This week in St. Maarten was full of more unique adventures and experiences. Monday night we participated in karaoke and got to experience singing in French and in English. While we were singing, we saw the marketing director of the hotel filming and getting content for the hotel’s social media. It was very uplifting to see and hear all the guests encouraging and interacting with all of us regardless of our ages and the language barrier.
Tuesday, we walked up the road to a cute French bakery called Jules. We got to experience authentic French pastries and food and have meaningful conversations with each other. After our brunch, we took a trip back to Philipsburg and got to experience the shops and how the businesses communicate and how they advertise themselves. With the competition of all the jewelry stores, they each had different sales, coupons, and relational tactics to draw us into the store and purchase their product. In Sint Maarten, most things are negotiable in the shopping areas on the island. It was interesting to see how business owners interacted with customers when it came to pricing of products. When one of us would buy something from a store, the owners would even offer another one of us a discount in order to drive sales and create a loyal relationship between the customer and the business. We also stopped by Juggies again to relax and see our favorite bartender. There we met some people and got to interview them about their experiences and thoughts about the island and why they chose to stay at and/or return to Sint Maarten.
Wednesday, we traveled and toured the French capital, Marigot. On this tour, Andre (our driver and tour guide) gave us many insights about the French side of the island. He told us about how the island prioritized the rebuild of the Dutch side due to the popularity of the cruise ship ports, and the French side moves a little slower because they are in no rush. I also was surprised to know that not many businesses celebrate siesta anymore. Andre also took us to the 360-degree lookout point, so we were able to see all angles of the French side of the island and all of its beauty.
Friday, we experienced my favorite excursion so far: Topper’s Rhum Distillery. There, we got to learn some history of Rhum and of Topper, and we got to see how Topper's award winning Rhum is made and packaged and eat some amazing ice cream. I was so excited when I got to seal one of the bottles myself! After an amazing tour, we ate at the restaurant, and the food was absolutely delicious!
This week, I gained many more unique experiences, had amazing local food, and acquired some helpful insights for my campaign. I am so excited to see where we go and what experiences we gain next. Au revoir!
- Taylor Kulaszewski
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