We met by chance but I learned a lot. Meeting these two helped the theme that was established earlier by Mark – some things/facts you won’t remember but you need an experience that can cause you to pursue more, find out further about a subject and that is what meeting Justine and George did for me.

With so many memories, I want to share all but I want to focus:

 Where is Mayotte – Comoros –  Find out – Understand.

Those were thoughts I had as I listened and saw the viewpoint that George had and to see his girlfriend reacting and commenting as well. While George was from one state, he was able to identify with multiple cultures/groups, Black, African, Arabic, French, Maghreb, Muslim, Malagasian and probably more that I am missing. This fascinates me because he is a Venn diagram. Which box does he check?

According to a Wikipedia search Mayotte is a contested Island that is French-governed (part of France) but also part of Union of the Comoros.

The above is important to note because although it is a French department there is a large discrepancy in the living standard for these individuals. The statement that led me to want to learn more was George speaking of the difficulties that Mayotte (French) citizens had trying to get jobs or even continuing an education in mainland France compared to a citizen of another country in Europe or the United States.

The topic fascinated me as I wondered are there government policies in place to help the french department transition and better its economic standing as well as improving the chances that the inhabitants (at least those who have gone through the schooling) have of finding employment or pursuing higher education in mainland France.

Interesting enough, as Lonely Planet states, the island does get large infusions of money to assist in reaching a level of infrastructure and economic stability as mainland France but still remains a visual disparity between the locals/natives and French expatriates. Another interesting note on viewpoints, while Lonely Planet remarks that the island has been over-Frenchified, the official website of France states the region has retained its authenticity. Perhaps, both are true depending on which side of the island you land on.

In the future I wonder how the status quo will change but I also wonder how George will continue to identify with Mayotte and if he will use the opportunity of being able to continue his studies in France to influence change or awareness about not only Mayotte but the Comoros. The conversation we shared led me to wanting to understand just a bit better and now it’s a point of view that I won’t quickly forget.