Six months ago, Sarah, a chartered accountant, left everything to settle in Reunion. A successful change of life for this Nîmoise, who gives us her view of the intense island, in the heart of the Indian Ocean.
« I am a real Nîmes resident! I grew up in Nîmes, I have my family there… », confides Sarah, 32 years old. Eleven years ago, the young woman had a meeting that would change her life: Laurent, a young student from Reunion Island. The couple forms, the years pass. Reunion? “I didn’t know at all…”confides the Nîmes resident. Initially, this island in the Indian Ocean is a vacation spot, 9,000 km from Nîmes and an 11-hour flight!
If many dream of coconut trees, Sarah did not immediately fall in love with Reunion: “ We left in November 2017. It was summer there, since Reunion is in the southern hemisphere. Well, it's true that I initially found that I had to drive a lot to get to different places with a lot of traffic jams. It was a bit complicated. In Nîmes, everything is within reach… »
In 2019, Sarah and her companion return to the island. This time the experience is better. An idyll begins to be born… Road traffic is improved with the construction of the new coastal road, the largest viaduct in France. Sarah takes full advantage of these breathtaking landscapes: “ You turn your head to one side, you see the mountain. On the other side, you have the sea… It’s magnificent! “. Nicknamed “the intense island”, Reunion becomes for Sarah an explosion of flavors, landscapes and new habits and customs: “ It's a feast for the eyes, nose and taste buds! ».
« All your senses are awake », laughs the Nîmes resident, who loves lychee, the island’s emblematic fruit. But also Victoria pineapples, corks and other samosas. During her vacation, she even ventured with Laurent to the Piton de la Fournaise. A still active volcano in Reunion that spews lava every year: “ I'm still waiting to see my first breakout! It's about every year “. Sometimes the whims of the Furnace lead to funny situations: Sarah visited the Notre-Dame-des-Laves church in Sainte-Rose which, in 1977, was miraculously spared by a lava flow…
Drawing on her experiences, Sarah takes the plunge. It is she who suggests to her companion that they leave the “metropolis” for Reunion. “ Even though I am very attached to my city, I got a little fed up with Nîmes. I needed renewal, to be around people who were a little more open-minded… “, explains Sarah. The challenge is significant… Firstly regarding logistics: “ To bring our stuff, we had to rent a container… We got it for almost €7,000! ».
Their mutually agreed termination respectively signed, here they are on the plane with their dog, Toki, and their two cats, Smiley and Maya. Today, six months have passed since their move. The time has come for the first assessment: “ I don't regret it! Here, there is a great open-mindedness… We have the impression of blending into the crowd. » As its name suggests, Reunion Island is made up of a mosaic of peoples originating from Africa and Madagascar (Kaf), Asia, India (Malbar) and Europe.
As a result, in Reunion, the mosque is built next to the church, itself erected next to the Hindu temple: “ You know, I have curly hair, I have Moroccan origins. In mainland France, at my workplace, I didn't dare let go of them, nor reveal my origins! I have the impression that in Reunion, people are less judgmental. » This heavenly picture, however, has some drawbacks: “ There is sometimes a distrust towards people who arrive from mainland France, the “Zoreille”… And there is sometimes a lot of waste on the ground. » Even in heaven, nothing is perfect.
This year, Sarah and Laurent spent New Year’s Eve in the sun, with the mercury reading 30°: “ For New Year's Eve on the 31st, nothing is open. At 6 p.m., everyone goes home to celebrate with their families. » And set off a few firecrackers, a national sport, just like giant picnics at the beach… Until the end of the night! So, as we say in Reunion Creole: Bone party all!
