Living in Mauritius isn't just about changing time zones 鈥� it's about changing your rhythm, your tastes, your language, and even your playlist. For expats settling on this multicultural island, diversity isn't just part of the scenery. It's an immersion, a transformation 鈥� a whole new way of life. We spoke to several of them. What they shared with us carried the flavor of a curry, the warmth of a s茅ga, and the joy of a heartfelt 鈥渕o kontan twa.鈥� Here's what they told us.
First culinary shock: 鈥淲hat is that spicy yellow thing?鈥�
For Philippe, a sound engineer, the shock was immediate: dhol puri.
鈥淚 bit into it like it was a wrap. But inside, it was an explosion of spices, textures, and something I couldn't name 鈥� my taste buds had never encountered anything like it.鈥�
Delphine, on the other hand, was ambushed... by a mango. 鈥淚t was green, spicy, acidic, salty.鈥� But once the initial shock wore off, their palates adapted 鈥� and eventually, even became hooked. Mines frits (friend noodles), vindaye, achards, bringelles, halim, rougail saucisse, roti, briani, bol renvers茅... Everyone ends up finding their 鈥渇avorite dish,鈥� the one they learn to cook with pride 鈥� and a bit of sweat.
鈥淚 can now make bol renvers茅 like a pro,鈥� says Julie.
鈥淔or me, it's vindaye poisson. And faratas!鈥� adds Annabelle, a teacher in the West.
And Philippe? 鈥淎ll kinds of caris. I fell in like Obelix.鈥�
Culinary fusion: Faratas + grated cheese?
Over time, a new kind of cuisine takes shape 鈥� somewhere between the pull of home and the urge to embrace local flavors. And sometimes, it leads to unexpected combinations.
Julien shares: 鈥淚 regularly make samosas filled with goat cheese, mine frit with sweet soy sauce, and homemade lasagna with lentils.鈥�
Why not? Everyone's got their own identity stew. This improvised in-between cuisine often says more about everyday cultural blending than a thousand speeches. We sprinkle familiar flavors over local staples 鈥� and in return, the island gently slips into our daily routines.
This culinary hybrid is a reflection of lived fusion: we bring a bit of ourselves into what we discover, and we let the island leave its mark on what we thought we already knew.
Musical discoveries: From s茅ga to local obsessions
In Mauritius, music isn't just background noise 鈥� it's everywhere. On the beach, in buses, at neighborhood parties, and at massive open-air concerts. For expats, it's often one of the first cultural shocks 鈥� but a gentle one: vibrant, infectious, and full of rhythm.
Some discover s茅ga and its iconic ravanne at a beach party 鈥� a magical moment suspended in time, with drums, warm sand, and a tropical sunset. Others are swept away by giant concerts, like Marcus Gad's, where seggae and Creole take the spotlight in songs like 鈥渓av茅rit茅,鈥� featuring Ton Renald of Racine Seggae.
And then there are the Mauritian artists you never forget: Zenfan ti Rivi猫re, Eric Triton, Zulu, Kaya, The Prophecy... Mauritian music isn't just something you hear 鈥� it's something you live, dance to, and feel deep in your hips.
But more than anything, it stays with you. There's always a little Creole melody playing softly somewhere in your heart.
Learning Creole: 鈥淜oze ki manier?鈥�
Learning Creole means stepping into a world where every word carries a bit of history. An intonation. An emotion. It's not hard, but it takes listening鈥攁nd humility.
Many give it a go. Philippe takes it even further: 鈥淚 speak it, read it, and write it fluently. That's just wow!鈥�
Kl茅ane learned it at school. Delphine finds joy in her own linguistic slip-ups.
And when it comes to favorite expressions, Creole is a goldmine:
鈥淜oze ki manier?鈥�
One of the first you'll learn. Literally 鈥渉ow do you speak?鈥� but really just a warm 鈥渉ow's it going?鈥� 鈥� always with a smile.
鈥淜i position?鈥�
No, not what you're thinking. It means, 鈥淲hat's up?鈥�
鈥淭amam !!!鈥�
A shout of joy or agreement. When everything's good, you let out a loud TAMAM! 鈥� and it feels great.
鈥淒an so caf茅, pena triaz.鈥�
A gem. Literally, 鈥渋n their coffee, there's no sorting.鈥� Meaning: take people as they are. Bittersweet, with all the floating bits. A quiet call to unfiltered acceptance.
鈥淎测辞辞辞辞!鈥�
The Swiss army knife of emotion. Fear, annoyance, surprise, pity, drama, or comedy 鈥� ayoooo! fits the moment. Delivery is everything.
鈥淥u kapav pa fer manze-la tro for?鈥�
Translation: 鈥淐an you not make the food too spicy?鈥�
A vital survival phrase for untrained taste buds. Best said before digging into any suspicious curry. Sometimes鈥� it's too late.
鈥淢anz pistas get cin茅ma鈥�
The art of enjoying chaos without getting your hands dirty. Literally: 鈥渆at peanuts and watch a movie.鈥� Meaning: I'm here for the drama, but just watching. Perfect for office gossip, family squabbles, or neighborhood feuds. Popcorn, Mauritian style.
鈥淢补谤颈鈥�
One of the most common 鈥� and versatile 鈥� words in Mauritian Creole. It's not about marriage. Mari means 鈥渧ery,鈥� 鈥渞eally,鈥� or 鈥渁wesome,鈥� depending on the context. A delicious dish? Mari bon. It's the official amplifier of good vibes. Short, simple, effective. "Mari top"!
鈥淜辞谤别肠鈥�
The Mauritian 鈥淥K.鈥� A clean, easy way to agree or wrap things up.
鈥淭ou di pain rasi ena so fromaz gat茅鈥�
There's someone for everyone... even if one's a bit stale and the other fully aged. A tender, ironic way to say, 鈥淭here's always a match out there.鈥�
Creole is also a rhythm, an attitude. When you start thinking in Creole, that's when you've truly unpacked your bags.
Language barrier? It's more like a bridge
None of the expats we spoke to saw language as a barrier鈥攓uite the opposite.
鈥淐reole opened doors鈥攕miles, conversations at street corners,鈥� says Annabelle.
鈥淚t made me even more curious. It pushed me to reach out to others,鈥� adds Delphine.
鈥淚 consider Mauritian Creole to be my second mother tongue,鈥� says Philippe.
Just a few words 鈥� even imperfect ones 鈥� are often enough to break the ice鈥� and earn you a dinner invitation.
Seeing yourself and others in a new light
Living in a place as mixed as Mauritius changes you 鈥� deeply.
鈥淚t's brought me more tolerance, more openness. I've discovered a different art of living than in Europe,鈥� says Annabelle.
鈥淐ultural diversity in Mauritius made me look at my own culture with more distance and curiosity. By interacting with other traditions, I realized that many of the things I considered 鈥榥ormal' are actually just cultural. It helped me understand my values better, be more tolerant, and open my mind to other ways of living, celebrating, and seeing the world,鈥� explains Aur茅lie.
鈥淚 almost consider myself Mauritian now,鈥� Philippe says with a smile.
And Lisa, with her poetic touch, puts it simply: 鈥淭he world is like a moped 鈥� it only moves forward with a bit of mixture.鈥�
Embracing the culture in your everyday life
What expats discover in Mauritius isn't some postcard version of 鈥渆xoticism.鈥� It's a living, breathing, evolving culture 鈥� found in what we eat, in what we sing, and in how we speak to one another.
Here, diversity isn't the exception. It's the norm. It slips into family recipes and into the blend of words we barely notice.
For many, the immersion leaves a lasting mark: new ways of cooking, a new language, and an openness that stays with you for life.
A way of life to be shared
Mauritius transforms you. It teaches you to slow down, to observe, to taste, and to listen. Most of all, it teaches you how to live together.
And if there's one message the expats we spoke to want to share, it's this: real richness lies in connection鈥攊n embracing differences with joyful curiosity.
So if you come across a dholl puri, a s茅ga beat, or a hearty tamam!鈥攄on't shy away. Bite in. Dance. Respond. It might just be the beginning of a whole new way of life.
