I'll be honest, I don't really like planes. I don’t like going through airports alone or sitting next to strangers for hours, but I'd do it all again to be able to experience my first week in Sint Maarten. My first time abroad and I had the pleasure to land on the "Friendly Island", filled with people, cuisine, and cultures from all over the world. Public Relation is an adaptive field, the needle is always moving. So, how can you showcase something as timeless as an island to an audience whose attention span is getting shorter by the day?
I've noticed a lot over the last week, and I think the most important thing is to listen to the locals. PR is about giving your client the voice they need to reach their target audience. This campaign on this island requires the locals' knowledge of Sint Maarten and our knowledge of PR (and a whole lot of patience, compassion, respect, and understanding). You cannot advocate for a people or place you don't understand; that is what this first week has been about. Walking among the locals, eating among them, enjoying their island as they do. Falling in love with this friendly little island one day at a time. One day we’re driving around Sint Maarten, then the next day we’re sitting down for dinner at a local hotspot, or we’re walking around shopping at the island’s market. By doing both things that tourists and the locals do, we can better understand the balanced culture that makes Sint Maarten so appealing.
I would say that my favorite experience so far would probably be anytime I was in the water. We took a catamaran tour and I swear I could feel my heart and mind soaring, all my anxieties rolling away with the waves. However, I can’t help but wonder is it the same for the residents of the island? Were they as elated as I was, do they take those touristy boat rides? These are thoughts that will build the basis for the rest of my trip. How does this island exist in harmony, and what can I do to showcase the beautiful mixing pot that is Sint Maarten?
I have a lot left to learn and although this is just the end of my first week here, I still can’t shake the feeling like I am running out of time. Time to try more new things, meet more new people, eat more new foods, and get to know this island as best as I can. I will not lie; I miss my home and my family, but I could stay here longer. Sure, I would love a Cookout burger and a Cheerwine. I’d love some crawfish and a big ole bowl of grits but there is something so innately enticing about this island. So many more people need to learn what I have learned and what I will learn as this month continues.
I am immensely thankful to be able to do what I love for an island that has shown me nothing but love since I flew over Maho beach
and landed right there in the heart of
Sint Maarten.
Comments