Maeva i te ora (Welcome to Life)
Tahiti is a Polynesian island located 2,700 miles south of Hawaii and 4,900 miles west of Chile. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Tahiti is known for its enchanting white and black beaches, magical waterfalls scattered throughout the green mountains, and rich culture with beautiful traditional island dances. Before traveling to my destination for studying abroad, I imagined myself soaking up the sun everyday, swimming in the ocean until my fingers appeared wrinkled, and learning more about the Polynesian history-and I did. But I did all that and so much more. No matter how many times I read the description of this trip on the study abroad website, or how many times I talked to the instructor of the trip or my friend who went before me, it still was not enough to prepare me for everything I was about to go through on this journey.
I could write pages about how beautiful Tahiti is. How everywhere we went, the island never ceased to amaze me. I woke up every morning hearing the crashes of the waves hitting the beach and smelling the ocean breeze. Before going to bed, I would go stargaze on the rooftop with my peers who became lifelong friends. Tahiti had one of the clearest skies I’ve ever seen. On a typical night we would see five to ten shooting stars. In between the morning breeze and starry nights, we’d go snorkeling and find different creatures in the ocean reef- even petting sting rays and swimming with sharks. But more beautiful than the ocean, mountains and scenery- were the people of the island. “Iaorana!” Walking down the streets of Punaauia, everywhere we went, we heard people greeting us with a smile. “Maeva” - Welcome. This was going to be my home for the next month.
The housing for this trip was a unique one but I was very lucky to have received such a welcoming home for a month. My peers and I stayed at our host family’s home where we basically lived like it was our own home. We had our beds, kitchen, and living room, where the family would greet us every day with freshly made breakfast, lunch, and dinner and where we also had Tahitian class. Our host family welcomed us into their homes and it definitely made us feel like we became a part of their family. We had Mama and Papa, who took care of us like our own parents with their kindness and warmth making sure we had food, support and everything in between. Their children were also a part of the program, giving us insight on some of their experiences and knowledge. They showed in different ways what Tahitian lifestyle was about. They taught us how to swim, open a coconut, what parts of the city to go to, and what it means to be a family. Polynesian life is centered on family.
I came into this trip expecting oceans and beaches, but I received much more and I left knowing that on a small island in the middle of the ocean, I have a family.
Maururu (thank you) to the LePendu family for making my first study abroad trip one I will never forget.
In this program, iSchool Tahiti: Place, Identity, and Traditional Knowledge, we focused on oral traditions and studying the role Tahiti and its geographical and cultural histories have played a role in the diaspora of other Polynesian islands. We learned how the knowledge of their histories have been passed on through oral traditions. This we learned first hand through story telling, singing, and dance. Since Polynesian history is rarely told in our history books, I’m grateful I got to learn it while on a Polynesian island and from my Polynesian family.