Some days, you just need to forget life and find something weird to do.
Like this diving platform floating in the ocean. You need something like that.
After block week, which is the week leading up to Ben’s big quarter-term med school tests, we sure needed a red floating dock to jump off. Ben and Matt wanted to surf after their tests, but I had hurt my shoulder. So Stacey and I decided to wander around Galion Bay Beach, and this was what we found.
It might seem silly, but this thing was the best medicine for a couple of tired, stressed-out med school spouses. Sometimes, you need to let loose and act like a kid!
How’s your week going? If you’re feeling stressed, maybe it’s time to tap into your inner child and do something weird.
Where in the Americas can you find France? The Caribbean, of course! The French side of the island Saint Martin is definitely tropical, but there are pieces and pockets that feel just like a part of Paris. This afternoon, my girlfriends and I went for lunch and fashion in the capitol town, Marigot.
There are a lot of places to get a croissant and coffee in Marigot, and all of them are delicious. This is France, after all. I never liked pastries all that much until I moved here, where real pastries are made. The most popular shops are the touristy ones by the port, but within the winding streets of Marigot, you can find even better treasures.
We stopped at The Coffee Shop Club, where we were greeted by brightly-colored walls and kind faces. Seriously, the people who work here are some of the friendliest I’ve met on the island. I’ll go back just because of the people. All I got was a tea, but the other girls ordered smoothies and lunch. It was delicious! I know, because I sampled a little of other people’s food. We were lucky to have Aqiyla with us, because she is the only one of our group who speaks French fluently. The rest of us needed a little help with the French menus.
What’s an afternoon in France without a little fashion? We went shopping at some of the more affordable boutiques in the area, and they reminded us of the familiar mall stores back home.
Jennyfer has a lot of sweet, trendy styles that I hadn’t seen yet because I haven’t been shopping for clothes since I visited the States a few months ago. I have to say that classy must be making a comeback, and I actually liked most of the clothes here. I wanted to buy a dress I loved, but then I thought of our mounting med school debt and the closet full of dresses I have at home.
Pimkie is pretty much the clothing store version of Pinterest with a tribal flair. I loved browsing through and looking at all the sayings on the shirts. One of them said, “The Dream is Dedication: Dedication is Expensive.” I think that shirt should be the official medical school uniform! My favorite tank was based on a quote from the book Peter Pan. When Peter Pan is wounded and left to die on a rock in the ocean, he says bravely, “To die will be an awfully big adventure.” The shirt was a bit more inspirational: “To live will be an awfully big adventure.” I might go back and buy that one.
We stopped for a while at Z Boutique on Rue du Republique, but most of the men’s clothes were in an odd size and I didn’t see anything that I wanted. I also forgot to take a photo, because I was so eager to get to Roland Richarson’s art gallery!
Roland’s wife, Laura, was at the gallery when we arrived. Stacey and I have been to the gallery often, and we introduced our friends to her. She let us wander the grounds, and we showed everyone the paintings of me and Stacey that Roland has done.
All of these ladies with me are fellow Caribbean med school spouses, Canadian and American expats in the Caribbean. Being an expat is bittersweet, because your heart is divided into pieces, and “home” has many definitions. There are a lot of things we miss about home, but I think that when we return, we’ll miss times like today. These days are short and precious.
Let’s just say that learning to exist cross-culturally is not easy. Neither is it bad! It’s a challenge and an adventure. For me, living the Caribbean has taught me to be less uptight and stressed out. One of my longtime friends who’s known me since middle school came to visit last month, and she kept commenting, “You’re so chill!” I guess I am a lot more chill. I like that change.
Riselle, who writes one of my favorite blogs TheTravelingIslandGirl.Com, wrote a great post today: “11 Things I Learned While Living in the Caribbean.” Riselle is from Sint Maarten and spent some time living in the Netherlands. She wrote about her cross-cultural experiences and the differences between SXM and the Netherlands. At risk of being a disgusting copy-cat, I decided to write a post in the style of her article, but from a different perspective!
Want to know about my experience adapting to cultural changes from Phoenix to St. Maarten? Read on!
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.Almost anything goes on the roads. This is probably the weirdest thing to me. In fact, I lived here five months before I dared drive a car! In Phoenix, we used six-to eight-lane freeways to get around. We drove 75 mph and were comfortable with that. On the streets, we had stoplights in every corner and were mad if we had to drive below 30 mph. You couldn’t park on the sidewalk. You can’t stop in a travel lane. You can’t play sardines (well, you can try, but you might get a fine). You can’t walk where there is not a crosswalk and walk signal. If you jaywalk, you risk getting run over. Technically, you can’t even drive barefoot or in flip-flops. And you certainly may not drive if you have been drinking alcohol!
On Sint Maarten, anything goes. I was incredibly freaked out when I saw people driving around while drinking beer. You don’t have to wear a seat belt, you can cram as many people as possible in your car, and you can block traffic going both ways if you feel like having a conversation with the driver of a passing car. Some of this is nice– I’m happy to be able to walk across the road wherever I want without causing in accident– but sometimes it can get annoying! I do love round-a-bouts and catching a bus from anywhere, though.
Time is not that important. Somehow, my American brain just simply cannot wrap around this idea. To me, you either are on time or you aren’t. I’ve been shut out of classrooms for being 30 seconds late, and people get fired for arriving late too many times in the U.S. Being polite means being there five minutes early. My bad habit of being five minutes late to non-mandatory events was a BAD habit. In the Caribbean, stuff starts whenever you’re ready. It’s like Africa: If something starts at ten, show up at noon to help set up. I made the mistake of arriving at a parade fifteen minutes before it started. An hour and half later, the first troupe made their appearance as the local crowds and smart expats began to arrive. Now I’m a pro! I start packing to go when the event supposedly begins.
Greetings are much more formal. I thought people were so rude when I first moved here. Nobody greeted me when I walked into a place of business. People gave me irritated looks when I said “hello.” The friendly island? Hmmm.
Then I learned that I was actually the one being rude. When you walk into a room on Sint Maarten, you are one who greets the people already inside. And you don’t say, “What’s up.” You say “Good afternoon,” depending on the time of day. Now that I know what to do, I always get friendly smiles.
You can talk to strangers. Phoenix is weird. We all pretend that others do not exist. People in their yards are surrounded by an invisible barrier. You don’t talk to your neighbors unless they are on the sidewalk and return eye contact. You don’t say hi to random people, and if you do, they’ll either look at you like you’re a creeper or smile with delighted surprise! On Sint Maarten, you can talk to anybody. Neighbors actually know each other. People sit for hours chatting at the lottery shops, fruit stands, and bars. I love this. I wish it was like this everywhere.
Nude beaches. In the States, you do not go out in public without clothes on. Ever.
Rain. Yup. That’s right. It doesn’t really rain in Phoenix. You can’t drive safely in Phoenix when it’s raining, because everyone freaks out that water is falling from the sky and starts driving like a bunch of half-blind lawn gnomes. It’s a rare and wonderful event! The first rain we had here, I looked outside to see who was throwing gravel.
With the rain also comes humidity. We used to have to run a humidifier in our house in the winter; now we run the AC to dry the air out! With the humidity comes the mold, and I still haven’t come to terms with that.
Dining is casual. People spend forever sitting and talking over meals. You can buy inexpensive and delicious street food almost anywhere. At restaurants, it’s up to you when you want to pay and leave. We once spent an hour waiting for a check before we found out that you have to go ask for it yourself.
Casinos are everywhere. Casinos are illegal in Arizona, except on the Native American Reservations. On Sint Maarten, casinos are everywhere! We live next door to one and we go there all the time… to use the ATM. It’s the one machine we’re sure to get money out of, ha ha.
Dogs are welcome. I get to take my puppy into the grocery store. I love that. Nobody picks up dog poop. I do not love that. People are fine with dogs here! They roam around off leash, they hang out at the beaches, they go everywhere with their owners.
Empty houses and cars and boats are all over the place. This is generally because of hurricanes and other weather issues. It’s often not worth the cost to remodel or fix, so people just abandon or replace. In Phoenix, hardly anything is left unused. Somebody will take it over, the city will sell it, or it will be destroyed. I like the empty places. There’s something pretty about old cars overgrown with pink flowers.
Anywhere you go, there are things you’ll love and hate about the culture. But it’s always an adventure!
Some of my favorite family memories are the vacations we took when I was in my teens. Make awesome memories with your Teens on Saint Martin when you visit these awesome teen-friendly places! For what to do with kids, visit this page.
Fort Louis
Fort Louis and Fort Amsterdam are two of the island’s oldest structures. Fort Louis was commissioned by the last King of France centuries ago, and still remains one of the French side’s most prominent symbols. Fort Amsterdam stands on a cliff above Philipsburg. It has been used for multiple purposes over the decades and currently serves as a wildlife sanctuary for nesting pelicans.
How to get there: Fort Louis is located in Marigot. You can’t miss it. Park in town and walk up, or take the back road to park near the top of the hill. For Amsterdam is just southwest of Philipsburg. Approach Divi Little Bay Resort from Philipsburg (or use the Sonesta to make a u-turn if coming from Cole Bay) and make a left into Divi’s road. Park before the gate and let the guards know where you’re going. Walk to the far end of the resort until you hit the fort.
Wildlife Watching can be done from any area of the island. See the pelicans diving in the bay, feed the iguanas on Pinel Island, or take a swim to see the fish. Be amazed by both natural and invasive species! You may be surprised what you see. Of course, a wildlife guide is indispensable in this activity. The only Saint Martin wildlife guide was written by Mark Yokoyama, a local nature expert. You can get it here:
How to get there: Go outside!
Cost: Free!
Cul De Sac Hike. This trek is virtually free of human distractions. You can go up through the hills or wrap around the mountain to find stunning views of Anguilla from a rocky coral skeleton beach. Great snorkeling is here, as well.
How to get there: On the northernmost part of the island, take the turnoff to Pinel, go past the school, stay on the road beside the school, and drive until you hit the dump.
Cost: Free!
Tiki Hut is a huge favorite with both locals and tourists. Enjoy a ferry ride through Great Bay, eat good food, and dive into an underwater world. The sunken helicopter is particularly awesome.
How to get there: Go to the cruise terminal in Philipsburg.
Cost: Varies. Contact them for prices.
Guana Bay Hike is another free activity that you don’t want to miss. This hike takes you through the desert side of the island from an abandoned mansion to hidden tide pools.
How to get there: Drive to Guana Bay, but walk to the south of the mountain on the south side of the beach. You’ll see an empty white house and some gardens in a ditch. Take the trail to down and to the right.
Cost: Free!
Snorkling in Cul De Sac is hands-down the best snorkeling in Saint Martin. Suit up in your mask and fins and get ready to see an underwater wonderland! We saw a turtles, rays, lobsters, and thousands of fish. The living coral reef is no less impressive! If you’re up for the swim (and not scared of the drop-off), you can swim to Pinel Island.
How to get there: On the northernmost part of the island, take the turnoff to Pinel, go past the school, stay on the road beside the school, and drive until you find the campground, just past the donkeys.
Cost: Free, or cost of snorkel equipment. Tours also available, like the one linked below.
Pinel Island is a must-do activity for beach lovers. Take the short ferry, paddle board, or kayak over. You’ll be greeted by a pristine beach with dining and even an ice cream boat– but don’t just stay in the sand. The island features an informative nature hike, great snorkeling, three sandy beaches, and hungry iguanas who may just climb right into your bag to find food.
How to get there: Go to the northernmost part of the island and take the round-a-bout toward Pinel. Follow the directions until you find the parking lot.
Cost: $12-$15 for the ferry and up to $40 for a two-person kayak.
Sonesta Resort is an all-inclusive relaxation zone. Adults can enjoy limitless alcohol and teens can sip on virgin pina coladas while relaxing on the beach or at the pool.
How to get there: Located in Maho
Cost: $90 for an adult day pass. About $200/night for a room.
Photo Credit Bianca P
Riu Resort is a blast. This all-inclusive resort is located in Anse Marcel, one of the prettiest bays on the island. Relax by the water, swim in the pool, take a water aerobics class, dance, play volleyball, or sample all the yummy virgin and alcoholic drinks at the pool bar. My personal favorite? The stand-up paddle board in the bay!
How to get there: Take the turnoff to Pinel on the northern side of the island, but turn left at the school and go up into the mountains. It’s quite a drive, so you may want to call for directions first.
Cost: $275+
Stand-Up Paddleboard. You can try this peaceful sport on Galion Beach, Orient Bay, or Anse Marcel. Skim above the water and keep an eye out for sea turtles below you.
How to get there: Orient Bay is on the northwest side of the island; you can’t miss it. Galion is a but further south. Anse Marcel is north of Orient.
Cost: Most places charge $10-$20 per hour for rental. Lessons are around $50 and include rental.
How to get there: Go to Galion Beach or Orient Bay (see directions above).
Cost: $10-$40
Swim to Green Cay for a true adventure. This is not for the faint of heart! Before you try this, be confident in your swimming skills. We took about half an hour to cross from Orient Bay to Green Cay because we couldn’t help but stop and dive to see the giant conch shells and starfish up close. The main drawback for this activity is that the nude beach on Orient Bay is close to the take-off area for the swim.
How to get there: Orient Bay is located on the east side of the island. Green Cay is the closest island to the southern end of the beach.
Cost: Free, or cost of snorkel rental.
Explore the L’Embouchure Cayswhen you’re ready to get away from the crowds. You can sometimes see breaching whales from the platform in the winter. Otherwise, take a minute to learn about the wildlife from the signs on the platform. Then wade or swim out to the cays! You might want to wear water shoes for this; there are a lot of urchins in some places.
How to get there: Drive south of Orient Bay until you come to the turnoff to Oyster Pond. Stop when you see the parking lot and whale-watching platform.
Cost: Free
Watching Airplanes on Maho Beach is the one thing people will ask if you did during your Saint Martin vacation. Get blasted by the takeoff of a 747, or watch the planes land right over your head! This is a good time to break out that selfie stick and get a picture of your family with a jet right above your astonished faces.
Where to go: Maho Beach in Maho
Cost: Free!
Shopping Downtown in Marigot or Philipsburg is a fun way to spend the afternoon. Both have open-air markets on cruise ship days. Philipsburg is pretty dead in the evening or when the cruise ships haven’t come in, so check the schedules before you go. The boardwalk in Philipsburg is particularly fun. You can take photos with the Jack Sparrow statue, get a dollar ice-cream-cone, and enjoy the sun.
How to get there: Philipsburg is on the Dutch side and Marigot is on the French side.
Cost: Whatever you feel like spending.
That Yoda Guy Museum is a unique place that Star Wars fans will enjoy. Walk through the art gallery and museum to see what Nick Maley, one of Yoda’s creators, has done with his creative mind. The highlight? Getting to meet Nick in person on a day he’s inside!
How to get there: Located on the east end of Front Street in Philipsburg.
Roland Richardson Gallery. Make a visit to one of the island’s treasures. Sir Roland Richardson is the descendant of one of Fort Louis’ builders. His family has been here for hundreds of years, and Roland himself is a walking history of the island. Roland’s works of art are oil paintings done around the island. His gallery is an old family house and the back wall of the garden is the French barracks from the time Fort Louis was under construction. If you go on a Thursday between 11:00 and 2:30, you will see the artist at work on a portrait or still life!
How to get there: Rue de Republique in Marigot
Cost: Free!
Haunted Ruins. Ok, so it’s not really haunted (or is it?), but it sure is creepy! Twenty years ago, La Belle Creole resort was one of the Caribbean’s honeymoon spots. Today, it’s the overgrown remnants of ghostly ruins destroyed by a hurricane. Behind the resort is a gorgeous beach and small island nature reserve.
How to get there: Located by Le Sands between Sandy Ground and Les Terres Basses. You’ll see the sign on the north side of the road.
Cost: Free!
Loterie Farm is the perfect place for a family adventure. You can chill by the pool, take a hike to the highest peak (complete with ruins, monkeys, and mysterious gravestones along the way), or zip line on one of the ropes courses. Instagrammers will be delighted by breathtaking views at the top of the tropical forest, and adventurers will beg to zip line from the top or cross international borders on the overgrown rim hike. Tip: spray your shoes with bug spray and you’ll be safe from the ants.
How to get there: Take the turnoff to Pic Paradis after passing through Marigot on your way north.
Cost: 5 Euros for the hike, 25 Euros for the kids’ zip line, 45 Euros and 65 Euros for the medium and extreme zip lines. Pool chair a towel is 25 Euros up, and is required for pool entrance. The park takes US dollars as well.
Surf Lessons can’t be beat when it comes to tropical water sports. The SXM surf club is a favorite with the French kids and expats. I’ve watched them give lessons, and they do an excellent job in both the fun and the safety departments. And don’t worry, there hasn’t been a shark attack on the island in over thirty years! Lessons are 10 am and 2 pm on most days.
How to get there: Go to Galion Beach, which is south of Orient Bay. Walk to the SXM surf club surf shack to ask for a lesson.
Cost: 45 euros for lesson, ferry ride, and board rental.
Horseback Riding anywhere is fun, but throw in breathtaking ocean views and a ride on the beach, and you have a perfect afternoon. Seaside Nature Park offers horse rides along Cole Bay.
How to get there: How to get there: From Maho, go through Simpson Bay to Cole BayTurn right just before Daily Extra Supermarket, and take a left at the end of the road (From Philipsburg, turn left when you come down the hill to Cole Bay Go through the one-way street, turn left, and then go right before Daily Extra Supermarket). You have to drive through the GEBE power plant, which seems odd, but you are going the right way!
Cost: $60/person for an hour ride
Barracuda– don’t eat these!
Fishing is legal everywhere on the Dutch side. Be careful what you eat, though, because most carnivores carry Ciguaterra toxin.
How to get there: Find a beach!
Cost: Cost of fishing pole and supplies (Cost U Less carries poles)
Boat Cruise. There are a lot of boat cruises available on Saint Martin. You can take your pick of island hopping, snorkeling, relaxing, or a combination of the three! Check out Trip Adviser for pricing and locations.
Day trip to Saba, Anguilla or St. Barth’s. If you’re looking for new adventures, try a new island! Each Caribbean island has a unique culture and vibe.
Where to go: Philipsburg for St. Barth’s, Airport Rd. for Saba, Marigot for St. Bath’s and Anguilla.
Cost: Transportation ranges from $42 to $200 round-trip.
My top fears? Finding a dead person in a public restroom, centipedes, and stepping on a sea urchin.
Some say it was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Whether or not she coined the saying, I believe that it’s a good one to live by. I don’t think it means that we should always do dangerous or ridiculous things. I think that it means we should slowly widen our comfort zone, one baby step at a time. When we first moved to the Caribbean, I was terrified of sharks. Irrationally so, especially since there has been no shark attack in Sint Maarten for about thirty years. I was shaking during our first snorkel expeditions. Soon, I was able to go further and deeper and enjoy it more. Now, I can happily surf offshore for hours with barely a thought in the back of my mind.
Sea urchins still plague me, though. Ben got some spines in his feet during a tropical storm, when the urchins were washed onto the beach. My friend Jay got a massive urchin sting from barely brushing up against one while floating in a tide pool. The last thing I want is to be stabbed AND stung at the same time!
On Ben’s first day of break from medial school, we decided to explore a few little-known cays off the coast of Le Galion beach. This place is hard to find, but it’s amazing. In the winter, you can watch wales migrate from viewing towers. Year round, you can walk or snorkel to small cays in the shallow water.
Walking through the water to the first couple cays was easy. But the path to the last cay was slightly terrifying. We began to the slow trek through the rocky water, avoiding the little spiky balls of evil that dotted the sandy ocean floor. The water was only about ankle-deep, but the waves breaking on the nearby rock barrier sometimes spilled violently over into the shallow zone, roughening the water and obscuring our view of the rocks, shells, and urchins below. Slowly, we picked our way through the obstacle course. I prayed that I wouldn’t feel a needle-sharp spike shoot through the soft soles of my flip-flops. Why didn’t I wear water shoes?
About halfway across, I couldn’t find a good place to set my foot. I searched carefully beneath the ripples, trying to find a clear spot. All I could see, for yards around, was the minefield of sea urchins. I could hardly breathe for a moment. My whole body froze. So this is what it means to be frozen with fear, I thought, How silly. I guess I can get out of this the same way I got into it. Still, I had an awful vision of slipping on a mossy rock and landing prone on the urchin-covered rocks. Ben stopped picking his way through the water and looked back at me to make sure I was OK. I looked at him, then back at the water. The red centers of the small black urchins glared at me from between the rocks, like wicked red eyes. “I don’t think I can do this,” I said, “There’s literally nowhere to walk.” Ben waded slowly back to me, watching his steps carefully. “Get on my back,” he said, “I’ll carry you.” He turned, and I jumped, clinging to his neck for dear life. He cautiously moved through the rocks, the thick rubber soles of his shoes protecting him from the smaller spikes.
Before long, we reached the island, and Ben deposited me on the dry rocks. We had made it! And it was so worth it. The small island offered a gorgeous view of Saint Martin. Waves beat against the rock on one side, and a brilliant blue tide pool calmly beckoned on the other. A magical, lonely, unspoiled place.
Often, the places most worth going have a scary path. You have to face your fears and step out into an uncertain place to get to the solid mountaintops and peaceful tide pools of life. But you don’t have to do it alone. We need each other to face our fears and support one another. Don’t live in your comfort zone! Get out and do something that scares you, and don’t be ashamed to take a friend along.
Isn’t a Caribbean Carnival on everyone’s bucket list? It’s on mine! In a few days, that item will be checked off as Sint Maarten’s Carnival kicks off.
Because we’re in the Caribbean and we take any excuse to celebrate, there are several events leading up to actual Carnival. One of these is the Light Parade!
Sandy, Stacey, Aqiyla and I went to Philipsburg to enjoy the music and confetti that lit up the night.
One of the local kids told me that the buildings shake during Carnival. I thought he was kidding, but sure enough, the vibrarions could be felt in the very air. All around us, the environment pulsed to the beat of Caribbean rhythms.
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How to get there: Go outside!
