A SOUTH AFRICAN
LIVING IN MAURITIUS
“For this topic, I hand you over to a great friend of mine, Denise Pitot, South African and very well known in Mauritius for her company the 'Member Business Network'".
Karen
This is My Mauritian Life, in a coco-nutshell
By Denise Pitot, CEO MBN (Mauritius)
Moving to Mauritius may seem like a smaller, less significant move than an emigration to Australia or Europe…. It may well be, but it is not as simple as one might initially expect.
OUTDOOR LIFE
Some of the plus factors include a climate not too dissimilar from South Africa and certainly a 4-hour flight is a lot more palatable, and affordable than some of the other commonly emigrated to countries. Probably the most significant happy difference for me, is on the beach, after dark, kids running around and being able to watch the stars overhead after the sun has set in all its orange and pink glory, over the tranquil Indian Ocean.
Our beaches are most certainly a huge attraction, generally white sand and turquoise waters ensure we spend a fair amount of time outdoors; in, on or next to the water!
Mauritius is all about outdoor activity, we braai with friends, hike the mountains and forests, generally enjoying the year-round summer weather.
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SCHOOLING
There are some great international schools. My suggestion would be to choose, and be accepted into, a school before deciding where you will live because the short distance across an island measuring 65km North to South is deceptively long…. In peak hour traffic it can take you 2,5 – 3 hours to complete a North to West (or vice versa) journey. Having said that, living near schools makes the transition for your children so much easier, making their new friends easier to access.
DON'T PACK FOR COLD WEATHER!
The humidity in Summer can be hard to bear, so making sure you have access to a pool is almost a necessity as are air-conditioners! The Summer rains and cyclones bring little relief as the humidity soars directly after the rain has stopped. On the bright side, one needs very few winter clothes and our wardrobes vary from swimwear and slip slops to sandals and shorts for most of the year. Excitement at a cold spell will see you don your jeans and light jersey for an evening out!
The message here, is that you need bring very few of your winter favourites.
There’s very little that you will not find on the island, whether from one of the larger malls or small shops that line the residential areas or even the online shopping that has sprung up in proliferation during the COVID pandemic. It is therefore not necessary to bring everything with you. Most of us live simple, uncluttered lives in homes much smaller than we used to have in South Africa, driving cars much older; that are generally full of beach sand from happy family excursions.
CONDUCTING BUSINESS
Business is not particularly easy on the island, but if you give great service and take time to build strong relationships this journey will be a whole lot easier - I happen to know a very good business network you could join for assistance! Integration becomes easier after all when you surround yourself with like-minded people.
BUSINESS NETWORKING
Member Business Network is a membership driven organisation that encourages active passing of quality business referrals through it's lively monthly netWORKing events held around Mauritius as well as online using social media and an online directory. It is the ideal platform for business owners and commission driven business people. We look forward to introducing you to the network.
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MY MAURITIUS LIFE
My Mauritian Life includes basking in the glorious yearlong sunshine (except in Curepipe), wallowing in the balmy ocean, seeing hundreds of rainbows, dolphins and radiant winter sunsets, paying exorbitant amounts for food, rainfalls that generally last 3 minutes (and power outages about the same length of time), prolific paw-paws, bananas, mangoes, coco-nuts and granadillas in my garden, street food on every corner and the most amazing people you could ever meet, who, just like you, are looking for a peaceful lifestyle where we all co-habit to enjoy this beautiful, tropical island.
SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTS
When we moved to the island 4.5 years ago, we made the decision that it was a permanent move. There was no going back. I honestly feel that this helped in the transition, because it forced us to find reasons to affirm our decision. So, instead of continually hankering after some of the things we loved about South Africa (amazing looking fresh fruit and vegetables being at the top of my list), we looked for ways to adjust our habits. There are a lot of South Africans on the island, predominantly in the West and the North, and there are many South African products available. While this is awesome, I’d urge you to look at this beautiful island and try to adapt to what the country has to offer, not what it doesn’t.
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