Arrival

I have arrived safe and sound in Mauritius after almost 2 days of travel (From New York, through Dubai, to Mauritius)

I am living in an apartment in Quatre Bornes which is located in central Mauritius. My apartment is a few streets up from the main road which is lined with small shops and restaurants. There is a wonderful market in the center of the city which changes from a fruit and vegetable market to a clothing and goods market depending on the day.

The bus station is conveniently located and the various bus routes can take you almost anywhere on the island.

The University of Mauritius is located in Reduit (near Moka on the map). Upon arrival, I discovered that the program I had been accepted into, MSc Applied Economics, is not going to run due to lack of enrollment. I've chosen instead to do an MSc Social Development which will also focus on development but with less of an economics approach. After getting my new coursework approved, I had to register, which turned out to be a bit of a hassle. But, after many hours at the bank and the university and a little help from my parents (thank you!), I was able to pay my tuition and complete the registration process. My classes being next week, although I'm still not sure of the professors or the locations - oh well!

By far the best part of my first week here has been my host Rotarian, Jean Yves de Fleuriot and his family - wife, Martine and two sons, Alexandre and Guillaume. They have all been incredibly welcoming and hospitable from the moment I arrived. I spent the weekend with them at their beach house in Post Lafayette, in the north-east of the island. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity.

Also incredibly welcoming, is m host Rotary club, the Rotary club of Curepipe (see map above). Although a bit exhausted and completely jet-lagged, I attended their meeting the night of my arrival. They have many ideas about community service projects we can work on together as well as tons of suggestions for people I should meet and places I should go. I know they will all be endlessly helpful to me while I am here.