From Martinique's Beaches to Classroom Stands in France with Stessie Egouy

In this episode of Paradise Perspectives, I sit down with Stessie Egouy,  whose fascinating tale of being uprooted from her beautiful life in Martinique to the contrasting culture of France tells about the reality faced by many educators from the French islands.

Stessie, a passionate 27-year-old English teacher, shares with us the emotional and professional hurdles of adapting to a new climate and the systemic policies that displace French island educators from their native soil. We talk about the plight of Martinique's teachers, their fight for recognition, and how some are turning to platforms like this one to make their voices heard.

The episode takes a delightful turn though when we focus on Stessie's homeland and she brightens up as she takes us on a tour of her Martinique. From the comfort of gratin de banane and the sweetness of pain au beurre au chocolat to beautiful black sand beaches like Carbet and waterfalls like la Cascade de Didier.

If you want to get in touch with Stessie to learn more about the Martinique Teachers' fight for freedom to teach where they want to teach, you can send her an email or follow her on Twitter now X,

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

hey, hey, hey. Thank you so much for being here. This is Rizal, I'm your host. Paradise Perspectives is the name of the podcast, and I know there are so many podcasts out there to listen to, but you have chosen to listen to this particular one today and I could not be more grateful for that. So welcome if you're new, welcome back if you're not.

Speaker 1: 0:32

Today's episode is another really juicy one, and I shouldn't call it juicy because this one was a little bit of a serious conversation, especially in the beginning, and it actually got me off my game for the first time since I've been doing this podcast. It got me off my game because what we spoke about I know that she mentioned it to me before, but I didn't know how serious the situation was and I would love to hear it from another's perspective as well, but, but at this time I only have from her perspective. Now, her in question here is Stacey Egwe. She's a 27-year-old English teacher currently in France. Now you are going to hear all about her current situation, why she's in France. She is from the island of Martinique and that is actually what I wanted to talk to her about. But our conversation went a little bit deep into her current situation, which you're going to listen to in a little bit. But before we dive into the conversation, I just want to remind you that I have my retreat coming up, and maybe this is not even the moment. Why am I bringing up the retreat? I guess it's because we only have a month to go, and I just wanted to remind all of you that if you are thinking of, you know, spending five gorgeous day on a beautiful island in this case St Martin with me, then this is your chance. So you can go to the show notes afterwards and read up all about the retreat. You get a link where you can go to the booking site as well. I hope you join me and the other women who have already signed up.

Speaker 1: 2:20

But this episode is about Martinique. More importantly, it is about Stacey Igwe. So let me not keep you from this conversation any longer. Let's just dive right into it. This is Stacey and this is her story. In today's show I have a very special guest. I mean all my special, all my guests are special, but in this case it is super, super special Stacey Igwe. And am I pronouncing it right? Yes, you're right.

Speaker 1: 2:58

So before I let you introduce yourself, I just want to tell the audience a little bit about what has been going on. So Stacey reached out to me and she has been wanting to be on the podcast and I, coincidentally, have been looking for somebody to talk about one of the French Caribbean islands that I so so have high on my list because I've not been there yet and that is absolutely gorgeous and that is so high up on my list and so close to me that it's actually ludicrous that I haven't been there yet. But so we're going to actually not living in Martinique at the moment, although she is from there. She's lived all her life pretty much there, born in France, right, yeah? And then you moved to Martinique when you were two yeah, I think, exactly yeah, so pretty much. And now you're 27. So pretty much all your life you've been in Martinique. So that is home.

Speaker 1: 4:08

And she told me this story. That brought tears to my eyes, but we're going to get there in a second First. Stacey, thank you so much for making the time, thank you so much for reaching out and thank you for being on the show. So let me let you introduce yourself. Can you tell our listening friend, please, a little bit about you?

Speaker 2: 4:29

Okay, so you're welcome. It's Anana. Hello, everyone who's listening. It's Anana. I've been listening to your podcast for seven months. So, as you said, I'm from Martinique, I'm 27. Said I'm from Martinique, I'm 27, I'm an English teacher and I've been forced to move to France to teach because the French system, their rules, are when you pass an exam to be an official teacher, you get to go to France to teach. And it's really tough for us because you can't choose where you want to work, where you want to live, and some people are waiting for I've been waiting for five or four years or 10 years to go back to Martinique or Guadeloupe and it's very unfair. But so yeah, it's very tough for me to be here, especially with the winter. The weather is very different. It has consequences on my skin, on the mindset as well.

Speaker 1: 5:39

I'm trying to hold on um, I'm trying to hold on. Yeah, I, I was so surprised to hear that because I never, never heard of that rule in in the french system before, and I guess the the teachers on the on french saint martin, are pretty much going through the same thing. So it's all the french islands, I guess, right? So what it basically is, as I remember what, what you just said is there's a shortage of teachers in France right.

Speaker 2: 6:09

So in Paris, especially because not many people want to work there. So they take teachers from Guadeloupe, Martinique and the French Guiana as well to come to teach, to come teach in France, and if you don't go you can lose the exam. And when I heard about this, you know, being a teacher, I've been. I always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a child, so I could not see myself doing something else. You know, that's like a calling and I knew that if I pass the exam I would have to come here. But I decided to go anyway because it is the job that I love to do.

Speaker 1: 6:57

No, I just wanted to, I just wanted to sorry to you know, to break it off. I just trying to wrap my head about something, because here you are, You're in France. You're in Paris at the moment.

Speaker 2: 7:11

A city around, not Paris especially. It's another city, like the suburbs, as you want, I think.

Speaker 1: 7:20

Okay, yes, yes, the suburbs. So when you say that you, if you say that you do not want to go to Paris and you do not want to go to France, you lose. You said you can lose your exam. Does that mean you lose the diploma?

Speaker 2: 7:35

Yes, and you won't be an official teacher, you won't have the, the certification, the diploma that goes with it and the salary will be um, with the salary. You will earn less money if you are not official. So what's what most of the the people do in martinique or Guadeloupe or the French Guiana is that they refuse to go to France and they rather live, they rather stay on their island with a low salary than go to France and have a higher salary. And you are miserable because you miss home, you miss your family. So that's very difficult for me and I have a boyfriend, um, we want to get married, we want to start a family and he's, he stayed back in martinique and I'm here. So we are doing this long distance relationships, and it's the worst. You try, we are trying to hold on, but it's very difficult and even for my parents.

Speaker 2: 8:45

They are, they are becoming older, so not seeing their face and not seeing them going go like go old is very difficult for me wow, this is.

Speaker 1: 9:00

This is like almost it. It feels like something from you know decades or hundreds of years ago, when humans didn't have that many choices. This is just. I'm just completely shocked that this exists in this day and time position. I can't understand how they're actually putting so much such a high demand on you and practically forcing you to do something that you actually love, but you're doing it in a place that you don't want to be in. Wow, that is. That is mind-blowing, that is absolutely mind-blowing, and I'm so sorry that you have to go through this. How long have you been in France now? Uh, seven months.

Speaker 1: 9:49

Oh, yes, seven months, okay but you have no idea when you're allowed to move back to Martinique and no, that's the thing.

Speaker 2: 9:57

Like, you know when you get here, but you don't know when you are going back home to teach. And because of, like, there is a decrease of people who are enrolling to pass the exam because they know what is waiting for them. So, france, you know we have this bad relationship with France, even Martinique and. Guadupe People like to say that martinique and waddup are like sisters who hate their mother. Um wow, so yeah, the relationship with friends is very, yeah, it's difficult it's the same, on, on, on.

Speaker 1: 10:41

I have a few friends on uh, st Martin and they're saying the same thing. But we know the same thing as well because we are. We are part of the Netherlands or part of the Dutch kingdom and some of us have that, you know. That's not I wouldn't say hate, but I would say animosity towards our mother as well, you know. So we are not exactly happy with our mother either.

Speaker 1: 11:06

So I get that and you get that a lot, of course, because of the history between the islands and these, these, uh, you know, um, these big countries that came and completely took us and did with us what they wanted. So of course there's a little bit of animosity there. But, um, this is just on another level. I just will never be able to understand this, I guess and it's not for me to understand, it's not my situation, but I just feel for you this is really really big. So what happens to you know, it's almost like France has decided that the kids in Martinique, guadeloupe, french Saint-Martin, french Guiana are not worth having teachers. It's like they're taking away the teachers from these islands to go and teach in France. So what happens to the kids that need to learn English in your situation? What about the kids that need to learn English in Martinique? What about the kids that need to learn English and Martinique?

Speaker 2: 12:05

But the thing is they are saying that there is not enough place for the official teachers. But that's a complete lie because there is. France wants to hire the non-official teachers because the salary is lower, so they spend less money. They want to spend basically less money on the teachers and in Martinique some classes they don't have teachers because maybe the teachers left on maternity leave, they just had a baby and there is no replacement sometimes. But there is no replacement sometimes. But there is place for us and they are saying that the, the teachers from the, the west indies, are like good teachers, so they take our potential for them and Wow, and not for your own people Exactly, and sometimes it's easier for the Caucasian teachers to teach in Martinique than for us, the locals.

Speaker 1: 13:16

Yeah, that is crazy.

Speaker 2: 13:19

Yeah, and we've been protesting. That is absolutely crazy.

Speaker 1: 13:21

I'm just completely mind-blown right now.

Speaker 2: 13:24

Yeah, and I joined. Yes, of course you should. Yeah, I joined recently. Last year I joined an organization that protests and tried to raise awareness about this issue, because people need to know about this and the media? They don't even want us to talk about this publicly because the French government will prevent them to even release the footage, or something like that. So it's like we are punished and this is my calling and they are preventing me from doing it on my island right and uh.

Speaker 1: 14:08

So I am just now, now where it's like, I know the french government is not exactly like. I don't think they're going to be calling knocking down your door and hauling you away from you in jail for speaking to me, or at least I. I hope they don't. But so this is your way of actually at least finding a way to tell the story of the island, or the French island teachers and that situation that you are in right now.

Speaker 1: 14:34

And as always, there may be some people that don't agree, that don't see it from your point of view, but I am happy that you and I can have this conversation and that our listening friend, whoever is listening to this podcast right now, can be aware of what is going on in not only martinique, but also guadalupe, probably frankston martin, and definitely in french guyana. So yeah, thank you so much for opening up about this, because this is just like you said, I have never heard about this before.

Speaker 2: 15:10

Yeah and you know we have, yeah, even the politician. They are trying to, you know, to raise awareness, but it's like they don't even care about this issue because, as you said said, there is a sort of animosity between the mainland and the islands. So trying to get a platform to talk about this is very it's not easy right, I'm.

Speaker 1: 15:39

I'm actually almost thinking you should start a podcast. That's what I'm thinking, yeah maybe I will that's a good idea. Yes, you know. Power to the island teachers. My gosh all right so if anybody listening to this episode right now wants to help out, or at least help spread the news, what is the best way to assist the teachers of martinique?

Speaker 2: 16:09

um, first, we tried, um for many years to, you know, to organize meetings, but there are not so many people that comes, like we are trying to gather the media, the local media, but not many of them come because they feel like it is not an important issue or maybe, um, I don't know, their, their chief won't uh agree, their boss won't agree, or something like this. Uh, so, um, even the, the, the student parents, when you try to talk about this with them, they act like they are not interested and it's the future of their kids, not mine, I mean. So, trying to, it's very difficult to gather people to raise awareness about this, but it's like I don't even know what to say because the access is limited.

Speaker 1: 17:12

You know the government doesn't care is there a place, like maybe a website, that people can go to to learn more about the situation and then, maybe, you know, by just learning about it, some people then can start coming up with ideas on how to come to a solution?

Speaker 2: 17:36

the organization I'm part of is called ensemble de fond l''école Martinique is like together to defend Martiniquan schools, to translate. But we don't have a website yet. Yeah, we don't. We don't have a website. Two years ago, some colleagues of mine they had a Facebook account called Collective des Néotitulaires. Some colleagues of mine, they had a facebook account called the collective de neo titular. It's like an organization for the new teachers. So I think, yeah, when I think about it, I think, unfortunately, that's very limited, but that's only what I can think of.

Speaker 1: 18:22

So if anybody wants to learn more and they want to reach out to you, Stassi, can they do that?

Speaker 2: 18:29

Yes, I'm not a fan of social media. I only have a Twitter account, that's okay.

Speaker 1: 18:38

Well, that's a powerful account.

Speaker 2: 18:41

So you can find me at Mademoiselle Ninine.

Speaker 1: 18:45

It's like M-double-L-E-N-I-N-I-N-E, but I can write it for you so you can put it in the show notes if you want to. Yes, I'm definitely going to add it to the show notes. So if anybody wants to know more about the situation that Stacey and so many other Martinique teachers are finding themselves in, I can highly recommend you to go to the show notes after this episode and see how you can get in touch with Stacey so that she can tell you a little bit more about it. And if you have any solution or you think that you can help in any way, then please definitely reach out to her. You think that you can help in any way, then please definitely reach out to her.

Speaker 1: 19:29

Now, stacey, as this is a travel program, I'm almost afraid to ask you the questions that I want to ask about Martinique, because I don't want to make you more homesick than you already are. It's okay, it's okay, but you know I have to ask. I know you said that you, you know, just before we go into that. However, it's like I can imagine that also there's because, having grown up on an island as well, and we always most of us go off island and we go to the mainland to study, right, yeah, and then some of us even decide to stay.

Speaker 1: 20:07

So I can imagine that when you stay, when you say you are stuck in france and you don't want to be there, that for some people it's almost like, oh, I wish I could be there because I want to move to france, especially the younger you are, when you've grown your whole you've lived your whole life on an island. The one thing that you want to do is you want to go to the mainland and experience all that the mainland has to offer. Right, at least that's what it was for me when I moved to the Netherlands, and that's what it's like for a lot of kids now also that are either moving to the US, to Europe, wherever it is that they're moving to. So there are some people that are not exactly finding your situation that dramatic and they're probably not agreeing with you. Right, are there teachers that are like that, that are just happy to be away from you? Oh yeah, janique.

Speaker 2: 21:06

Some of them because you know I don't know if you know, and even the the listeners but Martinique is a very expensive island and in France the cost of living is lower. So some people think that they can have more opportunities over there, even though the weather is not the same. And some people are saying like, um, but france is a big country, even if your boyfriend is not coming with you, uh, you will travel there. There are, like other countries next to fr, but I don't know some of them. They can even feel like you are being selfish. So, yeah, even some people who taught in France and they are back in Martinique, they are saying like, oh, I went over there, I did not suffer, it was not that bad, so it's your turn now. You can go. Stop complaining, and I don't know.

Speaker 1: 22:09

Right, that's right, yeah, yeah, but everybody's situation is different as well. So, of course, you know, it depends on who you talk to. You are in a situation that, back home in Martinique, you love your parents, you want to see them grow old, like you said, and you love your parents. You want to see them grow old, like you said, and you love your boyfriend. You want to start a family. You're 27, so I can imagine that that is, you know, now, a big thing for you. You know, getting married, starting a family, and you want to do it at home in martinique, where you love to be.

Speaker 1: 22:42

So, of course, somebody else's situation maybe they're coming from a situation where they don't really care how they grew up and they're not really that close, maybe, to their family. So, of course, I can imagine then that something like you know france, or maybe it's somebody that loves to travel, and then france has all of these like limitless opportunities as well. Um, so, yeah, I, I get that, that you get like a different, and of course, these people are only, they can only talk from their perspective, just like you can only talk from your perspective. But having said that and again, I don't want this conversation to make you sadder or to make you sad because we're talking about home, but I am very intrigued about martinique and what makes to you, what makes it so special. So, besides, of course, your parents and your boyfriend, what are some of the other things places, food maybe that you miss from?

Speaker 2: 23:43

Oh where to start. There is a lot to say. But the boats, and they have like a bamboo, the. They use the bamboo to get to, to navigate, uh to, to make the boat move, and it's like a race. There are I I think there are more than 20 boats and it's a race, and for one week they race around the island, north to south, east to west coast, and each day there is a specific path to get and each day there is a winner, winner, and at the end of the week, the, the boat who has won the most um steps, is declared the winner.

Speaker 2: 24:56

And I think it's only. It only exists in martinique. I don't know if there is another place where there is. Y'all is the name of the boat, it's called YOL and if you YOL like Y-O-L-E and if you ever decide to come to Martinique. So the race is usually at the end of July. This year it is earlier because of the Olympics. They decided to do it earlier because of the Olympics, I don't know why. I think it's because of the TV. So the race and the Olympics does not overstep the programs.

Speaker 2: 25:43

But usually it's at the end of July, so, but usually it's at the end of of july and it's like the events you do not want to miss. Uh, you have um, sometimes you have um singers who do some concerts. They are the food trunk you get to be with your family, with your friends, under the hot weather uh, yeah, the hot weather. So definitely bring a hat, a cap, sunglasses, sunscreen and everything, because you will be hot.

Speaker 1: 26:14

This is the summer, and the summer in the caribbean yeah it's brutal yeah yes, oh, wow. So this, this sounds, this sounds like our regatta. So I guess it's like a regatta of some sort. It's a race of boats you could say that. But the type of boats that you guys do is yeah.

Speaker 2: 26:33

Right, but instead of ours it's like four days.

Speaker 1: 26:36

Yours is a whole week. Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2: 26:41

Yeah, and it's very tough. That sounds like fun.

Speaker 1: 26:44

I'm going to have to look into it.

Speaker 2: 26:49

Yeah, it's very tough. That sounds like fun. I'm gonna have to look into it. Yeah, it's very tough. I never try, but if you decide to come to the island, you can get you can't. You can't book, you can book some. Um, how how do you say this?

Speaker 2: 26:58

like, if you want to try, you can book the company maybe like you say oh, I want to try and do this, do the sports and do like you do. I think you can. Some people offer this, but it's like the national sport of martining because it's very. You need to be physically fit to do that because they get, they get. They go around the boat. They can go in the back, at the front, so the boat can move. It's very difficult and sometimes the the ocean is agitated so you have to. You have to try to maneuver with the wave as well and the wind and the hot weather, the sun. So I always admire the men. Usually it's men. There are some women as well. There are not that many women, but there are some. One year there was a boat with only women on it. I was very happy to see this, but usually it's men.

Speaker 1: 28:01

Of course.

Speaker 2: 28:03

Yeah, it's very, yeah it's's tough, but it is our thing.

Speaker 1: 28:07

so if you decide to come, come to come in the summer so you can enjoy it and experience this okay, so the race of the yule I have already noted that down and I'm definitely going to look into it, but, like you said, this year is a little different because of the ongoing Olympics happening in France in Paris, is it in? Paris.

Speaker 2: 28:34

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 28:36

So then, of course, because of that, it's not going to be at the end of July, it's going to be a little earlier. Do you have the dates for the race?

Speaker 2: 28:51

I don't know. I think I don't want to make a mistake, but I think it's the week of july 17th, if I'm not mistaken. Okay, I think, so usually it's the last week of july, yeah, but I think this.

Speaker 1: 29:05

I'm just looking at my schedule and I think I, I think I can the third week of july fantastic, that sounds amazing. That sounds like something I definitely want to be a part of. And then, of course, it's not only the race, it's like a bunch of other stuff that's happening. You said there are concerts and yeah, parties and food.

Speaker 2: 29:26

Yeah, because some people don't even come to for the race, they. They come just for the parties and the concert and the food, but usually gets very crowded. So make sure you come early so you can find a spot um to park your car as well, because you will have to walk for a very long time if you do not come early.

Speaker 1: 29:51

So yes, that's the thing.

Speaker 2: 29:54

Yeah, that's the thing many people look forward every summer.

Speaker 1: 29:59

Wow, okay, wow Okay. So the rates of the yule. We're going to add that to our list. And one thing that I've been to Guadalupe and I've had such an amazing time there, one thing that I can still, I still dream of and I wake up and I'm upset that I wake up because I want to stay in that dream is the food that we ate in Guadalupe. Guadalupe's food was just amazing. All of that creole, oh, it was so, so good. But, um, I guess it's you guys have that too in martinique yeah, my favorite dish is like um gratin de banane jeune.

Speaker 2: 30:42

It's like um I don't know the oh shoot, I don't know the english word for gratin um, it's like, I think, grated yeah, but it's like the the plantains yeah like it's like um uh, you can like we.

Speaker 2: 31:04

You can fry the plantain or you can boil them. There are two ways of making the gratin and it's like it's a no-brainer. If you taste this I'm sure you will like it. It's my favorite and I'm not and I'm not even a foodie. I I don't eat that much, but this dish whenever there is a party, a celebration, there is to be a gratin de bain-marie on the table because people will be upset.

Speaker 1: 31:35

It's plantain, but then what else is with it? It's just plantain, it's boiled plantain and doesn't come with anything else.

Speaker 2: 31:43

No, it's like you can put the bé bechamel you know, I don't know the english food for this yeah, you know, bechamel, like, yeah, the bechamel sauce, yeah, exactly, and then at the top you put some cheese, you know, and you, you, you, you take it to the oven and at the end, you get this crispy, crispy, top and it melts inside oh, my, that sounds amazing.

Speaker 1: 32:14

So it's like it's an oven dish, so it's, it's oh, I think, I'm not sure I have to look it up, but I think it's like uh, you boil the plantain, then you mash it, you can fry them right, or you can fry it.

Speaker 2: 32:31

You can fry them or you can just boil. You can some people like to to cut them, so it can be a round aspect of the dish, or you can, and when you fry the plantain you have a long aspect and on your plate you put the plantain and then the sauce, and then the plantain, and then the sauce and at the top the cheese, and you put it in the oven.

Speaker 1: 33:01

Basically, it's like a plantain lasagna.

Speaker 1: 33:05

Oh yeah, exactly exactly, you could say this yeah yes, wow, that sounds delicious, yeah, and you can eat it with a fish, pork, lamb, anything, anything wow yeah okay, that that really sounds really delicious and now I'm not gonna have to like write down the recipe so I can make it at home one of these days. Yeah, you will, absolutely delicious, oh yes, I'm sure I will, I'm sure I will, and, um, okay, so let's talk about oh, no, please, no, please, go ahead. We have a little bit of a delay, so you'll probably hear me a little later, but that's okay, don't worry about it, so go ahead. What were you saying?

Speaker 2: 33:55

We also have something called pain au beurre au chocolat. It's like a bread that you can make and you have to eat it with chocolate.

Speaker 2: 34:08

It's very whenever you go to a party, at the end of the party there is pain au beurre au chocolat. It's my favorite. So whenever I go to a party and there is no pain au beurre au chocolat, I'm like it's a shame you can't go to a party and then the party is over and the pain au beurre is not served on the table and it's like basically a bread and yeah, like you. Can you see when you make braids in your hair like you have the? How do you say this Like?

Speaker 1: 34:47

sorry, ah, the twist of the, you twist the hair Exactly.

Speaker 2: 34:51

So this is the bread is also twisted.

Speaker 2: 34:55

Yeah, you twist it and that at the end you have a sort of design, like you twist your preparation and you can make some people make. Well, you can make some people you, some people make uh, uh, well, you can make the design that you want. Some people like to design letters. For example uh, for my birthday two years ago. My mom made it so it can look like a S? Uh, the first letter of my name, um, so you can have big ones you can like. Basically, choose the shape that you want and then you put it in the oven.

Speaker 1: 35:32

But it's pa, it's pa beurre au chocolat. So the beurre is butter, right yeah.

Speaker 2: 35:40

Yeah, and then you can eat it.

Speaker 1: 35:43

So it's butter bread and then it has, it has butter bread, and then it has chocolate on. Oh, that sounds so good.

Speaker 2: 35:50

Yeah, the chocolate comes on the side. Yeah, not inside, like milk basically, but you put the chocolate powder in it and I think you need to have eggs, flour. You have egg flours and you mix them all together and then you have a sort of you know, when you want to make a pie, you have your composition, but it gets rough and it's like sturdy and then you can twist it to have your preparation.

Speaker 2: 36:31

Yes, I don't know if I'm clear. I'm trying to look, for I'm still looking for the word in English no, it's, I'm sorry if it's not clear.

Speaker 1: 36:44

I'm thinking, oh no, I'm thinking it's clear because a lot of you know how a lot of islands have a lot of things in common In the Caribbean. Like you might, your island might be French and the one that I'm on might be Dutch, but there are so many similarities. So we have something in Curacao, where I'm originally from, called letter. We call it the letter because that's exactly how it is, but it is more like a cookie and it's formed in the way of. But we also have you know I've seen this in Venezuela and I've seen this in other parts of the world, especially around the Caribbean or Latin America that you have this, this bread that is made in the shape of a braid. So they braid the bread and they kind of like twist the bread around, so it's like exactly one, and then it have either butter on top or something on top.

Speaker 1: 37:38

So yeah, so this sounds, this sounds like heaven. This sounds like my kind of bread. This sounds like something that I would love to try when I'm in martinique.

Speaker 2: 37:46

Definitely adding that, but the chocolate oh, right, right, I remember the name. I was looking for the dough. You know the dough, yes yeah, you twist the dough. Yes, yes, yes, now I remember the word I was looking for.

Speaker 1: 38:03

But yeah, that that's like, uh, your thing in Curacao, yeah yes, it's like, it's like the letter was like, and the letter in Curacao is always the s, it's always s. I guess it's the simplest letter to to make with dough, so yeah, so that that kind of reminds me a little bit, although the one letter in Curacao is more it's a cookie, it's, it's harder, um, that's, you know, a bread. But yeah, this sounds really really interesting. Thank you for that.

Speaker 2: 38:36

I'm gonna add that to my list too chocolate on the side and you can dip your bread in it beautiful yeah of course oh yeah, when you're going back, yes, when you finally go back to martinique, even if it's just for a visit.

Speaker 1: 39:00

I guess that would be those two would be like your favorite things that your mom will have to make for you.

Speaker 2: 39:07

Exactly Whenever I went back in February for the carnival break and she asked me like when are you coming? What do you want me to make you? Perron, beurre au chocolat and gratin de banane jaune. She knows.

Speaker 1: 39:22

Oof, yes, she knows, she knows, your mom knows, Okay, so let's talk a little bit about beaches, because you know, martinique has got some beautiful beaches. Martinique has got right, ah, martinique is so beautiful. It's like, from what I've seen, um, there are so many and it's so much to explore. Uh, in Martinique as well, you guys also have like a really big, um, what do you call that?

Speaker 1: 39:47

uh, the garden, the botanical gardens, right, yes, the botanical gardens yes, that is also like one of the that's always, when you type in martinique, that is like one of the first things to pop up is your botanical garden. But let's talk about the beaches, but more not the beaches that the tourists tend to frequent, but that the locals like to go to. And I'm not seeing like I know, I, you know, I hear that in a lot of people will be like what are the places that locals go? We want to go there. It's like most people that you know in saint martin is like that. If you want to go to a certain beach, it doesn't mean that only tourists will be on this beach or only locals. We're not like that. It's just, you know, locals enjoy all of the beaches, just like tourists will enjoy all the beaches. But what are some of the beaches in Martinique that are preferred by the locals?

Speaker 2: 40:45

Yeah, it's important that you mentioned that, because the mistakes the tourists do when they come to Martinique is like usually the most beautiful beaches are usually in the south, but the thing I, whenever people ask me advice, I always say do not neglect the north, because the north is like greener and in the south is like it's more dry and hotter, and some people like they spend all their time in the south because the beaches are beautiful, but there are also beautiful beaches in the south because the beaches are beautiful, but there are also beautiful beaches in the north, and my favorite is um, located in a city called carbe. So carbe is a city located in the north, on the west coast, and uh, it's, it's a, it's a beach with black sand, the thing you should know, is like we had a volcano that erupted in 1902.

Speaker 2: 42:03

And the ashes made the sand become, yeah, and because of the ashes, the sun became black and this, like the scent of this beach is um, is very beautiful because it's like it shines, especially when this, when the sun is very high, you can see. It's amazing because I always say that it looks like diamonds. You know the shining, you can see it from the, from the road, but the downside is that it's very hot, like whenever you get, like when you want to reach the water, you even have to run because your foot will burn.

Speaker 1: 42:43

Um so yeah I know exactly what you're talking about. What, which? What is the beach name?

Speaker 2: 42:50

uh, carbe, carbe beach. There is no specific name, just la plage du carbe, okay yeah, la plage de carbe.

Speaker 1: 42:59

Okay, it reminds me of stacia, because stacia has. Stacia is not known for its beaches, but Stacia has this one beach. That is exactly like that, and the first time that I went and I was on this beach, that is exactly what I said it's like diamonds. It it just glistens and the sun hits it in a way, that is just so beautiful and then, like you said, because it's black sand, it is hotter than white sand. So when you're walking barefoot on it.

Speaker 1: 43:30

It can actually burn really bad, so you need to be careful, especially if you're going to a black sand beach around midday, it can be super, super hot. Wow, I think I didn't. I knew about, of course, about the volcano, but I didn't know about the Black Sand Beach.

Speaker 2: 43:47

Yeah, and you have a beautiful view. You can see the volcano when you are in the water, so I always like to come here, yeah, so what else I think yeah, this is my favorite that not many tourists know when they come here. So that would be my advice Go to Carbet and experience the, the diamonds of the sand yes, oh, beautiful.

Speaker 1: 44:15

And is it also that most hotels, will most hotels, be in the south as well?

Speaker 2: 44:22

and yeah, most of the hotels are in the south. Usually the cheapest are in the south as well. Because the north, the price tends to be higher because not that many people want to stay there. So, yeah, most of the hotels and the villas, they are in the south.

Speaker 1: 44:43

Yes, Ah, okay, so it's cheaper because there's more demand, exactly in the south, but it's higher in the north because there's less demand, exactly that is. That is so odd, okay, yeah, okay, okay. Well, I want to be in the north, so I think I better start saving up then.

Speaker 2: 45:10

And the north, the thing I always ask. Whenever people ask me what I should do when I come here, I always say spend one week in the south and then the other one in the north, because the landscapes, uh, in the north are beautiful as well, it's greener, you will be, uh, not as hot as in the south, you will get to breathe the air, see the, see the volcano, and the people are more welcoming. I will say as well, yeah, what about waterfalls?

Speaker 1: 45:48

I think I did see one or two, right.

Speaker 2: 45:52

Yeah, yeah, we do. But in Carbet, the city we talked about, there is a beautiful waterfall as well, yes, and there is another one in the center of the island called La Cascade de Didier, but for this one you need to have a guide with you because it can be dangerous, especially when it's starting to rain. The levels are starting to be higher, so you need someone with you to get across. The levels are starting to be higher, so you need someone with you to get across. There is another one called Le Saut du Gendarme, in the north, in the city, called Ajoupa Bouillon, and usually that's our favorites, the locals, they love to go here. You can bring your food and be with your family, with your friends, and be with your family, with your friends. It usually get packed, uh during the summer, but it's the best, like uh, to experience the north and the nature and uh, to be in the in the river is some. You is something to experience.

Speaker 1: 47:00

I think yeah, yeah, I agree, I agree all right. So if I'm just looking at a time, the time is just going so so fast. Um, just before I let you go, is there anything else that you want to tell us a little bit of your home paradise, martinique um, you mean something people need to know.

Speaker 1: 47:26

Well, no, it could be something that you think somebody like me who wants to visit needs to know, but it can also just be something that you want to talk about about Bartini, because I know that right now you haven't been since February, so right now you're probably in the midst of that. Really, you know that yearning that you want to be back on the island, so, yeah, so anything that you really miss I would like to talk about.

Speaker 2: 47:57

What I miss is usually, like you know, driving around and driving around with the windows down and get to breathe the air, and you know this sort of the. You know the, the vibes. When you meet people, they greet you when you walk by, whereas in France, when you pass someone, they don't even look at you. So you know, I miss this human touch, because when you come to Martinique, people, they will, if you ask for direction, they will tell you. You know, we have this welcoming thing with tourists, or even the locals, and I think it's nice to have this, because I think this is what I miss the most the, the vibes of the people, cause here they tend to be like I do my own thing, you do your own thing, we don't talk to each other, we don't know each other, and that's it. Leave it here, yeah.

Speaker 1: 49:05

Yeah, it's true. I had the same thing when I I when I moved for the first time, when I moved to the netherlands. It was like that too. The people were very, very cold and I'm not saying all the people are the same. I have many friends that are to this day, are my best, best and closest friends. Those are in the netherlands, but I the it's the majority of you know walking down the street.

Speaker 1: 49:30

I was so used to saying good morning to somebody when you're crossing them when your paths cross or anything you know, and when you go to somebody's home and people are so inviting and people are actually happy to see you would, no matter what time of the day you you want to go to their house. There was like in in the netherlands. You have to make an appointment. You can't just show up at somebody's house and it's just so strange to us right, it's coming from the island, so I, yeah, I know what you mean.

Speaker 1: 50:01

It's the island culture, it's that, that friendliness that we have towards each other and towards visitors. It's the saying of the good morning, it's the how are you when you walk into a store, it's all of that, yeah. And then when you go to the bigger countries, it's duh. They don't have that. It's so cold. The people are as cold as the weather sometimes.

Speaker 2: 50:24

Exactly, that's true yeah, weather sometimes Exactly, that's true yeah.

Speaker 1: 50:28

Yeah, wow, stacey, I am so, so happy that you made the time to be on the show. I'm so happy to learn about, you know, the issues that you're facing at the moment, but also that to see your face light up when you talk about home. To see your face light up when you talk about home, you know, it's like the moment we started talking about your favorite food, your favorite beach and all of that. It's like your whole face lights up. It's just so beautiful to see. So I was happy that at least the show could bring that to you and I hope that you find your way home very, very soon.

Speaker 2: 51:03

Yeah, please say whatever, yeah actually there is something like I feel like people should know is when they come. Yes, please is a specific thing that I would like tourists to know, or people from the caribbean is very important for me. When you go to the beach, sometimes you can see trees and they have a red mark or red cross around the trunk and it's because these trees are very dangerous. They are called morseliniers and their leaves is very like if it touches your skin, it's a poison, so you will have to go to the hospital. Your skin it's a poison, so you will have to go to the hospital. And when you see a tree with a red mark on it, do not touch it.

Speaker 2: 51:54

Um, and also, uh, something that I see often, uh, that we we as local don't like is like when people bring their pets or their dogs in the water in the beach, because some beaches they have the sign do not bring your dog in the water, but some do not have signs. But it is common knowledge in martining that you can't bring your dog in the water because the dog can bring some worms and it can affect us and you can end up to the hospital as well and your skin can become itchy and so, yeah, so, do not bring your dog in the water. Yeah, I would like to say this and wear sunscreen and mosquitoes protection as well.

Speaker 1: 52:47

Very important, the mosquitoes, they do not joke no, no, the mosquitoes are for real, and they are. They can bite my gosh but I'm so happy that you brought that up, because, oh yeah, sorry, go ahead especially even since the the sargassum seaweed problems.

Speaker 2: 53:11

We have those tiny, tiny mosquitoes. You can't see them and they bite very hard. Like you can't see them, but it's very um, very when. Whenever they bite you, it can be itchy very fast and you can't see them. So you can't even kill them because they are pretty much invisible. So, yeah, well, protection, so you don't have mosquitoes bites. Yeah, all right.

Speaker 1: 53:43

So let's go over that again. I am so happy that you brought that up, because I actually I was so immersed in your story that I forgot to ask the one question that I asked all of my guests, which?

Speaker 2: 53:57

are you know?

Speaker 1: 53:58

what are the don'ts for Martinique?

Speaker 2: 54:01

I'm so happy that you're a fan of the show because you remember I saw that because I forgot to see that but yeah, because I know, as I told you, I've been listening and I know that you always ask at the end of the podcast, the, the episode, what's, what is something?

Speaker 1: 54:20

you should know you are so prepared. I'm so happy that you remembered I was like so immersed in your story that I just completely forgot. But you know, going over the three things that you said, well, we should mention. You know, be friendly to the locals, the locals will be friendly to you and that is super important as well, but manzanilla is what we call it in curacao.

Speaker 1: 54:47

We call it manzanilla and I think it's so so smart that you guys have actually marked the trees, because in curacao they're not marked oh, and the leaves are super.

Speaker 1: 54:59

The leaves sting it's. It's a poisonous tree and definitely stay away from the fruits of this tree because the fruits are that could kill you. So definitely don't go and try it because it fell off the tree and you're thinking it's something yummy. Stay away from the mantanilla tree. And the second one that you said was, um well, to wear protection and to not bring your dog to the beach. I mean you can bring your dog to the beach. I mean you can bring the dog to the beach but don't bring it in the water or don't bring your dog to the beach at all.

Speaker 2: 55:31

Not to the beach at all, because the worms can get in the sand as well and travel into the water. Yeah, so don't bring your dog.

Speaker 1: 55:41

Okay, that's the first time I'm hearing that and as a dog person, I was like, well, I probably won't be traveling to Martinique with my dog, but I, okay, I have to think about that now.

Speaker 2: 55:52

Yeah, okay, so no dogs on the beach.

Speaker 1: 55:55

Stay away from the manzanilla tree, wear protection, and I will not be myself if I don't remind you that whatever protection you're using, either from the sun or from pesky little animals like the sand flies and the mosquitoes, make sure that it's environmentally friendly. Make sure that it's not harmful to the environment. So thank you, stacey. Thank you so much. Thank you for this. You're welcome. Wow, I am still in shock about all of the things that we were talking about in the beginning of this conversation, and I hope I really really hope that this situation changes Again. If you want to know more about the situation that Stacey and a few or many other teachers find themselves in in France and in Martinique, then please reach out to Stacey, either via her email address or you can follow her on Twitter, and all of that information is, of course, in the show notes. So go there after this episode, stacey. Is there anything else before I let you go?

Speaker 2: 57:00

No, I think that's it. Well, I would like to thank you for having me. I always love listening to your podcast. You're very nice and welcoming, so thank you and thank you, took the time to listen as well.

Speaker 1: 57:17

Oh, absolutely. Is there anything that you want to tell your parents and your boyfriend, because I'm sure you're going to send them this episode, so what?

Speaker 2: 57:25

would you like to tell?

Speaker 1: 57:26

them. Go ahead and say it in French. Okay, because I'm not sure they will understand. Sorry, say it in French, french, french. Yeah, because they might not understand Exactly, so just say it in French.

Speaker 2: 57:38

Okay, so, maman, papa Ebens and all those who listened to me, I thank you for taking the time to listen to the podcast and thank you for supporting me in this difficult time, and I love you. Yeah, so that's it.

Speaker 1: 57:55

Oh, that was so beautiful. That's the thing, yep.

Speaker 2: 58:00

Yep, please translate. I can translate, I got it.

Speaker 1: 58:03

I remember all of a sudden my French that I learned in high school came back, so I did follow what you said and I thought that was a beautiful message, but please for the listener.

Speaker 2: 58:14

Okay, so basically I told them thank you for the support, even during this tough time, and that I love them.

Speaker 1: 58:24

Yeah, beautiful, beautiful. Thank you so much, stassi. Thank you, wow. I don't know about you, but that story, kind of like, left me completely. It gave me all sorts of feels and I was completely off my game after hearing Stassi's story. I was completely off my game after hearing Stacey's story, so much so that I didn't ask her the most important questions that I had written down for her, and she was nervous because this was her first time and we were talking about this after we already ended this episode about how both of us were off our games and so we didn't really talk about the things that we thought were important to talk about.

Speaker 1: 59:09

But after hearing her story I really did not want to go deeper into. You know how much she misses Martinique and all that she misses about it. I know that the point of this show is to share all that the island has to offer from a local's perspective, but in this situation it almost felt as if I was rubbing salt on an open wound. You know what I'm saying. I just didn't want to go too deep into it. I didn't want her to feel bad that she wasn't home and I didn't want the situation that she's in to seem that much more hopeless. I guess. Maybe you know I just got carried on with it, but I'm sure that she's she may not even feel that way, because she has plans to visit Martinique in the summer, where she gets to spend at least a month with her loved ones there. So I'm so happy that she's going to do it, at least a month with her loved ones there. So I'm so happy that she's going to do it. And because she's going to be in Martinique, then I promised her or rather we promised each other that we're going to have another episode with her and then we can dive a little bit deeper into all those wonderful things that Martinique has to offer. So one of the things that she had on her list I had it on mine as well, but we completely forgot to talk about was the rum, because the agricole rum that Martinique is so famous for we didn't even touch on that subject.

Speaker 1: 1:00:35

We spoke, of course, about the different, some of the different beaches. You now know not to only stick to the south side but to also go into the north side, where you can go to a black sand beach that seemed like you're walking on diamonds in an area called a car car bet and I'm sure I'm completely screwing up the name right now, but you can find the correct spelling of it in the show notes. We talked about, uh, waterfalls. You can find the shoot thebert, which is in the Carbert region, and we have La Cascade de Dier that she also mentioned. We spoke about that plantain dish that she's so looking forward to eating again, as well as the pain de beurre au chocolat, and I'm sure I'm mispronouncing that as well. But we spoke about the bread with the chocolate. You remember so all of that good bread with the chocolate. You remember so all of that good stuff that Martinique has to offer. And, of course, we spoke about the Yule boat racing that goes on towards the end of July, which this year is happening more around the middle of July because of the Olympics happening in France this year.

Speaker 1: 1:01:44

So, regardless of us taking our time with a conversation that Stassi or the situation that Stassi shared with us, and we didn't get to dive really deep into Martinique itself, I do hope, however, that you found this episode valuable and that you now know a little bit more. I am so happy that Stassi actually shared with me that she's a fan of this podcast. Thank you so much Stacey. I cannot thank you enough for listening to it, her reason being that she loves to have. Just because of her situation being stuck in France, she now, because of the episode, gets a little bit of sunshine that she gets into her heart and into her home every time another episode airs.

Speaker 1: 1:02:29

So I want to know from you what is your reason for listening to paradise perspectives. I would love to hear from you as a listener so you can go to my website, to the show notes, where you will find the website, a link to the website, but you'll also find my email address where you can send me an email and let me know what you enjoy so much about this paradise perspectives podcast. Thank you again for listening. I am so happy that you could make the time for me and for my guests today and, yeah, there's not much more to say. Then I will see you or I will be there again next week, thursday, with another episode and another island to share with you. Thank you, my name is rizal, the traveling island girl. Signing off bye.