Growing Up in La Réunion by Janie NOEL

Ms. Noel M. has chosen to tell us in a few words about a long period in her life: that of her adolescence until she became an adult.

«First, I grew up in the heights of Saint Paul in La Réunion.

We used to go to school on foot, there was no public transport; we had to walk two hours before arriving at school. We walked in groups. At that time, my parents were very strict with me. I was very obedient. Fortunately, the rest of my family did not live too far from us. We could help each other. Throughout all my adolescence, my only activities were to go to mass and to make straw bags with my grandmother and my mother. We were rather poor. I often went to weddings. At every wedding ceremony we had to keep changing partners at the end of every song so that we wouldn’t grow too attached to one single boy. (Laughter). At that time this subject was taboo. I was an only daughter, life was not too easy. When I was growing up there were no night clubs or discotheques for teenagers.

Time passed. At the age of 20, I got married. At that time you became an adult when you were 21. I had to ask for my parents’ authorization. I had no work. I only began to work at the age of 37! And yes! (Laughter) I can say it’s from that time I started to live a totally different life. I became independent; public transport began to develop and by that time I had 5 children!

The youngest child of the family was born when I had already started working; he was not born in the same situation as the others, even if he never lacked anything. (Laughter). If I compare growing at that time with today, I can say that it is totally different. Nevertheless, I am proud to see that my children have educated their own children just as I did. I am very proud to see that.

Until I started working we never really had very much money. It is only today that materially speaking I can live more comfortably and so can fully take advantage of the surrounding mountains, the beach and coconut trees. (Laughter)

I can say “THANKS” to my parents for the education that they gave me in spite of our poverty. It did not prevent me from building my life. Today I live normally, I will not forget this period which I would qualify as a transition period."