Hélène's testimony: Her internship in Mauritius

We asked Hélène about her experience during her internship in Mauritius!

She did her internship at SmartTraveller earlier this year.

A real powerhouse, full of joy and energy!

She took the opportunity to make a video recap of her experience 😄

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Hélène, I am 22 years old and I have just finished my internship in Mauritius at SmartTraveller as a communication and digital marketing assistant! I am a student in business school in Nantes, but I was born in Le Havre (the climate in Mauritius is very different from Le Havre!).

Why did you choose to do your internship in Mauritius?

I was looking for a change of scenery. I really wanted to go far away, out of Europe, to get a real change of scene! Mauritius has a unique culture in the world! The inhabitants of the island speak 3 different languages (French, English and Creole), the landscapes are different from one region to another...

You feel like you're changing countries in the space of an hour by car! It's exceptional, I've never seen that before.

Settlement and integration on the island

I was lucky! A colleague from my company was looking for a roommate when I arrived. I was staying in a flat in a residence 10 minutes from the beach with a pool and close to work. The advantage was also that there are quite a few students/young people in the residence, so I was able to make friends quite quickly. 😊

What would you advise a newcomer to integrate?

I would advise him to join different Facebook pages such as French in Mauritius, Expats in Mauritius, Young people in Mauritius, Mauritius Expat & Local Mauritius... Don't hesitate to post a message on the group or even contact people privately! We are all in the same boat when we arrive, so don't be shy 😉

One word to describe your arrival in Maurice

It's a change of scenery! I had stars in my eyes the whole way from the airport to my new home! 😍

What do you think of life in general in Mauritius? (supermarkets, restaurants, entertainment, activities...)

Life is simple here. Mauritian restaurants are very affordable. You can eat out for a maximum of 10 euros for starter, main course and dessert! When the weekend comes here, you feel like you are on holiday!

It is impressive, you go to the south, you land on a paradisiacal beach and you are recharged.

Moreover, the island is 65 km long, so it is very easy to move from north to south by car. You can also do some wonderful hikes! Last weekend, for example, I climbed Le Morne with some friends for the Sunrise, it was just breathtaking!

It's impossible to be bored in Mauritius. 😊

Regarding supermarkets, it depends on what you buy. For example, fish is very affordable as it is local, but if you buy a Camembert cheese... the prices go up because they are imported!