ANDRIAMIFEHIMANJAKA Finiaina (Jack)

"I have been accompanying and guiding French and English-speaking travelers for thirteen years now. I always remember the first ones I took, an English-speaking couple, when my English was still very basic. But realizing the limitations of my knowledge, I taught myself and practiced more with travelers later on, because language should not be a barrier; on the contrary, it is a tool and should be an asset to make a journey truly lively and without frustration, as sharing and exchanging are, for me, two essential things in every trip I guide."

Manjaka, also known as Jack, driver-guide at Détours Madagascar

Chinese Portrait

If I were a region, I would be Menabe for the simplicity of their way of life and their dialect.  

If I were a village, I would be the village of Ambatomilo, for the friendliness of its inhabitants and the authenticity of its landscape.  

If I were a landscape, I would be the Tsingy of Bemaraha because being at the top of the great Tsingy gives me a wonderful feeling of freedom and accomplishment.  

If I were a plant, I would be a baobab because, resistant to fire, it represents strength, but also grandeur, and it is the mother of forests in Madagascar.  

If I were an endemic animal, I would be a Fosa, as I can dominate the forest.  

If I were a month of the year, I would be July, the month of my birth and the month with the most possibilities for travel in Madagascar, everything is accessible, even humpback whales come to our waters.  

If I were a means of transport, I would be an airplane, a reassuring means of transport that encounters the fewest problems.  

If I were a piece of clothing or an accessory, I would be a tank top because it gives me the feeling of being free, light, and comfortable.  

If I were a natural element, I would be air, as it symbolizes freedom.  

If I were a travel accessory, I would be a Swiss Army knife, a multi-purpose tool.  

If I were food, I would be water. Water is life.  

If I were a sound, I would be the sound of a stream because of the calm it provides and the stress it relieves.  

If I were a language, I would be Malagasy, a unique language used by only one country: Madagascar.  

If I were a sport, I would be basketball, because by playing, I can escape my stresses.  

If I were a quality, I would be punctuality, as it is a sign of respect for others, a value we give ourselves, and a simple but attentive gesture.  

If I were a Malagasy personality, I would be Didier Ratsiraka, a great political figure who combined intelligence and reality, someone who really had his feet on the ground.