The Real Tahiti

This is for all of you who thought I would be spending the semester in paradise....

The real Tahiti... Approximately 131,000 people reside in Papeete, the capitol of French Polynesia and located in Tahiti, and its development shows. Hundreds of cars travel to and from the city; commuting is extremely time-consuming because Papeete is where a majority of people work, and there is also only one main road that enters and leaves the city. If someone lives across the island, oftentimes they have to leave work two or three hours prior. Traffic is mainly regulated by round-abouts, which can back up traffic the same as stoplights. Also, businesses that are based in Papeete, such as Hinano and Air Tahiti, contribute to the amount traffic flowing in and out of the city because they are sources of employment. 

Tahiti is not as clean as most people might believe. As beautiful as the island is in certain areas, trash is littered throughout the streets, alongside the roads and corners, as well as on the beaches. Clusters of trash, cans, and bottles are observable once you leave the resorts. In addition to trash, sometimes the occasional smell of sewage occurs in Papeete, and wild chickens and dogs stroll throughout the island. 

Homeless dogs roam the streets throughout the island. At the university, they stroll through the café or cafeteria and lounge where students congregate. Personally, it is difficult to watch these dogs beg for attention or food. There are simply not enough people who want to own a dog, nor do a lot of people desire to keep a dog as a pet. Owning a dog is quite difficult because most people keep their homes as open as possible for ventilation, and dogs can also run away when the gates to their driveway are opened. People can call an organization that will come to euthanize a dog, but it does not appear many people do this. 

Despite what people believe, Tahiti is not a paradise. Living in Tahiti is different than vacationing the island. Although it has gorgeous beaches and beautiful colored water, paradise does not consist of geological landscapes, like I once believed. When living in Tahiti, you notice cultural differences and experience the hospitality from others living on the island as well as the frustrations that result in adapting and integrating into a different culture. It is sometimes difficult, but if an individual has the desire to become familiar with Polynesian culture, he or she will leave with a greater understanding of what lies behind just a beautiful beach.

Downside: Exhausted from hiking ... Upside: Visiting another island soon

Meeting prior to the hike.

We- Simpson group- finished hiking up a mountain about an hour ago. I am exhausted!! Not only was it quite a long hike, but it was also pretty steep. There was even a rope at the end that you had to use!!! Luckily, what greeted us at the end of our hike were three waterfalls! We were able to slide down the first two, which were pretty small. If you went down the third waterfall, you would die.

Right before we had to use the rope, we saw a decrepit stone wall. Our professor informed us that it is a wall of a fort built by the French during the French-Tahitian War in the 1840's.

Fakarava, which is an atoll, is only about 2-3 meters high. I've included a picture of the island. As you may have already noticed, there's no land in the center! Before studying here, I always thought islands were an "island." You know, land throughout the entire thing. Well, here's a geography lesson for you! Islands are formed by underwater volcanoes. The lava builds up and hardens enough so that it peaks out from the water and continues forming. Eventually, the volcano stops erupting and begins sinking and coral forms-creating a lagoon- around the island. The volcano will eventually be fully submerged under the ocean, leaving the coral reef, making it an atoll. These specific island formations are common throughout the Pacific, because of the warm ocean waters. I learned this in our first geography class of the semester.... Interesting!!

The water was FREEZING, but it was still a great to swim with everyone and eat lunch together. We even had a few extra people with us that were friends of another woman that came with us.

Oh!!! Exciting news!! I will be going to Fakarava in the Tuamotu Islands with my host family next weekend!! Last week they invited me to go, but I had to see if I could rearrange a final, and they had to check on seat availability. Well, it's official; I have my ticket!!

I'll be missing a week of school, so I have quite a bit to accomplish before I leave!! I have to complete my cultural rich points journal and take my French exam and Polynesial cultural oral exam. Busy!!

*I wish I could post more pictures, but the pictures aren't going through the upload.

Winning my first international athletic competition

At lunch yesterday, my host mom invited me to go walking with her and her friends this morning. Exercise?! Of course I said yes!

Once again, the morning came too early. After we picked up a couple of her friends and met the third woman at the location, I noticed it wasn't just walking. It was an actual competion, and it was up one of the steepest hills I have ever seen! There were a few other runners and a lot of bikers. I can't imagine riding up the steep grade on a bike.

As I'm running up, I could feel the burn throughout my body and the humidity in my lungs. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, but luckily there was some shade provided by the flora. The competition was timed like the Tour de France, and I was the last one to begin. I caught up to one of the other woman, and we finished together.

On our way up, I couldn't wait to blog about this event. If I knew more French, I know Bridgette would have been able to give me more information on what I was agreeing to! But, that's part of an exciting study abroad experience!! :D

We finished the uphill 2.5 km and casually walked down together as the five-member group we were. We ended at a gazebo near the starting line where everyone was looking at the results. Come to find out, I was first! I was so shocked!! I hadn't even tried to win. I just wanted to reach the end where water was available for the particpants! I received a "medal" made from a shell, which has the competition's logo engraved on it, and t-shirt.

There's a triatholon in a couple weeks that I'd like to do. Bridgette and two of her friends are splitting the events, so hopefully I can find two others to join me!

Afterwards we came home, showered, and took the rest of the family to meet Roxanne (host sister) and Pascal (host dad) for lunch. Finally, we have some time at home before attending mass at 6 p.m. This has been the busiest weekend in Tahiti yet!!

Dance Dance and Scuba

Saturday: What a busy weekend this has been already!! Last night I went out with Manuel—the lone male from Simpson on this experience—and met up with a few other people from school whom I had never met before. They took us to a Tahitian bar, and I “tried” to dance “Tahitian style.” You know it’s been a fun night when you’re missing a button from your shorts by the end of it!! Haha. The three girls I met were extremely sweet and a blast to hang out with! One of them even—Lorilie— invited Manual and I to her home for a Tahitian dinner she is having at her home next Saturday.

The morning came early and then I was headed to scuba dive for the first time!! I was so nervous!! I never realized fully the amount of precautions and level of experience a diver must have. Since I was a newbie, an experienced diver held on to me at all times and guided me around the coral. Although Emmanuel didn’t speak English, he was great at making sure I felt comfortable under the water. I can see why first-times are required to have a diver hold onto them.

To be honest, once I was under the water I was terrified. Sometimes while I’m snorkeling I become claustrophobic. It has happened a few times while I’m far from shore, and once it occurs I race back to land as fast as possible. Take that emotion and times it by 20…that’s how I felt today (Saturday) but couldn’t come up on my own or reach land by swimming. Also, breathing from a tank while submerged five meters is a lot different than being only foot under water and using a snorkel. I felt like I couldn’t breathe or that I needed more air from the tank, but I forced myself to realize that I was only psyching myself out. I’m pretty sure Emmanuel noticed that I was gripping his hand a little too hard. Thankfully, I overcame the mini panic attack and managed to enjoy the dive after the first five minutes. It was pretty exhilarating to know that I was “one with the ocean” even if it was for only 20 minutes. To anyone even remotely interested in scuba diving, do it at least once!!

This afternoon my host mom, Bridget, had dance class at our house. She and a group of women from her studio dance class get together throughout the week for more practice. Well, today I danced with them. I’ll be honest…I was horrible! Even though the women aren’t expert Tahitian dancers, they definitely aren’t beginners!

This evening we went to Le Meridien (hotel) for an art exhibition. I had mentioned to my family that a couple of my friends were contributing artists. Come to find out, one of their friends was also featured in the exhibition so Pascal, Bridget, Roxanne and I went for a night out.

A group of rooms had been blocked off for artists to with their room as they pleased. Each room was uniquely different. My favorite room was titled "Evolution-Revolution." As you entered, the sound of beating drums blasted from the speakers. It reminded me of Africa. There were two paintings on the wall, and each painting had its own projector. From the projector, different "light" designs hit the painting and highlighted the colors. The one painting had what looked like Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. The other had a horse sketched with minimal strokes. The artwork and music were touching and the room beautifully expressed

After we left Le Meridien, we went to a restaurant, Caption Bligh. They had Tahitian dancers for the patrons and what do you know....a minute after we were seated I was asked by one of the dancers to dance, which is typical of dancers. As the show nears the end, each dancer grabs someone of the opposite sex to dance on stage for "fun." I accused my host parents of calling the restaurant and telling them we were on our way. Haha. After my embarrassing display of dancing earlier today, the last thing I wanted was to dance in front of strangers! :)

Tahitian dancing at the Beachcomber Intercontinental Hotel that I saw for the first time right before my family visited. The island's major resorts have shows Friday and Saturday nights for people to watch.

I provided a couple links for you to check out Tahitian dancing! The first features how the men dance and the second features the women.

I'm working on putting together a Youtube account that will feature not only my videos, but also the other Simpson students, which will some of the actual dancing that we have seen here in Tahiti!

Another "interesting" room was made to look like a beach party. Black tarps hung across the room, separating the area, and Hinano beers cars were strewn throughout the floor. Extremely loud music also added contributed to the ambiance. There was a girl sleeping on the floor. Sleeping? Right! The others girls were dressed in short dresses and high heels, and the guys had their shirts wrapped around their heads. A couple of other guys were wrapped in Saran wrap....with nothing underneath.

Tahitian Excursion and Moving to the Big City

The past weekend was AMAZING!! Saturday the Simpson students, my professor and her family, and a couple of visiting Simpson faculty members went on an excursion through the volcano's crater that formed Tahiti. It was stunningly beautiful and breath taking. I was finally able to see waterfalls, but we weren't able to swim in the one we planned on because of all the rain we have received.

Standing up while holding on to the barrier in the back of a Land Rover was both frightening and exciting. The terrain through the valley was extremely steep and rocky! I have a huge bruise on my right hip from hitting the barrier.

We did have a French woman in our vehicle as well. She was vacationing in Tahiti because she won the trip through a raffle at a language conference! She mentioned the "if I was only 20 years younger I'd be able to keep up with this group" while on the excursion...us Simpson students were having a pretty good time!

Our guide, Teiva, was awesome, and we-Simpson students- are planning on a two day trek with him through Tahiti Iti, the smaller section of the island. Hopefully it works out because taking a boat is part of the trek. The area in which the trek is located is that undeveloped and left in a more pristine condition than Tahiti Nui, which is the larger section of the island.

Other new news is that I am switching host families. Out of respect to Tumata and her studies and my goals, I was presented with and accepted an opportunity to live with another host family. They are French and have lived in Tahiti since July. They have six children and cannot wait!! It will feel somewhat like home since I am the oldest of five kids!

They also have internet so no excuses for not updating my blog! I move tomorrow but am spending the night in Papara with Tumata. Today we went to a beautiful black sand beach-uncommon since most of the beaches here are corally- after class and had enjoyed dinner with the family afterward. I have found a second home in Tahiti and am always welcomed back. :) I am leaving a family who I know cares a lot about me, but this is an opportunity for both of us to reach our goals during our final semesters.

Doing fine :)

I'm not sure how many people knew, or paid attention to this, but the threat of a tsunami was possible Saturday morning as a result of the earthquake in Chile. Lucky for Tahiti, we were not affected. Mom and Casey landed only about an hour behind that night, and I have been busy showing them around the island!

Yesterday we did the "touristy thing" by visiting the market and walking around Papeete.

Today we went to Moorea and swam the stingrays and sharks. We were also able to snorkel, and it was absolutely gorgeous for the two hour excursion!! It's been raining off and on all week, so we were extremely lucky for the perfect weather while we were out on the boat.

Tomorrow we are renting a car and driving around the island. We are also headed to the doctor for what could possibly be a Staph infection that I may have.....we will see.... so besides that hiccup, it's been great to have them visit!!