We had two workshops this past week. One was with a local NGO called EcoRaise where we discussed the environmental issues in Mauritius. Many of these issues revolve around the hotel and tourism industries here. The government wants to bring in the revenue, but many of the tourist activities are harmful to the marine environment. Also, littering is a big problem in Mauritius, and even though there are fines in place, they are rarely enforced. There's also a lack of trash cans around so people just throw their trash on the ground. Also, it's very difficult to recycle here. There's no recycling bins with your trash bin outside your house like there is in the US. If you want to recycle, you have to take your cans and bottles to different centers around Mauritius, which can be very inconvenient. We also brainstormed ideas from our respective countries that can be implemented here in Mauritius. Another workshop we participated in was with an organization named Magic Fingers. This is comprised of a group of women who mainly collect old fabric, especially those that textile mills do not want, to make various quilts, pillows, and other items. They're stitching is amazing! They made us all phone cases, so I will always be able to remember them fondly. They're dream is to get a fair trade label on their items and to be able to sell them in America and around the world. We all wish these amazing women the best of luck.
Today we took a catamaran trip with a bunch of the other interns. We were supposed to go out to two islands off the northern coast of Mauritius, but the sea was too rough so we snorkeled and swam closer to shore. The waves were huge on this boat, and we were all soaking wet by the time we were ready to go snorkel! But it was a beautiful day on the ocean, and we definitely want to take this trip again. The northern part of Mauritius is where most of the tourists can be found. It looks much different than the rest of the island, and there are very few local Mauritians in this area. It's sad that tourists who only stay here and do not explore other parts of the island aren't really seeing the true Mauritius. If you ever come here, make sure to actually immerse yourself in the local culture and not get stuck in the resort bubble!!
Lastly, thanks to everyone for all the birthday love!! With the time difference between here and California... it was like my birthday lasted for 2 days :) especially thanks to all my amazing friends here for making my birthday so special! XOXO
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