…continued

-Food

Go everywhere, eat everything has always been my mantra. I started on a high with wasps on my first day on the island. I can’t even remember the taste because it doesn’t taste like meat but it’s edible, but they got nothing on kumbe kumbe (flying termites) though.

I generally think there’s no sukuma wiki (kales) in France, because it’s not in Reunion either however there’s this green vegetable, Bréde Chine, that after cooking resembles sukuma and it’s good too. My African parents will be so proud that I made an effort to find green vegetables. Litchi fruits are a must eat, I had them for the first time and I loved them, they’re really sweet.

I’m also enjoying the pastries I am liking the baguettes here, but croissants are still my favorite. I once tried américain sandwich which is like pasua- mandazi with fries inside however this is with baguette, fries, a bit of salad and meat, so filling.

I can’t forget to say I’ve met an amazing Kenyan, Krysse, who makes amazing pastries and some lovely chocolate drink. She made me my first pilau and chapos on the island because we can’t survive on salads alone – no pun intended. You can check her out at www.krysseandjulez.com .

The Creole food in the island is to die for, Rougail Saucisses, being the most popular dish.

Street Food ; this is the life of the party. You’ll find so many samosa joints, the size is quite small in comparison to the Kenyan ones but just for a few cents you are spoilt for choice with the variety of options to choose from. There are chicken, vegetable, cheese and fish samosas .

I have also found a nice spot in the middle of town for fries I can hook you up ha-ha. That’s not all; for anyone who knows me knows how I love buying pineapples by the road. They sell that here too with a unique twist, they add mangoes and a bit of chillie. What more could I ask for?!

My current favorite wine is Domaine Tariquet. If you’re a lover of white sweet wine, this is your plug. Krysse has schooled me a bit on how the French pick their wines; they simply look at the chateau on the wine bottle – different regions have different berries hence different temperatures, type and quality of the wine 🙂 

-Dressing

I like how the French are so laid back in their dressing. In school, even jeans can go. There’s no dress code, students come to school with slides ha-ha.

In regards to what you’d need to pack; Reunion has a sub-tropical climate with temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celsius  from May-October, Nov-March is more humid it’s their summer here and most rains are experienced in Jan and February. If you ask me , it’s hot throughout even when it rains. It’s slightly cool up in the mountains.

However summer clothes with an occasional pullover will do you good. All I’m trying to say is you can wake up any day and decide it’s a beach and tan day 🙂

I was surprised to also find women wearing derras, they are however Muslim women from the neighbouring island Mayotte – interesting because I went to a Muslim-owned grocery store and they thought I was one of them because I had my dera on. Dera is a free laid back dress – just one of those must have outfits, most ladies in Kenya have them.

-School system

This is not as new, since it’s a similar system to the one in Guadeloupe.

Living and Working in the French Caribbean – part 2

Just a few things that are different because of corona ; 

The students sanitize their hands before and after class and also as they enter school . In one of my schools there’s a sanitizing point at the class entrance, while the other we the teachers are the ones with the sanitizing spray. 

The students and the teachers as well as any other person in school has to wear masks throughout. It is also amazing that the school provides us (both the teachers and the students) with several the washable masks.

My best moment in class had to be when one of my students walked in dressed in a leso/kanga attire with a Swahili saying. I don’t think I will ever get over that 🙂 .

The school vacations are also a bit different, you can be familiarizing with the ones I had in Guadeloupe as you look out for my Reunion – holiday edition 😉

Holidays in the French Education System (part 2)

The French bureaucracy is still a big headache. I had to wait 7 weeks before getting my bank card and 2 weeks after that, was still waiting to receive my pin. If it’s not the bank then it’s CAF – the financial aid or the carte vitale. One way or another you’ll get caught up.

Bon Courage!