Dee Friesen | Arts + Life Editor
On January 7th, Dr. Swasti Bhattacharyya, Dr. Stephanie Hays, and 11 Buena Vista University (BVU) students made their way to French Polynesia for a January interim trip. The group experienced a warm greeting by a family that would be hosting them for the next several days.
When picturing French Polynesia, the tourist parts of the island Tahiti comes to mind: clear blue water with houses right on the beach. However, Bhattacharyya explains that the experience is so much more than that.
“Seeing the country is not just the places like the beach,” Bhattacharyya said. “To get the heart and soul of the country, it’s the people.”
Students experienced a number of adjustments as they entered the country. The team lived with a Tahitian family in traditional Tahitian homes instead of touristy hotels, which meant having to deal with the extreme heat with limited air conditioning. Living like the locals do added to the understanding of the culture.
Another adjustment was getting used to the bugs and other crawling creatures that shared space with the group.
One of the Tahitian families hosting the team had a four-year-old daughter. One time, a student smashed a spider and the little girl said, “Why didn’t you just take it outside?”
Bhattacharyya explains that the little girl grew up in an environment where bugs were common. If the bugs became a nuisance, they were thrown outside. In America, most are used to smashing every crawling insect that crosses our line of sight. Well, after jumping on the couch, screaming, and pointing.
Junior Dani Coyne explains how this trip affected her.
“We don’t realize what we take for granted here,” Coyne said.
Bhattacharyya and Coyne had a very similar memorable moment from their time in French Polynesia. They both share how open and welcoming the families were. The students were brought into people’s homes, fed fresh food, and truly welcomed by the Tahitian people.
“The people we stayed with were one of the most memorable parts of this trip. They were awesome,” said Coyne.
Coyne shared one last memory; kissing a sea cucumber. She explains how important it is to really immerse yourself into the culture while you’re in another country. You might never have the chance to experience those same moments again.
Photos courtesy of Dr. Swasti Bhattacharyya
