Saint Barthélémy


For this first article, I would like to talk about the beautiful island of Saint Barthélémy where my parents live and where I did my graduation internship. 

It all starts on April 12 2019, when I have just finished my final exams which conclude my two years diploma of management study at the University of Nantes. To validate it, I must now complete a 10-week internship in accounting, marketing or human resources fields. It was this opportunity that drove me back home for a few months… 

So I moved out of my apartment and packed up all my stuff and stored it in a garage. I kept a small bag of essentials and flew to Juliana airport in St Martin before taking a shuttle boat to St Barthélémy. Even if I know these two islands very well because I have spent a lot of time there when I was younger, this trip is my first of the year, and I really want to share it with you to make you want to discover these two islands too if you haven't already. 


Flight between St Barthélémy and France

As soon as I arrived, I feel the big difference in temperature and time with Nantes. It's only April and it's already thirty degrees with a big blue sky. I take advantage of this first day to be with my family and to rest because I start my internship the next day. 

During those 10 weeks, I have worked in the social service department of an accounting firm. I've had the chance to work with great teams and I feel I've learned a lot. The internship is a very good way to learn things in a different way than in lectures or tutorials. Having extended my contract at the end of the internship, I submitted my report by e-mail and I made my presentation via Skype with my internship teacher. 

Despite a lot of work, this internship abroad allowed me to discover even more the island of Saint Barthélémy where I now really feel at home. Although it is known as a very touristy island reserved for billionaires, Saint Barthélémy has something for everyone. Indeed, it is not its small size that prevents it from being at the same time a place of relaxation, partying and fun. 

The city of Gustavia in Saint Barthelemy




All around the island you can find beaches as different as each other. For example, the beach of Gouverneur is beautiful and perfect to enjoy a Caribbean atmosphere with turquoise water. Colombier beach is only accessible after a short hike or by boat, keeping a wilder character. And for the most partygoers, the beach of Saint Jean allows you to have a drink with your feet in the sand in the famous Nikki beach club.




Beach of Saint Jean in Saint Barthélémy



 When it comes to hiking and sightseeing, Saint Barthélémy also has its share of surprises. It is possible to climb to the top of the mornes to admire the beauty of the island from above. And then, have a refreshing swim, in one of the many natural pools on the island.  For the more energetic visitors, many activities such as diving, jet-skiing or sailing are  also available. 



Natural pool in Saint Barthélémy


But Saint Barthélémy is also the perfect place to spend a holiday relaxing or partying with friends. Its many hotels, although relatively high-end, each offer more luxurious amenities than the next. The island is filled with restaurants ranging from gourmet restaurants to small local bars offering drinks or food for less than five dollars. And some nightclubs and bars frequented by sometimes some celebrities will make you dance until the end of the night. 

On the top of that, people are very welcoming and you can't trust only the elitist image given by the media. Today I can say that I have met great people on this island with whom I have lived incredible things in a place where everything seems amazing.

                                           
Little garden in front of the Ocean in Saint Barthélémy

Especially because of its small size, people know each other easily on the island, which promotes safety and greatly reduces the number of thefts. Even if with the increase of tourism, you have to be a little careful, you will never feel insecure in Saint Barthélémy.

So that’s why, if you want to sunbathe on the beach, swim with the turtles, go for a short hike or a spa and shopping day, have a barbecue on the beach with your friends or just dance all the night, I advise you to go in Saint Barthélémy at least one time in your life, and I promise you that you will not regret it… 


Yachts in Gustavia Saint Barthélémy




Location: St Barthélemy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Scotland

Image
For this fourth and probably last article, I'm going to talk to you about the wonderful Scottish landscapes I discovered this year thanks to my studies. In fact, a fter my two-year diploma, I have decided to study for a Bachelor's degree at the University of West of Scotland. So I am a Glasgow resident since September now.  Glasgow is a big student city full of tall buildings, shops and nightclubs. But it’s also a city with many parks and museums, mostly free. Most of the time, the city is always lively and the Scottish people are friendly. Concerning lifestyle habits, they are very different from those in France. Scottish people eat very early and start partying very early too. About their eating habits, they are also quite different. I can say today that living without bread and cheese is very difficult in the long run.  If you move a little further away from Glasgow, the landscape can quickly become breathtaking. I had the chance to visit the isle of...
Read more

Europ'Raid (part 2)

Image
For this third article, I'd like to tell you more about my trip in Europe. And the next country I wanted to talk about is Montenegro. As soon as we crossed the country's border (which was very, very long), we drove through Durmitor National Park. The views were wonderful and very unusual, we took a lot of pictures and videos.  After a small lunch, we went directly to Podgorica, the capital. And it would be a lie to say that we were not disappointed. The city was almost empty of its inhabitants and things to visit were very limited. That's why I advise you if you go to Montenegro to try to visit mainly its nature and make a maximum of hiking in its landscapes that are just incredible.  The next day, we drove to Albania. As we spent a large part of the day driving and doing our solidarity action by distributing our supplies in a small school, I can't really give you my impressions of this country except that the people are very nice. They live w...
Read more

Europ'Raid (part 1)

Image
At the end of July, I have left Saint Barthélémy to return in France. The departure was not very joyful, with my friends we'd just met some new people with whom we spent good times and leaving everyone continue their summer without me was frustrating.  But at the same time, I was very excited and glad about the new trip I was going to make, drive around Europe in a Peugeot 205.  Let me explain, during my second year at university, we had to prepare a project that we had to work on throughout the year. With two of my friends, we chose to take part in the sixth edition of the Europ'Raid, a humanitarian trip across Europe whose aim is to distribute school supplies to children in disadvantaged schools.  For a year we have promoted our project on social networks. We have collected donations, organised events and actively searched for sponsors.  So, that's why I joined my friends at the end of July to make the final preparations and take the road. Ov...
Read more