Mauritius, New Year 2023

Passing by Le Morne, I was following the sunset.

Passing by Le Morne, I was following the sunset.

I got stopped by some kids who were climbing the tent. I thought they were neighborhood kids hanging out together. They spotted my camera, and got super excited, “un photo madame! Un photo madame!” 

I got stopped by some kids who were climbing the tent. I thought they were neighborhood kids hanging out together. They spotted my camera, and got super excited, “un photo madame! Un photo madame!” 

I stopped and looked up. Nobody asked for photos, I thought. I actually understood what they said. I reacted to French slower than in English. “OK,” I said. With a bit of hesitation they’d judge me because my French is rusty and I am obviously not fr

I stopped and looked up. Nobody asked for photos, I thought. I actually understood what they said. I reacted to French slower than in English. “OK,” I said. With a bit of hesitation they’d judge me because my French is rusty and I am obviously not from here.

They talked to me switching between English and French. I thought they were the best French teachers I've ever had. I answered them with the shutter sound of my camera. I took way more than one photo, and they kept asking for more.

They talked to me switching between English and French. I thought they were the best French teachers I've ever had. I answered them with the shutter sound of my camera. I took way more than one photo, and they kept asking for more.

My friend was calling me to look at the sunset, so I had to rush through the session. The sunset was beautiful, but I forgot much about it because the kids were the center of my attention.

My friend was calling me to look at the sunset, so I had to rush through the session. The sunset was beautiful, but I forgot much about it because the kids were the center of my attention.

When I was showing the photos to a native friend later, he told me the kids are actually homeless. The previous government regime let the homeless stay wherever out of humanity, but the current government regulates their places to stay, so they had t

When I was showing the photos to a native friend later, he told me the kids are actually homeless. The previous government regime let the homeless stay wherever out of humanity, but the current government regulates their places to stay, so they had to set up tents by the beach because they have nowhere to go. I didn't know, I said, I thought they looked so happy.

I’ve been thinking about them since I took these pictures.

I’ve been thinking about them since I took these pictures.