Mauritius is a nation consisting of a small group of islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It's diverse history and geography have made it a melting pot of cultures, religions and languages, with the French culture the most marked influence.
Jean-Marie grew up on the densely-populated island of Mauritius, but also spent some of his childhood on a small and idyllic island called Rodrigues, in a time before many modern conveniences had yet arrived and in this episode he talks a little a bit about what life was like there.
Coming from an island nation, it's perhaps not surprising that Jean-Marie went into the maritime industry, initially working onboard boats travelling from Mauritius to South Africa. The family move to Melbourne in his 20s was a bit unexpected as you will hear, but eventually he would continue his career in the maritime field and that is what ultimately brought him to Devonport, Tasmania, and he has spent the last 10 years living in Shearwater just east of Devonport.
