shaped them and shaped the way they establish relationships with the minorities in the US, namely the afro Americans, whom they see more as threats than possible “Friends”.

I strongly Believe that the violent acts perpetrated by persons of Authority in America IS NOT NECESSARILY racism, even if many do interpret it that way. I do believe though that racism is a “triggering element” in the action only. So what lies beneath if not racism? Well, I would say: Accumulated frustration and anger that have built up for decades. To this, one can Add a factal ingredient that could be dangerous: loneliness or isolation.

Now, what kind of frustration could push people to commit such barbaric acts? I would say the frustration that one’s life has been altered due to external events. The frustration that one has not managed to reach one’s goal, such as beciming a prominent lawyer or a judge or even a police officer working comfortably inside the Scientific police department. The frustration that one has not managed to finish one’s Studies. Now to all thise frustrations, Add a few ingredients like gowing up in a home where the father has been verbally abusive and coercitive, alcohol, low-quality and junk food and beer (unlike the food and beer we have had in Europe which - I have to admit - is above what we ahve in North America), the lack of physical Activity and the loneliness that many Americans are dealing with nowadays. All of these combined can turn a person (with some traces of traumas) into monsters or even psychopaths.

 

IS THERE A WAY? 

To my View, yes there is a way out of it but it demandes a lot of initiatives. First of all, the problem is not about police funding. I really Believe that the way some departments hire their officers should change. Just do like Norway or Germany does!!!!!! Over there, one needs to have attended some years at University Level to be able to enter the force and on top of that, police officers are trained for almost 1.5 years against just a few months in some US States. To me, the Germans and the Scandinavians end up having better officers, who are more capable of analyzing situations and also more able to deal with more difficult situations as they are better educated than their US counterparts. The proof is there! In Germany, violence perpetrated by the German police is EXTREMELY RARE, although they have lots of minoroty groups there too (no excuse for some, Germany has also many visible Minority groups).

A second initiative could consist of offering cultural classes to police officers in the US to make them aware of certain things they seem to be not aware of. Thridly, some departments should work on “recycling” their officers and those who have been accused of abuse and saddistic acts should be kicked out or sent “downstairs” to work with the documents or sweep floor freely, for the good of the American people who are already struggling to pay taxes!!! And when the American people Pay taxes, I guess that they are expecting officers who are more sensitive to their provlems and who are open to discussion, rather than ready for repression. To me and probably to Scandinavians, a police officers are expected to have social skills as their primary job is to deal with the public. If an officer is not Ready to ahve those skills and to prioritize this aspect, that officer can work in a closed office, away from the public eye as putting such person on the street is an embarasssment for any polcie department, and to add cherry on top of the cake, it is an embarassment for a country like the United States of America! When one wants to give lessons of democracy and human Rights to the World, one should be clear of any criticism first. A country which has tremendeous issues to have some of its officers respect human dignity on its soil would be put in doubt by many, including African countries who would perceive democrcy advices with a doubtful eye. Worse, they would probably just say or gossip “Qu’ils balayent devant leur porte, d’abord!!!!” (French expression that means take care of your problems of violence first instead of focusing on how we Africans deal with ours”.

Fourthly, I strongly Believe that those unjustified violence that some (a few but not all officers very fortunately) officers show is to me an expression of an unfulfilled dream, or may be of an unfulfilled life, as I have mentioned earlier. For taht Matter, I think it is a good idea for a country like the US to put in place a special Unit to assess and to deal continuously with traumas as well as psychological issues that could arise. Being an officer does not mean you are immune to those problems. On the contrary, it is a tough job where you deal with violence and danger all the time, therefore, it is a duty to put in place such “service” for the good of the officers and for the good of ALL the Americans!!!!

I am sure that many of you who are Reading those lines feel eitehr angry/surprised/ astonished/ doubtful/ scared about what a person from an unknown island may write or comment about an important body of the US. But you know, sometimes the most astonishing and unexpected ideas come from people from Afar…or from people whose mind is not “polluted” by media or imprtial news like “Fox News” for example.

Now, when I look at all those hate coming back and forth on social media and on how “some people” think that they are being advantages because of their social/educational/racial status, particulalrly there in the US. When I read some comments online, I laugh and I laugh because I think some people think that because they grew up somewhere fancy, then everyone lived a crap life. Now guess what? I have surely grown up in a very Poor country, for sure, I admit that and am proud of it!  But if those people have to write their lives on paper, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO WRITE MUCH OF IT!!! Why, because their life is characterised by emptiness where they didn’t have to deal with anyhting interesting at all! Many people just left Mum and Dad at 19, went to Uni, got straight A grades and then, went to work for Dad’s friend. They never left their town or State, they had normal and very regular lives, they smoked illegal drugs (very probably), got drunk, got on fight with people for no reason sometimes but got away from it as dad knows a good lawyer, and they have ever been to Europe, ever been to france (but envying those who have), ever dated a French girl (but envying those who have), ever been to Australia (they were too busy gossiping about immigrants, particulalry the Mexicans who are hard working people from what I’ve Heard and thanks to whom some of you guys can still afford to Buy lettuces or fruits at cheaper price as US companies do not want to pay higher salaries, should Illagal immigrants be kicked out of the US). Those “I think I am superior and smarter to anyone because I am from the Uncle Sam land” guys have ever visited Germany, Austria nor Sweden, or dated an Australian girl, like this guy from Madagascar Island did. Nor have they ever tried typical european dishes (like the French Coq au vin, Cassoulet, or the famous Bouille a Baisse or Wurst und Sauerkraut from Germany to just cite a few), or tasted real French cheese produced from french milk or enjoyed authentic French wine from the French terroir, like this guy from Madagascar did!

Thos esame type of people have never tasted life, nor do they know much about European culture or European languages, like myself! I may be caramel-skin with Hazel eyes and sleek hairs, but I Believe that I know more of Europe than many Young or less Young people who grew up in the new world! Likewise, I also know better North America or Australia than many people from Europe, who may think they have “advantage”.

Not taht I want to be arrogant, but my goal here is to tell and make some people understand that sometimes, Life is full of surprises and sometimes, surprises come from people that do not look like you! If you have not understood this yet, life will teach you, or if not, God himself will make “arrangaments” for you to have your eyes open wide one of those days, don’t worry:)

 

ABOUT MY STAY IN VANCOUVER, CANADA

In other words, I just summarized the aforementioned idea of self-employment to the Malagasy who might find our “path” to be unusual, and to be entirely fair with you, most of my journey, starting from this moment when I left from France, was quite unusual really (If you want to see more videos about Vancouver, please click the link at the very end of this article). It probably was the reason why I have decided to put the most memorable moments in writing. For those of you who do not speak Malagasy, seeing my native language in writing is an opportunity for you discover a language you probably have ever encountered nor read before. As the history of Madagascar suggests, the Malagasy language has its roots in old Austronesian languages and sounds a bit similar to dialects spoken in places like Borneo, Java or Sumatra, on the Indonesian Peninsula. But because of the long isolation of the Merina people (those like me who are the  descendants of those Indonesians) for more than 1,500 years, the two languages have evolved in very separate directions. So Indonesians do not understand us when we do speak Merina dialect (which is the National language in Madagascar by the way) and we do not understand them either! 

This incredible place - where one can enjoy beautiful scenery as well as seeing small aircrafts landing and taking off - is just located about 25 minutes by drive or 30 minutes by Transit from where I live. This is  very close to "Canada Place" and this is right in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia!

 

This place is close to where I am living, about 10 minutes walk!

and this is how downtown Vancouver looks like

As you can see, it is quite different from the Europe I have been visiting and staying for quite a long time...this is Capitol Hill and this is a pleasant and quiet place to live, particularly if you have kids. I have lived in Europe before and although I enjoyed my stay there for most of it, I have to say that what I enjoyed the most about Canada so far include qualities such as the quietness and the tranquility of its environment, the pace of life within Canada, the kindness and generosity of many Canadians that I have hardly seen elsewhere but also, this sentiment for safety pretty much everywhere you go as well as the existence of the notion of security which is still well alive and existent as compared to what we have in some countries in Europe are facing nowadays. Beyond everything, I like Canada because this country has a mindset towards immigration that is so unique. Unlike some places on the planet, Canada has managed to manage exceptionally well its waves of immigrants and provides good opportunities for the latter, once they land in Canada. Last but not least, here in Canada, unlike some places I have been before, we have this impression that we - as newcomers - have always felt been welcomed by the Canadians! 

All of the videos below were taken mby myself with my camera!

Also what I like about this area of Vancouver where I live is that everything that makes this area so unique is located less than 1 hour radius from where we are.

This is a place called Kitsilano, and I will just let the images speak for myself (my own video):

This is Granville, a famous spot located near downtown Vancouver, again, I will let the images speak for itself (own video)

This is another sport called Rocky Point in Port Moody, in the outskirt of Vancouver:

and this is Brentwood Mall, which has opened its doors in mid-2021. It is located about 15 minutes from where we live and as you can see, it is a pleasant area to walk around. Just 20 minutes (by bus) from Brentwood is Metrotown, which is another famous Mall here in Vancouver

and this is me (from madagascar, driving here in vancouver, Canada, with a Canadian driving license from British Columbia):

And this driving downtown vancouver

Again, these are just a very few samples of what one can find around Vancouver. Right around here, there are just so many things to see and enjoy. I have noticed that here in Canada, or at least here in Vancouver, even though one goes away from the centre of the city, the places located around always do have their charms, and unlike some places I have visited in some parts of Europe (where the centre are sublime but a s soon as you' drive away from the centre, it starts to become less attractive), Canadian suburbs tend to be built in way that charm, elegance and originality are always preserved. You can travel far from Vancouver but the towns and places around will always be interesting and worth to be seen!

but before that ultimate goal, my life has been made of many turning points, challenges, but also travels and study time in very different corners of the world.

Today, I am going to tell you my personal story from the perspective of someone who grew up far away from the today's context that shapes the Americas or Europe.

SOME INTERESTING PICTURES AND VIDEOS FROM CANADA, 

AUSTRALIA 

AND MADAGASCAR!!

If you want to see more videos about CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND MADAGASCAR, please click the link at the very end of this article or if you want to, click here:

https://madagascanoverseas.blogspot.com/2021/09/this-section-has-been-put-in-place-for.html

NOW....

LET's FOCUS ON ...

MY STORY !!!

LET ME ME TELL YOU MY STORY BEFORE WE ADDRESS MORE SERIOUS ISSUES

 
LEAVING MADAGASCAR TO STUDY IN EUROPE....

Everything started that night of September 1998 when I was supposed to board a plane to Lyon, France for the purpose of studying. Had I known that night that my study trip will not see its end in France, but will continue to the state of Pennsylvania in the US, then later to Australia, and a few years down the line, to Canada where I do live with my wife and son, I am convinced that I might said to myself « That is just impossible »!During this night, the atmosphere at Antananarivo Ivato Airport is hot and dry as the summer season is about to start. My father will accompany me as it was the first time I am leaving Madagascar, my country, for such a long time. We will be spending a few days in Paris before heading to Lyon, where I will be commencing a school of hospitality. For most of the Malagasy youngsters like myself, it is in fact very usual to pursue one studies in France once we obtained our HSC or High school diploma; the reason being the fact that we speak French and that France is  generally the country we tend to know about the most outside Madagascar obviously. I have had one or two classmates in Madagascar who went directly pursuing their education outside of France, but in general very few dared to pursue directly their studies to a country like the US or Canada.

Before talking about the departure in itself, it might be a good idea to provide you with some insights about my parents past first, so it might be easier for you to understand the whole context. My parents were both from Madagascar, grew up there and studied there until they finished high school. It was actually very common for most of Malagasy youth to wait till the end of high school before pursuing their studies overseas - in most of the cases - in France! As a kid though, I knew some of my dad's coworkers or colleagues went pursuing their studies in places like the US and three other closed friends (They were my dad's colleagues when he was working at this mining company) who who graduated from McGill University in Montreal. At the time my parents were studying in Madagascar, French was still the language of education and the curriculum taught there was a "copy-paste with some degree of modification" of the one you would have in places like Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg or Bordeaux!! After the "programme de nationalisation", the Malagasy language came into force, the education system in most (but not all) the schools were turned into Malagasy.  However, some (private-owned) schools still kept the French language and a kind of a resemblance to what is a French curriculum; I have attended one of those schools who offered French-like curriculum (as going to the Lycée Francais was way too expensive for us and honestly, I did remain into those private schools till two years before I was about to leave to Europe) and once time has come for us to take the High school diploma, we had to take a special exam which was organized by the Lycée Francais de Tananarive", which was a school were ONLY French is spoken and everything they taught was in fact the EXACT SAME THINGS as the subjects taught in continental France.
Well, back to my parents, they both left Madagascar around the end of the 1960s.  Unlike most of the youth there at that time, I chose to leave before obtains his high school diploma and a high school in the town of Chantilly (yes, the same place where they invented this famous creme you put on your ice cream today). He got accepted and after a few months, another person from Madagascar came and that was in Mum...she arrived late, but at the end, they all finished high school and then went to Paris where my father applied to the "Institut d'etudes politiques", which was considered to be a highly trendy Institution (even today) as this is where many French presidents, mayors and Prime ministers have been to. He and my Mum have decided to live together and shared an apartment not far from the IEP Paris and as they stayed there, my uncles (my dad's brothers) and 2 of my aunts (later on) also came to France for the purpose of studying; some stayed in Paris but many of them chose the city of Lille (right close to the border with Belgium) to undertake their studies.

 

Another uncle of mine started to work in the commercial sector in Madagascar and has decided to open his own business. He is now at the head of many important companies down there and manages important and interesting businesses in the fields of energy and railroad construction.

One of my aunt too finished her "ecole de medicine" (medical school) in Lille and became a doctor and she has travelled in many areas of France but lives now in the French island of La Reunion.

My Dad, once he graduated from IEP Paris, could have continued to do an MBA in the US (as any degree from this French school is highly recognized in the United States) but preferred to come back home where he started to work for a oil company for many years. This old company actually gave him the unique opportunity to study for about 7 months to the US and sent him off at Boston MIT school to study finance as well as taking a few courses of petroleum engineering. That was back in 1983  (A year before, an uncle of my father - who was the Madagascar Ambassador to the United States - died and just a few weeks before his death, he took a picture  inside the White House, with the Ronald Reagan, the US president at that time. I still remember this picture showing him and Ronald Reagan standing next to each other and smiling at the camera.

Well, my dad was absent for many months as I was still a kid and I can remember pretty well those days. Just before his return, my mom and I flew to Paris and I will remember this phone call that we have. I was too shy and too small to talk with him over the phone but I remember holding the "ecouteur" to listen to his voice. I remember he spoke in a public space and heard some people talking in a language I did not speak at all (in English as he was in Boston). The night that followed this call, I remember crying as I missed him so much and it has been long since he has left home now. When we finally met him at the airport in Roissy Charles de Gaulle, I do not remember what happened but my mom told me I did not want to get close to him as he wanted to say "hi". I was - in my belief - between incomprehension, happiness and sadness.

We then flew back to Madagascar together and we were back at this traditional house we rented at that time. During all the years that will follow, my dad will be travelling a lot to Europe and the United States, and around 1985 or 86, he was missing again for a few months as he was attending a certificate from a school in Edmonton, Alberta. For him, too, life has allowed him to see the world. In 1989, he was nominated as the CEO of a famous mining company which was poorly managed and close to bankruptcy. In a matter of years, he managed to bring this company back to life and invested in more trucks, increase employees salaries and improved their working conditions. As this company exported the raw materials in places like Japan, China, Sweden and Norway, he made many trips in those countries. Often, we would have Scandinavian clients and Japanese ones who would come to Madagascar to visit us (th

ey actually visited our home to have lunch with the company staff) but more importantly, to discuss business matters.

Seeing this, I can definitely say that my grandfather has managed to make his dream come true: He made sure that all of his children become successful!

 

MY DEPARTURE FROM MADAGASCAR

I will always remember that night of september as despite of being mentally prepared, I surely knew I had so much challenges ahead to overcome, and I was even more aware that there were greater chances for me to fail than to make it! I knew it because since I was a child, I never left my parents for more than 10 days…and that was only once during a trip organized by my high school (La Clairefontaine) for us to visit Washington. But that was it!!! Apart from that accompanied trip, I really never had the chance to be on my own nor experience what I would be capable of should I be alone in an unknown environment.I CANNOT EVER FORGET and I will always remember the face of my mother and my sister who were there at the airport; I can hardly erase from my memory this face of my mom seeing me going away and knowing that I was leaving for some time at least. I will also remember this Air France plane – having a big logo of a French kid holding a ball as France has just won the Word Cup a few months ago – waiting for us to board. Also, I will never forget the next morning when we were flying right next to the very famous « Mont blanc ». At that very moment, I knew I was already flying over Europe. I will never forget my fathe’s words as the aircraft started to descend over Paris that day and as I was trying to familiarize myself with all those names that I saw on the map…at that moment, he said to me « well, that would be your country for the next three years ». With all the emotions of the departure, I still couldn’t realize that I have really left home, and that I left behind me everything I Knew, every place I was familiar with, everyone wiwth whom I used to share things. Now on, I have to be on my own and find my own way…here in this country….In this article, I will be expose some insights about myself, about my personal stories as well as the different challenges I was facing. But more importantly, this article is also about providing advices in regards to travel overseas or settling in a foreign country.I have also written this Blog as a Malagasy perspective dealing with overseas travels is of an extreme rarity. Most of the Blogs, articles, critics, history books, for example, about Madagascar, have been mostly written by non-Malagasy (mainly people who grew up in the Western world, in some developed parts of Asia) individuals who surely have a different view than mine. Also, most of the blogs, travels, articles existing on the net are hardly produced or written by any persons from the island of Madagascar. Today, by dropping a few lines here, I hope that there would be some changes, and invite other Malagasy both overseas and in Madagascar, to share their experiences or their talents online as I know that there are a lot of bright young people down there, bust most are not just given the opportunity to prove that.

A LITTLE ABOUT MYSELF AND MADAGASCAR BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER

Before we go further to talk about my decision to go overseas, or about what encourages many Malagasy students in general to go abroad, I have to tell you a bit about my past: I grew up in a small neighbourhood located in the center part of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. I spent most of my infancy there and started school at the age of 4, like many. The school was a kind of those preschool you would find in advanced countries, except that may be they were more archaic. The teaching was done in French, but that did not prevent the attendants to speak to us in Malagasy, the official language of Madagascar, from time to time. Young, I was very timid, almost too much of an introvert to be honest. I rarely spoke to people whom I did not know, and in class during most of my primary school, I hardly ask questions. On the other hand, I moved playing with my friends, with whom I got acquainted with quite easily, probably thanks to this skill I have developed very early: humour. I just loved to tease others and enjoyed to make others laugh over a joke, or sometimes by recounting funny movies or events I have seen before.At home, our parents worked hard to bring bread on the table; my father at that time, worked as at a mid-level management job for a well-known company there in Madagascar. Surely, we were not poor, but I have to say, we weren't among the richest either. Very young, I was taught to be happy with what I had, and many times, when shopping with my mother, I was often refused some toys or some biscuits, which back then, were expensive, as they mostly were imported from Europe.When I started secondary school, the CEO of the company where my father was working, was killed in a tragic plane crash near the town of Antsirabe. We were all very schocked and soon, he was to be replaced by a new CEO, with some military background, and who seem to be worry about proving his power than showing competency. As soon as he became CEO, the very first decision he took was to forbide family members to ride onto the company's car; that meant, to be able to travel to school now, I had to walk and take the bus. Thanks the Lord, at that time, the buses in Madagascar were still in pretty good conditions and were still well maintained (compared to buses we have now in 2020) as the country used to be better off on an economical standpoint.

When I look back at my life years later, now that I am living overseas, I sometimes wonder whether those conditions have made me "stronger" as I know for sure that I can be happy with very few. I also am wondering whether those past conditions have made me able to "relativize" things or situations more easily, and that is probably why I do not get discouraged easily!Now, on a family standpoint, I know for sure my parents loved me (and now, even too late, I realize that my grandparents also did) and my sister as much as they could and did everything for us. But that being said, I have to admit that some acquaintances, a few teachers, a few classmates in Madagascar, and a few persons around the extended family have not always been that excited to see us pursuing our dreams. I remember the day when I was to fly to Europe for my studies, some persons have tried to convince me that pursuing my education in Madagascar would be the best choice, at least for the next coming years. I am not angry with them for saying this as probably, I have sent them the wrong signals that indeed, made them believe that I was far from being ready. In fact, in my deepest feelings, I knew that I was not ready to go, and I also know that the time for him has come to head off overseas and that if I did not seize that opportunity now, it might be gone for good!! I knew that if I have waited a few more years, I probably would have changed my mind, or something during those two years in Madagascar would have come across my path...so that day, just before I turned 20, I just said to myself that I had to go and board that plane for Paris, no matter what happens and no matter what people say!

I was for instance told by an elementary school teacher that I probably do not have the necessary skills (and guts) to go by myself deal with in a "hostile environment" and pursue studies far enough and that I will be probably be a drop off around the 7th or 8th grade! At high school, one kid caused me some problems implicitly let me understand that I wouldn't obtain my High school certificate and will surely fail at everything I would undertake after High school! Paradoxically, I heard from friends whom I met later that the guy who said that to me years before ended up working for someone who mistreated him (and in countries like Madagascar, during those days, there were no laws that really protected you against those things, but lately, it started to change) and on the other hand, I ended up travelling the world - without expecting it at all - meeting new people and friends while enjoying life experiences that I could not have ever had if I made a choice to stay in Madagascar.

Surely, I love my country and I am proud of who I am and of those years that I have spent there, but that time has just come for me to leave.I also remember a few weeks before departing to study in France, we organized a small celebration where we invited friends and families. Until this date, I am wondering whether that was a good idea or not as I was noticing some of them (not all) having this smirk on their face, which meant that some of them believed that I would not be able to make it or "integrate" in France and will end up coming back home after 2 or 3 months.  But in a sense, I could understand some of those beliefs as firstly, I did not have much experience in living away from my parents; secondly, and this is the most important, I myself, thought that there might be some chances that I wouldn't make it that far either. Fortunately, I was wrong on that second point!But here we are, a few months later, I managed to find my place in France, in an environment which was mainly made up of French students! I have also been successful at making new friends, to spend time with some of them eating out or watching movies, or even dating French girls from time to time. Years later, once I have completed my studies in France, I left for the US and have obtained my Bachelor's degree from an American university in the state of Pennsylvania. After that, I came back to Madagascar for a few months and that coming back was a bit like a turning point in my life...from the Unisted States, I have made a crazy decision, which was to travel by "exotic transportation means" to the Deep South of Madagascar. As paradox as it may be, the idea of studying to Australia stemmed from my trip in the Deep South of Madagascar! Me, this young extremely shy and introvert Kid from Madagascar,  fair is to say that I have encountered obstacles on my way, I have not only obtained degrees from tertiary level, but have managed to integrate well and come to understand a country - France - that I have barely visited beforehand. I have been successful in making new friends, dating interesting girls in France, the United States as well as in Australia, dealing with complex situations, managing my own budget, organizing the day so that I can study in an efficient way. Years later, I also took another challenge which was to study in environments which were entirely atypical to any Malagasy prospective student; such challenges were meant to cope with an environment and a school system from two English-speaking countries. Today, I even managed to immigrate and settle in English-speaking Canada and start my own self-employment venture. Those atypical concepts consisted of facing the challenges of studying and understanding concepts in English, a language which I started practicing only once I got to the United States when I commenced the very last part of my BBA program (as I started the foundations courses in France)!!

In other words, before you believe what comes out from others mouths, bear in mind that this person may have a very distorted view of who you are and what you are capable of.  Never take their words as if they were written on rocks, like the ten commandements written by Jesus Christ! Also, no matter what people say to you, ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOU and BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING!LET’S START ABOUT THE DECISION PROCESS OF STUDYING OVERSEAS:Even though I am writing this blog on the behalf of Malagasy students, it is also designed to help ANYONE who just has dreams to study overseas. It can be a US student wishing to spend 2 semesters in Argentina for example who wishes to study Spanish.I have a youtube channel which displays different videos about my trip to Australia as well as Canada, but not limited to those. If you are interested to have a look at them, please go to:

PLEASE VISIT MY CHANNEL ON YOUTUBE DISPLAYING SHORT VIDEOS OF SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, WESTERN CANADA, CHINA AND MADAGASCAR

www.youtube.com/channel/UCBY350-Kgd7X4umOAuCJk9A

FIRST, LET'S START ABOUT MADAGASCAR

ABOUT WHAT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT MADAGASCAR

I have talked about who I was at the previous section. Now, I would like to tell you a bit about this very unknown place, called Madagascar, which is where I come from originally.Many times, when I was staying abroad, each time I referred to my own country, I keep hearing people saying me "Ohhhh, the movie!!!!". If you readers do not see what I mean, I will ask you first: do you know Steven Spielberg? Then, I will ask you "Do you know the movie titled "Madagascar". Well that is the famous movie most people were referring to!In fact, Madagascar is only know through this movie, and to be honest, that is quite unfortunate!To begin with, Madagascar is an island located about 400 km off the coast of east Africa. It is a country slightly bigger than metropolitan France; in fact, it is as big as France, plus Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg; If compared to the US, it has the size of Texas! so do not get mistaken by its relative size as it sits close to the African continent, but Madagascar is a relatively big country.

WHAT PEOPLE DO NOT NECESSARILY KNOW ABOUT MADAGASCAR

Now, is it an African country? Well, on the paper, it is and to some extent, historically speaking too, it has some links with Africa. But what many do not know is that Madagascar has also some Austronesian influence. If we look at the general population, indeed, there are people whose ancestors come from the African mainland, but one cannot deny the fact that there is also a very important part of the Malagasy population whose ancestors came all the way from today's Borneo, Java, Sumatra and even Malaysia. Most of this Austronesian population have established themselves in the highlands of Madagascar, and this is actually where I come from. So, yes, I hold a passport issued by an African country, but my genes are from South-eastern Asia. This explains probably why I have fair complexion and sleek hairs, as many Malagasy coming from the central part of Madagascar.SO HOW, WHEN AND BY WHICH MEAN DID THEY ARRIVE IN MADAGASCAR?You all probably know the history of the Pilgrims who reached the eastern coast of the United States and that this country was settled by Europeans who fled religious persecution in Europe at that time; you probably know that Brazil was firstly occupied by the Portuguese and that Argentina was settled dy mainly Spanish, Italians and Germans immigrants at the very beginning! In regards to Australia, Besides welcoming new migrants and businessmen, we all know that some parts of this country (like the island of Tasmania) has been a destination for ancient convicts coming from Britain.But can we say the same for Madagascar? Can we say WHEN, can we say HOW, can we even say FROM WHERE? The answer is a definite "NO".Unlike America, unlike Canada, unlike New Zealand, No one knows for sure when the first Austronesians came to Madagascar! No one knows HOW did they get there. and to be entirely honest, No one even knows whether they were in fat Austronesians at all! So how can we assert that we come from Indonesia?

Just if you want to have a look, please see the picture below displaying Typical Merina people from Madagascar. As you can see, most of them have traits that are similar to today's people from Java or Borneo.

Here we can see teh Merina people living in the highlands of Madaagscar wearing traditional Merina clothing

Here is an example of typical Merina songs; as you can see, it probably sounds very different from many of people would expect from songs from Africa.

This one is titled "toy ny van orally", wich means "as if it were yesterday": 

This one is titled "fitia voarara", which means "forbidden love":

In fact, we cannot really make any assertion about the origins of the Merina people (that is how the descendants of the Austronesians who came to Madaagscar between 1,000 to 2,000 years ago - are being referred to) of Madagscar as even studies conducted y some archeologists along the eastern coast of Madagascar could not prove much. They found no evidence of graves, not they found any boats or even ustensils that the former Austronesians have used. However, wth the DNA testing, some studies have been done on both sides of the Indian ocean; on one side with the Merina of Madagascar and on the other side, with Indonesians from Java, Borneo and Sumatra, and it appeared that the Merina of Madagascar had very similar genes with people from Today's Java and Borneo. 

Besides like Indonesians, the Merina who are the Malagasy coming from this central part of Madaagscar, have fair complexion, sleek hairs and facial features similar to people from those western parts of Indonesia. 

 

WHAT CAN WE SEE IN MADAGASCAR?

before going further, the island of Madagascar (596,000 sq km) is bigger than France itself and has a diversity of landscapes. ON top of that, the island accounts for more than 10,000 endemic species of plants, just like a continent as vast as Australia!!!!! That means that those 10,000 species can ONLY BE FOUND in Madagascar and nowhere else on earth!

If you want to know more, please look at this documentary video:

As Madagascar split from mainland Africa millions of years ago, it also has some very geological particularties, which resulted in the creation of UNIQUE SITES such as the "Tsingy of Bemaraha", which is technically speaking a "forest of limestones"

Please have a look at this site below: 

Other things one can see there are the famous baobab trees!! There are actually 7 species that exist worldwide, 1 specie exist in Africa, 1 in Australia and the 5 remaining species are all in Madagascar!

WHAT SHOULD I DO FIRST WHEN PLANNING TO TRAVEL TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY?

First, do your research. get to know about the country/countries you plan to go to.To do do, browse the internet as much as you can to look for information; use also video resources such as youtube to visualize that particular place you plan to visit. You can also look for blogs or read forums which are related to that place.Secondly, if you can, try to get in touch with some people there. I have not done this but you can also try to contact people who are already living there to get a better feedback of a particular place. You cal also use this contact to enquire about studies, job opportunities, places to visit, drawbacks regarding the place, or ask for particular advices.THE BIG QUESTION: SHOULD I SAY OR SHOULD I GO?This question has no YES or NO answer, as it depends firstly on different parameters, notably:

• external parameters: (the country you are going, whether you go alone or with someone else) and
• internal parameters : your personality, you historical backgrounds, whether or not you were exposed to some individualistic environment, etc…

Some people that I knew when I was in Madagascar, were very bright and had all the skills they needed to succeed academically; however, among those people, many have grown within a highly non-individualistic environment. In other words, once overseas, they were struggling to adapt to an environment which different from theirs on a cultural standpoint. Many were also missing their friends back home, and that had huge consequences of their overseas stays in general; many of them ended up abandoning their studies and/or coming back to Madagascar.

I also came across some Malagasy youngsters who chose France as a place to study, but for some reasons, did not fit in. Among those, some just came back home as they thought they were not fit to study overseas, whereas some others tried other options, which included moving for example to Germany or to the UK.  As strange as it may seem, some of those who left France and moved to the UK or Germany ended up adjusting just fine!!! So here, it was the French cultural and social environments, which constituted the cause of the problem.

ARRIVING 

IN 

FRANCE, 

October 1998

SETTLING IN FRANCE: HINTS AND MY PERSONAL SECRETS FOR A SUCCESSFUL STAY!

Well, as I said earlier, unlike my cousins or friends, I had no prior experiences about how it is to live away from parents and even less about how to live overseas, far from the loved ones.

But I remember each of the very first days I have spent in Lyon when I just arrived. In fact, the day we were supposed to travel to Lyon, there was an incident that happened to us at the Gare de Lyon, in Paris. That day, we arrived earlier as we thought that having lunch before the trip would be a nice idea. We then sat at a cafe inside the Gare de Lyon station, and as we were waiting for our order, a man poked at my dad and showed his vest. He then checked it and saw this huuuuuuge stain made of ketchup at the back of his suit…he was. shocked. At that moment, none of us realized what was to happen, but just a few seconds later, my dad realized that one of our bag has vanished (yes, just to let some Malagasy people know, there are many pickpockets in Paris!!!!). This is when we realized that our passports have also disappeared!!! Once we finished eating, we went to report to a police station and they issued us with a document allowing me to stay on the French territory for just 8 days!!! That means, I had just 8 days to lodge my application at the prefecture de Lyon!

We then travelled to Lyon and once there, explained the incident to the student adviser. It was so kind of him to offer me assistance while I was so far away from Madagascar, as when my father flew back to Madagascar with only a « laisser passer », he really assisted me to liaise with the prefecture de police as well as with the Madagascar consulate in Lyon, so I can obtain a new passport as well as a « carte de sejour » or permit of stay. As strange as it may seem, this incident has helped me to settle into the new hospitality school, while from time to time, making jokes about it with my new French friends!

Then, time went on and progressively, I made this new environment my home. I managed to make new friends, some of whom were French, but some were also Asians, namely from Korea and Indonesia. Both invited me to join some party, to eat soup, and two of my french friends invited me as well in their native region of Cher and Jura.

But you are probably wondering if from time to time, I missed my parents. Sure many times, and feeling lonely was something I considered being normal the first six months of any stays away from one’s family.

That being said, being a person growing with the « half-filled up glass » philosophy, I tended to be happy with what I had, and this was always the way I have always been. each day, I remained positive, saying to myself that everything will just work fine! But on the other hand, I told to myself: « If I should fail in this enterprise, I will just pack my bag and fly back home to Madagascar », and continue my studies there. Those thoughts have ,in my opinion, allowed me to remain calm as well as confident during those first crucial months of my stay in France.

STUDIES AT THE HOSPITALITY SCHOOL IN LYON

My time spent at this Hospitality school was probably one of the most exciting but also the most challenging one during my stay in France. The reason being that I was still adjusting myself to the life structure I had in Madagascar and at getting used to the Hospitality and Culinary world! This school was the perfect reflection of the French culture itself, and to some extent, who says French says European! The school was housed in an old French Castle itself and has been designed to contain a well-functioning kitchen (la cuisine), an elegant and stylish room for service, the "fumoir" (where customers smoke and drink French wines or champagne). The school method contains both theoretical classes (1 week) and practical activities (2 weeks). By practical, we mean getting things into practice!!! In this famous French school, we were taught to work in kitchens under real-life pressure, to cut vegetables as instructed, to say "Oui Chef" when being asked and to put things in order once the task finished. The following week, we will be dressed in appropriate costume to serve customers at the dining table. During ththat process, we were to explain to clients what the main dish is made of and we were also required to present them the different "fromages des terroirs" (French famous and authentic cheeses) and serve them as they were sitting on the table. Once done, we were there to suggest the desserts. As each client passed their orders, we were suppsoed to transmit each order tot he kitchen with all the required precisions or special requests from clients (i.e: rare meat, without cheese, etc...). needless to day taht due to the higher price of the venue, most of the persons who sat at our table were mostly wealthier clients ...so not so many students.

 WHOM I MET THERE?

Unlike the next vocational schools I will be going to later (who were mainly made up of French citizens), this Hospitality school could be defined as "diverse". For sure, there were many students from other regions of France; a few came there from Paris, provence, Alsace, Aquitaine and one even came from Andorra, a piece of land stuck between France and Spain and which happens to be a "Principaute" (like a small kingdom). There were also many students from all of South America (Ecuador, Brazil, Peru), Central America (mainly Mexico!!!), Israel,  a few Indonesians, Japanese and Koreans, and obviously, students from other parts of Europe, namely Belgium, Sweden, Austria and Germany.

 

WHAT WERE THE FEW THINGS THAT I FOUND SURPRISING?

Well, When I first arrived there in September from Madagascar, I was surprised at the relatively good command of French that many South Americans but also the Indonesians and the Korean guy had!!!! In fact, to satisfy the school requirement, they had to take a 6 week intensive French class before school starts. So in just 6 weeks, they were capable of speaking basic French and make essential requests when working in the kitchen or describing "la carte" to the customers at the dining venue (though sometimes, they would ask us French speakers for help, which is totally normal as it is not their language)!!!!! I was just soooooo amazed and have been impressed on how quick they learned the language.

 

 

THE STORY OF CARLOS, A MEXICAN GUY WHO GREW UP IN THE UNITED STATES BUT WHO CHOSE FRANCE AS A PLACE TO STUDY!!

I also met a guy from Mexico, his name was Carlos Z. We met at the famous "economat". The economat is a section of this school where the delivery of items (vegetables, meat, butter, cheese, milk, etc....) are being managed. What was funny about it was that the instructor was quite disorganized and kept making errors when doing his work!!! He was not a bad guy (his name was Benoit) but was the type of an anxious person when he lost control of something. The work at the economat was propbably the least pleasant one as it started very early (6 AM and ended around 3 PM), but it was more physical than any other practical activity. when I was there, I met with Carlos and we were oth complaining about how disorganized the instructor was.
When I got to know Carlos better, he told me moreI learned about his background and he told me that he has lived in the US for many years and has studied in a (trashy and under rated) university somewhere in texas. He let me know that he did not really enjoy his stay there as he was facing - according to what he says - constant forms of discriminations. When I asked him if this is why he came to France instead, he responded "oh yes!! for sure".
As the time went by and although he was still struggling a bit to master the French language, he was quite good at making himself understood (outside school) when we ordered beer for example in downtown Lyon (we did that a lot!!!!). Unlike me who left the hospitality school after the first year as I realized that I wanted to pursue my studies in other areas, Carlos remained and finished his Culinary degree till the end and obtained his "Diplôme en études culinaires" with good marks!!!

THE VERY GOOD SURPRISE CARLOS THE MEXICAN GAVE TO THE TEACHER IN TEXAS

During my stay in Lyon (later as I commenced my studies at the vocational school), me and Carlos would have German or Belgian Beer at the famous "Hotel de Ville" and we would talk a lot about our life back in our respective countries. I remember him telling about the narrow mindedness of some of his teachers in texas and all the disguised forms of discrimination he was facing. He told once that although he worked really hard, some narrow minded instructors would "grade down" his work so that he does not get good grades. When being confronted, they would always find those 2 dollars excuses, he said. As he knew that it would be ahrd for him tehre, he got registered discretely at this hospitality school in France and pretended or made those "stupid" teachers think that he would continue studying in texas to play their "stupid games". As soon as he got accepted in France, he then asked for an appointment with one of the most "intolerant teacher" and when she came, he rememberes telling her in a so polite and professional way "Mrs X, thank you for coming to meet me, I do appreciate:):):) (at this moment, mrs X does not suspect Anything) and he continues saying...In fact, a few months I told you that I would be staying her elonger but now, I got accepted in this prestigeous school in Europe (and this is when he noticed a look of decepetion, envy and anger in his teachers eyes, while she still pretends to smile...but probably bitterly) and I will for sure be leaving you soon.... (then she asked him where in Europe?) I will be going to France to study and you know, for me it is a great opportunity to experience new culture and to meet different people who probably have a different mindset and to see how Europe is too (implying not her narrow minded mindset).

For the teacher, it was probably her worst day ever!!! I have not grown up in some "strange" places in the US but am sometimes thankful that I grew up in a place like Madagascar (as those problems do not occur there)! But from my own view, this kind of person was expeting to win until she hears about that news that a person she despises - for being who he is - has won over her and was smart enough to overcome or get around the obstacles that were designed to "screw" that person's life! Now, Europe is not the United States and more importantly, France is not Texas!! and add to it...the French are not the Texans! Unlike the latter, they (the French or even the Europeans in general)  have a very very very different view of what Mexicans are and do not perceive them as "threats" or "illegals" as it is the case in some parts of the Americas.

I remember him telling me that once he has travelled back to the US for vacations and on the way back to France, one of the (American) hostess spoke to them by curiosity (as they were different) to ask if they were going for vacations to France and when they responded to her that they lived in France and were permanent residents of France, she had this "funny look" that shows some "hidden anger and frustration". He said to me, when I see that, I never regretted to leave the US for many years as life here in Europe is just so much better for us than in this part of the US".

When I was studying in Australia years later, and as his business in France was really doing well, he confessed to me that what he had succeeded to do in Europe could have been a total failure if he chose to stay in Texas or even in the US! At that time, his sister and her French husband have started their own business (another one) in Lyon while helping him and his second older sister (who also dated another French guy) to manage the restaurant at the same time.

We remained very good friends during my stay in Lyon (and even beyond when I went studying in the US and Australia) and when I left France, I remembered that this Mexican friend of mine was in the middle of the process of starting his own business with his older sister as well as her husband (who happens to be a French guy). They managed to start this business in one of the most beautiful and authentic places in the "Vieille ville" (or the Old City) of Lyon (it was a Mexican restaurant), and as time went by, as I was myself finishing my studies in the United States, his business in Europe started to take off and he started to make substantial revenues from it! Some of his guest include the City Mayor and one French famous actor who came to sit there at his restaurant! Nowadays though, because of the fact that France taxes on profits were increased, he decided to sell his business and settle back in the United States where he now holds a high-ranking position at Disney world in Florida.

 

OTHER THINGS I HAVE BEEN ENJOYING IN FRANCE

Some other things that I have enjoyed while studying in France are the Cheeses and the "Charcuteries". France is just probably the best country to eat cheese and to enjoy it with a piece of bread or/and with some ref wine! I have to say that at least 5 times a week, at night after studies, and once my homework were done, I have taken the habit of eating cheeses like Camembert, Comte, Bleu d'Auvergne, goat cheeses, some Roquefort ((blue cheese) with wholegrain bread, and from time to time, by sipping red wine. I would do it at night before sleep while watching the French TV channels or when enjoying a movie.  Please have a look at this youtube video presented by a typical French cheese lover who - like me - knows what good cheeses are and who knows how to appreciate them:

Just look at the variety of cheeses that France has!After having eaten some cheeses, it happens that I follow that a bit with a small French Cognac (which I store in my room) or more rarely, some Madagascar rhum (remember, I am from Madagascar!).The charcuterie however, are like processed meat that are made of pork meat essentially! Countries like the US do have some of them (like the hungarian sausage) but France has so much more in terms of choices!Other things that I constantly have at home in my studio room (1 bedroom studio which comprises a small but practical kitchen), two or three packets of nice French chocolates, like those ones:

Okay, I also have chocolate tablets but I have to say that per week, I usually consume around 200 to 400 grams of chocolates, preferably Black chocolate containing above 80 % cocoa!

SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE I HAVE MET IN FRANCE

Before talking to you about another friend of mine, I will talk about a particular Lady I have met while I was studying there in France. In fact, I used to rent a place on "rue garibaldi" and pretty much everyday, I went to buy French pastries as well as breads at a "Boulangerie" (this is how we call places that sells bread in France) located 10 minutes from where I lived. The Lady was in her seventies and her and her husband were running a family business just a few walks away from my vocational school (close to where I lived actually, so very practical!!!). At the beginning, I was just a customer like everyone, but as I greeted them each time I was passing by, we started sympathising and it happened many times that each time I went there to buy a few croissants and my lunch (which was usually a typical lyonnese or french dish like "coq au vin"), she would from time to time, give me a cake for free..and the cakes they were selling were just sooooooo delicious!!! You would have those chocolate covered cakes with some layers of chocolate, cream and genoise inside or they would have this cake called "fraisier" and it is made of strawbeeries , cream and ...More cream!!! I take this opportunity to attach a video (made by a third person) about french cakes. It takes place in Paris at the Patisserie Christophe Roussel (which I have visited in the past when I visited Paris) and it shows the different cakes that we can find there in Europe!

If you want to have an idea of French food which I ahve had the opportunity to try at many occasions in France, please see (pictures are owned by third parties):

The famous Cassoulet (from Southwestern France, in the region of Toulouse)

 

La boulle a baisse (a fish-based dish famous in the region of Provence)

The famous “cheese fondue” (common in palces like Jura or regions close to the Swiss border), and is also called "Fondue savoyarde" as Savoie is the noun of the region where this dish has been created/

FIRST LET ME SHOW YOU LYON, This city located in southeastern France, not too far from Switzerland and Northern Italy!

A STORY ABOUT A LADY WHOM I MET IN LYON, FRANCE

This lady was in fact a "boulangere" and I happened to buy my bread and the famous French viennoiseries (French pastries) at her Boulangerie not far from where I wa sstudying! Ohhh...I forgot to mention the French breads her and her husband made, which are by all means...VERY DELICIOUS!!!

But those people (the lady and her husband)  - who were in their late 70s - had a very interesting story that In would like to share with you... 

One day, as I was buying food at her place, we started discussing about something very unusual. I am no longer sure what triggered the discussion but she started telling me about her past and what she has witnessed when she was still a young girl. She told me thinks like "Nowadays, you see how beautiful this city is but when I was young, it was way different from now, you know....", and I asked her "how different", to which she answered that all the bridges were dynamited and fell into the rivers as the Germans, or more exactly the Nazis - who occupied France back then - put dynamites to make things complicate for the "French resistants", courageous and willing to resist any orders coming from Nazi Germany back then. I will always remember her words when she said "today, I see lots of people here in France arguing about stupid and insignificant things and others using violence towards others....but why use the violence ....the war is over", she said to me and honestly, I cannot disagree more with her.... Why the world we are living in has become more prone to violence and aggression when in fact, it is no longer required nor justified?She told me about her witnessing people being shot, others being physically abused by the Nazis and others thrown from bridges into the Rhone river that crosses Lyon. But among other things she said, I cannot forget her voice, still filled with emotions about how she felt hungry when she was young as the German occupants controlled everything to make the French suffer! "Young, -she told me - me and my friends were walking along the Rhone river as we knew there were those cars ridden by German officials or militaries passing by, and when they saw us, they would throw us a piece of bread that she could no longer fit into their stomach!!"- basically, the bread has already been eaten and as those Nazis officers could not finish it, they just threw it to children along the streets! -she kept on saying with - I remember - lot of emotions "and you know...We were so happy as we had something to eat for the day..."and today, when I met my husband, we knew we had a lot in common and we decided to open this pastry shop as for us, it just meant everything". 

By listening to her words, I almost cried or may be I had a few drops on my eyes... I do not know...may be but in any cases, I am relieved that there were no other customers popping into the Boulangerie at that time.When I was in Madagascar, I had some history classes taught by a French teacher but never, I have heard stories coming rom witnesses who have lived terrible and traumatic situations like she did.This day, I realized that although the world war II was 60 years ago, the consequences of Europe and Europeans today can still be felt!----During my stay in France, I also got acquainted with an interesting guy called Pierre and his wife Sylvie. In fact, I met them as soon as I started my year at the Hospitality school, he was "l'homme a tout faire" or the "man who did everything when something was wrong". Pierre did pretty much everything in that school, he knew how to paint walls, how to to reparations on buildings, how to fix machineries including washing machines or ovens, and how to repair a car engine when it did not properly work. 

WHAT MAKES FRANCE AND THE FRENCH 

DIFFERENT FROM OTHER WESTERNERS!

He was - what we would call in France a "Bon Vivant", which has no equivalent in English but which could mean a person who knows how to enjoy life; he was always up for a good laugh or a good joke -sometimes "borderline" jokes - while enjoying a good snack with a good glass of French Pastis (Alcoholic beverage from Southern France). I remember once - at a time when I have already left the hospitality school and was studying some foundation classes at the American school there in Lyon - I tried to call him but instead, his wife took the call. I have explained to her if I could come and visit them either that day or the following day; her wife, Sylvie, told me to call back as she needed to confirm with him about the right time. Actually, he called me after 30 minutes and he started to make a joke like "so did you call me?...I heard you and my wife did talk?" and I responded "Ahhh our our our bien Sur"  (yes yes yes sure we did)...and he kept saying "Alors de quoi ma femme et too ave parle?", and just to go on the teasing I said "Ohhh you know, we juts talked about the flowers, the good weather, the way she is dressed" and while I was making the jokes myself, he repeated what I was saying "the flowers, the good weather, the way she is dressed....." while I heard his wife laughing at the back while preparing some food and then he said what good French people would say to each other when there is this mutual appreciation "put-on, enfoire aloes come ca tu as dis ca a ma femme" (which means "F*** bastard, so you told this to my wife) and then he became serious again and told me to come and visit them that same day.As I have spent time in different countries, namely English speaking ones, I have noticed that the humour in each country varies, and things that may seem totally inoffensive and totally acceptable in some places can be perceived as offensive in different places. So it is better to get to know the country's culture first before making jokes. In France - as I have been living there for years - I know that it is totally acceptable to make "borderline " jokes like the one I did (I did many others and I am not afraid to admit it), as long as the other persons know you and are familiar to you. Doing this to persons you do not know could be interpreted differently, even in France.Years later, when I will be studying in Australia, I remember that jokes made by Germans were not to please the Australians; on the other hand, when there was something that made the Australian students laugh, the Germans would look at each other, all wondering what was so funny?So yes, even between Western Nations, cultural differences are somewhat perceptible. It might be more uniform within the "Anglosphere", however, with Continental Europe, those differences were much more visible.

NOW, LET's SEE OTHER MALAGASY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED IN FRANCE!

A TALENTED PIANIST FROM MADAGASCAR ISLAND!!!

Apart from my wife's relative who - five years ago - moved to the United States to become a Neurosurgeon (he is actually attending a very reputated University in 
maryland, I have stumbled upon this video. It is a young guy from Madagascar who is excelling in playing piano. Please have a look at how talented this young 
Malagasy guy is and his name is ILO RAKOTO! 

MY MOMENTS WITH  FRIENDS THAT I HAVE MET IN FRANCE!

To come back to Pierre and Sylvie, they were just wonderful people. Pierre was a typical Frenchman with a big nose and likes to express himself in loud voice - and always in a good mood. that being said, he was not the Frenchman from the big cities like Paris or Lyon but grew up in the French countryside where people usually talk louder, make "borderline" jokes very often, while drinking pastas or red wine! In many corners of France (I am talking far from Paris), you would see French people enjoying life, drinking wines, playing ball games on the streets and eating "saucissons" (French delicacy made of pork meat, actually really tasty!!!). Each time I came to visit him, I used to buy a cake at one of the "Patisserie Boulangerie"  in Ecully (a small and charming village in the outskirts of Lyon) and headed to where he stayed. As soon as I arrives, he and his wife used to greet me with a warm welcome and invite me to have a seat. barely I have time to sit that he already pours French pastas in my glass and he serves as an "aperitif" those what we call "Pate de foie", which is like some cooked meat wrapped into a pate feuilletee (crust looking dough); that one is also very very tasty when you drink it with pastas or even with white wine!!

While he was serving the dishes, he would start the talk and ask ' Alors comment ça va mon gars???? ça va bien??? ça faisait long temps que tu n'es pas passé??? Que se passe-t-il? (which moreless means: "how are you mate, it has been a long time, what is happening...busy?"). He and his wife would talk a lot and joke about so many things - even things you wouldn't expect sometimes - and the many times I have been there, there is always one or two more persons who would come over - sometimes unexpectedly, and when those persons arrive, we do the introduction and start to talk and this is usually when I also discover that those persons like to make "Borderline jokes" about how X or Y handled an "adventure with some girls a few years ago ...of course, I could not escape myself too and told them about those moments I had when I have invited some girls I met in my study while drinking wine and showing her movies or documentaries about Madagascar. Although I have told them that many of those "relations stopped at the stage of pure friendship, they knew and guessed - probably through my more-less abrupt responses - that in some other instances, it went a bit further as me and her were "alone" there with nobody to disturb or judge!

But they were very nice as they told me "dans la vie, quand le moment vent, fait la saisir! (which means: in life, when the opportunity arises, one has to seize it).

When visiting Pierre  and Sylvie, it was impossible to leave their home while starving!! In fact, when you leave their place, you are ALWAYS stuffed with French "aperitifs" followed by typical French dishes like the famous French cassoulet (a well-known dish in the region of Toulouse), a coq au vin, some stuffed chicken, some duck or many others that are delicious. This is always followed by the famous "plateau de fromages" (Cheese platter) and the dessert (usually a homemade Flan, ice cream and/or French cakes coming from those delicious French Patisserie around or sometimes, coming from the Hospitality school itself. Add to that the fact that each time you pass from one dish to another, another wine is being served ...so when you start, there is the Pastis, then with the entree, comes the white wine, with the mannish, comes the red wine and sometimes, another red wine shows up with the "plateau de fromages". For the dessert, we juste enjoy it without alcohol BUT right after, he has those "Digestive" which is usually a rum or whiskey!

Another person who usually showed up at Pierre's place was his older brother Jean-Charles. As his brother, we was also the kind of nice guy with a loud tone in his voice; he also grew up far from Paris, in the countryside around Toulouse, in Southwestern France! Unlike Pierre who was the "useful and indispensable man", Jean Charles worked for the Police department in Lyon and actually supervises police officers in their job. He usually works late at night and is sued to deal with all sorts of things, ranging from delinquency, drug trafficking and even calls coming from a neighbour signalling the death of someone in a given building! He was a tough guy and had a tough mind as his job required those qualities anyway! I used to talk to him when he came at Pierre's house and he was the one who actually kept asking me why I wouldn't date more girls! He kept telling me "you should date Amandine, what the heck you waiting for!" but at the end, I ended up befriending a few French girls (this was when I already started the vocational school) with whom I went out to movies, eat dinner together and just socialize without any additional commitments as we both agreed from the beginning it was just for friendship. But with a girl named Barbara (he actually showed me the tips and gave me a few hints on how to have greater chance),  we actually spent a few months together being more than friends. Sorry I cannot say more.

One of those times I happened to have lunch at Pierre’s house, Jean Charles told me a story - which is still stuck in my mind today - he once told me that a few times, his team was called to check on an apartment in down town Lyon, as the occupant did not respond and neighbors have been suspecting things happening into that place. When they arrived, after receiving no response from the inside, the « serrurier » forced the door and what they saw was beyond what we were to expect. The guy was in fact dead for many days, if not a few weeks. Jean Charles told me « les gars (he meant by that the specialized units which deals with dead people in the police force) l’ont piqué et le mec a littéralement explosé …je te laisse imaginer le dégat dans l’appartement et puis l’odeur!!! . I prefer not translating this in English but you are free to google it if you wish to, but what I can say is that when I was in my home country, Madagascar, those types of things never happened. I think the reason lies in the fact that in Madagascar, the society is still oriented towards « collectivism », which means that there is or there will always be someone who will be looking after you. It can be your friends, your children, or in some cases, it could be helpers who will be coming to work at your place the next day and who will surely alert your family or if not, the Malagasy authorities should anyhting happen to you!  In Madagacsar, even today, I have ever heard about people being « discovered » days or even weeks after they pass away. As he was telling this story, as horrible as it sounded, he kept eating the apetizers that his brother Pierre has put on the table, while trying to « force it down » by drinking pastis. On my side - as I was still picturing the scene in my head - it would take me another 15 minutes to find back my appetite!

Pierre and his wife Sylvie, I remember, were both at the kitchen and listened to the story from a certain distance while cooking a famous French dish called « civet de lapin » (dish made of rabbit and cooked with white wine! ) and kept saying this French word « ohhhh putain », which I will let you discover the meaning on google!

Yes I know, those dishes are not common in the Americas, but believe it or not, it is common in France and places like Mauritius island and Madagascar! Like French, we also eat Frog legs and « escargots »!

Back to the police officer guy…

Jean Charles was surely a tough guy with a loud voice and tough character, but seeing and witnessing such scenes surely does affect you in a way or another. Fortunately, he had a lot of humor (for a police officer), he was talkative, may be a bit too much, and liked to speak as he was chewing food…he surely came against this principle I was constantly taught when I was a kid, which is « on ne parle pas la bouche pleine », which means « when you have something in your mouth, do not talk!!! ». I remember my dad scolding me as I was very young and when I started talking the mouth filled with food. Actually, when I was in France, I used to come across this sentence very often, particularly when eating out in those Cafés or French Bistrots or restraurants!!

But at the time I was still at the Hospitality school - which is not called the Institute Paul Bocuse (he was a famous French Chef) - I enjoyed spending time at the school discotheque where me and some of the Israeli students loved to play "tennis de table". W would be playing for hours while drinking beer and hanging out together. From time to time, some people (They were not French) fell down as they drank too much and some guys would come bring them up to their room and leave them on their bed!! I can hardly imagine how "Strange" they would feel the next day!

By the way, unlike some countries, France does not really encounter issues with binge drinking. In France, and may be in all Southern Europe in particular, alcohol always comes with either food or "aperitifs". So in The French culture, one usually drinks for an occasion!

 

 

MY FIRST TRIP OUTSIDE OF FRANCE : BELGIUM

My very first trip happened literally as my first semester at the hospitality school ended. I have decided to go to Belgium and the idea stemmed from a proposition of my father who suggested that I visit the University of Liege as he has heard "good things" about that University. I went to a travel agency to make arrangements (book for the hotel) and left to Belgium a few days later.

That trip was in fact the worst trip that I would have made but it would also be the one that will teach me the most.

The first part of this trip is to travel by TGV (rapid train) from Lyon to Paris (with the SNCF, which is the French railroad company) and from paris to Bruxelles via (Thalys) is due to take about 2 + 1 hours.

I left Lyon in the morning and reached Bruxelles in the afternoon. When I arrived there, I thought that that would be the end of the trip; instead, as soon as I got into the taxi, I handed the address to the driver who told me with a strong Belgian accent "Vous voulez aller a Saint Vith????"; I was not sure I got what he meant so I asked him. He then told me that the address (of my hotel) was in Saint Vith (close to the border with Germany), and not in Bruxelles (where I was now). I was so confused and checked quickly whether there were trains to get there, but there were none leaving to Saint Vith. I then came back to the cab and asked the driver to drive me east - literally over 70 km towards the German border. That was the craziest thing that I had to do but it taught me to be more cautious next time when traveling. And indeed, it taught me to be more stringent when booking hotels.

The city of St vith was quiet but boring and was in the middle of the Ardennes forest. it was indeed close to Germany and even though we were in belgium (Usually we speak French and Flanders), German was the most common language in that part of Belgium. Fortunately for me, the hosts at the hotel were sympathetic and welcoming, despite the isolation of the place.

A few days later, I was to visit the university of Liege, and to get there, I had to travel by bus, most of which were driven  drivers who were going through some phases of depression or who have had bad days. In 8 months spent in neighboring France, I never have seen such "types" of strange behaviour. Once I remember that the driver has just stopped the bus and started to cry while sitting on the wheel. Why does he cry? I have no idea!!!! But everyone of us started to look at each other wondering...

Other times, some drivers would be rude and for those, I usually drop a quick comment saying "you should smile more, you know that!" and left as I wanted to avoid confrontation. Some would keep "complaining" expecting may be that I would come back but I never give opportunities for those types of people to "reach" me. I just go and vanish by signifying I do not give a damn!...as simple as that!

But the worst happened one night when I came back from a day trip from Trier, in neighboring Germany! While I was travelling aboard the Deutsche Bahn (called DB) trains (German trains), all the ticket checkers were very professional, polite and sympathetic (I speak about the Germans), but that night, the DB trains would drive me in Luxembourg (another European country, developed and rich but stuck in the middle of nowhere and probably wishing they could be as prestigious and respected as France is) for 1 hour and change to another train to return to Saint Vith, in Belgium. The Belgian train then departed and there was this belgian and Luxemburg ticket checker that came in and he was rude (unlike the Germans that I have met earlier). I surely made a mistake by sitting at the wrong class and he told me in a very impolite manner to move to the second class and tossed the ticket into the air!! I surely stood up and just followed this ugly (and very frustrated) ticket checker, so that he will not find any opportunity to bring the matter further (if Iphones existed then, I would have filmed the scene for sure). I then sat there and thought about what to do. As I was in a country that i barely knew, I preferred sitting and thinking rather than reacting and regretting.

After 30 minutes, the train arrived in Saint Vith and the fat ugly looking (because he was ugly to be honest) did not even dare to come back in the wagon where I was. That being said, since my young age, I have always been good at using metaphores to those "types of persons" and to be honest, I have done so when I was in Madagascar as well...so this is not specific to what I would to in a situation in Europe. I left the wagon and looked around but could not find him and as I descended frrom the train, I took the wrong direction by accident and found myself at the rear of the train, and then, I saw him in the dark trying to get down from the stairs. I just looked at him and this is when he saw me standing there. We just looked at each other for a while and I told him very calmly : "had you studied harsher, your life wouldn't be synonym of frustration". Then.. I expected an answer but no....nothing. I probably have hit something sensible in him. I just left and went back to the hotel.

You know, anyone can do anything, and you can always act the way you wish. but like it or not, acting in a negative manner will not make you any happier and will not even improve your life. It will even make it worse. This controller probably thought he was in a position of power that night...well may be, but today, as I write this blog, I am the one who has power because I share this story to you and now, you know it and by knowing it, chances are it will make you change your perceptions about Belgian ticket controllers.

That being said, that man has probably accumulated frustrations all over his life and felt that he had accomplished not much! Like many people like him everywhere, he will probably spend the rest of his life in a "misery of unhappiness and loneliness as for sure, no women would be willing to spend her life with such a liability".

Now, he probably hasn't thought that one day, his story will land onto the blog of a guy from Madagascar, who will be completing his Masters degree in Australia (and not in Belgium or Luxemburg), and who will be traveling later on to many corners of the world and settle somewhere in a beautiful country like Canada. he probably would have never thought that I will be - during my stay in France - be socializing, drinking wine with or even dating French girls in France. He would have died of "ugliness" for sure.

But before that happened, I went to visit a University in the city Liege, about 1 hour from St Vith. Liege was located east of Bruxelles, the capital city of Belgium but not as east as St Vith is. To get there, I needed to take a buds from Saint Vith to Liege; on the way, I found the landscape a bit "bland" compared to rural France and there was something in that place - I am not sure if it was the vibe or what - that made me think that Belgium was probably not a good choice, but ..let's see first what the University would look like. From memory, I think it was that day that I came across this bus driver who cried while driving the bus... THis was really awkward and to be entirely honest, I never came and never will actually come across such a case during my whole stay in France! When I got there after an hour trip, I ran my eyes around the university and although it looked nice, I just felt that there was something in that place that did not fit my expectations. In France, although I had to adapt, I felt that the hospitality school I went to have a positive vibe. I have also visited a few universities in Lyon (and have also during previous trips, visited the famous Institut d'études politique de Paris where my Father had studied in the 1970s) but none of those schools and Universities that I have visited in france were as "cold-hearted" as this University I went to visit here in Belgium. For me, it was not worth it spending time nor money into a place one does not feel like staying! I am not astonished at all why so many Madagascar students prefer to study in neighboring Germany or France, than in places like Belgium! Better... I am not even surprised that many students that I know of and who study in Belgium, leave that country for neighboring France or Germany...or even to places like Norway or Sweden, who are located much in the north and with much colder climate than Belgium! Ironically, Sweden and Norway seem to be much mire successful to attract students from Madagascar than a country like Belgium and to my own observation, seem to be able to retain those students much more efficiently, too!

That University was just a bit "cold" to me and when I started to talk to some members of the  staff, sure they were polite and quite professional, but I remember this time when a lady staff told me "you know, even a Bachelor's degree is hard to get but a master is really hard".Well,  I do not know what she would be thinking right now if she knew that years later, I would have had not only a BBA from a country like the United States, but on top of that, a Masters degree from an even better recognized (than the one in Belgium) Australian University, and not only this, what if now, she knew that thanks to this Masters degree from Australia, I have managed to qualify for a permanent resident visa to Canada!

 

Later that night, I cam back to St Vith and the next day, I was asking some advices to the guy working at the reception (he was an elderly man who was born during the war and was actually one of a few sympathetic Belgian that I came across during my stay there. Even if he did never told me directly, I felt that he knew how life was during the war and during the time Germany invaded Belgium). He advised me to visit a farm which is located in a typical Belgian n a village. As I did not want to do this quick trip to Germany yet (I'll do it the next day), I accepted his idea and hoped onto a bus. That day, there was nothing unusual...the driver was more less "normal". After about 1 hour of trip, I visited around and paid a visit to the farm and left it just before it closes its doors. I would have had my lunch there. When I left, it was about 3:30 PM and I was walking towards to bus stop. When I got there, the last bus has left 10 minutes ago and the next one would be ...tomorrow! I looked around but the only things I saw were tractors and a few cars locked in rivate properties. I hesitated a while about what to do and after a while, I thought...may be it would be okay if I walk back by foot. That was a bad idea!

 

THE ARDENNES FOREST AT NIGHT IN BELGIUM
I left there around probably 3:45 and started to follow the dirty road. At a moment, I saw a sign displaying to the left "6 KM, Deutschland Grenze", which means German border on the left, 6 km. But my way was to go straight towards St vith, not left into Germany. I then continued walking and hoped to reach St Vith just before sunset. My path would go through the famous "Ardennes forest", which actually is a huge forest that stands east of Belgium and crosses over Northren France! As I was walking, no cars were passing by and it started to get dark. Fortunately, during my trip this morning, I did not sleep and remembered the road that the bus has borrowed. I followed the path and on both sides of me, there were just trees, trees and just trees!! Now the night has fallen, it was around 5:30 or 6 PM (we are in April fortunately) and even though one car stopped to ask, the lady inside was driving to a totally opposite direction and had an emergency as her son was not doing well. I let her go and as the night fell, all around started to become dark and I was still there walking in the middle of this Ardennes forest. Then another car passed by but did not stop as it was getting dark already. Suddenly, on my right, I have heard a strange noise, like something walking onto a branch. I stopped and listened but could not see anything. I kept walking and that thing seemed to follow my direction as I clearly heard the cracking of the branches on the ground...as if someone or something was following me. I started to wonder whether it was a bear, a dog, a deer or a man but did not stop nor run..I just kep walking. After while, I saw a branch on the ground and I picked it up just in case; it was heavy enough and could be efficient just in case. As I kept walking, the noise started to fade and eventually ended. As for me, I kept the "heavy" branch with me as I was walking the path. After may be 1 hour, I saw a small village and there was no one to be seen but on my right side, I saw this dog who was barking. I just walked past but the dog managed to jump over the fence, and he was now right behind me. I decided not to run but always had the  branch with me. The dog kept barking but I ignored it and just kept mowing ahead; eventually, he would back off without me doing anything and would just watch me going away.
Right after that moment, my mind went in all directions and started to be convinced that those were probably signs that say "stay in France, you are doing more than fine there, Belgium is not worth the dal for you". Sometimes, I tend to believe in those kind of things and one aspect that make me believe that was this dream that I made at the age of 6 (my dad was sent off my his company in madagascar to attend a finance course at MIT in Boston at that time) where I saw myself passing near by some skyscrapers. Years later, when I was studying in Philadelphia, I saw those skyscrapers for real and as strange as it may sound to you, it is as if I have already seen them many years before!!!!
After another hour, I reached two paths and remembered that I should follow the one on the right, which was going through the deepest part of this part of the Ardennes as the trees were higher. I tried to keep my mind as much as possible and thought about France, about Pierre and his wife Sylvie, Carlos the guy from Mexico; I even thought about going one day to the United States to study or even to places like New Zealand or Australia!! strangely that night, I realized I started tofeel that I had built emotional connections with France and I was such in a hurry to go back there and  see my French friends again. As strange as it may seem, I barely thought about Madaagscar as at that time, I knew it would bring me some emotions still. Finally, around 10 PM, I saw a building that says "US defence force" and I knew it probably was a headquarter or  former military US base in Belgium during WW II. I wasn't still in St Vith but was so relieved to see this building emerging from nowhere! After 20 minutes, I saw lights stemming from a small village...I was standing ona a top of a hill and could see it from there. Now, remember readers, at that time, thjere was no such things as Iphones or Maps or Apps!!! I had nothing with me except my courage and determination but right now, I wasn't sure if I was still in Belgium or if I had crossed the border into either Luxembourg or Germany! I just kept walking towards the light and did not even give a damn about  which country I was now. it was about 11 PM when I finally made it to this "enlightened village" and realized I was in fact back in St Vith! And no, I have not crossed into Germany or Luxembourg and even if I did, that wouldn't have been an issue at all simply because all those countries where within the Shengehn zone! All that night, Germany was always at 6 or 7  km on my left and the next day, I will be going there for a visit to the city of Trier, This is the day I will be encountering this ugly looking ticket controller to whom I pronounced that "not so kind sentence" that will put him off! But yes, he probably deserved it. Now... years later, I still think about this strange walk in the Ardennes forest and I still do not know how I managed to make it well and alive. that night, I made the calculation, I have waked between 20 and 25 km alone in the dark!
It was now time for me to head back to France! I left Saint Vith and headed to liege, where I took the train to Bruxelles, and from there, was very luck to have found a SNCF TGV train (not the Belgian thalys) who would take me directly from Bruxelles to Lyon!!! The trip would last 3 hours with a short stop at Paris Roissy Charles de gaulle airport. As the train left Bruxelles, i will always remember how "relaxed" I was and as we moved through the belgian countryside, I was saying to myself "well, I am happy to have made a definite decision about my studies and  am relieved to leave Belgium behind me ...for good". After 40 minutes, I realized that we have crossed the French border as I started to see the plate numbers ending with 59 (département du nord) and the French flags started to appear on top of buildings. Now, Belgium is behind me.  In about a few minutes, we will get to Lille, where I told you before, two of my uncles have been studying (one of them married a French girl who ended up following him to Madagascar years ago). Now the TGV is about to stop at "La gare de Lilles Flandres" before continuing to Paris, and then Lyon. I was just so excited that I am back in France again and never in my life, I had been so happy to see the French flags along the way.
When the TGV stopped at the Lilles Flandres train station, a man sitting on the other aisle took his luggage and left. A few minutes later, a young French girl, probably around my age steeped in and sat there. I looked at her just as anyone would do when another passenger would step in, and there was something unusual about her because as soon as she took sit, her eyes started to fill with tears and she started crying. I was wondering what was going on and when I looked around, I saw through the window her parents as well as a younger boy, probably her younger brother, waving at her to say goodbye. Suddenly, I was taken by those recent memories which brought me back to this moment I left Madagascar a few before, a moment during which my mom was particularly anxious about seeing her son leaving for a long time. For those of you who never experienced what me - and also this French girl - were experiencing at that moment of our lives, it might be quite difficult for you ton understand how it feels to live your country, your loved ones, your friends  but also those "things" you were sued to back home.
Yes whether you like it or not you will have to adjust yourself to this new environment, with all the risks you might face. It is always easy to "criticize" someone who is not from that place, but trust me, before you"criticize" that person, you probably should try to live away from your family, your friends and just see how good and how capable you really are compared to those "people" you may be tempted to criticize!! If you are from North Carolina let's say, just imagine you have to leave that place and immigrate to Denmark where your job will pay you 3 times the salary you earn in the US (let's imagine this company really looks for someone like you). You go there as the pay is good and as you might be looking for a "safer" environment.... Whether or not you like it, you will have to learn Danish, you will have to look for new friends, too get to know Danish Immigration laws and adapt to their working cultures!!! I came across some people who had this chance all along my studies overseas and despite being "of European heritage", many of them failed to integrate and just came back to their zone of comfort.
Now, whether you may like it or not, being able to adapt in a "new land" has nothing to do about you being blue, brown, yellow, white, purple or black. It depends on your willingness to adapt, it depends on the level of flexibility you have and also on your capacity of adaptation.
Back to this French girl, the train is now leaving the station and she waved for the very last time to her parents, probably she wouldn't see them for a few weeks or months, but compared to my experience, it was still bearable as for me, I wouldn't probably fly back to Madagascar till the end of the year or next year! As the train has now left Lille to head towards Paris, she kept crying and was very anxious, and I was probably the only person in that whole wagon who really understood what she was going through now as unlike many, I know how it feels to leave one's parents and family behind! As she probably was very emotional, I chose deliberately not to approach her at all. After 1 hour, the TGV stopped at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport (It is France's biggest airport and this is where I landed when and beach time I arrived from Madagascar) for a few minutes; that French girl debarked there and was still really sad when she left the train. To my view, she probably got accepted into one of the prestigious schools here in Paris or to a school that offered some specialties which did not exist up north there in Lille. After a few minutes, some other passengers hoped on and the train continued its route south to Lyon, which we reached about 2 hours later. I remember my Mom once telling me that when they studied in France in the 1970s, they travelled from Paris to Marseille (as two of my Mom's brothers were studying and living there, and actually both of them fell in love with two French girls ...or may be the opposite...not sure, but they ended up getting married to them and both stayed there for life!) and stopped in Lyon. Back then, they would not have imagined that one day their son will come to study there in this city. They told me that at that time, a trip from Paris to Lyon would take 7 hours, not 2 like nowadays.
When I arrived at Lyon Part-Dieu station (another train station in Lyon), it was around 1 PM and I headed directly to the Boulangerie patisserie where I used to buy my bread, croissants and which was run by this elderly lady who have seen Lyon while being occupied by the Nazis. I wanted to go there as they make good Lyonese (and French) food and as I entered the shop, she said "welcome back" and we chatted a bit about those funny stories that happened in Belgium. She told me one thing that made me think and she said "you know, nowadays, many people, particularly the younger ones who have not lived the war, do not have any clue about how hard life was back then", and I think she was right. But her saying would push my thinking and my observation even further, and I would notice that not now but years later as I will be travelling more and what I tend to notice is this: Countries that have sent and sacrificed young people to fight this crazy man in Germany in the 1940s seem to have more difficulties to deal with their exclusion issues than countries with a blatant racist past like Germany or to some extent, Australia (Known for the famous White Australia Policy that ended just before 1970 only). May be it is my experience, but those two countries have really surprised me on so many things.
Now I was back in Lyon and am about to take entrance exams for my vocational courses, here in Lyon. Next year, I will be leaving the hospitality school and will be starting a new year.
 
AFTER THE HOSPITALITY SCHOOL
 
And then, after having spent 7 months in this hospitality school, I am leaving to to join a vocational school based in Lyon to study trade. Over there, I will be get acquainted with new French friends. The school is itself will last 2 years and after that time, with the help of my uncle Thomas who found that school from Paris. The school is itself is a private institution but even if that is the case, the amount of tuition that I have paid there was about 4 to 5 times cheaper than an equivalent school in the UK or the US; I Will be spending unforgettable moments at that school, probably the fact that I ahve spent about 8 months at the hospitality school has helped me to cope better with the French culture as 80 percent of the students were "Franco-Français", so born in France and from French background! Apart from tt-he French, there were one guy from North Africa, another one also from France but who has grown up in Morocco (very nice guy with a lot of humour), there girls from West Africa and one Quebecer (from Montreal) and yes, the rest were all french students essentially from Lyon and around!
Me and the Quebecer as well as the French guy from Morocco sympathetized the first within the very first days of school while a few weeks later, I satrted to get to know better a guy named Arno, a French guy born in France, but who later, will admit to me that one of his ancestors is actually from Germany! During my years spent at this vocational school, I will be spending MANY WEEKENDS sharing convivial moments with many of the students there; one weekend, I will be spending an afternoon watching "cinéma" with the French guy from mrorocco and and Quebecer guy from Montreal at a famous movie theater located along the "La rue de la république" in downtown Lyon; it is actually close to the famous "Place Bellecour", whcih is very famous in this beautiful French city! It is the place we usually agreed to meet at least twice a month and we made jokes about meeting "below the tail of the horse" ou "sous la queue du cheval"!!
We would laugh and laugh and laugh about it! I'll just show you the place (source: youtube, third owner. All those videos belong to a THIRD PERSON as back then (year 1998-99) Smartphones did not exist)!
 
and as we are talking about Lyon, please see a youtube video (from a third person, not me)


These are a comparison of the typical Lyonnese architecture zith the Parisian architecture!

This is Lyon


and this is Paris

As you can see, the city is a typical European -place with old monuments, narrow roads and outstanding architectures!!
 
On other weekends, I would spend a part of it with the French guy from Germany to enjoy beer or drink wine together and talk about our backgrounds together. From my part, I have had to occasion to visit France many times in the past and have also let him know that I have been to Germany once (that was at that time as later on, I came back two more times in Trier and later, in Frankfurt and Munich). He has confessed to me much later that his German ancestry was somehow linked with some aspects of the world war II but when I wanted to push a bit further, he kind of avoided to answer the question; I just chose to respect his privacy.
HOW WAS THE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL?
This school was actually preparing me for the BTS which is known as Brevet de Technicien superieur. In the Anglosphere, it would be equivalent to a diploma. Unlike courses taught at public universities, the BTS prepares you to be ready for the workforce and associates both practical and theoretical concepts.
 
TRIP TO GERMANY: 24TH DECEMBER 1999 TO JANUARY 2ND 2000!
 
In December 1999, I was supposed to travel to Madagascar as every year. But that year, I have made a mistake and when I came to the travel Agency to book for my flights, it was a bit way too late. In fact, in France, one just has about two weeks worth of holidays during Christmas and New Eve and I needed to book my flight to that they can fit within was successful at finding a flight but was much less lucky when it came to the return flight. I then had a choice to either come back with one week delay in France or cancel my trip to Madagascar…and may be use that « bad luck » to visit other parts of Europe! Well, I have been to Belgium lately and that was a disaster but now, wanted to try to visit Germany. I started to look for information on the internet (no travel agency this time unlike my previous trip in Belgium), and after a few research, I discovered a bus company called Eurolines which departed from Southern France, stopped in Lyon and drove to Frankfurt, and ended his trip in HAmburg, Germany!
 
Unlike the Belgian trip where I planned most details, I decided NOT TO PLAN anyhting for that trip to Germany and see where it goes!!! I was just so ready for anything to happen!
 
THE DAY OF DEPARTURE
It was cold and dark outside as we are in the middle of the winter season here in Europe. I left my apartment at around 6 PM and took the « metro lyonnais » (TCL) to get to Perrache train station. When I got there, I went to the counter to buy the ticket and sat down in the waiting room with other passengers, also waiting to board the bus. The bus departed from Marseille, and would stop in Lyon (where I was), then Dijon (where they make this famous Mustard known worldwide!!), then it would drive towards north-eastern France through the department of Alsace (a department which was occupied two times by the Germans, once under Bismarck, and another time under the Nazi era) and from there, it would cross directly into Germany!! On the way, I would be sitting next to a guy who is travelling to Bulgaria after having worked in France. I was told at the departure that there would be food but in fact, there wasn’t at all! THis Bulgarian guy would be so kind to give me a part of what he has brought with him and I made the night thanks to his generosity (Later once the bus stops for a few minutes in Mannheim, I will actually be buying a few snacks).
 
As the bus crossed the French-German border, there was no checking point at all at both French and German sides, and this is entirely expected as now, the Shengehn agreement has suppressed any checkpoints for most part within European states! A few hours after having crossed the German border, I remember we have reached the city of Mannheim, where I remember passing next to a Mercedes Benz factory plant and where I bought some snacks as I knew that once in Frankfurt, most of the shops will be closed as we plan to get there at 1:30 AM.
FRANKFURT AM MAIN
The bus dropped a few passengers and continued its way onto Frankfurt-am-Main, which we reached around 2 AM. When I got off the bus in front of the « Hauptbahnhof » (which is the train station), I remember it was colder than in neighboring France and felt I was out of my comfort zone. Here, nobody speaks French and only some speak English, but quite a few speak a good command of English. But in any cases, my English at that time was on an average level and could hardly be compared to the level I will be having once I will be living in Australia much later on.
A few times, I will have to speak German with the locals, a language which - I remind you - I have learned in Madagascar.
The bus departed after a few minutes and continued its way north to hamburg. Me and the Bulgarian guy had a few talk and I was asking him if he knew some places to stay. He told me that he did not know Frankfurt at all as very often, he always sleeps in the train station as his next bus - to Southern Germany, then Austria, then eastward till reaching Bulgaria - is scheduled in about 4 hours.
That night, I will be telling him goodbye and wish him a nice trip back home. Tonight, my real home is far away and I cannot help not thinking of it.
But at the same time, I had the chance to be here in Europe, here in this vibrant city of Germany! Many - not only in Madagascar or Africa ) wish to come here but cannot make it for many different reasons.
Tonight, i’ll have to find a place to sleep and tomorrow, I’ll see how to improvise this trip inside Germany! I just started to walk past the train station and headed towards a street which was quite busy. I found a kind of hotel and knocked at the bell. I waited for about 3 minutes and a man, around his fifty, came, dressed with a wardrobe. He opened the door and cheered me very politely. I asked him if there was a room available and he said really nicely that all the rooms were full but recommended me a nice hotel nearby and indicated the way to get there. I felt a bit embarrassed as it was very late and thanked him a lot while not forgetting to apologize for having wakening him up that late.
I the went to the hotel - which I could not have found without his help (I remind you again there was NO smartphones nor apps with some interactive maps on it back then) and booked a room to spend the night. The next morning, when I woke up, it was really windy outside and (actually I was aware of that storm that hit France in 1999) I actually knew that the storm which was hitting Northern France at this time, also made his way to Germany. I switched on the TV and saw a reportage which was taking place at the other side of the border in France, namely in the regions of Alsace, Lorraine but also places like Paris or the region of Bretagne (Western France) which was were the storm was at its highest strength. Even though the winds were much less violent in Germany, I could still fee the breeze and all around Frankfurt that day, it was so windy that I chose to visit the city, not that day, but the next day. Now, I just ate out and spent time at the hotel to enjoy movies on TV.
The next day was calmer and sunnier, but still colder than in Lyon (just slightly more though). I was wandering in the different areas of the City, namely the financial district which has all those skyscrapers - which are by the way, very similar to US cities like Baltimore or Philadephia (only difference is that they do not have such things as ghettos). I walked all around the City and at one moment, I was  crossing a busy street when suddenly, the fire (for those who cross the road) changed to say "halt" but I was still - with another person - in the middle of the process of crossing. In France, this has never happened to me as over there, signs seem to operate differently and give more time for your to stop if you choose to. I did not pay attention to it but just behind a small truck which was awaiting to ride again, there was a beige car with green stripes on it, and on which was dispelled the word "POLIZEI". You got it, there was a German police car just on my right, but for me, I was halfway when this light suddenly changed. When I got to the other side (with the other person), even though they could have "used their power", they chose not to and probably realized that I was a tourist (as I had a camera on my neck) who did not just expect the fire to "change".
I eventually went on and longed this river that many years ago, I have seen from the Air Madagascar Airplane after a class trip from Washington DC (a school I have attended in Madagascar actually organized a visit to a school in Washington and New York for cultural exchanges). That day, the Air Madagascar plane was travelling from Paris to Madagascar and made 2 stops, one in Frankfurt, and another one in Nairobi, Kenya. This was during that trip (in 1994) - right after the airplane took off from Nairobi on the way to Madagascar - that I have seen from my right window, the Kilimanjaro (highest mountain on mainland Africa), this mountain that astonished many Europeans back then as it is located near the equator but was topped with snow! I seem to remember that the person who reported seen that was laughed by his own peers at once he came back to London!
 
The next day, I have visited a few places, which are the Senckenberg Natural History Museum which I remembered, displayed some very unusual birds, but some interesting things to see including the skeleton of  the biggest dinosaurs that have ever existed. I have also spent some time visiting Goethe house, which has some galleries in it and on which one could see his artworks from the writer's time; there was also his dining room which I have to say, was nicely decorated.
Later that evening, I visited a place called Römer (which in fact means the Romans), where one can find those traditional German architectures and which is located in the “Old town of Frankfurt”. It is particularly impressive during the evening!
 
The next day, I woke up early and wanted to leave Frankfurt, not to go back to France as the storm was still ongoing, but head North. After a typical German breakfast which consisted of different types of ham, brown or rye bread (Not very common in France during breakfast though) and different sorts of sausages!! In neighbouring France however, it is more common to eat pastries and dairy products, like yoghurt or the famous “forage blanc”, whose consistency is close to greek yoghurt.
Once the breakfast over, I took off and was not sure whether I should buy a ticket directly at a train station and head north or push the door of a Reisebüro, a sort of travel agency that gives you advices or directions. Finally, I decided to visit a Reisebüro to enquire about the different options that I had.
When I came in, I was lucky that one of the agent was available straight away and I approached her. I told her that I was visiting Germany and was willing to see interesting things here and told her about my intention about going north to either Bremen or Hannover.
She asked me first which kind of attraction was I looking for and I told her a place that in unique, may be with some typical architecture. She told me that although I could find some interesting things in the North of Germany, she advised me to check on a small town called Ulm, which is in Bavaria! Bavaria, if you are not familiar with Germany, is located in the South-east part, and shares a border with Austria. As I trusted her expertise, and had not much to lose anyway, I took her advices and thanked her for her help.  As I stepped outside, I Knew that before deciding on whether or not I should stay one more night in Frankfurt, I needed to check at the Hauptbahnhof (Main train station) whether they had trains which departs to Ulm or Stuttgart this afternoon. When I arrived at the Hauptbahnhof (this was where The bus from Lyon France dropped me and this where I wished a nice trip to this guy from Bulgaria a few days ago). I entered the Train station and directly went to buy a ticket. I asked one of the seller:
“Gibt es heute Nachmittag einen Zug, der nach Ulm fährt”, to which he answered “: Warten sie ein Moment bitte” and checked his computer. After a while, he answered with a yes and gave me the departing time, which was at 2 PM. I directly asked him: “Kann Ich ein Einweg Fahrkarte nach Ulm, Bitte? “ to which he answered “doc” which meant “Yes” or “sure”. Once I got the ticket, I said “Danke schön” and obviously, he told me “Bitte Sehr”.
I now have my seat booked to the city of Ulm and decided to come back quickly to the hotel to check out on time.
 
Later, having left my luggages at the desk, I went eating a light meal quickly and came back to the hotel for the luggage and ran to the Hauptbahnhof.
The train was very much on time and as I waited, I could not help paying attention to the announcements in German. This is when I realized that this language was so much different from the French language in terms of how it is constructed but also in terms of pronunciation. Many times, I heard “Der Zug aus Düsseldorf kommt am Steige Nummer 5 an….”  Or “Der Zug nach Hamburg fährt um 1:34 ab” (departs at 1:34).
When I looked at the screen, I spotted my train and went onto the right quay. IT was already there, waiting for passengers to embark on it.
 
The train has now departed right on time and about an hour later, it reached a famous town of Heidelberg (a very well-known University town in Germany).
As the train crosses those beautiful landscapes and farms, I realized how lucky I was to be and travel in a country like Germany! Many people that I know of have dreamt about coming to Europe, but for various reasons, did not. Most of those persons who had such dreams were from Madagascar, but a few were from the New World (United States mainly). During the trip, two different German ticket controllers have checked our tickets twice but each time, there was a high level of professionalism (Nothing comparable to what this Belgian ticket controller did in Belgium).
About 45 minutes later, we reached the city of Stuttgart (I have visited that nice city a few years ago with my parents and sister just before coming to study in France), and right now, we are in the “Land”we are in the “Land” Of Baden-Württemberg(or Lander in plural and this is by “Lander” that Germany is being divided into. France however, is divided into “department” or “regions”). Just like it does at every town, the train will stop for a few minutes and passengers will hop off whereas some will embark.
Just 30 seconds before the door close, a lady in her 60s came through and made it just on time. She sat in front of me and at the beginning, just nodded me. The train is now leaving Stuttgart and heading eastward, to Ulm. After may be one hour or so, we started talking to each other and after she learned that I was from Madagascar, she asked me what I was doing in Germany in the middle of the winter by emphasizing “it was warm down there now, here you’re freezing”, Although I agreed with her , I told her that in fact that “cold and snow” was the “exotic things” for me and went on explain that I was in fact studying in neighbouring France. We continued our conversation about what I did in Frankfurt, how did I find France as a country, and why did I choose Ulm. In regards to this latter, she advised me to visit Munich instead as for her, it was more worth the time and money.
As I was leaving the train, I thanked her then unbounded the train at Ulm and bought another ticket to Munich. Half an hour later, I boarded another train to Munich, which this time, was more crowded.
I now realized that I was in Bavaria, this part of Germany which gave support to Hitler in the 1930s, but which also stands away from the rest Germany as it is the only part of the country which is catholic and which has majestic mountains. It is also one of the most dynamic “Lander” in Germany, on an economical standpoint.
But now, it was dark and I could not spot much through the window.
 
ARRIVING IN MUNICH, BAVARIA
 The train finally arrived at Munchen Hauptbahnhof about 7 PM. TO my surprise, there were a few POLIZEI (German police officers) who were hanging outside and it looked like they were after someone. They paid some degree of attention to each passenger who unbranded the train (from Ulm) but did not ask anyone of us for any IDs or so.
 
As I have booked no room at all, I decided to check if there was a Reisebüro inside this train station, and after walking around for a few minutes, I spotted one. I came in, a man around his forties asked me in English “How can I help?”. I told him that I was looking for a hotel and specified my location. After 2 or 3 minutes looking into his screen, he told me that he found one that would suit me; the place had all the amenities and was located not too far from restaurants and downtown Munich. As I accepted, he invited outside and showed me a map of the Munich U-Bahn system (U Bahn refer to underground trains in Germany) and pointed a station at which I needed to get out (I do not have any recollection of the name unfortunately as I am writing this article years later) and he showed me how to use the ticket machine to buy tickets. I put some bills in it but the price was a price with decimals (It was about 3 or 4 Deutschmarks…yes, it was just a few days before the Famous Euro became Europe’s currency!!!), which meant I had to use coins and apparently, I had a few but not enough! The Man saw that I was short of about 60  or 80 cents of a Deutschmark and I told him that may be I can find shop to exchange it, but instead, he told me: “Please do not bother, I got this” and reached his pocket and gave me the amount I was short of. I asked him if it wasn’t better that I give him the equivalent in French Francs with some fees related to exchanging them (again, EUROS did not exist at that time) but he politely refused and told me it was all good. He gave me the ticket and told me again “Just take this train and do not get out until you reach station X”. I thanked him a lot and took the Train as per his instruction. When I got out at station X, I followed the path as exactly as he said and it appeared that the hotel was exactly where he said it was.
 
When I got there, I Checked in by showing the booking number that was given to me at the Reisebüro. While the man at the desk processed my documents, I looked around and found a brochure. I opened it just by curiosity and I expressed a sense of “surprise” that the man at the desk kind of stared at me briefly. He kept processing my files but for me, I happen to recognize this place that I saw many years ago (In the late 1980s) on the only authorized TV station in Madagascar (“Televiziona Nasionaly” in Malagasy or “la télévision national” in French or National TV in English, known as TVM) at that time (yes, Back then there was no other channels and there was surely not any satellite TV channels, that was forbidden, and having or owning a satellite antenna back then could land you in serious trouble or even in jail!). I remember this documentary where they showed a castle nestled in the mountains, topped with snow and seeming like floating in the air…this place looked it it came straight from a Kid’s dream and back then, I had no idea where it was located. Now, I see it in a brochure and felt as if my dream has become reality and now, I knew it was being called “NEUSCHWANSTEIN SCHLOSS” or the Castle of Neuschwanstein ! I ended up asking the receptionist if it was possible to book for a tour, and he said “yes” but insisted that I could only book for the “day after tomorrow”, he said. I had no objections whatsoever and booked for the tour.
As soon as it was done, I brought my luggage to my room, got refreshed and went out eating at a Turkish restaurant. Obviously, I ddi not order a kebab but chose specialty dishes and asked for advices for that purpose. May be I was also too happy that I finally found this place I have been looking for for years!! A few minutes later, they brought me a dish filled with different flavours and a dish which was indeed very colourful, with some sort of savoury looking cakes, some dried vegetables, olives and some meat that have been marinated from memory.
 
Once done, I decided to head back to the hotel. After having walked for a few minutes, I turned leftward and suddenly, a few meters away, I spotted a Beige-green colored car and outside it, were standing and chatting three police officers. Now as I was approaching, I saw the word “POLIZEI” and remembered this huge police presence earlier as I hopped off the train at Munich HauptBanhof. There was no one around and I was walking towards the “barrage”. As they saw me, one of them stopped chatting and said to me ‘Guten Abend, Kann ich bitte Ihre Ausweis sehen?”. For those of you who do not speak German, the sentence itself has a polite connotation as well as a calm tone. To make sure I got it right, I confirmed if he wanted a passport, to which he replied in English “yes, passport please”. I pulled out the document and headed it to him. While he was looking at it (his colleague also did), he started to say “ahhhh” and read what was written on my passport “…Re-po-bli-kan-ny -ma-da-da-sikara…..ahhhhh Madagascar uhhh!!!…Schones Land uhhh!!!” I thanked him for the compliment but at the same time, was still wondering whether the famous “carte de sejour” (It was in fact a One year study permit)  which was issued by the French authorities and which did not look like a typical Schengen visa (which was mostly dark green whereas a carte de sejour was an alternance of light green and white stripes) would be a source of problem here.
That being said, although he checked the passport, I am not sure whether or not he has checked the Visa, but after 40-50 seconds, he handed it back to me and wished me a nice evening.
 
Once at the hotel, I watched the TV for a while and went sleeping as the next day, I planned to walk around Munich.
The next day, despite of the cold weather and the snow (Just to let you know, it was not snowing neither in Frankfurt, nor even in Stuttgart), I decided to head out. Just before leaving the hotel that morning, I remembered watching the News and was aware that the "tornado" was still underway in neighbouring France. I started to think what to do - I mean not for that day - but for the next coming days: I would either head back westward to France OR stay longer in Munich OR continue eastward to may be Salzburg, in Austria. Before taking any decision, I decided to check quickly my bank accounts and see if the money I had was sufficient to cover any eventual trip; if not, better be wise and head back to France!
So that day, after deciding that I may go to Austria after my Bavarian trip, I went to the reception desk to enquire for information. The receptionist was very helpful and let me know about the different options that I had; one of them being to take a 10-15 min walk to MarienPlatz, which happens to be one of the most famous landmark in Munich and where one can find the famous "Rathaus" or the City Hall.
I decided to take the walk despite the snowy winter as I really was willing to enjoy the nice and authentic Bavarian architectures along the way. After 20 minutes approximately, I reached a place that as displaying a typical southern German or shall I say Baravian type of architecture! Right in front of me stood the Rathaus and to be entirely honest, I was really impressed by its beauty, its Elegance as well as the finesse that existed in the way to was built and designed as it stands there with its decorated façade with hundreds of statues, turrets and arches!!! The Rathaus was standing in front of a famous square, also known as "St. Mary’s Square"and according to the locals, most of the old architectures around that place have been built to honour the ending of the cholera in the 1600s whereas some other people I talked to mentioned about celebration of the Swedish invasion of Bavaria back then.
After having walked around, I decided to have lunch in the vicinity and then, left the Rathaus to head towards a place called Frauenkirche. This place - as famous as the Rathaus - had a famous Bavarian Monument called "Münchner Dom" (also called ST Peter's Church) ,which  is considered to be the oldest Parish Church in Munch and to many, it is the place from where the whole City of Munich originated from! It is also a landmark and  a symbol of the Bavarian capital city!!!
I reached that place in mid of the afternoon, and by the time I visited and enjoyed the architectures that the place had to offer, the night had fallen quite quickly and I decided to stay there a bit longer, and enjoy the beauty of this Monument at night time!!
The second day was the day of the tour. After a typical German breakfast, I hopped on the tour bus which was already half full of passengers. We made two more stops before the tour begins. As soon as the bus got filled up, we passed close to one of Bavaria’s most notorious beer factory and the tour guide, a woman born in Bavaria herself, did not forget to mention. We then headed southward towards the Austrian border and the more we went south, the more the landscape was characterized by high mountains and trees covered by snow. On the way, I remember us stopping to small villages and in some of them, we got off the bus to look around. For me, this experience was something totally out of the ordinary as where I come from, snow did not exist. The villages had this typical Bavarian architecture, with 2 storey traditional houses with white coloured walls on which one could see beautiful patterns and a balcony beautifully decorated with colourful flowers, which by the way, contrasts with the whiteness or the landscape.
 
The shops I visited in those places were astonishingly welcoming (as opposed to some shops I will be visiting in Namibia, Africa owned by descendants of Germans). It is quite strange that the Germans living in Germany were actually nicer than their counterparts in other areas of the world, but the explanation may reside in the fact that in Germany, the past has been confronted and fully acknowledged by the Germans themselves and in a sense, it has probably allowed this country to move forward, probably even more ahead than any other countries in Europe or any countries in the west.
 
Now that we have left the villages, the bus headed southward towards Linderhof castle, which was on our way to Neuschwanstein. As we turn right towards to castle the tour guide made us notice that if we continue our path straight, just a few miles down, we would cross into Austria!
Now, in the back of my head, I started to wonder if I should travel there even for Just one day or two, just to see how it looks like and to be honest, I have always been curious to see with my eyes how the country - where Hitler was born but where the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger was also originally from - did really look like?
 
On the bus, the tour guide was typical Bavarian lady, in her 50s, very smily and open minded. After welcoming all the “guests”, she started to ask us discreetly by walking through each rows from where we were from. When she took the microphone and started to talk, she enumerated the different countries and there were obviously many of the passengers who were from the United States, a few ones were from other European countries like Switzerland or Scandinavia, and there were also one couple from Australia. When my turn came, and she announced my place of origin by saying “there is even someone from Madagascar” and as you would expect, I had all the eyes turned onto me as usual but I am starting to get used to it and get amused by it.
 
 
After having visited the villages and Linderhof castle, we stopped for a lunch at one of these typical Bavarian restaurant, which was located in a village, which is itself lies right close to the access to the famous Neuschwanstein Schloss (Castle). The place has a very Bavarian (Not just German) architecture with those verandas mounted with beautiful flowers and walls decorated with some sculptures. It was located in a village and obviously, as it was snowing, everything around was just white, plain white!! We all entered the place in group and I decided to have a sit at one of table - the smallest one as I was travelling by myself - and waited that the waitress comes. During this time, as we are in a part of Germany where very few non-Germans pass by - a few people noticed me but I read in their eyes that the stare was not unwelcoming, nor it was provocative at all. In fact, people were just curious and for me, that works just fine!
After having sat there for may be 4 to 5 minutes, The American couple with their friends looked at me and as our eyes met, the American lady asked me “why don’t you join us”. Surely, I asked “you sure?” And as they were inviting, I decided to join them. Obviously, I had my own order and asked to have my separate bill, obviously!
Once the lunch over, one needed to go up the hill - if you can call it that way -to reach the level where the Castle was located. Now, as I have never had any experiences with snow myself, the ascending path made it difficult for me to move fast and every effort and energy that I made seem to get wasted into my foot skating onto the snow. That means that even though it was feasible in 20-25 minutes walk, I have spent almost 50 minutes to get to the entrance of the castle, but here is the thing: once I reached the end of the road and stood right in front of the gate, I was so amazed to see this beautiful but more of an unusual Castle standing right there in front of me! In my mind, I still remembered those images that I saw as a kid when the famous “Television Nasionaly Malagasy” (or TVM which is the only TV which was authorized to broadcast in Madagascar back then) was broadcasting this documentary in which they showed this same castle surrounded by a landscape made up of snow, forests and lakes!! Now, here in Germany, I am standing right in front of it and in a few minutes, I will get inside.
As we all waited for the gate to open, I took the opportunity to look around and I realized that were were surrounded by mountains all around, most of which were capped with snow; by looking a bit closer to the sides, I could see the valleys downstream as well as the some alternances of snow-covered trees and lakes. The surrounding landscape was just stunning, and as I said earlier, this landscape was what I could call “exotic”! This is one of the very few reasons why I am so relieved to have not chosen places like Reunion Island or Mauritius island or South Africa (although those countries have also their charms and their specialities) as I believe they resemble Madagascar a bit too much.
Because Germany offered some landscapes as well as some cultural aspects that were so different from what I used to see and experience in my whole youth, I have to say that this “European exoticism” - if I may refer it that way - happens to be the very reason why I have never regretted to have come to Europe to study.
Now, we were told to come in and once inside, I still remember that the atmosphere of the place was enchanting, and makes you feel like you are part of a fairy tale. I have visited Versailles a few years ago when I visited Paris with my parents, and the experience that I had back then fundamentally differs from the one I am having with Neuschwanstein! In Versailles, one can appreciate the architectures, the sculptures on the wall and the complexities of the arts that seem to appear in an elegant way each time you move inside this the Castle; Versailles looks like an exaggeration of different styles, colours, sculptures, drawings, styles and seem to redefine the meaning of architecture itself! Neuschwanstein on the other hand is intriguing, and seems to have been built to satisfy a “kid dream”, a sort of am architectural fantasy…
But still, to be entirely honest, visiting this enchanting Castle is definitely worth the trip and worth visiting, and for nothing, I wouldn’t have missed it.

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TWO YEARS LATER : 
THE FOUNDATION CLASSES IN 
LIGHT OF PREPARING 
MYSELF FOR THE BBA IN THE US

 
Two years later, I applied  for a French-american school 2 years later in order to pass the foundation courses necessary for my BBA.Their principle is simple: students do the foundation courses in France, earn credits on each course they pass and then, can apply to US-universities once all conditions are met. Upon my registration at this American school though, I have met with the director who gave me credits for many of my classes taken at ISEG, which had allowed me to earn credits towards my BBA degree as well as some precious time, and more importantly, this had allowed us to save money as well on tuition fees!
But once I was about to earn all the credits from bothe the American school and the vocational school this time (as I planned to pursue my studies in the US), the same director who gave me credits a few years before, sabotaged many foreign students applications, including mine!!! What he did was that he wrote to the US universities stating that « Mr X has met me and he has let me know that he no longer wishes to study in the US ». He just put a letter saying so once the applications sent, and wihout you knowing it! that means many students waited and waited hoping for a response, but nothing happened!!
The strange part about is is that it happened right after the event of 2001 in New york, and most of the sabotaged students were all foreigners, including asian students!
SO WAS EVERYTHING OVER FOR ME?
Well, some students abandoned that school and returned home. I did not choose to but instead, decided to push further. Each day I saw him, I kept asking him what about my application. A few times, he just told me to wait, but I just kept writing to Temple university (in the US) to get some feedbacks; strangely, I got almost no answers. I then decided to apply for further courses to increase my GPA (grades) and seeing me pushing through doors wasn’t to please him!! He as so angry to see me sitting there and taking additional courses because now, he knew I would have greater chances to apply to the US or even , to apply to any universities, including outside their partnership zone (Temple was their partner) or even Unis in canada or Australia. He probably guesses that I was clever enough to go around the obstacles he set on my pathway! So he convoked the staff and ordered them to cancel the classes, which y the way, was undoable as many students were registered already! That person would do anything not to let me go there for some reasons that might seem obvious (If he knew that at this time, I am living in a beautiful place like Canada, he would probably shoot himself in his feet!)
Now, I have no idea what happened but one day, this director (David R.) announced he was leaving his function. He was to be replaced by a new director, but when that happened, I went back to Madagascar for vacation….
When I came back in september, I was asked to meet immediately with this new director. He inquested about what happened and particularly about my intention to study in the US. I said that I still have those intentions and that I never expressed the opposite idea to his predecessor. Seeing me being persuasive enough but also, with all the « strange » parallel cases the former director did to other foreign students, he ended up believing me. It took him so much os willingness to explain this « highly particular » situation to theTemple U admission staff in the US, but he sure was w-aware that something was fishy!
I wanted to advise others: If you are victim of discriminatory acts like I did, never give up as giving up will just make the other person happy! Keep trying, and always keep pushing! In some cases, feel free to talk to other persons who are more open-minded and in an extreme case, do not hesitate to refer the matter to a lawyer and do not forget to bring proofs of what you are stating (signed documents, emails, written contents, etc…)
 
A TRIP THAT I USED TO MAKE ONCE EVERY TWO MONTHS WHEN I WAS IN FRANCE
 
 
Every two months in average, or once every three months, I used to visit Paris, the capital of France.
From Lyon, Paris was very accessible thanks to the famous “train a grande Vitesse” (abbreviated as TGV) which can take you there in just 2 hours! The distance between the two cities is just 500 kilometres, which is quite similar to the distance between the Canadian cities of Montreal and Toronto.
I remember once my parents telling me stories about them travelling from Marseille to Paris. They said that it took them 7 hours to travel from Paris to Lyon, and another 5 hours to reach Marseille, where my mother’s two elder brothers were studying and living. Both of them chose to remain in France after their respective studies and both met their French wives in this southern part of France, also known as Provence (a region known for making the best perfumes in the world and of course, the cuisine provencale which was known to be extremely healthy!).
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In the end of the 90s, the TGV took over the travels between main French cities and slower trains were progressively replaced, while at the same time, time travels between main French cities were sharply reduced! Not only this modern train has had an impact in France but it also had an impact on inter-european travels. Can you imagine that from Lyon, I was 3 hours from Bruxelles (Belgium) and about 4 hours to Amsterdam (Holland)? At the time I was still studying in France (now it has changed), the only parts of Europe that did not have any TGV were the lines between Lyon and Stratsburg (in northeastern France right a few “steps” from the German border) and the lines between Lyon and Spain (I remembered having travelled for almost 10 hours to go to Barcelona with some French friends as well as this guy from Quebec who was studying in France with me in year 2001). To me, the introduction of the TGV has not only reshaped the way Europeans travel but it also put the aviation industry into more pressure as more and more people did no longer minded to take the TGV to travel between European countries!
 
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Many times, during my first year of studies in France, I undertook short trips to Paris. I always departed from “La gare de Part-Dieu” (part-dieu train station), bought either a one way or return ticket (it depended) and boarded the TGV bound to Paris. I remembered that at the very pig inning, I always forgot to “poinconner” my train ticket because each time the controller got the tickets checked during the trip mine never was and they usually precise me that it had to be done prior to boarding the trains. Anyway, later on, I got my ticket “pinched” by the machine prior boardings and once inside the TGV, it feels a bit like in an airplane as the train travels really fast and in straight portions, can reach a speed of 350 km per hour!
I have to say that it was during my studies in France - on the way from Lyon to Paris - that I ever boarded a TGV for the very first time (1998)! I was quite impressed at the strange effect that it creates because in my mind, I knew we were travelling really fast but when one looks at the surrounding landscape, it seems to give a different effect in the sense that they move, but they do not move as quickly as you may think; however, when one looks at the closer objects, then it becomes obvious that the trains travels so fast and the effect can even be more intimidating when the TGV meets another TGV which goes in the opposite direction!! You just hear an extremely short noise like “Brr” for 1 second and it is gone!
 
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Arriving to Paris, the TGV always ends its journey at the famous “Gare de Lyon”, which is by the way where all trains coming from Southern France, Italy and even Spain end their journey too. It was also in that same train station that this incident of me and my Dad losing our passports (and for me, my French or Shenghen visa alongside it) happened! Each time I disembark from the train and head towards to taxi station, I had to walk alongside the Cafe where the incident happen, and remembered this police station nearby -  where I remember smelling some long-stored coffee and some cigarettes -  where me and my dad went to right after the incident and where the police officers working there that day seemed to have preferences on those foreigners were born outside France (Vs. This who grew up in France and poorly dressed) and those well-dressed. Basically, we were well treated because we were not perceived as a “minority growing up and living in France and we were better dressed”.
But Yes, for a developed country like France, I was a bit shocked by the shape of that police station (I had the chance to visit one or two in Lyon when renewing my “carte de sejour” (Permit of stay which has to be renewed every year in order to continue to study in France)  but they were in a much better shape and the officers were relatively more professional) because it looked like more like a police station you would see in neighbouring Antananarivo, Madagascar. The paint of the walls were “exhausted”, the place was a bit dark and few lights were on and the morale of the two officers who were working there seemed to me to be “on the low”, a bit as if they wished to work in a better looking police station in a fancier neighborhood of Paris, like the 16th “arrondissement”.
 
Anyway, coming to Paris is and will always be an extraordinary experience, not just for me, but I guess for many people. Paris, is not only the Capital of a Nation like France; it is also the place where the French Revolution took place in 1789 at the famous “Place de la Bastille” where some revolutionaries took over the place and overthrew the Monarchy. Paris a a place which is exceptionally rich in history in Arts and can only be “matched” by a few other cities on the planet!
Yes, This is one of the very few reasons I decided to come to France and this was also for this same reason I have decided not to choose Reunion Island, Mauritius or South Africa.
 
In places like Australia or Canada, cities are divided into suburbs or CBSs.  In France, the centre of the cities are divided into what they call “arrondissements” and they are a bit like the suburbs or the different CBDs in Big Australian cities. Lyon, where I have been living, has 7 different “arrondissements” and around those “arrondissements” gravitate the “banlieues” or the outer part of the city. Paris however, counts 20 “arrondissements” and is also surrounded by huge peripheral areas.
I came to realize how big Paris can be when and each time I flew from or to Madaagscar and was about to either land in Roissy CDG Airport or  take off from it, and each time the airplane flew over this huge and impressive city, it was almost impossible to miss the Eiffel Tower which is quite easy to spot from an approaching airplane.
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Every time I arrive in Paris, I have to admit that I tend to avoid staying for a long time inside the “Gare de Lyon” station and particularly to sit at the same Cafe where our passports were stolen just four days after we landed in France.
As soon as the train stops, I would walk past the Cafe, and would go towards the exit to grab a taxi. I would then go to the usual hotel when we usually went when we spent time in Paris in the past, and which was located not far from the famous “quartier de Montparnasse”, for those of you who know Paris. Even if it not really located in the very heart of Paris and a bit away from the famous Champs-Elysees, Montparnasse is a dynamic part of Paris as it has a high concentration of businesses, restaurants, creperies, as well as bistrots (Unlike places like within the Anglosphere, bistrots are indeed highly common in France. I will develop this idea later). The place is famous for its tower, on top of which one can enjoy a view of the whole city.
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Each time I spend time in Paris, I would usually stay between 2 to 4 days maximum, I found this City to be authentic, witty and a bit “daring”, elegant as well as provocative and visited it every 2 or 3 months for the sake of breaking the monotony of staying constantly in Lyon. Sure Lyon was also a beautiful and pleasant place to live, but being used to travel a lot and move from one place to another many times, I have caught the “travel fever” and always feel the need to “move”, travel and discover new things. In Paris, I happened many times to just wander around the city, walk along the famous Champs-Elysee, which considered to be the longest Avenue in the world and which is known not only in the United States but pretty much worldwide. A few times, but surely not every time I came to visit Paris, I climbed the famous monument which you can find right at the end of the Champs-Elysee and which is called “L’Arc de Triomphe”, which is a monument honouring those who fought and died for France during the Napoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century. The place where the Arc has been constructed is being called “Place de l’etoile” (as the different Avenues around look like the 5 “legs” of a star if seen from above) and just so you know, driving around this Arc is really challenging as cars can erupt from any of the 5 Avenues while some other vehicles are very likely to exit of this spinning circle or running vehicles anytime. Besides, the French are known to be a bit lawless (as compared to Canadian, American or Australian drivers for example)!
 
Anyway, when visiting this place, I find it best to arrive by using the Parisian “metro” (underground subway) and get down at the station called “Place de l’etoile”. When I had plans to visit the “Arc de Triomphe”, I usually would arrive around 5 or 5:30 PM, then I would walk along the Champs Élysées to enjoy the view as well as the beautiful lights that emerge from the boutiques and shops all around! There were still some days back then when I still could not believed that I have made it to Europe, particularly at the very beginning when my thoughts were still probably hanging far away in Madagascar!
For hours, I would wander around, and from time to time, depending on the time I reach the Champs Elysee, I would sometimes spend sometimes at a famous place called FNAC, an enormous shopping premise where they sell discs, computers, TVs and where you can listen to some music, or even buy discs as well as movies.
When it gets dark, I would go and visit either one of the “creperies” (where they make and serve all sorts of Crepes), which as their name suggest, would serve you some crepes - some of which are savoury and contain ingredients such as mushrooms, cheeses (high quality and typical French hard cheeses) or bacons; obviously, you can also have some sweet crepes with chocolate or ice cream inside.
 
When visiting Paris, another idea is to try the famous Bistrots. They are not only located along the “Champs Elysee” but can be found anywhere, in every “quartier” or neighbourhood that Paris is made of; Bistrots are typically a French thing and consequently, are not only found in Paris but  pretty much every corner of French cities  Unlike restaurants which are more “formal”, a bistrot looks like a more flexible and for a more affordable version and will serve you delicious dishes. They usually offer a whole variety of typical French dishes and unlike restaurants, the waiters always seem to be on the rush and honestly, I have always had some appreciation for the waiters working there as they usually take care of 5 , 6 or even 8 different tables at the same time and would rarely make any mistakes on the different orders! They would usually start with “bonjour Messieurs dames, je vous donne le menu” (well, when there are many of you obviously) and would then leave straight away to serve other nearby customers. They would then rush back close to the kitchen, bring more dishes to other clients and would come back to you to ask if you are ready. If you are, (some of them) would just memorize the orders whole repeating things like “les cotes de porc sauce mortarde pour monsieur et avec frites… la daurade pour madame ave le riz sauvage...”. I always found fascinating how those (French) waiters can handle all this pressure for hours and not making mistakes while providing a relatively good level of customer service! I have hardly seen similar things outside of Paris (or Mainland France) to be honest.
 
Apart from walking along the “longest and most famous venue of the world”, I would usually visit the Eiffel tower and from time to time (not every time I come to visit Paris), I would climb up to the top and would spend some time appreciating the view of Paris from above.
I usually went up there at nighttime and the view is just splendid. One can easily spot from above the skylines of The famous Parisian quarter of LA Defense, the famous “Place des Invalides”, the Montparnasse tower, the famous “Garden du Luxembourg” but what one can really see if how different the City of Paris really is compared to Cities located in the Americas for example, like New York, Vancouver or Philadelphia! In the latter, the cities are built following strait lines; Paris however, has been built in a very different idea and displays avenues that are neither parallel nor perpendicular to each other. Instead, Parisian roads tend to be set between each other in either a triangular shape or an entirely random shape. From above, one also realize that Paris is a City whose identity has been built during centuries. One also realize that one architectural style tends to dominate in Paris when it comes to the design of the houses: The Haussmannian style building (les immeubles de types Haussmanniens) type, which have been built around the 1850s and which constitute the majority of the houses in Paris. In that sense, Paris really differs from Lyon as down there, the mainstream style or architecture resembles those the houses one would find in places like Northern Italy. Lyon, or at least its traditional houses are built following the concept of “construction a la pise” or construction using a special type of soil and it is actually a technique that was used 11,000 years ago and was originated from unexpected places like Tunisia, in the northern part of the African mainland. Its influence reached Spain and later on, to some southern parts of France like the Rhone-Alpes Region (where Lyon is located) or even Northern Italy.
This is one of the few examples where we can clearly see the influence of the cultures and/or architectures of some parts of North Africa to the European architecture or even culture.
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From up there, I used to admire the view and take as much as time to admire what I see around. I do this because I start to be aware that there are few places in the world where you can stand that high and just admire the view of the lights shedding the roads and avenues of this famous and beautiful City, a city which is famous all over the world, not just in Europe!
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Paris was for me the ideal place for a change. I went there for 2, 3 or 4 days or sometimes a bit longer, to change from the routine life of Lyon. Surely, I loved Lyon because this was where my friends have all been, and more importantly, this was where I have had the best memories with persons like Barbara, Emilie (another girl I met during an admission exam in Lyon, just before I chose to study at the American school) or others, some of whom I chose to mention just briefly.
To me Lyon was the “Main place” where everything happened, and where my future was drawn like a road that crosses kilometres of plains, forests and “unexpected landscapes”. I just enjoyed seeing it that way…I do not know why, but I have always liked to compare life experiences, life challenges, difficulties, but also joys of life with a vehicle driving along a long ever ending road.
To me, Lyon was just the beginning go that road but one day, this road will lead me somewhere, may be to the “doors” of Australia”…who knows?
I have had dreams that I have always wanted to fulfill and surely, I could have imagined those dreams while being in Lyon, but to me, getting away from the usual place was a way to become more creative and make those dreams even more vidid! Paris was the ideal place as during my trips there, I found the best inspiration to think forward and imagine myself one day standing somewhere in Australia or Canada. In Paris, memories of my childhood comes back and I kept remembering me with my mom wandering the streets of this City many years ago in the early 1980s when we came here to meet my dad who just came back from a 6 month trip from the United States (Boston) in 1983. At the same time, it was here, right here in Paris that I started to imagine myself sitting among “foreigners” in a foreign land…must have been the United States. That same United States that I dreamt of when I was 5 or 6 years old and in which I saw myself standing in front of tall buildings covered with shiny bluish glasses! Those buildings, I saw them in reality 20 years later when I came to study in Philadelphia…they were just like in this dream I had 20 years earlier in Madagascar.
It was also from Paris that I was imagining myself walking and exploring unknown places. I for instance, saw myself being and living one day in a British-looking town, a town which is modern, stylish and neat. Strangely, as I imagined those things, those ole memories that I had as a kid just came back and some of the things that I am imagining are somewhat linked to that same dream that I had as a kid (a premonition) in which I saw myself walking in a place full of sunshine and where one can enjoy vast areas of green spaces. This place looks very different from any other places I have been to and for sure, it differed a lot from a place like Paris or Lyon…
At that time, I never suspected that one of those days, I will make it to a place like Australia. Around that same time, I would have never dared to imagine that I would even obtain a Bachelor’s degree from an American University, and would later on, pursue my adventures in places like here in Canada years later.
In fact, I saw myself undertaking my education in France and …seeing two possibilities: either I would not be able to go till the end and will return home without any degree at all or finish it up till the end and go back home. I do not know what made me think those but for sure, none of them looked like good prospects even though the first one would have been a disaster! In fact between those times in Paris when I was thinking about my future and today when I have successfully settled in Canada, so many things have happened whether it is academically oriented, or life oriented…just to start with his issue to which I was confronted in Lyon:
When I was about to finish my second year at this French vocational school, I decided not to pursue my studies with them because back then, they were expressing to us some issues they had to have their Bac+4 (equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree) recognized by the French government. Because of that, many of my French friends (including Barbara, this girls I have met and me and her kind of fell in love with at that time) decided to leave the school and not taking chances in pursuing their education there.
 
I would like to take the opportunity to provide some advices to any students willing to pursue a tertiary education ANYWHERE or in ANY COUNTRY. My advice is the following: ALWAYS RESEARCH THE SCHOOL YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND! NEVER RELY ON BROCHURES, AND NEVER RELY ONLY on things the school tells you. Now, I am not saying that my choice was bad, because I honestly still believe that I made a good choice to go to this vocational school, mainly because I had some very memorable experiences there and to be honest, if I had chosen another vocational school, I do not think that my experience would have been better or full of memories!
 
For this school I went to, they never mentioned that the recognition process of their Bac+4 degree was still underway. That being said, fair is to say that all of the courses that I have undertaken with them really helped me to gain credits and time (as well as saving a lot of money) for me to gain access to the American school (that my Uncle Thomas- who lives in Paris - has found - as we asked him to help us to find a school that offers international curses and he actually found it before I did) and later on, to have access to their partner University in the United States! The time there was full of great memories with some French girls I knew and with some I was and became very close to, but also with some nice and agreeable French friends, who made my stay and experience in France so unique!
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That being said, as the vocational school program was about to end, I had to select schools I had to apply to for the following year and there were many choices available, but to access them, I needed to sit for an exam and sometimes, pass an interview. I remember to have travelled to places like Grenoble or even Saint-Etienne to take exams there too (as they were close to Lyon) as I did not really want to leave this region of France as now, I managed to get so many friends here.
During one of those exams that I took to apply for a business school (finally, I did not choose them but went for the American school) as this school offered a pathway to study in the United Kingdom later. The exam was composed of some basic algebra, some questions of logic, one interview if I remember well. But what I remembered even more was a girl named Emilie whom I met there and me and I cannot explain why but we got connected each other quite well.  She told me that she is taking the exam as she was eventually interested in applying for a business school. But later on, she just study there a year and left the school (and Lyon) and came back in a city called Orleans (about 100 km south of Paris) to study languages, which is to me a huge “shift” as it was an entirely different field! During those months of her being in Lyon, me and her spent it together a lot and about 3 or 4 months of us knowing each other, we started to socialize outside by spending time in Cafes, drinking wine or watching a movie at the “Cinema”, and ultimately, we moved on by inviting ourselves into our respective homes later (she was living in Bron, a suburb located east of Lyon), at least during the only year or more exactly 10 months that we spent together in Lyon. When I finished the first year at the American school, this was when she decided to move back north to Loiret - a department located south of Paris and where she was originally from - in order to start a year at the University of Orleans. As she left, although I suspected our relation will never go on again, I decided to accept her suggestion, which was to continue our relationship despite living far away from each other.
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Many times during my trips in Paris, I remembered spending a considerable amount of time over the phone to speak with Emilie about how our days happened; I also remembered trying to convince her to stay in Lyon but as she was absolutely sure of her choice to go back to Orleans  and study languages, and as I had no prospects at all to leave Lyon back then, I have decided that the east thing to do would be to remain connected. But you will know that distance relationships are hard to maintain and rarely work and my later decision to pursue my studies to the United States was - I believe - the main reason why we both decided or she decided to look for another option rather than continuing a relationship with me, which in any ways, would be ending soon or later.
But despite of that ending, we have had some highly memorable moments and if I could compare to the intensity or characteristics of the relationship I have had with Barbara, the one with Emily was lasting longer (and was more of a boyfriend-girlfriend type of relationship) but was less in terms of intensity while encountering many ups and downs as we moved ahead. The relationship with Barbara however, was much more intense and has not met any particular difficulties and was not really a deep relation” in is sense, however, if we had to gig deeper, it could have had in my own view, more of a potential to explore.
Nevertheless, in both of those relations or in most of my relations with girls (as there were others but I deliberately chose not to mention them here) not only in France, but also when I was studying in Australia before I met my current wife, I chose not to speak about those to my close relatives or family. That choice of mine could be criticized or even misunderstood by some but as opposed to my younger sibling, I am a strong believed of the fact that those matters have to remain mine and only mine! So during all those years as I have been studying in France, the US and Australia, my family have never been aware of the fact that I have spent time, dated or shared some unforgettable moments with some interesting girls overseas, far from my country.
Now do I regret to go to Europe? No! Do I also regret to have come back 14 times at the French embassy to get a French Visa and see the face of this Reunionnese Visa officer disorganized lady (who actually could not even decide on my case as we managed to get in touch with another Official at the French embassy who was actually one of the decider) every day or every two days and being asked to provide a document that did not make sense even to her? Of course not! Did I regret to choose France over South Africa, Reunion Island or Mauritius Island as a place to study? Absolutely NOT! Did I regret the fact that my parents could not afford to send me back then to Canada, America and instead I had to start in Europe (France) first for undertaking myself studies? DEFINITELY NOT! Surely, Canada or the US are great places to study but believe it or not, for me, coming to France was the BEST option because it has allowed me to save a  lot of money on my education while gaining “credits” and using those earned credits to apply for the University in the US years later. Besides, judging the experience that I had, I would NEVER EVER say to myself “I regretted to have come to France” because the fact is…I NEVER REGRETTED MY DECISION TO COME TO FRANCE TO STUDY.
May be it was a good thing (I am speaking for me and me only, not other students) that they did not have the means to send me elsewhere, at least at that time.
 
 
ANOTHER PERSON I HAVE MET AT THIS SCHOOL: A GUY FROM IVORY COAST WHO MET HIS FRENCH GIRLFRIEND
 
Another person I have met was this guy named Patrick. I met him the very first day I was to start my foundation courses for the BBA program. That day, we both arrived late and as we were walking through the (school) building, he asked me why I chose this school to which I answered that my dream - as a kid - has always been to spend a few semesters in the US.
He also told me that he studied in a public university in France (because public universities are free in countries like France, Belgium or Germany, meaning you do not have to pay tuition fees to attend classes; however, you have to pay some registration fees which amount between 200 to 500 euros per year maximum. This is why many students from Madagascar still opt to go to Europe for their studies) and wished to pursue his studies in the United States. I remember him telling those words: “gars, l’objectif dans cette école, c’est de partir pour les US”, meaning “my objective by pursuing my education here is to go to the US”.
By the way, Patrick was from Côte D’Ivoire, or Ivory Coast as you may have heard. It is a tiny country in west Africa. During our years spent at this school, he was highly appreciated by many, namely the French students who were studying there and who also wished they could get a few semesters worth of academic experience in America. I would even say that among all of us, he was probably one of the most joyful, easy-going and likeable person we all have ever met.
As time went by, he was one of the most likeable friend that many of the girls there had, he was a good listener, a very good joker and a good mannered guy. He was never aggressive but always found other ways (sometimes by using irony or tease) to address some sensible issues, and he was very smart at doing that because the other side would not find anything to “hit back” - at least on a legal standpoint - as he used to tell me. I have learned a lot from his experience.
As this school was relatively small compared to the size of the Universities in the US, Canada or Australia, it was easy to make friends and to bond with others and I believed this was one of the sides that I enjoyed the most of studying in France! talking about friendship, as we all used to get together in different classes, or attend many classes together, sure we all got closer, but Patrick, this friend of ours started to get acquainted with a girl names Maude, and no, she was not from ivory Coast or even not from any other parts of Africa, Maude was French. At the beginning, they just hanged out to drink coffee or go to the movie (like I did quite often) but as time went by, they started to become better friends, then later we heard they became “petits copains” which means, boyfriend-girlfriend. Many of us (both the French and the other African students) believed it was just a regular relationship like so many in France - you know, those types of relations one does not see in countries of North America or Australia - where you see lovers kissing each other without reservation while being in public! That aspect too is very characteristic of some parts of Europe, and in France, it is just so common!!!! Just 7 months before I departed to the US (it probably coincided with this time when this narrow-minded director sabotaged our applications to the US university), we heard that Maude is going to introduce - officiellement - her Boyfriend to her Dad, who happened to be at that time, a high executive at France Telecom. Just a few weeks later, her dad gave them permission for both of them to move together. During that period, I saw both of them being happy and unlike some relationships that I have seen (which hide some degree of interest such as obtaining a french passport), I felt that there was much love in it!
 
When we finished our foundation classes in France and were about to head to the US there months later (as in between it is vacation and I’ll fly back to Madagascar), we were saying goodbye to those who - either chose to graduate with their BBA in France or those who have not finished their studies yet - and among those were Patrick and Maude who both decided to stay and remain in France and get their BBA (not from the US) but from this (French-american) school we attended in France. I remember one of the African guy from Togo (another country in Africa for those who have no clues!!) told Patrick “you should come to the US, this is such a great opportunity, you sure you’ll not regret it?”, and I remember him saying “I have reasons to believe that my chance is here in France and may be I could go to the US but once there, what tells you that I will have the same chance that I have had here in France”;
Those who were there all had their opinions but to me, he was right to stay and remain in France - even though going to America has always been his dream - as now, he had a girlfriend he loved above everything and who loved him so much too. On top of this, he would be offered a position at the company his dad has been working for years  right after his graduation…So to me, the best way for him was to not pursue his studies to the US
 
JUST A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE ELDERLY LADY WHOM I MET
 
Another day, a few weeks after my a trip that I have undertaken in Sweden and also a few months before I would be leaving France for good - this elderly Lady - who owns the Patisserie Boulangerie  and where I used to buy my cakes, croissants, breads and pastries - told me about the story of this mysterious boat.
I saw this blue coloured many times I came there to buy for bread or Lunch but I never dared to ask her the story that was lying behind it. I noticed it, not because it was a boat sitting inside a pastry shop, but because it was covered and protected so nicely into  a structure made of glass and it was hanging up there, on the top left corner of the shop. Another aspect of it was that it was unfinished, almost as it the person who has done it has left it undone on purpose OR as if something unexpected has happened to that person as this boat had most of its strings still being untied and loose. The boat was about 50 cm long, 35 to 40 cm high and 15 cm large, was painted with care and all the different pieces that constituted it were set up correctly, with exception with the ropes.
 
I do not remember with exactitude what brought the discussion but from memory, there was a mention of one of her loyal customer who stopped showing up at the shop as she died suddenly of an heart attack.
She has told me how unpredictable life could be and then, she started to talk to me about this boat which was hanging there in her shop, and which I have been seeing many times per week - each time I came buying some pastries there. Just as she described the horrors she has witnessed perpetrated by the Nazis in “occupied France” - her voice filled up with emotions and as she mentioned to me about the boat, she told me the story that lied behind it. She mentioned the fact that it was built by her son; at first, I was thinking that the boat was built by her son many years ago, and that son may be now living in different city of France or may have left to may be Spain or Italy…but as she continued the story and told me “he was taken away by this disease…you know…and he must have been around your age when he passed away…”; her voice was filled with sadness and I could not help myself as I felt all the pain she had gone through. Now, at this very moment, I realized that this poor woman had not only witnessed the violence, the killings and all the horrors that were made by Hitler’s men when they occupied France in the 1940s, but on top of this, she also endured the loss of her son! She has gone through such ordeals in her life and knowing that I would be soon leaving France to the United States made me even more sad than I already was.  She then continued to tell me “it was the muscoviscidose which won the battle over him…and you know, building this boat was a way for him to forget his pain ..and every morning, he would show me how well he did and what he has done, and one day, as I entered his room, well…. He was no longer breathing and I knew that was it…I knew he has left us…” and she continued saying “there was a time when I thought about finishing this boat, but as I kept thinking, I decided to leave it as he left it when he passed away”.
I remembered feeling so sad and just told her that it is a very touching story and that he must be happy where he is now. She agreed and tells be that she believed in good spirit as she is certain that her son’s energy may have led her and her husband onto the right path in their respective lives.
...
Now I was to live France and did not know whether I will return here one day. I miss this country and the person who were dear to me so much already...
 

 


LEAVING FRANCE ... 
(with a lot of Nostalgy and good memories)

DEPARTING FOR THE 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
(AUGUST of the YEAR 2003)

6 MONTHS LATER…6 months later, I landed at Philadelphia airport at the end of the summer. I was finally in the United States, and about to start my two-semester program there. If everything goes fine, I will get my BBA degree soon!The very first days is the US were quite challenging as it took me about 40 days to find a place to stay. During that time, I had to stay in a motel close to the delaware state border and clsoe to the airport, too. My parents were anxious as they knew I was far away and alone in a country that I did not know. On top of that, I wasn’t fluent with english, so exchanging ideas with others or even doing basic tasks like buying bread wasn’t that easy! I remembered 4 or 5 times, when checkin out at counters being looked strangely by cashiers as I did not understand what they said. When I explained to them that my first language was not english, they became suddenly very sensible! This was what I liked the most about Americans as they do understand that you may come from a different cultural background… this kind of understanding is something that you wouldn’t find too much in France.THE WAY COURSES WERE STRUCTURED IN THE USThe American structure of teaching differs from the French one in many ways. In France, and to some extent, that is true as well for most of continental Europe, classes are being taught using a lot of theories and they are being taught during longer hours too as opposed to what you have in the Anglosphere world; in other words, in the French system, the theoretical concepts tend to be dominant; the consequence being: one tends to learn concepts by heart and there are more things to remember, too, but at the same time, courses in Continental Europe are between free of charge (public universities) and relatively cheap if we compare to what we have to pay in places like US or the UK. Just to give you an idea, by taking my foundations courses in France, I paid between 4 to 6 times cheaper than in an equivalent University if places like Australia or the US..so in a sense, going to Europe has allowed to pay less for my studies while benefitting in a sense from a typical European experience. In America however, courses are taught in a more practical way but are more expensive too, but, going to the US has always been my dream since I was 5 years old; in fact, it came to my mind when my dad was sent by his company in Boston to study about petroleum engineering.As opposed to Unis in France, It is very common in American universities to spend just 3 hours at the University, and spend the rest of the day to work on assignments as well as group projects. When studying in the United States (and later on in Australia as well for my Masters degree), I had to get used to work on group projects, do presentations in front of dozens of students, as well as be able to answer pertinent questions related to a specific topic.Education in anglo-saxon universities in general are not always about remembering and be able to « spit out » the concepts; it is more about being able to deal with challenges, learn to work with peers coming from various cultural and academic backgrounds. It also teaches you to look beyond, to improvise on questions you may not expect…that being said, Studies in continental Europe tend to help you go DEEP into ideas and besides all, I honestly think that the way they teach in Europe tend to make you more "flexible" to understand realities and contexts in African countries. In a sense, both have their pros and cons.Now, was the US way hard for me to adapt as a Malagasy? Sure it was! Coming from a french education system, I had to cope with reviewing entirely the way I was studying, as from now on, learning and remembering will no longer be that necessary!! In the way Americans as well as Australians (later on) educate their children totally differ from the way us the Malagasy do educate ours. I personally think that learning things by heart as we are so clever to do in Madagascar, is just an inefficient way of learning because first of all, after a few years, chances are that you are going to forget most of the concepts; secondly, learning without understanding a particular idea is just a total nonsense!
 
WHAT THINGS DID I NOTICE IN THE US?
 
When I was in the US, I noticed - to some extent - some kind of frustration within the different communities. I remind you, I am not American, I am not an Afro African and I am not European, I am not even a Mexican nor even an immigrant in the US. I was just a foreigner who happened to be there for a short period of time, but long enough to notice things that a tourist will not probably see.
 
I have particularly noticed some kind of frustration among minorities in the US, namely those who have grown up in poor neighborhood and who have had not any chance to get some education (Contrary to France, Belgium and Germany where one van benefit from  entirely free education, making it accessible to anyone, in countries like the US, one has to e well-off to sit in Universities). I remember that when I called the customer service at a US phone company (well established company along the east coast of America), most of the persons were extremely rude and impatient, and many times, I have to admit, I ended up talking to the person in French by saying « vous n’êtes vraiment pas professionnelle madame..oh moi je vous le dis…. !!! ». She of course did not fully understand and reacted. with this « excuse me», but as rude as she was to me, I did not hesitate to hang up the phone too! But that is after 6 months after my arrival in the US. before that, I remembered having an issue with my phone and as I could not sole the problem with some lousy customer agents, I came back once to the place where I bought the phone. At first the guy did not wanted to help but after having told him that I was having issues with my English he decided to help me and called the agent on my behalf while explaining the situation. That guy was an African American and I remembered that he worked alonsgide with two other Anglo-Americans.
When I first came to the Philadelphia (I prefer not judging the whole country based on just Philly itself), I remembered missing a few aspects of Europe. One being a generally courteous service over the phone when you call any providers in France (electricity company, phone company or even stores) and which generally starts with « Bonjour Monsieur, en quoi puis-je vous aider? » and which goes on « Pourriez-vous me donner votre numéro de référence… ». As you can see, they always use the conditional form such as « could you please…. ». The second aspect that I missed most of Europe was when I took the cabs in Philly. When I first landed there, I was shocked to see cabs that looked like those we have in Madagascar! Yes, you heard it well!!! Philadelphia cabs were more similar to the cabs we have in Antananarivo Madagascar than those they have in Europe!  Many times, I was shocked to see the « lack of cleanliness » of many yellow cabs in Philly and from time to time (not always), to see the lack of professionalism of some drivers.
In fact what I have noticed is that in Philly (and may be in many parts of the US in general), jobs like answering the phones are done by people who did not attend universities, which means they might be done by people who may come from tough neighborhoods. In Europe however, most of the answering jobs are done by semi-skilled candidates most of whom have attended some universities. Believe it or not, you really see the difference between the quality of service!
Another thing on which I missed Europe so much was the « less aggressive gap which exists between the richest and the poorest », and to me Sure America is a great country but it is a country made of extreme!! I could see that firsthand when I travelled to my University and when the train had to go through some « tough neighborhoods » before reaching the « nice neighborhood, with students walking safely thanks to the security guards checking around the area to make sure that everything was safe!! Many times in Philly the train travels through some areas characterized by some degree of poverty and ugliness in the architectures of the different buildings and suddenly in just 10 seconds, your eyes are caught with the cleanliness and beauty of some suburbs, with nice houses and nice cars…All of that at just a few meters from the « bad areas ». Now, surely in France they also have « bad neighborhoods » but like it or not, in Europe, you do not see such « aggressive and sudden change », and surely in Europe, the gaps between the poorest and the richest is not as wide as it is in the United States. One of the reason probably lies in the fact that countries like France have put in place an efficient social welfare framework (Universal insurance for every French citizen, employment insurance, housing aids available even for foreign students like me as long as they hold valid French visas or waivers) which - in my view - helps to lessen or attenuate the effect of « poverty » in Europe in general!
Another thing that I saw in Philly (not in the American south), was an incident happening in downtown Philly (where I lived); Not far from my home, I once saw some police cars pushing some minorities to "get away from there". As it is close to many offices (it was close to market street), it is usually a quiet place (by US standards, not Europe standards)but that night I literally saw a few officers (there were a dowen of them there but two of them were particularly violent) and were abusing a guy (who probably came from tough neighborhoods) telling him to vanish I guess in that what it is supposed to be a fairly "good neighborhood". Thankfully, it was happening on the opposite direction of where I came from and also far from the entrance of my building...otherwise, I might have been obliged to go back and come back later when things would get quieter. Thankfully, I could sneak into my building and once inside, of course, I was safe! But seeing this made me start thinking about study options elsewhere and I guess that this event or the different events or experiences that I had there made me think that another country deserved to get my family money more than this place where I was right now and I realized that this country seemed to have some real issues with its history as it failed to make full reconciliation with its past! To my view, still today, the ghost of slavery still haunts the relationship that exist between communities in the US! This is when I supposed that I started to use the university computer to browse on different universities in places like Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland or Australia! One evening, as I was looking at a study agency based in Melbourne, I remembered that a friend of mine - an Indian guy - came behind me and asked me if I wanted to join them for dinner. Yes you guessed it, he probably has seen the map of Australia on the website of the agency and realised that I was onto something! Yes that night he caught me but I was more determined than ever that one day, I will probably be heading to this "strange Continent" despite all the "strange" things and "racial past" of this beautiful country!
Last point, I have this strange feeling that in the US in particular, one need to be privileged to get access to everything. If you want to eat healthy, you probably need to earn a high level of income and have a good job, same if you want your children to get a good education as this is expensive in America. In countries like France however, education is entirely free (as I said earlier) and anyone - providing that she or he passed the high school diploma - can have access to it, and when I mean anyone, that also includes foreign students on a student visa (mainly from the African continent and a few Asians too who have the courage to come there and learn french…they also benefit from free tuition fees). This is why (I know it as I have seen that many times in Madagascar) it is so challenging for some « agents » to convince students from countries like Madagascar (but also Mauritian students or French speaking African students from West Africa for example) to study outside of Europe.
I am still wondering if these weren't those things that pushed me to draw my eyes into getting my Masters degree in Australia rather than going back to the US.
 
WHAT WERE THE GOOD THINGS I LIKED ABOUT THE UNITED STATES?
 
Surely, as I said earlier, each country has pros and cons, and this no matter where you are going. As opposed many European countries, things in the United States seemed to me to be much more on the extreme, and that includes things like level of incomes, the shocking difference that exists between the richest and the poorest areas in the US, the difference and conditions of access to tertiary education if compared to what they have in Europe…all those things did differ.
 
But there was a few things that I like the United States for: When living in France, although I liked the overall experience and all the socializing aspect of this nice and beautiful European country, I have to say that when studying in the United States, I was surprised by the level of “positive compliments” that American peers or  most of (not all) my American teachers told me. When you study hard enough and when they know pretty much what your backgrounds are (They knew I was from a non-English background and I tended to make that evident), I heard from most of them some very positive comments, and to be honest, this is something on which Europeans tend to be more “reserved” about, as even they think you are better than them, very few of them would tell it to you straight in the eyes; in America, it is very different as people tend to give you compliments pretty much often.
I have to say that this is one of the aspects that I love about the United States.
 
Another thing that I have noticed - not as personal experience but more as many of my friends experiences in the US (as some of my African and French friends have made the decision to remain and stay in the US and not come back to Africa and Europe once graduating) - that Americans tend to give you chances. Actually, although France is a beautiful country and the French girls have met and befriended with were extremely nice, France is one of those countries which tends to remain a bit “conservative” when it comes to hiring visible minorities. In France, in order to get access to many well-known French companies (Air France being actually one of them), you need to know someone and if you do not, chances are you will never get in there no matter how hard you try, and particularly when one is part of this visible minority group. In the United States, Things tend to work differently, although we all know that “preferences” or “favoritism” also do exist. Many of my friends (who unlike me, chose to stay in America) managed to secure opportunities in the US without knowing anybody and made it by just having done their studies and passing the interview. One of them, a friend of mine from Rwanda, managed to get hired - after having spent a year in marketing job - at one of the most prestigious American bank. He has started to sell and trade derivatives and manages important customers investment portfolio. He is still working for the same company doing the same type of job but at a higher level!!! He is actually the luckiest one of all as even the French friends of mine who’d decided to stay there in the US did not get such opportunity!!!
In my opinion, wherever you go, there will always be people who would “favour” some people but in my Malagasy perspective, I tend to see that in some countries, they are very open to other communities on “social standpoint” only, but when it comes to provide responsibilities, those countries seem to become suddenly “Stuck up”. IN some countries however, They tend to be a bit “colder” when it comes to mingling with you but when it comes to offering responsibilities, they happen to be much more “open” and “ready to give you a go”.
Again, it is just my opinion based on my personal experience, but to my own view, this Friend of mine from Rwanda could not probably get the same opportunity anywhere else, particularly in a country like France which seems to be a bit reluctant to give such an opportunity to someone from a country like Rwanda. Unlike my other friend Patrick (from Ivory coast and who got hired thanks to the help of his Girldfriend’s father), Steve S. My friend from Rwanda, has probably made his best decision to leave France and instead, come and study to the United States!
 
APART FROM STUDYING, WHAT DID I ENJOY IN THE UNITED STATES?
 
I enjoyed Philadelphia, where I spent about semesters! This is surely an old city with its own drawbacks, but it is a city with a soul, a city rich in history because one has to know that it sued to be the former capital of the United States. Apart from « Philly », I had the opportunity to visit the twin cities of Saint-Paul as well as Minneapolis, both located in the northwestern state of Minnesota. Compared to Philly, those twin cities were much more modern and the surrounding environment kind of looked like the environment you would find in some places in Canada.I also have visited the deep south of the US, in New Orleans, which a few decades ago, was among those southern states known for practicing racial segregation. First, you might be wondering whether I want there alone. Just like I did when I was travelling through Europe a few before, I just booked a flight and an accommodation  from a travel agency located inside the premises of Temple University, and went there by myself. When I landed there, I just felt that the environment was quite different indeed from the northern part of America. I do not mean that people were mean or bad, it is just that I felt that « something » out of the ordinary has happened it some time ago. For example, I saw that the frictions between whites and Black Americans were a bit harsher down here than it is in places like Washington DC for example. You also have those « invisible codes » that still seem to exist here, but which have already disappeared or evolved much north. I remembered knocking at the door of a fancy restaurant in downtown New Orleans; a patron opened the door for me and spoke to me very politely by saying that surely, I could have lunch there. But as we moved inside and as I wanted to sit « over there » on the right as to my perception, the left side was a bit crowded, the patron very politely invited me to sit with the other guests on the left side of the room using an argument that the right side is normally open during the evenings only. On the spot, I did not realize that there was a strange connotation to that invitation, but I just agreed and sat with the other guests, most of whom, I precise, were white Americans, or more precisely, white southerners. As I sat, some just nodded politely.The next day, I have booked a tour to visit a very well-known plantation, called Oak valley. It was on a tour and it was a place surrounded by oak trees. In this sublime villa, there was a very beautiful house, which was owned by ancient plantation owners in the 1800s. Not far from it, one could find renovated houses, in which former slaves used to live.Even though I was technically an African, my South-eastern asian ancestry (and genes) may have made that experience quite different from, let’s say, a person who might have been of an African descent or someone who ancestors who were ancient slaves. Here, in the southern part of the US, this hurtful past still haunts its victims, but to some extent, the whole American South itself.A few days later, after this trip in the state of Louisiane, I flew back to Philadelphia to pursue my last semester. I had just a few subjects to take as well as one summer session before being able to finally graduate with my BBA degree. During the spring semester, I have had interesting courses among which the Risk Management course, taught by an American of Italian origin, who knew how to inspire us with his long-lasting passion. I remember doing a project on this particular course and that project that I chose (with my group mates) talked about the financial cost of the very sad and tragic 2001 event, which happened in New York. I have no idea whether it was my non-local perspective which made it interesting, but I managed to hold the breath of the whole assembly during the presentation.The same semester, a marketing teacher of mine – for some reasons I do not know – has made everything in her power to fail me and some other students in her class. That event just reminded me of what happened to me in France a few years ago with that director who sabotaged my application to apply to Temple U.  Being of a tempered and calm personality (that has helped a lot during my life by the way), I just remained calm as I knew that the chances of succeeding would be so low and that in any cases, my failure had nothing to do with the quality of my work. It had a purely discriminatory motive. So…. I just waited that the semester ends and waited that she flies to Norway for her vacations. Once she left, I wrote her an email saying that I was a bit « exhausted » and needed some time off. But in fact, instead of flying off to Madagascar, I just got registered with another lecturer, Craig. A (for the same subject), and got enrolled into the summer session! Now guess what, by exactly providing the same level of effort, the marks I have obtained with this lecturer,  Craig. A, were way above Ms. Schau has given to me. That is already some kind of proof that there was clearly some form of « favoritism ». When she actually realized that I « fooled » her (as her colleague, a certain Smith saw me), it was way too late for her to intervene, and despite her effort to persuade  Craig. using many arguments, the fact that I have proven to him that I could provide good-quality work, has made Ms Schau arguments totally meaningless!As you can guess,  before the end of the summer session, I passed this subject, which meant that I could now graduate!I graduate with most of the  students at the american school in Lyon, most of whom decided not to continue with another BBA degree. The day of my graduation, I can always remember my name being called, but what made me « laugh » was the American guy who had some struggle to pronounce my first as well as my last name, as firstly, it was not an English name, and second, because it was a long and unusual name. But that was fun, I started to get used with it and can fully understand that no one is supposed to be perfect; we just all try to do our best!As soon as my semesters finished, I spent about 3 additional weeks in Philadelphia to enjoy that place for the last time. During this time, I visited most of my French and African friends – most of whom I’ve considered as family as we spent so much time together here in the US but also there in Europe, and to be entirely truthful I guess most of us did consider each and everyone as a sort of a family member, to some extent.Fall was about to kick in when I left the United States… I cannot forget that funny incident at Philadelphia airport, where I got issues to board the plane. Having seen that I had no French visa in my Madagascar passport (when transiting through Paris, any nationals from Madagascar do NOT require a visa, unless they plan to stay in France for more than 24 hours; it is being called by the French as « Transit aéroportuaire » or airport transit, which normally does not require any visa at all!), I had to explain this agent that I was just passing through Paris, but will continue my flight to Madagascar four hours later! It took me almost 2 hours to make him understand things that even a 7 year old Malagasy kid would understand! In other words, I missed my plane to Paris just because I had in front of me an Air France staff who did not understand that I had another flight to Madagascar; he kept believing I was to disembark in France.At the end of the 2 hour conversation, he finally understood but that was too late, I have missed my plane, so they had to disembark my 3 luggages and I had to book for a hotel for another 3 days until another flight to Paris becomes available.After 3 days, I came back to Philly airport, went queuing at the desk that same agent was actually working. Why is that? In that way, I was to make sure that at least, after this 2 hour « intelligent » dialogue, he would remember the Madagascar guy who plans to transit in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, and who then flies to Madagascar…and guess what, he did remember me well, and that time, he knew for sure that we have already solved the situation last time. But still, I had at least 30 kgs of luggage excess; not astonishing as I have decided to buy many things (including some maple syrup jars from Vermont) and have expected that excess. The same agent obviously let me know about this and I just answered to him: « I have a Miles card so what if I’m using my miles to pay for the excess ». As it is a rule, he just accepted.The flight to Paris was to take about 8 hours, and as we approached the Western coast of France, I just felt at that moment that America was there, way beyond of what is now this vast Atlantic ocean. I start to realize that I have undertaken something big and have confronted obstacles, challenges in a country that I barely knew. Not only so, I have succeeded to get an education and go till the very end of it in a place I had to learn to speak the language. Yes, I have suffered for some time! sure, I had to explain things to people so that they could understand why I struggled so much with my English! But if you asked me whether this struggle was worth it? I will respond you with a Malagasy proverb « ny valala tsy mandry inin-droa am bavahady », which signifies that it is rare that life gives you a second chance, so if you have one, just go for it!
 
A QUESTION THAT MANY DEBATE A LOT IN MADAGASCAR: SHOULD ONE ALWAYS IMMIGRATE AND SETTLE ELSEWHERE OR IS THE OPTION OF COMING BACK TO MADAGASCAR OR ONE'S COUNTRY OF ORIGIN THE BEST ONE?
 
This is a question - which to my opinion - is not only being addressed by Malagasy in Madaagscar (and by those living in France or Quebec) - but by any persons who wish to settle elsewhere or by persons who decide to go back in their home country once their studies done OR it can be also a question addressed by whoever choose to stay home for many reasons!
 
But beyond every aspect, it is a question whose decisions and consequences can only be considered by the very concerned.
 
In the beginning of this article, I have told you briefly about my family background, including my uncles and my father, whom have studied in France. I have also explained the reasons why they have chosen to go to France rather than to the UK or US for example, and that very reason was solely based on cost issues and on countries like France who offered free tuition fees to its foreign students, providing that the latter choose to study in French public universities (I point out that Germany also offers such privilege).
 
Now, if you look at some of their stories, you would notice that my dad as well as 2 of my uncles decided to go back to Madagascar as soon as they were done with their studies in France. At that time, they obviously get acquainted with other Malagasy friends, some of whom decided to stay in Europe, whereas some decided to head back to Madagascar. Before I continue further, it is important to emphasize that back then, it was way easier to stay in France than in today’s time. Back then, if one graduated from a French public university and particularly from a school like Sciences Po Paris (today known as IEP Paris), chances of getting a job in France - even for somebody from an African country - was relatively easy as unemployment was low and also because back then, employers would focus more on your degree than on your experiences. But despite of that, they decided to head back and I think the main reason was because they saw their opportunities in Madagascar, not in France. For my father and one of my Uncle, going back to Madaagscar was synonym of High ranking position in the corporate ladder, the opportunity to work in fields that are challenging and of national interest (oil industry), and linked to that, the possibility to access jobs that would be inaccessible in Europe! To be honest, they won on their bet as both of them managed to get to the top of the corporate ladder, my father for a top mining company, and my uncle was occupying a very high position in an airline company. Another uncle of mine - who  also did study in Lille -  has chosen to go back home because his goal has been to run his own business, and nowadays, indeed, he has been running a highly valuable set of different business activities, which diversifies itself from railroad, energy production and granite exportation whose main market is based in Southern Europe and Asia.
For all of them, going back to Madagascar was the right choice.
 
But for my aunt - who has done her medical studies in Lille alongside my uncles - staying in Europe was probably a smart choice. The reason why I am asserting this point is because the salary earned by GPs or any medical specialists in Madagascar is nothing comparable to what they would earn in countries like France, Italy or Germany!   It is true that this salary gap applies to most jobs between Madagascar and France but the gap that exists within the medical field is amongst the biggest gap if we have to compare it with other fields. I understand why she refused to settle back in Madagascar (and not only her but most of the medical specialist who graduated in Europe) as that would mean working as hard as in France while earning 10 times or even 15 times less (In normal field like marketing jobs or other white collar jobs, the ratio would be around 1 to 4 to 1 to 5) if she chose to come back.
 
From other acquaintances however, we knew some of their friends - who have studied in Paris or Lille - who also decided to stay in Europe. Some stayed because of the salary gap, but many stayed for other reasons such as Better quality of education for their kids, better safety, the existence of cultural activities and/or the entertainments that existed there at that time but did not exist in Madagascar (movie theatres, parks, commercial malls etc….), and some stayed just because they felt that they integrated well into the French society.
 
Now, you might wonder if I came across people who have made the choice to stay in Madagascar and never leave their country of origin.
 
The answer is yes. It is not actually me but my father has got acquainted with a friend many years ago and that man was a very atypical person. Usually, people - particularly in Madagascar - tend to tell you the following sentence: If you do not go to Europe or America to study, you will never be successful!
Although this sentence tends to be true - I repeat “tend to be” - it is not always reflective of the reality. This man that my father knew was somebody who grew up in the deep countryside of Madagascar, he has never his own country when he was a teenager and travelled overseas in his 40s only!
He is a self-made man and once  - as I had the opportunity to talk with him - he that he started under his dad’s arm who gave him one single truck to start his business. Back then (in the 1970s), he would transport goods from Antananarivo (the capital of Madaagscar) to a town called Maintirano located in western Madagascar. His goal was to find customers for himself, find merchandises to be transported and negotiate the cost with suppliers. He would then transport the good to its final destination and make some profit out of each trip. It took him some time and some very hard work to get to acquire a second truck and some help from the banks but after a few years, ha managed to get a float of five trucks and monopolize for himself the trajectory between Antananarivo and Maintirano.
Today, not only he still has some hands in this business but he managed to diversify his activities into other industries, like rice milling, oil transportation and even real estate and from what I have heard from other sources, earns between 300,000 and 500,000 US dollars on a yearly basis!
So yes, this is quite impressive for a person who has ever left Madagascar and who has never gotten into any European or North American universities at all!
 
 
 
I also had an acquaintance from My home country and found out that he was the brother of a former classmate of mine at the Lycée Francais (French high school) in Madagascar.
He used to study architecture in France and probably has chosen that country for the same reasons (the language, cultural familiarity, the presence of many Malagasy on French soil notably) as many students from Madagascar. When he successfully graduated from a very well-known architecture School in Paris in the early 2000, he struggled to find a suitable job despite having good grades and the equivalent of a US-Bachelor degree. As France allows students to stay for 6 months after their graduation to look for jobs (As strange as it may seem to many of you, Germany on the other hand, allows students to stay up 18 months), he tried his best to look for a job but most of this application got rejected. In order to make ends meet, he had to accept “lousy” jobs which consisted mainly of delivering newspapers or working as a waiter. He knew that staying in France would not be an option for him and surely, he was disgusted at the idea that after so much effort, he could not reach his goal which was to work for some architecture firms in France. After about 4 months, he decided to head back to Madagascar and started to work for a real estate company and after a few years, decided to start his own venture and set up a company which specializes in designing homes and offering architecture related services to companies and regular customers. At first he struggled a bit but around 2012, he started to get more clients and more importantly, managed to lock some very important contracts with some European clients (Swiss, Belgians and French as well) who were requesting for his services in Madagascar. Now, or at least just before the pandemic, I heard that his projects allowed his company to build reputation and now, he has already started to buy a land and build his own house, while vacationing in places like Dubai, Italy, Norway or Canada! Again, for some people, the home country happens to be the best option, whereas for some, settling elsewhere is the best.
 
During the pandemic, in 2020, I happen to read the online newspaper in Madagascar. On that page, I accidentally found an article which tells about a guy from Madagascar who has created a crafted beer  not in Madagascar, but in France, more precisely, in the city of Bordeaux.
 
The beer has been named “Apango beer” (you just need to google it and you will find the information about the product) and has been created by a bright and ambitious man named Rita Rabemananoro (I found his name on a Malagasy newspaper, called “l’Express”) and this Beer uses red and high quality rice grown in Madagascar as its main ingredient!
 
The challenge is quite daring assuming that the product was launched during the pandemic and from what I have heard lately from different sources, the sales are increasing and the product seems to be highly appreciated by French and European consumers! This is a typical example of a simple man from Madagascar island who came to France to study and who ended up immigrating and settling, to create beer for the French and for Europe! Honestly, I would love to taste this beer one day if I come back to France, but for now, with the borders closed and all the travel constraints, I have to postpone my plans to Europe or even to Madagascar.
 
 
WHY NOT STAY IN FRANCE?
 
Many years ago, and till very recently, many people, including some relatives and some of my acquaintances in Madagascar kept asking me about why I did not stay in France. I do not mean to criticize their curiosity although I could also accuse some of them of being nosy, but somehow, their question does have some level of legitimacy.
As you have gone through my writings, you may have noticed that there  were definitely some aspects that I loved about France. As I have told you, I came there with very little expectations and many times, it came to my mind that I would never make it till the end; many times, I have been thinking that my stay in France would be a disaster because with so few experiences, I was almost convinced by the idea that I did not have the necessary skills and courage to face and to deal with the challenges that are directly related to living in a foreign country, far from home.
But surprisingly, with the exception of this incident of the passport lost in Paris, most of the things that I have undertaken in France happened relatively well, and this despite of me expecting things to turn wrong. Getting used to the academic environment, making new acquaintances, dealing with administrative matters by myself (renewing the famous French “Carte de sejour” (permit of stay) every year was quite a challenge), dealing with the banking matters, managing my money or at least learning how to manage it myself were all part of these challenges. But yes, I have made mistakes and I have learned from them and later on, I have managed to feel at home in this European country that was far from my home, and this has been partly possible thanks to the Kindness of some French people that I have encountered during my stay in France; they made my experience in France unique and agreeable.
 
But why not stay? This is a question which - even to me - is not that obvious to bring answers to, but I will try my best to do so. Much later in my life, I have noticed that it generally took about 12-18 months for a person to get to know well a country as well as most of the aspects of its culture and history. It took me that much to learn more about France and about its culture, its traditions, the mentality of the people there, but as contradictory as it may look, those 12-18 months also have taught me a more “negative” side of this country that people see as “the most romantic place on earth”.  Yes, France has some very charming villages, France makes some very remarkable cheeses that you would find nowhere in North America, and yes, I have had the opportunity to taste them! Surely, France has some charming girls and I have had the chance to meet them as friend or slightly more. But France is also a country that was devastated under World War II. Because of that, the country has lost many of its men and these were the women who had to fight to rebuild the country. However, they could not do it alone, so there came the idea of bringing in some people in, and those people were mostly Algerians, Morrocans, Tunisians and Sub-saharian Africans from former French colonies. Some were from Madaagscar but if we look at the proportion of the latter, the Malagasy who came to France in those days were of a merger proportion. Most of those who arrived on French shores indeed came to help and contributed to rebuild France. However, although many have managed to integrate the French society, an important portion of those people failed at doing so; another portion was also left and forgotten as soon as the French economy restarted and ended by living in today’s “cites”, which to some extent, ressembles the ghettos we see in some parts of the United States. The problems started in the 1970s and some people argue that some of those newcomers did not do their job of integrating; some voices - including some French politicians - do recognize the fact that France itself failed at integrating them at that moment, as at that time, many were denied opportunities to get proper jobs. Now, with some people living away from the mainstream society, the “Cites” started to function as operate entities and from there, was born those issues with insecurity, delinquencies and violence, that still exist today! With those problems starting to arise in the 1990s, the French society started to change and perception towards people living in those “Cites” started to change and be felt pretty much everywhere in France. Many times, I have witnesses, in broad daylight, verbal altercations between The French police and some “jeunes des banlieux” (suburbs youths) either in public places, or in the street or in the Subways in Lyon or Paris! Many times, I have seen and heard, more exactly we have all heard - alongside with many other witnesses and bypassers - verbal abuses coming from the youths, responses and nervousness from the police officers, and other bad words from the other side.  In a period of one month, it happened that I saw this kind of scene 2 to 3 times. You will later see in this article that I have been told that Australia is a racist country, but I am going to be extremely honest with you readers: When I will be telling about my stay in Australia, not even once I have seen the Australian Federal Police or some youths acting in such a arrogant and abusive way (nor the other way around) towards police officers.
 
Another experience that made me think twice about coming to France was this incident that happened to my dad on an Air France flight (from Madagascar to Paris) in the 1990s.  About 4 hours after the flight left Madaagscar, he lost consciousness on the flight and my Mom - who was travelling with him- called for help. The Stewardess came but behaved arrogantly by saying that there is no doctor onboard this flight. Very fortunately, he regained consciousness 30 minutes later as I think if something had happened to him, it would have changed the path of our lives so much. But that being said, I am not a type of person who would just sit there and do nothing; I would have probably still gone to France and found a way to contract a lawyer there. Why didn't I do so when I came to study in France? it is just because my parents refused to let me do it as at that time, I had to focus on studying and pursuing my studies to the United States. Now, I ave a confession for you: at this time that I am writing this blog about this event, my parents are not even aware that this blog exists, and more importantly, they are not even aware now that I am writing about their stories now that I am here in Canada! Now, Looking back at those times, I would say the following: may be my parents were right to convince not to contact a lawyer specialized in racial discrimination in France at that time because it would have put too much pressure on me and it would have also distracted me from my studies (a bit) and would have made us lose time and on top of everything, my parents did not have much evidence (no video, no audio recorded) so that would have been their words against the Air France stewardess words. This is one of the reason why I always advice the following when you travel: 1. ALWAYS TAKE DOWN THE NAME OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE PLANE in case such event happens. Such thing would make the work of a lawyer way easier! 2. Take down the name of a steward as he talks back to you 3. take down the flight number and the date of departure 4. Now that smartphone exists, record a video OR an audio file if you find this more appropriate (this is in case you have useless people around you who might be too reluctant to serve as witnesses as it was the case during this night my parents travelled) 5.If such incident happens, do not go to the police yet, instead, 5/ look for a lawyer specialized in discrimination affairs and check their credentials  (a good one with good recommendation and good reviews, this is important) and check their credentials; 6. When satisfied, contact the lawyer and explain everything and show him all the evidences.
Now, although my parents forgave me to contact a lawyer in France (If you remember earlier, Im mentioned that I have met a girl at this American school whose dad was a lawyer specialized in discrimination and I told that to my parents who found such attempt time-consuming and risky), I honestly think that they should have talked about this to someone of authority in France. I am a firm believer that racism - no matter who performs it and whatever the colour of the skin of that person - should be denounced. In 2015, in South Africa, a black woman was really rude to me when I was boarding my flight to Madagascar. I obviously snubbed her by saying "not to kind" things in French, things like "incompetent", but once I arrived in Madagascar, I immediately reported her to the company in South Africa to whom I have written a long letter addressing the whole issue and the lack of professionalism! I think that she has always gotten away before because most of the complaints were made by "white south Africans" and because of that, she could easily pretend that it was a "discrimination against her"; but now, because the plaintiff was not a white person (but not a black one either), the Supervisor at the company took my complaint very seriously and told me that this "very rude lady" would receive "Corrections"! 2 days later, the same supervisor  told me that she was convoked, investigated and "corrected" as it should be!
This is sometimes the problem with the Malagasy of my parents generations: they sometimes tend to let things go even though their life was definitely on the line that day. I am also ready to let things go sometimes but when your life is on the line or when blatant racism and coward act like the one which happened in this Air France flight happened that night is about to cause death, I would say I cannot tolerate such act and if that was me or if I was the one travelling with my dad a few years later, I would not hesitate for one second to refer such matter to either the Police in France or to a French lawyer!
...
Just to give you a point of reference, I have told this incident which happened to my father on the Air France flight to my Mexican friend Carlos, the Mexican guy whom I have met at the Hospitality school. At first, he was terribly shocked and could not believe that in a country like France - which is known to be “le pays de droits de l’homme”, or the country of the human rights, such incident could happen during a flight and no one would even blink an eye. I remember telling him this story while we were dinking beer at that same place “Place des Terreaux”, which is right outside the famous “Hotel de Ville de Lyon” or Lyon City Hall. Hearing this story has prompted him to start an event he has himself been witness to a few months before as he was flying back to visit his family in the United States (his family was actually residing in Houston, Texas, as his father held an important Position for the Mexican consulate there). The event happened on an American Airlines flight which has departed from Paris and bound to Houston, Texas. Carlos told me that it was about 1 hour and half after the American Airlines airplane entered the US airspace, after having crossed the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Canada (as planes flying from Europe to the United States fly northward and leave France as if they were heading towards England or Ireland, then cross the Atlantic going north-northwest and head towards the south to enter the Americas through the eastern provinces of Canada, to then, enter the United States from the northern part; it is actually the shortest route to fly to the United States from Europe), and suddenly, there was like a panic happening a furrows behind where he was sitting. When he kept looking, he noticed that there was a lady, in her fifties, who had difficulties breathing. Just because I need to put things in context here, I would use “colours” to tell the matter and according to Carlos, the woman was of Indian origin (not an Amerindian but an Indian from India); that lady was apparently travelling alone and it was the passenger sitting next to her who first gave her assistance and who also called the stewards for help. As the woman situation worsened, the latter decided to check up if a doctor was travelling onboard (this is an initiative that the Air France stewards should have done when this incident happened to my dad, but they did not and refused to call a doctor; to me, if that incident happened slightly later or as I was already in France, I would not have hesitated to consult a lawyer but then, as I arrived in France, although I wanted to go ahead with this, my parents refused but I knew one day that I will be telling this story and decided to put those in writing for you to read and for you to know what to do or how to act in cases like these) and after a few minutes, a man - an Anglo-American doctor in his forties - showed up to check up onto the Indian lady; Very shortly after, the Captain - also a white American - joined in and supervised the whole operation while trying to reassure the other passengers around. After a quick jab that he injected into the patient and a quarter of an hour, the doctor has managed to bring the lady back into consciousness and quite quickly, she started to feel well and the doctor let the Captain know that she must be safe now to continue the travel but the Captain has opted for the safest option and has decided not to continue its flight to Houston as according to him, it would take another 2 hours; instead, he decided to deroute the plane and ask for an emergency landing in Memphis, Tennessee. As soon as the plane lands, the paramedics (which were called upon before the plane made the emergency landing), unloaded the lady while the plane refuelled before taking off again to Houston. 
 
Just after I arrived in France, I remembered travelling from Ecully (where my hospitality school was located) and downtown Lyon and each time, the 55 bus had to travel across a very long tunnel before reaching the terminal, Perrache station. Just before entering the tunnel, I recalled having seen posters stuck at the very entrance of the tunnel. On it, was displayed the face of the well known Marine Le Pen, who is the head of the extreme right party in France. Her father, Jean Marie managed to win the 2nd round against President Jaques Chirac in 2002 presidential election, with a score of 17.2%. That gave many the chills and to be honest, that day, I and many people - including French people themselves - understood that deep problems were indeed well rooted in France. Just by comparison - and I would know that years later - a country like Australia which is usually labelled as “racist” has also an extreme right party called “one Nation”, but unlike France, this party could barely score no more than 6% in federal elections. One does not need to be a political analyst or a mathematician to notice that there is a huge gap between the 17.2% and the 6% mad respectively by extreme conservatives parties in France and Australia. That day, I started to understand that there was an element that made the “French social problems” so singular, not just in France, but in Western Europe.
 
In France - unlike in Australia - I have noticed either through TV news but also when interacting with French people I knew or some acquaintances - that there is a very particular climate that exists between the police force and the “youth” - particularly those coming from foreign backgrounds and those who grew up in the French "cites" or "banlieiues", and that aspect was very characteristic of France itself. When I was living in Lyon - although I was not concerned nor affected by those issues -  I have noticed that there is some palpable and constant tensions which existed between the different components of the  French society as a whole, and this tensions were more perceptible on the eastern side of France as the economy of those regions lie more on industries, therefore employing more blue-collar and less educated workers, who generally vote conservatives, or even more on the right, for the famous Marine Le Pen National Front.
Believe or not, in Australia, surely they have issues too, but what I saw as a non-Australian, as a non-European, as a non-Native nor as a non-Asian is that this tension between different members of the Australian society tended to be much less tenses. In Australia, problems do exist for sure but they tend to remain within those “problematic zones” whereas in France, although most of the issues happen the the “Cites”, they sometimes are “exported” into richer zones, including places like Downtown Lyon. I have witnessed some events happening right in the centre of Lyon and to be honest with you, I have hardly seen such similar things when travelling to Germany for example. Speaking about neighbouring Germany, surely they also have problems but from what I have seen through TV news, newspapers, the tensions that we see in France between the components of the society tends not to replicated the same way in Germany, although The latter also has an important migrant community: clashes between the German police and the “Turkish immigrants” do surely exist, but they are nothing comparable to the problems that exist and continue to exist within some “Cites” In France.
To me, from a point of view of a non-French and a foreigner, there is a total incomprehension between both parties, and there was a time in the past when things needed to be done but they were not done properly. Those things include but are not limited to providing chances for education providing opportunities to the young immigrants so that they do not end up going into alternative ways like selling illicit products and or robbing bypassers as we often see on TV news in France.
Many times, I often heard sensitive words or sentences coming from from some people’s mouth when I was in France. Many are fed up with what they are seeing and are commenting what they see on the news; now, there is nothing wrong about commenting but when it comes to generalization or when it comes to “paint” an entire community with “words”, that can become a problem and even create what we commonly call “prejudices”. Many times, I heard some people say “ces maghrebins” (referring to the North African immigrants whose ancestors were brought to France to help to reconstruct the country after WWII, and many of them now are French citizens, which makes the matter worse as they are French on the paper but the French society tends to reject them for who they are and that creates an identity crisis for most of those who have failed to integrate the French society and who ended up living in the “Les Cites”) and we would all agree that this is unfortunately as some French people (not everyone fortunately but those on the extreme right wing) tend to be highly receptive of those scenes of robbery that are broadcasted (even not that often), and that can - in my view of a foreigner and a non-French -  literally construct the way they do see and perceive an entire community and the world around them.
 
To me, I am quite sad to see this and feel sorry for this community.  I have encountered numerous of those long-time immigrants who ended up becoming lawyers, engineers, pilots, cooks, stewards, very successful Business owners - and others who just people like you and me, working daily in a job they may like or like less and paying their taxes to the French government. Those people who work are the majority of the North African immigrants in France - again referred to as Maghrebins -  and from what I noticed, are nice and hard working people when they are being given the right opportunity!
I am not going to hide this to you but I had the great opportunity to have a talk with people on both sides, and I guess I could do it because I am a foreigner, meaning, both of them were at ease to confess me things that they would not have confessed to the other party at all. Do you remember Jean-Charles, this French police officer whom I knew since I have arrived in Lyon? Well, he told me things that made his job hard and usually complained about how the system was so lenient on some delinquents, making the job for the French police much harder than it already is. Some other French that I knew just referred to the people in the “Les cites” as “lazy”, “are in France for messing up”, “taking our jobs”, or even “taking advantage of the French social system”. Those kind of rhetorics are common in countries like France, Belgium; or Italy and as far as I am concerned, they felt comfortable enough to tell this while I was being around probably because they knew I was not from the “concerned area” that they are talking about, nor am I a descendant of the people who were “imported” right after WWII, nor was I from a country which seems to had issues with France!
 
If you ask me…did you have the chance to talk to the other side, meaning to those descending from the first North African migrants in France, I would say, Sure I did. When I was studying in Lyon, some of the students were from Maghreb and who have grown up there in Morocco or Algeria, and fewer were maghrebians but who have grown up in France. Are they the same? Yes, they are both North Africans. But how are they different? Some grew up in France and are French and the others grew up in Morocco and Algeria and were Morrocans or Algerians (Not French). Now are they different? I would say DEFINITELY YES! Those who grew up in Algeria and Morocco tended to be more agreeable, less aggressive and beyond everything, they KNEW THEY WERE ALGERIANS or MOROCCANS, which means they do not have any issues with their own identity!
However, some of those (not all) who have grown up in France, because they are French citizens, tended to have the “ghetto mentality” and as they grew up in an environment which somehow KIND OF WANTED them or KIND OF NOT REALLY WANTED THEM - grew up with this mindset that they are second class citizens. Many of those who grew up in those “Les Cites” were dealing with some forms of identity crisis, and to me - and I am saying this very prudently as I am not sure - some of the problems that arise from those “cites” may stem from this lack of identity: They are French but probably do not feel accepted as such!
I remembered once iI was travelling n the Lyon subway (called TCL) to go back home; I was standing near the door as I was 2 stations from home. Suddenly, there was an altercation between one French guy and 2 “Maghrebins” as the French guy believed that there was not enough room for him to get through the exit (but in fact there was but he tried to probably get attention). The two North African guys answered him back and some verbal altercations followed and eventually, this French guy left. I was close but decided not to take part of any side. Now, my stop was getting close and one of those North African guys started to talk to me and he said “this happens all the time, we get used to stupid filth like him” and as I nodded and pinched my lips as I just wanted to avoid the discussion, he just went on and said “ You, where you from, you were born here in France too?” I said to them that I was born in Madagascar and that (they asked me another question) I was here for my studies only. I will always remember one of these guys answer which was the following: “You do not know how lucky you are to have a cultural identity and a country to come back to”. I did not believe what I have just heard but looking at their facial expressions, there was not one single reason I could not believe them.
 
When I left the Subway, I felt like a relief but above all, I felt something I have ever felt before in my life! I started to comprehend that I was so lucky to be from Madagscar! Yes, our country has some negative sides, it has even lots of it! But it also has some good sides, believe it or not! And by the way it does not matter whether it is being labelled by some ignorants as this or that; it does not matter anymore because I know that I am so lucky to have grown up down there despite everything (some) people can assert! Why? Because I have a cultural Identity to which I can refer to and to which I can come back to Anytime! Those two North African guys (probably from the Cites by the way they were dressed) made me realize that having a cultural identity IS and always BE above anything! And my travel and study experiences in places like The United States, Australia or Canada  later on will just reinforce and confirm the importance of having an identity and all the difference that it can make within a whole society or more importantly, within oneself
 
Later on, when having the chance to talk with some people in class, many of them would confess to me that many of those people in the “Cites” or "banlieues" are being denied opportunities, no matter how hard they try; a few French people whom I met have confessed me frankly that "in the United States at least, even though the ceiling of glass concept exists with minorities living in US ghettos, those who try and work hard can make it through". One of my friend (he was born in Morocco but is White French) told me that in France, the resumes do have pictures on it, which means that the recruiter sees how the person looks like on the picture.He personally knew some friends of his who applied for jobs in France and confessed  to me once that some recruiters (not all) just push away some resumes on purpose as soon as they see pictures which remind them of the youth who grew up in the "banlieues".  I remembered once, at the Hospitality school, I took a Human Resources class and the teacher (who was a white French guy in his 50s) while teaching the course, explained to the class that resumes submitted in France should always contain a picture of the candidate. Then suddenly, he "spitted" the following sentence which will be stuck in my head for a very long time: “Franchement, nous les Francais avec ces photos Sur nos CV, nous sommes vraiment des pauvres cons…honnetement, franchement, moi je trouve que les Americains ont raison de ne pas metro de photos! eux sont dix fois moins cons qui nous!!!” (We French are so stupid with our CV with pictures on them and the Americans are so right by not asking to include pictures on their resumes) And continued by saying “How do you want to give chance to (some) people who are more vulnerable if you start to disqualify them like we do so well here in France???? … then do not get surprised if we have so much insecurity and delinquency in our country!”. His comment made some French students open their eyes or frown their faces (I particularly noticed a guy named Remi who frowned when hearing this commentary) and look like ducks coming out of a tiny tunnel…but I think honestly he is not that wrong! Think about it that ay. If you do not give chances to people, and base your refusal purely on physical appearance of a candidate, how can they even get a job and earn money or better, if those people know in advance that they do not stand a chance, how can they find the inner motivation to come and sit on a desk and get educated? They would rather start their “own dirty business”, wouldn’t they?
Now, I got the stories of both sides…and yes unbelievable that a white French guy said those words outloud!!!
Now do I think that France is a racist country? My answer is No. No, it is not a racist country and surely, it does not even qualify as such. It is just a country like any country, with its own sets of problems and challenges and like everywhere else, it is a country that has good people and bad people. It is as simple as that!
 
When I was in France, although not systematic, it was still quite common - in relative terms - to see  images that are being on display all over the news some days and to me, the exposure to such scenes may shape the way some people perceive the concept of insecurity and delinquency in a given country, which is France in my specific case. Although it may be hard for some of you to believe, TV News in places like Australia do have much less scenes of robbery or violence being displayed and in the few years I have spent down there, I have to admit that I have trouble remembering particular scenes of robberies burglaries, or anything related to insecurity anywhere in Sydney. The only things I remember morels are probably some videos of some “guys” trying to cheat ATM machines or some people trying to trick people in the light they can obtain their personal details.
Now, although I am no political analyst, I would suggest that the type of environment one lives in and one is exposed to tends to shape one views of the world, and therefore, a perception of the external environment which is characterized by the over presence of negativity may in some ways, explain why the National Front in France scored back then and is still scoring around  the 20% (this assumes that the famous MNR party also adds up to the 17%) whereas the Australian One Nation party barely reaches 6% at the time I was studying in Australia. Although labelled by many persons that I have met personally (and some that I have not met) as a “racist country”, it is astonishing to see that Australia is in fact a relatively safe and tolerant country. Now, yes, I have had one strange experience down there once and I will tell you later, but despite of that happening, I do not believe for one second that this beautiful country that lies in the middle of the southern ocean is in any way, more intolerant than any other places on earth!
 
WHY HAVING CHOSEN FRANCE AS A PLACE TO STUDY. I HAD THE CHOICES BETWEEN REUNION ISLAND, MAURITIUS OR South Africa
...SO WHY FRANCE...ou POURQUOI LA FRANCE ??? 
As I have already pointed out, one of my dream as a kid was to come and study in the United States, but as the relative cost of studies as well as the living expenses would be higher then in France, my parents, like their parents did to them 205 years earlier, decided to send me to France fiesta and later on, to the US. Another factor that they took into account was the fact that I have a sister who also has to study overseas later on and had I chosen to go to the US to do my entire undergraduate years of study could have compromised her dream to study overseas. Therefore, as many students from Madagascar, we chose to go to Europe fir the very simple reasons that countries like France offered either free or much lower tuition fees (if one goes private) as compared to attending a University in the US or Canada, for example.
The idea was in fact to gain credits in Europe at a lower cost while having the opportunity to experience life in Europe, and once we get a degree or at least some credits, use those latter to transfer to a US University, which was what I did when I transferred from this American school in Lyon to Temple University in the state of Pennsylvania.
 
As I have already explained the above in my article, you may know most of the details however, just before coming to France, I had the choice to choose other places other than France.
 
I remember when I was about to get my French baccalaureat (which is the equivalent of the high school diploma or the HSC in Australia; beware the word “baccalaureat” in French has nothing to do with “bachelor’s degree” which are issued after you complete the 3 or 4 years at tertiary level or university), I had a friend who came from a place called “Ice de la Reunion”. I am sure that many of you have never heard of this island before. In fact, it is a very tiny island located about 700 km east of Madagascar and right next to it, is Mauritius island, which is also very tiny (both islands are about 50 km long and 50 km wide!). But here is the thing: Mauritius is one of the fastest growing economy in Africa despite its size and is an independent country; however, La Reunion is what we call a DOM-TOM, which means “Department et territories d’outremer”. You have guessed it, La reunion is a French island and when you set foot there, you are technically in France! If you want a closer example, are you familiar with an island close to Canada, which is called “Saint-Pierre et Miquelon” ? La Reunion (or Reunion island) is just another”Saint-Pierre et Miquelon” but located close to Madagascar.
 
I have been to la Reunion and let me be straight, I did not really like it. I am sorry to be that blatant but between Madaagscar and La reunion, there has been a very long antecedent and a kind of misunderstanding between the two countries. For you who have no idea about the past of those two countries, let me state to you that it was the idea of some state employees based in Reunion island to colonize Madagascar. Of course, they were too weak to do it so they incited the French to take the island, which was at that time, cooperating with another Great power, which was the United Kingdom. Between 1850 till 1896, the French and the British kept fighting outside as well as within Madagascar in order to gain control of the island, but we all know that in 1896, France proclaimed it as a colony.
Now in the 1970s, the government of former President Didier Ratsiraka wanted to nationalize everything, including the main industries. Back then, many people from Reunion island were farmers in the western region called “Sakai”. Many of them were literally licked out the country and I guess many kept sone hard feelings about that period.
 
This friend of mine, who was from La reunion, advised me to go and duty in Reunion island and kept saying “why do you want to go to France, people are grumpy there and the climate sucks!”. But I did not listen to him because I knew the history between the two countries, and living in Reunion island when you are from Madagascar, is similar to living in Turkey being a Greek.
 
In addition to this aspect, My idea of going to study isn’t just for getting some knowledge, but I was aiming at using this opportunity to live and experience a culture and en environment which would be totally different from the one in which I spent my youth in. Going to La Reunion or Mauritius would be equivalent to “being in an improved version of Madagascar”. I really did not want that to happen!
 
Now, in regards to Mauritius, it would have been for me a slighter better choice than La reunion but to me, it was almost like being in Madagascar and being constrained to live on a tiny piece of land and not being able to have access to other countries as it would have been if I was in Europe. Now, I was also a bit afraid of the level of recognition of the degrees there and for me, if one wants to spend time and money in an education, better spend it in a place where one is sure that this degree be issued by some reliable institutions and if possible, from countries which are known and which hold a good reputation, like France or Australia for example. No hard feelings but the fact is that degrees issued from places like the latter still are being well perceived by prospective employers, clients or even friends and will avoid you being questioned or doubted.
 
Just a few months after that Reunionnese friend tells me about going to his country, we had a family meeting at my grandfather’s place. My uncles were there (My dad’s brothers who used to study in Lilles, in northern France back in the 1970s and 80s). One of them made the suggestion that I should be thinking about going to South Africa instead, in case the French visa gets rejected (believe it or not, getting a visa for France is more tricky than getting a US Visa if you are applying from Madagascar). I remember that my father was very quick to answer and told his younger brother, Guy: “Are you aware that this country has just gone out of the Apartheid a few years ago! I do not want my Son to go to a country which is still in the process of healing its wounds”. He said it so perfectly. To me, coming to a country which has just come out of a traumatic racial past could be a risky bet and with the wounds still being healed, one might have the chance to witness old reflexes or behaviours that have ceased to exist in places like Europe.
And to be entirely honest, I came to South Africa in 1994, right after the end of the Apartheid, and although I was pleasantly surprised, I have to say that I noticed some behaviours that have since vanished in places like Australia or France. I notably remember one White South African Lady in Durban who refused to serve us, and another time, I remember that we were crossing the street somewhere in cape town and there was some maintenance workers who were repairing a slab in the middle of the street. Inside the slab, I noticed 2 or 3 black guys and right on top, standing outside, there were 2 white South Africans who were giving orders. Now there are 3 important things: one, I saw similar things when I was in Europe but up there, generally, you would see a mix of people working together; two, the tone that they use is much more authoritarian than any tone than I came across anywhere in Europe, including places like Germany; three, we were actually dressed quite well (even  quite elegantly and in a French way with French brands of clothing; yes at that time, I have not discovered Australian or Canadian brands yet) and did not really look like the minority groups that they usually encounter daily in South Africa, which eventually draw their curiosity. Just add to that the fact that we were speaking French, not Zulu, not Xhosa and not Afrikaans (which is actually a language derived from Dutch and which is widely spoken by the white South Africans). I will always remember their stare as we passed by; they were starting at us probably wondering “where the heck are these guys from?”. Back then, I was still naive to understand the whole picture but now, I think I know why it took them almost 3 entire minutes to take their eyes out of us as we were walking and fading away…
Now, I will never know how my experience would have been had I chosen to go and study in South Africa but I am quite sure that it would have been very different from the life experience I have gotten in France and surely, inviting some (French) girls at home to have a drink or socialize together in a cafe like I did many times in France would have been a delicate matter in a country like South Africa, at least, back then.
 
Now, I am talking about South Africa but to be fair, I think that if I had chosen to go to Reunion island, my life experience would probably have been less interesting than going to mainland France. It would have been more negative, not because of the Apartheid, but more because of “past history between the 2 countries and mutual past “misunderstanding” between the Malagasy and Reunionese people” in general, and not on an individual basis.
So for me, I suppose going to France has been an intelligent choice also because although it was far from Madagascar, I do not feel this “hard feelings” that I would be feeling in La Reunion, secondly, unlike La Reunion, France is on mainland Europe, which to me meant the following:  If I had chosen to study in Mauritius or Region island, chance are I would have been tempted to travel back to Madagascar more often; however, studying in France meant that I could have the opportunity to have a much easier access to other European countries (Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Austria, the Netherland, the UK…) without having to pay an exorbitant price when purchasing a plane ticket.
On that point, France has been more than an excellent choice for me and I am so happy that I have chosen this country to undertake my undergraduate studies.
 
Another reason why I would have never considered La reunion has to do with a vacation that we took in family in 1999.
At that time, I have already started my studies in France but came back to Madaagscar for a family visit, after which we travelled to reunion island for the first time (isn’t that q paradox knowing that it is so close to Madagascar). First thing, we first need to apply for a visa at the French embassy in Madagascar, and believe it or not, we need to ask- not for a Shenzhen visa - but a DOM-TOM Visa, which is a visa allowing you to visit the “outerwear departments” of France like Reunion island, Tahiti or St Pierre et Miquelon. As hard as it is to believe, a visa to visit La Reunion is actually harder to obtain than a Shenghen visa which allows you to visit France as well as ALL the European countries! Why? Probably because of the past history between Madaagscar and Reunion island.
 
So, when we arrived there, I already noticed that the immigration was “more tensed’ Than when one lands in Paris or anywhere in Europe! Isn’t that strange? When landing in Paris, not even once a French immigration officer ever asked me about which address I was going to stay, but in Reunin island, this “frustrated” officer started to ask about where was the address. Being used to overcome “funny situations” and having spent some time in France with typical French people myself, I decided not to cede to his method and responded him blatantly ‘This is how the address has been given to me, and if that does not please, feel free to call the “Mairie” and ask them to modify that address’s which actually is in your country” and before he even found an answer to my daring remark, as my sister was around, I continued saying “now I am more than sure why I chose to go to continental Europe to study”. He heard what I said, and nodded his head from right to left, but stamped the passport with all the frustration. Yes, I was right and he knew he was abusing his power and he knew I was trespassing no laws at all either, and I knew that for sure!
 
Another thing that happened a few days later. We were walking in Saint Denis - the capital city of La Reunion island. Unlike Paris, it is really small and although it has what they have in Europe - the vibes that come out of it is similar to the vibes of a tropical place, more than a European city. No Saint Denis is surely in “France”, but it doe snot look like any towns in Mainland France at all! Anyway, that day, we were  wandering in the city and suddenly, there was this creole man (Reunionnese man) who came to us and started to ask something in French but with a very strong creole accent (Unlike the French spoken in Madagascar, the French spoken in Reunion island is honestly very different from the French spoken in Lyon or Paris, it is impossible to understand. To me, it an insult to the French language as there is no conjugations nor there are any finesse at all. French is a language that contains beauty and romance; the French creole of La Reunion sounds like a French language that has been entirely “messed up”.
So, that guy came to us and started to say things none of us understood. When my father asked him politely “can you repeat please”, he did something I would never believe would be possible in a country that claims itself to be “part of France” and where you can still hear “Some people” (Not all the reunions are like him very fortunately) stating negative comments about Madagascar, many of which are unfounded or sometimes true, but highly exaggerated. This man literally raised his right hand as to hit my father and seeing this, the latter tried to protect himself. Without thinking, and being surprised myself of what I am capable of doing when being threatened or intimidated, I literally yelled at him in broad daylight and in the eye of a public, won started to look at us. All around, bypasses - some of whom had found children - started to pay attention to what was happening. That was a bit scary but to be honest, this was a very good thing as in case something happens, those people would be precious witnesses! If we have to drag this matter into the legal field, there is no better things than statements from so many witnesses ! That moment was very tense and nowhere in France, nowhere in South Africa, nowhere in the United States, have I ever had to deal with such matter! So I literally yelled at him in order to attract attention to be honest, I did it for our safety and for the safety of my father before anything and I did it on purpose so that people start to record mentally the events just in case it goes far.
I remember telling him extremely loudly “What the heck are you doing and kept shouting Oh oh oh oohhhh and kept saying “who do you think you are????”. I saw from his reaction that he did not expect me to shout and confront him in public; but beyond anything, he did not expect at all that someone like me who was from Madagascar island (as Malagasy people are known to be calm and many sometimes prefer to walk away or let people scold them) would dare to stand, shout and threaten him to call the Police! I still remember having pulled out a phone from my pocket (but the problem was that the phone itself had a SIM card which did not work in Reunion island) and dialled the number 17 on it (The police emergency Number anywhere in France or in French DOM-TOM) and told him in a such fierce tone “ Do something to my father and trust me, I will not hesitate for one second to press onto this DIAL button to call the Police!”. When saying those words, I remembered looking at him straight in the eyes and have ever backed down even for one single second! “If you ever raise your hand, I will be so pleased to call the police and have you arrested, DO YOU UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!”. He saw from he way I reacted that I was not to be intimidated and told him fiercely “NOW BACK OFF and get lost” I launched at him. He now realized he had lost the battle as now I could press the 17 number anytime to join the police line and also, more and more people started to gather around us. Soon or later, if he continued, the police will show up!
Yes, that day, I may have saved all of us and that day, I also learned that I had a side of my own personality that I discovered! I never knew myself I could be that strong and determined when I was being intimidated.
That same day, I knew I made the very right choice not to have followed the advices of this friend of mine from Reunion island (He was a nice guy though) - whom I met in Madagascar - about studying in Reunion island; instead, I chose to go to Europe.
And apparently, I am not the only one as many youngsters from Madagascar prefer going to France for their studies. Believe to not, many Malagasy - who need medical intervention - also tend to prefer to fly 11 hours to go to France to get a medical intervention rather than fly one hour to reunion island.
 
 VISA OR WAIVER APPLICATION: COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES I HAVE BEEN TO
 
I still remembered when I applied for the French student visa in Madagascar. It was during the fresh season and right after a trip we have undertaken together with my family in France and Germany.
 
Many of you - who come from a non-French speaking country - may assume that getting a visa to France is a process that is straightforward due to the fact that Madagascar and France used to share a common history, and secondly, because I - the prospective applicant, had a very good command of French and speaks French with an accent which is barely perceptible. Well, although all of the above reasons are true, applying for a Student visa to go to study to France for a Malagasy citizen (and I think it is true for most of the French speaking African countries) is a daunting task.
 
I remembered when I first came to the French embassy, the queue to access the door was long and I had to patient for almost 1 hour and half. Once inside, you are given a few forms to fill in and because there are so many people queuing in front anyway, you cannot have access to any “consulate employee” and are asked to come back the next day or two. Once the forms completed alongside with all the documents required (that obviously include some proof of funds, the acceptance letter from the Institution in France, a copy of my French High school diploma to prove that I have completed my secondary education to cite a few).
I came back to the embassy, queue again for an hour and after someone checks the documents, it is always expected that they tell you “this is not fine; in this page, this is missing; also, in addition to the bank statements, I would need a document that shows the balance for each month, not a general balance, etc….” . so, again, you need to go back to the bank, explain the case to them and come back to the French embassy may be 2 or 3 days later once the banks give you the statements with the balance as per the requirements.
I could not detail you all the steps involved but what I can tell for sure is that my application for the French student Visa (which ended up being stolen at the Gare de Lyon station in Paris by some thief) took more than a month, many hours of queuing, many frustrations and 14 times that I had to come back to the French embassy in Antananarivo, Madagascar. To me, it looked like some “overzealous reactions, lack of organization for an embassy which represents a country like France as well as pure incompetency” of many (not all) the personnels of the embassy.
When I finally got access to the “visa officer” or more exactly of the person who was to assess my application, I was to queue a second time (within a day) in a door with a dozen of other applicants standing in front of me (when seeing this, one realizes how France is attractive to many one of the reason being - as I said earlier -because it is has gotten tuition free universities).
When I finally could have access to that “room”, I saw in front of me a lady, probably in her fifties, and from her appearance, came from Reunion island (yes, the very French island close to Madagascar where I definitely did not want to go studying).  I would say she was not disagreeable but like every “fonctionnaire” (state worker), she asked me to come back the next day with additional documents or justifications. And because she was French, and because French people in general tend to be focusing a lot on details or sometimes on things that are not worth losing time on - she was asking for things that I found more than questionable, such as the way the sentence on some documents were formulated.
Of course, I had them modified and brought the documents she needed later on, but asking such “useless” things that have almost no importance whatsoever, made the process complicated, or …now I was thinking…were they doing those things on purpose to try to discourage people to come to France at the first place? Answering that question would not be my part but whether or not some “behaviours” are intentional would just at the end, make give a more negative perception of the French embassy by the Malagasy people in general. That lady, who made me come 12 times to ask me to change small and useless details on some of my documents, ended up NOT BEING THE SOLE DECIDER of my application. In fact, after the 12th time I came to the French embassy in Madagascar, my father asked an aount of mine (the French wife of my uncle) to talk to one of her acquaintance.
And actually, that Embassy already holds a funny reputation.
I remember in 1993 or 1994, there was a picture which appeared in the Malagasy newspaper. That picture showed a long queue of visa applicants waiting to enter the French embassy. I can assure you, that queue was long, so long that a journalist decided to take a picture. But that picture made a scandal in Madagascar and sent the perception that the embassy was overzealous towards legal migrants who just wanted to visit France or study there! It Made so much noise and people started to make fun of the French down there before the embassy started to react and provide better looking reception halls for visa applicants!
Some people may say, well, this is what you have to “pay for” if you want to visit France. How about I answer you the following: That queue, as justified as it could be, represents shame and humiliation and send the image of a country -which claims to be so advanced - but which treats its visa applicants like sheets. IN my opinion, a country which is very proud of being the country of "human rights", should have a higher consideration for people in general, on how it treats its immigrants, on how it treats its minorities, and on how it should respect its visa applicants. Very thankfully and thanks to the different pressures made, the French Ministry of foreign affairs in Paris intervened and forced the embassy to have better consideration towards visa applicants to France and a few years later, the condition of how people are received have improved a lot but still, it is still. bit far from matching the quality of reception one can enjoy at the United States Embassy in Madagascar.
A good comparison would be to have a look at how the American Embassy in Madagascar does. Well, we all know that many students from Madaagscar choose the United States as a place to study as well and many do apply rhtpugh the US embassy to get a study visa to study in US universities. Unlike the French embassy which is known in Madagascar as a place where one queues a lot or have to always come back on the basis of some “unjustified details” on some documents, the US Embassy in Antananarivo, Madaagscar, is perceived in a totally different way. When applying for a student visa to go and study in the United States in 2004, I remembered that the politeness and professionalism were the “motto”. I have noticed for example that the security was strict (it is entirely normal as they need to make sure you have nothing unusual or dangerous with you), but very polite and professional.
Once inside the US embassy, I remembered that first, a Malagasy personnel was to check if all of our documentations were complete. I remembered that mine was complete except with one photograph which she asked me to re-do under the “American format” (and not the passport format). That was the only request she made and for that, I just needed to exit the embassy, take a taxi and get quickly a set of photos from a designed shop and come back half an hour later. As soon as I got the pictures ready, I came back to the US Embassy and when I arrived, I noticed that the interviews sessions have already started and it was conducted by a US Visa officer who interviewed each Visa applicant about many aspects of their trips to the United States (I could hear everything as the interview happened in a relatively medium-sized room and the waiting seats were not too far). I passed all my documents (with the pictures) to the Malagasy staff lady, who checked quickly my application and told me to wait until my turn comes.
 
After about 40 minutes, my turn arrived and came towards the interview booth and greeted the Visa officer who greeted politely in return while checking quickly my application. As everything was in order, he immediately started the interview process in English (as he knew that the purpose of my visit to the US was to study, not to visit). The interview was very polite, the questions straight to the point and unlike what happened 5 years ago at the French embassy, he did not give importance to some useless details. What matters was the fact that I had been accepted in a US university, that I had the funds to study there and that I could prove to him that I had ties to my home country. He did not even bother me with things like proof of accommodation or how I paid for my accommodation. On top of that, unlike 5 years earlier at the French embassy, the US visa officer did not ask me to come back at all! As soon as he was satisfied with what I had to say during the interview process, he let me know that my visa would be approved and that it would be ready the same day at 2 PM. Just so you know, 4 months before, I have applied for a US visa from the US embassy in Paris, and although the interview was a bit “hectic”, it was conducted in a professional way and as in Madagascar, I was not being asked to come back a hundred times either.
It kind of gives me that impression sometimes that when doing things, Americans tend to be more pragmatic and straight to the point. From my experience with US administrations vs. French ones, although French public services tended to be more polite, I noticed that most of the Americans were against the idea of wasting time and energy on things that have no importance and generally, in the United States, things tend to be done better and with with much less people bureaucracy.
 
Now as we are talking about Visas in general, many of you may wonder how does the process work when applying to a country like Australia. First of all, unlike France or the United States, Australia does not have any diplomatic representation on the Malagasy soil; surely, there is an Ambassador of Madagascar in Australia and an Australian representative for Madagascar, but the latter reside in neighbouring Mauritius Island. So when applying to Australia, I had to apply through the Australian High Commission in Port Louis, Mauritius.
The process is entirely different from let’s say - applying to a visa to France or Germany. The very first step consists of applying for an Australian University first, and this is what I did. Then, once receiving an offer, you constitute the “dossier” (pretty much the same than any Consulate would ask) and once I had all the bank statements ready, I researched on the internet and found an Agency that can assist in the Immigration process. That agency was located in Melbourne, Australia. I have contacted them and they filed the application on my behalf to the Australian High commission in Mauritius. The process was long BUT unlike my experience with applying for a Shenghen visa to France many years ago, there was no 14 times coming back and forth into the Bureaux of the embassy, not there was NO need at all for me to queue for hours expecting to be received. Surely it was longer in terms of processing, but to me, it was a better experience than getting a visa in a month while having to endure waiting times and making unnecessary comebacks to see a bureau which was - entirely disorganized - by French standards!
Besides, when applying to France, one needs to pass an interview - in which they try to ask you why you did not choose to opt for this option or what the job of my father consisted of or when did he start being a self-employed person or what about this French associate he is working with now in Paris -  which by the way, is more annoying than the Visa interview conducted by American Visa officers at US Embassies. Not even once, an American Visa officer has asked me what my father did as a job, or how does he earn his money or what is the name of this French Business owner  (who actually has been working with my dad for years because he is the one who provides machinery parts to my dad’s main clients in Madaagscar) or the name of his company and where in Paris his company is located. It is as if you have to justify all the whys and hows, and surely they can ask questions, but if the questions get borderline with indiscretion, that may become uncomfortable. At that time, when I was applying for a French visa, I was told by many, including my father -  that “All administrations are the same, you’ll see”, but years later and with more life experience now, I surely realize that the Americans do things in a very different and pleasant way, at least when it comes to Madagascar (Because I am not sure if it is the case if you apply from other countries in other parts of the world for example. What I am saying here just reflects realities from Madagascar and nowhere else!).
 
Now, once I have obtained successfully my US student Visa, I had one more thing to do: get a transit visa to France as my plane from Madaagscar would arrive a Day 0 at 10:30 and my flight to Philadelphia would depart at D1 (the next day) at 10:20. That meant that I had to spend one night in Paris and have to get through French Immigration. I did not really fancy the idea of having to apply for a French transit visa but I had no choice because there was flight bound to Philadelphia (from Paris) on the same day. For those of you who are not aware of French regulations on Transit visas, be aware that if one travels from any third country to the US (by transiting in France) and that your transit in France only lasts a few hours, one is NOT required to apply for a transit Visa (In the US however, if one transits in any US airports on the way to Canada for example, one is always required to have a US transit visa if one is not a Canadian or US citizen). That being said, for me, I had to book an appointment with the French embassy (again) to obtain a transit visa so that I go through the Immigration once in Paris and “enter” France for about 24 hours before continuing my trip to the United States. I took the appointment and as opposed to many years ago when I first applied for my French student visa (you probably do remember the 14 times I had to come back to the French embassy in Antananarivo Madagascar), the queue was shorter and there was no need for this time to go and wander inside the embassy as they have changed entirely the application procedures altogether. From now on, any applicants who wish to travel to France just needs to present all the required documentations and take an interview with the supposedly Visa officer. My turn arrived and I approached the booth and briefly said “bonjour”. The atmosphere was quite “colder” compared to the one I encountered at the US embassy a few days earlier; there were more people queueing and also more questions for the interview. Unlike a few years ago, the lady who was interviewing me was Malagasy (not French and not Reunionese either), but she was the type of person who was doing her job “on behalf of the French”. You probably guess what I am trying to imply when using those words. Just like some (not every state employee works the way she does) of the French “fonctionnaires” (French State employee), she asked questions which to me sounded redundant, unnecessary and not straight to the point as the way the US Visa officers usually do. You see, that day, I was applying for a 24 hour transit visa, w which means that technically speaking, the process should be very straightforward, but I can assure you that it was not the case. I remembered this Malagasy lady checking every bit of the documents I have provided and checked my passport and obviously, saw the American Visa label inside it! I noticed at this moment that assumed I was travelling to France and to France only until now that she saw the American Visa stuck inside! It seems to me that there was something in her face, a kind of expression that betrayed her real inner feelings.
 
I saw that although she wanted to ask overzealous questions (but it would be hard knowing that I have an American Visa which would allow me to leave anyway no matter what), she knew and I knew that even though she would be overzealous towards my application (as many of the employees of that embassy do when dealing with some visa applications of many prospective students to France, mainly female applicants), there would be no effect at all, and actually, even if she goes to the point where she refuses my application (for her pleasure), it would not mind at all because the US visa already allows me to travel to the United States anyway, but yes, I have to change my trajectory via Johannesburg, South Africa, or Via Mauritius and then via Dubai OR fly via France but find a US bound flight a few hours after my landing in Paris (meaning stay only 4 or 5 hours in Paris to avoid to apply for a French visa). To be honest, I did not mind at all.
 
As this Malagasy lady “who was so serious about working on behalf of the French fonctionanires”, she could not ask me much questions about the purpose of my stay in France or anything, she just asked me - while annoyed - whether departing Madagascar and entering the US on late January wouldn’t be a problem as I would be late for my university sessions or trimesters. Very politely and with the utmost tact, I told her “Madam, I am not going to attend a university in France as you can probably see and unlike what you guys have in France, in the United States, the spring semester starts at the beginning of February only…and by the way, in America, they do not have “trimesters, they have semesters”. She saw in my tone and in my expression probably that I did not give a damn thing even if she refuses my French visa and she just told me that she will pass on the application and barely said goodbye. On my side, I smiled at her using this very Anglo Saxon type of smile and just left, simple as that.
 
Although it is quite common to hear that some fonctionnaires working in Madagascar at this embassy work in a very particular way and are famous to be more overzealous” than their - let’s say American counterparts at the US Embassy in Madaagscar - it would be fair to me to say that when I was in France, most of the French “fonctionnaires” that I have encountered were very professional and helpful. Isn’t that what we call a real paradox? Once, I remember this lady at the “Mairie du 7eme arrondissement” (City hall of the 7th arrondissement of Lyon) in Lyon, whom I came to visit as I needed some of my documents to be “certified” by a person of authority. Those documents were to be forwarded as part of my application to my university in the United States (an application, which if you remembered well, was deliberately sabotaged by the school director, who happened to be an American, not a Frenchman, and as pressure mounted from us, he was forced to resign from his position at this school and had to leave to avoid embarrassment and possible or eventual lawsuit from some of the students who were victim of what he did), but also, to the 2 Australian universities (I remember that I applied to Deakin University and RMIT in Melbourne) I have been applying to in case my application got rejected. Anyway, this French “fonctionnaire” was really nice and pleasant as once, she was not there and I came to see her male colleague; but unfortunately, this male colleague of hers refused politely to certify those documents (transcripts and degrees) by letting me know that they were written in English, therefore it would be impossible for him to certify them; I remembered him telling me to go to the British consulate to have them certified. When I went there, I remembered there was a fee to be paid per page (30 Euros per page) just to have it stamped, but the lady who was working there (a British Lady in her 50s) told me “you know, I understand your re a student so I will just have you pay 30 Euros and for the remaining pages, I will just do it for free”. It was so kind of her!
Back to the French “fonctionnaire”. I came back to the Mairie and that day, her and her male colleague were both there; as there was a queue, as soon as my turn got closer, I did everything to “avoid” to be served by the colleague (who was actually right in a sense because technically speaking, an English document could not be certified in a French Mairie, so his reaction was not motivated by any prejudices at all, I can assure you) as I already knew his response. I then pretended to have to answer to a call and let the very sweet 20 year old French lady go first and waited that my turn would be with the lady. As soon as the seat got free, I rushed “a bit” to be the next person and told her that I wanted to have those documents certified. Without a single question, that French lady “fonctionnaire” - who was also in her late fifties - responded “Mais il n’y a aucun Souci, je vais vous le faire”, which meant no problem, I will stamp them for you. She understood that I just needed a stamp, any stamp from any person of authority for my documents. But in exchange, she was asking me though what I needed them for and then, when she knew that I was going to continue my studies in the US, she told me - discreetly and by lowering her voice- that leaving France was probably a good idea and admitted to me that “France is good and it has good sides but we have to recognize that we have real issues here with minorities and so on but many pretend everything is fine and many deny that those problems even exist and affect the whole society…you are probably right to leave because that won’t change, I can tell you”. She pronounced those words while continuing to stamp my documents written in English.  Coming from a French person and particularly from a “Francaise de souche” (a white French person), it had a profound effect on my determination about undertaking this project of studying in an English-speaking country for the very first time in my life.
 
What I just find a shame is that this way of processing application is surely the embassy’s right BUT like it or not, it gives a very negative image of France and to some extent, of the French themselves. I will speak more about this problematic later, but since a few years (2015 or 2016), there has been some changes in the way the Malagasy perceived France; Part of it is due to the way the embassy handles visa application cases, another part is due to the way “Some” French (and definitely not all) behave in Madagascar. Many of them are being perceived as arrogant, thinking they have all the rights and some end up fighting with locals and end up ending arrested and put in jail in a country like Madagascar! Can you imagine the hardship. The last reason is due to a incident which started around 2015 or 2016 and which concerns the a territorial dispute of the “Iles Eparses” (a set of islands close to Madagascar and which many accuse of being taken away by France when they colonized the country) that I will talk later, and which creates a lot of tensions nowadays between France and Madagascar Island, and even some locals (some, not all Malagasy) starting to develop some preconceived ideas against the French themselves.
...
But the French embassy is not the only one who seems to portray this kind of behaviour. I remember once, my younger sister, was willing to apply for a Study permit to Belgium (actually, she unlike me, she chose to study in South Africa and once she finished her degree there, she decided to head back to Europe; however, she has gone to South Africa many years after the Apartheid has ended, so well after that date when I have hesitated to choose to go to South Africa myself, but ended by heading to France as you already know). I remember her telling me that they had a quick talk with the Belgian “Consul” and the latter advised them to constitute the required papers and deposit the whole application at the “reception desk”. She then constituted the required documentations (which as usual included many things like bank statements, acceptation letters and so on…) and went to the “reception desk” to give the application for assessment. The lady at the reception was a Malagasy (not a Belgian or a European) lady in her late 50s and can be described as a bit “cold” and “seeming to have some second thoughts”. She obviously, took the application and said to my sister that it will be assessed and that she will pass it on to the “decider”. 
But this is what differs people (like us) who are used with having life experiences with people who do not. I do not mean to be “arrogant” by saying this but in fact, when applying to her postgraduate degree, my sister has not only applied to a Belgian University, but in parallel, she also applied for another University in Canada. Just to let you know, many years ago, when studying at this American school in France, although I have applied to the US University in Pennsylvania (a project that this American director tried to its best to derail and sabotage alongside with other students whom he believed not to deserve to enter American universities and/or to come and study to the US), I have also, min parallel, contacted some agencies at the other side of the planet, namely in Australia, in case this director manages anyhow to sabotage the application OR in case I get my US visa turned down (There had been actually a few students, including one French national white guy, who have had their US student Visas application refused), particularly at a time which just filled the 9/11 events and a time also during which relationships between the United States and France were really tensed (because of France unwilling to support the US in its project in Iraq at that time, in 2003). I remember being on vacation in Madagascar when I received a response from the the 2 Australian Universities (RMIT and Deakin, both in Melbourne) saying that I was accepted but that I needed to pass 20 courses out of 24 required to get a Bachelors of commerce; Very fortunately for me, just a few months later, this American director got “kicked out of his way” by mounting pressure (and because the French head directors of the school wanted to avoid embarrassment and legal issues at all cost as what has happened was surely to become a scandal), and this was a white Canadian director who came to replace him and after some investigation conducted on my case (I was in fact interviewed and questioned for this matter), he was the one who pushed my application so it gets accepted by the University in the United States and decided to send the “package” himself at the French post office so that there won’t be any problems.
..
But this is what I mean by “having experience”. If I did not have any life experience and just relied on one alternative, if that alternative does not work, one might be stuck and continue toward a path one does not really want to follow. For me, having an alternative acceptation into an Australian university has given me a lot of confidence and I knew that even if I “get sabotaged” or get a visa refused, I can still opt for studying in Melbourne instead… and Melbourne is not bad at all by the way!
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Now about my sister, she was awaiting for her application for many weeks and still she got no response. During that time, she never decided to back down but instead, worked on the alternative, which is to strengthen her application to the other University in Canada. 
Many of your probably wonder…why Canada? Why not France, or Germany or Denmark, which actually also makes sense!
The reason is evident (well, may be to me but not to everyone): in fact, whether it is Denmark, France or Germany, they all are under the jurisdiction of the European Union, and having a refusal in Belgium would definitely compromise your chances to be accepted by a German visa officer (even if this latter is nice and willing to issue you a visa); however, that same refusal (from a Belgian consulate) would have no effect on any visa applications made outside the European Union, in places like New Zealand, Canada, the US or Australia.
…
So after some time, as her application with this Canadian university went on pretty well, she received a result from the Belgian embassy which stated that her application has been assessed and her Visa has been “refused” on the ground that some documents were “incomplete”. This is the word that draw her attention because to all of us, the application was more than complete because she actually provided more documents than the ones being requested. To her and actually to all of us, her visa application was “sabotaged” by the old lady from Madagascar who sued to work at the Belgian embassy at that time. 
Now, imagine for one second that she hasn’t implemented a “Second alternative” elsewhere…..
Well, very thankfully for her, the Canadian University has accepted her a few weeks later that “Belgian refusal” and as she is the type of person who does not get discouraged easily and who is not afraid to “go through obstacles” no matter what happens, she went on and sent her Visa application package (which included the acceptance from this University in Canada as well as some other required documents) to the Canadian Embassy located in Pretoria, South Africa, to apply for a Canadian Study Permit; To my own view, it is sometimes a good idea to apply to 2 very different places just to avoid to lose time
 
…
It took her about 2 to 3 months to await for the decision but once this time has passed, she has received an approval from Pretoria saying that her Canadian Visa Permit has been accepted.
After a few months, she was on her way to Canada, and now, after all this time spent as a student, as a person working under a work permit, then as a Permanent resident (equivalent of the US Green card in Canada), my sister is about to become a Canadian citizen
Still today, it happens to us to talk about this experience of her at the Belgian embassy and she kept telling me “Fortunately, my Belgian visa was refused because with all those crazy things (All those attacks, the rise of racism in many parts of Europe, the insecurity in all aspects) that are happening throughout Europe now, I am much better off here in a country like Canada”. And I understand her saying this because I also see that I feel safe walking late at night here in Canada. Just tell me where in Europe can you walk without fear at 10 PM with you 6 year old Son? Well, I would say may be in Scandinavia but apart from that, better watch around constantly.
 
…
We are still wondering why this old lady “sabotaged” her application. For sure, unlike my application which has been sabotaged in 2003, it was due to some criteria’s which have to do with the “physical side” or may be also because of the fact that I grew up on the “African continent” but her case is much stranger and because of that, I firmly believe that it has been done on the basis on “jealousy”. I am convinced that this “old lady” Sabotaged her application because she did not want her to have some experiences in Europe; she probably did not have that opportunity and may be she did not want others to enjoy that.
It just remind me of what happened to my wife also when we applied for the Permanent residency Visa to Canada a few years later. If you remember what I have mentioned earlier, one of the piece of her “dossier” - which was her high school transcript - was deliberately made “unreadable” or “hard to read” by this lady working at a Catholic high school located in a populated and highly animated suburb of Antananarivo (there are just a few schools in Antananarivo, so you might know which one). This lady, who was apparently wearing a big catholic cross onto her chest (definitely she was a big believer in God but her acts were that made the Devil very happy - this is actually one of the hypocrisy of our society in Madagascar: we got plenty of people saying that they do believe in God but keep making acts which look like “coward actions”. This is in fact one of the reason - among many others - that made us decided to leave Madaagscar and immigrate to Canada, but I will write about this later.).
Very fortunately for my wife, she has studied in Australia and as the Immigration only requires you to submit the most relevant experience, we have decided to submit her “transcripts” from this Australian university and speaking about Australia, I remember that when we requested for there transcript to be sent and assessed (by a entity which is allowed and designed to do so as per the expectations of Canada Immigration), the Australian University just sent the envelopes to that entity (for assessment) as per our instruction or more exactly as per the instructions of the Canadian immigration (It actually needs to be “sealed” on a particular section of the envelope).
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Another entity in Madagascar, which I found to be really unprofessional is the famous organization that organizes the IELTS Sessions for students or immigrants willing to study overseas or immigrate from Madaagscar.  I decided to take my IELTS test in Mauritius instead (required when you plan to immigrate as this is a way to prove that you do speak English; I also have passed the famous “TEF CANADA” test which is a way to prove to the Immigration that you do speak, read and understand French) but my wife did decided to go with them, and I remember that the lady there was “arrogant” (this body is located just across the location of the former US embassy Antananarivo), and many times, I had to “remind her” to be polite and went on saying in a very ironical way  “in this world, do you know that there are people who are not designed to work in customs service roles?” Of course, this “daring” remark made her hesitate but sometimes “daring”remarks make people react, either positively or negatively; Probably because she knew that we could report her, she decided to give a list of what was required and as strange as it seemed, one of the required “thing” on the list was a fee of 150 euros, which are to be paid in foreign currency (Not Malagasy Ariary), which is really strange because we are in Madagascar. As I had those currencies anyway (from previous trip from Mauritius), I just told her “ohhh sure, I have some left from my trip in Mauritius, can I get it to you tomorrow…but of course, I would need a formal invoice from your office” (this is in case). As she probably was expecting us to go to the bank, apply for a “request to get foreign currency, and wait 72 hours (this is just s away for stupid people like her to make things more difficult for you), we just have beaten her on her own game. 
 
It just reminds me of that Catholic old lady working at a famous catholic school in Antananarivo (who knew that each time a request for transcript was made by someone, it had to be for the purpose of applying to foreign universities or for the purpose of immigrating to attractive places like Australia or Canada), who did also everything to “sabotage” my wife’s high school transcript so that it becomes hard to read by any Immigration department.
 
 
 
But now, let’s talk about Australian visas.
 
When applying to Australia, although the process was lasting a few months, it did not make me feel at any moment, that the officers who were processing my case were overzealous at all. On the contrary and I will tell you why! As in every country that I have applied before, a proof of financial capacity is always required. Because I have been studying in France and has had bank accounts there, some of the financials had to be produced from our French bank in Paris. I have asked from my “conseillere clientele” (the person who works in banks and assists you with your account as well as all types of banking services) whom I have been knowing since I have arrived in France in 1998, to send me some statements with the demanded requirements (It notably had to have some Bank logo on top of each document) by Australian Immigration. But to our surprise, this French “conseillere” Mme Murielle (That was her name and she actually was a French citizen of west African origin, so she was not what the French would call a “francais de souche”)did not forward the document after many requests we have made. This made me surprised as I always have had good relationship with her during my stay in France, so that has even made me wonder why was she doing this and acting that way.
Of course, those repeated demands meant more time was passing and the Australian Immigration waiting for the additional statements to arrive. We lost patience and filed a complaint to her supervisors and a few weeks later, we received an email from a very different person who has explained to us that  is no longer working as “conseilere” and that matters related to my account would now be addressed to his new person. That new “conseiller” (unlike Mme Murielle, he was a “Francais de souche” or a what you would call in the US as a “French of European background”) was very open to discuss and easy to deal with, and not only that, the guy was really pleasant and professional; he just sent straight away all the documents that I needed and, this after we had to file the complaint and two months waiting and apologized for the delay as well as for the mistake her predecessor has made.
 
I obviously have forwarded the statements to the agency in Melbourne, who sent it quickly to the Australian High commission so that they can continue assessing my Visa application. Indeed, and as paradox as it may seem, The immigration services of a country which was once known practising “racial policies” till the end of 1960s, was not only less invasive and bureaucratic than the Immigration processes of a country that claims itself to be the country of “liberty, legality and fraternity”.
Added to fact the fact that I was applying for an Australian vIsa when John Howard was Prime Minister of Australia; his government and policies were known to be highly conservative. Besides, at that exact time, Peter Costello was the Treasurer of the Howard Government, and according to many immigrants to Australia, although Peter Costello was the treasurer, he had some enormous influences on whole the members of the cabinet, and was highly respected when he had its says on economical, financial as well as banking matters (mostly his field) but he was also highly considered when giving his ideas about immigration matters (Of course, he would try not to do it in public as it would be an embarrassment for the Ministry of immigration but many say that the idea of toughening the Immigration procedures to Australia had a lot of its [Costello's] "handprints" on it). Again, these are what people say and not what it appears to be officially.
Last but least, I remember in December 2011, the Cronulla riots happened and that event opposed "Youths of middle eastern appearances" with Anglo-Australians lifeguards. At that time, I remembered, my visa application to Australia was still underway, and I was travelling in the Deep South of Madagascar and recalled that these news on the riots made it even to the very remote corners of Madagascar.
Yet, despite all of this, Australia, which many (French in particular, but also many Malagasy people) label as “Highly racist country” was the very country that was highly patient and professional regarding the processing of my student visa application and for that, I cannot thank them enough!
As I was awaiting to be interviewed by the US visa consular in Madagascar - I remembered that among the applicants was this Malagasy guy in his twenties who was awaiting for his visa application to be processed. He was waiting in the visa room (in which, I remembered,  you could admire a picture of President George W. Bush posing and smiling while looking at the camera) as all of us but unlike me, he seemed to have taken the interview and his case was being processed already. Then suddenly, the door on the left left and from there, walked out a man in his fifties, wearing a nice and serious looking outfit. He called the twenty-year old applicant guy who was in front of me and invited him to sit a bit away from where mot of the other applicants were seating. Even though they were quite far, I overheard their discussion and to my understanding, the guy in his twenties was given back his Visa application because an essential document was missing. I remembered the American Visa officer saying to him in a very polite tone: “I am sorry but I cannot accept your visa application for today and the reason for that refusal is that you did not provide me with any I-20” Then the US visa officer showed him the a document which seemed like a “letter of offer” and explained to him that the letter of offer is good but he needed to see an I-20 to be able to process his student visa application.
From where I was seating, I was quite impressed by the tone used by the US visa officer in the US embassy in Madagascar, which I think was very professional and polite, but on top of this, the Officer took the care to get out of his office, sit next to the applicant and explain clearly what was the problem.
When similar problems occur within the French Embassy in Madaagscar, almost never you will see a French visa officer who is going to take the initiative to walk out of her or his office and explain to a visa applicant what is missing. At the most, they will send a “Local” employee to explain it to you but still, this would be a miracle…based on what I heard from many visa applicants to France, any problems with the application will just and simply result in a visa refusal. On top of that, the visa fee will be retained and not given back. The applicant will have to re-do a whole new application if he still wishes to go to France.
Now back to the American Embassy in Madaagscar, that student in his twenties got a clear explanation on why his US visa was being denied but hear this: that day, this US Visa officer, while seating next to him, gave him back his whole application and told him those words “today, I am going to give you back your application as wells the 100 dollar visa fees you have submitted…please come back here to re-apply when and only when you have received your I-20, otherwise, I will not be able to process your visa application”, and I really saw this American officer handing him back the 100 dollars bill. I could believe what I just saw but yes, I was incredible and kept thinking that such thing could not possibly happen in the French embassy.
 
Now that I am writing on this topic, I recall once as I was studying in Australia that I received an email from my dad. In fact, he wrote to me to ask for a document as he needed to renew his French “Circulation visa” (Visa de circulation in French). This Visa is a (Shengen) Visitor Visa but unlike the “regular”(Shengen) visitor Visa, it has a validity of one year; however, because it is a visitor visa (and not an Immigrant Visa or a “carte de sejour” which is a long stay Visa delivered to those studying or working in France), it requires to leave France after 90 days! But the only advantage is that if you decide to come back a month later, you are not required to re-apply (and re-queue) at a French embassy. But still, it expires after a year usually, sometimes 2 years in some exceptional cases. Now, in regards to the document that they asked me, I was very surprised to see that the French embassy in an African country asked my father (who has studied in France in his youth and who has a French “Associe” who is French citizen and a “Francais de souche” who runs a French company and who has been supplying the company (a common company they co-managed) that my father and my uncle have been running for years) to provide them with a copy of my Australian visa!! Now, sure they can ask anything but if I was studying in France, surely it would have made sense for them to ask for my French “carte de sejour” let’s say or for an Europe Blue card to make sure that I am staying legally in their country, France. But asking a document which is delivered by The Australian Immigration is to me beyond acceptance!
I would have imagined my parents applying for a Visa to the United States and to be entirely honest with you and having seen how the American Embassy in Madagascar processes visa applications, I am close to be certain that none of the US visa officers would have asked them any documents that proves or shows that I am legally entitled to stay in a country different from the United States, in that or in my case, Australia.
So did I do? Well, I have sent them a beautifully orange coloured Australian Visa as in any cases, it was absolutely a valid Visa and in any cases, I did and will never breach any conditions attached to it, so…I sent it. In a sense, I liked the idea that the French embassy has asked for it because they surely assumed that may be I did not have a visa (why? Because some (but surely not everyone) Malagasy who live in France do overstay their visa and stay illegally in Europe, and this is also one of the reason why the “fonctionnaires” at this embassy become paranoid about visa applications. On the other hand, they are very quick to denounce this and criticize this aspect of some (Not all) Malagasy who overstay their visa in France but when it comes to recognizing the French citizens who abuse their stay or overstay the duration of their Visa in Madagascar, things are quite different (we never talk also about some of those French who would marry Malagasy woman in order to get a Malagasy citizenship in order to be able to buy a land or a property as Madagascar laws forbids non-citizens to buy lands in Madagascar).
I tend to think that it is always easy to blame the others but as a country, if you make it hard to the legal applicants to apply for visa, that means that this country has a real problem with immigration. We can clearly see that by even though some are trying to erect walls and make the visa processing difficult, people who are determined to overstay their visa do and will always find a way to come to their ends! The only that is going to come out from those tight procedures would be a deteriorated relations between France and Madagascar as well as a degradation of the way Malagasy perceive France as a respectable country.
Now, with the problems of the “Iles eparses” that France took over almost by force and unilaterally, from Madagascar - and this despite of a decision by the United Nations which recognize those islands as belonging to Madagascar - the Macron government still went ahead and ignored this decision given by the UN.
Now, it is so easy to pinpoint at the illegal immigrants living in France, but before criticizing them, it might be better to ask ourselves if the way French visas processing shouldn’t be revised or improved as if it is to, that will just deteriorate the image that France once had. And believe it or not, people will get tired and will just apply elsewhere (and many already do by the way) in countries that offer better standard of living such as Norway or Sweden, better security and life quality, like the Canadian province of Quebec or Australia. Not only Malagasy will choose other places to study, but many will choose to immigrate elsewhere (like I did to be entirely honest) where they think they will feel more “at home” and “better welcomed”.
It is no astonishment to anyone in Madagascar that the most skilled Malagasy - such as the the IT specialists, the engineers as well as those like me who have undertaken a Master degree or those who studied a PhD in a specific field, end up opting for immigrating to the United States, Canada, Norway or even…Australia. Surely, we would all agree that those countries do offer possibilities for skilled candidates the path to immigration as well as qualities such as good standard of living, safety on many aspects of life, long term security and an environment which guarantees self-emancipation but we would not be surprised to learn that the skilled Malagasy will choose those countries because France does not longer match their expectations. Decades ago, people would rush to immigrate there mainly because of this common history that we shared and back then, it was perceived as a relatively welcoming, safe and tolerant country by people in Madagascar. Nowadays, it would be fair to admit openly that there had been some shifts in this perception and it was mainly due to the attitude of some personnel working at the French embassy - whom were often pointed for refusing Visas on grounds which were unfounded and unjustified. Lately, people kept complaining about visas being refused based on the person’s gender (female candidates would indeed have higher visa refusals), and this despite of the fact that all documents were in perfect order. Many Malagasy also point at the fact that some personnels in this embassy have built in their head the idea that EVERY person in Madagascar desperately want to go to France! Well, although I understand that the economical situation of the country may partly explain this, it is a claim which I find entirely unfounded, and the reason is that nowadays, I have personally heard from other Malagasy that no matter what France offers as a country, they would rather not immigrate there. Many of the ones who are skilled, have made their decisions for years already and plan to settle to other places, like Quebec, the United States, Norway or Australia! Even a country like Australia, which is still believed to be “racist”, does better at attracting Malagasy skilled immigrants than France - the country known for its human rights and which actually shared a long history with us, but which fails miserably to attract the best and the most skilled candidates onto its shores.
 
Based on those stories that II have shared to you, it is easy to observe that “acts of cowardliness” can come from people from every backgrounds. Just to remind you, as I was applying to study in the US, the director in the American school where I was studying was the one who sabotages not only my but many students applications to the US. A few time later, my bank “Conseillere” - who was a French of African origin -  also tried to sabotage my Visa application to Australia.
Now at a time when me and my wife were applying for the Residency in Canada, there was something I also need to share to you. As you probably imagine, when applying for something like the express entry, on needs to provide a substantial amount of documentation (I explain it more in detail in the “Canada section below”), and among those documentations are the transcripts. Obviously, we have both provided our respective transcripts coming directly from The Australian universities where we have been studying, but on top of that, and just in case it is required by Canada Immigration, we have also asked for a transcript from our high school in Madagascar.
I did not have too much of an issue to get mine from the “Lycée Francais de Tananarive”, but my wife had encountered some issues for hers. When she made the request, everything seemed fine and a few days later, when the files were ready and as we opened the envelope, the documents inside it were indeed the transcripts but it seemed that someone was trying to make them have a “poor and unprofessional look”. On some pages, the stamps were unreadable as if done on purpose, and the papers looked as if someone has put some oil and stains on it, almost on purpose. The grades were correct but it looks as if someone from this Catholic high school (Located in Antananarivo and there are just a few of them so if you are from Tananarive, you might have a clue)
 
 
That acquaintance of hers was in fact in contact with a French “fonctionnaire” within the French embassy and that person helped us connect with him. On the 13th appointment, as my mother was the one who discussed with this “connecting person” over the phone, she came with me to the appointment and we met briefly with that person, who was a French lady, more professional than the Lady from Reunion Island whom I have met earlier so many times. I kind of missing her now….
 
After a few minutes, a bald man, in his 50s, showed up and shared our hands. My mom - with all the papers - explained briefly the situations and as we were walking towards his office, he looked briefly at the document and as soon as he noticed the name of the “culinary Institute” I was applying to, he exclaim himself “Ahhh une ecole hoteliere chez nous en France” and then he looked at me and said “ eh bon, vous ave fait un bon choir jejune home!!!” And as my mom and him exchanged a few quick words, he replied to her: !! Bien sur, je vais bien m’occuper de son cas madame, ne vous inquietez pas!”, which means in English : I am going to take care at everything from now on, Madam, Please do not worry”, and when he looked at me, he mentioned that I made a good choice of having opted for that school.
 
 
 
Anyway, the interview with that French guy at the French Embassy in Madagascar - who was to be honest, very professional and likeable - lasted barely 10 minutes or may be even less. He just went very quickly through the application and as he went through, he kept saying - as if he wanted to confirm everything : “tres bien, done on a ice le certificate d’acceptation, bon…la, chest tout ce qui east finance, la on a la copy du baccalaureat Francais, etc….” In other words, while going through it, he was saying and confirming things such as the French high school diploma that I have received, the paper saying that I was accepted in that school in France, and when he was done, he just repeated to us that once he would have assessed the whole thing, we will be notified and if successful, the French study Visa (or more exactly the Shengen Visa) will be stuck into my passport. He told us that I could pick it up at the office of the Reuinonnese lady.
 
 
 
Anyway, the 14th time I finally showed up to the French embassy, I was supposed to meet the Reunionnese lady to pick up my passport, but as strange as it may seem, the person at the reception directed me to “another service” and told me that the Reunionnese lady was “Unavailable”. I then went to pick it up in another desk and I would always remember the look or the stare of the person at that desk that day. She gave me the passport (she was not rude though but probably she wanted to to but was too afraid that we actually knew the French bald guy who had a talk with us earlier) and just said at the end “merci” without making any eye contact at all. It was as if she realized that we “Short-circuited” the Reunionnese woman (and this was actually what we did to be honest) who tried everything to make things complicated or even impossible. 
 
 
 
Now, I would like to point out some important things here. First fo all, Thank you to that white French bald guy who was so professional and so nice at taking care at my Visa application. I have to say I am definitely grateful to what he did, and thank you to my aunt (she was the French girl from Lille whom I have talked about earlier and whom my uncle met while he was studying in France) again who made this possible.
 
But I keep wondering the following question. As opposed to the American Embassy in Madaagscar, why is it so difficult to meet or get in touch with the “real deciders”? Why do they put people who seem not to able to decided or who seem to be willing to use any unjustified powers when assessing visa applications to France, making some decisions lacking of objectivity and making some the refusal of (some visa) entirely unfounded? In Madagascar, you are free to ask people who have had experiences with the French (or the Belgian embassy) but many of them have had their visas refused EVEN THOUGH they had all the documentations right and many have even provided additional documents. To me, it seems to be clear that there seems to be some “Overzealing” in the way Visas are being issued and to be honest with you, the nature of the documents that are being asked by the French embassy DO NOT DIFFER that much with the nature of documents asked when you plan to go to the United States. But the difference is the following: AT the US Embassy, once the documents are complete and once you convince a US Visa officer of your reason to visit the United States, chances are great that you will be issued an American Visa; on the other hand, when you apply for a French visa from Madagascar (This is probably why so many Malagasy who apply from other places like Quebec, Malaysia, China or Singapore for example tend to have Avery different experience and much less “overzealing” from the French embassy at those places), there seems to be much more obstacles on the way and those obstacles are mostly pure nonsense in the way that MANY of those visa applications are being turned down because the applicant is “female”, or because sometimes the “officer” may not like the person’s face; in other words, most refusals are based up some totally unfounded and subjective reasons.
 
 
 
HOW ARE THE FRENCH IN MADAGASCAR?
 
 
 
Because of the history of Madagascar, it is no astonishment that many French choose Madagascar as a place to settle or to immigrate. Many of them do so because they love the country or because they fell in love with someone from Madagascar. Some, like my French aunt from Lille, decided to follow my uncle to Madagascar rather than staying in France.
 
 
 
Some others, do come because they have found unique opportunities down there and want to open a business as the market is still expanding or because there are much less competitors than in Europe. Sometimes, it is also because of less tight regulations.
 
 
 
Beforehand, when talking about immigration to France (from Madagascar), I have mentioned about the fact that one of the reason why it has become so difficult to get a French visa was probably because of the fact that a few Malagasy citizens do immigrate to France illegally by overtaking their visas. However, as I also mentioned, making visa processing difficult are just inefficient as in any cases it does discourage skilled and LEGAL migrants, most of whom, seem to have already headed their immigration projects to better, safer and cleaner countries like Australia or more importantly, Canada (mainly Quebec). Some others, like my wife’s nephew who is now in his 3rd year at a medicine school, choose the United States as a place to settle and immigrate, and this, despite of the fact that President Donald Trump himself was sitting in the White House!
 
In fact, many Malagasy (who are still thinking of heading to France because they DO NOT speak English or because of the fact that they cannot qualify for the Skilled Immigration schemes available in countries like Canada, the US and Australia), choose the “easy way”, which technically consists of dating a French guy on Madagascar soil and stay with that guy for the necessary period until they can get a French passport! As you can imagine, this is ENTIRELY LEGAL because obviously, the person who is dating the French guy is Malagasy and he or she lives and stays in Madagscar for the whole time (which means they actually do not any visa overstay at all), so basically it is a Malagasy being in Madagascar with Madagascar papers (nothing more legal and legitimate than this), BUT…dating a French guy with a French passport. Now…many of you would start to think…what the heck!!! Yes, what the heck but let me tell you this. FRom my own experience, MANY of the cases that I have encountered are actually “mutual agreements” between two persons. Many would assume that it is only a one-way street, meaning that the person from a country like Madagascar is the ONLY ONE who is interested to get French passport; but what many of you do not know is this: Many of the French who come to Madagascar actually are also looking for some kind of opportunities that they cannot find in Europe or in countries like France (You may now wonder what could that be that a Frenchman for a highly developed country like France could be searching for in a “funny” place like Madagascar). In fact, under Malagasy law, it is entirely forbidden for foreigners to acquire land or property in Madagascar (unless) they marry a Malagasy citizen! 
 
So you probably know that land is scarce and expensive in Europe, and therefore, having access to land in a country like Madaagscar happens - believe or not - to be a golden opportunities for many Europeans (not just French, but I also happen too see some Italians (actually many Italians in Madaagscar), Spanish, a few British (which is quite strange, isn’t it?) and Greek people espousing Malagasy women just for the sake of getting this opportunity)
 
Do not just be happy to look at the one side of the picture and blame Africans for Europe’s immigration problems! Please, be more analytical and get a look at the other side as well because that “other side” is what some media in Europe or in the west does not really tell you about.
 
In most of those “marriages” between a French guy and a Malagasy women, many of us just rush to judge (including some Malagasy actually who are still thinking, “ohhh it is for the passport”), but look at the other side of the coin, as from what I have seen when living down there was that many (not all) Europeans who live and immigrate to Madaagscar go into those marriage for the purpose of buying land and starting to build an entity there. Now, in some cases, it is true that those entities benefit to the locals by creating jobs and by allowing them to earn salary but in some cases, it tends to benefit only the owner or worse, sometimes, it only benefits France and its interests only. One of the most blatant example that I can find are those hotels who are French owned, French operated and who send back a great great deal of their earning back to France, with a great proportion of their clienteles coming from France or Europe, when they actually operate on Madagascar soil with all the “natural assets” that sometimes give great value to the hotel and help to justify higher premiums to be paid by foreign customers.
 
…
 
Now, France is quite quick when it comes to criticize the way Malagasy girls are eager to leave the country to “marry” a French guy or an Italian. But what some people tend to forget is that many French corporations who operate in Madagascar, tend to operate in a way that mostly benefiting France or Italy! They also tend to forget that a quite interesting number of those French employers (in Madagascar, not in France as French laws are definitely stricter and tend to better protect employees) tend to use those “legal loopholes” to try to make some employees work harder or longer. Also, another thing that I have heard many times in Madagascar (while I was working there) is that mostly French employers (in Madagascar, not in France) tend to be autocratic in the way they deal with their employees and also tend to use a lot of “micro-management”, which means they would not allow the employee to actually take their initiative, but would rather get nosy with everything going on and basically taking control over the person; This would be something which would entirely go against the corporate code of a country like Canada and would even be quite “inconceivable” in France itself. Besides, many French employers (unlike South Africans or British employers operating in Madagascar) hardly recognize any efforts made by their employees at work, and some would even try to “pull down” those people who are contributing to their company on a daily basis. I do not know what you think but I find this unfair and I am astonished why many people today in Madagascar start to have some resentment towards the French; on top of this, the events on the famous “Iles eparses” have come to make those resentment even harder and more perceptible. 
 
Honestly, I was so glad I had chosen to work for a company owned by some Malagasy when I was living there, because in many instances, people working for the latter tend to come back with “bad reviews” and experiences that are not very desirable. In a country like Madagascar, it is sometimes better to accept to work for a better employer even if that means to haver to accept a slightly lower salary (this is what I have done), but on the other hand, my spouse and I were operating a business, which by the way, helped us to constitute substantial funds for us to be able to immigrate to Canada. So without this business, we would not have probably gotten the necessary funds to apply for Permanent residency here a few years ago.
 
…
 
But the worst event that I have heard happened around 2013 or 2014. I have a friend of mine who had a cousin working for a French company. This company - not only paid very average wages to it s employees, but on top of that, used highly autocratic methods in their daily practices. It was a company run by a French guy with whom 2 other French expatriates worked with. The company was established in Madagascar many years ago, probably in the 1990s and was operating in the area of communication (for people living in Madagascar, it was located in the suburb of Antanimena, not far from the Gastro Pizza), but also dealt with the modelling industry. The French guy who was the “CEO” of the company was actually a type of individual lacking of work ethics and many people who have met him rumoured that many girls working there were harassed sexually. He would try to invite the girl employee for a coffee or a lunch and if they refuse, he would show his anger by giving more work or by becoming more abusive or more controlling. As many of those employees did not have much degree, they stayed and endured and eventually, would leave. On the modelling side, I have heard from my friend (who has heard it from his female cousin) that there would be days where many young ladies would queue up in front of his office to get the chance for an “interview”. I would not describe to you how the “selection process” works but like you, I have doubts and barely carte to think what would happen behind those doors. Eventually one day, my friend’s cousin would also be approached but unlike others, she has degrees (from overseas) and knows what she is worth. Despite of this, this French CEO told her “c’est ou tu vex quad tu veux”, which means “we do it where you want and when you want”. TO me, these are obvious manifestation of what can be referred to as sexual harrassment. She confronted the French guy and reminded him that she came there for work and not for those kind of stupidity. Eventually, there was an escalation and as the French guy rush back into his office this girl dared to follow him while shouting at him all along the corridors, making all the other employees sweat! She confronted him in his office by telling him “You stupid pervert, I am going to live this f******* company now whether that pekoes you or not because I willies my skills for other purposes or by working for other prestigious French companies or the ones run by the Anglos as people like you are worthless!!!”; then she went out and went to see the commercial director (apparently a French guy who does not like Malagasy people but who, despite of this, keeps living in Madagascar) who once, made comments regarding her salary (he was actually the one who tried to pull down her salary) and when she got right in front of her office, she pushed his door without being invited and also started to yell at him as well starting by saying “you are the one here who tried to pull down my salary whereas I am trying to work hard for this company and as things got escalated, she went on saying : “I am sure you have ever been to California before because from what I see on how you treat your employees, there ie NOTHING that is American in it”. She came back to her office, took her stuff and left the company that same day!!
 
Do you know why she dared to do it? Because she had degrees and she had character! I would encourage the other Malagasy girls to act this way should one day someone harasses you the way those two French guys did.
 
…
 
Now, there are many things we can discuss from the above.
 
First, there is this director who does not fancy Malagasy people in general, but who keeps staying and living there. My question not only to him, but to some (not all) French expatriates there - would be: WHY STAY IF YOU DO NOT LIKE THE COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE? You are just making yourself and your life as well as the lives of your family miserable. There are more than 150 countries to choose from. Why do you stay in Madagascar if you do not fancy it it and if you believe its values does not fit yours? ! Why stay there if you keep blaming its people for being slow (many French people usually refer to Madagascar as the “pays du moramora” or the slow country). I cannot help myself recalling a former French president, Mr Sarkozy, your former president (who I referred to earlier as the man who was implementing very “unusual” immigration policies in France, which to me, were quite similar to the ones existing in the 1940s when France was controlled by the Nazis). Mr Sarkozy, became famous in France, particularly among right wing voters, when he said this highly provocative sentence: “La France tu l’aimes ou tu la quittes”, which means “France, either you love it or you leave it”. For someone who was working in high-ranked position within the French government, this sentence was considered by many as a provocation and surely, contributed a lot into making the French society even more divided and above all, ignited hate from both some of the (right-wing) French and the minority groups living in the “Cites”
 
 
 
That has angered many people from the minorities in France and caused even more divisions but now I am inviting some of the French (and some others) to consider Mr Sarkozy’s sentence and try to imagine on what if we would apply it to those Narrow-minded people (like some of the French (I emphasize that IT IS NOT ALL OR EVERY French who have settled in Madagascar whothink that way, IT IS JUST SOME OF THEM but those few unfortunately, tarnish the image of the other foreigners who live in our country and who love Madagascar!!!!) who would stay in Madagascar and would keep blaming the Malagasy for being “messy”, indisciplined when they drive, disorganized (namely the administration), always late, and above all, slow) we start to apply it to the French who (hate) Madagascar? 
 
 
 
This is something I will never understand about SOME French (and other narrow-minded foreigners too, NOT EVERY FOREIGNER!) who are living in Madaagscar. 
 
If you find Madagascar messy, and disorganized, please feel free to choose other countries. May be go to Thailand, or Peru, or Costa Rica! You have a European passport, it would be easy for you to immigrate there! WHY STAY IN A COUNTRY YOU DO NOT FANCY? YO me, it is not the Malagasy who are stupid, it is you because despite having possibilities to go elsewhere, you still choose to stay and endure a country you seem not willing to integrate or even try to make efforts to understand its culture, value and habits! Please, leave our country! PARTEZ AILLEURS SI MADAGASCAR ET LES MALGACHES NE VOUS PLAIZSENT PAS!
 
 
 
When you come to a country, whether it is Botswana, South Africa, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Russia Japan or Peru, you are expected to abide by the laws of that country and respect its people! It works that way when you immigrate in Australia, Canada, South Africa or even places like Botswana! If you do not abide, you will face problems and a lot of them and I am not astonished why so many French people end up encountering issues (this guy who owned a company and who made sexual harassment was “forced” to leave Madaagscar but many interpretations of his departure exist and no one can really tell which of them is the right reason) or even end up in jail in a country like Madagascar. 
 
Many of the foreigners (particularly some French who failed miserably in Europe and who apparently end up having a complex of inferiority) come to Madagascar thinking that the Malagasy should stick to their expectations and many times, I saw some of them trying to be pushy towards a local waiter at cafes because the waiter was bit slow. TO me, if you come to a country and you try to be pushy, then I would say “stay home” or stay in Europe because our country is probably not for you to stay; I remembered sitting about two table away from this type of person once and I made a remark in English (as many of those French living there have very poor English skills unlike the French who live in France) which sounded like a half-joke in which I said to him: “Ohhh dear, then you should have come earlier”. I remembered his face looking at me and not knowing how to respond, but beyond anything, he was anxious that I would keep talking in English (which I would have) and humiliated him inside the cafeteria in front of many Malagasy. He could not take that on him.
 
 
 
Besides, and from my experience, being pushy makes people angry and behaving as such would just cause you (or your family) problems or even “small revenge”. I saw once an Indian looking guy (probably a guy rom Mauritius Island or Reunion island) abusing a waitress at a French restaurant in public (It was a famous French hotel chain which is actually known worldwide) saying that the coffee was not good enough and that she failed at passing the correct information to the kitchen! the waitress said nothing but went into the kitchen with his “bad” coffee and later, brought him his so “nicely prepared coffee”. She said nothing but left having this smirk on her face. We exchanged a very brief eye contact and I guessed what she might have done. Now, before you start to make comments about Madagascar, beware that those things do not only happen in Madagascar. If you are rude to a waiter ANYWHERE (even in San Francisco, Toronto, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Paris or Sydney), chances are great that those same things will happen to you. So do not be stupid like this “Mauritian” guy and act smart when you deal with people. You are in a Public place and if this Mauritian guy had some issues, he should have dealt with it in a polite manner, not in an idiotic way as he did it.
 
 
 
Which brings me to my next topic, which is the famous Iles eparses…
 
 
 
 
 
FRANCE AND MADAGASCAR HAVE ALWAYS HAD COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP UNDERNEATH THE BLANKET DESPITE APPEARANCES : THE QUESTION OF THE "ILES EPARSES" REFLECTS THAT COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOSE TWO COUNTRIES
 
 
 
 
 
Since colonial times, it is undeniable that Madagascar and France have had some difficult relationships. During the colonization period, many Malagasy resistants (most of whom belonged tot he VVS movement, a group known to fight for the independence of the country) were rounded up, put inside train wagons and brought to the city of Moramanga, about 100 km east of the capital Antananarivo. Once there, many of this resistants will be shot dead and buried. 
 
Till today, this dark past as well as the brutality that happened during the colonial period has not been fully acknowledged by France (unlike Germany who fully took responsibility for its involvement during World War II, or unlike the United States which recognized fully their wrongdoings in the segregationist policies implemented during the US Civil war in the 1960s), who prefers forgetting the dark past and the brutality and power abuse of the French colonial militaries during that period, and this not only in Madagascar but throughout French Africa. 
 
I strongly believe that this Tension that exist nowadays between the Malagasy and the French stem from this unwillingness of some to take full responsibility of their past actions. 
 
That can be seen from the action of reactions of some Malagasy towards some French on Madagascar Island, many of whom are tired with France policy to get nosy with local politics and the constant involvement of the French government and the French military into the Malagasy internal spheres. Many Malagasy do not fancy the idea that France keeps adopting a paternalistic attitude towards Africa in general and in every coup or in every political event, one can see the shadow of France behind. When tI happened to talk with other Malagasy about those sensitive things, many would usually say that “At least, with Great Britain, once they left, they left for good  but beforehand, did everything to have their former colonies ready to be able to function on their own”; in other words, what they mean is that Great Britain helped their former colonies did a much better job than France or Belgium in that they emancipated their former colonies and help them move forward. Additionally, unlike the French decolonization process, British decolonization was more gradual and hence, helped former British colonies to have more time to adjust. But one thing is certain too about Britain: Unlike continental Europe, Britain left their former colonies take care of their internal matters once the colonization period over. Countries like France however, still use paternalistic habits to control the matters of their former colonies and even get involved in sensitive matters which include (but limited to) sending French militaries to train African soldiers. This is as if the Africans themselves were not capable of training their own militaries, and to many, such attitude sounds more like an insult.
 
…
 
Once, just a year before flying to Canada for the purpose of immigrating, I have taken a cab and the driver was a bit talkative. At that time, there was an election which would be coming soon and it was between two rival Merina candidates, once being clearly in favour of France and the other one being more inclined to open Madagascar towards Anglo-Saxon horizons as well as improving relations with countries like Norway (which by the way, contributed a lot to introduce Lutheranism into Madagascar at the time when the LMS or the London Missionary society was bringing the Protestantism into Madagascar). This man, although very modest (well, he is a taxi driver), started to say things that many Malagasy felt at that time and emphasized the fact that for decades, this country (Madagascar) had been under the influence of France and France for all those decades has kept influencing our politics and have kept putting a guy up there for its own interest, he said. Now, he continued, we all saw it brought this country into deep sh** (these were his words in Malagasy that I am translating) and look where it brought us…wouldn’t it be smart to try something else and take someone who is going to put the French away as they just brought poverty to this country”. 
 
Now, obviously, I would not discuss here what I have told him but what I want to say is that many Malagasy feel the same way. The relationship that we had with France has always been a bit “hypocritical”, and although we have some calm, polite and pacific exchanges for most of the time, it is undeniable to suggest that underneath this beautiful blanket which is so white and so clean on the top, there are issues of the past that are still haunting. 
 
France helps Madaagscar in many ways but it looks like that those helps are far from being sufficient and besides, they do not benefit the entire country or are poorly directed towards long term and viable projects! They are actually standing far from the initiative implemented currently by the Jo Biden administration to help south American countries to develop, so that they would cease to send northward a caravan of immigrants.  
 
…
 
Now, if you listen to the French - particularly those who are settled in Madagascar and who think they are in the right to criticize the country which is so welcoming to them - they usually blame the leaders or the Malagasy governments for the failure. They usually refer to them as those who embezzle the funds coming from the European Union and blame them for poorly hanging those funds. But the truth to me looks different. 
 
Although what those French say might have some truth in it, I honestly believe that the fact that France keeps being nosy into Madagascar’s internal affairs keeps this country where it is right now. Unlike Britain, France tends to always have a word to say when it comes to African countries (French speaking ones) and it has not been the first time since we hear that France is involved in the coup that has ended Mr X government and put someone else there; the most evident case was probably the killing of Rwanda’s former president whose plane was targeted and whose killing actually ignited the whole Rwanda genocide in the 1990s. Now it is proven that France was involved into this affair, and actually not only this one, but most of the problems that occur in places like Ivory Coast, Senegal, Congo as well as Madagascar. 
 
I have talked about the problem of immigration earlier and explained briefly why people kept immigrating to Europe, and namely in France! If the French would start by behaving wisely and by being less nozy, those African countries would probably start having more stable governments and less political troubles (which mostly result from the fact that countries like Belgium or France keep interfering who is to be elected and obviously, they do it for their own interest, not for the interest of the Africans); that means more people willing ti stay in Africa and less people willing to flee to Europe! Is that what you French want or do you till want to put your nose into African affairs and that would result in the overall economy of those countries to deteriorate, which means that those countries will be sending some of their “people” to France, and this despite of all your efforts to make the embassies act boldly and with a lack of finesse and professionalism. 
 
You have to know what do you want and today, I am sorry but I am not going to answer this question for you.
 
 
 
…
 
Now regarding the “iles eparses” event, everything started when France came to colonize Madagascar in 1896, which became a French colony, and that also meant that the tiny islands surrounding Madagascar ( Iles eparses) became French, and there are five of them: These are their names: Les glorineuses, Juan de Nova, Bassas de India, Europa (all located in the Mozambican channel) and Tromelin island (the only one on the eastern side of Madagascar between Madagascar and Mauritius Island).  Altogether, they barely make up around 43 square kilometres but the resulting exclusive economical zone amounts to 636,000 square kilometres. On top of that, many scientifically studies estimate oil reserved that amount between 6 and 12 billion or barrels as well as 3 to 5 billion cubic meter of gas in those four islands located within the Mozambica channel. To many observers, this could be as much as what they would have in the North see. One of France interest would be to know whether or not there are any deposits located between 1500 and 2000 meters of depth.
 
Now France denies any interest in those deposits as it is willing to build a natural reserve on those islands, however, in Madagascar, many did not digest the fact that the General de Gaulle signed a “decret” just before the independence date and decided to “attach” those islands to the ministry that manages the famous DOM-TOM or the French territories and departments like La reunion, Tahiti etc…
 
However, there are resolutions which have been decided at the United Nations which clearly state that those islands are to be restated to Madagascar, once the country was decolonized. 
 
Now, this is where we are now with the French. 
 
…
 
This event started around 2015 when the French ambassador to Madagascar, pronounced a very provocative sentence saying “ici, c’est la France”, a sentence which provoked and angered many people in Madagascar. Since that date, the country started to report more incidents of francophobia like never before and some even went further by encouraging others to boycott French products. Many parents, who initially thought about sending they children in France (like I did), started to look for alternative places like Quebec, Switzerland, Sweden or even South Africa (with probably a thought to continue elsewhere years later, probably in Australia or Canada).
 
On Facebook, I started to notice some aggressive messages, some ironic tones as well as some posts which targeted France as well as its policies. On the street, I started to see some scenes that I have ever seen before; one of them being a verbal altercation between a Frenchman and a Malagasy guy who were fighting over a parking spot; although of small importance, the altercations went and crossed “borders” and topics such as the “Iles eparses” were even heard and some other bypasses started to join in, making the altercations even more risky for the French guy (In Madagascar, beware that if you fight with someone on the public arena, chances are that some people will get involved and that might be highly risky for you), who eventually and under so much pressure and slurs, decided to back off and leave the place. I have also heard (This one I haven’t seen) of a French guy who was behaving arrogantly in the suburb of “Analalakey” towards a waiter and very quickly, so many people gathered and forced the French guy to flee in his car; now his car was surrounded by Malagasy people (in this suburb, these are mostly people who are poor and who have nothing to lose even if they get arrested by the police) who were vey angry about his arrogance and surely, who were also tired of France’s policies to “keep for themselves” those 5 islands (full of oil and gas obviously), decide to circle the French guy’s vehicle while telling him some slurs and even some threats, and were ready to tear down his vehicle as well as the one who was inside.
 
If someone wasn’t quick enough to call the police that day, this French guy would have ended up injured or even worse. 
 
…
 
In an environment which is electric and full of anger, I really do not understand why people would still behave in an arrogant way. To me, this is something which is very stupid to do because if they had decided to harm that guy, they would have done so in a way or another. 
 
…
 
This is why one should ALWAYS respect the host country and its people no matter what and if you are not ready to do that with us in Madagascar, please feel free to go to Thailand or Peru, or feel free to travel back to France. We never asked you to come to Madagascar in the first place, so please stay in France or Reunion Island or Mauritius, stay away from us if you aren’t prepared to deal with our culture and be nice to our people! 
 
 
The most paradoxal thing about the aforementioned is that those “strange and atypical” behaviours that some expatriates display (Not all expatriates do it but the few who do tend to build a negative reputation on those mostly european expatriates who are trying to do their best and who just want to live their life in Madagascar), happen to be extremely of a rare occurrence in France; the reason being that in France, the laws about harassment are clearer and stricter (than in Madagascar) but more importantly, have been better designed to handle and counter any forms of any sorts of harassment. In Madagascar however, the laws do exist but their application is not always automatic and are subject to many obstacles (Blackmail, corruption, social pressure etc….). 
 
In a country like France too, what I have noticed is that the famous”Syndicats” or labor unions tend to be much more charismatic and “loud mouth” than the “syndicate” that are supposed to represent and stand for employees should an employer “cross the line” in Madagascar. In a country like France - believe or not - if a female employee is victim of any harassment, chances are greater that the “Syndicats” in France will be more efficient to protect the victims of harrassment than in a country like Madagascar. 
On top of this (and I have to be honest, France does a much better job than us on this aspect), the French justice system tends to be “more equitable” and more “impartial” but also less likely to fall into any forms of corruption or under the  influence of “powerful people or entities” when it comes to pronounce a verdict. In a way, any “abuser” who would be tempted to commit a “crime in France would better think twice before doing it because the justice system would probably be quite efficient at protecting victims of all sorts.
This probably explains why - despite of the fact that many Malagasy (and Africans) work in France for French companies - very few face any forms of harassment mainly because of the fact that French laws and the French justice system does serve its purpose, which is to protect the victims and punish the perpetrators, who would have no recourse but to spend many months in jail! This is probably one of the reason that explains why so many Malagasy (particularly the girls) opt to stay in Europe after their studies or if they cannot, they will try to go elsewhere where such laws would protect them from “Vicious persons” like the French guy who owned a company in Antananarivo and used it for “degrading” purposes;  another French guy who used to run a NGO In Antananarivo was also known to use his position to harass female workers, and if they do not accept his proposition, revenge would be the dish he would serve. In countries were laws seem to be “unclear”, those acts tend to go physical and when the victim would start to complain, they would defend themselves apparently by saying “Ohh, that was just a joke” or “that was just a game”. 
For those who cannot stay in Europe or for those who deliberately choose not to emigrate at all (because as I explained earlier, it is not everyone who wants to leave Madagascar and it is not everyone who wants to stay indefinitely in Europe or elsewhere; some want to go back despite of everything one hears about Madagascar as for many, this country is the only country that can give them access to some business opportunities that they will never be able to get in Europe or America) It is no astonishment why many parents prefer to have their daughter run their own business or set up a company rather then work for a boss.
  
Those laws or at least the way we should have them applied to better protect the victims  while punishing potential perpetrators is definitely one of the area that we need to improve in Madagascar (on that aspect, I definitely do agree that we definitely should set French laws and the way France applies those laws as an example to follow), but many are well aware that we still have a long way to go! 
But whether we talk about Madagascar, France or any other countries, it is essential to deal with harassment with the utmost strictness. In a country like Canada, laws are well in place to protect victims and is defined by the Criminal Code which defines sexual assaults as follows: “any unwanted sexual act done by one person to another or sexual activity without one person’s consent or voluntary agreement” (Department of Justice, 2010), and goes on to definite offences as per section 271 of the Canadian Criminal Code: “Sexual assault occurs if a person is touched in any way that interferes with their sexual integrity: this includes kissing, touching, intercourse and any other sexual activity without his/her consent”.  I honestly think that what some expatriates do there would be a clear violation of section 271 of the Canadian sexual code, if those actions were perpetrated on Canadian soil! If they were in Canada, those persons would be arrested and judged, and probably thrown in jail for many years! This is what I like about Canada and let me be honest, this is what I like about France as well as in those two countries, female victims get a better protection and perpetrators get what they deserve.
 

…

But talking about the difference of systems between France and Madagascar, I think there are obvious differences. In an article dated October 27th 2020, on tribune Madagascar daily newspaper, which can be found on this link: https://www.madagascar-tribune.com/La-justice-malgache-particulierement-touchee-par-la-corruption.html

, a former Justice Minister named Imkiby Anaclet, made a declaration saying « La Justice malgache est particulièrement touchée par la corruption et est souvent montrée du doigt » and went on by saying « La situation reste alarmante », which means that the Madagascar justice system is affected by corruption and that the situation is alarming.

It is no astonishing why those last years or this last decade, we kept hearing news about powerful entities who keep pushing away poor people out of their land as you can see from this articlehttps://theconversation.com/a-madagascar-laccaparement-des-terres-peut-prendre-des-formes-diverses-129248)

and from this other document in English: https://www.recommon.org/en/land-grabs-madagascar-voices-ground-2013-report-launch/

One can see that the problem goes beyond a simple disagreement between a few persons and on a small portion of land. It is a much bigger and much deeper problem whose sources stems back as far as the colonial period.

 

Now, with those problems existing and with this event of the “Iles eparses” taking place, more and more people in Madagascar start to realize that more should be done to bring awareness and make more Malagasy wake up about what is going on around them.

What is positive thought about today is that new technologies exist to voice out opinions and reach out more people. It is undeniable to suggest that without the use of social media, the problems of the Iles eparses would not have the same effect as they have today, and it is partly because of this that many Malagasy start to realize that something is wrong and actions need to be taken. This is only through the exchange of ideas that a society can take actions and this is only through those same exchanges that some get better educated and bette aware of what should be done or what would be the most efficient and appropriate actions to take against companies or even countries who seem not do things in a very appropriate way.

 

 BEFORE YOU START INTERPRETING WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN BEFOREHAND

 

Before some of you start to criticize what I have said about some countries, I have to say that Malagasy people have nothing at all against the Individual French guy or French girl. France or more precisely, the French government of today tries to put their feet on the Iles eparses with intentions that many Malagasy suspect, but the Malagasy is not angry with any French individual residing in Madagascar. We are capable of differentiating a French individual from the policies implemented by the French government. Similarly, with the famous “Francafrique” which many Malagasy suspect as being a post-colonial structure to “remotely control” The economical emancipation of the French African countries, it is something many people in Madagascar look with suspicious eyes. But that does not mean that if you are a French guy and if you walk on our street in Madagascar, you will automatically be assaulted, or victim of racism. I can assure you that you won’t be subject to nay racism but this is as long AS YOU DO RESPECT MALAGASY PEOPLE and as long as you ARE NICE TO PEOPLE! If you are not and try to be disrespectful towards the host (and I honestly believe it works exactly the same anywhere including in New Zealand, Canada, Angola, Japan, or Norway), chances are people will try to confront you and this will be when delicate issues may emerge and may even turn into some forms of xenophobia or francophobia in our case. Provocating people and opening wounds is not and HAS NEVER BEEN A SMART THING to do wherever you are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A SHIFT IN THE TREND IN REGARDS TO IMMIGRATION FROM MADAGASCAR TO FRANCE NOWADAYS

 

Another trend that I start to see recently, particularly starting from 2018 or 2019 concerns the Malagasy who have been long established in France. For many of them (the Malagasy diaspora in France), France is also becoming unattractive and some start to think about sending their children settle in other corners of the world. These last years, I have seen (from some Malagasy groups on Facebook and through forums) a move or a trend whereby The most skilled Malagasy (who paradoxically are well integrated in France) start to “sail away” from this country that once was a[promised land to their parents or even grandparents. Many head to Quebec and can easily settle in thanks to the fact that many of them have since become French citizens, which allows them to benefit romp the famous PVT program. Ass to that the common language - French - which is also spoken in Quebec.

Most of them are highly skilled candidates, have grown up in Europe all of their life and are very westernized too. Many are Malagasy engineers, Malagasy scientists, some are even biologists but one thing they tend to have in common is that they all were educated in France and in French - or sometimes German - universities.

Many of them also choose America as a place to immigrate whereas some prefer to head to Northern Europe and settle in uncommon places like Norway, Sweden, Denmark or even Finland! Some just prefer to play it safer and move to Germany or Switzerland (there is actually a famous Malagasy blogger - who is really famous in Madagascar - and who has made this move a few years ago. He used to be in France but left this country to settle in German speaking Switzerland) rather than staying in France.

Why? Simply those countries are perceived to be better in term of welcoming their immigrants and integrating them into their respective society. When I am thinking about this last aspect, there is always a phrase that I heard in France that come back to my mind and a few times there, I have heard a few times some people there referring to the minorities as “being too numerous” and the reason why the country was becoming less safer.

I would say that surely, the number may pose problem but to me, there is more than just looking at the numerical aspect of immigration.

 

WHY THE MINORITIES IN FRANCE OR BELGIUM OR THE UK TEND TO BE A SOURCE OF PROBLEMS WHEREAS OTHER COUNTRIES TEND TO DO BETTER?

 

If we look at the statistics, France account for 11% of visible minorities and yes, I have heard some French (not all French think that way, I can assure you) think that this substantial figure is the one to blame to France’s immigration problems. Those numbers also explain why - according to some of the French - social issues are intense in France nowadays and are the reasons through which frustrations expresses itself through violence, gangs, cars burning in the “banlieues”, vandalism, insults towards police officers, violence on the street in some parts of French cities to mention a few. But if we look at the numbers carefully and start to look around, we would realize that Canada is actually having more immigrants as a total percentage of its entire population. In Canada, more than 20 percent of its population are immigrants; it is almost twice as much as in France, if we look percentage-wise (not number-wise).

But have ever asked those questions: how come in Canada or more precisely the province of Quebec (which to some ways resemble to France by being a French speaking part of Canada and by having a quite similar types of minorities that we find in France) -  we do not have the tensions that we see in France or see any cars burning in the “banlieues” or in Canadian suburbs, how come that the tensions between the police and the youths are not as intense as it is in France? How come Canada does not have many of those HLMs and dangerous places as in places like Marseille or even Lyon? Now, you probably know as I do that Germany also has an important minority group, most of which are Turkish. But how come Germany manages to have a calmer environment than France or Belgium, although it has a huge portion of visible minority group, most of whom also happen to be Muslims (I mean by that the Turkish who constitute the vast majority of migrants in Germany)?

 

 

LET'S START WITH THIS COUNTRY WHICH IS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF EUROPE; UNLIKE MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THAT COUNTRY HAS MANAGED TO SET UP A SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF ITS IMMIGRANTS.

This country is Canada, where I have now chosen to become a Permanent Resident (meaning someone who possesses a "Canadian Green card"). According to me, if we speak of Canada, it has been smart enough to set up an immigration plan that answers its needs as well as the needs of its immigrants. Like Australia, Canada has let in immigrants based on some very specific skills and it has implemented efficient policies to “integrate” those immigrants as soon as they arrive in Canada. Canada allowed them to participate to the Canadian economy, canada give them real opportunities and those people end up liking this country that welcomed them pretty well actually!

Also. Another aspect that makes Canada so different. In Canada, I have this impression that the local people want to make you feel more “at home” and up here in Canada  - whether or not that pleases to some other people elsewhere - you will feel much less this pressure of being considered as a “second class citizen”, although you will always have some people who would think that way anywhere you go.

But here is the thing, in countries like France, I felt more this concept of “French identity”, and that concept was somewhat linked to aspects which to me are the following: your degree towards Christianity - more exactly the Catholicism. Having been raised as a protestant myself, I would find it a bit challenging to find my “real” place in France, although if I have to compare my situation to the situation of many North African immigrants rot France, I would say that I am in abetter position than they are, but even with that advantage, I really did not see myself settling there for the long run. In Canada, the society as a whole seems to be more open to any religions and from my experience in Canada, what really matters to Canadians were things like getting well along with Canadian laws as well as paying taxes. The second aspect is the knowledge or the command of the French language itself, which was an essential factor to be integrated within the French society. In canada, surely a good command of French or English is essential but more emphasis is given to respecting Canadian laws.

Directly linked with the above is the concept of identity. This last point is probably the aspect that make Canada stand out from many countries in Europe.  The immigrants from Canada come from every corners of the world and the Canadian society as whole looks like a mosaic of different people; in France however, it is more dominated by the White French, the North Africans (the Arabs ou “les Maghrebins”)) and West Africans (the Blacks nor “les Noirs”). Besides, France still is being haunted by its colonial past of the African continent. Canada, on the other, has not colonized any African countries. Hence, the concept of identity in France is somewhat shadowed and has been shaped by this relation France has had with its colonies. In France, the concept of French identity - although often denied - tends to be more “racially-based” than it would be a country like Canada, New Zealand or Australia..or even the United States. In France, it is more frequent to see a candidate for a job being disqualified because he is “not French enough”, and that could have some underlying meaning which range from not belonging to the right religion or not looking what most people in France would perceive as the “ideal French”, in other words, a white Frenchman or woman.

Although France has a few non-white TV presenters and journalists, one way to illustrate this ida of French identity would be to see the number of non-white candidates who have managed to become iconic Chefs in France, a discipline or field that is still regarded as fitting to the “Francais de souche”.

Just look at all of the famous Chefs in France and you will see it for yourself. In the United States however, surely they have issues with ghettos, they have issues with police brutality (well, they have that in France too and it seems that it is more of a persistent problem than it is in countries like Germany, Austria or the Netherlands), surely, they also have discrimination when it comes to hiring minorities but at least, Americans give you a chance when you are ready to work hard! Even that can make a difference to the eye of someone living in the ghettos or in the French “banlieues” because if they knew that there is light at the end of the tunnel, it might be worth it trying to work hard and get out of their ghetto life! This  HR teacher that I met at the hospitality school who pronounced the terms “nous les Francais, on est des pauvres cons a ce niveau la” (again he was a white frenchman as this detail might bar important and with the sentence, he meant ‘We the French are entirely stupid with this idea of putting phots on our resumes) who admitted that the American system of not requiring a picture of a candidate on their resumes was a far more efficient way to deal with discriminations because at least, it would give a non-white candidate the chance to sit in front of an interviewer and prove his worth. This man - in my own view -strongly believed that one of the most efficient way to combat a country’s issues with delinquency and insecurity was to start offering a chance to those who are socially disadvantaged, meaning those living in the French cities “hot zones” or “banlieues” (at to some extent to those living in US ghettos stop) as work and opportunities will give them a purpose in their lives. On this point, this French HR instructor of mine might not be entirely wrong, but again, I will let you judge this yourself as firstly, I myself, did not grow up in a ghetto and surely not, I did not grow up anywhere in North America or France! Again,  these are just my views as an external observer, a total foreigner and an authentic Merina of Madagascar!

 

France is surely a beautiful country, it is the country that gave my parents everything in terms of education and it is the country in which I felt a bit at home for the few years I have spent there; France is also the country where I met those extraordinary people and friends; This country of Europe has allowed me to meet with some interesting female friends and more, and it is a country with which I hold some high degree of recognition because without France, may parents would not have had received a food educational and probably, I wouldn’t be here now living in Canada.

If you want to ask me if I regretted to have chosen France, I would be quick to answer by the negative. I could have gone to La Reunion Island, or Mauritius or South Africa to undertake my studies. But despite being advised to go in those countries, I refused and I have explained the reasons of my decision above, but at the end I have decided to study in France because for me, France was the best choice and up till this date, I know I made the right choice! I know that if I had gone directly to very beautiful places like Australia or Canada to undertake my undergrad studies, I would have missed this European and French experience and would not have met those nice and interesting people that I have met in France! If I had the possibility to amend the past, I will never change my mind and will do things the way I did it back then.

Sure countries like France or the United States have their drawbacks and so are all the countries, but it would be fair to me to say that many French people were no nice with me and made my stay in France so memorable. It was not only the teachers that I have met or the “French fonctionnaires” in France who really did everything to help, but even total strangers came to offer their help. I remembered once, I was bringing some heavy things and suddenly, one of my bags did let things go and some items fell on the sidewalk. Without me expecting, a French guy stopped by and helped me without even me asking him.

Sometimes in your life, some unexpected help may come from total strangers. Having been to many places and having spent some considerable time in many countries, I would even say that unexpected help come - more than you may think - from people of different background than you or people from different skin colours.

Surely, this American director at this school in France torpedoed my application but do not forget that once int he United States, an Anglo-American teacher that I met at Temple did not let himself being influenced by his colleagues and used his own judgement to assess the worth of my work.

The problem of our society is that we tend to be afraid of the “other one” and because of that fear, we do not step towards that other person but let our pre-conceived ideas govern.

If I had my preconceived ideas govern while I was in France for  example, I would have missed so much friendships and camaraderie. I would have been reluctant and would have refused that this girl, Barbara, stays at my home when she needed it the most and it is possible that (bad) things may have happened to her if I had done so. I would have also missed those precious moments with Pierre and his wife Sylvie, those moments of lighters, or jokes, as well as those moments which allowed me to know France in a different way! I wouldn’t have met Jean-Charles, Pierre’s brother, whose relationships the had within the French police force could have helped me in case. During my stay in France (and elsewhere), I could have many times opted for hanging out with people like me (people from Madagascar) all the time and would have missed those nice moments that I spent with typical French girls and typical French friends. Hanging out with people like oneself is sometimes good but in the long run, I found to be limiting one’s perspective to the one I have always been used to, which is the Malagasy way of seeing things. In France in particular, there are a portion of the Malagasy who live there who stay among themselves (namely at this place called Cachan near Paris) and sure, there his nothing wrong about it but at the end of the day, some of them would open 10,15,20 years in France and know very few about the host country. For me, if I have to take this option, I would prefer to stay in Madagascar, because what is the point of going to France if you do not want to explore that country and its culture a bit. Isn’t that the whole point of the idea of “living life overseas”?

Also, having travelled in many countries like the United Kingdom, the US as well as Australia, I happened to have seen some communities of people where people of the same countries tend to stick very much together. In a sense, it probably has some benefits as they tend to support each other and that is probably a way for them to feel safe and secure in a foreign land, but doing so could also be a barrier to integration as well as an obstacle to understand the host country’s culture  and values. In some extreme cases, like some suburbs (I never I the chance to visit them tough) of London where the huge concentration of some specific group of migrants can be explosive and create an “island” favouring delinquency, criminality and violence, which in its turn generates rejections and more fear.

 

To some extent, people all have preconceived ideas to some degrees, because we are the product of the environment we grow up in, but some have a lot more than others and what some media does is not really helpful either. I remember once at the age of 5, my mum and I travelled to Paris (it was when my dad has left for Boston to study a semester of finance at MIT), It was during December and it was cold. One day we went walking around the City and as we were passing by a place that had many shops around us, she told me : “wait for me here, I’ll have to check at something in this store”. She left me outside looking at the small toy trains as she would just need to pick up a gift (it was actually my gift for Christmas). Suddenly a Santa Claus came to me and he said something in French, which sounded like “Viens ici mon petit”, but at that time , I had two main problems: First, I did not speak French at all and secondly, I have ever seen that closely a white person before! As he tried to get closer to me (he probably wanted to give me some sweets), I freaked out and started to tell him in Malagasy “go away”, but of course, he could not understand my words. He kept getting closer and as I was too scared and not used to this “unusual face and skin colour”, I shouted and grabbed his beard as he was trying to move back. I remembered wondering how come this man was so white?

Now, the fear that we have towards others are not always from knowing or being exposed to the environment we are facing or by watching some specific TV news channel and our mind starts to construct ideas from what we are exposed to, but the fear can also come from NOT knowing the other one.

 

In a country like Madagascar though, you tend to be shielded from “social pollution” that you may encounter in some suburbs of London or some problematic areas or “banlieues” of France as down there, we are a bit far away from everything and may be, it is not a bad thing to grow up so far from those problems.

Now the questions is not whether or not we have preconceived ideas and a priori, the question is: are we strong enough to overcome them?

 

 

IS IT POSSIBLE TO STOP OR SLOW DOWN THE FLOW OF ILLEGAL MIGRANTS OR NOT?

 

So the only way to slow immigration - at least at the way it is now in Europe but also around the US border - is not by building walls like Donald Trump did or by instaure hard visa processing in poorer countries around the globe because doing so has two effects. One, it gives a negative image of the host country that instaure such measure, second, it discourages LEGAL MIGRATION, like migration from legitimate visa applicants who just want to go and visit Paris for a 2 month holiday. Those latter might be willing to apply for a Visa to more attractive destinations instead and spend their money in those “better” places and not in Europe.

Last and not least,  as I have already mentioned it earlier, making visa processing hard is not even an efficient way to prevent illegal migrants to reach Europe. I have already explained it earlier and have heard of legitimate stories of people who have made it to France and staying illegally, and this despite harsh visa processing.

 

So what is the solution? Well, I am astonished to see that there are French deciders who have studied at French renowned schools who cannot even come up with practical solutions, solutions that do not require Europe to build “walls” as Donald Trump did. The problem with physical wall is that it conveys this idea of exclusion and that can - in the long run - creates a different and more negative perception of what America is. To me it is a shame because America has always built itself onto immigration and has for decades, made tremendous efforts to build this image as a nation that dares to stand and confront problems in a very elegant way no matter how big the challenges were. Building a physical wall just destroys this this “image of grandeur” that America used to portray, and doing so just enhances tensions and shows that a country is no longer able to tackle the problems in an elegant and civilized manners and by doing so, many in the world have started to “lose respect” in this beautiful country that once was seen as the model of the world. Very fortuntately, there are solutions that are more efficient than building a physical wall and to my own view, the initiative taken by newly elected US president Joe Biden happens to be a much better alternative. Now, I am not backing the fact the a country like the US does not need any physical border. On the contrary, I vouch for the fact that a border needs to be installed, but one that does not create provocation and one that does not affect the respectful image of a country like the United States of America. This border to me, should be electronically monitored and in some areas, still needs to be “physical”. But a “physical” border is one thing and on the European side, a tougher visa processing is also another challenge that Europe needs to think of, BUT the problem dis not there. The solution is not to build walls, the solution does not consist of making LEGITIMATE visa applications difficult and painful because it just makes your work harder, it also makes it more costly in terms of money and effort and beside all, it gives a negative view of the given host country. But beyond anything, it is not even constitute a guarantee that illegal immigrants will not make it through, because, we all know, they still do.

The solution as I said, is not to be solved by building walls or by making processes harder. So where is it then?

The answer would probably be coming from the initiative taken from Joe Biden who initiated a multi billion dollar plan with Central American countries, a plan which focuses on investment in those countries as well as addressing issues ranging from violence, security and government corruption in those countries.

Why is this initiative way better than Donald Trump’s wall? Not because he is a democrat but because the Biden Plan is a much more long term plan with much longer term positive consequences. The wall built by former president Donald Trump will just create separation and tensions, whereas the initiative undertaken by US president Jo Biden Will create stability, prosperity s well as potential jobs for people living in Central America. Now, if those people have opportunities available there down south, if they have jobs, if they get paid relatively well and if they feel safer than they are now, you do not need to be extremely smart to conclude that most of them will be tempted to stay there in the south! No one needs to be smart to realize that!

Now if we transpose this Biden initiative too Europe, surely it can be done and such initiative from Europe will also be extremely efficient than telling the European consulates in poorer countries to enact strict and inefficient measures, which at the end, penalizes the legitimate travellers, holidayers as well as students to France or Europe. Just like in America, pursuing such initiative would deter the image that a beautiful country like France has. To me, Europe has such good schools and produces many educated politicians but how come NONE OF THEM came up with a solution that replicating Jo Biden’s initiative on January 2021?  How come the European leaders take so much time to think of a plan that helps African countries to become better? Again, I am sorry to say, the Americans are definitely right!

They are right because they do not hesitate to take actions! They are right because unlike some, they tackle the issue from its roots and not from the top of the tree! They are right because doing it as they do it is just the only way to tackle immigration issues efficiently and elegantly!

If Europe starts to take such initiatives in Africa by helping those countries to recover economically, by creating jobs there which will benefit the Africans, by investing in sectors like education for example and by sending European specialists to help African governments to construct a long term development plan (not the one that currently consists of lending money or sending aids as this plan has now proven its lack of efficiency. IT just brings African countries into dependence and growing poverty, and bigger poverty means greater amount of people willing to migrate to ….Europe, illegally, by crossing the Mediterranean as usual!).

So in many African countries, access to education is a real problem and without education, most people have no future. If Europe helps the African countries to shape a plan that is based on investing in education and helps those countries to create opportunities for those young people by building schools or vocational schools in Africa, by developing sectors that are essential to the local economy (sectors such as tourism demand skilled labour and investing in this sector cold help some African countries to decrease youth unemployment); another idea that could work for Africa is to encourage entrepreneurship. Many African countries have already taken the lead, countries such as Nigeria, Kenya or Rwanda but the French speaking part of Africa seems to be lagging behind (with exception of may be Ivory Coast or Senegal) as compared to the English-speaking Africa. This is where countries like France for example can bring their contribution by inciting some (Former French dominated) countries in Africa to create a climate for entrepreneurship. Why is that important? Before answering this question, let me first recount to you a policy that was created by a French prime minister in the 1990s. His name was Jean Pierre Raffarin. J-P Raffarin was the minister the PME-PMI of France (he became France Prime minister years later) at a time the country encountered important unemployment. Instead of relying on foreign investment (a policy that is encouraged in African countries by entities such as the world bank or the IMF) in order to create jobs, Mr Raffarin used another efficient tactic to resorb unemployment in France by encouraging the creation of what French people refer to as “PME-PMI” (Petites et Moyennes Entreprises or Small and medium-sized companies). He was the mastermind of the transformation of how businesses were to be created in France and by doing so, he pushed all around so that creating companies would become more simplified, more accessible but above all, that all information that were deemed to facilitate company creations would be accessible. He also facilitated the access to credit and funds borrowing as it constitutes a huge obstacle for young people to start a business.

So what was Mr Raffarin’s goal? Well, by doing so, he wanted to give the opportunity to more young French people the opportunity to start a business and to become their own Employer or their own “boss”. But on top of that, by becoming their own boss, those young entrepreneurs were supposed to recruit as they obviously needed employees to be able to operate their activities. On a macro-economical level, what Mr Raffarin wanted was to create a country in which smaller size companies could compete with bigger companies, but more importantly, to give the opportunity for many unemployed young French people to find work and earn some income. By doing so, always from a macro-economical standpoint, there would be more people to pay taxes to the French government. In the meantime, in a country like France, more people working means less people depending on social welfare. In a nutshell, the Raffarin Policy to create more PME-PMI will not only increase France’s Gross domestic product (as productivity will increase as more companies will exist and produce) but will also absorb unemployment, increase taxes paid to the government and decrease expenses related to welfare.

Why not do this in Africa and why not share such nice expertise with the French speaking part of the African continent? I honestly think that the Raffarin policy works well for any country and I sternly believe that pushing local African governments to create a climate of entrepreneurship will boost the overall economy of a given country. Where I come from in Madaagscar, the “climate of entrepreneurship” is yet to be put in place and many obstacles still exist for any entrepreneur to dare starting the adventure. Sure it is the role of the Malagasy government to take the initiative but that does not mean that a country like France - who would be interested to curb down illegal immigration - cannot offer expertise or assistance in Africa.

So what are the obstacles In Madagascar? To create a company in Madagascar has indeed been facilitated by the creation of the EBDM which is a structure where one can find information and a bit of assistance, but even with the existence of such “structure”, the financial aspect does remain a real obstacle. In act, if one borrows from a local bank (which by the way are mostly French owned or have their headquarters in Mainland France), the interest rate that needs to be repaid after one year is between 14 to 17 percent. Such rate is highly discouraging for any young entrepreneurs to start any business, particularly if one does not have the expertise or any reliable expert to ask advice from. A second obstacle would be to raise capital. In a country where salaries (unless one comes from a rich family) are much lower than in Europe (while costs and expenses are aligned with the costs you would find in Europe), it might be a real challenge to unearth a business unless one is close to 100 percent sure that this activity will yield some substantial amount of revenue. If not, better not risk it.

Now, if the government puts in place a structure that facilitates entrepreneurship by making information more available, and by allowing easier access to credit (by working on decreasing borrowing rates for young entrepreneurs) and also by putting in place a structure - which is similar to the French COFACE in Mainland France - which can assist and borrow capital for entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship could become a stepson to creating many PME-PMI in countries like Madaagscar or other African nations; that would bring down the unemployment rate as more people will be working, and the government will be able to perceive more taxes at the same time.

Not only that, but in the long run, this initiative will probably retain more Africans to stay and work on the continent instead of  living a life that many do not want in France.

In a nutshell, if Africa prospers, the problems of immigration will be much lighter (with Europe notably) than it is now because surely, there will always be people who will be willing to live and become illegals somewhere but that proportion will definitely decrease as the incentive of taking the path to illegal immigration will be much less intense.

Ito my own perception, the Biden Administration is absolutely right to attack the problem to its core and that means, collaborating and helping the countries in Central America to create real opportunities for their citizens (and not just some project financing and money lending that benefits a very few and bring nothing concrete and long term for any country)! If you do not attack this issue to its core as Joe Biden does, people will keep coming onto US southern border no matter how high you will build the wall! Same goes for Europe too, no matter how hard you make visa applications, some people (and strangely these will be the least skilled and the least desirable candidates for Europe too) will always get through, and the problem, whether or not you like to hear it out, would be that those people who will get through will be people whose descriptions will entirely different from what you would expect. Those people who will come illegally (as those persons are more determined than skilled migrants like me who have integrated well in Europe and who understands European values and culture and girls too to be entirely honest with you) will be those who are the least desirable, the least skilled and those who might not be willing to follow the rules or even make the effort to integrate once in Europe, as nowadays, the most skilled candidates (from Madagascar or many French speaking African countries at least) would choose places like Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Norway, Sweden or Canada to settle, for many different reasons that probably you will come soon to understand or have already understood.

Even under the Trump Administration, I knew a few Malagasy who decided to immigrate to the United States, and some others who decided to undertake their studies in the US. One of them was a nephew of my wife who was planning to become a brain surgeon. He left Madagascar when Donald Trump was still in the White House and surely, he plans to choose the United States as a place to settle and work later.

Although he holds a student visa now, he is and will be a skilled and legitimate migrant to the US the day he will be applying to work there one day. For him, the American dream will be accessed in an entirely legal way but we all know that for many (people from Central America), it won’t be the case. On the European side, I knew a few Malagasy who got a job if France and applied legally for a work visa; I also heard of people who overstay their visa and stay illegally in France, but the biggest proportion are people (some girls from the lower social class) who date French men and stay in Madagascar until they get a French passport. Although they never become illegal alien (as they do not do it on French soil anyway), many manage to get a French passport after many years and settle in France much later. But do not get me wrong, this artifice is not only done by “African” people. When I was studying in Australia, I have encountered some girls from South Africa (white South Africans) who would never date another White South African but who would instead systematically date guys from Europe, Canada, Australia, new Zealand, the UK or the US! I will ask you the question? Why? Because it is comprehensible that many of them want to leave behind the trouble they live constantly in a country like South Africa, troubles that encompasses rape, insecurity, discriminations due to their laws now that those who were formerly oppressed are in power (to be honest with you, I really condemn what is happening in South Africa right now and to me, jobs should be awarded to anyone who has the capabilities, not based on the colour or the ethnicity of that person. To me, as a Malagasy, that system looks like a reverse form of what we call discrimination and I firmly condemn it, let me be entirely clear with that) and to me, it is understandable that those South African women want to leave their country and find may be a better life elsewhere! As a Merina of Madagascar, I find their decision entirely justified and well-founded in most cases, because if we were in their shoes, most of us will be doing what they are doing.

It is always easy to point at some category of people but if one looks beyond what the media wants us to believe and construct in our mind, and if one is willing to push our spirit a bit further, one realizes that immigrations not always about skin colour.

 

WE ALL DISLIKE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BUT ….

 

Before anything, I am not defending illegal immigration whatsoever as I believe - like many of us readers - that doing so is going against the law of any country.

Nowadays we have been seeing and hearing about the struggle that some countries - namely in Europe and the US  - faced when dealing with the problems of illegal immigration. For those of you who might be interested in this topic and in how I see it (as I grew up away from Europe and the Americas), I will explain later whether illegal immigration is a fatality or not, and will provide my insights about how - I believe - this delicate issue could be overcome, at least in part but not entirely. 

 

When watching the news in France and even in Madagascar (when we watch French news broadcasted from Paris), I kept remember those images of illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa who were desperately trying to reach Italy or Spain; many of those who reached Europe were saved by the “Croix rouge international” in the Mediterranean and brought into places where their cases could be assessed; in the Western Hemisphere, all of us remember the story of the famous “caravan” of migrants who reached the US border and which by the way, gave a big headache to Donald Trump and his team as this “huge”wave of people was to become an embarrassment for the government if not properly dealt with.

 

If you want to understand the issues underlying illegal immigration worldwide, I invite you to read my article further as I explain why I believe the roots of this problem are elsewhere, and not where you think they are or where the media keeps telling you what they think they know, or more exactly, what they want you to “swallow”.

 

Now, I do re-insist that illegal immigration is illegal but when the roots of those problems are not properly addressed, then this problem arises and reaches the doors of the countries, which sometimes contributed to create the problems (for more info, please read what I wrote about immigration later).

But beforehand,I invite you to read this story, which happened in Paris in 2018 when an illegal African guy from Mali, named Mamoudou Gassama. This individual from Mali came to France by crossing illegally into Europe and made it (as you probably know that many die at sea; and among those many who die, that usually include women, pregnant women and very young children). One afternoon, he saved a young boy who has been dangling from a balcony. At this time, his dad went out and left the little toddler unattended. When seeing this little boy dangling and fearing for his life, many neighbours tried to intervene but without success and some called the firefighters as well as the police, but the latter were to arrive way too late!!! Had it not been for the courage of this Malian illegal migrant, this little boy would have -for sure - collapsed from the balcony and killed himself! 

Mr Gassama said he had been walking past when he saw a crowd gathered in front of the building.

When received by Macron at the palais de l’Élysée” in Paris, he told Mr Macron: "I just didn't have time to think, I ran across the road to go and save him”.

 

To read the story, I invite you to watch this video which shows Mamadou Gassama (the illegal migrant from Mali) meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron at the “palais de l’Élysée” in Paris. It was quite interesting to see because this event took place at a time when Emmanuel Macron was thinking about toughening the laws on illegal immigration (as a result of the right conservative winning the votes): 

 Now, some of us are very quick to criticize illegal aliens and how those people are being called names or being labelled in all the ways we can think of. But the worse thing is that such accusations are made by people who hold high positions in office and who have no consideration whatsoever for humanity. Calling some people “rapist” is easy and reflects the mindset of a 5th grader, as well as some level of immaturity, but above all, it shows how ignorant some people are.

I was just imagining a situation of man who is racist or prejudiced against a particular member of a community. One day, this man goes violent against those “people” and insults them. One day, he lets his daughter go out with some guys because those 3 guys can be trusted simply because they look like this man.

Bt what unfolds later is nit what he expects. Those three guys unzip their pants and want to abuse his daughter. 

Now imagine situation number 1: …. If that happens, would that man change? Would he change because now, his daughter has been abused and raped by 3 boys whom he most trusted because of their physical appearance? Will he become less racist and less prejudiced or not? I let you answer this.

 

Now imagine situation number 2: as those 3 boys try to harm the poor girl  (and ruin her life and her future for good as probably she will never overcome the trauma), a group of illegal immigrants happen to cross the area as they wanted to avoid the police at all costs so they take a shortcut; those illegal aliens happen to meet those 3 guys and witness the evil act that they are about to accomplish. As the men who are part of this “illegal” group are fathers and know what it takes to have and raise a child, they do what is right…they intervene and scare the 3 perpetrators (who look like the “racist” man physically) who end up running away! Now the girl has beens saved and her life has not been ruined….she was very lucky. 

My question is the following: The man who trusted those boys…would he change now knowing that the “savers” were people he least trusted and held very strong prejudices against? Would he now see those people in a different way?

Well, the above story is just a pure scenario that could happen to any of us. But the story below is however, a real story. It is about an illegal immigrant (In the United States) who happened to have saved a 6 year old American girl from an abduction. To read more about this article, please visit this link:

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44206940

The only aspect on which I would like to comment is on the last part of the document whereby it is mentioned that such act of courage could have been seen differently in states like Alabama, Arizona or Georgia.

Although I am not a legislator of any kind, I have to admit that such heroic action has to be rewarded and if you ask me if the above mentioned states were not to give him status after such an heroic act, I would dare to say that they are wrong in a sense because if this Illegal alien did not intervene, the life of this poor girl (as well as her family) would have been deeply affected and could have even pushed some to suicide. On that side, I have to admit that the state of New Mexico has acted in a very fair way by granting a legal status to this man who - to me - has contributed so much to the American society! On that side, I honestly do agree with the way the French government acted when they became aware that Mr Gassama, this Illegal alien from Mali, saved this French boy from a very probable death.

 

According to a report from the New American Economy, “The vast majority (96.7%) of Mexican undocumented workers are working and contributing to the economy and are vital to critical American industries including agriculture (11.5 percent of the workforce), construction (6.7 percent), and the tourism and hospitality sector (3.4 percent). “. Not only illegal aliens do contribute to the US economy, but they also help the country to increase the amount of taxes it receives. According to that same report, “Given their productivity and their numbers, Mexican undocumented immigrants are significant economic contributors to the American economy. In 2019 alone, they earned almost $92 billion in household income and contributed almost $9.8 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. “. If you are interested to have a look at the report on the way illegal aliens contribute to the well-being of a great country like the United States, please visit this link:  https://research.newamericaneconomy.org/report/contributions-of-undocumented-immigrants-by-country/

In fact, contrary to what many think, immigration, even if it is illegal, brings economical advantages to a country. In a country like France - where a good proportion of French people (not all French but some) criticize immigration as a whole (including the legal one) - the contribution of immigrants to the French economy is also important: Just have a look at who clean most of the offices areas in many French cities nowadays, who does most of the odd jobs in many parts of France? Who are the people who mostly work in the construction industry in France? Most of those working and cleaning offices as well as subways at 5 AM in the mornings are mainly African-born French. Some French people are very quick to denounce that there are way too many foreigners in France and are also very inclined to link immigration with insecurity (an idea on which Canadians or Australians tend to react very differently), but if those foreigners that some of them complain on so much left France (and it is the same for the US too), would that be good for France? 

 

WHAT IF COUNTRIES SEND BACK ILLEGAL ALIENS, ARE THERE CONSEQUENCES OR NOT AT ALL. AND IF SO, ARE THOSE CONSEQUENCES ECONOMICAL?

 

When reading news and comments made through different social medias online, I sometimes come across some comments which clearly display some level of antagonism towards illegal aliens. Some of those aggressive comments say things like”round them up” or “deport them”. Surely, this is something that makes sense on the legal side but on the human side and the economical aspects, this would be unclear and would not even make sense. Many of those persons, even if they are undocumented, happen to pay taxes in a country like the US and France and contribute to the (US) economy as you saw earlier. But if we were to deport them, this would have a direct impact of our lives as now, there won’t probably be any North Americans or Europeans who would be willing to work that hard for a relatively low salary (a salary that Illegal aliens usually accept), which means that the price of our corn or lettuce that we will be buying at our grocery stores in the US (and also Canada as top here, we also import many foods from our southern neighbour, the United States) will increase. Like it or not, this increase of prices in the United States will also have consequences in countries like Canada and us, here up north too, will be paying more for our salad, tomatoes, oranges and other healthy foods, many of which come from places like California or Oregon or Washington state. Same for the construction industry in places like France  and the US, if we send back home those undocumented migrants, the construction costs will be increasing and will have consequences on the entire industry in the US whether or not that pleases us. In other words, sure we can send them back (because they are breaking the laws anyway), but before taking that step, one should first consider the economical impact of such bold (but still justified) decision as a whole because on an economical standpoint, if the prices of fruits and vegetables increase, there will be an impact on the US inflation rate (and the Canadian rate as well as we do import quite a lot from the US), which may in its turn, push the US federal reserve to push up interest rates in the US, and that can lead to slow consumption and spending.  On the health-related side, it may be even have some impact on the health of many North Americans as less consumers would be able to afford healthy foods, which could mean that more people may get heart related illnesses, and that too, could have a real impact on our healthcare system and/or on the way insurance companies for example, have to pay or cover medical costs here in North America.

 

WHAT MADE ME DECIDE TO SETTLE IN CANADA AND LEAVE MADAGASCAR?

 

I believe I have provided enough answer as to why did I choose not to settle in France or Europe despite having many opportunities to have done so in the past, either through obtaining a European Blue pass or as you probably guess, through getting with one of the French girls I have and the chance to befriend with during my stay in Europe.

 

But the question of why having left Madagascar still remains unanswered to many of the readers. 

 

You may suppose that the reason why I chose to leave Madagascar differs from the reasons why I have chosen to leave France. Now, many of you may think that the MAIN REASON why many migrants - including myself - leave their own country, is mainly due to economical reasons and that latter usually remains predominant in the choice to settle elsewhere. 

Although it can be true for some, it is not always the case. But let me be honest. For Malagasy in general, many chose to go to France for that reason, which is to find better salaries and higher standard of living. Many also choose to go to France because France offers their kids a better education as well as en environment which is better for their well-being (if you remember what I said about stricter laws in France compared to Madagascar in regards to sexual harassment for women in general). In regards to myself, I have to be frank, like the Malagasy who opt to go to France, I have also chosen to settle elsewhere because of this economical aspect that advanced countries offer. At least, I am being entirely honest and state that in a way that is frank.

Now, I would like to elaborate a little bit more about what does “economical aspect” really means for me but also for many Malagasy immigrants to France or even Quebec?

Let me put it this ways it might be har door non-Malagasy to understand. In a country like France or the United States or Canada, when you are getting paid, you obtain a salary which is given to you at the end of each month (well, it is like this everywhere, isn’t it?), but this salary you are earn can cover most of your expenses as well as your rent. In country like Madagascar, one of the biggest problems that we face is that salaries can usually cover the cost of expenses (groceries, fuel, electricity bills) and a part of the rent (supposing one rents a place but in my case, I probably am lucky to have my own place), but cannot cover the “whole monthly expenses” for sure. This is because during decades, the cost of living have been increasing at a higher rate than does the salary. In other words,  in Madagascar, SALARIES ARE NOT INDEXED TO THE INFLATION RATES, and this why every year, people who earn “normal” salaries see their purchasing power decreasing over time. I remembered in the 80s when my dad just came back from Paris, right after he finished his studies. He started to work and earned his salary; at that time, his only salary was entirely sufficient to cover ALL THE EXPENSES and after two years of work, we would even have enough money to afford a plane ticket for 3 persons to Paris, France!  Nowadays, in Madagascar, the two persons in a couple need to work both to be able to cover the rent and the expenses! In countries like France for example, although rising costs are increasing par rapport to the level of income a household earns, (like in some places in Canada, not all fortunately), it its till technically possible for a household to have one of the member to work and the other one do some part-time jobs only or even stay home. 

I believe int is one of the reason why many young and skilled Malagasy leave the country as in countries like France particularly (where salaries are high) or places like Quebec, they generally have greater chances to earn more than if they stay in Madagascar.

 

Another point regarding salaries that disturbs me is not related to the decreasing purchasing power that people face in Madagascar, but has more to do with what we call “expatriate salaries”. This, I think, was the main reason I was motivated to apply for residency in Canada. I remember when I was applying for job in Madagascar, that I was told that the pay would be following “local framework”, which means that despite having studied and graduated from an Australian University and despite having gotten a degree from a country like the United States, I would be still paid “local”, which is actually between 3 to 6 times lower than a salary earned from someone who has a “foreign nationality”. So if a French national comes to Madagascar, he will be benefiting from a higher income than a local; Now, this advantage of receiving a higher income also applies even if one is Malagasy by origin but one holds a French, a Belgian, a Mauritian or a US passport for example.

Having studied overseas, me and my wife found this “System” totally unfair and as a Malagasy, I think it is a system that tends to “pull down”local people in the sense that I have known - during the time I was working there - many bright and highly competent Malagasy who have been extremely smart and efficient at dealing with very difficult issues. I also strongly believe that any Malagasy or local who holds the equivalent of am bachelor’s degree (even issued in Madagascar) is as capable as any foreigner who comes and works in Madagascar! 

So what did we do at the end? At the end, despite of the existence of this system which I found unfounded and old-fashioned, I decided to work for a company which paid me a salary which I found quite acceptable for Madagascar standards. This company was dealing with foreign investors willing to invest home and my job was to advise and try to convince those potential clients to invest in a country - full of challenges - like Madagascar! That was an interesting job in some ways but at the same time, the salary that I received was of course, slightly higher than most of the other companies suggested but would have not been enough at all as we were planning to move and immigrate to Canada? So what did we do then? We obviously started to open a pastry shop but it has failed miserably notably because people we employed kept stealing and baking cakes while we were a bit too busy with our first child; in other words, those employees took advantage of our situation and at the end, we had to shut off the company and had to warn them that they needed to find another job (had they been smarter, our company would have probably kept producing and they wouldn’t have to look for another job elsewhere). We saw that we would not make enough with it so one day, we started to look for clothing suppliers and when we found one, we started a small venture selling clothing and we started selling at home, so in other words, customers came to our place to see the products.

We sold our first apparel, then our second and more and more; after a few months, we started to make profits and we decided to put some money into the savings account, which by the way, yields a much higher interest rate than any savings account in North American or European banks (At the time, the annual (compounded) annual interest rate earned on those accounts was close to 5%).

To tell you the truth, we managed to come to Canada not by working for a company in Madagascar, but by opening a business and by saving the money this business generated to build our savings. At the end, after some time, we managed to meet the requirements set by the Canadian Express entry Program and decided to apply for residency here in Canada. 

The bottom line is that, if one wants to work for a given company, better work overseas in places like France as the salaries will be more advantageous; it was actually during my stay in Madaagscar that I came to understand why so many Malagasy students tried everything to stay in Europe to work after they graduate; I also understood why so many of the Malagasy opted to apply for the CSQ or the famous Certificate de selection du Quebec to earn permanent residency in this French-speaking province of Canada! I remember in 2001, I happened to take an internship at BNI-Madagascar (a bank in Madagascar) and was stunned to see the substantial number of files that I found inside one of their desk; all of those files concerned some Malagasy who have left for Quebec, Canada, either to study or to immigrate permanently.

However, if one chooses to stay or has to stay in Madagascar (as one cannot or do not want to immigrate elsewhere), my advice would be to open a venture in Madagascar instead of working for a company. The reason is of course the level of income one will make will be higher if one opens a venture (providing that you find a market niche obviously) and also because taxes are very low in Madagascar as compared to Any places in North America or Europe (yes, this is also one of the advantages of living in Madagascar), and Is till remember that when we operated the business down there, the taxes we have paid to the government were infinitesimal compared to what Europeans or North Americans pay. But on the other hand, our healthcare is not free but still, it is relatively cheaper and accessible to many.

 

Another reason that made me decide to leave was another aspect of life there and I have to say that it accounted for about 20% of the decision (this is assuming that the 2 previous economical aspects accounted for 30% of my decision to immigrate), which is actually bigger than the economical side. This second aspect has to do with “obligations” and having lived overseas for so long, I started to feel comfortable and at ease not to have to do those obligations that we are so accustomed in Madagascar. The way it manifested itself was through “coercive” presence at events such as weddings, deaths, ceremonies, baptisms; In a few years of presence in Madagascar, we have attended dozens of weddings, a few of which were entertaining, but many of which seem to be redundant, boring and a cheater for hypocrisy. In fact, when one attend those ceremonies, or weddings, it is common to meet with people one would pretend to get along with (even though it was not the case). Although there is nothing forcing you to go and attend, people would expect you to be there and not being present would be interpreted in a way or another. Once is good, twice is good and probably 5 times would be good but 70 to 80 times would definitely be a horror! I have to say that the “coercive” side of those events made me want to look for a pathway to leave and more than once, I had arguments with some of my wife’s families in regards to this as although I am usually patient and polite, I am also a person who likes to say things straight, particularly when I have this feeling that the other side is crossing into my “zone of liberty”. 

 

The other reason accounts for 30% of my decision and that has to do with my in-laws. You probably remember me mentioning that they were very conservative and when me and my wife decided to move in together in our new place in Australia, we just chose not to tell them anything at all! For more than a year, we pretended we were living apart when in fact, we were under the same roof and God knows well that we did so well by doing this because it is thanks to that decision that I have managed to secure a de facto Visa to be able to stay longer in Australia! In fact since we came back from Australia, me and my in-laws were having divergent views on almost everything. For example, I did not like the way they were infantilizing my spouse as they kept getting nosy with our lives and our decisions. As I am not the type of person who would just stand and look ( you probably saw how I shouted at this Reunionnese guy in Reunion island who almost injured my father on purpose and how I made a scandal (to attract the bypassers’ attention) and how I have threatened this guy to call the French police while many witnesses and bypassers were staring at us), I made clear that my line was not to be crossed and whether or not certain things weren’t to please them, it was not up to them to decide whether or not I or we should attend this or that event! 

Once, I had an argument with them as they tried to force us to attend Church every Sunday but coming from a family who did not attend Church (except very very rarely), I told them that I did not want to and that my decision to do so only regarded myself. Actually, and this would be my next point, it is very uncommon for a Malagasy not to attend Church on Sunday (this is also one of the reasons why I left Madagascar for Canada as I was entirely fed up with this mentality of coercion and this mentality that lies on conformity and too much social norms, and this despite off the fact that I actually do believe in God, but I have to say that I dislike the way many Malagasy are so obsessed with prayers!!). 

 

The last reason has to do more with the society and it accounts for at least 20 to 25%. To begin with, religion is the first one. I have to repeat that I believe in God and that I am a Protestant, but am not a practicant at all. For me, coming to Church once every 7 or 8 months is enough and coming to Church when one wants or feels to come to attend would be preferable. In Madagascar, Malagasy always attend churches on Sundays and even in highly catholic countries like France or Italy, people do not rush to go praying on Sundays as we do in Madagascar! In my country, praying is just an obsession and it looks like many Malagasy go to pray because they feel obliged and pressured to go attending the Mass. Many Malagasy also fear being judged by the community and by their families. What I hate the most about religion in Madagascar are the following: Malagasy people - particularly those who go praying a lot - do never swear or say bad words in public and think that this will bring them to heaven! Those same people who want to show off that they are “heavy prayers” are the ones who are generally the most likely to display behaviour like jealousy, adultery and the type of behaviour such as “I am wise on Sunday here in church and here in public but tomorrow Monday, I will bang some coworkers”.

In fact, the religion or the way it is practiced in Madagascar at least reflects a lot of hypocrisy. 

How many times have I seen Malagasy coming from Church on Sundays and just 2 meters away from them, some poor kids are asking for money get rejected or get ignored or even get words like “get the hell away from me!”; how many times in Madaagscar have I seen a person wearing a cross with Jesus Christ on it while this person torpedoes other people’s lives (like this woman working at a catholic school in Antananarivo and who sabotaged on purpose my wife’s transcripts which we asked when we planned to immigrate to Canada; when reading forums, we found out that some other people were also victims of the same plot at the same Catholic school)! How many times have I witnessed some agents in the administration taking money in exchange of services and having a statue of Jesus Christ standing right behind them! 

And how many times have I seen some friends of friends or acquaintances who have on top of their Facebook page “Seigneur je t’aime or Seigneur tu es le sauveur” (God you are my saviour) when those people happened to be the best ever at gossiping about others, betraying others as well as being entirely unhelpful when being asked. In fact in Madagascar, I have this feeling that the more a person shows how religious she or he is, the more this person tends to be a “bad” and unreliable individual; worse, this “religious” person is or will be very likely to turn her or his back on you one day and this is from my personal experience! In fact in Madaagscar, religion is like a shower and works this way: ON Sunday everyone goes to church and pray and on Monday, 90% of those who went to church will behave in a totally inappropriate way either through gossiping about others, sabotaging other’s life (like this lady who wears a big cross on her chest and who works at a very famous catholic school in Antananarivo Madagascar and who deliberately sabotaged my wife’s high school roosters that could have been the documents we were to send for our Immigration to Canada). I always am extremely doubtful about those individuals when I am down there! Better socialize with those who are not very religious and with those who are not afraid to speak out their mind even though that means telling bad words! Actually, I tell bad words too sometimes or when I am pissed and unlike some Malagasy, I am not ashamed to admit it and unlike many Malagasy, I am not scared of being judged by other (Malagasy people) and would still do or even say things as I please!

 

This was at least my experience and from that same experience down there, I noticed that the Malagasy who would use “swear words” - which are by the way quite common in countries like the US, Canada, Australia and France - would be judged and would be also perceived as being “vulgar”. I personally do not agree with most Malagasy in this sense because I simply believe that it is not  by using the work “fuck” in a casual conversation that one person is necessarily a “bad” individual; on the contrary, I have noticed that people who use such words are usually people who are frank and have a clear mind than those who want to show you that they believe in Jesus! Now I am not sure if it is the same thing in other countries but for Madagascar, and as a Malagasy, I can attest that this is the case and this whole hypocrisy has made me decide to take another path elsewhere!

 

Another issue that I found a bit “disturbing” in Madagascar was again - not the economical aspect - nor even the politics - but more the social side. Having lived in places like Australia or France before, I found that some people in Madagascar (some not all) tend to get nosy about your life. When me and my wife used to be there, many of her relatives (surprisingly, mine mostly stayed out our lives) kept asking questions - most of which were a little bit too personal - regarding why we did not have another child for example, or why one of us wouldn’t want to be present at a specific celebration. At the beginning, one does not really pay attention about it but as time goes and as some people start to become a bit too invasive about one’s personal life, I have decided to counter attack and ask them to mind their businesses! To be honest with you, it is not a typical Malagasy behaviour to address and tackle the issues as I did and I know it has somehow created frictions between me and some of her family members, including my father-in-law, with whom I happen to have a few things on which we profoundly disagree. I remembered once, him and his wife insisted on the fact that we should eat more rice as according to them, rice makes you strong (rice is actually the main staple food in Madagascar)! Although I do not dislike rice, I do believe that it is not to them to tell us when we should eat rice. Obviously, as I am not the type of person who accepts things easily (yes, I admit, I got this temperament from and this stubbornness from Emilie, this French girl I have met and dated when I was in France), I told them blatantly that we eat what we feel like eating and we eat rice when we want to! Similar situations occurred later on different things and at the end, we (or shall I say “I”) decided to start looking for an alternative pathway to get out of this environment, at least….for now.

 

I am not sure if my wife agrees with this but for me personally, I was disgusted by how present and how coercive the Malagasy society is. When one goes out on Sunday morning, one cannot miss the omnipresence of people going to Church or from Church, which are completely full. But when one goes inside it (I went by curiosity or once every year, I go because there is a ceremony taking place in there), it is in fact full of people who are pretending to pray. One of the aspect that I really hate about religion in Madagascar is that it is tainted with hypocrisy and coercion and although Church is actually supposed to be the place that accepts all regardless of their ethnical or socio-economical background, the Churched we have in Madagascar tends to discriminate people on the basis of their socio-economical status. I have seen many times people moving away or being uncomfortable when someone who looks “poorer” or “not very neat” came to sit next to them. Many people in Madaagscar also use there Church as a way to show off and to make other see how wealthy and successful they are and one of the way they do this is to drive their nice SUV (well, I have one too but never drive it to church)

 

ARE MINORITY GROUPS PERCEIVED THE SAME WAY IN FRANCE AND IN PLACES LIKE AUSTRALIA OR CANADA - MY THOUGHTS - AS A MALAGASY FROM MADAGASCAR ON THAT QUESTION

The other aspect that makes France (and Belgium)“different” from countries like Australia, The United States or Canada is this very special way of making a link between the notion “immigrant” and insecurity; lately, a third concept has been added and that concept if terrorism. IT is not only a concept that I have noticed when studying in France or watching French news but it is a problematic which has been mentioned and even formulated by many French politicians, including National Front leader, Marine Le Pen as you can see in this link: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x18iek4, , where she really says clearly that the problems of insecurity in France is definitely linked to immigration. Another French politician, Gerard Collomb also made a similar claim: https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/le-scan/2018/10/31/25001-20181031ARTFIG00146-quand-collomb-faisait-le-lien-entre-immigration-et-insecurite.php

As you have probably already read before, I have witnessed a few French people complaining about the number of immigrants living in France and even said things like “there are so many of them”. But when you try to understand further and look into deeper analysis instead of rushing to draw quick conclusions, by looking at INSEE Figures, one realizes that the proportion of immigrants in France accounts for just 10.2% of the French population in 2020: https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/3633212. Just to give you a point of comparison, in Canada (where I am now a Permanent resident and where I chose to live), the proportion of immigrants holding a Permanent resident status is 21.5% in 2020: https://www.statista.com/topics/2917/immigration-in-canada/, , so TWICE AS MUCH AS IN FRANCE.

But have you ever wondered why in Canada, we hardly hear about police brutality, or why in Canada, we hardly hear about abuses of all sorts, or some aggressions made at the exit of some “metro”station or even assaults on the street made by minority groups? Believe or not, Montreal (Quebec) has an important number of Arab and Black immigrants (just like in Paris or Marseille), most of them are French speakers but how come we hardly hear about tensions between them and the Canadian police or even them and the Canadian communities? How come in Canada, we manage to make things quiet and nice whereas in Belgium or France, it all comes down to violence, revenge, assaults, insults and harassment of all sorts in French buses and French subways, which by the way, is the vector of racism and xenophobia! 

I am not trying to suggest anything here, but just think it through…..

WHY FRANCE FAILS AT INTEGRATING ITS MINORITIES AND WHY A COUNTRY LIKE CANADA BECOMES RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL IN IT?

 

As I stated earlier, the integration policies implemented by Canada has been extremely smart in the sense that unlike many European countries, the Canadian government puts in place a structure that I would dare to call “a welcoming and heartwarming immigration path” for newcomers to Canada, like myself and like my wife and many other skilled immigrants from many parts of the world. I am an immigrant to Canada myself and am well positioned to talk about this matter and what I have noticed is that as soon as one lands in this country, the Immigration officers at Canadian borders are way more welcoming than any immigration officers in places like Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium or France! This is one of the very few things that surprised me when we landed here as Skilled worker migrants in Vancouver. As soon as one clears the passport control one has to visit a room where all the immigration papers are being processed and this is where another Canadian officer will definitely grant you a confirmation of permanent residence. In that “room”, they will provide with many information regarding to housing, work, immigrants services (which actually help newcomers to connect to other immigrants or get advices on how to apply for jobs in Canada, how to apply to workshops for the purpose of finding work OR set up a company or a self-employe structure like me and my wife did). 

On the streets, most of the Canadians whom we met were very helpful and nice and many times, even though we keep telling them “ohh. We were born overseas, you know in Madagascar!!!! “ Most of them would not see this as a “threat” or as a negative thing; on the contrary, many white Canadians told us “welcome here to Canada!!! Do you like it so far….yeahhh????”. In France, although I have some French close friends saying it (they were mostly educated and open minded French people, not the ones who are closed minded and holding prejudices), many French on the street or outside school never said anything similar to me. 

This already gives you a clear insight of how the people here in Vancouver are  compared to Lyon, France.

…

As I stated earlier, although I had so many opportunities to stay in France (I could have applied for a work permit or married those French girls that I have met in France or Mathilde, whom I’ve met in Australia), but instead, I kept pushing those opportunities away as my goal waste never stay in France (nor to settlle back). And actually, each time some of my French friends asked me if I would go back to Madagascar once I am done with my studies, I kept answering them by the affirmative, which seem to satisfy their expectations; however what they did not know was that I already somehow intended at that time to settle in an English-speaking country, if one day, I choose to settle elsewhere than in Madagascar.

…

Why is this the case? Mainly because I have heard so many thoughts that I did not like. Many right-wing French (and those who are right extremists) do not cease to denounce the “very high”m proportion of immigrants who in Franc.  But if we look at the statistics above, we see that Canada has a higher proportion of immigrants (as per the total of its population) and unlike France, Canada does seem to have been successful in integrating and accepting its immigrants, many of whom by the way, come from Africa and Arabic countries too, just like in France. 

 

Now the intriguing question that comes to my mind would be:  how come Canada manages to keep things “neater” and how come problems that are occurring in France do not reproduce itself to a country like Canada, although Canada has twice as many migrants than France? The conclusion is that what some French people say about the “huge number of migrants” IS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE VIOLENCE AND THE DELINQUENCY ISSUES that are happening in many areas of France; the problem is not the proportion of migrants; the problem comes more precisely from the way France handles the process of integration (and this problem has been occurring since the 1960s or 70s and keeps building up and up and up and up in French “Cites”) and from mismanagement of those integration processes can arise issues such as “not feeling well accepted” or “not feeling well integrated”, or “being discriminated when looking for jobs”; those same issues all combined will create Anger and rebellion. Discrimination, social exclusion, unjustified use of force by the French police (in some areas) towards the minorities living in the “Cites”, poverty, unemployment, racism on the street, ALL THOSE INGREDIENTS COMBINED will just make - what I would like call : A VERY DELICIOUS CAKE (yes, all the ingredients are there, aren’t they? we got the flour, we got the eggs, we got the sugar, we got vanilla beans, too…we now have a perfect cake that we got to bake now!!!) - and by delicious cake, I mean that those communities will even end up being more withdrawn (by staying among themselves in the French “Cites” or “banlieues” and more likely to fail even further to integrate within the French society. This withdrawal in its turn, will  push many onto the wrong way and will soon or later, create alternative paths to delinquency, violence, drugs and more….

 

Now, it is not astonishing how different is the perception of “minorities” in France, Belgium versus in places like Australia or Canada. In Canada, thanks to the way immigration has been well implemented since its outset, and thanks to the fact that adapted structure have been put in place by the Canadian government to integrate the newcomers, the way the so-called visible “minorities” in Canada have managed to integrate differs from the way they did in many European countries. In 1967, the point-bases system was introduced and awarded points on the basis of criteria including age, education, compatibility with labour market, knowledge of English and French to cite a few. This stricter, but fair policy has brought into the country skilled migrants from all parts of the world and conjugated with the accompanying structures available upon the arrival of the newcomers, Canada was definitely on its way to build a successful immigration program for its newcomers. Things were also quite similar (to what Canada does) in places like Australia as well as New Zealand, as those countries also use the point-based system to select immigrants who can come and settle in Australia or New Zealand. 

In many countries of Europe however, a mass migration program has started in the 1970s under the socialist government but those waves were precedented by another wave of North African migrants - whom were asked by France itself - for the the sole purpose of reconstructing France after the Second World War took the lives of many active French mean and resulted in the destruction of most of the main infrastructures in France. Although those “Migrants” came and helped the French (women mostly) to rebuild the France that was bombed by the Germans, some integrated into the French society and adhered to the French values whereas many were left aside and ended up in those “Cites” that seem to haunt the surroundings of many French cities including Paris, Lyon and Marseille! As time went by, those places have become the epicentre of the famous French “Mal-etre” (the opposite of well-being), the place where social exclusion is well known, and where unemployment rate is well above the national average mainly due to the fact that most of those “non-integrated migrants” did not have any chances to upgrade their skills. According to an article which appeared on Forbes magazine on January 17th, 2018, “The marginalization of minorities in France is worse than elsewhere. Immigrant communities in France often live on their own in ghettos where violence, drugs and the unemployment rates are high. Public authorities often refuse to intervene, leaving these communities without police or medical assistance and feeling completely neglected by the state” : https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyjsemotiuk/2018/01/17/france-struggles-with-its-immigrants-in-the-midst-of-national-security-concerns/?sh=13d5457d5efc

Although a country like the United States has some issues with racism and have crossed the period of racial segregation in the past, notably in the American South (states like Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiane to cite a few…), the sort of exclusion that minorities experience in France is very unique. IN America, the Liberty of religion, which is guaranteed and protected by the United States Constitution, allows migrants to wear veil anywhere in the United States. I have to admit that when I came to the US in 2004 to undertake my Bachelor’s degree, I was quite shocked to see a woman wearing a hijabs she left the US university premises and was heading outside on set sheets of Philadelphia with 80 percent of her face hidden under. This happened in 2004 right some time after the 9/11 attacks in New York. In France, the concept of the veil is entirely different as France stands but he principle of Secularism, which is far from being compatible with the allegiance of many foreigners to Islam. For example, unlike many countries, the discussion about offering an alternative to pork has become a huge debate in France.  

And one of the reason why France has a so-tensed issues with minorities is mainly due to the fact that it has real problems in separating Immigration with the notion of National identity, which actually lies on the idea of One Ethnic origin. Instead, France should try to move towards a more modern view of national identity. Like countries like the United Kingdom or Canada, France should seriously think about leaving behind an identity based on the notion of homogeneity to move towards a more multiculturalist approach. Until France accepts to move towards that “new” path, the issues related to violence, racism as well as the tensed relationship between the components of the French society will keep on plaguing France as well as its well-being as a whole.

When I was living in France, on many occasions, I have seen some “bad events” on the French news and the next day, happened to hear some French talking and referring to the incident (when it was still under police investigation) as “horrible”, but what really made me shocked was there fact that many people assumed already that such incidents were done by “Arabs”, which means the North African migrants who live int he French “cites”.  But one time, one of those incidents was perpetrated by a group of “white French” and many just say “ohhh that happens sometimes”. Apart from what I have seen on the news on many occasions, this type of mentality and the existence of pre-conceived ideas as well as prejudices (although I am not directly concerned and also despite of the fact that the Malagasy Immigrants in France are particularly well seen and well perceived as despite of the fact that some of them (Not all, but just a minority of them as I explained earlier) may not have papers, most of the Malagasy are perceived to be pacific, cooperative and unprovocative as compared to other class of migrants in France), this was probably at those moments that I started to make up my mind about either go back to Madagascar after my studies or opt for another country - preferably an English-speaking one - to settle and raise my family. 

If you are willing to see for real why France is having so much issues with its minorities, please have a look at the following video which clearly depicts "racism" within the French police itself. The video can be violent so please, beware of this before watching!

Those kind of images have been common during my stay in France and just by seeing this, I have - I think - made up my mind that if I decided one day to immigrate somewhere, France would not definitely be on my List! Now that I am in Canada, I do not mind paying taxes here simply because I am aware that the Canadian government is using this "money" wisely and for the good and well-being of Canadians! I also know that the taxes that I have been paying here (and the taxes paid by ALL Canadians by the way) are also used to fund the police here in Canada (and not in France), and from what I saw since I have arrived, a vast majority of the Canadian police are respectful towards immigrants (or Newcomers as this is how Canada refers to its immigrants population, which by the way, sounds much better than in France to be honest). Not only the Canadian police "words better" and is more inclusive and more respectful, but almost never uses tactics (like in the video in France)! Sorry to be frank but I am usually happy that I have left France and am quite relieved that I am paying my taxes here in canada, not there.

Although the Malagasy in France are well perceived, and although the French tend to like Malagasy people in general (there were some incomprehensions in our relationships with France for sure, BUT unlike many minority groups, the relationship that exists between the French and the Malagasy have never been tensed or subject to police brutality or violence of any sorts. Unlike many demonstrations undertaken by minority groups in French cities, the demonstrations made by the Malagasy people in Paris are particularly perceived as being Low risk, and because of that, it is indeed very easy for Malagasy immigrants who live in France to obtain authorization from the “Prefecture de Police” in Paris or any other French cities, as compared to North Africans for example. 

…

Now, in Canada or even in Australia where I have spent many years, when an assault happens in a convenience store let’s say (it happened a few times on the news in Sydney, but definitely not as often as it does in France), the Australians never made any assumptions as to the fact that this alleged criminal could be a “foreigner” or anyone born overseas. Why? Simply because it is not wise to do so and because as long as it remains under investigation by the AFP, any possibilities can occur. Now, why don’t some French act the way Australians do? Because in Asutralia, they do not have issues with “non-integrated immigrants” packed in some ghettos or some “cites” as it is the case in Marseille; besides, it is quite rare to see on Australian News events that are related to aggressions or assaults (like it is the case in France or Belgium) and more importantly, in Australia, it is extremely rare to see “assaults” that are systematically done by Minority groups. When I was studying there for my Masters degree, I remembered that many of those aggressions were also done by some white Australians and even if it is done by minority groups, the effect it has on the Australian society differs from the effect it would have in France, simply because in Australia, people have been sued to separate the concept of insecurity with the concept of immigration. (Many) Australians too, despite having lived in a country which has applied the “white Australia Policy”, have moved definitely from this “racist” policy which ended right before 1970 to embrace an identity built on multiculturalism. 

This is probably why countries like Canada and Australia tend not to have the same level of prejudices than many places in Europe, as in Canada, Australia or New Zealand, the view of immigration is entirely different than it is in France for example. In Canada, Australia or New Zealand, an immigrant is perceived a a foreign-born person (yes in France and Belgium, too) who works in Canada, Australia or New Zealand and who pay taxes to the government of those aforementioned countries (it is not really how French do perceive immigrants in France or Belgium), and who are law-abiding and willing to adhere to Australian/ NZ or Canadian values at their own will as in those countries, the notion of identity is not based on One ethnic group as it is the case in Europe, but more on multiculturalism and tolerance of others. This Canadian or Australian concept  of immigration is - in my own view - more prone to a quieter and less tense relationship between the different members of the community and much less likely to create tensions and felling of “not belonging”. IN France, the French “identity national” tends to be more aggressive and more centred around this idea of “one ethnic group” or “us the French or us the Belgians versus all of you” and may be more prone to create divisions as well as feelings for many of not “doing enough” or not “being able to belong” for reasons that are sometimes linked to physical appearance! 

This is probably why A country like Canada has been so successful at keeping the relationship between Canadians and foreign-born newcomers at a position that stands out from the rest of the Western world, namely Europe! This is why Canada can be proud to have some Ministers who are part of the visible minority group and for that aspect, Canada can be proud of itself by showing to the world that living together despite huge differences is definitely possible! Living together without having to fight each other is in the realm of all possibilities.

Did I regret not to have stayed in Europe or did I regret not to have married Emilie, Mathilde or Barbara, those French girls I have met in France and some in Australia? Until now, I would say, I have not regretted my decision to have immigrated to Canada! But time will tell….

 

 

 

 

ONE OF EUROPE’S PROBLEM IS THE “NIGHT CLUB” PROBLEM

 

Other forms of negative experiences that many foreign born or some of my non-European friends told me (particularly those who have gown up in Europe) told me was the issue they encountered when entering night clubs. Although we are going to address the issue in France mainly, those types of events happens in many countries in Europe, including Belgium, Denmark, Austria and even Germany! 

 

It is probably of reflection of how poorly immigration and integration have been poorly managed in many European countries for so many decades, but I have heard personally some firsthand stories from classmates who have experiences “favouritism” at night clubs in France. I will discuss those stories below and more importantly, I will provide some useful Advices which aim to help you AVOID VIOLENCE< altercations and physical contacts. Remember that if you break the law, some people will be happy to use that against you so, my Madagascar advice would be to tell you, do like in Madagascar! Never get physical and use as much as possible the legal pathways.

 Probably, when hearing those stories from former classmates, I can say to myself that I was really lucky to have grown up in a country like Madagascar (and not in Europe or anywhere else where those “strange” events can take place) as down there, we do not have such issues (but yes we do have other issues though) from what I can remember - though I have to say that  I was not a big fan of night clubs in Madagascar either. The other thing I think I am very luck about is that instead of going out late at night and queue at night clubs, I have always preferred to spend time over the phone talking (or flirting if you prefer) with those French girls I have befriended with, namely Barbara, but also Emilie.

When I happen a few times to visit those places, that would always be with some of my French friends and in those cases, I did not realize it then when I was in France, but they find it much harder to say “no” to you. That being said, I have had a friend of mine, who was born in Algeria, and who was in France for his studies, just like me. One night, he told me, he came  with a friend of his (also from Algeria and he was attending a medical school in Lyon to become a surgeon) and they presented themselves at a door of a night club in Lyon. The bouncer was a black guy and refused them entry, by using the very casual phrase “The place is booked for the guests only” . Actually, in France, I would hear later that they recruit those guys from Africa and would give them a job which would consist of standing at the door and sorting customers using “criteria” that are very subjective; by putting a non-white person there too, it becomes harder for any persons refused entry to claim that this was a “racist act”. Now, my friend Redouane just confirmed if an invitation card was needed, to which the black bouncer responded “a card, yes….”; after a few minutes, a bunch of white French guys presented themselves and the black guy let them in without zeal and this was the trigger that made Redouane angry and he started to address more aggressively to the bouncer as why those guys were let in. The bouncer kept insisting on the fact they were guests and this is where my friend go angry (because now it is obvious that this could be related to a “physical appearance” issue) and threw his drink next to the black bouncer. If his friend (the one studying to become a surgeon) wasn’t quick enough to stop him, this event could have gone very far and ended up in a very possible arrest. His friend has drawn him away and convinced him to stop while  they were moving backwards (while apologizing to the bouncer in order to keep him calm and not run after them) quickly to leave the place and avoid physical confrontation at all costs. Today, the friend who saved him from confrontation has finished his studies and works as a surgeon in a hospital in Geneva, Switzerland (he apparently made the choice to leave France behind) whereas Redouane works in France as an engineer for a company which supplies equipments to Airbus. 

If they were arrested that night, I would be tempted to guess that their path would have been very different from becoming surgeon in Switzerland and an engineer for a company linked to the biggest airplane constructor in Europe!

…

I remember Redouane telling us (me and some of the French friend in class, including the Quebecer and Arno, the French guy whose grandfather was from Germany)  the story the following morning it has happened and still very emotional, Redouane told us that he had never been that close to be arrested or thrown to jail! Most of us advised him to stay away from this night club and to never go back under any pretext in order to avoid problems, which would for sure, affect his whole future. He seemed quite convinced by the arguments that we used and promised to never roam back around this night club. 

When most of our friends left away and when there were just the two of us, I asked him why he chose to make it “physical” and why not having just used words. He just responded that he clearly saw a “blatant” and evident form of favouritism happening that night, that led him to get angry.

I thought for a while and told him that me, him as well as his friend should have a drink at a cafe the following Saturday, as I would like to meet this friend of yours that “saved” your future, I said to him. While laughing at my Malagasy humour, he agreed and we met at a Cafe near Place Bellecour in Lyon that day (as none of them drink alcohol, for religious reasons obviously). We started to introduce ourselves and asking each other field of studies; Mohammed (the famous friend of Redouane who stopped him that night), told me about his studies and how he would like to become a heart surgeon one day and also let me know about how is it to study to become a surgeon; he also told me about that night when they almost got into trouble and I remember thinking before answering as I was to advise them on very delicate issues.

I started by saying  and this is also may devices to my readers and particularly to those who - unlike me - enjoy going to night clubs namely in places where there are clear discrimination at entrance: 

• IN cases like this, Never get it physical
• Try to be polite and if you are refused entry, ask why. 
• Now if you are being answered “this is for the guests”, ask them “really do I need t card of invitation then or”…make it humorous and funny, so that it will make things more complicated for them.
• Now that Smartphone exist, activate it and record the conversation in video Or audio (of you do not feel at ease), so that if things get “smelly”, you will have some evidences on you that you can use.

 

But were the things that I said to Redouane that day?

Well, not really, I never told him to bring s smartphone, simply because back then they did not exist. But years later I have advised a few (African) friends to bring a recorder in case, and one of them actually got pushed and used the tape to press charges against the club in Paris. 

In regards to Redouena, This was what I said: 

Never get it physical and when you present yourself to those clubs, just ask if you can come in; if you cannot, ask why. One night, he did present at another club and was refused (as per our expectations of all), he politely asked why and same answers as before (you need a booking) and now, his friend (the one who has become a surgeon in Switzerland now) would pretend to call him 

His friend: -Ehhh Redouane, it’s okay if they do not let you in man”, to which Redouane would pretend to answer “

Redouane: - but this is unacceptable! do you see what he (another black bouncer) is doing?”; 

His friend (while speaking loudly on purpose so that everyone including the French customers can hear well and clear): Redouane, mon ami, you are just being refused entry to a damn club maaann! It is not as if you are refused into entering the United States!!! 

And the friend would start shouting at others saying : yes, this guy see….he is about to go to the US to study in six months and he makes a whole of issue with this small night club guys!!!! 

The friend (keeps saying) Allez Redouane, get out of there and let’s go away, there is no point trying to get there!!! 

Redouane: But ….

His friend: This is just a damn club mate, come oooooh!

 

Well, they did this kind of scenario many times and to be honest with you, I was the one who came up with the idea! By saying this outlaid, they made the bouncer unable to speak or act in any ways…instead, his focus would go onto the discussion (as if they were having a short argument, but in fact, not at all!). In regards to the French customers who surely will be admitted inside without issues, they would have listened to this Arab guy who would not end up in the French “Cites” but instead, who would fly to the United States to graduate. 

Now how did I come up with this idea? A few years ago, when I was still in Madagascar, a friend of mine got refused entry at a Club (not because of racism but because the owner of the place - a foreigner (well, one of those foreigners who come to a country and who would not do any efforts to integrate or respect the host country) tried to seduce his girlfriend and my friend let him know to get lost if I may say it that way; The foreigner did not like such daring reaction from him and one night, as he came there to come into the club and the bouncer told him to “get off” and instead of going away, he started to start a teasing in front of the night club and he started to say that he was glad to save money for his studies in the United States while popping out his passport as well as his US visa for the purpose; an act that has apparently made the people around totally pissed as this was something they did not want to hear (the French community in Madagascar (not the French in France who have a different mindset) usually dislike when ambitious Malagasy dare to choose places like the US, Australia or Canada to study or live). I was not there that day but when I heard this tory from him a two of our friends, I laughed and found it actually quite original as he was smart enough to avoid physical confrontation and to be honest, this example of his (although it happened in Madagascar and it was not prompted by racism but more by personal issues he had with the owner), is actually helpful for people like my classmate Redouane or anyone who might suffer from discrimination in any country!

 

ABOUT NIGHT CLUBS IN THE United States 

 

It might be strange for me to say this but when I was studying in the United States, I happened to come into night clubs 2 or 3 times (only)

But never once, the bouncers in the United States never caused us, particularly my North African friends (This guy was a real Moroccan and trust me, you could see that from very far) and African friends (from Burundi, Gabon, Senegal) any issues. It has really astonished me for the 2 reasons:

1. The United States is known to have practised racial segregation and slavery in the past, but somehow, I found a pretty much open-minded society there as compared to countries like Belgium of France
2. Just 2 years ago (2001), there was the 9/11 attacks in New York and even with that happening, this Moroccan friend of mine never had issues coming into night clubs in the United States!! Now for those of you who say things like America is so racist, just beware because it might be a bit exaggerated and believe or not, being a Malagasy, I did not see that much of any racism there except may be some very isolated cases.

 

AN IDEA FROM MADAGASCAR BUT APPLICABLE ANYWHERE - IDEAS TO COMBAT RACISM ANYWHERE

 

Another thing that can be done as well and I am saying this because it is definitely Non-violent and entirely legal (so that you will not break the law and therefore, you will not have any problems in your life; avoiding problems and try to stick to the law as much as possible (unless your life is directly threatened, then you have to use legitimate defense, otherwise, stay put always!) has always been my motto in life and this is probably why I made it that far. Instead of making a small sketch (an idea that I got from Madagascar obviously and which I shared to people who grew up overseas and which can be sued to for any “strange” cases anywhere in Europe or North America, Oceania or even Asia) like Redoune and the prospective surgeon student did, you can slo have someone of authority to observe the discussions, and once you are being refused entry, ask this person to intervene and inform the bouncers that they are crossing the lines and that the person of authority (it can be a lawyer) has acknowledges of the actions that have been happening. This is entirely legal as I said eearlier.

 

Another thing that could also serve your interest in case of “blatant racism” like this, is to get in touch with an organism called SOS RACISME, if you are in France. I am sure that such similar entity does exist in Germany or Belgium or even the UK, but for France, I know for sure that if something “strange” happens to you, it is definitely possible to get in touch with them and tell them everything that has happened. Although I have ever contacted them, I have heard (from my girlfriend Emilie, this French girl from the department of Loiret but also from other girls that I have met in France) that this association is very efficient at assisting with matters related to racism (They can send their staff to visit the night club and even direct to to look for legal means if there is enough evidence supporting your claims, like for example, you were pushed physically by a bouncer and a friend of yours has filmed the scene from 30 or 40 meters away; this can constitute an evidence and even if it might not be considered as a racially motivated action because the bouncer is “black” or even “North African”, it can still fall under physical assault charges). I remembered that after my attempt to convince my parents to contact a lawyer in relation to this “racial” incident that happened to mid ad on this Air France flight in the mid-90s, I proposed my parents that instead, I could get in touch with SOS Racisme in Lyon, but they refused to go ahead. Now, my parents were not comfortable with the idea but I suggest you do not act like they did if something similar was happening to you or your family. This is by leaving things Unpunished that perpetrators feel comfortable at perpetuating ‘racist” attitudes. Just be aware of that fact and never forget to stay within the LEGAL boundaries no matter what happens because if you do not, some people will just use that “default” to fight against you and try to incriminate you in any way. Never let this happening to you and in case something “smells bad”, just talk to a lawyer OR if you are in France, contact SOS Racism or a similar entity if you are in other parts of the world. I know for su

  

Another method is even better than a lawyer, and again is entirely legal. If you are being refused or let’s say if you are victim of a “racist act” , like my Mom who went shopping once into this shop at Place Bellecour in 1998 and the French owners told her not to touch the clothes (for me, now that I am seeing from afar, this was racism, and if you remember, I came back to this shop years later - just before I went to the United States - and snubbed those two individuals by speaking English and telling them : You should smile more, it will make you look younger” and I left - still smiling at them with this very Anglo-Saxon British smile - without messing around at all! You can actually right racism with simple too, I have noticed that), I strongly suggest to give a short and very polite answer (in a deliberate English if you want if you are in France) or just leave and go home (BUTE BEFOREHAND, TAKE DOWN THE NAME OF THE SHOP), then have some nice tea or some Rum from Madagascar infused with vanilla beans, or some nice coffee, then have a seat, start your computer and log onto google. Look for the company onto google and rate them (it is up to you how you want to rate) and leave some reviews. You an do it for nigh clubs and you can slo do it for a shop but please do it only if the person has displayed very rude and racist behaviours towards you. Do not do this for fun! Them tell everything as it exactly happened and post the review. 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW IS IT TO LIVE IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES?

 

I would say that for me, it has been a real chance. It has given me a different perspective of life and has allowed me to see things, ideas as well as concepts in different angles. I cannot imagine myself living constantly in my home country, not because it has drawbacks, but because I have caught this fever of Travel. Constantly, I need to move, I need change and every few years or so, I need this moving from one place to another.

The great majority of people - not just in Africa but anywhere on the planet - stay at home. In Africa and some Asian countries, it is because of the fact that many cannot afford (financially) to go overseas and in those places like it is in Madagascar Island too, money is usually a barrier hard to overcome, but in more advanced places, the reasons are very different. Many people choose to stay “home” because they have all the comfort that they need; but some also decide to do so because of fear, or because off pre-conceived ideas about some external environments sometimes; some also stay because of money and priorities at home. Also, for those I knew who would travel elsewhere, they would travel within their zone of comfort and would rarely stand away from it: For example, when I was studying in France, it was very usual for many French to take a vacation in Tahiti, Reunion island or Morocco or to neighbouring Southern European countries like Spain or Portugal. When I was in Australia, many times on the street of Sydney, I have spotted people coming from other English-speaking countries too. And even if those people do travel, they usually do so for very short stays such as a few weeks vacation or a university exchange which lasts one or at the most, 2 semesters only. Malagasy people - and to some extent continental Africans too - usually spend much more time overseas and when they do travel, they or we usually dare to go outside their comfort zone.

 

For me travelling and seeing the world is considered to be a real luck as not only, you will have the chance to meet different people but above all, you will learn to get to know yourself as an individual. Why? Simply because when you are away from your own country, away from your own people, away from you own race if I can call the Merina of Madagascar a race within itself, you will soon have to face new challenges and learn to adapt, learn to find your inner self, learn to find who you are within you. You will also learn to conciliate your true identity and analyze what things or aspects of a specific country or culture you should choose to take with you and which things you should definitely leave aside as they may disrupt the “who I really am”.

 

While being in France, there has been things I have taken with me, as part of my identity. I for example introduced some typical French recipes to my family back in Madaagscar, I started to learn and enjoy French songs very much, like Lara Fabian, Celine Dion (well, she is Canadian but she sings very well in French too), Laurent Voulzy (who is a Singer from Reunion island), Gilbert Montagnier, Serge Lama, Florent Pagny, Jacques Brel to cite a few. I have also taken a bit of the French mentality one of whom being the famous “il ne faut pas se casser la tete” (Take it so easy and do not care about anything as long as it not a terrible problem), the famous facial expression which also consist of inflating one’s cheek when not knowing a specific answer or when being embarrassed, just like the French do; However, as I dislike the way French people always complain about everything and anything, I deliberately chose not to adapt this “trait” into myself.

 

 

Another trait that I got from France was to thrown a pinch of salt above my shoulder. When I was in Madagascar, I never did such thing and down there, we do have other types of superstitions, but that one is not part of it. How did I get it? In fact, one year after I moved at this new apartment downtown (it was on the Avenue Gambetta), I met this French female friend, Barbara, (she was not my girlfriend but just a very close friend of mine) at ISEG (The school I was attending with the guy from Quebec, the French guy whose ancestors were from Germany and with whom I used to drink beer with. I attended this school before attending the American school) and although I used to invite a few girls in my apartment for a drink, most of them just stay a while to have a drink together (generally some French wines) or enjoy a sip of “rum arrange” (which is rum infused with some vanilla beans from Madagascar or sometimes infused with cinnamon sticks and/or vanilla). While drinking responsibly, most of the time, we would talk about what she would do (and what I was thinking to do as well) once this course is over; some of the French (and non French) female friends that used to spend a few hours of an afternoon would ask me questions about how is it to live in country like Madagascar, how is it different from living in a country like France for example and on my side, for the case of Barbara, I remembered asking her how is it to live in the deep countryside of France. She would tell about her past and about the farm she grew up in close to the city of Bordeaux, in western France, and how she had to adjust when moving to a bigger city like Lyon. I have asked her why she did not choose Bordeaux and she told me that it was because of her father got a better job in Lyon, which made him decide to move with his family here, she told me.

But that day, and it was the very rare times it happened, I remembered getting a phone call from her when she asked me if I cold “host” her for some time. I was a bit reluctant for the “hosting” part as having been used to be all by myself since I have left Madagascar, I could not really see how she could stay here at my place for a night or two. After proposing her to stay with a guy named Alexandre or may be Romain (they were common friends), and after given a call to Romain, the second one (I will never know why she never called Alexandre),  she told me that he might not be able to host. As I felt the emergency of her situation and as the night has fallen, I did not want her to spend the night outside alone. With a lot of reluctance, I decided to give it a go and told her that I would pick her up right at the subway station in 30 minutes.

Later that night, around 9:30 PM, I came to pick her up and she came with me home. As she hasn’t eaten (as the altercations happened right before dinner was to be served from what she told me), I offered her something to eat and prepared some hot chocolate for her. She was still very emotional and I just let her talk and talk and talk so that she gets rid of all of her frustrations and everything she needed to say.

That night, me and her were there talking until probably 1 in the morning, after which we had to go sleeping and share the only bed that was available (yes, the couch would be too small and the 2 other chairs were totally useless in that case), but this is in situations like these - whereby I unconsciously bought few furnitures as compared to someone who really plans to settle and stay in France - when I suddenly realize that I was just “passing by”in France and probably never intended to stay there in the long term. May be back then, I already knew I have always wanted to see and explore life in places like New Zealand or Australia, but I refused to admit it to myself.

That night, we spent it the one next to another and when time was to go to school, we both got ready and helped each other to prepare the breakfast. To me, at that time at least, this concept of sharing one’s intimacy was something I found hard to accept and actually, I would only get used to it once I will be coming to study in Australia years later.

But the thing is that me and her felt close to each other and if it wasn’t for this new guy she is dating at this moment (and who actually was the reason for her altercation with her father as the latter does to fancy the guy at all for some reasons), I would have probably gone further with her, and that could have been a good thing but it could have also meant foregoing the idea of pursuing my studies in the United States and later on, in Australia too. Probably, I would have ended up settling down in France and would haver forgotten for good the idea of coming to Canada! It would have re-drawn my life entirely in a very different way. Despite of her being in this challenging relationship, I felt that she felt something for me and I knew it from the way we talk to each other or tease each other  during pauses or the way she stares at me, particularly when there is no one to judge us around. Many times, we would sometimes see each other from far away and there is something in the smiles and eyes that convey this idea that something more than close friendship would have been possible, but as I said, it would have meant giving up on many things too.

Anyway, that day, we both went to school and during the day, I have overheard her calling over the phone (she told me later it was with her dad) but from the tone she used, it looked like for that day, she will not feel at ease to go back home. I remembered her repeating to him many times the sentence “T’inquietes pas, je suis en securite chez un ami” (don’t work, I am safe). Once the day over we decided not to walk out of the school at the same time as we did not want any misinterpretations coming from my friends or her friends who will start to wonder what was going on. She apparently wanted to share those problems with very few people only, and that is understandable.

 

She would stay four nights at my place as this was the necessary amount of time for her parents to start forgiving her or more exactly, forgetting their arguments. During the tine she stayed with me, we spent many moments talking about her problems; I would provide her with some advices even if at that time I had lesser life experience than I do now; that being said, having grown in a country with a strong cultural emphasis on the “compromise mindset”, I suggested her to make a few concessions and accept some of the things that her father was asking her. I have to say that it was far from being easy because usually, French people tend to have this mindset in which concessions were not to be Madde no matter what, and it was one of the things one which the Malagasy and the French are very different. I remembered telling this to her the second day, and her answer was “Il n’y a pas moyen!” (which means “never I will accept that”) but after talking to her over and over again, I somehow managed to make her changed her mind and this is how she started to talk again to her dad in a slightly different way.

During her stay, Barbara and I spent some very memorable moments together; somedays she will do the cooking, and some other days, I would. Some days, we would watch her preferred movies and some days, I would not watch my preferred movies with her but would propose her some Madagascar made movies or documentaries because I believe that even though I explained to her how does the country looks like, showing images is probably the most efficient way to show and make things easy to understand. We all the know the saying “a picture is worth 1,000 words”, do we?

This was with her that I discovered this typical French habit, which is to thrown some salt above one’s shoulder. While cooking, I remembered her doing that and as I was surprised, I asked her what she was doing? She looked at me and said “this is a way to push back bad things that some people may do to you….well, this is typically a French thing” she told me. I told her that could not believe that I would see and experience those things here in Europe as some similar things also do exist in Madagascar, and explained to her that in my country, some people use “goat oil” to protect themselves from “bad things” and protect their homes or families.

 

We had a very interesting time together during those 5 days she spent there and that moment was unique as it was the only time someone was staying that long within in private space. Later, it happened a few times that 2 other female friends would stay overnight but in France, these were probably the only moments when I had people staying in my apartment.

 

The separation was not as easy as I expected and I knew that we got tied emotionally as we were staying together. Later during the year, she would come back to visit me some afternoons or some weekends and it happened that I had cancelled some appointments with some other friends during some weekends she asked to see me. I tried to find excuses and it happened to me tell them (the other friends) that I was having a headache or that I have left to Geneva (in Switzerland) for a weekend. The latter was a good excuse usually as I happen to travel to Switzerland (it is an excellent excuse as it is just 2 hours by bus from Lyon) once every 3 or 4 months.

 

HOW IS IT TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN YOURS?

From my experience, living in a country other than your own country has somehow changed my perspective of life but also the way I sometimes perceive your own country. Having always spent time within my zone of comfort, there had been things I have taken for granted and I have to admit that undertaking this bold step of living overseas - in a far away country - that I started to really understand how lucky I was for example to have spent my infancy and my teenage years in a country like mine, as I sometimes feel that I have grown away from issues such as social exclusions for example. It is by staying in France that I also understood that what we take many things for granted in Madagascar. For example, driving a car and steeping into nature as I sued to do in Madaagscar and enjoying nature as it is would be a hard thing to do in country like France because everywhere you go pretty much, you are likely to encounter some forms of “development”. Likewise, eating organic vegetables and fruits was something I considered for granted in country like mine (like most fruits are indeed organic in Madagascar, at least so far) and it would take me a few years as well as a long stay outside Madagascar to realize how those “items”, which would be reserved for highly privileged individuals in most of the developed world - would be just easy to access to anyone in Madagascar. Same goes for seafood and beef meat. Staying for a long time in Europe has changed my perception on those produces, namely the beef meat as Beef in Madaagscar (actually called “Zebu”) is entirely grass fed and is hormone free!

 

But I have to confess you something. There are also “bad” about having the opportunity to live in many different places like I did.

 

Surely, I was very lucky to have experienced life in different corners of the world and in countries belonging to the Old continent as well as “New world” countries. But the thing is that when you keep moving, you live with this feeling that one day, you will be gone and everything you have invested yourself in would be also gone with you.

Another aspect of living in different places is that I always tend to make comparisons between he different aspects of the different countries, and it is something that is not done purposely, but instead, unconsciously. I, for example, recall or even miss some foods that I used to eat or find in Australia; I am thinking namely about the kangaroo meat which I used to eat at least once a week, if not 3 to 4 times a week; the reason being, although they had beef, chicken and pork, Kangoroo wold probably be the only meat that I will not find once I will be departing Australia for good. For Australia always, I also kind of miss their very user friendly electronic  banking system, and I have to say that when coming to that country to study, the ease of use of their internet banking really impressed me and although labelled as “isolated country”, Australia surely offers some innovative ways to make banking easier.

Beside this, when shopping at Woolworths or Coles in Sydney (they are grocery stores in Australia), I remembered seeing a lot of fish produces (vegetables and fruits), so fresh that they would almost match the produces I would find in Madagascar. It is very astonishing indeed to see that a country that is so isolated from the rest of the world manages to offer relatively fresh produces to The Australian consumers (and to those like me who stayed in Australia too); the only exception that I could mention were litchis which were very expensive and in bad shapes, but the rest of the fruits are just awesome. I cannot forget the fish mangos as well as the fish Australian avocados that were available at Woolworths when me and my spouse were shopping there; those fruits are just delicious and fresh and to be entirely honest with you, to me, they tasted better than the mangos and avocados that I have been eating in Madagascar Island! Now the produces freshness is one thing but what really surprised me when I arrived there was the diversity of cheeses that I found available to purchase. Usually, when one mention cheese, we all think of France! Well, France has some excellent cheeses and some produces you find nowhere else but in France itself, but let me tell you frankly as a foreigner that Australia has some very interesting selection of cheeses. Surely, many of you would tell me that Places like Quebec also has some good cheeses but Quebec - unless I am wrong this point - has been founded by French people and to me, it is no astonishment that they have some selection of cheeses; however, Australia is more perceived as being this “lost continent” in the Southern Hemisphere which was founded by the Britain…a country which is pinpointed by some as being “bad in cooking”. But I am not French and surely, I do not believe for one second that Britain or British people are bad at cooking. I have been impressed by  the talents of their cooks like Gordon Ramsey but as we talk about Australia, I was very surprised to see the huge variety of cheeses produced not only in the neighbouring state of Victoria, but in Tasmania (an island off the coast of Australia - which I mention in this article - which is an Australian state itself and a place famous for its dairy products and blue cheeses).

But what surprises me about Australia in general is its public transportation system, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. In Sydney, the transit system is really impressive and the rail network does cover the whole city and even beyond. I have hardly seen any cities that can match up with Sydney (The exception would probably be London and Paris only) in terms of rail development! In Sydney, the train can take you anywhere and when you live there, it is definitely possible to ever step into a bus for weeks or even months as the rail system can take you most anywhere. On top of that, Sydney also has a skytrain but it is limited to downtown, they also have a tram but it is not as expanded as in Melbourne and now, they have the subways too (just like then “metro” in Paris or the famous “U-Bahn” in German cities) and I never had the chance to take it as it was built years after I left Australia.

In Melbourne too, the tram can take you pretty much anywhere and it is a bit rare when you are required to take the bus.

Another aspect of having lived in another place than the one you originated from is the existence of a different perspective. Having grown in Madagascar, and being culturally Malagasy (and a bit of French), I tend to see and interpret the world through the “Malagasy window” or the Malagasy perspective. For me, being stuck in traffic jam for about 20 minutes is not a problem at all (You may think that Madagascar is a poor country therefore we have fewer cars but believe it or not, in Antananarivo, traffic jam is a real problem and it is because that we have few cars, it is because we have few roads), but for an Australian, a French or a Canadian driver, a 20 minute wait can be a source of impatience and frustration.

HOW IS IT TO GROW UP IN MADAGASCAR?

 

I am aware that many people are eager to know how is it to grow up in a country like Madaagscar. A more accurate question is probably to ask: how different is it to grow in Madagascar as compared to growing in a country like Canada or France for example? Another question that many may have in their mind would be: Is it that bad to grow up in a third world country located in Africa or does it have some goods as well as some bad aspects?

 

As you probably already know from what I wrote before, I spent all my infancy as well as my teenage years on the Island of Madagascar. Although I have travelled a few times in France in between, I have to say that those trips, even combined altogether, barely adds up to a total of 4 or 5 months, and still!

 

As an infant, I remembered we lived close to my primary school and it was feasible in a matter of 20 minutes walk. We did not even need to take the bus or go by car and I remembered that each day, I went up and down the stairs of of a place called Mahamasina (a neighborhood of Antananarivo, just like Parramatta is to Sydney or New Westminster is to vancouver); As I was still young, I was accompanied by either my Mom or a helper, or sometimes my dad when he had free time or when he finished work earlier than usual.

Just before reaching the Main Street (Once there, my primary school was 5 Minutes walk away), wet would pass close to this “boulangerie” called “Gerb’Or”. It was a famous place back then where they sold fresh breads as well as baguettes that tasted exactly the ones you would find in places like Paris! The only difference was that we did not have that there were less choices that were available, like we would not find those famous bread made with cereals for example at that time.

 

These times were good, and life in Antananarivo was quieter and safer than it is nowadays.

I remembered that my dad would leave the office around 5:30 and he would get home around 6 PM. Sometimes, in the evenings, I would come with him for a walk and we would go for about 40 min to 1 hour to wander around the stadium (of this place called Mahamasina) and on the way, we would buy some fresh baguettes to being them back home. We would walk at night and not even once, we did not have any issues with potential robbers or thieves. Back then, in the early 1980s, Madagascar was a very safe place to live and grow up for any kid.

 

On weekends, we would wander in downtown Antananarivo, which used to be way cleaner and safer than it is nowadays. Today, the city is facing an issues related to what we commonly refer to as “internal migration” meaning that people from the countryside are coming to the capital in the light they can find better jobs, but once they get there, many end up despaired and jobless, and many recourse to alternative ways (as they are too ashamed to go back to the countryside and work with the land) but some also end up growing the row of the already existing pickpockets, burglars and thieves. Nowadays, walking alone at night in Antananarivo is not recommended even for short distances. Unlike what many may think, gangs (at least as per the definition of gang in some dangerous places near London or in some ghettos in the US, or in some places in Mexico) are not an issue in Madagascar but instead, one may have to look around constantly as there are thieves, pickpockets who might be waiting you ind dark corners at night and pop out a knife to ask for some money or for your beautiful leather jacket, shoes or even pants (yes it happened to some people believe me) if the pants happen o be new and of a good brand!

That does not mean you shouldn’t go but as in every cities of every continent, you just need to take some precautions and avoid walking alone late at night.

But this problem of criminality does not only exist in Africa or in some Asian countries. It also exists in Europe and sometimes, in places you may least expect. You probably remember how my dad and I were robbed when being seated at a Cafe located inside the “Gare de Lyon” (The train station from where all the trains to southern of France departs from) and how we had to visit this poorly maintained French police station right after the stealing.

I also have not told you one misadventure I had one night while I was still studying tin Lyon. It happened one night, after I decided to have a dinner at a Chinese restaurant, located not far from the “quarter de la Guillotiere”, a zone which to some degree, represents a bit of risk but compared to the famous “La Duchere” (a suburb located north of Lyon which is known for issues related to violence, drugs and more), la Guillotiere is more of a joke and you just need to be careful when walking around. When I finished eating there, I left the restaurant and waled until I reach the subway station. Although I happen to walk past some people whom French would label as “potentially dangerous”, nothing happened until I reached the subway station at La Guillotiere. From there, The station “Place Bellecour” was only at one stop from there. For those of you who are not familiar with Lyon, Place Bellecour is the heart of Lyon is this is where you will find all the important shops, cafes, Cinemas. On top off this station was located the famous “Place Bellecour” where one can find the horse close to which or beneath each me and my Lyonnese friends usually meet for appointment.

But that night, as soon as the train stopped at Place Bellecour station, the station was busy and extremely crowded. It was probably round 8 or 8:30 PM and I climbed the escalator to reach the other quay as I intended to take another subway to Perrache train station (this is from where I took the bus number 55 to Ecully, where My hospitality school was located and where I sued to live back then). As I was awaiting for the train, I suddenly noticed one tall guy approaching me from the right and just 2 seconds later, another guy appeared on the left. The guy on the right started to ask for 2 Euros but I told him I did not have some. Suddenly, that same guy told me that he wanted me to gibe him the “bills” (By bills, he meant bank notes) while seeming to hold something under his jacket and warned that if I did not, the guy behind me (a third guy) would be willing to use force and violence. I realized that I was surrounded by three tall guys, at around 8:30, in a subway station filled with people who did nothing but stare and in a country that is classified as being ‘Highly developed”. I never expected that such thing could happen in a country that keeps pointing at the insecurity problems occurring in the United States (a country where I was never attacked, even once). I realized that There was no need for me to resist and thought quickly about the odds. If I fought them back, the guy who talked to me had surely something underneath his jacket and if it is a knife, I could be injured or even worse, and what he could do now could affect my whole life, so I just opened my wallet and gave him (not 100 Euros) but 100 French francs (about 20 euros), after which, he said to me “thank you brother” and as he saw the 20 francs standing next to it, he just said “oh and this one I would take it too”. I did not oppose any resistance as I knew, it would be smarter to do so and resisting would just result in me being injured or having some long-term injury that could affect many of my future projects, and that included going to the United States and Australia one day! It would be so stupid and dumb to fight for 100 francs and lose your health and well-being, beside the 100 and more people (most of whom were French) who were there that night were utterly useless and let me tell you this: I do not expect them to intervene physically or fight those three guys because that would mean also putting their lives in danger, but the least they could have done was to get out discreetly and call the French police or call the security working at the station. If I were in Canada, I am sure that things would have been different and I am going to tell you why. About a year after I came to Canada, on a busy street in Vancouver, I was walking with my very young Son. We were near Brentwood, on Gilmore street, not far from the skytrain station at Gilmore. About 250 meters in front of us, there was a guy in his 30s who was walking, and I could see he was having some health issues (probably some high blood pressure, but cannot tell), and he began to walk in a very strange way and suddenly fell onto the sidewalk. Around us, there was almost no one and I was still too far to bring him any assistance and on top of this, my son did not want to follow me as he wanted to cross the street instead. I had to make a choice and decided tom keep him safe as I wanted to avoid another accident (like a car hitting him or him crossing the road while I would be away). Barely 20 seconds after this guy fell on the sidewalk, two random cars took the decision to park on the right along Gilmore street and both of the drivers came out to come to help! That attitude could not have been seen in country like France! I remembered in 2003, just a few months before I departed to the United States, my father slipped on a sidewalk in Lyon and everybody just looked and did not even bother to ask (as Americans or Canadians do) “are you okay?”. I of course helped him as I was there and kind of scolded the (French) people around by telling them : Is this the way you do here in France, frankly, I am glad I am leaving to the United States soon! And I nodded my head. I know they were pissed at me, but I did not give a damn thing!

Now look at how the Canadians do! Frankly, I do not even regret to have immigrated here and seeing how things usually happens in France (there are exceptions though, this is why I use “usually”) and what happens in Canada, I would say that there is no comparison!

I still remember today how this poor guy who fell on Gilmore received help from total strangers! From afar, I saw the two Canadian guys (the 2 random strangers) asking him if he was okay and seemed to offer him some advices and one even borrowed him his phone so that he can call someone for assistance. One of the guy eventually left as he started to be fine but the second stayed longer and I will not know till when exactly as My son was dragging me into the skytrain station.

So, yes, I have to admit, I have had exceptional experiences and friendship with French girls, I have had excellent meals in France and have spent memorable moments with French friends; I have also sympathized with many of them and yes, French people are really nice once they know you or providing that they do know you and befriended you (French are actually nice people when you befriend them and that I can assert), but if you happen to be just a random person, I would say, you would be better off in places like Canada or the United States because in Canada, if something happens to you, there is a much greater chance then in Europe that Canadians (or the Americans too) would bring you assistance.

 

Now back to Madagascar, our life was pretty much a simple life. Back then, my dad was just starting his career and although we were not rich, we would not feel deprived of the basics. That being said, I remembered that there were things we could not afford (like going on vacation to Paris every year, so instead we went there every 3 or 4 years), and that sometimes include buying systematically some “imported” snacks who were made in France. Many times when shopping with my parents, I remembered eying at the “imported biscuits” but they told me that for this time or that time, they could only afford “local made biscuits or snacks”. You probably would say “poor little boy” and I would probably be tempted to say that as well, but in a sense, this lack of means to which we were confronted back then, was probably the very reason why I did not needed up “Spoiled” and to some extent, it may explain why when being confronted to difficult situations in life, I tend not to overreact but instead, know how to adapt to more difficult situations (than most people or than people who were used to grow up into a “perfect environment” or comfort. I remembered once in Australia, there was a power outage which was caused by a mistake made by an electrician when checking on our “shared accommodation” (this was at a time when I was sharing my space with roommates). The mistake caused the power to cut off on a Friday night (during a storm) and there was no one to call help to. For two nights, the lights were off (but fortunately, the fridges and other appliances were not affected). Where I grew up in Madagascar, power cuts were very common, particularly starting from 2009-2010 onwards and even before that date. When this incident happened, we were plunged into darkness for 2 nights and I remembered this roommate from Canada who has spent his second night in the dark, starting to burst out and ended up breaking all the bulbs in his room and yelling like hell all alone in the dark! He could no longer take it. However, for me, this power cut just looked like any power cuts that I have seen in Madagascar before and being used with some cuts lasting between 5 to 12 hours, a 2 day power cut did not make that much difference to me.

Growing up in a country like Madagascar was pretty much like growing up in any country, but with some differences.

Like anywhere else, I would go to school every day, 5 times a week, and as any primary schools in any countries, the program follows a curriculum based on numeracy skills, language (the teaching is done in French but socializing with peers is in Malagasy and generally, in Madagscar, it tends to be that way).

The school in general has pretty much everything one may need. It has a blackboard, the walls are neat and clean (do not start to think that because it is in an African country, therefore everyone is barefoot and the walls are dirty and red like they tend to show in some medias), the class had one teacher and about 25 students, or less sometimes. Outside, during recess, we would all gather outside around this big garden with grass to talk, play or run after each other, while eating our snack which consisted of either a piece of sandwich (with ham or sometimes chocolate inside), a banana bread or some savoury snacks that we find locally.

 

At noon, I usually would go back home having such and would come back in the afternoon. The school would finish around 3 or 3:30 PM.

 

One the school is over, I would go back home with my Mom and sometimes, we would buy a baguette from this store (Gerb’Or) in Mahamasina or head directly home. Once there, I would eat a snack, generally a sweet treat and a warm beverage (generally a warm glass of milk). Because we had quite a big garden outside our home, I would then play outside with a dog that my grandfather has bought a few years before, and I would spend most of my afternoons playing with him.

I keep remembering those times when Madagascar was still a very safe place to grow up. Back then, you did not need to worry about criminality issues, pickpockets or even burglars who would come to break your home at night. It was indeed a very pleasant place to be and back then, it sometimes happened that my Dad went back from his office late at night (around 8:30 or 9 PM) and he just reached home safely! Nowadays, doing what he did would be just a crazy idea in a town like Antananarivo.

 

Now how was our secondary school?

Our school system is in fact very similar to the one we would find in France. At the age of 3 or 4, a kid would go to the “Garden dependants” (kindergarten) and then, would start year 12, then year 11, then 10 and so on and so on. In places like Canada, you would go from grade 1, 2, 3. In Madagascar, the secondary starts at year 6 or “Classe de 6eme” and ends up at what they call “Classe terminale”, at the end of which you are supposed to take your “Baccalaureat” (beware, it has nothing to do with “bachelor’s degree”) or High school diploma, or the HSC (for Australia).

 

So during my secondary school, I was still in Madagascar and had some ideas that I would be probably studying overseas (as most of the Malagasy students do once they pass their High school degree) but had no idea on earth that one day, I would end up pursuing my studies in English-speaking countries, like the United States or Australia.

 

In the secondary school, you are being taught most of the subjects you would see in places like France, and that includes topics such as algebra, geometry, biology, geography and history (of France mainly), French language, chemistry to cite a few.

Although those are subjects that would become the foundations of our knowledge later and would constitute the building blocks for the young Malagasy (many of whom end up studying in various fields in places like Europe or even Canada later), one of the aspect on which I would emit some criticism is the lack of orientation towards Malagasy culture, geography as well as history.

The school I have been to is a Malagasy school which follows a French type curriculum (so it is not like in this French based and managed school called Lycee Francais whose programs are directly dictated by Paris). To my own view, even thought the teaching language is French, some Malagasy programs should be included. Why? Because we are in Madagascar, not in reunion island or Toulouse, or Paris, or Bordeaux! Many Malagasy (particularly those who were educated under this very French framework as they grew up) would not find that aspect to be an issue, but I have to be entirely honest, I do find that aspect to be problematic because it does not give enough emphasis to the country’s local culture, local history and local geography. Although the education I have received can be defined as “of good standard”, I have to say that this “absence of local” orientation was the aspect that as lacking. Also, let me be entirely honest with you. I did not find this aspect to be problematic back then, but these are the trips and long stays that I have undertaken in Europe as well as in Australia (namely when I started to discover the past of Australia regarding the history the “lost generation” of Aboriginal children who were constrained to be stripped of their own identity) that really started to make me realize that the notion of “self” is something that should be taken lightly.  In France, I met an interesting number of Malagasy and some were not keen to teach their kids their own language pretexting that they are in France therefore French must be used. But to those Malagasy who use this argument to defend their point, I want to ask them the following questions: how about the “karana” community who have been living in Madagascar for 4 or 5 generations and who despite of being cut off from their motherland “Gujarat” close to the border with Pakistan, still speaks the Gujarat dialect perfectly? How about those people and how dod they manage to preserve their language and their Indian culture after 5 generations, and on the other hand, some of us (Malagasy) just decide to “throw away” who we are after having spent 2 or 3 years in Paris or Lyon, or Marseille or Montpellier? I am so sorry but I entirely disagree with some of those Malagasy because I think that one’s identity needs to be preserved and maintained and surely, emigrating to Europe or elsewhere should not be used as an excuse to throw our identity into the bin. I have lived in Australia for many years and have seen firsthand the consequences of what “forced integration” has had on the Aboriginals. Now, my country Madagascar has some dark history (namely the slave trade which brought many Madagascar slaves into Mauritus, reunion island or places like Virginia or North Carolina in the US and the bloody military conquests made by the Merina (yes, I am Merina myself and I really am shamed of what we have done) in the north of Madagascar and into the Betsileo country in the south in the 18th century); unlike a country like the US or Germany or even Australia, we have just decided to ignore it and do as if nothing happened.

 

…

There are some people (not all fortunately) in Madagascar who once they immigrate to France - they refuse to teach Malagasy to their children. Some however try their best but the schooling system in France tends to be very “efficient” at making the foreign kids “forget” their identity, and one can see quickly the difference with a country like Canada. In a country like Canada or Australia, once school is over, foreign-born kids tend to revert back to their native tongue when talking with their parents, whereas in France, the French language will be used even after school. As parodical as it may sound, although we have some success story of integration in France, the Canadian way of allowing foreign-born kids to express themselves in their native tongue seems to be more successful in building a society in which the question of “foreign identity” is not perceived as an obstacle to a successful integration into the Canadian society; besides, being “foreign” and speaking a foreign Language in Canada is not as “taboo” as it seems in some parts of Europe.

…

 

So what would a normal family eat in a country like Madagascar? Many would assume that Malagasy people do not eat pork or eat spicy foods like in places like India or Sri Lana for example. 

If you read my article from the beginning, you probably already know that Malagasy people eat pork (with the exception of the Northwestern in places like Majunga, Diego-suarez and Southeastern parts of Madaagscar, where people are generally Muslims), and to be even more precise, pork is considered a “luxury” meat in Madaagscar nowadays because it is among the most expensive meat and is generally eaten during ceremonies like weddings or baptism.

As a kid, at home, we would usually eat Malagasy dishes and about 2 to 3 times a week (assuming we have 14 meals per week not comprising breakfast), we eat dishes such as pastas, lasagnas or any French recipes. As the purpose for me to write this article is for you to find more personalized information that you will not find on google, I have deiced to write a few examples of the Malagasy dishes that I used to eat as a kid. So usually, about 10 times (out of 14), we would eat rice (main staple in Madaagscar) and we would accompany it with for example dishes like “lelan’omby sauce” or beef tongue cooked in tomato and ginger sauce or pork belly and meat simmering with cabbages (I remember that my Mum used to cook this dish using the fat part of the pork belly as used as well the bones as it increases the flavour), or also pork cooked with prawns (obviously add the prawns to the end otherwise they will overcook), the famous “ravitoto”, which is a dish made of fat parts of pork cooked with stacked cassava leaves (this dish is usually eaten with the famous “tomato rougaille” and if you want, some salad on the side); I also remembered eating a lot of “hen’omby Rita”, which is braised beef, cooked for an hour or more and served “dry” with some flavours of ginger and garlic. (Again, served with rougaille). During colder seasons (As strange as it ay seem to you, during austral winters, temperatures in Madagascar highlands can drop as low as 8-9 degrees at night, sometimes even lower), many families in Madaagscar cook the dish called “rohon’anana”, which is a broth that combines beef meet with some greens leaf vegetables (they were brought from Asia by the very first Austronesians who migrated to Madagascar 1,500 years ago) and sometimes, it is not forbidden to add the famous Bombarra peas (which were brought from mainland Africa by Africans who either arrived or were brought (by force or not) by the ancestors of the people that call themselves today “Cotiers”, who are Malagasy of African originated who live along the coastal areas of Madagascar.

Another dish that is common is the famous pork cooked with bombarra peas, eaten with rougaille again and accompanied by some salad or veggies if you wish.

THE TYPE OF FOODS WE EAT IN MADAGASCAR

Before continuing, let me introduce you with the dishes we eat in Madagascar.

These are the types of foods that you will find when visiting Madagascar! Again, those are images from third parties, not mine (unlike the images from Canada or Australia, which I have taken myself)

Here is a typical southern Madagascar (typical near places like Taolagnaro, in southern Madagascar) are lobsters with the typical "red rice" from Madagascar!!!

This is Pork legs with bambara beans, a very famous dish in Madagascar, particularly in the Merina region where I come from (the bambara beans are originally from Africa and are found in a few Merina dishes even though the latter are mainly influenced by Austronesians or Indonesian cultures)

This is braised beef

the famous "cuisses de nymphe" or frog legs; This dish is neither African nor it is Indonesian or Javanese ; the Malagasy eat it because of the French influence and it is actually found and eaten in France too, inlcuding in some famous restaurants in Paris)

This is a dish of giant prawns with rice (also called "gambas")

The famous lobsters (knwon as "langustes" in France and Madagascar island 

This is the tail of a cow and it is also simmered for hours to make it tender; it can be cooked with beans or leafy vegetables (heritage of the Indonesian culture about 1,500 years ago). Here it is cooked with bombarra beans (bean originally from the African mainland) but the recipe originally comes from today's Borneo or Java

This is Beef tongue (here served with "red rice", which is an organically grown rice rich in iron), is simmered for many hours to make it tender; I used to love this dish when I was there and I miss it now!

A typical Malagasy dish made of Rice, fish (or meat) with the famous “tomato rougailles” and green leaves cooked in salty water and put aside.

 

During the afternoons or during weekends, when school were closed or also during vacations, I would sometimes stay at home and watch television. You would say “well, we also do that in Europe”, but the difference was that in Madagascar, there was just one and only one single TV channel allowed, and that was of course the famous “Television nationale”. That meant, if we were tired of watching that channel, we just did not have any other choices except turning off the TV as back then, a video recorder was far from being common and a parabolic antenna (those antenna which allows you to receive signals from satellites) were just forbidden and if you were caught owning one of them, you could be prosecuted, arrested or even jailed, and from memory, owning a parabolic antenna was forbidden till the middle of the 1990s; nowadays though, things have changed drastically and everywhere you drive in Madagascar, you will see parabolic antennas pretty much everywhere!

So what did we watch back then when we were young? As a kid growing up there, I remember watching cartoons every afternoon and on weekends, they would usually broadcast a famous cartoon which was quite famous in France back then and which was titled “Bouba, mon petit ourson” (meaning, Bouba, my little bear). I used to watch that cartoon in the living room every weekend with may parents. Once the cartoon over, they would usually broadcast a documentary and at 7:30 sharp every day, the “Television nasionaly” would send the News in Malagasy language. The news will be presented by a TV presenter who I guess was a state employee and who was there to tell the things the way the government wanted them to. It would be focused on the different realizations, on events like the arrival of a minister from overseas or it would show the president depending from the airplane and waving at the population, most of whom will be so joyful to see him and his wife! It could also display the presidential couple visiting Malagasy living in the countryside or eventually, it would be showing a talk made by the President who will be addressing the population.

 

DISHES THAT I USE TO EAT IN MADAGASCAR BUT WHICH ARE ORIGINALLY FROM FRANCE!

And these are the foods I used to eat while living in Madagascar. Unlike the ones above (which are typical Malagasy and Merina food), the ones below are actually FRENCH! 

This one is the famous FOE GRAS DE CANARD, which is "FAT Duck liver" 

 

 

 This is called "FROMAGE DE TETE" and it is mainly made of pork head! It has a consistency of gelatine whole tasting a bit like ham!

 

This is what they call "TERRINE DEVOLAILLE" which my mum used to make when I was a kid (and a teenager) and she used to prepare this dish which was seasoned with FRENCH Cognac!!!This dish is cooked in oven using the famous "Bain Marie" method 

and this is the very famous "ESCARGOTS" (Snails) which many Anglo-Saxons are not used to but happens to be a very famous dish in France as well as in Madagascar Island! 

THE famous COQ AU VIN (Rooster cooked in wine and "flame" with some rum!!!!); another dish (from Eastern France )that I used to eat when growing up in Madagascar!

LANDSCAPES OF THE HIGHLANDS OF MADAGASCAR (MERINA and BETSILEO COUNTRY ESSENTIALLY in Central MADAGASCAR)

A typical Merina village (central Madagascar)

Witrhin the Btsileo country, in Fianarantsoa

Typical Malagasy ricefield in the Betsileo countryside

The Queen Palace (2 pictures below)

and now, have you know that Madagascar used to be a Monarche? here are  a few of the MONARCHS who run the country in the 19th century

King radame 1st, who an Madagascar from 1810 to 1828. He is the main initiator of for the Latin chartacter (or alphabets) to be the one being used to write the Malagasy language. He is also the KIng who allowed the British Missionaries (The London Missionary Society) to settle in Madagascar and being Christianity into Madagascar (Protestantism). 

Now let's have a look at the coastal areas of Madagascar

Let's start with the parks....of rocks 

This is the TSingy of Bemaraha National park in the western part of Madagascar (a forest of limestones on a literal standpoint)

and this is the ISalo PArk in southwestern Madagascar (along the National 7 road)

and the massif of the Makay in western part of madagascar as well

Forest located in the eastern part of madagascar

The baobab trees on the western coast

strange butterflies

the famous fossa...an endemic primate of Madagascar related to the mongoose family

A strange looking frog called "tomato frog" due to its reddish colour

The famous RAvinala or "the tree of the traveller" as its log can provide water in remote areas of the country

IS IT ACTUALLY A CURSE TO GROW UP IN AFRICA?

 

When you look at the images or programs sent by some medias (not all very fortunately) in many advanced economies, it is easy to assume that Growing up in developing countries and particularly in countries like Maadgascar is definitely a curse. Some people (not everyone) who would be sitting comfortable in their couch eating chips and drinking beers would probably be saying - when seeing some medias broadcasting images of starving children living in poor homes on the African continent - would say to each other: “We are so lucky to be in a country like this”, or “Look how messy this continent is”, or “Look how poor it is,  I am not astonished why they all want to come here” or even some judgements over the slavery period which happened a few centuries ago and in regards to which some would probably say “the descendants of those slaves who are in advanced economies today are just so lucky; look at their counterparts in Africa, they are starving to death and living in poor conditions”

Being from Africa and I spent more than 20 years there. I may look very south Asian and have 90% of my genes which probably come from Java or Sumatra, and I may also have sleek hairs and clear complexion, but I am technically speaking, an African. 

You probably have read by article from the beginning and you probably are already aware about where my father and uncles went to study and how far they achieved many things. One of my uncles has actually gotten married with French woman who is originally from Lilles (as I mentioned earlier) and for myself, I have spent a few years studying in France, a time frame which has allowed me to get to know and even date French girls. 

 

ARE THERE REALLY SOME “GOOD THINGS” ABOUT LIVING IN AFRICA? 

 

Well, is Africa really that bad and are those images seen on some medias true or are they entirely made up?

When I was studying in France, I met a guy from Israel, named Lior, who told me once ‘Never answer a question by another question” and realized later that many people from Israel usually say the same things. If I have to answer a question to that question (meaning I would no follow Lior’s advices, I would ask you: When I was in Madaagscar, I saw on TV some images of the Bronx and I also saw a reportage displaying the famous “quartiers HLM” around Paris and other French big cities like Marseille. Does that mean that all of the United States is made up of ghettos full of gangs and all of France is made up of “cites” full of delinquents? Making such assumption would be totally unwise and illogical, therefore, drawing quick conclusions on how the whole continent of Africa is just made up of poverty, slums, insecurity and hungry children would be a total lack of analysis.

Now, many of you may wonder: “so are there any developed places in Africa?” Sure there are, and there are more than you think or to put things into perspective for you, there are more than some media want you to be aware of.  Instead of watching your usual channels and relying on what they constantly keep showing you, you might want to expand your curiosity and start may be looking around using the technology as well as the internet connection that you have in developed countries like most of you readers probably are now. Check on places like “Mauritius Island” or “Ivory coast” or “Rwanda”; start watching and see if what you have seen on some medias match what you see through those research you are conducting. Being from Madaagscar, I will not deny the fact that we have poverty; I will never deny the fact that we do have slums….yes, we do!!! I am not going to deny that corruption and insecurity is an issue there and I am not going to deny the fact that there are parts that are bad-looking. But here is what most people do not know…. Those bad-looking things, those slums that you see not only in our countries ARE NOT EVERYWHERE! In some parts of Madaagscar, you would see beautiful houses, clean places, malls, beautiful beaches, nice hotels with clean rooms and clean gardens. But guess what? Having lived in France, which is this country that many of you readers perceive as being the country of the “perfume”, of good food, of elegance as well as of the fine wine is a country which also has some slums where as a tourist, you probably do not want to set foot in as those places are not only insecure, but they display dirtiness, poorly-maintained houses, dirty sidewalks, smelly stairs, broken windows and outside them, people who live in deep social and economical poverty with no prospect to get away from this vicious circle! Not only in France but in most of the highly-developed countries, I have witnessed and seen what poverty looks like in the rich and advanced economies, and to be entirely honest with you, I am not only talking about France’s “Cites” and the ghettos of the US. 

Now, I happened to exchange views with many people on different medias - including YouTube, Quora and more, and although many people in the advanced countries seem to be more aware of what is happening outside theric countries, including in places like Africa - there are still a substantial number of people who would do everything to stick to their own prejudices and would even display “close-to-racist” views towards Africa as a whole! Some of those (narrow-minded) people are so convinced that the developed world is entirely perfect and has absolutely NO FLAWS whatsoever, whereas in Africa (and by the way, many people still think that Africa is a country, or Africa iS ONE country, which just suggests how ignorant and under-educated some people can be), one can see and experience despair, poverty, crimes, rapes, animosity, meet mean people, and more things that I would even not dare to imagine.

But as I said earlier, There is NO PERFECT COUNTRY and wherever you go, you WILL NEVER HARDLY FIND  A PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING WILL BE PERFECT (as some narrow-minded people or some medias or some journals or some online newspapers would like to suggest you); unfortunately for all of us, this place does not exist, at least, not here on Earth!

In every country, you will always find flaws and in every country, you will always find imperfections. In ALL COUNTRIES, you will find rapists (yes, unfortunately for you, the rapists are not only found in Mexico as a man who has sit in the Oval Office has stated); in all countries, you will find mean people and you will find people who are in despair; everywhere, you will find criminals, thieves (remember what happened to me in the subway station in Lyon whole I was waiting for the subway and there were at learn 100 white French there standing by me?). But in all countries, you will always find nice and kind people; in all countries, you will always find places where you will find peace; in every country, you will find good things and no matter how poor a country can be, it will always have a few advantages.

 

Now talking about some advantages of living in an African country, many of you are probably wondering: What can be the nice things that you can find in a country like Madaagscar, which but the way, would be described by some media as a “terrible country” with all the possible drawbacks that one could imagine!

The first thing that I miss about Madagascar is the space. What space? When I used to live in Europe, I had an apartment where I used to welcome some of my female friends, some of whom were French. I remembered that space was definitely a constraint and that coming from a country like Mine (where we have spaces), I had to learn how to use the space that I had in a way that is efficient but also comfortable for me. The houses, particularly in Europe, are conceived to have relatively small rooms and small kitchens. You’d better get used to that “smaller space” quick enough if you come from a country like mine. Surely enough, I made the best use of it and I have today that despite the space constraints, I had the best memories between those walls. But for many of you who have no idea on how houses (at least for people living above the median economical standards), it is important to emphasize that houses in Madagascar are conceived in a way that allows plenty of spaces as compared to houses built in advanced economies, which tend to follow much more space constraints. 

By the way, this is the inside of my place in Madagascar; as you can see, it is quite spacious and for people like us who have had the chance to grow up in a "favourable" environment (in Africa), most of the places that people of the same background as I am do have the same types of houses; a few of my friends even have a bigger and better looking place that the one I am showing you right below:

…

Related to the above are the gardens. In Europe, I remembered that the apartment (where I had some very nice memories) I was renting did not have any gardens outside despite having all the amenities (washing machine, dryer, and even a common TV room). In Madagascar, it is common that houses usually have from a medium-sized to a big garden for you to be able to play, have some drinks, or receive some friends or family there or play with your dogs. These are things you could not probably do in Europe or other countries, unless you are a CEO of an important corporation may be.

…

 

IN MADAGASCAR, THE COUNTRY MIGHT BE ECONOMICALLY IN DIFFICULTY, BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE THERE GET INTO DEBT

 

Now, there is another aspect that makes Africa great (That reminds me of someone who used a kind of similar slogan during his campaign) and that thing is “credit”. When I was studying in France, I have never heard about “credit scores” when I dealt with my bank in Paris (yes my bank was based in Paris but I was studying in Lyon) and when I came to North America, this concept was entirely new to me and to be fair, I even found it to be a bit “shocking”.

In Countries like France and Madagascar (which by the way has inherited from the French system), it is not common to buy things using credit cards like we do in North America. In Madagascar too, it is not common at all for Malagasy students to borrow money to pay for their universities and years later, pay back that money once they start working, as people do in all of North America (unless probably you are the son of a high executive in North America, then you won’t have to borrow from banks). In Madagascar - which again is in Africa in case some of you misplace my country close to Costa Rica suddenly - Malagasy students just have the fees covered by their parents or family and some get a part-time job. In fact, for many, the cost of studies are cheap and therefore, there is no need for any of them to spend years to pay back university debts. For those who choose France as a place to study, many choose on the basis that they can pay and cover for the cost of their studies and in fact, it is not part of our (Malagasy) culture to borrow money from banks to undertake university studies in a place that we cannot afford (for some people, even though the public schools in Europe are free, there ares still costs associated with the rents, transportation, books etc, which can be quite expensive for modest families in Madagascar). For those who cannot afford to go to Europe for example, they would just opt to stay and study home in Madagascar. For those who study in the US or Other English-speaking countries they either cover the costs OR apply for scholarships for the cost of the studies (that last option is also very interesting). In our culture, if you cannot afford it, just stay or just choose an option which is cheaper (for example, if you cannot afford to study in Canada, just go to France and study there for the whole time or study there for 3-4 years and then come to Canada for the very last year only to save money, if you cannot qualify for scholarships), but never get into debt! 

Another thing that I found nice in Madagascar as well as France (yes, there are things that I loved in France) is the fact that when you have a credit card and when it gets to the zero amount, it NEVER Allows you to make payment. To a North American, that is an awkward situation but for a Malagasy like me or a European, that is a norm and it is entirely expected! I find the French system (for credit cards at least) very pleasant and very nice to be honest because you hardly fall into debt! If you do not out money into your account, you will not just going to be able to buy your coffee or you beer, simple as that!

If you want to buy a nice SUV, there are options when you can purchase it on credit but the main difference with North America I that the time frame is extremely short, like 12 or 18 months! In fact, If you do not have the money to cover the total cost in 18 months, better throw your dreams into the sink and opt for a cheaper vehicle! Yes, You will not drive the SUV but guess what, you will not get indebted either and get stressed over repaying those debts with all the incurring interests that North American banks will keep asking you over and over again.

 

Now, having read many comments on different medias, including Quora, Youtube and other platforms, I have come to understand how many people perceive Africa (the continent). Just to show you how it looks like, let me attach those two videos below. Just so you know, as opposed to all the videos and pictures in this article (I own all of the pictures on this site as well as the videos of Vancouver and Sydney as well as Tasmania), however, for  those two videos, I have borrowed from another owner. 

This one tells about things most people do not know about Africa:

 

That other video shows 10 cities located on the African continent;

As people say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, so please feel free to judge it by yourself and as you can see, although there is poverty in Africa, there are also some beautiful places that are attractive. I have been to many places in Europe as well the Americas, and believe it or not, there are places in those advanced economies - such as the “Banlieues”of France, or the tough suburbs of East London (where insecurity reigns and racism as well as inverted racism are both prevalent and even terrible from what I have heard) or the ghettos found in many places in the Americas - that are definitely less appealing than those places that are actually found on the African continent. My conclusion is the following: Yes Africa is poor, yes Africa has a lot of issues but some medias are just trying to focus on the “bad sides” of this Black continent and show the world the poorer and the darker side of this beautiful continent that many do not know or many do to even want to know about. What we see is what nourished our mind and what media sends us is likely to build and construct the way we perceive a country, or even worse, a continent as  whole.

 

 DEPRESSION WHICH IS COMMON IN MANY ADVANCED ECONOMIES, ARE VERY RARE IN PLACES LIKE MADAGASCAR, AND PROBABLY IN AFRICA TOO.

Another phenomenon that tends to be common in many western countries are depression and suicide. For some reasons that I cannot explain myself, I have rarely encountered any depressed people in Madagascar, and I think that I do not know very well how things are on the African continent (as Madagascar is an island off the coast of Africa), I would be tempted to believe that those phenomenons - although existent - tend to be relatively low in places like Madagascar or even Africa.

 

Now, it is no secret for none of us here that Africa is relatively poor and faces challenges that many advanced nations do not face. Although poverty exists everywhere - including in many advanced nations where they are more represented as “pockets of poor areas” within a city - poverty in Africa is more widespread. Although many African countries have made enormous progress in building nice infrastructures (like Rwanda for example), it is hard to deny that there are people who are always left behind. But let’s focus on Madagascar as this is about my country, not really Mainland Africa. In Madagascar, we have areas which are advanced, neat and where you can walk safely without having to worry about your safety, but those areas are also like “pockets of advanced world” in the middle of more modest zones, which are not dangerous by themselves, but where you need to just remain vigilant (I am talking about Antananarivo where I come from originally). Now, we have areas which are extremely poor in that same city and where it is not advised to walk around, particularly at dusk or at nights nd that idea of not walking around does not only apply to foreigners but it also applies to us Malagasy from “richer” neighborhood. To be entirely honest with you, I would never venture myself at night (and most people from Antananarivo won’t either) around neighborhoods like Anosibe or Isotry for example as they are considered to be a bit like the “ghettos” in any American cities or like the famous “quartier difficile” in France, where you have almost zero chance to meet any French person who “does live and earn enough disposable income and who belongs to France’s higher social class”. Same goes when you are in Africa!

In countries like Madagascar, we have more poverty and more misery than, let’s say, in places like France. We also have a lot of inequality in terms of income, access to education, access to job opportunities as well as access to better housing. This socio-economic gap between the richer and the poorer is even bigger in countries like mine than in places like Brazil for example. 

On top of that, we do not have any social system in place like in France. In France, when you retire, you have access to pensions (which by the way are amongst the highest in the world) and if you are injured and need admission to hospitals, the famous French “Securite sociale” is there to give you free access to hopitals and is also there to cover the costs of medications as well as doctor consultation fees! Like it or not, the French Social welfare not only competes with many western countries, it is in fact, one of the best in the world!

In countries like Madagascar, the majority of the Malagasy do not have access to those opportunities. But for people like us, we have access to private insurers (a bit like those dental or illness-related coverages offered by companies like Manulife here in Canada), which would reimburse you the total amount of your doctor’s consultation fees and dental costs providing that you pay a premium on an yearly basis (just like any insurers, isn’t it?), and that you show them the invoice from the GP with obviously a stamp on it.

 

In other words, we are lucky to have access to those advantages in Madagascar but many people just do not, and this is unfortunate. I think we should do like Gabon, a country in West Africa which has taken the steps to create a social system which is actually inspired from the French welfare system, although some work still needs to be done. But that change has apparently enabled a lot of persons in Gabon to earn some income if they lose their jobs and also preserve some level of dignity (as many can avoid to end on the street fore example). This is one African country that seems to do quite well too.

 

So my point is that many people in Madagascar or Africa have so many reasons to be unhappy as many live without any “safety” at all. But despite of that, people in Madagascar seem not to worry about their future and just go on with their lives, smiling everyday to their friends and colleagues and going back home every evening after some chat with some colleagues. 

After having lived in Europe and North America as well as Australia for years, this is one thing that still draws my interest and I still have difficulties to understand how those people are doing without the safety net that people do have the chance to have in the west, but that “comfort” does not stop many people to complain about their lives still or get depressed for months.

It id quite interesting to see that in Madagascar, although we have all those challenges, many Malagasy do not fall into depression or anxiety, and even though there are depression cases and even though we have suicides as well, it looks like the numbers are quite low assuming that people go through a lot of struggles than their counterparts in the more advances countries (like Japan where suicide rates are quite high). So how come our depression rate are low? I have probably encountered a few depressed persons down there but as strange as it seems, most of the Malagasy victim of depression in general were those who live in “comfort” or sometimes, those who live in advanced countries (not in Madagascar). You would probably tell me “But it should be the opposite” and I would agree with you as it looks like the more “comfort” a person has access to, the more that person is likely to get depressed. In Madagascar, people who belong to the poorest and lowest social class (those who live in those dangerous areas where I would not walk after 5 PM), tend to be the ones who would not be depressed and then also to be the ones who would not have any suicidal thoughts. Now, I do not have any statistics (as the Malagasy government does not do that)

 

 

 

AT THE END, THE IMAGES THAT WE USE WILL HELP TO CONSTRUCT PEOPLE’S PERCEPTION OF A COUNTRY.

 

If me, The Merina guy from Madaagscar, came to the UK and bring a team of Malagasy filmmakers there in order to film East London and its social problems, we would display to whoever will look at our broadcast that image of London (as a whole) or even the UK as a whole to be full of social issues, racism and xenophobia. But the truth is and people like us are probably lucky enough to make sound judgement that despite the fact that such racism and social issues do well exist in the UK (just like those images of a random African kid with this big belly and struggling to find food), the United Kingdom or even London is MUCH MORE THAN East London ! In other words, East London and its problems are not representative of what the United Kingdom stands for and for me, the UK is before anything, a tolerant and open-minded country!

And same goes for France; yes “banlieues” exist and racism is prevalent in those areas but do not let those images cloud your judgement! I have had the chance to meet French people and get to socialize and spend memorable time with many French girls when I was living there. Just the latter suggests the idea that after all and despite racial issues, France can be still considered as an open-minded society whether or not you want to believe it, and sometimes, I have this deep feeling that French people are more open that what we might think of! One of the manifestation of this “open-mindedness can be seen when one visits Paris. When I visited Paris on a number of occasions, I was struck by the number of interracial couples, and to be entirely honest I believe that this proportion can hardly be matched by any cities that I have lived or stayed afterwards (with the exception of London may be, where one can also see many interracial relationships).

 

 

THE NOTION OF APPEARANCES

 

Appearance is what we display to others in the very first place, and which allow the latter to build opinions on us.

We can be advantaged or disadvantaged by the way we look; for example, when applying for a specific job, a hiring manager may, consciously or not, give candidates with particular physical characteristics, for example a slimmer man or a woman might be more attractive physically. Whether or not those characteristics have nothing to do with race, they both involved in some ways, a form of discrimination on the basis on appearance with possible ramifications for how the life of the person will go on thereafter.

 

I have decided to write a small chapter about appearance specifically because of my background, which I believe, is quite singular. Why do I believe that? Simply because I am an African; or let me say it this way…I am an Asian-looking African with sleek hairs and fair complexion. That means that of course, I am not white and I have no problem with that at all, but at the same time, I am not considered Black neither by whites, nor Blacks nor most of Asians that I have met. Again, I have no problem with that either.

 

If you have read this article from the beginning, you will remember how different me and my father were treated by these French police officers as we came into the Gare de Lyon police station in Paris, as compared to this modestly-dressed African guy who cam in to ask for assistance. From how we were dressed and probably from our physical appearance, they associated us for people who did not fit into the “French minority group”. Similarly, the famous French “delit de facies” during police ID checks particularly in sensible zones (in the famous French “Cites” or banlieues” where problems between minority groups and the French police is likely to be the most intense and violent in some cases) are a clear example of the use of “physical appearance” as well as “dressing codes” to justify such checking from the French police in those “sensitive” areas. 

But in this chapter, we are not going to talk about France’s issues with its minority as we have already treated this topic earlier. I believe each chapter should focus on one particular subject and for this one, I am just going to deal with the notion of physical appearance.

 

Let me start with a few anecdotes which happened to me while I was studying in the United States as well as Australia, as some of the most “unusual facts” took place in those two countries.

 

I remembered one night in Philadelphia: I was waiting for my subway to arrive; it was late at night, around 10:30 PM. I have just finished typing reports at the University lab and was on my way to go home. On the opposite quay, there was just one guy waiting whereas on the quay I was standing, another guy was there, also waiting for the same subway. I was standing about 7 to 10 meters away from him. It was a Black American and from how he was dressed, he probably came from those tough neighborhoods. Suddenly, out of the blue, he asked a question, although I wasn’t even looking at him. He said: “ Yo’ my maaaaaaan, tell me my maaann where you come froooom!”. Not sure whether this question was addressed to me, I asked him to confirm and he said “yeah my maaan, I am taking to yaaaa!”; I told him the truth, which is “Madagascar”. Apparently the name of the country did not ring him bell and he asked me “Tell me my maaann where Madagascar is”, to which I answered “it is in Africa!”. Now, he heard the name “Africa” and this Black American guy wanted me to confirm by saying “Did you say AFRICA!!!!!!” Did I hear from you Africa??????” To which I just said “yes you did!” and started to ask me a very strange question, which is “How come my maaann you said you are from Africa when I see you now standing in front me me, and I can tell ya my maaan you ain’t look like an African!!!” ; Now I told him about this story of our Indonesian Ancestors who crossed the ocean 1,500 years ago and he said something even worse: “See my maaann, this is what I meant….you got white people coming to Africa like in South Africa my maaann and they mess up when they arrive there…and now, you got those ….. Asians or Indonesians who arrive in Africa too….”; Honestly, I couldn’t believe what this guy was telling me that night and I have to say that I was quite shocked because not even once - on the African soil - any African or any “Cotier” (the Malagasy people whose ancestors come from neighbouring Mozambique, and who have more africanized traits) has ever made me any strange and narrow-minded comments about our ancestors (the Austronesians who later became the Merina of Madagascar) coming to Africa (to Madagascar I mean) and settling there for good! No, this Black American guy, with his big boots and his long hairs, was actually making racist comments. 

And to end the whole thing, I remembered him telling after having told that both the Indonesians (or more exactly the Austronesians) and the Boers (For those of you who do not know about South Africa, The “Boers” are the the white people who settled in South Africa and who speak a language very similar to Dutch; this language is called “Afrikaans” and the people who speak it are being called “Afrikaner”; and yes, the Afrikaners are white people living in today’s South Africa, not Blacks as some may think) from South Africa have all been only good at invading Africa, which he considers as his “mother land”. This guy went on with his tirade to tell me “See my maaann, Africa is supposed to belong to the blacks only, but you guys came and messed up with the whole thing there”.

Honestly…. I did  not know what to say and I just remained silent and was hoping that the subway was about to arrive. 

Now, seeing that I ddi not answer, he just went on saying “or the relationships that the Indonesians had with our brothers the’…were they good”; Obviously, I have not told him about the dark past and the tensions that used to exist between the “Cotiers” (The blacks living in Madagascar) and the “merina” (my ancestors) in the 17th and 18th century, a period during which the Merina kings expanded their influences too coastal regions and that expansion has led to abuses and killings, particularly in the north-eastern part of Madagascar, where some locals still hold grudges against Merina people. To be honest, I do understand somehow the reasons but also blame today’s head of state to refuse to recognize what the Merina army did in the past. Honestly, if you ask me, this past is a stain on our past and not recognizing it would be doing like the French who refuse to confront their colonial past (unlike the Germans who dared to confront their crimes or the Americans who dared to be entirely outspoken about slavery and the 1960’s racial segregation in the African south); this saying from George Santanaya, an American philosopher born in Madrid, Spain, told once“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. I think this citation is true on an historical standpoint particularly.

Now, The subway has arrived and I relieved t the idea that our discussion will finally end. I am glad that I have ever crossed this guy’s path again while I was staying in Philadelphia.

 

…

Now, this second anecdote also happened while I was studying in the United States. It happened one morning and that morning, I was already late for a group presentation. I have just made it onto the campus and I was walking towards the building where the presentation was to take place. But that day, there was an Indian student who was distributing leaflets to students who were passing by. When I arrived by him, he asked “are you interested in this event” and I took the leaflet while nodding; then seeing that I looked from “overseas”(as in this University, I have noticed that although there were some foreigners, most of the students where Americans, Blacks and Whites altogether), he asked me “ohh by the way, where are you from?”; again I told him “Madagascar” and he quite did not catch the name and asked me to repeat it. After hearing it from me, he asked me then “Where is it man?”, to which I responded “Africa” while I was trying to pull myself away as I was already late.

I will always remember his look and as I apologized for not being able to stay and keep talking, he responded to me “yeah, Africa!!!….. you funny guy!!…. that’s it…Africa!!! ….and continued by speaking loudly around me as if he wanted to address the issue to the bypasses : “it is funny how somepeople can make fun of me the days…yeah of course, Africa!!…”; As I went further, I tried to explain to him that it was absolutely true, but using signs, and having no time to explain, It was hard thing to do” As he spoke, I am still smiling as I recall the faces of the American students who were passing by and who had no idea whatsoever what was going on between us.

Again, this is how appearance can entirely mislead (most of ) people, including myself who have travelled quite extensively.

 …

I remembered that when I was walking in downtown Sydney in Australia a few years later, on many occasions, I was stopped by some South Asian looking people, many of whom were either students or immigrants to Australia. On those occasions, many Indonesians would either nod at me on the street, or would start a conversation in Bahasa (the language of Indonesia) but obviously, I had no idea what they were saying. On those occasions, some would just keep walking whereas some would ask me where I am from and when they start to hear “Africa”, they either just say “ooohhhh okay” or “Africa, really????”; Once at a filipino restaurant, I was also asked “pino pino?” And this was when I knew (they actually told me) that this word meant “filipino?”

Interestingly, I happened to see a few Africans in Sydney and not even once, they had any idea that I was African myself.

…

I remember once, while I was undertaking my Masters degree at UTS, I took a class in Financial Analysis. The class was taught by an Indian looking guy, whom again, I thought was Indian.

Although there were a few Australians studying for this program, most of the students were Asian, namely South Asians, Japanese and Chinese.

That night, during the pause, I decided to stay inside the classroom as well most of the Asian students did. Then me and this Indian looking instructor started to conversation and he happened to ask me where I was from. I told him and he was startled as he let me know that in fact, he was from Mauritius island himself (this tiny island located 1000 km east of Madagascar, and which is doing quite well economically speaking). But that was one thing; the most intriguing moment was probably when the Asian students in this class started to look at me probably wondering “how come this guy come from Africa?” while exchanging short sentences between some of them. Although I had no idea about the meaning of the words, I had a clear picture of what they might have been discussing at this moment and I am ready to bet that they were talking about probably my physical features (the traits that are more Asian like probably and the sleek hairs which can hardly be associated with the image of Africa, to most of these students) or my skin complexion (which was probably a bit clearer than what they associate to be “African”).

 

 

Another aspect of appearance that I wanted to talk about is when appearance itself is being associated with some expectations that people in general do have. A flagrant example when association between physical appearance and expectations is well displayed during the “delit de facies” that makes France or more exactly the French police famous; now the “delta de facies” also exists outside of France and we are all aware of this but this form of “favouritism” - which clearly relies on physical appearances - exists in sensitive and dangerous zones around French towns, namely when it comes to ID checks on French minorities in tough neighborhoods. From what I have heard, particularly over the news, but also through some of my (white) French friends like Arno (this French guy whose grandfather was German), the police tend to conduct more thorough checking when the driver of the car is an Arab or a Black and when such checking are conducted in French “cites” or “banlieues”. Why? Because the perception that they get from watching the news and from being exposed to the particular “French social environment” is that cars driven by Arabs or Blacks (at least those who are French nationals and who are considered as French minorities born and living in France)  are more likely to carry illegal substances or the cars themselves are likely to have been obtained through illegal means. Now, it it always the case? Of course not but when the media as well as the society that surrounds us dictates us how we should behave, we end up following the herds and act according to the society’s expectations sometimes.

Another obvious prejudice that tends to subsist within the French society is that the Arabs and Blacks who were born and raised in France tend to have “dirty places” where they live. As a foreigner and as a person who have grown up in Africa - or shall I say who have been extremely lucky to have grown up in Africa - I do not know if such pre-conceived ideas were founded or not or whether it tended to be just pure generalization. Now, this is a kind of prejudice, including within the police force apparently, but if those people (who have prejudices against non-white French) saw how clean my apartment in France was (that same apartment where I invited French and non-French girls as well to have a drink notably and more than drink), and how clean our house (as I stayed there with my wife) in Australia was (I have enclosed the picture in the section “Australia” above), I bet most of those prejudiced people would have been puzzled.  Now, do not get me wrong, but my house in Madagascar is also very well maintained and not only the house is well maintained, but the garden is also full of green and elegance! And yes, we are talking about the place where me and my spouse lived in Madagascar.

This again shows that we all have pre-conceived ideas about people and we always tend to make a link between the person’s appearance with the different things this person is attached to. How many times have I heard things like “ohhh, this is an Arab, he surely lives in a dirty place”, or how many times did I hear from my friend Redouane from Alegria that he has been approached by White French on the street who wanted to ask him if he had some “drugs” that he could sell to them? This is how far appearance can create a stimulus in people’s mind and create an association towards a particular concept.

 

Now, fortunately in places like Australia or Canada, we haven’t reached this point and the rapport between minorities and the white Canadians tend to be more relaxed and much more pacific than in many parts of Europe.

But I have noticed something that I would qualify as amusing. It is not mean and it is not something that bothers me however, it is something that is still worth mentioning in this article.

 

You already probably know about the fact that many times, I was confused for being Asian or for being Mexican too, and that I am neither Black nor white, nor even yellow. And as we look the way we are, people who do not know you, tend to make assumptions about who you are, or how they expect you to behave or what language they expect you to speak. For example, not only here in Canada but also in other countries (including Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand or China), when one person either 1/ interacts with people of its kind OR 2/ talks over the phone to a friend who comes from the same country, and if for example, that person has an Indian look, people expect this Indian looking guy or girl to speak for example, Punjabi. If a person looks like a Filipino, people who do not know her or him would probably expect to hear this person speaking Filipino. Now, if that person has a north Asian look (like people from China, Korea or Japan), people who do not know them would not be astonished to hear them speaking either Chinese or Japanese when they are among each other or when they call a friend of theirs over the phone.

Now, if a person is of caucasian appearance, and if that person is in Canada, it would be also expected that this person speaks English or French, in a case of a Quebecer happens to visit British Columbia and talks to his girlfriend (who stayed in Montreal) over the phone for example.  

 

Now all of the above are basic assumptions which are purely based on how we tend to associate looks with particular expectations.

In my case, I have had the opportunity to - and I apologize for the saying - “break those rules” in a way that I generally had many people made wrong assumptions about myself. 

For example, on many occasions here in Vancouver (which is an English-speaking part of Canada), I happened to speak French with my son (although we would usually speak Malagasy as for me, it was more than important that he preserves his own cultural identity, a concept which I have already explained previously. In that regard, I tended to disagree with the Malagasy diaspora who live in Continental Europe, some of whom would choose to teach French to their children and who would even encourage them to forget their own culture. I am so sorry but I really disagree with this way of doing things) when we walk down the streets and after some time spent here (I never noticed that before), I started to realize that (some) we draw the attention of people - not only locals but also Asians as well as Indians. When however, we speak Malagasy outside, I notice that the attention is different because people usually base their perception on our physical appearance. For many, including for the Asians and the Indians who happened to cross our path, we physically look like South Asians, which in a sense suggests the idea that speaking a language which sounds “Asian” is expected. It is like you meet three Indian guys on your way to work and they speak Punjabi as they are between themselves and they probably all about three lives or what is going on at their jobs, it is absolutely normal. However when me and my son start to speak French, things start to be different and I honestly think that the way I speak French.

 

BEFORE GOING FURTHER, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY FRENCH 

 

It is not by arrogance but my French accent is close to perfection probably because of the fact that I have studied in France and also because of the fact that I have had French girlfriends in Lyon, who might have influenced the way I speak and/or the way I behave; Last, watching the French media and TV during my stay in Europe has probably shaped the way I behave and the way I pronounce French words).  On many occasions in Europe, when I spoke over the phone, the French themselves had no idea that they were talking with a foreigner until I happen to dispose my name or to tell them I am Malagasy. Last but not least, I have obtained an outstanding grade when I passed my French HSC (which is the French high school diploma) but have impressed the jury when I took  the TEF CANADA Exam which obviously, is a test which I chose to take when I decided to immigrate to Canada. So now you have an idea of how good I pronounce French words and how good I can imitate Parisian accents.

 

LET’S IMAGINE YOU SEE TWO ASIAN LOOKING GUYS WALKING AND YOU ASSUME FIRST THEY SPEAK INDONESIAN BAHASA BUT…..

 

Now, imagine you walking with your wife or with a friend of yours and you see two persons (me and my son) walking in an opposite direction. From afar, you see us talking and laughing and you probably say to yourself..wow, they must be talking in Filipino or may be in Bahasa (Indonesia’s language); and as long as we get closer, you start to hear us talking but what you hear is not Bahasa, nor it is Filipino…and no, it does not sound like Spanish that people from Central America (Mexicans or Hondurians for example) speak either. You start now to pay more attention and you realize that this language is not even “Asian”, nor it is Spanish … By listening carefully, you suddenly realize it is European, and not only it is French (as many people do speak French but do speak it with a rough accent…like the Creole of Reunion island or the Mauritians for example, or also some people in west Africa), but is a French which is pronounced the way French Parisian pronounce it. How would you react? 

It is exactly how people react when they hear us talking or even when a few times, I was on the phone with a French-speaking friend of mine who lives in Montreal and who calls me sometimes when I am travelling inside a bus or shopping at the grocery store (Safeway or Walmart here in Vancouver). Obviously, I will have to respond to her in French, but just that would make some people puzzled and asking themselves “why on earth would or can an Asian looking guy like me speak French with such a typical French accent, with all those hands gestuals and facial expressions that are sometimes hard to get rid of (particularly if you have spent some time in Europe and if you have had the chance to interact a lot with the French themselves) even if I have spent time in the Anglosphere, but which characterizes the way (Southern) Europeans interact between themselves on the old continent”. 

The language as well as the way we use our body also shapes in a way our cultural identity. I am Malagasy, but my identity has been somehow influences by the experiences that I have had in France and probably, those experiences have been “stronger” and more “marking” because of the fact that not only I have interested a lot with many French, but more particularly because I have done more than that: I got very close to a few French female friends and it is probably because of the latter that I picked up some habits that I never had before.

 

 ...

AFTER THE US 

AND EUROPE, 

BACK IN MADAGASCAR

In 2004, I was back in Madagascar after having spent time in France, as well as a bit in the US. Even though I finished and obtained my BBA degree from a US university, I had this feeling that I wanted more and that those few years of overseas experiences weren’t enough, at least for me. I had the chance to settle down there but for some reasons, my spirit went thinking of pursuing a degree elsewhere, but right now, I had no idea on earth where would that be?The very first months of my stay in Antananarivo were more than an adjustment. I had to learn to get used to the quite conservative mentality and behavior of people in Madagascar. I remember living in the southern suburbs of Tananarive, and even though I had all the comfort that I needed, that place was entirely different from any places I used to stay in France or America. Unlike developed countries, people in this place tended to mingle into your own business and your daily life. 

There were moments for example you feel observed and envied (that suburb of antananarivo has a high unemployment rate, and also reminds me of some places in South Africa where there was a huge gap between the richest and the poores) and to be entirely honest with you readers, I have ever felt this kind of « strange feelings » during all these years I have spent in France and America, because over there, people have something to fill up their day, and on top of that, they have been raised to respect other’s privacies and life. I understood that I had to put a strategy in place, and that is not a strategy to fight back as changing those types of mentality would almost be impossible, but more a strategy to continue the « study road » elsewhere.instead of losing my time thinking about the « mentality issues » of some people there, I started to look for post-graduate degrees in places like Germany or the United Kingdom. At that time, my father was working with a UK-based company, which was conducting geological surveys in northern Madagascar. One of the persons there advised me to apply for a university in Nottingham. I constituted the application to both that University and another university in Northern Germany, more precisely, in Bremen.Now, we all know that university applications take time, knowing that there will be months of waiting time for the application, and other 2 or 3 months waiting time to get a study permit, I decided to do what I never had the courage to do when I was a teenager!! I decided to travel on my own in southern Madagascar, using the most basic mean of transportation ever, the famous « taxi-brousse » or bush taxi! I had not knows it at that moment, but this archaic trip will change the fate of my studies forever!

I surely enjoyed being in the US but there were a few things I would like to point out and it is about the chances of access to education but more precisely, it is about the social issues I have seen in the US. Unlike France, I noticed a huge gap between the richest and the poorest in America. In Europe, sure, there were poorer people but the gap between the richest and the poorest were much less obvious on the Old continent! It took me two semesters of study to realize that I was lucky to have been born in Madagascar! I would even say that I grew up in a country - which surely has poverty issues - but which offers an ideal environment as it is obviously so far away from sensitive issues that we hear so much today and that probably pollute our mind. Young, I always saw people living in some places as being lucky but the more I travelled, I have seen how for example low income people in the the French "cités" or in US ghettos are doomed to fail even though they are trying... Problems of drugs, violence, abuse of all sorts, systemic racism, discrimination, arrests are their everyday life. When pursuing my BBA degree at Temple, I remembered to have met a lady who was working at the University restaurant - the lady was African american and each time I went there, her son was there too. She was asking me about my education and I told her a bit about my background and where I was from and when the son heard what I said, I kind of read some form of envy in his eyes and the way he reacted. It was something that is hard to describe but to me, he knew that I was luckier to live and grow up in an African country than him living in a difficult neighborhood inthe United States. Sometimes, the world is not always Black or white and very often, the world is full with contradictions! From that day onward, the way I saw my country started to change nd now I realize that I might have been lucky after all to have grown up in Madagascar despite all one can say or choose to paint this country's reality.

TRIPS TO SOUTHERN MADAGASCAR

After having spent a few years travelling in Europe and the US, I thought : How is it to travel in a country that is far less developed?It is an experience that I will probably never forget, but at the same time, this experience has allowed to meet all sorts of people, to get to learn things that I have never knew about my own country! At the same time, it has probably shaped my perception of things and who know…was it thanks to that funny trip that I became more willing to be able to appreciate countries like Australia or Canada?

DEPARTURE 

TO 

AUSTRALIA 

(February of the 

Year 2006)

On february 10th, I am standing in front of the desk at the Madagascar airport (Ivato international) to register my luggages. I just realize now that the trip that I have undertaken in the south is now over. I keep shuffling in my head those faces that I have encountered and made this trip so special. I am also remembering those days spent in the bush taxis, travelling in the middle of the night on the National 7 road. I also recall those nice moments spent with the FCE staff (train company in southern Madagascar), notably the train drivers and ticket controllers, with whom I sympathized with after undertaking so many trips in the South-eastern part of Madagascar.Now, I'm here again, ready to fly overseas, in a country I have ever been and whose official language is equivalent to what I would define as "my third language", after Malagasy and French, but thinking about my two semesters in the United States would help me reassure myself that I could probably do it.It is now around 3 PM and I am about to say good bye to my parents. Unlike my very first departure to France many years ago, this trip, I will have to do it all by myself. Indeed, this time, no one is coming with me. 

After tomorrow, I will be landing in a country that neither my father nor any of my extended family members have had the chance to step foot on.Now, having hugged my parents and my sister, I crossed the security points, and I remember once I picked my hand luggage from the scanner, I turned by back hoping they were still behind looking from far...but as I looked, they were no longer there.... All I could see was the public area of the airport where they were standing a few minutes ago with people walking back and forth, and this noise that is so particular to airports. At that moment, I realized that I was leaving Madagascar for good....The Air Mauritius plane awaits for us to board. Around 5 PM, the plane takes off the runway and heads to Mauritius, which we reached after 1h35 minutes. When it landed in Ramgoolan Intl. airport, the night has fallen and as we debarked, we had to queue for the immigration as I had to spend one night in Mauritius. The cab that picked me up proposed that he comes back the next day but the next day, I ended up taking the shuttle bus to go back to the airport....That day was a "grand day" as I am going to fly to a totally new place. Over there, I knew no one and am aware that I will have to build my own network of friends once there. If you ask me if I had apprehensions, I would say yes, I did.

Once passed the security point, I was now inside the duty free zone. I looked at the screen to make sure I embark on the right gate. For now, very few people were queuing but despite of that, I couldn't help myself slowing down and paying attention to those who were there because for the first time, I was to see many Australians in just one place. After 20 minutes or so, many more joined the queue..most were families coming back home after some vacations in Mauritius, others were businessmen probably and the rest were surely Mauritians who were flying to Australia. For sure, I am the only Malagasy boarding this flight bound to Sydney today!...After the different procedures, the A340 took off and was heading eastward. It is for the very first time that I have taken off from Mauritius and headed towards that direction. The flight was to last 11 hours but it was a pleasant trip as I had the chance to chat with a Mauritian man who has been living in the UK for years and now, plans to visit his daughter who is studying in New Zealand. He will be just passing through Australia tomorrow before boarding to another plane to Auckland....After the lunch, the night set quickly as the plane is flying eastward. I managed to sleep for a few hours, but at a very moment - I have no idea why -  I just woke up in the middle of the night. I looked around and everyone was asleep. 

...

I raised my eyes to look at the map and noticed that our place was now right over the western coast of Australia, somewhere south of where Perth is. Even though I wasn't sitting close to the window, I did my best to try to look through one of the left window which was left open by mistake I guess, and I could see some lights stemming from what I would define as a small town; without doubt, I have finally reached the shores of this continent, that I have ever expected to see anytime in my life and I just could not believe I was here. Another 2 hours went on before breakfast was served. Right after that, we almost reached over Adelaide and the plane made his way through probably northern Victoria, Canberra before commencing descent to Sydney. Just 45 minutes before landing, they started to send a video on which I could recognize Steve Irwin, a highly known person in Australia. The video was to warn passengers about the highly strict quarantine laws existing in Australia and informed that any food, products containing for example nuts or meats had to be declared upon entry.

APPROACHING SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

I will always remember when the Airbus 340 did its final approach to Sydney; it was a quarter to 6 in the morning and we were in the middle of the summer in the southern hemisphere.

From above, I could see the lights from firefighters and those streets, being all parallel the one to the others.

The city of Sydney was now below me and I couldn't wait to finally discover it, after so many years of wishing that one day, I could see this beautiful country for real!

It was still dust when the plane - who has left Mauritius island 11 hours earlier - finally landed in Sydney. When I disembarked, I said goodbye to the guy from Reunion island and the Mautitian guy who sat next to me during this trip, as the latter was just transiting through Australia and was heading to New Zealand. As I disembarked from the Airplane, I had this very strange feeling that I was setting foot on a soil where NONE of my family members have ever been before! To add to this - unlike my project of studying in France - neither my father nor any of my uncles had any acquaintances in his country and to make it worse, having heard the sentence - from my aunt just before departure - that says "e ready as people there are racist". I just had this feeling that I embarked onto an exciting, yet daring adventure!

As soon as we got into the airport, I remember walking into a long corridor and then, went through a kind of duty free store where they sold all sorts of things. that was actually quite unusual for me to see a duty free store when entering a country. When we finally reached the Immigration desk, I was surprised by two things: Firstly, I was quite surprised that the great majority of the Immigration officers were Anglo-Australians. In the United States, you probably have noticed that they tend to be from different origins and even in France, one might see sometimes some diversity in the persons working at the Immigration line. It has reminded me of a trip that we have made with our parents in 1994, and at that time, we were flying from Madagascar to Johannesburg. When we landed in Jan Smuts airport (today's O'Tambo Intl), I could not help to notice that there were a dozen of immigration officers checking for passports and all of them were White South Africans - that day, I also remember that the officer who checked our passport kind of looked like Robert Kennedy (Yes I know, some of you may say I am very good at observing and comparing).

Second thing that I have noticed is that unlike entering the United States and France, there is a person who is standing there and who directs each passenger to a specific Immigration officer. When my turn came - and it is the case for everyone entering Australia - that same person pointed me to go to a specific queue. As there were just 2 persons in front of me, I remembered having noticed the face of the Immigration officer whom I found to have some similarities with Prince Charles (Yes, The very Prince Charles that we all are thinking about), but the only difference was that he had blond hairs! When my turn came, he asked me to come ahead and greeted politely. He had a look at my passport as well as the Australian visa that was stuck inside, stamped it after a few seconds and wished me a nice stay!

Right after the Immigration office, We had to cross - not really the Customs  but the AQIS which is the famous Australian Quarantine service. One of the AQIS officer asked me to open my luggage and he started checking and found this shoe under which there was a tiny part of mud. I remember seeing the guy a bit "upset" as he had to scratch under the shoe to get rid of the "French mud" beneath it and carefully made sure he threw it inside the quarantine bin. Well... if I had known I would have probably cleaned it when leaving Madagascar but during all my previous trips, I never had to deal with similar matters. All my apologies:)

 

DOWNTOWN SYDNEY

This was downtown Sydney back then as I first saw it (this is a video I took myself in 2006 in Sydney)! 

This is the neighborhood of Quakers Hill, located in Western Sydney. That was were I have lived the very first months of my arrival, in a cottage among other international students. having always lived by myself during my studies in France, sharing a living space with total strangers is going to be a new challenge for me ( I own the pictures).

As paradoxal as that lay sound to you, this trip that I have undertaken in southern Madagascar - in which I got myself used with constraints and discomfort - will be of a great help for me to cope with this new experience!

The surroundings of Quakers Hill, Western Sydney, and this is The street I walked to each time I wanted to catch the train to downtown Sydney. The station was located aboiut 15 minutes from my campus.

Suburbian houses near the train station

A suburb close to Quakers Hill, Sydney

It took me a while to get familiarized with this whole new environment, but I have to admit that living in France as well as spending some time in the US has helped me a lot to adapt to this new country. One night, one of my roommate, a guy from the Emirates, had to go to downtown Sydney to visit his friend; He suggested that I accompany him so that he could show me the way to the City as well as getting used with the train system in Sydney.
As in any big cities, Sydney is a busy town with lots of restaurants, all sorts of amenities as well as all types of shops. Unlike Paris, Sydney is highly cosmopolitan and is the home of many  migrants coming from so many corners of the world!

Here is a video of how Sydney Harbor looks like when I was travelling on the ferry!

 WHAT EDUCATION OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA?

There are many Universities in Australia, but another option consists of studying for shorter courses, which are being offered at TAFE colleges. The link is below:

www.tafensw.edu.au

 

If you are looking into getting into a Bachelor's program or a Masters program, you also have the option to apply for those in one of the Australian Universities. You can find the liste right below, otherwise, as I said earlier, you can contact an IDP Office in your country or get in touch with Go Study Australia, https://www.gostudy.com.au

which is an office based in Melbourne, and which advises foreign students about the different study options available to them in Australia!

It took me a while to get familiarized with this whole new environment, but I have to admit that living in France as well as spending some time in the US has helped me a lot to adapt to this new country. One night, one of my roommate, a guy from the Emirates, had to go to downtown Sydney to visit his friend; He suggested that I accompany him so that he could show me the way to the City as well as getting used with the train system in Sydney.

As in any big cities, Sydney is a busy town with lots of restaurants, all sorts of amenities as well as all types of shops. Unlike Paris, Sydney is highly cosmopolitan and is the home of many  migrants coming from so many corners of the world!

Here is a video of how Sydney Harbor looks like when I was travelling on the ferry!

WHAT WERE THE FIRST THINGS I SAW IN AUSTRALIA?

When I first arrived in this country located so far away from any other places I have visites, I was so impressed to see the famous icons of Sydney, which were so known worldwide, and which included the Harbor Bridge, the Opera House, the famous QVB (Queen Victoria Building) among others. Fours months after my arrival in Australia, I have travelled with a friend of mine to Canberra, the capital city of Australia, a city which was created because The two giants, Sydney and Melbourne, could not find an agreement which of them would become Australia's capital; The creation of Canberra was then said to be a "compromise"

But first, let me show you some pictures of Sydney, which I have taken:

An intersection located near Sydney's Central Station, about 2 minutes from The University of Technology Sydney campus.

Sydney skylines

The Rocks, Sydney (located close to Sydney Opera house)

This is Darling Harbour, a famous spotnear downtown Sydney

A picture of downtown Sydney

WHERE DID I STAY AT THE VERY BEGINNING?

 

When I arrived in Australia, I stayed in what they commonly called a "cottage". Unlike what I have expected, I was not to live there alone but will be sharing the common areas with three other roommates! At the very beginning, I was quite shocked as I did not really expected that!
As I entered the cottage, I remember I was welcomed by the RA, which is a representative student who serves as a liaison between the students and the school administration. The RA name was Amy and she was originally from Ontario, Canada. Apart from her, I was to share that cottage with another student from the Emirates. Although he was not very talkative at the beginning, he happened to be extremely helpful as he gave me hints about Sydney that will be extremely helpful in the future, and he was also the very one who showed me the train routes to go to downtown Sydney and it is thanks to him that I had the opportunity to make it to downtown Sydney at night, just 3 days after I landed in Australia! I really enjoyed that lonely walk of downtown Sydney as it gave me a real vibe of how that beautiful city feels like at night! This is the kind of atmosphere that one would experience in Sydney at night!

THE FIRST DAYS OF UNI IN AUSTRALIA

I remember being late for my first class. When I arrived, the class has started and the teacher was a guy from India. When I entered, he stopped talking and started to make joke like "did not wake up this morning?", to which I just answered with a "kind of". He then asked me where I was from and from the moment I told "Madagascar", all the class attention focused on me! From that very moment, I noticed becoming more famous (against my will) as weeks passed by. Many times outside classes, people referred to me as "Madagascar" but the very event that took a turn was the following: Once, we were to work in group of 4 for an important class project. inside the group there was me, a Turkish guy, one Thai girl and a German guy. At the very beginning, the wave did not pass quite well between me and the guy from Germany and as he gave me the papers with the project details, he had this glance in his eyes that looked cold. At first, I was close to tell him "what is the issue here?", but knowing that I will still have many weeks ahead, I decided to use another method, which will prove to be even more efficient! As soon as I got the paper in my hands, I looked at him straight in the eyes and said "Danke". He did not expect to hear that, especially from a guy from Madagascar (may be at least from the Turkish guy but definitely, not me!!!!!:):):) ...)

I read astonishment in his eyes and he asked me: Do you speak German? and I told him "yes, a bit, why"; then he continued saying "well, tell me anyhting in German", and I kept going "Anything??????", and he said "anything".

I then paused for a few seconds and told him: "okay, give me 20 sec" and he waited for me (and so was the whole group waiting for the 2 of us too) till I say something or till I make up something in German. After a few seconds, I told him I was ready and he was all ears. I then said this sentence to him "Ich mag die Deutsche Leute viele, weil sie trinken viele Bier!!!!!!!!!". When he heard that sentence in German, he just laughed so loudly that everybody in the library turned their back on us with some curiosity for some and with more nervosity from others!!! By looking at his reaction, I knew he did not expect me to come up with such a sentence in German. Obviously, he asked me where I have learned German and I gave him the real answer to that question, which is in a high school in Madagascar! To make it better, my German teacher was someone from Madagascar back then!!! So I know it is paradoxal but I learned both English and German in Madagascar! And yes, that is right, I also learned to speak French there in Madagascar!!! So indeed, if I think about it, I have learned 2 European languages in Madagascar plus a bit of German as I know the language a bit but I am not fluent in it for sure! That being said, speaking German has been extremely helpful for me while I was travelling in Germany (at the time I was studying in Europe) and ...yes, to establish friendship and overcome this "cold eye" with this German guy too!!!

 

 

REGARDING THE COTTAGE I USED TO STAY IN SYDNEY

However, after a few months living in the cottage, I started to feel comfortable  to share those areas with people I did not know. I started to get used with sharing the fridge with strangers and with having dinner while there was someone present -watching TV- not far from where I was eating. I also started to feel more at ease to discuss with the other roommates and ask questions about their lives, about why they came to Australia and also to respond to the questions they had for me!

I think I have achieved this level of comfort thanks to the trip I have made in southern Madagascar (with the bush taxis and the Buses) as a few times, I had to share common areas with other travellers as well. That being said, my experience in Europe was very different!
HOW DID SYDNEY LOOK LIKE?

Sydney is a modern world class city and is one the biggest City I have ever lived! It is way bigger than Lyon, France and is also larger than Philadelphia! It is also more modern than Philly is and unlike many American cities, crime rates are much lower and infrastructures are much more modern. If you wish to see, feel free to have a look at my Album (comprises mainly the pictures from Madagascar, Canada and Australia): 

https://madagascanoverseas.blogspot.com/2021/09/this-section-has-been-put-in-place-for.html

and this is a video showing Sydney Harbour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQmX9UndgQk

HOW WAS MY LIFE THERE?

It was very different from any experiences I have had before. When I was in France, I used to have my own apartment and my own kitchen, my own fridge and would put in there all the things that I needed, namely the pork processed meats, the French cheeses, the French yoghurt, the Flan (yes, flans are popular in Southern Europe) and so much more. from now on, I have to share the fridge with 2 or sometimes 3 other students. I will also have to cook knowing that there are other persons around and although it sometimes can be a constraint, it has some advantages as when you go back home, you will feel less lonely and will always have someone to talk to or make jokes - of course providing that the roommates are nice ones!

After 1 month though, the guy from the Emirates decided to leave and he was soon replaced by an Australian guy named Matthew. As soon as he came, him and Amy, the Canadian girl from Ontario seemed not be be on the same wave at all! Matthew was not the type of guy who talked much and he would leave the place at 6 AM to come back around 11 PM!!! I have no idea where he was heading to. But there is what happened: one day, the Canadian girl ordered some pizza for her as she really enjoyed eating pizza while watching TV. The next day, as I woke up, I saw a piece of paper on which was written "WHERE IS MY PIZZA" on it! I came to see Amy and told her that I had nothing to do with it. After a few weeks, the same thing happened and this time, the writing was bigger and said "WHO ATE MY PIZZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". As Matthew was away, I told her that I re-saw the message and let her know that although I wish I could say it was me, I could not do that as I was not the one who ate it. I asked her then if Matthew confronted her, she told me "no he did not" and seemed to realize now that the culprit was indeed the latter.

This is one of the downsides of "sharing" one's space but to be honest, my experience there was not only negative.

A few months later, Matthew left and slightly later, Amy also left. She was replaced by a Canadian guy from Western Ontario and Matthew was replaced by another Australian guy who originally comes from Mongolia!!!! His name was David. David and Patrick were not too much on the same wave either but it was less extreme than with the previous roommates. David was the type of guy who likes to make jokes at every moment and has had some interesting life in the sense that he is the type of person who is a bit "silly". Patrick however, was more of an"aggressive dude" but they had one thing in common and this sentence is not from me but from David: "me and Patrick are alike, this is why we do not get well together, as we are both LIONS" (which in fact meant they liked to chase girls like lions), and in fact, seeing what they are doing in the cottage, I would assert that this is kind of exact! I haven't really seen Patrick bringing someone in, but David was terrible at it and brought different types of "fauna" there and even brought once what he referred to as an "old lady" (from Argentina) whom he met at a night club!!

Even though I didn't want to mingle too much into his life, he told me about most of his adventures with girls and particularly about the "old lady" who refused to come with him first, but whom ceded to his seduction skills  and despite doing the Cross sign and asking God "why Lord am I doing this" - she came coming coming and coming back there many times.

Thanks God, shall I say, I had already this kind of opportunity before in Europe but still, I was amazed at how (so much) better than I had been David was at chasing women!

AND ONE DAY, CAME THIS  GUY FROM BENGLADESH

And one day, came a guy named Sanjit, he was from Bengladesh. Unlike all the persons who moved it, this guy looked a bit "unusual for all of us. Indeed, he let us know the very first day that he just left Hospital and had recovered from a 6-month coma!

We could not help ourselves to ask him more details and then, he told us that he has had a car accident (he fell asleep while driving, lost control of the car which was then hit by a lorry on a freeway). That night he said, he was nearest to death!

As he came, he has. a lot of issue with speech and could barely talk. As time went by though, I started to see some improvements in his behaviour and coordination as well as speech and felt happy for him. During the winter 2008, me and him met by chance in the kitchen and he was asking me where I was going to which I said "I have to pick up another girl from madagascar at the airport". I will always remember him responding to me "go, go get her, you don't want her to arrive here and feel loneliness ..... and did you say a girl from your country??.... You know...I am sure before december, something will happen, trust me trust me" he kept saying.

And you know what.... he was right...Something really happened, and it happened before december! Sanjay was right!

 

In fact, that girl that I met, became my girlfriend a few months later and much later, became my spouse.

Isn't that ironic? Two people from Madagascar - who have never met on Madagascar soil - happened to meet in a far away place like Australia?

As our relationship became more serious, we both agreed that we would live together. This was our home there in Sydney, and for those of you who know the city, it was located near Green Square, a one stop from Sydney central station.

But was our decision easy? In fact not at all. Her parents, like many people in Madagascar, were a bit reluctant to have us live together. For North Americans or Canadians, this might come as a surprise to you, but in Madagascar, such reluctance is very common as many families come from highly conservative backgrounds. My issue now was the following: Now that I will be soon graduating with my Masters in Finance, I will no longer be eligible for a student visa, which means very soon, I will have to leave Australia in about one year, that means, leaving my girlfriend behind. Coming back to her parents, they would allow us to live under the same roof only if we were to get engaged, but here is the problem:  our engagement was to wait until a few months before my wife is due to finish her studies (so that would be a year at least after I graduate). That means that it is impossible for me to stay in Australia with her.

SO WHAT DID WE DO?

We are now in 2010 -

we both started to look around on the DIMIA website (it is the Australian equivalent of the INS in the United States), which is the department of Immigration in Sydney. Then, we found information on visas related to "de facto relationship", which in fact, allows one person to stay as a dependent on the visa of the other person. So basically, if my girlfriend was still studying full-time in Australia, I could apply as a dependent BUT..... I needed to provide them proofs that we were staying under the same roof!!! What does it mean? It means that Me and her need to show the DIMIA that we both pay invoices (TV invoice, internet, bank accounts for example too) using the same address, in that way, the Australian Immigration department (DIMIA) would see that we indeed "live together", and that, for 12 MONTHS! Only then, I can obtain a "de facto visa" and stay in Australia with her. That was the only way.

NOW IT IS FINE BUT THE PARENTS?

But now, we found the path to get there but the highly conservative parents would be still a problem, wouldn't they? Well.... We just DID NOT TELL them! I decided to leave my house in Quakers Hill (which I have rented with my roommates) and decided to move with my girlfriend. We started to pay each of us, a portion of the rent, one pays the internet and another one the cable TV and obviously, we changed our addresses at our respective banks. We did that for a year without saying one single word to her conservative parents!!!! After a year, I forwarded my application for a de facto Visa at the DIMIA office (it is like the IRCC in Canada) with a very beautiful cover letter in which I explained each and every details to the Australian Visa Officer.

A few weeks later, and after having gone through the medical check and the chest X-ray demanded by Australian authorities (as Australia is one of the few countries who has amongst the LOWEST rate of tuberculosis on the planet) before issuing any visas in Australia, I have received my De facto Visa allowing me to stay and remain in Australia till she finished her studies!

 

DID I MAKE ANY TRIPS OUTSIDE OF SYDNEY?

 

We are in year 2008 (so about 2 years before we actually decided to move in into our house in a place called Green square, one station from Central Station, Sydney) and at that time when we made the trip to Tasmania, I was still residing at Quakers Hill with my roommates.

Just a few months after my fiancee arrived in 2008, we decided to visit this island charged with history and which is located off the coast of Australia, an island known for being a Former Colony for convicts a few centuries ago and where an important part of the history of Australia seems to be still well alive! Here in Tasmania, were sent two centuries ago, the prisoners caught and convicted of crimes from England; in a sense, Tasmania, this charming island, used to be prison for those convicts!

Tasmania possesses one of the most obvious traces of this past but is also a state, just like New South Wales, Queensland or Victoria!

This is a bay in Hobart, a city located just 3,000 km away freeman the South Pole. When watching this video, all the emotions that I felt that day just come back to me as this was during our stay in Tasmania (and not in Sydney) that me and my "future wife" decided to start our relationship. I will let you have look at it and let the video speak for itself (all have been taken by myself are are owned by me!).

 

and this is a view of this Bay from the boat…

Another City that I used to visit often was Melbourne, the capital of Victoria. This is a video of Melbourne with its tramways.

and these are pictures of the University of Technology Sydney  back then (where I graduated with a Master of Finance in 2011)- (third party video):

. Fisrt I will start with a Video (owned by a thrid party) for you to have an idea. I have taken those pictures inside the « big tower ». I will enclose some pictures of the other neighboring campus (on Ultimo road, for those of you who know Sydney) later below (I own the pictures):

This is UTS campus on Ultimo road Sydney

A space for students to student peacefully or to rest!

UTS "Tower" Campus, on broadway street

Inside UTS library

The UTS tower on Ultimo road, sydney

WHILE BEING IN AUSTRALIA, OUTSIDE OF STUDIES, WHAT KIND OF THINGS DID I DO?

 

When I was studying in France, I used to spend a lot of time going out with French friends whom I met at school. As you have surely spotted earlier, we went out to watch movies together, eat fries at McDonalds or drink beer (namely with Arno, this French friend who originally comes from Germany and cross, a Mexican friend who grew up in the American south and whom I met while studying Hospitality in Lyon). Quite often too, Emilie and Barbara (whom I met at the vocational school in Lyon) as well as a few other female French friends made my stay more than memorable while staying in France.

Here in Australia, things were a bit different because down here, the way people socialize differ from the way Europeans do in general. In France, it is very common for classmates to go out together after class and even socialize together outside class. When I was studying in Europe, it was very common for me and my French classmates (as well as the other Africans and North Africans who were studying with me) to meet up for a drink on a Saturday afternoon or go out in a pub to drink beer or enjoy French wine. Unlike socializing in English-speaking countries, French people tend to ENJOY as much as they can the moment they spend with friends. What does that mean? In France, when you tell someone that you are going to meet that or those person(s) for a drink, it means that you are going to meet them for a drink and during that time, you are supposed to talk about things that HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CLASS OR WORK! This is fundamentally different from the way people or students or colleagues socialize in places like the United States for example, or even Australia. In the latter, if you meet someone for a beer or a bite somewhere, there are great chances that you will be discussing about studies, projects or work still! Well, you ill never be talking about serious Matters in France with French people! And if you do, I am ready to bet that French people will just “correct” you or walk away from you or telling you remarks about serious matters should be be talked about. From memory, I have seen some students mentioning about the “status” of one of our class project while we were enjoying white wine in a pub and some of my cFrench classmates quickly notified her that “Attends….. on east la pour s’amuser, laissez ca de cote!!!!’, which means we are here to enjoy this moment so leave your project aside!

…

Anyways, when I was in Australia, I noticed that people tended to mix socializing with work, projects or “serious matters”. In Australia (and also in the United States), when classes end, EVERYBODY JUST PACK THEIR BAGS and disappear as quickly as they showed up. In America, when a class finishes, it is not expected or common that students stay for a while to hang around with classmates. It is something of a rare occurrence in the Anglosphere from my observation.

 

So when I was studying there, fortunately for me, I was already used with the way things work in the United States as I used to study there for a bit more than 2 semesters. I therefore knew how to cope with this different environment very quickly.

So here is what I did instead. Just so you know, for the two first years of my stay there (as this girl who was to become my wife later arrived in Australia 2 years after I have lived there, so for 2 years, I was the only person of Madaagscar living there on my own..with total strangers and total foreigners!), I was by myself among other people from very different cultural backgrounds, but being used with the environment I have been confronted in the United States one year earlier, I knew how to deal with it despite all the challenges I was facing down there in this “isolated continent”, located at the “very end” of the world.

 

I had a few friends that I have met at the University, but most of them were foreign friends from places like Malaysia, Indonesia or Japan. I have even befriended people from South America, namely Peru and Venezuela (yes from the country of Hugo Chavez), Mexico and Colombia

 

Like many who are staying in many English-speaking countries, I have considered those friends as classmates more than close friends and I wanted absolutely to keep class and the outside circle separate.

 

So outside of classes, did I socialize the same way as I did in France? You may guess that the answer to that question is “likely not”. In fact, when you are an “outsider” who happens to stay in places like Sydney (it is also true for other parts of the Anglosphere), it might be a bit challenging to make new friends and meet people who are “interesting”; I mention this word “interesting” as one does not really want to socialize with people who might create you problems or bring you into issues you do not want to be exposed to. By those, I mean that it is important to avoid violent people, people who are drug addicts or people who are constantly drunk and who might lead you into serious problems in a country that is theirs! AT ALL COSTS, PLEASE AVOID TO PUT YOURSELVES INTO TROUBLE!

 

THE FRIENDS THAT I MET AT SCHOOL

So let’s start first with people I have met within the class environment. Before I had the chance to start my programs at UTS (where I have undertaken my Masters in Finance), I have spent about 2 semesters doing another program at Postgraduate level.  During those times, I have met many students from overseas, mainly from (continental) Europe who came to Australia to pursue their education or spend one or two semesters in a “new”, English-speaking and “unusual” country. Among those students, were people from Czech Republic, Poland, Germany (this is where this guy named Mauritz to whom I surprised by speaking to him in German came from) and France. Indeed, there was a French guy named Sebastien but very surprisingly, although we greeted each other often, and exchanged a few words, I was much closer and have managed to develop better friendship with the Germans who were studying there. Now, I am not sure if it was because I have so much impressed them by speaking to them in “Deutsch” or not but after spending some time there, I actually ended up being “famous” in the “German group”. Apart from this guy named Mauritz, there was another German guy from Hamburg named Holger, with whom I was in group with in one of the classes we took together. I remembered once we were discussing about sharing the work between 4 students (me and him included) and I happened to actually have “less” work to do than the others. Holger made the remark that (which was fair) my portion of work was in fact smaller than the other peers and to that remark, I remembered telling him in German “Sheisse, das ist eine Katastrophe!” (Which means, “Shit, this is such a disaster”). I remembered him not expecting such a response and laughed out loud as he heard me pronouncing those words in a close to prefect German!

…

A few days later, I had this feeling that the other Germans in this Program paid more attention to me and some nodded or greeted me when I was passing by; this was something that has never happened before. I realized that the word was circulating among the Germans there that there was this guy from a strange place called Madagascar, who is good at pronouncing German. One afternoon, probably around the end of my first semester, I suddenly stumbled on a group of Germans who happen to discuss before class starts – that day, Mauritz was not there but Holger, the other German guy was present. As he saw me, he said as a greeting “hey Madagascar!!” (Actually, in this program, everyone called me “Madagascar” as it was probably easier to remember and amusing to say too) and as he said that, the other Germans – including the German girls turned back to say “Hi”. Holger, who still cannot forget our joke, repeated my “funny” phrase by saying again… “Sheisse, das ist eine Katastrophe!” And invited me to say anything in German and to do so, started to say “Magen See diesel Pojekte?” To which I said “Ich mag was night, was is soooo schwer” (which in English means “I do not like it as it is too difficult); Of course, I did not mean that by its first degree but my goal was just to speak or “spit” a sentence in German. As I said that, the Germans who were standing there listening to me expressed some astonishment and one of the German girl told me – and she seemed very frank about it – the following : “Honestly, although your German accent is not 100 percent perfect, I can tell you that it is much better than the German spoken by some of our immigrants in Germany, many of whom have spent like..15 or 20 or even 30 years in Germany” . I think she was entirely honest when she said that and I just believed her. As I thanked her for her remarks, another German girl who was standing next to her asked me “Did you have any German girlfriend before or have you ever lived in Germany?”; I let her know that none of those affirmations applied to me and said her the truth, which was I learned to speak German in Madagascar and was taught by a Malagasy teacher (not a French, not a German and not an Austrian either) many years ago.

Hearing that, most of them were highly astonished …

From time to time, we used to hand out together in Sydney but that happened about once per month. So apart from the French and the German students, there were also other students from other parts of the world: there was a guy from Koweit named Abdullah; there was also a guy from Mexico whom I took class with and who one day, asked me to take a picture with me and another friend as he really wanted to show his family in Mexico how someone from Madagascar looks like; I know, this is funny but as we were good friends and as we lived in the same student campus (called Nirimba campus, which was actually a campus that the university of western Sydney has refurbished because decades ago, it used to be a place where US militaries spent their time during world war II), and as we sometimes hanged out in a pub close to that former US base (which is now a university campus), I found it a bit difficult to refuse that favour and accepted to take the picture with him and a friend of mine from India, named Ranjit. Regarding Ranjit now, he is a guy from Mumbai and I met him during a project that we had for an e-commerce class. The teacher – and Australian guy in his fifties- just told us ..why don’t you guys just work together on this project? Well, we ended up working together and this was when that I actually learned that he came to Australia right after the death of his father and that graduating for this program was more than essential for him. I remembered that one day, he was very stressed in class (like, you can see from afar that he was not doing really well). Me and Mauritz, as well as a friend of ours, Runya (a girl from Thailand with whom I was close with) noticed that Ranjit was a bit unfocused. At the end of the class, we asked him and at the beginning, he obviously said that everything was alright. But after we had a talk with him and that we insisted a bit, he ended up admitting that he had less than 2 days to pay for his rent and was short with money and although he started to look for a (survival) job, he has not been very successful in it so far despite many trials. After hearing about his challenges, we have all decided to put our hands into our pocket and helped him the way we could, at least what we have lended him would be sufficient to cover his rent (unlike Canada, France or the US, rental costs in Australia are displayed on a weekly basis, not per month) and a bit of his basic needs. That would avoid him to be kicked out of his apartment and add up to his already existing problem, which is to have lost his dad.

…

As the second semester ended (Unlike Mauritz and the rest, I or we all actually met him only during the second semester), Ranjit was still applying to find survival jobs, or more exactly those types of jobs that require effort and that few people wanted to take. They are mainly industry-related jobs or jobs that require a lot of handling or physical effort. But still, even those jobs take time to be found apparently in Australia and seem to be given first to those who have a permanent residency status.

After having tried for about 6 or 7 weeks though, he finally ended up finding one and that job of his consisted of preparing and cooking sausages and hamburger meats at one of a stadium around Sydney. The job required some physical efforts and the pay was acceptable by Australian standards (For those of you wha are not familiar with Australia, it is good to know that Australia minimum wages are above or superior to the minimum wages found in the United States at the time I was studying there in 2004; in the US, salaries paid to low-skilled positions would amount to 7 or 8 US dollars hourly whereas the same positions in Australia would be paid around 15 or 16 AUD hourly). In fact, the Australian minimum wages (the equivalent of the SMIC in France) are higher than the wages found in the US or even Canada but it is also interesting to pit out that for high skilled positions, jobs in the United States definitely pay higher wages than in places like Canada or Australia. So although minimum wages are amongst the highest in Australia, the wages for High skilled Jobs (but the low skilled jobs are however poorly paid in the US) are the highest ones in the United States, so America pays you extremely well when you get hired at a very high position but pays poorly when you are working for a survival job, like the one my friend Ranjit was obliged to take in Australia.

It is one of the reason why in Australia, it IS NOT REQUIRED NOR IT IS EXPECTED TO LEAVE A TIP when one eat at restaurants because waiters can rely on the salary they earn to cover their living expenses, which may not be the case in countries like the United States or Canada, where you are expected to leave a 10 or 15% tip (pourboire in French) because they expect this on top of what they earn. In a country like Australia, leaving some tip could be interpreted badly and could even be perceived as an “insult” to the waiter.

So when travelling to Australia (particularly to places where there are fewer tourists), please beware of this difference. Just pay the bill, thank the waiter and leave.

…

 

Now back to my friend Ranjit, as the second semester ended, the summer vacation started.

…

Note that Unlike the summer vacations in France or North America which start around June and ends up in September , the summer vacation in Australia starts In December and ends around the end of the month of February. It all makes sense because the warmer season in the southern hemisphere is around that period. Interestingly, the ‘summer”vacation in Madagascar follows the summer vacation in France, meaning from June to September as well, but the difference with France is that that during May to September period, Madagascar – as it is located in the Southern Hemisphere like Australia -  is in the middle of the “cold” season. In the Imerina region of Madaagscar (this central region of Madagascar where Merina people live) where I come from (above 1,200 meters above sea level), it is not unusual to experience temperature dropping as low as 7 or 8 degrees Celsius in the morning and late at night mainly because this region of the country is located in the highlands of Madaagscar). In the city of Antsirabe, which is about 160 km south from Antananarivo (where I come from), temperatures during austral winters can drop as low as 3 or 4 degrees Celsius at night.

…

That summer of 2006, the 3 month summer vacation started and classes were to resume only in February of the following year, meaning feb 2007. During the summer time, many Australians take the opportunity to travel overseas, namely to places like Fiji, Samoa or head to south-east Asia such as Thailand or Indonesia for the most part. Many also choose to discover other parts of Australia which they never had the opportunity to visit during their lifetime.

But for Ranjit, and for some of the foreign students, securing their future was a top priority, and this was during this summer vacation that Ranjit shifted from one survival job to another. I remembered him telling me that once he found another job (right after the one where he needed to cook meats for hamburgers), and from memory this job was about packing items for 6 or 7 hours a day (in Australia, it is permitted to work 40 hours per week during vacation periods; that comes back to 20 hours as school resumes) and there was one one the guy, also a student, who was working there. He complained about that guy (the guy was Australian) because he has been rough on him and sometimes, would use some tone which would be close to some verbal abuse. One day, this friend of mine just walked out of the factory (as he was fed up) and sat outside. After 20 minutes, the supervisor (also a white Australian guy) passed by right next to him and noticed he was not doing really well and asked him what was going on. My friend Ranjit just said vaguely “ohhh I am okay” and the supervisor walked into the factory and after 5 minutes, walked out again and headed towards my friend. He stopped next to him and told him “now, you can go back, there is nothing you should be worrying about any more”.

Ranjit thanked him – he told me – and walked back into the factory. That guy who was doing the verbal abuse, just did not dare to look at him and hold his head down as to avoid to be looked at or confronted. All that day and during all the time that Ranjit would spend working in this factory, this guy would no longer dare to bother him in any ways.

In every country, you would meet “strange people” and I keep remembering being told and reminded not to go to Australia because it is “racist”. But never forget the fact that there are also some really nice people there too, and Australia is no exception to this. Australia has probably some issues with its Aboriginal people, but as strange as it may seem, it is a country where one can still find a lot of compassionate people and I am going to invite you to read the following.

 

 

ACCIDENTAL ENCOUNTER WITH A WHITE SUPREMACIST!

 

You will see further in this article that I have found this original idea of posting some ads (to look for people who are interested in my French backgrounds) and one day, I happen to receive a very strange email from someone. That person was surely not interested to meet me but to intimidate me. In the ad that I have written, I have mentioned about my backgrounds such as I was born in Madagascar and have spent time in France and am now undertaking a postgraduate degree in Australia, and that was about it; but that person sent me an email to comment about my origins and my skin colour. He even sent some phrases which resembled like death threats or death wishes. As he became more invasive, I started to respond back to him using the response window and asked him why he was acting this way and told him that (just paraphrasing as I no longer remember my exact sentence) “I am so proud of my skin colour which is caramel looking”.  This is, I guess, the sentence which made him even more angrier as he probably thought that a Merina of Madagascar would have some complex of any sort about one’s skin complexion. He then went on with the common rhetoric about “going back to my country” and went on referring to Madagascar, Africa and all of Asia as “shithole places” and went saying degrading things such as “monkey brain”. All those phrases suggested – to me – the idea that this man has real issues with people who he sees as being “non-whites” and consider other cultures, including Chinese and Japanese ones, as being inferior to his! This kind of reaction is exactly the type of reaction that comes from someone who was closed minded and who surely has never left his own country and who uses colonialist theories to catch up on his lack of confidence and on his total failure in life. When I wrote the ad, I have not mentioned anything negative about Australia nor the Australians but when reading it though, he might have realized that someone foreign was doing better than he did and has achieved things that he wished he had achieved. The second thing that I realized as I kept responding to him was that my first thought was wrong about him: at first, I thought I was dealing with a racist guy but as the discussions went on, I started to realize that I was probably dealing with a white supremacist. Why do I believe that? Because of the terminology that he used when he answered my questions. He ket using things such as “exterminate”, “race”, “slice”, words which were highly offensive.

…

I remember that our altercation lasted for more than one hour and half and during this time, he kept sending me racist slurs and instead of responding with slurs like he did, I decided to respond using structure sentences and later on, decided to respond to him in French language, to which he said “what the f*** does that even mean” and later, went to respond him in German as well. To that latter, I remembered him telling me “what fu***** African language is that”. I responded by a “LOL” and stated, “This is German”, and teased him by saying “you speak German too right?” The reason why I have decided to use those languages to respond to him was because firstly, it was entirely legal to do so, secondly, as he kept insulting all the continents from Asia, South America and above all Africa, I have decided to beat him at his own game! In our exchange, he kept emphasizing the “superiority” of the European culture and language and of course pulled down the other cultures, including ancient and very rich cultures of highly-respected countries like Japan! In fact, when I responded to him in German and let him know or almost mocked him that I knew German much (much much much) better than he did. For a while, he would stop responding (probably looking if it was really German) and after about 5 or 6 minutes, he just spitted his frustration nd wrote something like “yeahhhhh, you f******* smart-ass, you deserve to go back, all of you and blablabla, you do not serve to live or to exist”, in other words, some words that reflected his deep thoughts and his deep inner frustration which have kept accumulating there probably for many years.

I could have used slurs or insults to answer but because he looked to proud of his « European Heritage », something he did not hesitate to write and mention during our altercation, I decided to use other European languages to see how good or more exactly, how bad and empty this racist guy’s « monkey head » was. I have obviously posted the whole thing online, so that the public could read and see everything, including my messages in French as well in German! Yes, the guy from Madaagscar knows French and German too, both of which I have learned in Madagascar, not in Europe. By doing so, I think I have made this guy remember this day for a very long time.

In my view – people like him can be potentially dangerous, and I honestly wouldn’t surprised if people like him were somehow involved in the later incidents that happened in Australia (mainly in the city of Melbourne but also in Sydney) around 2008-2010 when many Indian students were randomly attacked at night by some fanatics. One of the incident that pushed the government to act happened in a Parc in Melbourne where an Indian student – an accountant student – was stabbed in abroad daylight by a couple. The couple was arrested, judged and thrown in jail for many years to come, an example that a tolerant and multicultural country like Australia wants to show the world. This has actually been a tough moment for there education industry there as many students from India decided to choose places like Canada or New Zealand instead, and that has literally forced Julia Gillard government to undertake reforms into how those hate crimes should be handled and create tougher laws for such crimes in Australia. Today, Australia -with those stricter laws in place – is definitely a safe place to study and I would recommend it to anyone and to tell you the truth, I was in Australia during that period, took the train like usual, walked back home every night, but I would say it was no more dangerous than any other times. I happened to meet a few guys out there but it looks like if you start to talk to them and exchange words, things can be at your advantage. Once in a train, a few of them would listen to some music and would look at me to see how I reacted…buts seeing me that I was following the wave – they just told me “yeah mate, you like it? It’s good ‘he!”

….

So that day, I was stuck for a while in front of my computer in my student room (which 50 or 60 years ago, was probably occupied by a US military as the campus I live in used to be a former US base), things got escalated between us and before responding to him …I decided to wait a bit and thought about the next step…. This guy was probably a danger and could be capable of something and I started to think about the information I have mentioned on the ad and the info that I have not and started to assess the risks…. I thought for a while and decided to garb my mouse and copy all of our discussions (could be used as evidence that could be brought to a lawyer or to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in case), but before going that further, I had another idea….

I have decided to copy the text and put one on a word document to save it in case; that same copy, I have decided to log back on gumtree and decided to repost our “aggressive discussion” online with a title saying “I posted that ad and this is what I got as a response” As he used racist slurs as well as some threats, and used the term “monkey brain”, I “punched” him back by saying “the only one who has a monkey brain here is probably you because based what I see, your writing is limited to two lines worth of insults’ and to me, you look like someone who cannot stand a non white person to do better than you do. To me, you act the way you did because you are frustrated between your legs”. Did I post this publicly alongside with our discussion? Absolutely! I posted the whole thing and from now on, it started to become visible to everyone in and around Sydney!

…

I decided to leave and go out as I had an appointment with Ranjit as that day, he invited me with another friend of his at an Indian restaurant. I mentioned the incident to them and they were shocked and advised me to bring the matter to the AFP if this guy keeps harassing or threatening.

…

When I came back about 4 hours later, I checked my mailbox and surprisingly, found 4 emails. I hesitated for a while to open them thinking that they may come from other people thinking the same way as that guy. I started to open one and was quite surprised at reading it. It came from an Australian guy who asked me “what did you tell him in the ad that could make him angry”, I provided him the details and he asked to see the original ad which Is ent him. After reading it, he wrote back saying ”there is absolutely nothing offensive in it” and told me “Do you think you can give me this stupid ass****’ email because I would like to kick his butt”. I gave him his email (of the racist guy) and after half an hour, he came back to me saying “This is it, I sent him a message and kicked his *ss in a way he would never forget”. This Australian guy, who responded to me first, was ready to help me (and I was extremely surprised by his reaction) and gave me his email as well as a contact number (in case of an emergency) and even suggested me that if I decided to bring the matter to the AFP, he would accompany me and would explain the matter to the Police, if this white supremacist decided to continue to make harassment. Two other Australians also write to me to offer their support and one was telling that this “racist guy” view did not represent the view of most Australians. One of them also gave me his email and decided to write to the guy to kick his bu**.

Another guy who responded, who said to me that he was an Anglo-Australian, wrote a very kind and supportive message and I remember him saying that “our Celtic culture is not as rich and exciting as yours, just be proud of your own heritage” and explained to me that his ancestors are originally from Scotland but immigrated to Australia in the 1900. Like the three others, he also asked me to contact if if I needed witnesses and even informed me that he knew a lawyer who dealt with racial discrimination cases in Australia.

…

As I said to you earlier, sometimes, help comes from people who have a different cultural background than you are or even from people of different skin colour than you!

Do you remember who helped me when my application to the US got sabotaged by this Anglo-American director in France? Well, it was a white Canadian from Eastern Canada who decided to offer help and all his support and it was really thanks to him that I managed to get finally to the United States to finish my Bachelor’s degree. When applying for a student visa to come to Australia, do you remember that an African lady working at a French bank in Paris tried to “derail” me by not sending the bank documents and a few months later, it was a white French person who took over the position and sent the documents to us so that I can carry on my application to Australia. Now, I was being harassed by this “frustrated between the legs” supremacist guy and some time later, I received support from so many white Australians, some of whom were ready to accompany me to the police station whereas some offered some help in case I needed a lawyer. In every emails that each of them sent, I read a lot of compassion as well as a lot of advices telling me to be “vigilant” and careful when being outside and to call (one of them) if I see something suspicious or unusual! When some people (in Europe mainly) told me a few years earlier that Australians were “racist”, I think that it is not founded at all and this incident has even made me believe that most Australians are very open minded and dare to stand against bigotry when the occasion presents itself! Unlike some people, Australians are very keen to help you and this is when I found out the kindness that most Australians have in their heart.

Did I regret to go to Australia? Absolutely not!! I am so proud to have chosen Australia as a place to study!

Do I think Australia is “racist”? Like every country, you will always find narrow minded people and to be entirely honest, this incident could have happened ANYWHERE! But for me, it has happened in Australia, but what matters was not the incident, but more the way many Australians did respond to that aggression. To me, they stood up for me and did everything to recomfort me and supported me fully about how I handled my responses to someone – who behaved and answered like a ‘monkey” – and who surely did not even deserved to be answered in a “civilized way”.

…

This incident is now close but still, I do remain “vigilant” of my surroundings, particularly at night. I was glad that before coming to Australia, I have spent time in Philadelphia (and yes, growing up in a place like Antananarivo surely helps too for sure as there one needs to be vigilant about one’s surroundings as well), and kept remembering my experience there. One night, as I was waiting for the train, I heard a gun shot close to the University station; it was around 10 PM. I was alone inside the station and as I heard it, I decided to creep to the end of the station and go down the stairs so that if the shooter decided to opt in, he wouldn’t see me. I will always remember those 6 minutes until the train arrived…these were the longest 6 mins I have ever waited for a train. This is to tell you that everything in life is relative and when you are confronted to something worse, you tend to be able to take stressful situations in a “lighter way”. For me, this attack from a white supremacist was nothing compared to the risks I faced when hearing this gunshot in Philadelphia 2 or 3 years earlier.

 

SOMETHING I HAVE NOTICED IN AUSTRALIA: THE WAY AUSTRALIAN (and ANGLO-SAXONS IN GENERAL) PEOPLE STARE DIFFERENTLY THAN PEOPLE LIVING IN FRANCE

 

But there is one more thing I would like to point out about the attitudes of different people in different countries I have been. When I arrived in Australia, one of the very first thing I have noticed is that although the country has had a “blatant history of “racism” through the implementation of the White Australia policy which actually ended right before 1970, most (White Australian) people that I have encountered on the street were nice and welcoming. This is something I have almost not expected at all and to give an example, when I used to walk around Sydney or even in places like the western suburbs (with a higher proportion of Lower-income and less-educated population than other parts of Sydney), most people just walk and do mind their own business. They just spend 1 or maximum 2 second staring at you and redirect their eyes in another direction so that they do not invade your privacy; obviously they are expecting the same from you too. When I am walking around in Canada too, I do experience this same level of “respecting the other one and minding one’s own business”, and if you want to know whether these were the reasons why I chose to immigrate to Canada, I would say that it has contributed to make me choose Canada (instead of France or any European countries to be honest) as a place to settle and raise my kids.

In France, I would not say that I experienced racism the same way many people from the minorities (namely the Arabs and the Blacks who have grown up in the “Cites” or “banlieues” of France) have; but I have to be honest and have noticed that the way French people behave on the street slightly differ from the way Australians or Canadians do. In places like Australia, as I said earlier, people would just walk next to you, look at you very quickly and would look slightly away as to avoid to become invasive; In France, and particularly in places like Lyon (but I have heard from some people that Toulon as well some cities in the south of France are worse), people tend to stare at others in a more insistive way. On may occasions, it might be just simple curiosity, but in a few instances, I have noticed or read some kind of “aggressivity” in those stares; Although of rare occurrence in places like Australia or Canada,  those « insistive » stares tended to be more frequent in France and more invasive (may be one in every 40 or 50 people in France compared to 1 in every 300 or 350 people in places like Australia). As you can imagine, it usually happens between persons of different backgrounds and in many instances, I have directly witnessed cases where there had been verbal escalation between some French and some minority groups (who have grown up in France). Many times (so many times and each time it happens, I prefer avoiding it and change path), I have seen some minority groups responding aggressively (sometimes it was justified, but sometimes, it was not justified at all but when both sides are so racially prejudiced against each other, the slightest stare can lead to verbal assaults or even physical attacks) and saying things like “tu veux ma photo, connard” (which means do you want my picture, douchebag), or things like “c’est quoi ton probleme pauvre con! (what is your problem, poor idiot!). In most cases, when that happens, the guy who started the stare would not even dare to respond and would keep saying « pardon, pardon, pardon » as a way to catch up his stupid mistake but evidently, it is usually too late or sometimes, I they would just run away in fear; I even have witnessed a case where a guy – who has stared at a minority guys a bit too much – got this stare misinterpreted for some « provocation » probably (this is what happens when both parties are already filled up with a priori and prejudices) and got threatened and got a bit pushed against the wall in Lyon with all the slurs that you can imagine. In cases like this, unless there is a direct threat to the person’s life (in which case you should call the police immediately), better avoid to get involved at all costs, particularly if one still has plans to continue one’s path to study one day in highly beautiful places like Australia and immigrate to the very charming country called Canada.

In my own case, as I have grown up overseas in a country where we do not have issues with minority groups and where there is no such thing as feeling or not to belong to a country or not, or where there is no issue with “national identity” either, I would say that – although Madagascar is a very poor country with many issues – I (was extremely lucky) to have grown up in an environment that was not polluted by racism or “racial discrimination”. Yes, on that point, Madagascar is far from being a “Shithole” as some people would be so happy to suggest. ON the racial standpoint, growing up in Madaagscar is a CHANCE and on that point, Madagascar is a paradise, that I dare to say!

But when being confronted with stares like this, at the beginning, I would just look away and pretend not to see the person and generally, it is very efficient in avoiding problems and avoiding possible escalations which will ensue into legal issues if gone too far. I wanted to avoid problems because later in my life, I want to go to the United States to finish my Bachelor’s degree and later on, I would love to go to Australia or Canada! However, a very few times, I happened to experience a few people spitting on purpose (in France in particular) but it happened after 2 or 3 years after I arrived there, and because I started to get used to the country and be better at speaking English (as for many French people, if you speak English, you are perceived as not having grown up in France or even better, you can perceived as being an immigrant to places like the United States or Canada), I decided to use alternative but efficient methods rather than to confront the person physically, and I would just say random things like “ohhh…did you miss your spot, too bad for you” or “ohh yso much frustration that I can see there, may I be of any help?” Or even things like “ohh may be I should call the police, do you know the number by chance…ohh excuse me, I was asking for the police number” and yes, I would say that in English, not in French because by doing so, the person would have less chances to revert back to you (I started to know that most French people have very poor English skills, particularly those who have very right-wing ideals as they are generally from lower income backgrounds); Another time, as those incidents happened may be 4 or 5 times in total, but I responded to the guy saying in English of course “excuse me, may I know why you did this” but he would keep walking away and faster and I kept saying “excuse-me, excuse-me… just so you know that I have my phone here and may be, it would be Avery nice idea for me or for us to have a very small talk with the police”. I am not sure if this is what triggered it but he started to run (like a coward) and did not even dare to confront me, he had run a bit too fast and almost got hit by a passing car; the driver, another French guy, yelled at him saying a lot of insults, whereas, he kept running away as now, he had also this another French guy on his back, and if I decided to call the cops, they would be on his back too!

Eventually, in ALL THE CASES, those types of people would just walk away and run away as they were too afraid to dare to respond to me or even, they knew I would call the Cops and were aware that they were the ones who started the problem. Strangely, in Australia (labelled as being a “racist country” by some French and some Belgians people too), it has not happened many times, may be just once or twice but the second one, I wasn’t even sure if I was the target (as there was another person next to where I was).

 

Seeing those scenes of people arguing for a “yes or a no” a bit too often has made my thoughts looking for other options than France, should one day I choose to immigrate somewhere, but please, somewhere else.

I just do not like the idea of the “French identity “ concept which to me, puts aside this idea of reconciliation your culture with theirs (whereas in Canada, you can be considered by Canadians as a Canadian without having to compromise with the “who you are”. This is what I like about countries like Australia or Canada to be honest.

…

Just as an element of comparison, I do not have real experience in how it happens in other European countries, but from what I have read on other blogs from other foreign students, countries of Northern Europe tend to be more tolerant towards its visible minorities and to be entirely honest, I have witnessed very few “strange” incidents when I was travelling to Sweden, just a few months before I left to study in the United States. But what also astonished me was that while I was in Germany, I noticed that people (the Germans) tended to be more polite and had the tendency to stare at you, but the stare that they use is generally more of a “curious” stare than a stare that expresses anger or frustration (In France, I have the feeling that those kind of stares are more common in low-income suburbs where there are more French who are being forced to confront daily visible minorities, this is when all the “right ingredients” (Low income, weak purchasing power, being assaulted daily, frequent verbal abuse, mutual incomprehension that generally lead to mutual prejudices) are combined that racial prejudices get formed, and the worst thing about prejudices is that if not handled properly, it just does grow, a bit like some cancer which grows and end up taking over on the cells.

…

But I have already talked about what problematics does France face and how those problematics does affect the way the French police for example (my friend Jean Charles, the French police officer whom I’ve met in Lyon a few months after I arrived) handle identity checks, border checks as well as checks when one is behind the wheel in France. Jean Charles C. Had been honest by telling me that racism does exist within the French police force and he has admitted halfway that the French police sometimes use “profiling” or what they usually call in French « delit de facies » whereby the police officers were to decide whom they are going to check on the basis on « way of dressing » (this is sometimes an excuse many of them would use) or morels on the basis of someone « skin colour ». Is this why I chose Canada to immigrate and Australia as a place to undertake my Masters Degree in Finance? In both cases, surely yes!

In fact, one does not have to be extremely an expert to determine how “different” the French police (and the Belgian police as well to some extent) is compared to ..let’s say the German Police (or to the Australian or Canadian Police, most of whom, seem to be much more clot blind and nicer, more polite and kinder towards their respective immigrants in their respective countries). In Germany, you have noticed that I came close to many German police officers (when getting off the train or crossing the street in Frankfurt), but not even once, they “profiled” me or used their power to “intimidate”. In France, although I never had bad experiences with the French police (it is partly because I am not a night person as I do not fancy night clubs and also because I have spent a bit too much time, not studying, but chatting with Barbara or Emilie over the phone during weekends when most people were outside; sometimes, yes, I was studying but it was not often during weekends), but I have heard a story of one (French) guy who was arrested and slapped inside a French “commissariat” by the CRS (They are like a type of police that are being trained to restrain delinquents); another guy from Madagascar was checked many times on his way home at night, and a few of the Africans that I knew got their car checked whereas everybody can go on. Once In Roissy Charles de Gaulle, when boarding to Madagascar, I was checked by a CRS who was rude and who kept saying “tourney-nous”< he wanted to make me turn once more but I just moved away saying :that is damn enough!” And left him there while telling the same thing as I did to this Belgian controller in Belgium “if you had studied harder, you would not be doing this funny job now”; as I was walking away, he said arrogantly “but I like my jooooob”, to which I smiled the way Anglo-saxons do (upper stiff lips, which is so famous in the UK) and just said while smiling : It does not look like it. I dared to do that because he was rude and unprofessional, and also because there were so many witnesses around as well as other police officers who’s seemed to be more open-minded. If he dared to follow me, I would not have hesitated to file a complaint (but in France, I have heard it is not very well handled, unlike in Germany) and would have got into contact with a French lawyer. I would have done it because at that time, I have already finished all of my courses in France and would have to leave to the United States soon anyway.

….

WHY IS FRANCE SO PARTICULAR IN TERMS OF INTEGRATING ITS MINORITIES?

So why in France, things are so particular? Why in France, we hear more about police brutality than in any other European nations? Why in France, the tensions between the youth and the police force is always at its height? And finally…why when we log onto YouTube, it is so easy to find videos or violence perpetrated by some (not all) representant of the force? How come in neighbouring Germany (who was once run by Hitler and people like Goebbels, Goering and people like Speer).

Although  am not an expert in psychology or law enforcement or even in history of Europe, my belief is that after World War II, Germany was defeated and the Americans, the Brits and the Russians occupied a big part of the country. Because Germany was pointed at by the world as being the country which was responsible for the Holocaust, it did enormous effort to rectify its wrongdoings, and that included being much more stringent when it comes to hiring police officers (More Stringent background checks to make sure that the person is not officiated with some extreme right movements of any kind). Also, unlike many European nations, Germany admitted and took FULL RESPONSIBILITY about the crimes it has committed and even passed a law to forbid the “hitler salute” on German soil.

Germany has just gone much further in terms of acknowledging their wrongdoings than places like France (The Vichy government collaborated with Germany and even helped the Wehrmacht – without Germany asking for it – to round up the Jews and send them to camps).Today, France has still some crispy reactions when we talk about how the Vichy regime got involved or how companies like SNCF (national French railroad) contributed to transport people to the camps. France also tends to minimize the involvement of the French malice (who willingly collaborated with the Nazi Germany) during the 1940s.

This is probably why the framework of the policing in France is somewhat “inspired” from those dark periods and that explains why there is so much tensions (no room for dialogue, just repression and violence, a policy which really took effect under Sarkozy’s presidency) between communities in France nowadays, and the Sarkozy presidency (which I believe to be far more worse than living in Australia under the Howard’s government with Australian Treasurer Peter Costello having “invisible” hands over Australia’s immigration matters; and Sarkozy’s presidency looks even more “cruel” than Donald Trump’s America despite the latter’s propaganda about rounding illegal aliens in the US) did just make this tension even worse, and ended up making even more mutual prejudices, abuses of power by (some not all) police officers but more importantly, it has ended up dividing the country and make some taboo issues (like the veil and question of French identity) to become even more polarized!

To me, I was so thankful to have chosen Australia because in my own views, the Sarkozy’s policies were very focused on repression and intimidation, but was even more shameful in the sense that it put a number (a quota) on the numbers of arrests or deportation that each police department had to reach. If you start doing things that way, how do you expect the police officers in France to work and operate in a fair and equitable manner? How, with this method, can you expect to create unity in a country which is and has already been divided by religion and race issues for decades but keeps denying racism as if it is Germany’s or America’s problems only? How do you even think about making France a better place to live when you have to fear daily about possible « revenge » from groups that may have this need to hit back, and that makes France a country which has to spend millions of Euros of its famous « Plan vigipirate » to protect the country and its people? Why not having taken some bold steps since the 1960s to integrate those immigrants from (North) Africa in an efficient way and why not having taken bold steps to fight against discrimination at work and gibe equal chances to every French citizens regardless of their ethnical origin? Why not having thought smart since the beginning and why not having get inspiration rom smarter countries like New Zealand or Australia in regards to their immigration policies? How do you even think to make France attractive to the SKILLED migrants if you start implementing policies that are very similar to those implemented under the Vichy Regime, at this times when France was occupied by Nazi Germany. Surely Australia’s policies on immigration is highly conservative compared to there western countries under Howard’s and particularly when Peter Costello was still the Treasurer of the government, but Sarkozy’s France policies looked to me as a policy drafted on obscurantism and primitive reflexes, as if it was drawn from a book written in the 16th century.

It is not surprising, as I already mentioned earlier, that most of the skilled migrants are mostly heading towards more attractive places like Canada or New Zealand because they are fully aware that in those countries, they or their children have far greater chance of ending up having greater and better opportunities in their lives (than in France or Belgium). Just let’s have quick look at the Honourable Canadian Defense minister, named Harjit Sajjan, under the current Trudeau Government, and how he clearly portrays his cultural identity in public…do you really think a highly respectable man like he is would have had the same opportunity in countries like Belgium or France? Just by hearting his name, most people in those countries would « sweat » and be as they say in French, « Mal a l’aise ». How would have he been perceived there if he had chosen France or Belgium as a place to immigrate rather than here in Canada? Would he have gained the same level of consideration and respect? 

….I let you answer this question, I think it is best.

 

WHY – AS AN OUTSIDER AND A NON-FRENCH PERSON – DO I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT MOST PROBLEMS IN FRANCE COULD BE VERY EASILY AVOIDED?

 

Many would say that they are fed up to hear on the news attacks or aggression of all kinds almost on a daily basis. I would understand them fully because when I was in France myself, I happened to see quite often those kind of news. As media has a fundamental role in shaping a nation’s mindset, seeing those kind of “negative” things often would – like it or not – affect the way you would perceive your external environment.

But as you probably have read earlier, I have also witnessed some of those behaviours on the street between two persons from different cultural and socio-economical backgrounds.

When taking the bus (as sometimes the bus crosses some “sensible areas” like the famous “quarter de al Duchere in Lyon to be able to travel from Ecully to the Carrefour Mall), I have seen – on many instances – some persons of the “banlieues” talking to some French on the bus. Sometimes, it was purely provocation but very often, it started with a “bonjour mademoiselle, ca va?????”.  One of the things I have been taught in a country like Madagascar is that when someone asks you a question (particularly if it sounds polite and correct), be polite to at least, respond to her or him. But in almost 99 percent of the cases, the (French) people to whom such questions were addressed did not even mind responding, and obviously, when it happens that way, the “Guy(s) from the banlieues” start to interpret this in a way that would make him believe that he is not even worth 5 seconds of the person’s time. That kind of behaviour (which in French is being called “se renfermer dans sa coquille”), which can be called “to shut one’s ears” can lead to even more verbal exchanges, which can go onto more violent verbal abuse, escalation and even lead to violence. This is all about psychology. If you do not respond to a person who is being polite towards you (It is different if that person uses rude words or insults), you would feel rejection and rejection can create a mean to justify the use of more aggressive behaviours or even violence. On many occasions – in France – I have witnessed many of those behaviour where most of the French chose to ignore the person, just on the basis of that person’s appearance – by appearance, I do not really mean a coloured person, but more a person who is wearing those outfits (jogging, tennis shoes, hoodies) that you would see in the “banlieues” or “Cites” of France, where most of the race-related problems seem to stem from. Sure, the person does not please to you but at least, pretend to respond or pretend to establish dialogues so that you would avoid confrontations or even violence. I have witnessed a few times some persons showing their lack of willingness to respond (as if they did nit want to respond) whereas they had their family with them on the bus, and that kind of behaviour almost systematically creates confrontation and like it or not, you do not want your daughter or young son to witness such altercation on a weekend inside a bus!

When I arrived in the United States, one of the things that surprised was the difference in how the white Americans talked to the Blacks on the street. Many times, in downtown Philadelphia (which is by the way a predominantly Black area), I witnessed some Black Americans wearing hoodies (you could say they were coming from the poor neighborhoods of Philadelphia) starting to talk to a white bypassed by saying for example”Yooo maaann, you mind to look at this CD for me, I sell it for X dollars if you want”. If we were in Lyon, or anywhere in France, people would just walk by and ignore such requests, but here, we are in the United States (a country which surely has had issues with racial segregation, but has since moved faster than France did from this dark past) and as such, I saw many times, most of the white Americans stopped by and started to talk to the “black guy” even though they may not have really liked his appearance. Why do they stop? Because Americans are usually respectful people and are smarter enough to understand that ESTABLISHING DIALOGUE IS THE ONLY EFFICIENT WAY To avoid escalation. Many times, I have seen many White Americans – many were dressed in expensive suits – responding the “Black guy in hoodie” sentences such as: “:sure man, let me see this…ohhh, you got my preferred song man….” Or “yeah, what you got there man?” And you know, they would stop and stand close enough to this “black guy” even for a better of 1 or 2 minutes! After that, everything is fine, they walk away or sometimes buy the CD and say “glad to talk with you man”

Even in places like Philadelphia (which is a city with some degree of racism issues as well compared to places like Seattle or Chicago for example), people still show respect to each other.

 

Have you heard many people in France stopping by or exchanging words with the “coloured guy” from the “banlieues”? Not really. I remember once, I was taking the subway in Lyon and at Place Bellecour, the subway stopped. Outside, there were 4 French guys talking with a Black guy, who was very elegant and was wearing a nice suit, I immediately supposed that this guy might be an African who lived in Africa (and not in France) and who probably runs a successful business or works at a high function within a famous company there. As soon as they popped into the subway, I remembered the stares that 99 percent of the lyonnesse were having that day. They were staring at those 5 persons in suit and were surely wondering how come this Black guy was so well dressed? Who was he? What did he do in life? He might be rich, may be even richer than me, the lyonnese guy? And who are those 4 white French guys who were discussing serious matters with him? Were they his associates? These were probably the questions that the “travellers” of this subway asked themselves. In fact, in the United States, seeing a black person wearing a very elegant suits is so common and no longer impresses any white American who grew up in Washington DC or New York, but in Lyon, such scene is considered to be “exotic”, yes like me who find travelling to Bavaria as being “exotic”.

 

But this is the result of the social construct that is the product of the media and of the environment in which people grow up. In some places, some members of the visible minorities are perceived as belonging to a certain type of environment and are expected to dress (hoodie and tennis) and behave in a particular manner (rude, aggressive and having this North African accent when they speak French), at least in many cases. When you are being over-exposed to images or scenes that support that claim, you end up starting to build your perceptions around that idea. As such, when something “unusual” happens before your eyes – like this elegant African guy in the subway – you start to ask questions and wonder why that specific case stands out from the rest.

…

 

1995: MANY YEARS AGO IN WASHINGTON DC

 

I remembered in 1995, when I first visited Washington DC (and New York) on a class trip (which my school from Madagascar organized). We stopped by in Paris and of course, saw the usual things we already knew. Once we arrived in the US, one of the things that really surprised me was seeing many Black people seating at the back of limousines. We also witnessed a very fancy car which stopped in front of a very nice restaurant in Washington DC, and of course, we could not see who were the occupants but as soon as the car stopped, a very elegantly-dressed couple of African Americans steeped out and walked in a very refined way into the restaurant. Although we (me as well as the Malagasy friends who travelled with us) were all having a comfortable lifestyle in Madagascar, we were all surprised to see this kind of scene. One of my friends said  “look, look look…..the couple in this nice car are…. black Americans”, and yes, the person who pronounced was one of my friend from Madaagscar Island, who was by the way, of Merina origin (in Madagascar, Merina are those like me, whose ancestors came from Indonesia about 1,500 ago). Having been exposed to the French media (as French news have started to be broadcasted in Madaagscar from the mid-1990s) and seeing the French reality through those broadcast, I am not astonished to hear that remark because the realities of the French society and the French way of living was simply what we constantly saw.

Unlike the US, where seeing many Black Americans being successful and enjoying high standards of living, in France, it is still indeed extremely rare (particularly at that time) to see non-white persons owning fancy cars or living in fancy houses with big terraces or dining at very expensive restaurants.

 

 

WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS THAT I FOUND SO STRANGE WITH THE FRENCH COMMUNITY IN MADAGASCAR?

 

Apart from the way French people stare as compared to Australians, Canadians or even Americans, There was one aspect of France that remains very characteristic: the lack of discipline.

 

The funny thing about this aspect is that (some not all) French people living in Madagascar keep criticizing the Malagasy people for their lack of discipline as well as their lack of punctuality, when in their country, many of the French are displaying fully a lack of discipline that stands out from the rest of many western countries, namely the English-speaking countries, The Netherlands, Scandinavia  or Germany!

 

By the way, many French people in Madagascar would also keep criticizing the Malagasy for being “moramora” and for Madagascar to be the “pays du moramora”, or the country everything is slow, but isn’t it the point to come to a new country (as my Canadian roommate in Australia would say once about another Canadian guy who would keep complaining about the times at which Australian pubs would close down).

 

When I arrived in Lyon, one of the things that shocked me was this very Lyonnesse (or may be very French too) behaviour of blocking the subway doors (not holding the door like many Canadians do when you walk behind them) so that their friends can hop in. Many people in France will be selling you that it is a behaviour that is typical from the people coming from the “banlieues” or the “Cites”, but believe it or not, I have seen so many times, white French people doing it so that their friends or may be cousins who were late being could hop into the TCL subway wagon.

 

Another strange habit that I found out of the ordinary, as soon as I arrived in France, was the availability of “amusement products” that many young French liked to enjoy during their free time; by amusement products, I mean “pot”, which by the way, seem to be widely available on black markets that some of the French people whom I met (at one of the school I have attended but I prefer not mentioning which one for some obvious reasons) seem to be knowledgeable about. I remember one Saturday afternoon, one of them saw me passing by their dorm and they invited me to listen to some music and have a drink, may be some beer or a bit of wine, they said to me. Obviously, as I love wine and beer, I did not object to and came into the room. As I came in, there were 4 of them sitting there discussing and greeting me as I joined them; 1 of them was a French girl who grew up in the famous and indisputable “16th arrondissement” of Paris (which was like the equivalent of “Beverly Hills” in California if you ee what I mean), a part of Paris where rents are exceedingly expensive. I knew them from classes but rarely interacted with them except that day.

 

We started discussing about anything and making some jokes of all kinds and then, we went on drinking beer directly on the bottle. After about 45 minutes or 1 hour, one of them started to pull out a “pot” from his pocket and “roll” a cigarette paper to wrap the pot inside it, and would then start lighting on the cigarette. Another white French guy also did the same and they obviously proposed me to light on another one for me. I politely refused and pretended that I was not done with my beer yet as I did not want to smoke this kind of “product”, which was something I had never done in Madaagscar since! Now, why would I do it here in France!

I tried to drink my beer as slow as possible and after may be 20 minutes, when the room we were in started to smell this  smell that I found to be repugnant, this guy named Thibault, a white French guy whose dad was a high executive for a  French Cargo transporter company, which is actually very well-known worldwide (I will not mention the name), was trying to convince me that pot was “cool” and that it couldn’t do any harm. Sure he was free to think what he wants and they were free to smoke what they want but the fact is, I did not want to get into this, and the way some of them tried to coerce me – just made me decide that firstly, I will not accept any of their coercion and secondly, I would reconsider for good the type of “friendship” that I am having with them, and this would start now.

I have found an excuse to go out as I told them I had an appointment with a another friend of mine, whom they also knew. I told them that I would come back to meet them but in fact, what I meant by that was actually “Have fun with your cigarettes and goodbye for ever!”

In the next days, even though we would meet up during class, I would just greet them and would avoid to engage in discussion with them for too long. I would always pretend to have something to do or somewhere else to go and at the end, they just knew I guess, that I wasn’t interested.

 

Now, coercion is one thing, but the other thing that I wanted to tell here is about what the media or what (some) people in France or Europe would always tell you. This is this “it is not us, but them” type of mentality that I have discovered the more I stayed in France and which, by the way, I despise. How many times have I heard (some but not every) French people saying borderline things like “Those Arabs, they all are heavy pot smokers”, “they spent all their day smoking pot” or even things like “Most of the young in the cites here in France do smoke, it is not astonishing”. Well, I have no idea to be honest whether those statements are founded for the very simple reason that I did not have the opportunity to go into the “cites” or French “banlieues”. But hearing from the few “Arab” friends whom I have met at university and one of them – a Tunisian guy – was actually dating a French girl by the name of Emilie (yes the same name as my intimate friend), and he obviously acknowledged the fact that many Person of the Cites do smoke pots but also told me that most of what French people say about those “Arab migrants who are stuck in France because they hold French passport but were refused opportunities” is and would be exaggerated. Sure the problem of substance consumption exists among people in the “Cites” but one does need to be an expert to realize that this”consumption” is also the result or the consequences of decades of racial discrimination, poor access to job opportunities and social exclusion.

 

From my point of view as a 1/foreigner, as a 2/Malagasy, as a 3/Merina from Madaagscar, as a 4/Malagasy immigrant to Canada, and as a 5/Immigrant who did not grow up in France…..and finally, as an 6/Outsider from this French environment,

I would say that this type of “habit” is done by many people in France (and not only in France but also in many rich countries) and more importantly by French people from very different cultural, socio-economical and racial backgrounds (not just the guys of the “Cites”). Some people – who are and have become so clever at pointing at others to make all of us look the other way – are constantly pointing out at the minorities groups (not really the ones like me who grew overseas but more those who grew up in poor areas of France, like the “Cites”, as I said earlier). Because many of those people are mostly those who are being overexposed by the local medias for the security problems that many French cities are facing (thefts, street violence, violence in the “Cites” and even vandalism), they seem to be a perfect and easy targets as most are unemployed and live in precarious conditions in those “cites”surrounding cities like Paris or Marseille. Even though many North Africans and Blacks in France have managed to break the “ceiling glass” nowadays by becoming lawyers or engineers, the truth is that the media plays a central role in shaping the views of millions and  – even if it is existent and hard enough to manage for the French police and authorities – make those social problems look much bigger and much deeper than they probably really are.

From my own experience as a “foreigner” living in France and from what I saw and heard from many French and non-French friends, this problematic of “substance consumption” is actually very common and is done by many young people there, and this, regardless of their ethnical or socio-economical origins. Although the people in the “Cites” do it (probably social exclusion plays a huge role in that too), the fact is that the conditions in which they live may help to justify the reason of that problematic; however, for a French girl living in the 16 arrondissement of Paris or a guy whose dad is an important person in a famous French company (which actually helped the illegal transportation of rosewood from Madagascar Island to places like Asia and France), how do you explain the fact that they consume pot on a very regular basis (from what I saw, This guy “Thibault” was smoking this substance 3 to 4 times a week though I was quite sure it was more than 3 or just 4 times, but at this point, I cannot really tell.

Many times, when socializing among “Some French” people (not all but some), I happened to hear some “strange” words – which they made sound like “Jokes among friends” (I would say as a Malagasy “Jokes between idiots” – I find this term more appropriate to Thibault’s situation to be honest)- would slip out some people’s mouth, words which would obviously point at French (or more exactly The French of “foreign origin” living in the “Cites”) to be the most important “customers” to dealers. But even though that was true or partly founded, what Thibault did not realize is that he himself as well as many people like him are as almost loyal customers as those French of “foreign origin” living in the “Cites”.

 

…I believe that some Malagasy in France chose the country for a different reason and for some (for those who have been successful in France, I can really understand why they want to stay there and contribute and become French), but for the rest, I have issues understanding the reason why they did so because for me, although France is nice and although I have met some wonderful people (and girls as well) during my stay there, I have never seen myself living and staying there….and this despite of having been accepted by many French and despite being relatively well-integrated in France. On top of all the aforementioned, I also happened to have a very good command of French and speak the French language in a way that any of you readers could not even doubt: If me, the Merina guy from Madagascar was speaking to you over the phone, you probably would not even dare to think that the person talking to you may not be a French guy; in other words, many of you will not even think that I am not a Frenchman; and surely, you will not even be aware that you have talked to a Merina from Madagascar Island.

 

DO I RECONSIDER MY PREVIOUS OPINIONS ABOUT FRANCE OR DO I REGRET TO HAVE COME TO FRANCE AFTER ALL?

 

 

Although There had been so many memories that I kept from my stay in France, I have to say that I have always portrayed myself living in an English-speaking country. 

Now after everything I stated, do I actually feel like reconsidering my former decision about studying in France? Absolutely not! Everything I said and every reasons I gave earlier about the reasons why I chose France as a place to study over places like Mauritius Island, reunion inland, South Africa (or even the english-speaking countries), still hold true. For the English-speaking countries, I chose France mainly because of cost-related issues and because at that time, French was the only language in which I wads clever with; For Reunion island and Mauritius, it was more about the “past historical debt and relations” that the island of Madagascar was having with those (very small and tiny) countries but also, it was because those tiny countries seemed to be the most “arrogant” and “willing to pull down” constantly on Madagascar Island when at the end of the day, they are lagging economically and socially far behind places like France – which again, I do consider as an authentic, culturally-rich (rich in terms of architecture, historical sites), charming (beautiful villages spread across the country and charming girls) and a beautiful country (the French countryside is really a must-see) despite the numbers of social problems that it faces!

Like it or not, Compared to Reunion island or Mauritius, going to France is a golden ticket and will always be more enriching for you on so many aspects. For me, unlike Reunion island or Mauritius Island (which are considered to be countries with creole identities), France has a real identity which is the result of so many centuries of history and struggle.

This is why I chose to come and study there as I also wanted to understand and discover this beautiful country with its beautiful people; I have actually met some very nice French people from a friend of mine at school – named François – who was originally from the Jura region, and who invited me once to visit this very nice region of France, close to the border with Switzerland. This encounter has – I think – changed the way I perceived French people in general.

 

Now, in regards to South Africa, I just did not go there because of the remnants of the Apartheid regime, which, I believe, would have affected my experiences as a student overall.

Again, in regards to the decision to undertake my undergraduate studies, I do not for one second, regret my decision to have come to France. Let me be clear on this point. But when it came to settle and immigrate, then, this is an entirely different story!

 

 

…

BACK TO MY CLASSMATE RANJIT, THIS GUY FROM MUMBAI, INDIA

Back to my friend Ranjit now, as the summer vacation has started, me and him ( and sometimes his friend from Pakistan or another friend of him from India) usually would meet up to make the tour of Indian restaurants in the suburb of Parramatta, Sydney (which is between western Sydney and the centre of Sydney). This suburb is the someplace of many Indian immigrants (as well as many Indian students) who settle in Sydney and this is also where one can find a bunch of Indian restaurants or cafes.

At the time I was in Sydney for the first 18 months, I usually would come to that place to meet up with Ranjit and from time to time, with some of his Indian friends. There was a few times though when he also brought with him a friend who was not from India, but from Pakistan. Despite the issues that is happening between those two countries, Ranjit and him were getting on well each other, and a few times, I had the occasion to tour some Indian or Pakistani restaurants in Parramatta with them.

I remember once, we had a very nice meal at one of the Pakistani restaurant there and the owner made us taste a few specialties. Just so you know, in my country, Madagascar, we do have a few Indian restaurants and they are generally run by the “karana” community and going there for Malagasy people are quite an unusual thing to do.

That being said, I enjoyed the dishes that were served and at the end of the dinner, the Pakistani owner asked me that unusual question that I found “strange” to be honest: “what dish did you prefer?”, to which I answered “Ohhh, I really loved the first one”. Suddenly, the silence that surrounded us was terrible and ranjit, the owner as well as the friend from Pakistan just looked at each other and Ranjit said to him something in Hindi, which I did not understand at all obviously! I just did not understand what happened but in Madagascar as well as in France, when you are being asked which dish you preferred, you just answer the question as it is being asked.

When we got out of the restaurant, I asked my two friends what made this guy “froze” as I answered. Ranjit just answered me, while half-laughing: “man, you just gave him the best answer ever ….lol”

 

BEFORE UNDERSTANDING THE REAL ISSUE BETWEN THE MALAGASY AND THE KARANA, WE SHOULD DEFINE WHO THE “KARANA” OF MADAGASCAR ARE?

 

The karana are those who run by descendants of Indians who have migrated from a region of India called Gujarat and who have been living in Madagascar for 5 or even 6 generations. Unlike the Indians from India, the “karana” are being perceived very differently by Malagasy people. Unfortunately, and although there are exceptions, many Malagasy and the “Karana” community in Madagascar Island, for most part, encounter issues to get on well each other and it is very rare for Malagasy people to come to eat at restaurants run by “Karana”; the opposite is also true though, and the reason behind this “strange relationship” comes from the fact that many Malagasy keep pointing and blaming this community – most of whom do enjoy a high standard of living – for living in a country that is not theirs and for monopolizing the wealth of the country without giving anything in return. Many Malagasy for example – when you start to speak with them – will be very critical towards the “karana” because according to them, the latter do not contribute enough to the well-being of the country but keep tom themselves and flee to France – because many of them have French passport – when Madagascar faces political instabilities. I have had a few “Karana” friends when I was in high school in Madagascar and most of them were really nice people but I find it very unfortunate that the different communities that live in Madagascar do sometimes hold some grudges against each other and also fear about each other, but at the of the day, when the country is made up of many people who are struggling, it is extremely hard for anyone to make see things objectively. I have to be honest, I have been dealing with topics related to racism throughout this blog in countries like France for example, but I have to say that in Madagascar, racism also does exist; Also, although his problem is less prevalent than in places like India, a very singular topic that Malagasy people tend to be avoiding to talk about is the type of “discrimination” that some people of some “casts” are facing everyday (it is a discrimination based on hairs or more exactly how people with sleek hairs are perceived compared to someone with freezy hairs), but I will write a specific paragraph about this.

That being said, this problem ONLY concerns the “karana” of Madagascar and does not concern at all the relationships that a Malagasy person would have with (India-born) Indians (who has grown up in India r any place outside Madagascar Island, such as the UK, the US or South Africa) or any Pakistanis who has grown up in Pakistan or any place outside Madagascar Island). When one mentions that a person is Indian (from India), the perception that a Malagasy has, would generally be entirely different and generally, more positive and less subject to prejudices that many would express towards the “Karana”.

…

 

During this summer month, we would eat out quite a few times while talking about the different jobs that Ranjit was obliged to apply to as he needed to cover his living costs in Sydney. But we wold also talk about much less serious things, such as life in Madagascar or his life in India. He would tell me one day that he has spent a few hours in a library and checked a book about Madaagscar. He would then go to ask me “Tell me man, what is a “Merina tribe”, a question that almost made me choke!

 

I laughed at it as I really did not expect that question and I explained to him the history of the Merina people and the mysteries that surround our migration history from Indonesia to Madagascar about 1,500 years ago.

 

A FUNNY STORY FROM INDIA RANJIT TOLD ME ABOUT ONCE: THE BUILDING WITH THE « SPECIAL » WATER

One night, and I do not recall for sure what brought us to that discussion, 

But Ranjit told me about a friend of his had once in Mumbai, India. I suppose we were talking about houses construction in Madagascar or may be France but I cannot tell for sure. Anyways, Once he would tell me about an Indian friend of him who lived in a beautiful apartment in Mumbai. This friend of his (who was 23 or 24 of I remembered well) had a little brother, who was probably around 15 or 16 years old. They were living in this apartment with their parents.

One day, as they were sending the water from the sink for cooking purposes or to make some tea or some coffee, they have noticed that the water had a very particular smell. At the beginning, they ignored it thinking that the problem was just temporary. After 2 or 3 days though, the water still had this unusual smell, which they could not really tell what that was. As they were living in the 10th or 12th floor, they happened to pop into some neighbours whom they knew and one of the neighbours happened to start the discussion about the smell in the water. They said something such as “did you notice something with the water? Did you notice the smell or is it just us?”. This is when they realized that may be, they were not the only ones who noticed something unusual about the water. They then started to talk to other neighbours, whom also noticed something out of the ordinary. After some days, many of them started to talk and meet up in order to discuss about the things that needed to be done, things that may involve writing to the landlord or to the housing agency. They then decided to contact the agency that manages the building and the latter sent a team of “technicians” to check at the water pipes. When they did open the pipes, their discovery was to provoke a wave of anger because the water pipe as well as the pipe that is supposed to “evacuate” the dirty water from the “loos” were both leaking and because they were installed the one next to another (in parallel and in a kind of isolated contained), the flows coming from both pipes got “mixed”.

Very quickly, the noise spread around and the tenants started to yell at the technicians even though it probably isn’t their faults some went to call their husbands at work to tell about what happened; some would call other neighbours and very quickly, a group of angry tenants started to form and decided to go and pay a visit to the building management downtown. They drove to the place and many of them were extremely angry and once there, they just popped into the building, say absolutely nothing to anyone working there, took out things like baseball bats out of their bags or just sued their hands, and took out their anger onto the building’s windows, or threw out the equipments inside the building including some printers, computers, desks and anything they could break! Then, after a few minutes, one of the employees attempted a dialogue and asked why they were doing this. This is when they started to spit their anger by saying that for two weeks, the installation of faulty pipes – as the result of the building managers being too tight on spending on quality equipments – has been the reason why they have been drinking and showering with “dirty water” for days and days and days!

Fortunately,  someone in the office knew how to deal effectively with the situation, and thanks to this, further escalation or further destructions were avoided. A compromise has also been found and the matter was not brought to court, apparently. Also, no one went to jail.

…

But what made me laugh was the response that I received from Ranjit when I asked him “what about your friends”?

He told me that 2 months after this “unusual” incident of breaking into the office, they met together at a Cafe with some other friends (not those who live in at the apartment with the “tasty” water). The other friends of his to whom this event did not occur started to make jokes about how lucky his friend was to have been promoted in this company and how quick his 16 year old brother grew up, all of this “Thanks to the water”, said the other friends while making jokes at them. “Look man, you got so lucky since you drink this water, look now, you got a promotion at your job, and look at your brother man, he even got taller so quickly man …lol…lol”, this was how the discussion kind of went as Ranjit tried to paraphrase the sentence for me. Although it was tragic and although I surely do not that kind of thing to happen to me or anyone I know, I remember to have laughed for so long that people eating around us in this Indian restaurant in Parramatta Sydney, were wondering what the hell were we talking about. 

Later on, I remembered Ranjit getting a back-office job unexpectedly from a company  which was located inside the Ernst&Young building in Sydney (very visible when walking along Pitt street, which is a very famous street in Sydney as it hosts most of the biggest companies in Australia) and me teasing him about checking his building water pipes.

 

 

IN TERMS OF MAKING FRIENDS: WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND THE PEOPLE FROM THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES, LIKE NEW ZEALAND, CANADA, THE UNITED STATES OR AUSTRALIA?

 

So how to meet them? To be honest, I have tried to go out at nights in Sydney and try pubs, but the issue is although Sydneysiders (this is how we call people rom Sydney) are warm and nice, they tend to be talkative when you talk with them inside pubs and when the atmosphere is “hot”, but once the feast is over, the discussions you have had with any of them usually stops there. At first, one might think of that fact that it is because may be I am not Australian, but as I was staying longer in Australia and started to get to ask some white Australians but also by observing how the interactions between people spending time in pubs (I used to observe white Australians interacting between each other), I came to realize that even between locals, discussions and talks that are made inside pubs while drinking beer are to be on a temporary basis only and only last for the very moment! In France, it is harder than in Australia or Canada to start a talk with someone on a totally informal basis BUT HERE IS THE TRUTH: if someone starts a chat with you in a pub in France, the chances of building stronger relationships after the pub are much higher than in Australia or Canada! So in a summary, French people tend to be more shy, less approachable and even seem to be more arrogant than Canadians or Australians or the Americans, BUT if they happen to start to chat with you – in an informal environment and without one of their acquaintance to introduce you – chances are that they are very likely to be willing to befriend you! IN the Anglosphere, peoples Eem to be highly approachable and nicer than the French, but when the event ends, so does the relationship!

 

ENCOUNTERING NEW PEOPLE AND FRIENDS OUTSIDE CLASSROOM IN AUSTRALIA

So how did I adapt myself or overcome this difference approach to making friends? In fact, a few months after I arrived in Sydney, I discovered gumtree, a site that has different features, from allowing people to contact a seller of a given product, to allowing also some to look for a temporary job or offer skills. At that time, the site offered a section which allowed to meet friends or to make new friends, but later on, they remove that section. I in fact used that last section to post advertisements related to looking friends as – as I mentioned before – the last thing I wanted was to befriend people that I knew from the University. As I wanted “people from the outside”, I posted different ads but soon realized after a few weeks or a few months that I did not get anything that  was of interest.

I then thought of another idea. Using the same site, I decided to reform the advertisement by stating that  because I was speaking French fluently, I was looking for someone who also was speaking French or who might be interested to learn French. Obviously, I did not get any answers the following day, nor 2 or even 3 days after. But after 2 or 3 weeks, some people started to drop me emails and they were more interesting than the ones I have received earlier when I did not mention that I could speak French. I received an answer from a lady who owned a business in downtown Sydney and who has immigrated to Australia many years ago. She was from Japan and our relationship was purely based on friendship and learning and improving French. She invited me once or twice every month to have some tea at her “business location” (she was actually selling high-quality Japanese tea and other luxury products) and each time we met, we drank tea and she would be speaking French with me while expecting me to correct her when she makes mistakes. On top of that, she would ask me about where I come from or why I came to Australia whereas I would ask her about what she did in Japan, and how did she seat this business of hers as well. We would also have some discussions about Japan.

Another time, I happened to receive an email from a few French girls, but one by the name of Mathilde, happened to meet up with me a few times in a month. Although she was fluent in French, she decided to write to me because she found my ad interesting, she told me. At first, we decided to meet for coffee and later, for coffee and cake and we would usually meet up at Town Hall, which is a very well-known place for many Sydneysiders (this is actually where many people would stand and wait for the person they are planning to meet and in Saturday and Sundays, it is not surprising to see 30-40 or more than 50 people waiting for either a girlfriend, or a boyfriend or a parent at that location right in the centre of Sydney). It is a nice place to wait for someone as right across the street, one can enjoy the view of the famous Queen Victoria Building which is a famous but quite expensive shopping mall!

Regarding me and Mathilde, we would usually spend a few hours together and we would discuss about many different topics including the differences in culture between French and Australians for example, or the fact that some French delicacies could to be found in Australia or also we happened to talk a lot about French politics and French immigration. Although I was quite reticent at the beginning (mainly because she was French and not Canadian or American), I have later on, expressed some of my views (the same views as I have expressed in this article) about immigration challenges and policies implemented in France. At that time, France has just elected a very controversial president – which is Mr Sarkozy – and who openly dared to address very sensitive issues within French society. Those highly sensitive issues dealt with the notion of “French identity”, French nationalism, immigration policies which aimed at deporting illegal migrants in conditions that were more than debatable and which were borderline with the concept of human rights itself that France and (some) French people are so proud about.

It was under Sarkozy that many Africans (most of whom were from Western Africa) – most of whom were illegals – were forcibly deported from France in a very brutal manner and it was also during his presidency that the French police were conducting operations aiming at controlling “some people” on the street at night and surely, those kind of measures could just lead to even ore tensions, apprehensions, doubts on the side of those being “searched” and “tenptation of using abusive or coercive powers” on the side of those who do make the controls. Obviously, there are a lot of “controle au facies” (checking someone on the basis of their physical appearance) during Mr Sarkozy presidency and I remember that back then, the tensions between the “immigrants” and the French police was at its highest point.

As I mentioned before, this policy of “intimidation: towards a minority group is efficient on the spot and for a short period of time only BUT in the long run (and this what Mr Sarkozy did not think about as he was too hurried to obtain results on the spot and make himself popular) as it just creates anger, tensions and probably willingness or even pretexts for some people to get revenge (we all know what violent events happened in France a few years later). When I look at a country like Australia for example, which is I remind you, is a country that (some but not all) French people that I met referred to as a highly “racist and xenophobic” country. From what I saw through he Australian media but also by living in Asutralia for many years, the Australian police rarely or almost never uses intimidation towards minorities and immigrants in Australia! I know that and I am better placed than any French person (or any European person) to assert that the Australian federal police are generally and mostly highly respectable towards immigrants and visible minority groups in Australia. How many times have I met some Australian police officers on the trains and most of the time, they were behaving professionally and asked me politely about my tickets without referring to intimidating tones or strange looks. Most or all of those I have met at least were nice and made use of politeness! Yes, Australia has problems with its aboriginals but it treats its foreign migrants relatively well and even better than most countries in Europe! I can assert this more than any French or any Europeans because I, myself am “cafe au fait” looking and am therefore part of a visible minority. I am not scared to say that.

But has the Australian Federal Police ever intimidated me, or stopped me on the basis of my appearance when walking at night around Sydney, or did they harass me anytime, or did they make some “strange” comments when seeing me? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

Same here in Canada, since I have arrived, I have come across many RCMP (Royal Canadian mounted Police) but not even once, a Canadian police officer has EVER been suspicious or lacking respect towards any of us nor checked me for any reason! I remembered once in the building I am living right now, a car has had its window broken just outside the building and a Canadian police officer came by to check; at that moment, without being aware, I was on my way to bring the garbage downstairs and met by surprise this female officer. On the way out, as she has just finished talking with the owner of the car and was about to leave the premises, I held the door for her and this Canadian Police officer very politely told me “Thank you so much” and smiled. It was a behaviour that one does not really see often in a country like France.

Now, in France, it is true that strange things have ever happened to me but I have heard stories from French friends and non-French ones who had acquaintances having bad experiences with the French police, namely those working for the B.A.C or the CRS (one person that one of my French friend knew was actually slapped many times inside a French police station in Lyon, and he was a white French guy…so just take it from there…). While staying in Australia (yes this country that some Europeans like to label as being “highly racist”, I have ever heard any of the people I have met who have bad stories or stories depicting violence or any abuse of any sorts of any sorts coming from any officers of the Australia federal Police (AFP)! During all my stay in Australia – which lasted many years – I have also come across many officers of the AFP – including late at night when wandering in downtown Sydney – but not even once, any of them tried to intimidate me or harass me! And yes, we all almost forgot….I am from Madagascar! So are Australians really that “racist”? Wherever you go, whichever country you will settle in, you will always find people who dislike people who do not look like the mainstream population; Australia is no exception to this  and surely not, avoiding Australia because one thinks it is “racist” would not be that of a smart thing to do as anywhere – even in places that look nice and far from Asutralia – one can still find people who are not tolerant!

 

Now…did I make the right choice to come to Australia to undertake my Postgraduate education namely to gain my Masters degree? It sounds like “sure I did” because had I been back in France, I would have probably encountered some “frustrated people” who might see in me a one more immigrant. Here in Canada, the concept of migrant itself totally differs from the concept they have in France and this is what I love about this country! In Canada, Immigrants are seen and perceived to contribute to the Canadian society and to the Canadian economy; they are not seen as taking advantage of the country but rather, to help Canadians in general to keep their standard of living by contributing on daily basis to the Canadian economy! From my personal experience too, In Canada, immigrants are being offered much better opportunities and face lesser discriminations during the hiring process in general; besides, when one look at the composition of the government, one can see quickly that some people belonging to the minority groups are nominated as Ministers; one of them is Mr. Harjjit Sajjan, who is the Canadian Minister of Defense and who is not afraid at displaying his cultural values to the Canadian public. In France, an individual like him – despite being smart and highly competent – would be perceived in a different way and would – from my personal experience – encounter much greater difficulties (than here in Canada) in being nominated as a High-ranked Member of the Government. From that perspective, one can definitely see the level of open-mindedness of a country like Canada as compared to some countries in Europe.

 

When talking about this issue with Mathilde (this French girl that I met in Sydney), I remembered her telling me that “you were so right not to have chosen to come back to France for this time and by the way, do not go back there!” And she continued saying something close to “Trust me, the cops there have become totally crazy with Sarkozy’s quota’s policy”. Those words, coming from the mouth of a white French girl, still resonates in my head till today and honestly, I had no reason at all to doubt about her words. She was actually expressing Sarkozy’s quota policy which aimed at putting a number on the number of deportations that each police station had to reach within a certain time. Mr Sarkozy’s racial-based policies -to me – looked like the policies undertaken by the Vichy government in the 1940s, when France was occupied by Germany and chose in fact to cooperate with the Nazis rather than resisting like other European countries did (Norway for example or Holland did resist against the Germans).

In my own view, the Sarkozy’s policies – which aimed at setting quotas for deportation of illegal aliens – encouraged behaviours such as denunciations and put the notion of empathy aside. It did not really look at the “human being” but more based itself of numbers and figures! That was way worse than any policies set by any conservative government in Australia (even the very conservative Peter Costello himself never dared to put such plan into action in a country that once was marked by the famous “white Australia Policy”)

This idea of “denouncing” the other one was put in place to give the chances to police officers to locate possible illegals and have them brought out of the country. The last time such thing happened in France was during the German Occupation and it was also during that time that some French people (Not all French but SOME…I point this out because MANY FRENCH PEOPLE DID DARE TO STAND AGAINST The occupant and went protecting the persecuting at the price of they own lives…those French were called “Les Resistants” or the resistants. A friend of mine, by the name of Stanislas, whom I met at the American school I have been studying in Lyon, had a grandfather who was a resistant and who helped many French Jews at the time of the Vichy regime).

That being said, the policies established by Mr Sarkozy did (unfortunately, Mr Sarkozy ended up in jail now after being caught for corruption charges) around 2006-2009 were as terrible as the policies installed by the French in the 1940s and the French police – if I listen to what Mathilde said to me as we kept meeting over and over again – operated in a way that was quite similar to the way the “Milice francaise”- mostly under the supervision of the Wehrmacht -  behaved in the 1940s towards the French Jews. One of the most terrible event back then was the famous “massacre du Val d’Hiv” during which hundreds of families were taken by force by the malice and sent to the Camps to never return again.

 

She was just right about everything and at that moment, I knew I was right about not listening to anyone (in Madagascar) who told me that going back to France – after my studies in the US – was a great idea! I was right to be so stubborn and was proud that some people in my country – I had the courage to use my own judgement and did things the way I wish I had them done! Although I did not regret to have gone to France in the late 90s, that time, I WANTED TO GO TO AUSTRALIA and I do not care if people around me perceived it is a “racist” country – And I ended up going there even if this is what you thought and with the different “things” that happened in France during that time – or more exactly during Sarkozy’s presidency -  I was apparently right about choosing Australia over France this time! Besides, my choice of going to Australia (rather than coming back to France) would allow me to discover an entirely new country!!

 

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN TO PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, AND NOT BRING CRITICISM

 

Many of the readers may start thinking that I emit criticism on some people or on some entities. Before thinking that, I already invite you tom read this writing entirely or as much as you can. I am not here to criticize any people, or any entity or any race but am just putting things into perspective.

When talking about France for example, if you have read through his writing, and if you do not lack any judgement, you surely ahem seen that I have pointed out some flaws by saying for example that indeed, France is harsh when it comes to process visas from overseas or it encounters issues at dealing with its immigration matters, but on the other hand, I have also pointed out the fact that I love this country despite all of the aforementioned and that I have spent memorable moments there, that again, I am not ready to forget nor wished that I had gone elsewhere! On the contrary, I am so proud that I have chosen France as a place to undertake my undergraduate studies! On top of that, although I admit that countries like the United States are more “efficient” at recruiting minorities, I have to admit that France is also good at offering “easy access” to education to everyone and not only that, I really do believe that France is a country that is still relatively tolerant and where you can build “real” and long term friendship with French people as long as they know you or as long as they can refer back to you. That last aspect is very important!

 

Everything that I have written in this article have been drawn from my own and personal experience and cannot be compared to the experiences of another person from Africa nor even from Madagascar. It is highly personal and it also happened at a time before the Sarkozy’s presidency or the different terrors that happened there later on.

 

Again, this wiring aims at establishing points of comparisons on different aspects ranging from immigration, to social life or even safety issues between different countries where I have been living, and it is from my own perspective, which is the perspective of someone who has grown up in a country like Madagascar, a country which is never heard and a country which – because of its location – is not really affected by the different streams that (some of but not all) the medias in many countries are sending.

Last but not least, what you will be reading there are the way things have happened. I will try to make them as truthful as possible and if something happened the right way, or if someone has been really helpful to me, you would notice that I have written and described them as such. If there was some form of injustice, you would also see those things written accordingly.

The way things are being described along this article are the way those things have happened, so for example, the 14 times that I had to visit the French embassy really accounted for 14 times that I had to come back there until I obtained the French Visa; same goes with this incident when my dad slipped on the floor in Lyon and no one helped us; same also goes for this incident I witnessed in Canada and where some random Canadians decided to provide help to this poor guy who collapsed on the street here in Vancouver. Same for when I applied to a Visa to the United States: the issuing of the US Visa took place the same day that I applied for and I try to remain the most objective as possible to describe the most important moments of it just because it was how it did happen at the US Embassy in Antananarivo, Madagascar that day. If you want, what happened to this old women in Lyon (the lady who owns the boulangerie) is just me recounting her words and sharing her emotions back then. What she endured during the Nazi era, the murders she has witnessed as a young kid, the people she knew and who were taken by force by the German Wehrmacht and more importantly, by those who collaborate with Nazi Germany, the “French Milice”. Everything written here is just a repetition of what those persons have lived back then or things that I have seen myself.

With eh exception of a few interpretations, which are again, designed to remain as objective as possible, I am just recounting this most important moments and sharing my memories with you readers! It is that plain simple.

As you may now guess, the purpose of this writing is to provide you with the most accurate sequences of how those important events (as More things happened but including everything would be way too long) happened and to provide a perspective of a person (or of persons that I have known or met too) who has grown outside those “areas” that one tend to see or watch on TV everyday! For me, writing this article is a way to tell my story, but also to provide the most objective view on the different people and countries I have visited!

 

…

 

On this same classified website when I happen to meet Mathilde as well as this Japanese woman who was running a successful business in Sydney, I have also met other French people, most of whom I happened to meet between once and 4 or 5 times. A few of them were just in Sydney for some very limited time (like 6 months or even less) and creating friendship with them would not make that much sense; there were a few others who however, were staying longer, but with whom I ddi not feel close enough to build strong and long-term relationships.

However, once and it was about 6 months before I started my Postgraduate Program at UTS Sydney, I happened to receive an email from a girl, who like a few who wrote to me, was interested to get in touch with French speakers and with people who have travelled and lived in more than one country. I decided to respond to her (sometimes, I ignored responses as some came from very superficial people or people with whom I did not really wanted to befriend with) and as we wrote to each other, she started to tell me that she has been living in Australia for many years and that she is working in the marketing field (I have to be honest, I have never been attracted to marketing because I think although it is interesting, it is an inexact science) of an Australian company who has business with Asia. In fact, she has some Asian backgrounds and later on, as we decided to meet up for a drink at Gloria Jeans, she told me that she is in fact Chinese by origin but grew up in Malaysia. Her name was May L.

I remembered that when it was my turn to tell her about my stories in France as well as those countries I have visited in Europe, she would pay a lot of attention to every detail and from time to time, would interrupt me to ask me questions, like “Have you ever thought about staying in France” or “why did you leave France” as well as “why did you come to Australia”; Obviously, we just did not drink coffees at Gloria Jeans but as time went by, we met once every week or once every two weeks to have a dinner together in and around Sydney. During those moments, surely we talked about things I would not mention here, but most of our discussions were mainly related to our respective trips in different places, about why she came to Australia and also about sometimes her marketing job which – she told me – was quite stressful and took most of her time.

Once the dinner over, we would usually walk out together and spend time wandering around Sydney.

Although my meet ups with Mathilde, the French girl, were interesting and full of “fresh news “ from Sarkozy’s France (whom by the way Mathilde dared to compare to Mr Le Pen (Leader of France extreme right party) as his immigration policies, to some extent, resembled the ones that Le Pen would have implemented, should have he been elected), the moments that I have spent with May L. Were probably one of the most memorable – at least during my stay in Australia. As in any of my previous relationships before, namely in Europe, I have deliberately chosen not to mention anything to my family, because I believe that those things are to remain private as long as the relationship does not slip into a higher level of commitment (like becoming fiancee or getting married for example). Unlike my sibling or some of my cousins (paternal as well as maternal), I always opted for this politics of discretion and privacy (even at the time when I was in Madaagscar island).

 

AFTER AUSTRALIA, WE DECIDED TO SETTLE BACK IN MADAGASCAR

We now have left Australia and decided to head back to Madagascar, for at least a few years. Before going through what we did there, I would like to point out a few important points.

Australia was definitely a great country with all the quality of infrastructure and comfort that one can ever dream of, but your home country will be always the one you will turn to after a few or many years spent abroad. Imagine that as an America, you find opportunities in places like Norway or Sweden; although you may fall in love with the country, there will always be a moment when you will find that need to come back to the US – either for a few semesters or longer. For me, I cold not accept the idea of leaving my parents alone there for so many years – may be it is part of my education or how I have been raised – but I cannot imagine myself living in Australia – as beautiful as it is – and miss the opportunity to spend valuable time with our respective parents. Even today – being a permanent resident of Canada – Me and my spouse made that commitment that we are going to visit Madagascar every 1.5 or every 2 years, spend a few months « at home » and head back overseas again once this « need to resource ourselves » is fulfilled. And to be honest with you, when I was studying in Europe, I came across some foreigners (some were my Americans teachers at this American school, some students from Africa as well) who would come back every year to their respective country to visit their family and to spend time with them, even though those people were all « well integrated » or « well established » in Europe for many years already.

The second thing that I have noticed is about the French expatriates or other Europeans who work there (i.e: Those working for Embassies, those teaching in French schools, or those working for international organizations like the United nations)  who live or operate businesses there often fly back to Europe once or even two times a year!  From the other side, many Malagasy who reside in France – on permanent basis – often travel back to their homeland every 3 to 5 years usually even though most of them have been working in France for years while others are married to French citizens (two of my uncles from my mom’s side were in this case and wold visit Madagascar with their French spouses every 3 to 4 years)!

 

The next thing that I noticed when I came back from Australia, apart from the effect of the 2009 political crisis were still very visible, the scarcity of Jobs and the increasing number of people trying to open small businesses in different areas of the city or the safety issues was this very social or cultural aspect of the country, that I have never noticed before living overseas…I don’t know why…

When I am at work, I tend to notice it less, however, in public places like fancy cafes or nice restaurants (those which serve European food in general), I notice that Malagasy were speaking French even though they were between each other (so they were not obviously talking to a foreign guy or having a French guest next to them…no, they were all Malagasy). I have noticed that before leaving Madagascar or may be never understood the whole aspect of it but now that I have lived overseas, I tend to notice this trend everywhere! It is like you are a Chinese family from Manchuria (a former region occupied by Japan) and you start to speak Japanese between yourselves!!

In Madagascar, people have this strange habit of speaking French ) which I do not understand  – because you are in Madagascar. When I was in France, I used to know a few Malagasy who just speak French to their children for 100% of the time and to me, that is quite strange as by doing so, they just « unroot » their kid of their cultural identity!

For me, a Malagasy living in Canada, I cannot imagine myself speaking French to my Son 100% of the time. Right, let’s be honest, I speak with him Malagasy 88% of the time, and English 10% of the time and 2% of the time, French! But you can see that more than 80 % of the time, me and my wife do speak Malagasy at home as this is our mother tongue!

To tell you another truth, I was also very surprised when the school that my son attends now, advised us to keep our mother tongue at home because for them, he will be learning English soon or later! I was very surprised that these were Canadians (probably the very descendants of those who settled here for many generations) were the ones who have advised us to do so!!!

One thing that I would like to say too – particularly to other Malagasy living overseas, namely in Europe (many of whom –  strangely – speak French to their children 100% of the time and that usually results in their children losing their identity. I think it is sad! ), even though we live in English-speaking Canada, and even though we have both studied in Australia, me and my wife do speak Malagasy (we almost never speak French at home unlike many Malagasy who migrated to Quebec, Norway, the UK, the US or France) at home most of the time and mix Malagasy (80% of the time) with English about 15 to 20% of the time when speaking to our Son. Having travelled in many countries and lived for many years in « unusual places » like Australia (it is unusual for Malagasy people), we think that preserving our cultural identity is crucial and to our greatest astonishment, the Canadian school that my son is currently attending has advised us to do so. 

WHAT DO I THINK OF MADAGASCAR AND HOW DO I SEE IT FROM ABROAD? DID I LEAVE MY IDENTITY THERE WHEN I MOVED OUT?
Of course not….

For me and I guess for many Malagasy, Madagascar  is and will always be our country despite all the downsides that it has sometimes. That being said, the media in some countries tend to depict Africa in some particular ways (by depicting poverty a lot) and always forgets to show the good side of it. Sure, Madagascar (as many developing countries) has some problems of its own and faces so many challenges that are hard to overcome (namely, issues with corruption, poverty, insecurity, and lately issues with the supply of electricity) but it has some aspects that are positive, and those aspects, no one talks about them, particularly the media.

Let me put you things into perspective…

First of all, Madagascar is the country that allowed me (but also many talented other Malagasy who succeeded in places like Europe or Quebec, or even the United States) to become who I am now and it is also the country that produced some highly talented Malagasy engineers and IT specialists – many of whom are now working in Mauritus Island, France and in the province of Quebec – Canada! One day, I even cam across one Malagasy guy who used to study in the United States and who has managed to work as an Engineer for the NASA. Not mentioning the many Malagasy who have undertaking some training in Seattle, WA, more precisely at Boeing’s trainings centre to appear amongst the tops pilots in the 1990s!!!  So yes, Some pilots from Madagascar were actually outstanding at maneuvering American-made technologies!! All those people I am talking about have been trained in Madagascar by Malagasy teachers (may be using a bit the French system but the instructors were surely Malagasy-born, not Europeans!!). For my case, I have spent all my primary and secondary schools in Madagascar, and have learned to speak French around the end of my primary school…. a great majority of my teachers, instructors were all Malagasy, most were from the Merina ehnic group (the descendants of the people from today’s Borneo) and a few were « Côtiers » (The Malagasy people from the coastal areas of Madagascar, whose ancestors come from Africa and the Arabic Peninsula). Was there. a difference in the way they taught? absolutely not! Both the Côtiers and Merina-born Malagasy were good instructors, at least to the way I experienced it! And it was only 3 years before my departure to France (when I started studying at the Lycée Français) that I have met French teachers who were coming to Madagascar under contract  for a limited period of time only!

That country (Madagascar) was the country where I first learned English as well as German! Like it or not, Madagascar taught me intrinsic values which I still bring today with me: they include the respect for elders, the respect for any person whoever they are and whatever their cultural backgrounds or skin color is or whatever their level of education is. That same country taught me to behave wisely with money and always plan for the future ahead. From the way I was raised, I always found absurd to waste money on useless things like drugs – and have always preferred to put the money aside. When I was in France, I used to save money for making trips to visiting other parts of Europe including Holland, Germany or Spain for example – reason being: Unlike some nationalities, people from some countries like mine need to apply for a waiver to come to Europe, including France! I can assure you that applying for such waiver is never easy (even for touristic purposes) and I remember when I come to France for my studies, the application process for the French visa (or more exactly the Schengen visa) has been difficult and hectic – I then found it justified to take the opportunity of this Student Visa (which also allows visit into other European countries which signed the Shengen agreement) to visit other places in Europe! This is one of the reason why many people from Madagascar have seen many countries of Europe as they do understand the difficulties. therefore, it is probably why I learned at a very young age that money is not something one should waste or spend in useless things and as young as 11 years old, I remember my Mother teaching me that « Life is like a tyre » so today you can be reach, tomorrow, everything could be gone for good!!!  Unlike some people I came across in Madagascar or overseas, I knew the importance of putting money aside for unexpected circumstances, and this is probably why today, in Canada, I was faster than many of my acquaintances to open those registered accounts which actually have been created by the Government of Canada.

 

Now, as strange as it may seem to some of you, Madagascar is also the country that taught me how to love rather than to hate and above all, how to make compromises in different challenges that life brings! In our culture, everything is about compromises and imposing your absolute will on the other one is badly seen and can trigger animosity or even worse! It is probably why I made it that far in life as I always try to find the « middle point » when I am confronted to a difficult situation with someone, even I was in Europe or the US!

 

Finally, it is the country that has taught me patience and perseverance. Patience as I remember that during a good part of my life, waiting things to be accomplished was the rule. For my studies in Europe, I know that hard work was one of the main ingredient but I also know I was extremely patient, and that patience has brought me as far as the Bachelor’s degree at first, and to my Masters degree in Australia later on. When applying for my residency in Canada, I remembered that both perseverance and patience were the best virtues I had because if I wasn’t patient enough, I would have given up my postgraduate studies in Australia or my foundation courses while I was in France… but I didn’t. During the process of applying, many things could have happened…I could have abandoned the process in the middle and not taking the language tests for example, but I didn’t… Now in my case, without a completion of my Masters degree and a very good score in the TEF-Canada exam (the French test required by Canadian immigration), there is a very great chance that I would have never made it to Canada.

 

 

SO IS IT TRUE THAT SOME COUNTRIES ARE REALLY GOOD WHEREAS SOME ARE REALLY BAD?

 

It is usually the question many people would ask themselves and I have come across this type of question many times overseas. To me, it is the type of question addressed by types of individuals who have never left their comfort zone or who have spent too much time watching news. Traveling and meeting people is actually an efficient way to discover a new country and to me, it is the most efficient way to « destroy » preconceived ideas as well as prejudices. When I was in Madagascar, I have heard very negative comments about French people; many times, I have heard that they are « racist », « arrogant », « anti-social », « rude », « not helpful » and « not hospitable ». In a flight departing from Madagascar to Paris in the early 90s, my father lost consciousness aboard an Air France flight and the staff were not helpful at all and did not bring any assistance at all! My mom was traveling with him that night and she talked about this Air France flight crew being « discriminatory » (believe ot not, NOT ALL Air France crews behave in such a primitive way) but what I know is this: Had I been older, or had I been already in France at that time, or had I known the French legal system, I would not have hesitated to come and talk to a  lawyer not in madagscar, but in « France Metropolitaine ». I would have probably asked him to file a complaint at a French tribunal (Years later, as I was studying in Lyon at this American school, I remember of a girl whose father was running a law firm and that very firm was specialized in all sorts of racial discrimination). They were lucky on that point, but today, I choose to tell and share this story on this blog which keeps being seen as I am writing those lines now.

Now my advices to you who travel ANY airlines (even in Africa and even in Madagascar too): Always take the name of the captain before take-off, write it down and keep the flight number as well as the date of the flight. Also, in case of « extreme event » (at that time when this event happened to my father, there was NO Iphones or smartphones, unfortunately), do not hesitate to record the images (or if you cannot), record the sounds/conversations. In case of need, it would make any complaints easier, if one day you choose to do so.

My point is the following: did this « satanic » and « coward » act as well as those sayings made me say: I do not want to go to france because all the French are « racist »? You see from what I wrote above that the answer to that question is a « no ». On the contrary, I chose France as a place to study because I believe that it is NOT ALL the French people who are like those coward guys on the plane and it would be so unfair to punish a whole population of a given country just because of the coward acting a very few! To remind you, I even travelled with Air France when flying for the first time to France for my studies and dated French girls! So, may be that I am mentally stronger than many than I am able to make sound discernments about good and bad acting people.

Same applies for this Belgian »ticket checker » on a train in Belgium who acted cowardly towards me and whom I put back in place very politely that night! Would you say that I should also believe that all Belgians are like this « frustrated guy »? Absolutely not as I believe deeply that those types of people just represent a few minority and that would be so unfair to consider all Belgians as being equal to him!

Same applies to – I would say Mexicans in the US – If one has been convicted of a criminal offence, would you say that all Mexicans are criminal? of course not!!! Only stupid people do!

First of all, EVERY COUNTRY HAS PROS AND CONS, so you can be in a poor country and still find advantages there or you can be in a very rich country and still find inconvenients.

I am not going to beat around the bush and as the Australians slike to ay « Call a spider a spider ».

When we decided to come back to Madagascar, we did so partly for practical reasons. First, we wanted to operate our own business and that would have been difficult in Australia knowing we were on a student visa (that would have been a breach on our visa conditions there).

Secondly, as we planned to have a baby, the best place for us to have one was back home in Madagascar for the very simple reason that we will be having our family around us, but also because down there, we will have the assistance of « helpers » to  help us raise the kid (they offer this service in exchange of some financial incentives obviously and it is way cheaper than in developed countries and still widely available). Let’s say we stayed in Australia (let’s say we managed to find a path for staying their longer under a Temporary visa), we would have raised our kid by ourselves, and would have NO SUPPORT from our family (as they will be in Madagascar), so that would have been highly difficult. In fact in countries like Madagascar, any « respite services » is widely available and cheap. So that is definitely an advantage of being there.

 

Another aspect that I found positive about Madagascar is the « collectivism » as opposed to individualism. Down there, despite of all the hardship that people are going through – I see a lot of solidarity between people (mainly those belonging to the lower class so the Malagasy with the lowest income) in their everyday life. It is less true in the capital city but if you go to the smaller towns, people – who do not know each other – are still chatting and doing favors to each other – many confess or share their hardship to total strangers on the buses while some tell funny stories just to overcome life`s problems!!! What I noticed after I travelled to so many countries is that despite all the suffering that people face there, there are very few cases of depression and suicide! There are almost no people who are lonely (unless the person has a very bad reputation in which case he will end up lonely there though) and as opposed to many countries I’ve been, elders in Madagascar almost never end up in retirement homes; by the way, a few years back, some tried to open such homes there but all went bankrupt; reason being: lack of customers! In Madagascar, no young people want to send their parents in those homes and I guess it has to do with the way the Malagasy people have been raised – in other words, for me at least, we have been always taught our parents gave us everything so in return, it is a pure insult to « throw them like garbage » into the hands of some specialists in those kind of « structures ». But again, this is the way we were raised and many people that I know (all of my former work colleagues in Madagascar and former school friends as well) all have  hired « helpers » to assist their elderly parents at their home (the parents home) and hire a chauffeur to drive them around.

  DOES PERCEPTION CHANGE WHEN ONE TRAVELS?

 

Yes it does! and I can tell you that when you leave your country for a while, you will start to see things from a very different angle.

Why? because living overseas gives you a different perspective of life and also gives you a unique opportunity to make comparisons between your country and the other one. For example, it took me a stay in Europe to realize that I was lucky to have a « helper » at home to help my parents from time to time to do the different tasks like cleaning the house, shopping, ironing or helping to prepare food. I needed to travel to Europe to realize that there were good aspects about my home country and sometimes, it was some of my French friends  themselves that made me realize that chance that I had! I had to go far away from my home country to understand the value of social cohesion, the concept of family. Although I really enjoyed my stay in France and Australia, the fact is that sometimes I missed those « proximity » or « solidarity » that I encountered often when I was in Madagascar. But now, here am I back here after some years spent overseas and now, I am no longer this guy who back then had no clue about life out of Madagascar! Now, I am here but my mind keeps comparing all the different aspects and parameters of life here and life there! As I said….there is no perfect place and each place has always pros and cons no matter how hard you to deny it!

 

WHAT OTHER INTERESTING DO WE HAVE IN MADAGASCAR?

Contrary to what many may believe, Madagascar has a variety of foods. We have our local foods, such as the famous teh famous « henakisoa sy patsa (pork and shrimps cooked together), crab and pork meat, canard ritra (cooked duck with ginger) but it is also common to find French food in Madagascar, including the famous « foie gras », the very famous steak tartare (which is raw meat to which we add spices, eggs and that comes with French fries), the confit de canard, the frog legs, and the unbeatable « escargots », which are not really appreciated in the English speaking countries but highly appreciated in France and countries like Madagascar!

But one of the few things that one can enjoy in Madagascar – and I did so when I flew back there – are the famous lobsters as well as gambas (Big prawns)

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Apart from those, Madagascar has also a bunch of French style restaurants -some of them being owned by French Immigrants (They chose to stay and operate businesses in Madagascar) and are run by Malagasy – most of whom have studied in Culinary schools in Europe, in places like France obviously but also Switzerland or Italy!!!

Here are images of dished that those « stylish » restaurants do serve!

 

ou must have noticed this raw meat dished and it is called « steak tartare » and yes, it is raw beef! (unthinkable in North America due to this disease caught from eating raw meat). But it is a very well-known French dish and is eaten by adding in it one egg yolk and lots of spices! It is eaten with fries and if you want, have some red wine with it too! I have taste this French dish when I was in Europe and when I travel to Madagascar!

And I take the opportunity as well to attach a link to the hotel (where displays the prawn dish above) one may find in Madagascar.

http://www.morondava-autrement.com/pages/restaurant-et-gastronomie.html 

 As many of you can see, there are good spots and high-standard restaurants in Madagascar and throughout the African continent (Try some cafes in capetown south Africa or some restaurants there, you would be surprised as to how better than some restaurants in some neighborhoods of the US they are!!!). All those dishes are fresh from the ocean prepared by high skilled Chefs who have done their studies in the most prestigious schools in Europe. Believe or not, or like or not, surely poverty does exist in Madagascar and I would be the first one to assert this point, BUT countries of African are not only made up of poor areas or not all people there are struggling as some media wants you to believe!

Now apart from restaurants, there are other things you can still enjoy doing in places like Madagascar. You can go to the beach (it is 7 hour drive from Tananarive though)

 

or drive on dirty roads as I did when I had free time. Driving on those roads gives you a unique insight about this country and allows you to see and explore places in the very depth of Madagascar.

 

FINALLY, AFTER A FEW 

YEARS IN MADAGASCAR, 

WE MADE IT TO VANCOUVER.....CANADA

 few months ago, after waiting for my residency to be approved and after having spent a few years in Madagascar, I with my wife and Son, landed successfully in Canada. 

When we arrived, this country just reminded me of how similar it is to Australia where I have spent studying towards my Masters degree, yet, I also noticed some differences. 

We were extremely fortunate to be in this beautiful country; and even more fortunate that my sister was here before I came as it made it easier for us to get settled, namely for the housing aspect as we needed to find a place to settle for of all.

There are so many things I want to share right now, but I will try to keep things succinct and simple. When reading through my article, you know that I have had experiences in France, or Australia. All those experiences, although challenging, were all about going to a place for the purpose of studying. That one however, was to settle and immigrate. That means that although the basics were quite similar in a sense that they both needed adaptation skills, the immigration path needs a higher degree of involvement and determination. Now, unlike my long trips to Australia, this stay in Canada would require that I register my son for school for example; it will also require us to look for a way to earn an income, whether through work or through self-employment. 

Also, unlike my previous stays, the mindset that was required for this new trip was to « stay on a permanent basis », whether my study trip in Europe was more about getting the foundation courses done and going away or applying to another country for graduating.

Anyway, we are now in Canada and what I see all around me or shall I say all around us just arouses our senses of excitation. Just by looking at those beautiful sceneries around Vancouver is something that I cannot describe! The mountains, the lakes, the forests all around this beautiful corner of Canada is just AMAZING!

For our first stay, the house my sister found out for us was located in a place in eastern Vancouver and 

DO I SOMETIMES LOOK BACK AT MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WHEN LIVING HERE IN CANADA?

To my view, your life is the sum of your past experiences and many probably will be willing to ask me…well, you have been in many corners of the world, what did you learn? I would not answer that question directly as to me, most people do not systematically keep in their memory everything they have learned through university. The best way to answer is would be the French saying : « la meilleure école, c’est l’école de la vie » (best school is life school) and I think the French are somehow right when they say this as to me, there are things that I could only learn in Europe; similarly, there were other things which countries like Australia, Canada or the US brought to me and believe it or not, there are aspects that countries like Madagascar taught me as well. 

In Canada or Australia, I would say that I have probably learned to be more flexible, more sensible and have more compassion about others; ALthough I have learned important concepts in corporate Finance, stock trading, investments strategies (as I have obtained my masters degree in a Sydney-based University), I have to say that this country taught me a lot in terms of perseverence and the « never give up » mentality. Australians are very strong when it comes to look at the « lighter side of things » and are one of the most positive people I have ever encountered in my life!!! They tend also to be sometimes a little bit « too frank and too direct »; Canadians, on the other hand, tend to think twice before stating a sentence but have a slightly different vision of life than the Australians. 

Now, remember when I mentioned that right after my studies in Australia, we came back to Madagascar? Well, that was a « schocky »decision as we literally moved from a country where people are extremely positive and open-minded on many aspects (which I have to admit I like!) to a country which tends to be quite conservative. Well, madagascar is my home country and I will always love it but I have to say that sometimes, some people (not all) tend to see the negative aspects of things and the less lighter side of things. Malagasy people tend to always consider danger and use extra precautions in every decisions they make! 

Whne we came back there, it is not the economical aspect that has struck us the most, but the way the system worked. IN places like Australia, most administrative duties can be done easily, either online or just by sending an enveloppe to an address (example: when I had to renew my student visa, I just had to forward my documentations to the DIMIA office based in downtown Sydney and wait for their updates). IN madagascar, everything related to administration is a real headache!!! 

Secondly, the people… in Australia, most people are easy going and most of the answers to what you are looking for are straightforward! In my country, you never know if you can take a » yes » for granted and it is not unusual to obtain a « conditional yes ». I will always remember that time we wanted to start a pastry business in Madagascar and we were looking for a place to rent. Well, the guy who dealt with us was in his fifties but was entirely unable to decide whether or not he can give us the place as he still needed a « permission » from a French restaurant owner (The French community in Madagascar  (THe French from France are way different and are generally much more civilized and also more educated and refined) are badly perceived by the Malagasy mainly because of many unsettled issues in the past and also because of how some of them behave); obviously, we did not get the place and to thank the French guy, I snobbed him by speaking to him in English with all this tact and smile that Australians do sometimes in their country, which of course he did not appreciate!

We then started the business anyway and found another landlord but this time, the guy seemed to have an issue with us after a few months (I will never know what the issue was) but he started to use strategies to drive us out from the place, and to do so, he asked his employees to decrease the intensity of the electricity so the display fridge (which is where we display our cakes) does not function normally. I could have become angry but instead, chose the « I do not give a damn » way so that I showed them that indeed, I didn’t give a damn about what they are doing! That being said, we were aware that jealousy could be one of the reason and we decided to start a home-based business (clothing) which has a much higher profit margin and which did not require intensive effort as the pastry business did. After a few weeks, we ordered the items from suppliers in Europe and started the small venture as soon as we could, so that we had a second activity to rely on. 

When the business took off, we then let the « stupid » landlords know that we were abandoning our pastry business in a very polite way so that they couldn’t do anything against us on a legal standpoint! We left making them believe that we were « down » when in fact we started to earn enough money to expand our little venture there in Madagascar.

Now, this is my point, sometimes aggressively or impoliteness works, but usually, they are inefficient in the sense that they just trigger confrontation, revenge and justification from the other side! 

What I learned in Australia: ALWAYS THINK LONG TERM WHEN YOU UNDERTAKE SOMETHING!

 

As strange as it may seem, this venture will help us a lot in undertaking our project to immigrate to Canada years later!

But like it or not, Madagascar taught me a lot about humanity. As I grew up there, I was accustomed to people popping in and talking to me « just like that » in a totally foreign environment! When taking the buses or when waiting in waiting rooms, it happens a lot that the person sitting next to you just starts talking about anything just after having said « hi how are you ». More than once, I have become the confident of persons I didn’t even know as I was waiting at a restaurant or a hair salon, and yes, you can also do the same if you wish! That being said, in Tananarive, it tends to be a bit less frequent but in coastal areas or in the « provinces », it is still very common….people just socialize and talk, talk talk…. I do not imagine that in places like Australia or Vancouver and if you do that here, it could be subject to some interpretations?

NOW WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CANADA AND AUSTRALIA WITH EUROPE?

For sure, it is not the difference in terms of economics, level of comfort as it is the case in countries like Madagascar. But Euope is an inetresting place to visit and to study! 

When I was studying in France, I was in a classroom made up of 30-35 students. We all knew each other and each morning, I would shake the hand of 3 or 4 of them as usually we were sitting close to each other. Unlike the US or Australia (I have no experience of classrooms in Canada so I won’t comment) where students just sit or barely say « hi » to each other », the French expect you to greet them when you arrive and say « salut, à demain » when you leave ans of course, shake hands or at least, wave if you’re afar! Not doing it would be considered as « being arrogant ». Even with the French girls I was not too close to, it was not unusual for me to give them a kiss on the chicks, and for those who were close to me (the French girls), I would usually give them a hug or a mark of affection. This is absolutely normal in France to touch each other that way in almost an intimate way! In other countries, better be careful as that could be interpreted very differently.

Anyway, I just wanted to drop back into my past but let’s focus more about what I enjoyed more of Canada now:

This is downtown Vancouver when we have just arrived, slightly before covid struck:

As you can see, the city of Vancouver is really charming with broad roads and neat pavements. Unlike some places under the 49th parallel, Vancouver does not struggle with unsafety and crime rates are low. It just reminds me of downtown Sydney Australia when I was studying there.

I am enclosing a video (that I have taken) on Sydney right below. It shows Sydney from above and I took it from the Sydney tower! Just look how similar to Canadian cities Australian town are!

And this next one has been taken in Burnaby, where I presently live:

Again, I have to say that I fancy a lot this quietness and tranquility! The suburbs of Canada are just offering an ideal environment from my son who enjoys walking and sightseeing!! 

This another drive we made alongside Vancouver stadium:

I don’t know what you think but I honestly think that this City looks so elegant and pleasant to live in and just for you to see, this place below is right so close to where downtown Vancouver is located!

but I think the very one scenery I expected the least before coming here to Canada was THIS!!! A small aircraft landing a few blocks from downtown Vancouver!

WHAT WERE OUR FIRST STEPS WHICH I UNDERTOOK ONCE UP HERE IN CANADA?

As for many newcomers, we had to find our ways to adjust to this new country. Thankfully, my sister was already here when we « landed » and she helped to make the process smoother as for example, she was the one who found a place to stay for us.

But immigrating is more than that. When I first arrived, I had to liaise with immigrants services to build my network and find opportunities! Although their help was precious to understand the expectations of the local companies, they have accepted to help those who were looking to start home based activities. My wife and I found their services very helpful and while I was searching for part-time opportunities, we decided to kick-start our small home business.

As time went by, and with the help of a mentor from one of the Immigrant services, we started to research on what we were planning to do as a business and after 6 to 7 months, we decided to give it a go even if we had to start really small. We then contacted the  product suppliers overseas and after agreement, they sent us the first orders of the products, which we received after 45 days. Unlike what we were facing in Madagascar – which is filled with complications, papers to fill up and proofs or documents to scan and send over –  the clearance process here in Canada is extremely smooth and efficient!

We have also started to build up our page onto a famous site that sells products and made our first trial. I will always remember our FIRST order from someone in Alberta and if if I cannot disclose the name of that person here, I will always remember her exact first and last name!! This is to tell you how excited we were when we got our VERY FIRST order!

After a few months, our sales started to increase and so our revenues; that being said, it was not that substantial but it was enough to help us navigate and pay for the things beyond rent may be.  

After some time, the activityIstarted to bring higher amount of revenues and it came to our mind that even if what we earned was comparatively small to what many Locals earn on average, we decided to start putting money aside, namely on a savings account at a bank here in Canada.

When I talked with a friend of mine who has been living here for years now he advised me not to leave what we earn into savings account (well, what do I know??? In Madagascar, this is what we do usually!) but instead, to go toward a more interesting option which is to open a government regulated account called TFSA or Tax free savings account. The advantage of this account are multiple. Firstly, as it name suggests, this account is tax free which means that any money one puts there does not get taxed (In fact, contrary to what we have in Madagascar, interests earned from savings account are taxed in Canada and so are dividends). Secondly, depending on the portfolio of stocks one chooses, the return on the investment varies from 4 up to 12 percent yearly on an initial investment. That is definitely far interesting than the 0.2 to 0.8 percent returns from savings account (I know, in Madagascar the rate is close to 3.75% but higher interest rates also implies that the cost of money when one is borrowing from the banks are also higher).

I REMEMBERED WELL WHAT I HAVE STUDIED IN AUSTRALIA

Having some understanding of the principles of finance myself – as I have studied this specific field in Australia, at the University of Technology Sydney to be more precise (UTS) and by the way, I was among the first students from Madagascar who have studied in this University ( as Asutralia is far from being a common destination for Malagasy student who are heading to Europe, namely France and Germany) – I know for sure that investing specifically into government bonds offer a lower returns – as government bonds are considered to be risk-free assets; however, those lower returns also meant lower risks. However, if I invested in a portfolio made essentially of corporate stocks, the returns would or COULD be higher but the returns could also be negative returns; in other words, corporate stocks represented higher risks as they had greater volatility if compared to assets like bonds for example.

Now, there is one essential concept in finance that we learn as we study this course at a Postgraduate certificate level (first step towards a master degree within the Autralian educational system…I do not know whether Canada has the same system though or is it different?), and this concept is called the principle of diversification; In other words, one of the best strategies when making investment is to diversify the portfolio of investment as much as possible, so that when some stocks make some loss, some other stocks of some other corporations may make a gain and of course, if you ahve risk-free assets like bonds for example, that would even be more helpful as it will stabilize the whole portfolio of investment.

So you probably know that when I applied for my TFSA account here in Canada, I remembered well what I have been taught in other very charming country located in the southern hemisphere called Australia! Sure, I diversified my portfolio of investment and included some government bonds (both US and Canadian bonds to be frank) to make the portfolio « more stable » while still allowing me to earn acceptable investment returns.

So, I have opened a TFSA Account, and so is my spouse and each month, we contribute both on our side to our respective accounts.

As the small venture kept on operating, we found the idea of opening a RESP (registered education saving plan) account (as well for our Son (another Government-registered account here in Canada) for the purpose of saving money for the future of our child. Each month, we do contribute X amount and there is a point where a grant will be awarded on an yearly basis. I have to say that I am definitely grateful to Canada for allowing us to pan for our future!! We absolutely want to avoid a situation whereby we will have to look for a highly substantial amount later or to put him through debts or financial hardships. Better play it safe and better look things in the long run as I have always said to myself. 

And lately, also oepned a RRSP (registered retirement saving plan) Account, a third registered account from the government of Canada. You will probably wonder why on earth we are opening a retirement account as we are still relatively young? Well,,we just plan for the long run shall I say. In fact, when one retires in canada, one gets what we call CPP and OAS when we get to a certain age; it is similar to the famous « retraites françaises » in France once you retire. However, on top of the « pensions », you have the choice to open a RRSP to add up to what you will be receiving later. On top of that, when we researched some information, the RRSP is also beneficial when you lodge taxes as the CRA (the equivalent of the IRS in the US) will count it as an expense, therefore, reducing your NI (Net income).

On top of this, I have also made some research (when I have free time) regarding other investment options and have found a platform online, which is quite known here in Canada and which many Canadians and Americans use. I have started with a very low amount the beginning but as soon as I spotted stocks that yielded better returns, I have increased a bit my investment so that I can build a bigger investment portfolio. So far, the initial investment that I have made on that platform has increased by 9.5 percent. I am tracking down each stock on a weekly basis to assess their performance and take off those which yield lower returns.

However, it is important to point out that to have access to the above privileges – as the opening of those accounts all need social security numbers – one already needs to be either a permanent resident or a citizen of the Canada already. 

WHAT DID WE ENJOY DOING IN CANADA? 

In fact, many of you may not believe it but the thing that I or we enjoy the most when we came to this country was the quietness and tranquility of the street. In Antananarivo Madagascar where I came from, walking on the street was quite of a risky business not only due to the abscence of sidewalks on the streets but also because of the fact that safety was an issue. In coastal areas of Madagascar (Town like Majunga, Tamatave) however, those aspects were not to be worried about. 

Another thing that I particularly like here is the way Canadians build their houses. As opposed to where I am from, houses built here are simplistic seen from the outside but inside, they always offer an optimal level of comfort! They always come with all the devices that are needed, like a washing machine, a dryer, some heaters and even a dishwasher (as in our home), an oven that is of an excellent quality (and at home, I admit we make very good cookies and cakes with it quite often) and a microwave…AND YES!! there is even a Fridge!!! In Madagascar, when you rent a place, it is to you to bring those « equipment » in and to find ways to install them! In countries like France however (it is just based on my experience of living there in the past), you will probably get all the equipments except the fridge and the microwave! Last but not least, what I like about houses here is this concept of « heat preservation ». 

In Madagascar, one has to know that there is a « cold »season that begins in May and ends around september. Although the cold temperatures aren’t as cold as it is in countries like France or Canada, it is still cold enough to get you a cold or a flu! Many foreigners and expatriates who arrive there during this cold season are all taken by surprise by the « freshness » of the Madagascar winter. Note that the « cold season » can only be felt in the highlands of Madagscar (where I come from by the way) and it is not unusual to see temperature drop as low as 7 or 9 degrees celcius at night! I remember when we rented a place in Madagascar, the fresh wind could make it through the windows and doors (as there, when most conceive houses, they do not care about isolations at all!!!) and make the inside temperature drop. 

So even if you turn on your heater, the warmth gets sucked out and you will never manage to get an optimal level of comfort even when you stay inside!!!!!! With the exception of 1 house we have visited (the guy who has buit it was in fact a French guy from the region Lorraine in France) which respected this concept of « isolation », all the houses had windows that were very poor in isolation. I keep wondering why people do that there as with this method, you will be consuming more energy and you will also be wasting resources as in Madagascar, a part of our electricity production is obtained through hydrocarbure; the other part come from hydraulic production, thankfully…so that part is green, but not all of it!

Apart from those, these are the spots that I happen to see when I first arrived here in Vancouver (They were all right before Covid struck)

Below, Downtown Vancouver and the Outlook at the back (own picture)  

The Vancouver stadium (own picture)

Quiet neighborhood of Canada, in Burnaby and 5 minutes from my home (own picture)

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

After having sorted out ALL the essentials in Canada regarding applying for our BC Medical card as well as getting a BCID for each of us (a canadian identity card), we obviously started to Buy some furnitures to amke ourselves more confortable and to start decorating our home. We were extremely Lucky though that my Younger sister has come to Canada a few years before to study as she was very helpful in finding us a place to stay, but not only, as she also negotiated on our behalf with the Landlord in order to facilitate our first settlement in Canada. The Landlord that my sister met - comes from a Family of former immigrants who settled themselves in Canada at the beginning of the Century from Italy - and he was considered by many as a Tycoon in the real estate Industry and his name was well known in all the provinces of Western Canada as apart from being at the head of a well-established company which operates more than a few hundreds apartments and offices, he also owns chain grocery stores and other essential businesses. 
Once most of the first “roots” settled in, the next thing I did was to contact ICBC, which is the sole entity that delivers Driving licenses here in British Columbia (each province of Canada has their own entity) and upon contacing them, I was asked - like all the newcomers to Canada - to surrender my Malagasy Driving license. Past that stage, I was required to read a book which contains all the Driving codes and laws within British Columbia and once Ready, I was supposed to take a knowledge test for them to assess whether one is knowledgeable enough about safety on Canadian roads as well as essential rules. I passed the test on the first trial and was delivered a “temporary Driving license” (yellow piece of paper) which allows me to drive, with the condition that a person with a full Driving license sits and supervizes me (this is the condition of this temporary licence). In order to obtain a full licence though, one needs to pass the “road test” with an examiner!
I have done most of my training during COVID by the way…
So…in order to get used to the roads as well as rules on Canadian roads (as the rules are very differnet from the rules in Madagascar or even France), I used to train on my sister’s car for a year ot so. From time to time, her Canadian boyfriend also coached me (particularly on freeways) while I was familiarising myself about the Driving rules here. This year when I was driving accompanied was very helpful in the sense that it has given me time to understand the basic safety rules, the dangers that may arise in a given situation. The best situation that I can think of is called the “uncovered left turn” where one has to turn left (while there is NO gree arrow lit on), so one has to wait Till oncoming cars clear the way while at the same time, one needs to make sure no one is crossing the street on the side the car is bound to enter! It can be a delicate manoeuver if one is not used to. But besides all of that, the big step that allowed me to gain more confidence was when I registered for a Driving school. For about 4 months (about 1 session per week), I was Driving being accompanied by a coach named Gene and he showed me all the tricks and most of the traps that could create me issues during the exam, but more importantly, those “tricks” would help me BEYOND the exam and become a safe driver of Canadian (and indirectly on American or even European roads).
I do not know if I am Lucky or if I have been very calm…but I passed my Driving exam in one spot! I knew some other Malagasy (here in BC) who have tried the test 3-4 times and one person who even tried the test 8 times before getting the BC licence.

How were things during COVID??

This event has shaken the entire world and to me, it lookd like pretty much the governments of almost EVERY country did not really know how to address the COVID issue as most acted in a way that was prone to paranoia rather than really being efficient and rely on logic anc common sense!!! 
That also includes countries like Australia and Canada…but the worst was probably France among western countries!!! In France (I was actually very glad that I did not immigrate there to be honest), people were literally stuck inside their homes and EVERY move required the obtention of a “laissez-passer”, so in other words, if one needs to go to the pharmacy or go to the grocery store, one needs to obtain an uthorization to do so. In some parts of the US,there were similar scenarios but from how I remembered, the Americans were much more LENIENT and FLEXIBLE in how they would allos people to cicrculate around!!! Here in Canada, the Eastern provinces (ontario and Quebec) were the ones which were the most demanding when it came to applying rules and they were also the provinces which required people to stay indoors for very long and even when measures were relaxed, I was told by one of my client (a governement employee who I am training as it is part of my Job) that people could not even access public paths in the forests to relax themsleves as those paths were closed!! Here in British Columbia, we were quite Lucky as although some rules were imposed, the paths in the forests were open and people were not really advised to remain indoors at all time as it was the case in Quebec or Ontario! So on that sense, we were VERY LUCKY not to have immigrated to France but also for not having settled as a newcomer to Ontario! Probably, we were very lucky to have left Madagascar island too as down there, the measures have existed but very few followed the rules…

THE COVID AND MADAGASCAR ISLAND

As I have just mentioned earlier, the COVID rules have been very poorly implemented in Madaagscar. From Vancouver, I could see through the social media, some images and videos of people wandering in the markets buying everyday items and FAILING to respect “distanciation”. Some of you may think…”Jesus Christ, there must have been so many dead people there because of this!!!!!” And to be honest with you, I also think so too…BUT AS STRANGE AS IT SOUNDS, Yes we have had some people who died due to Covid however, their numbers remained strangely between low to moderate! We all expected an “hetacombe” (Like deaths by the 100,000s per week may be) when in fact, FEW deaths occured!!!! And if you remember, in whole of Africa, not that many people died!!! 

WHY FEWER people died of COVID in Africa as compared to Advanced economies?

I am an African myself (even though I do not look like one as my ancestors come from Borneo like many Merina people) but all I can say is that…NO, IT IS NOT because of our better organisation or because we are Richer than the west!!! For sure, it is NOT because of those! So why are we betetr off than the western and advanced economies when it comes to covid???
To start with, let’s have a look at this article from the NY Times:https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/23/health/covid-africa-deaths.html

Based on this article, it is being argued that the higher proportion of Young people in those countries contributed to lower deaths because they have a better immune system, which to me makes sense. But if you ask my personal opinion, the reason why we had lower deaths than many western countries is because in a country like Madagascar, kids are given a mandatory vaccine (if my Memory is good, it is the BCG vaccine) at a very Young age to help them fight with tropical diseases (which helps to soothen the effect of malaria or heavy flu). I am anot an expert myself, but I kind of believe that this vaccine has helped to make Africans more immune to the covid virus as their body probably “thought” that the covid was in fact some “derivation of flu”…but again, it is just my opinion.

THE EFFECT OF COVID.

The covid epidemy has been created by invisible viruses that can enter our bloodstream and affect the immuno systems of our body. 10-15 years ago, NONE of us would have thought such scenario would have bene possible in our existence but the thing is that it has managed to CHANGE the way we socialize, the way we entertain, the way we work, the way people date, the way we travel as for the first time, this virus has managed to make airplanes “STUCK” on the ground and make the Airline and travel Industry lose so much money!! 

I HATE THE MEDIA, SO SHOULD YOU!

I hate the media as I believe they always think that they hold the truth, and only them is right!!! The media Keeps telling that this or taht ondustry has Lost billions in revenues or this Company has shifted to remote work to “please” the employees…but what the media does not speak about is the IMPACT that the covid as well as its rules have put on so many people. Well, some medias talk about it but they are being overlooked. As I expected, there are very few newspapers who talk about it but I found an article w=frm the WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-mental-health-cannot-be-made-light-of

Which explains that the implementation of the rules during covid has had huge impacts on populations, and probably much more tha any of us think. I do not know if you recall the event that happened in minneaopis where we all witnessed this police officer (Derek Chauvin) who arrested and murdered without the least consideration a man while being filmed by bypassers who put the video on live for us to vizualize …on line!!! I firmly believe that the way covid rules have been implemented MAY have had an impact on the polcie officer’s erratical behaviour that day! I also believe that if that event Took place outside of covid, it would have turned differently (probably come punches, or some physical abuse or some brutal handling when the thief would have been brought to the police station instead and interrogated). 

In the western world, what I have noticed (after living in a few western countries) is that loneleiness is a BIG issue among westerners and is very high within the anglospehere (even if comapred to countries like Italy or France where people are individualistic, but where they still love to chat, make jokes, talk about “bullshit”, gossip while enjoying the famous French pastis, or play “petanque”, which is a well-known French game…all those things mentioned are basically missing in the socialising patterns or tendency of anglo-saxons as the latter do not really like to make jokes).   This extreme individualism drives some people to be more prone to be exposed to mental issues, such as depression and could lead to diseases like dementia in the old ages. This exteme unexpected and long-lasting isolation here in the western world- usually imposed by local authorities - , has ended up pushing an important segment of the society onto the edge!

What happened during Covid for us?

Being a total newcomer to canada at that time and having very few networks, 

This event has shaken the entire world and to me, it lookd like pretty much the governments of almost EVERY country did not really know how to address the COVID issue as most acted in a way that was prone to paranoia rather than really being efficient and rely on logic anc common sense!!! 

That also includes countries like Australia and Canada…but the worst was probably France among western countries!!! In France (I was actually very glad that I did not immigrate there to be honest), people were literally stuck inside their homes and EVERY move required the obtention of a “laissez-passer”, so in other words, if one needs to go to the pharmacy or go to the grocery store, one needs to obtain an uthorization to do so. In some parts of the US,there were similar scenarios but from how I remembered, the Americans were much more LENIENT and FLEXIBLE in how they would allos people to cicrculate around!!! Here in Canada, the Eastern provinces (ontario and Quebec) were the ones which were the most demanding when it came to applying rules and they were also the provinces which required people to stay indoors for very long and even when measures were relaxed, I was told by one of my client (a governement employee who I am training as it is part of my Job) that people could not even access public paths in the forests to relax themsleves as those paths were closed!! Here in British Columbia, we were quite Lucky as although some rules were imposed, the paths in the forests were open and people were not really advised to remain indoors at all time as it was the case in Quebec or Ontario! So on that sense, we were VERY LUCKY not to have immigrated to France but also for not having settled as a newcomer to Ontario! Probably, we were very lucky to have left Madagascar island too as down there, the measures have existed but very few followed the rules…

THE COVID AND MADAGASCAR ISLAND

As I have just mentioned earlier, the COVID rules have been very poorly implemented in Madaagscar. From Vancouver, I could see through the social media, some images and videos of people wandering in the markets buying everyday items and FAILING to respect “distanciation”. Some of you may think…”Jesus Christ, there must have been so many dead people there because of this!!!!!” And to be honest with you, I also think so too…BUT AS STRANGE AS IT SOUNDS, Yes we have had some people who died due to Covid however, their numbers remained strangely between low to moderate! We all expected an “hetacombe” (Like deaths by the 100,000s per week may be) when in fact, FEW deaths occured!!!! And if you remember, in whole of Africa, not that many people died!!! 

WHY FEWER people died of COVID in Africa as compared to Advanced economies?

I am an African myself (even though I do not look like one as my ancestors come from Borneo like many Merina people) but all I can say is that…NO, IT IS NOT because of our better organisation or because we are Richer than the west!!! For sure, it is NOT because of those! So why are we betetr off than the western and advanced economies when it comes to covid???

To start with, let’s have a look at this article from the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/23/health/covid-africa-deaths.html

Based on this article, it is being argued that the higher proportion of Young people in those countries contributed to lower deaths because they have a better immune system, which to me makes sense. But if you ask my personal opinion, the reason why we had lower deaths than many western countries is because in a country like Madagascar, kids are given a mandatory vaccine (if my Memory is good, it is the BCG vaccine) at a very Young age to help them fight with tropical diseases (which helps to soothen the effect of malaria or heavy flu). I am anot an expert myself, but I kind of believe that this vaccine has helped to make Africans more immune to the covid virus as their body probably “thought” that the covid was in fact some “derivation of flu”…but again, it is just my opinion.

THE EFFECT OF COVID.

The covid epidemy has been created by invisible viruses that can enter our bloodstream and affect the immuno systems of our body. 10-15 years ago, NONE of us would have thought such scenario would have bene possible in our existence but the thing is that it has managed to CHANGE the way we socialize, the way we entertain, the way we work, the way people date, the way we travel as for the first time, this virus has managed to make airplanes “STUCK” on the ground and make the Airline and travel Industry lose so much money!! 

I HATE THE MEDIA, SO SHOULD YOU!

I hate the media as I believe they always think that they hold the truth, and only them is right!!! The media Keeps telling that this or taht ondustry has Lost billions in revenues or this Company has shifted to remote work to “please” the employees…but what the media does not speak about is the IMPACT that the covid as well as its rules have put on so many people. Well, some medias talk about it but they are being overlooked. As I expected, there are very few newspapers who talk about it but I found an article from the WHO website: https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-mental-health-cannot-be-made-light-of

Which explains that the implementation of the rules during covid has had huge impacts on populations, and probably much more tha any of us think. I do not know if you recall the event that happened in minneaopis where we all witnessed this police officer (Derek Chauvin) who arrested and murdered without the least consideration a man while being filmed by bypassers who put the video on live for us to vizualize …on line!!! I firmly believe that the way covid rules have been implemented MAY have had an impact on the polcie officer’s erratical behaviour that day! I also believe that if that event Took place outside of covid, it would have turned differently (probably come punches, or some physical abuse or some brutal handling when the thief would have been brought to the police station instead and interrogated). 

In the western world, what I have noticed (after living in a few western countries) is that loneleiness is a BIG issue among westerners and is very high within the anglospehere (even if comapred to countries like Italy or France where people are individualistic, but where they still love to chat, make jokes, talk about “bullshit”, gossip while enjoying the famous French pastis, or play “petanque”, which is a well-known French game…all those things mentioned are basically missing in the socialising patterns or tendency of anglo-saxons as the latter do not really like to make jokes).   This extreme individualism drives some people to be more prone to be exposed to mental issues, such as depression and could lead to diseases like dementia in the old ages. This exteme unexpected and long-lasting isolation here in the western world- usually imposed by local authorities - , has ended up pushing an important segment of the society onto the edge!

What happened during Covid for us?

Being a total newcomer to canada at that time and having very few networks, staying 20,000 kms away from my Omeland has been a total challenge! Our relatives were worried for us jus as we were also worried about them! With all the travels restrictions, coming back and forth to and from Madaagscar was something which was hard to do.

Being a newcomer to Canada, I started to look for opportunities but at the very beginning, the way I designed my resume did not really make it attractive to the Canadian job market (This is because EACh and every country has their own way of designing resumes) so I contacted one of those agencies that helped newcomers and after a few weeks, I had a return call from RCMS, an Agency located in Richmond (south of Vancouber). They let me know that they could help me out throught eh different workshopw theyr were organizing and it is actually thgouh them that I got the essential tips to “re-adjust” my resume so that it could better tmeet the expecations of the Canadian employers. Although the resume got re-adjusted and some of my expriences got more value, it Took a while to get phone calls for a job, and it was probably because the pandemic was about to strike!!! 

Then indeed, it did strike…

From that moment, all the sessions from RCMS shifted online and my search continued… At the beginning, I found opportunities but most of them were not attractive. Many of those opportunities were in call centers (something I did NOT want to do at all, sorry to be Frank!!) And involved solving issues, taking calls ..probably with grumpy customers for most, whereas some other opportunities which were arising involved starting at 5 or 5:30 in the morning…again, this is not what I was looking for. 

So was my resume bad or was the Agency not that helpful??? At first, I thought to but after some careful research and asking some Friends around, I found out that in fact, one of the particularity of Canad was that in order to Access the job market, one needs a “canadian experience” and those experiences (1st one in canada) are to be done through either volunterring, or “bad jobs” like the ones I have mentioned above. In fact, without Canadian experience, most of the jobs that are available are generally jibs involving selling insurances and knock on Doors, call centers or those jobs very few want to do and the reason of this is bacsue unlike the US or places like Germany, canada does not have many managerial jobs or let’s put it differently: because of the way the canadian economy is structured (Not many headquarters do exist here as comapred to the US for example), most of the managerial or medium management jobs are more competitive. But taht doe snot mean taht it is impossible.

So what is mya dvice to many immigrants: My advice is simple: When youc oem from overseas and do not want to work in those “bad jobs”, come with more funds so that you can afford to refuse “bad jobs” and also come with a business idea or try to start up something so that you will gain automatically a canadian experience without having to resort to “bad jobs”.

 …and this is exactly what we did….

I would say that after a few months of trying, and with the pandemic ongoing, me and my wife decided to start a simple and Small venture. I would say that SHE was the intitiator of this project, although I helped her and supported her a lot in making it possible! 

We baiscally started to observe things when going out. In otehr wods, we started by visiting our possible competitors, see what they wew selling, visit their website and other related things, but among other things, we started to observe …Canadians!!!! Yes you Heard me, we were observing the people of this country that we will be becoming part of anyway. 

You must be telling :”what the heck…observing???” Sure enough, YES! We observed the way Canadian Women were dressing, waht they like to do, what they like to drink, what do they like to wear, but also, we observed the Canadian men…and were observing exactky the same things. We browsed on many social medias, to see trends, to see what people like and we read forums, blogs and watched Instagra videos to understand the people of this new country!!!

And one day… 

My wife came up with an idea (we apologize, we have to remain discreet and cannot say more ..as I do not want some to have the same idea, obviously) and started to look for potential suppliers …both lcoally and internationally and ..yes, it Took us days and nights as well as many many weeks, if not many months of Poor sleep and red eyes…but when we found them and believe that we could get product A here, B there, C over there and we assemble them… well, we can come up with something and we ordered, waited and once delivered here, we Assembled A, B and C and made different choices which emans that noew, we can launch it…

First…

we did launch the idea online (again, sorry, I cannot gove details on where we started) as we did not want to knock on Doors. We did post the idea and started to track how it went, and after a few days, people started to visit and like it (without buying) but suddenly, after about 3 weeks, the FIRST ORDER came …not from Vancouver, notf rom British Columbia (our province), but from Calgary, Alberta (yes the neighbouring province)!!!! 

The paradox…

You remember that during your marketing classes at the universities (whether you study in Australia or Canada or the US), you are being taught that market study is very important so that you know your customers taste”. Well, WE DID NOT DO ANY MARKET STUDY AT ALL!!! We just observed and …well…just tried it out  and it dod get through for whatever reason!!! 

The first sale…

My wife and I could not believe it!!!! Both of us, from Madagascar, and having only Madagascan experience (at least on the corporate standpoint as we both studied in Australia ..actually we both met there in Sydney!!!), we have managed to convince someone from canada to purchase our product!! After 2-3 days, another client bought the product, this time from Ontario, and more came later. 

But am I still looking for a Job?

Sure yes, I was still looking for a Job but during all this time that we were working on launching our “products”, most of the jobs that were on offer were mostly “bad jobs”…until one day… That days occured about 8 months after we started our business and because we have already a Small venture operating ans sales going slowly upward, I started mentioning on my resume that I was operating a Small venture here in Vancouver Canada. Oviously, that changed the whole thing as from on, recruiters would start considering this as a “canadian experience” although it was self-employment. 

Now what happened?

One evening, my phone made an unusual “bip” sound and when I looked at it, I foudn out taht it was my LinkedIn account that sent it. At first, the proposition was very different from the jobs I have always received and the next day, I decided to respond to the ad. In the meantime, as I did not get any immediate feedback, we continued working with our customers, sending items, meeting up with the cients who were around Vancouver and who wanted to see the product right in front of their eyes. 

Now after 2 days, I received a message from the Recruiter who gave me 2 dates for a possible interview.I accepted gladly and went to the first interview, which was Held….online!!! (Yes because of the pandemic). As I kind of expected,  most of the emphasis was put on the local and canadian experience only and most of the things I have done in Madagascar have not been asked! Actually same goes for experiences taken in Europe too…the emphasis would go on the canadian experiences only but experiences from France or Spain would generally be overlooked here in canada! The only country where the exception is made is the United States!!! If you ahev some exprience in the US, it will be recognized her ein Canada but for the rest, all will be overlooked, even if you did some projects in Europe! 

One the interview done, I had to wait for another 2 weeks before I get a feeback saying that I passed the 1st interview! I have to say I did not expect it as I thought that an experience made from self-employment would allow to make it through!  At the same time, I was relieved that I wold have the opportunity to have a relatively “good job” that would not be synonym of walking outside to knock on Doors or waking up at 5 AM to do some repetitive task nor sitting at a chair all day long to deal with angry customers. In fact, this New job of mine would give me the opportunity to work on aface-to-face basis (it was a bit uncommon during the pandemic) with privaite clients who would require the Company’s services and later on, as I would aquire a vit of experience, I will be assigned the governemnt workers who would be solliciting the Company for the same serices, but the differemce being …with the gfovernemnt employees, I will be required to use the resources provided by the Canadian government only! 

…then a few weeks later, I was invited for a 2nd interview; this time, I was asked to come to the center at a precised time. I will always remember that day of September where I showed up and was expecting to meet with just 2 interviewers (one of them being the 1st oerson who interviewed me already over Zoom), ut when I entered the room, the 2 inetrviewers were indeed there but on top of that, tehre were 3 otehr persons who were awaiting for me via Zoom and they appeared on the screen. Why? Because some of them were based in Calgary and a third one was in Eastern Canada! One of the person in Calgary was the regional Manager of the Company and she was originally from a country of Europe! At first, I greeted everyone and we did the introduction and they asked me some questions, some of which were similar to the ones I’ve been already asked during the 1st interview. Then, the regional Manager asked me to conduct the interview very differently ..she literallya sked me to do a “MOCK” presentation on the basis of a given situation. At first, and because it was to be unprepared, I missed some essential points and asked the persons present to leave the toom as she would tell me a few things. Then once everyone out, she gave me the ropes and showed me a few usueful techniques on how using the synthesis method, I would be able to make the “training and presentation” easier for the “future client” andf future “government employee” to understand while using all the seential points that need to be mentioned in a given “unit”. or case.

It is in fact thanks to this Lady that I have managed to provide good training to very client and governemnt employee that are sitting in front of me! After having made a 2nd mock Trial (this time with everyone back inside the rooma and on zoom), I managed to get the Job after 2 weeks and obviusly, I Took this unique opportunity as I knew that - surely it would be a great challenge - but above all, it would allow me to meet interesting Canadian people whilst allowing me to thrive professionally!

What kind of people did I meet at work? 

Surely, self-employment (the Small venture me and my wife created) has allowed me to meet interesting people, but they were mainly (potential) clients who were interested in seeing our products or those who wanted to compare tow or three of our products which had some similarities, or in some cases, I also happened to meet with resellers who were interested in discussing terms regarding prices and deliveries. But in most cases, our products are sent directly to end customers once payment received. 

However, the New job I have just gotten would give me the opportunity to meet a segment of the canadian population I have ever met and more interestingly, this New Job (the one where I am supposed to deal with government employees) would provide me a unique insight into the way the Canadian governement operates internally (very few people in Canada have this opportunity to see the governemnt from this particular angle, let alone the immigrants, like myself), and more importantly, as times goes, This New Job will give me an opportunity to listen to the experiences (both good and bad) of the people who work for the Canadian government.

But from the very beginning at least, my job would consist of dealing with the upper-class segment of the Canadian population (mostly executives of well-known companies). Those people were mostly  constituted of Directors, a few CEOs, former pilots, geologists to cite a few…

Let’s start by the last one, the geologist. It was one of the few Clients whom I met 6 months after starting my New Job. The man by himself, is a very interesting person to meet and I have to say that I was very glad to have known him. To start with, his age was a particularity by itself and let’s call him….Mike (I change his name on purpose)… With his 89 years old, this man came all the way from where he lived (in West Vancouver) by bus and by himself to meet me at the Center (this is where my office is located downtown) located on Melville street in downtown Vancouver. He would arrive well prepared and would remember - I would say - 90% of the things we have gone through during our past sessions. Despite his old age, the man (the geologist) could recall every rules, topics as well as important points that we have discussed during all our previous sessions. During the session, he would take notes and ask me questions all the time. During his sessions, I used to share with him things about myself (my background, where I come from, why I came to Canada, etc…) and he also shared his…but his backgrounds were far mor interesting than mine to be honest…and also far far more interesting than the ones lived by many Americans, Canadians or many Europeans that I have met in my life! He told me that he studied geology and south American history and he does speak Spanish fluently as well. He has travelled extensively to South America from Mexico, Guatemala down to Chile and Argentina and he was extremely knowledgeable about South AmErican old civilizations (The Incas for example) as well as history! 

Anotehr interesting person I have met was thie Client who was a maritime engineer and who operates a Company which deals with repairing ships. The man - despite his exceptional achievement - is an extremely humble man who ahs done something very few (human beings) have…he actually managed to travel with an airplane (he also is a pilot) from Western Canada…all the the way to Europe…with a few stops along the way, notably in Northen and Eastern Canada, Iceland , Scotland to end up his trip in France! 

Then after a few months, and some unforgettbale experiences, I was assigned to the Governemnt employees BUT beforehand, I was required to take a few weeks of extra-training which consisted of getting familiarized with the resources to be used and which were designed by the Cnaadian government for the government employees who were to undergo their training. 

After a few weeks of trainind provided online (due to Covid but also due to the distance) on a daily basis directly from Some government staff who were located in Eastern Canada.