If you would have told me two weeks ago when I landed on this island that these people and this island would begin to feel like home away from home, I would think you were crazy. But now I am starting to think maybe I am the crazy one. Because I am starting to think this island really is like another home.
Don’t get me wrong, I miss the states and my family and friends and boyfriend immensely, but the lessons I’ve learned and experiences I’ve had are ones that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
From late nights by the pool to early mornings for excursions, from class to getting together for group projects, from trying new foods to going to a French McDonald’s. The experiences and memories made on the Friendly Island will be some of my favorite from college.
Our week started with the usual- class and nighttime karaoke. Don’t worry, we made sure to scream Dixieland Delight and Sweet Home Alabama as loud as we could.
On Tuesday, we ventured over to the French side of the island to explore Marigot and Fort Louis. Marigot, capital of the French side, features beautiful, historic architecture and unique monuments that signify significant historical events. Fort Louis opened in 1789 to protect Marigot Bay from intruders. We explored this super cool fort that showcases amazing panoramic views of Saint Martin.
After leaving Marigot, we stopped in Phillipsburg for some tourist shopping. Phillipsburg is the capital of the Dutch side. While in Phillipsburg, we shopped from local venders that had really unique, handmade pieces. Some students even bought jewelry while here because the gold is much cheaper on the island than in the states. Strolling through Phillipsburg is a traveler’s dream. Streets packed with adorable shops and beach-front restaurants lining the beach overlooking Great Bay make for the perfect one-stop shop.
As we spend more time out and about on the island, some key differences in advertising from the United States to Sint Maarten become more apparent. The biggest one I have noticed is the open advertisement of topics considered crude, or risqué, in the US are openly advertised here. For example, at home, I have never seen advertisement for an adult night club, let alone images on said advertisement. However, there are multiple, large billboards on the island advertising “Platinum Room”, a local adult entertainment nightclub.
A unique part of this island is how many cultures are present here. Although this makes this island extremely unique, it does present some challenges. For example, three main languages are widely spoken here so advertisements can be tricky. A major difference in advertising here from the US is almost all billboards/ advertisements feature multiple languages on them. For example, an advertisement for the Carrefour Market displays their hours in English, French, and Dutch.
In International Public Relations, we’ve spent a lot of time pointing out some of the main cultural differences and how these will play into our plan books. I think remembering this island is enriched with multiple cultures is extremely important to remember when doing our plan books because we want to reach as many of our target publics as possible.
Something really cool that we started this week was diving into Sprinklr and how we can use it to help with our plan books. Dr. Hayes has been showing us how to navigate the platform and how to get data that we can turn into useful insights. I am excited to dive even deeper into Sprinklr next week and get more hands on.
Our weekend kicked off with a Rhino Safari excursion that featured a fun ride and some snorkeling. I know what you might be thinking, “Girl, there are not rhinos in the Caribbean!” I know I know, I thought the same thing. But these Rhinos are even cooler than the animals.
These Rhinos are a combination of a jet ski, dingy boat, and awesomeness to make for a really fun experience! At the end of our ride to Creole Rock, we spent some time snorkeling. Although I wish I would’ve seen a sea turtle, I did get to see some pretty cool marine life.
My second week in Sint Maarten was nothing short of amazing and memorable. While there are still some struggles of living on an unfamiliar island and trying to navigate their culture, I am feeling more comfortable waking up to the beautiful water of SXM.
I am home sick more than I have ever felt in my entire life but it’s so worth it for all I am getting to experience and take home with me.
Miss you home, but don’t worry. I’ll be back soon with lots of stories to share.
- Malia Elliott
Comments