Tahiti, this name immediately evokes images of turquoise lagoons and heavenly beaches. For Karine and Olivier, this dream came true two decades ago. In the podcast The Distanthosted by Grégory Ascher, they tell their story and the reasons that pushed them to leave France to settle on the other side of the world.
Karine, a tourism professional, and Olivier, an expert in hotels and restaurants, initially hesitated between several exotic destinations, including Costa Rica and South Africa. But ultimately it was Polynesia that stood out as obvious. “We felt good in Polynesia, comfortable, safe,” says Karine.
Far from being a simple cliché, life in Tahiti has proven to be both simple and enriching. “Everything is easy here,” explains Karine, even if she admits that the cost of living is high. For Olivier, integration was facilitated by the warm welcome of the Polynesians, devoid of animosity towards the metropolitans.
If the cultural shock is very present, particularly on the islands like Raiatea where they settled, Karine and Olivier agree that the richness of Polynesian culture and the beauty of the landscapes more than compensate for the challenges of daily life.
If living in Tahiti remains a daring life choice, but for Karine and Olivier, it is an adventure they do not regret.
Read more
