Expatriate family: Testimony of the Monteiro's
When you are an expatriate family in Mauritius, you know that before arriving, everything is not easy!
Going away as a family is a great adventure, but it also implies great responsibilities towards the children. It is crucial to provide them with a good education, quality care and a suitable living environment.
Don't worry, SmartTraveller is here to reassure you! Or rather the Monteiro family, who share with you their expatriation to 7, to Mauritius 👇
Hello Bruno! Tell us about your family?
Hello!
We come from France, more precisely from the north of France, where it is cold! My wife Sophie was a teacher and homeschooled our children and I am a digital communication consultant.
We have 5 children, ages 3 to 10. And yes, I love my wife ❤️ !
Why did you leave France and why did you choose Mauritius?
The decision to leave was quite sudden, almost overnight!
The rhythm we created in our home and the homeschooling of our children was threatened by a new law, put in place during the pandemic.
We didn't want to lose that momentum and concluded that it was time to leave. Instead of getting depressed, we started looking for solutions!
We had the possibility of expatriating to Portugal and Cape Verde, but when we came across an article on SmartTraveller, it gave us a heads up! So we started to study the possibility of expatriate to Mauritiuswhich offered a favorable environment for our integration. For example, we were looking for a country where French is spoken, it is easier for the children.
What about the Visa process? How did it go?
First of all, what helped us choose was really the support. Having an agency with turnkey solutions that gives us all the advice and support we need is invaluable.
First, we used the ToolboxThe Toolbox, good plans, information on visas, on life in Mauritius, it really helped us, especially for the choice of the school for our children!
We made an appointment with the SmartTraveller team and started the process in August and by December, we were already on Mauritian soil!
It went very, very fast! And on January 11, I had my self-employed visa for 10 years!
I think Maurice was waiting for us!
What is it like to be an expatriate family in Mauritius?
We're great 🙌
Already, I discovered that for my job, Mauritius is perfect! As soon as I arrived, I already have several clients!
With the children, we discover slowly the advantages and the disadvantages of the island. For the moment, they only complain about the mosquitoes.
And in terms of activities, it's great! For example, I have a daughter who loves horse riding and I found more horse riding centers here in Mauritius than where we lived in France!
We are very happy!
Do you have any advice for families who want to take the plunge?
Tip #1: Talk to the kids. Explain things to them and remember to involve them in the project. The most important thing is to prepare them for this transition, and to do so in a caring way.
Tip #2 : Not everything you plan for happens as planned! Expatriation is also about discovery and adventure.
Tip #3: Don't be afraid to trust the experts. We chose to trust SmartTraveller and we don't regret it.
"I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart, you don't just do administrative work, in our case you really helped us."
In short, moving as a family is a decision that deserves careful consideration. It is important to consider all aspects of this experience to ensure that it is successful and beneficial for each member of the family 👨👩👧👦
Are you ready to change your life and become an expatriate family in Mauritius? Do not hesitate to contact our expatriation experts for more information about your expatriation project!
