Stop.

I will bore you endlessly with details about our trip to French Polynesia, but am going to start with this story just in case life gets in the way and I don't post for another six years or so . . . 

On Sunday, June 12, 2022, Kevin and I hopped on a boat for the "Ultimate Tour" of Tetiaroa. We boarded a boat with the new (only two weeks) manager of The Brando, a sweet couple from outside of London who were ending their "six week holiday" through Hawaii and the Polynesian Islands at the Brando, and a young couple who was not interested in any of the old people on the boat with them. 

Our guide was named Teva (pronounced Teh-va). The boat left the shores of the resort Motu (Tahitian word for island) Onetahi and headed to the shores of Motu Oroatera, which is an island where the Tetiaroa Society is focusing conservation efforts on the Aito tree and coconut crabs and different bird species. 

We started out our tour walking along the "beach" which is composed of tons of crushed coral shells and rocks. Teva told us to stop, hold still, and look down. After about 45 seconds, it looked like the entire shore was moving because it was so filled with hermit crabs. There were so many that you couldn't even count them and they were in constant motion--some moved lightning quick and some very slowly. We were introduced to a "strawberry" hermit crab that is larger than most and has a beautiful red body with white dots on it, similar to the look of a strawberry.    

 

After that, we walked into the forest of Aito trees. 

It looked like what I would imagine a primitive forest looked like--huge canopies formed by tall tall trees and roots and super soft ground underneath. Teva explained the birth of a motu to us and then went into fascinating details about the Aito tree and how it is able to be practically hollowed out in the middle, but continue growing despite that.  . . .

 

We were then introduced to a young coconut crab that was a spectacular shade of blue and climbs like a spider. They live over 100 years and the force of their pincher claw is stronger than the jaw of a great white shark. They are called coconut crabs because they can literally break coconuts with their claws and eat the meat. Unbelievable!

 

As we were heading out of the forest and going back to the boat, we were all looking straight ahead to the boat. And this is the part that matters . . . Teva put up his hand and said, "Stop. Look down. (we saw the crabs moving again) Look up. (we saw several types of birds circling above) Look around. (we saw the tree we had all walked under as we were exiting the forest)." Lo and behold, there were three different species of birds nesting right over our heads as we left the forest--THREE! Not one of us had noticed it and we walked right underneath it.

 

Teva encouraged us all to stop. Notice. There are surprises and beauty everywhere you look, but you cannot see any of it if you don't stop. If I remember nothing else of our amazing journey around the world, I hope my heart holds onto that lesson and stops to enjoy my surroundings, because there truly is beauty in everything. 

After reflecting on Teva and his spirit, I remembered that "te" in French means he and "va" means go. I cannot think of a more fitting name for our guide--he teaches, he guides, and his lessons will stay with us even after he goes. . . .

Why French Polynesia?

When I was going into the 7th grade, I was required to take a foreign language in middle school. I could choose between Spanish and French. Because I had tremendous difficulty rolling my "r," they recommended I take French. I have exactly three memories from that year of French. 

1. I mispronounced "ma soeur" and it came out like "monster" and my teacher chastised me about it in front of the entire class. I cannot remember her name. I cannot remember her face. But I can still hear her voice saying, "Monster? Monster!? NOOOO! MA SOEUR!" I never pronounced it incorrectly again. 

2. We had a cultural event in class where we all had to bring French food. I brought a baguette and Brie, which I had never tried before. I fell madly in love with Brie and baguettes and decided that some day I would live in France. Because cheese. And baguettes. 

3. When we were studying where in the world French was useful (because it really wasn't in Park Ridge, Illinois), we learned about this place called French Polynesia, and specifically, this remote island called Bora Bora. I remember seeing pictures of "the natives," (hey, it was 1984) and their over water huts and also deciding that some day, I would go to Bora Bora. 

Fast forward a few years--like 8 or so--to the summer of 1992 . . . I was able to do "Baylor in Paris" and spend a summer in Paris and Lyon studying French. My family came at the end of the courses and we drove all over France and took in the sights. I turned 20 in France and that summer was the one that changed my life the most. I grew up a lot. Fell deeply in love with France. Got to know myself and what I believed in, on a much better level. I can't recommend study abroad highly enough for any student.  Mission to France? Accomplished. 

The third thing I remember from 7th grade French? That Bora Bora dream? It came true 38 years after that seventh grade goal was set. 

Kevin and I had much to celebrate. In 2021, Kevin turned 50 in February, and our marriage turned 25 in March. But Covid. Covid and travel restrictions and continued fears and worries and waiting our turn to get a vaccine that may or may not help us got in the way of celebrating. . . .so we put it off. But then came 2022. And Covid is still around, but traveling got a whole lot easier, and I had Covid in January and no one else in the house got it . . . and I'm turning 50 in July, so it was time to celebrate. 

Celebrate ALL the things. Celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and health and the ability to travel and see the world again . . . How fortunate I am to have a husband who said yes to my French Polynesia dream and decided that it was the place to celebrate our big life events.