Submitted by Alana Stewart on the 2018 winter session program in Martinique sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
It has been a week since I arrived in Martinique. I am residing in Schoelcher, a small town close to the island’s capital, Fort-de-France. The university is also in Schoelcher and I am about a 20-minute walk from the university. Upon my arrival, I quickly noticed that the room I would be staying in contained no more than a bed, a desk, a set of plastic drawers, a long mirror and an air conditioning unit. Save for a basket of brushes on top of the dresser and some books under the desk, the room is barren, despite still being used by one of my host parents’ daughters, currently away for a swim competition. There aren’t any posters or knick-knacks that I am used to occupying my bedroom at home, and the rest of the house follows suit. There are a few family photos and some prayers taped up on their doors, but within the first couple of days, my roommate and I quickly noticed that residents of Martinique live with far less “stuff” than Americans do; and it isn’t just the quantity, but the size. The washing machine, though it does the job just as well as any washing machine I’ve used in the States, is only about one-quarter of the size of what I use at home. The shower allows only enough room for raised elbows, and even then you may be hitting the sides. The cars are the same way; tiny Fiats and Volkswagens populate the roads. And even so, Martiniquans get along just as well, if not happier and less stressed out, than Americans and our immense amount of immensely large things.
For a class assignment, I interviewed our host mother and asked her what she thought the biggest cultural difference was between the people of Martinique and Americans. Essentially, she said that Americans live with everything very large, while Martiniquans can live with much less. My host Mom has repeatedly expressed how much she loves Martinique and I often see her smiling throughout the day. Though she lives without the luxury of a dryer or dishwasher, life for her is still fulfilling and enjoyable. Martiniquans are not wasteful people and even the past week has made me think harder about all of the stuff I have, and how, in truth, I really don’t need a majority of it. Happiness is found in experience and people, and my host family and my experience in Martinique has already begun reminding me of that.
