Falling for the Cook Islands

True jewel of the South Pacific, the Cook Islands are still unknown to mass tourism, which only adds to their authentic charm. In 2017, I was lucky enough to spend six months in this country… six months that would change my life.

The beginning

As the end of my Bachelor’s degree approached, I began to have anxiety about following the road ahead. Imagining myself living a 9 to 5 lifestyle in Montreal made me so anxious that I even started having panic attacks. I was living in Dublin at the time and although I was looking forward to leaving, I didn’t want to return to the comfort of life at home in Quebec. So on a whim, I looked for jobs abroad.

After several weeks of searching, I still hadn’t fallen in love with anything in particular. That’s when I remembered an internship I had found during my first year of university when I had Googled “marketing internship pacific” (I finally went to Bali that summer). So I found the job offer again and I had a feeling.

I had never heard of the Cook Islands before and I hadn’t really researched the country when I had first found the offer. But this time, the more I learned, the more I was drawn to the place and the experience. The offer was for a marketing internship for a hotel group, the Pacific Resort Hotel Group, based on the capital island of Rarotonga. I wrote to see if they were still looking for an intern, the offer being of course a few years old. The answer came quickly, and after only one interview, I found myself in the process of applying for a work visa. I would start my first “adult” job on a small island. It seemed unreal.

So I went home for a few months to trade my rain coat for bikinis, and then set off on my adventure without too many expectations. I never imagined, when I left for the airport that day, that my life was about to change.

Arriving in Rarotonga

I got off the plane by the small stairs, arriving at the very small airport. The first thing that struck me was the humidity and the heat of the place for the early morning hour. The sun had just risen on the island and when I turned around, the view just took my breath away. The view of the mountain and tropical vegetation was just stunning.

I was greeted by Esther, who would be my superior during my internship. With a traditional lei around my neck, I climbed into her truck and she took me to what was going to be my home for the next 6 months, a house that I would share with a Californian girl named Marissa. From the first moment, I knew that Marissa and I were going to be great friends. Our house was modest, but more than perfect. We were a minute’s walk from the office and two minutes from the beach. Our little yard overlooked palm and banana trees, and I knew right away I’d like it here.

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Life in a little paradise

The biggest adjustment I had to make during my stay on the island was to slow down. At first it even was a small shock. Everything was so slow and when you come from living in North American culture, the contrast is striking and that slowness was almost annoying at times.

I had to learn how to give appointments at island time, which actually means that it’s not a precise time, and there will probably be a bit of a delay, because there’s no rush here.

I learned to go to the public market every Saturday to get my fresh food and take the time to talk to people and discover local crafts. I learned to admire the colours of the sky every night and that each sunset was truly unique. I learned to disconnect from technology, as wifi is extremely rare and very expensive on the island.

At the heart of all this learning were also people. People without whom I might not have opened my eyes to all the wonders the island had to offer. I think back to that lady who offered me a lift while I was waiting for the bus (before I bought myself a motorbike) with my groceries and who gave me this service out of pure kindness, without expecting anything in return, and with such an openness to learn about myself, my language and my culture during a car ride. The people who crossed my path during this period of my life reached out to me with arms wide open to allow me to learn more about their way of life and culture, and they did so in such a simple and warm way that it moved me and completely disarmed me.

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In Rarotonga, people didn’t ask me what I did for a living or where I studied. What I did no longer defined who I was. I felt I was no longer limited by the labels I had given myself over the years, but I also felt completely naked without them. I had to relearn to define myself through who I am, the values I stand for and the actions I take, rather than by the standards of society. In Rarotonga, everything was in the moment. We didn’t think about the past, nor too much about the future. We were simply enjoying life.

It wasn’t long before tours of the island on my bicycle or motorbike became a small part of everyday life. Watching the local rugby team games religiously every Saturday too. Enjoying a fresh ika mata during the weekend was no longer even a question. We would usually go out on Wednesdays and Saturdays (sometimes on Fridays too…) at the famous On the Rocks and Rehab bars, enjoying the very lively island nightlife, sometimes even jumping on the party bus going around the island. It was a great occasion to meet people our age and make connections. I had immersed myself in the island life completely. And I didn’t want it to end.

An internship in the Cook Islands

It was a dream job. We were three interns, including me, my roommate Marissa and a girl from New Zealand named Jenna. I also crossed paths with Marine from France for a few weeks, who also became a good friend in that short amount of time. We were all under Esther’s supervision and we had a lot of fun working together at the office. I quickly discovered what a job in hotel marketing is all about and I knew I had found my place. The days went by quickly and I was learning so much.

We also had some interesting perks, such as coordinating photo shoots and TV shows, as well as the opportunity to stay at the company’s resorts. And that’s exactly what we did…

Weekend Getaway in Aitutaki

We couldn’t be in the Cook Islands and not visit the paradise island of Aitutaki. Because if Rarotonga was already a beautiful island, nothing matched the beauty of Aitutaki. So Marissa and I decided to indulge ourselves and boarded the small domestic plane to this little gem. When we arrived in Aitutaki, we were escorted directly to the resort, Pacific Resort Aitutaki, a 5 star resort of the chain we worked for, where we were welcomed like real princesses. Upon arrival, a warm welcome with a fresh nu (young coconut) and outstanding service. Our room was spacious and very luxurious. I would never have been able to afford such an experience had it not been for the employee discount we were offered.

The place was a haven of peace and quiet. During the day, kayaking on the bluest waters I had ever seen and snorkelling with colourful fish. And at night, the best food I had ever tasted. We didn’t want it to end. But unfortunately, the weekend was coming to an end and it was time to get back to work.

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A change in me

With this experience, it was the 4th time I was living abroad. However, this time, something was different. This environment, this lifestyle, this culture, everything about this place was calling me to stay. I was changing and the more time went by, the more I became aware of it. The more I saw how was time was passing by, the more I dreaded the moment when I would have to leave this place. I did not have enough time to experience everything and learn everything that this paradise had to offer me. Here I really felt free for the first time. And with the thought of losing this newly found freedom came my anxiety and panic attacks again.

A month before my departure, I was offered to extend my internship for another two months. I had a decision to make. It was an exhausting and impossible mental task. For the first time, I wanted to settle down somewhere. I was happy here. I never thought that living on an island drinking coconuts and living a simple life would ever be an option I would consider. I was both shocked to be here and completely amazed. My heart was screaming for me to stay, but deep down I knew that I didn’t belong here forever. And prolonging my stay would only make the already sad departure a lot more difficult.

Never in my life had I experienced such deep pain as the moment I had to board the plane. On that day, I was leaving not only a person I deeply loved (did I mention I have a special talent for putting myself in impossible situations?), but also a life that I had quietly built over the months. I was leaving a home that had made me happy, memories rich in emotions, great friends, a lifestyle and a place that had changed my life. It was a grief that I was going to have to go through and that would prove to be more difficult than ever.

Here’s a sneak peak into life in Rarotonga

2 years later

I left Rarotonga almost two and a half years ago now. I managed today to write this article without shedding any tears, but the road to get here has not been all pink and has required work on myself for several months.

Today I am grateful for this part of my life that has taught me so much. I am finally at peace with my decision and finally understood the role that this chapter had to play for the rest of my life. It is not always easy to understand why things happen in a certain way and doubt often arises, especially when the choices one makes are painful. In retrospect, however, I am proud to have listened to my feelings, as much for having embarked on this crazy adventure as for having made the hard decision to leave this heavenly place.

My dear island of Rarotonga, one day I will be back for a visit. Until then, I tell you meitaki maata for everything.