Teenagers swap paradise isle

Mauritius is a popular tourist resort

Two teenagers have temporarily swapped life in their idyllic paradise isle in the Indian Ocean for a wet autumn in north Wales.

Mauritian undergraduates Ayesha Sorefan and Runnoo Rajeshwar have been staying with students at Ysgol Morgan Llwyd in Wrexham for the past week after attending a Youth Conference in Edinburgh.

The pair, who are studying at the University of Mauritius, arrived in Wrexham wrapped up for the rigours of autumn - a season which does not really exist in their homeland.

"Mauritius is a tropical island, compared to here it's summer there and it's green all year round, it's really a paradise island," said 19-year-old Ayesha.

"We really like Wrexham because we don't have autumn in Mauritius and we really like the colours of the trees.

"We also like the lifestyle, Wrexham is really quiet and the people are really nice.

"It was a shock when we landed here but every place in the world has its own beauty and we should see that beauty everywhere we go."

Ayesha Sorefan and Runnoo Rajeshwar like Wrexham

Runnoo Rajeshwar, 19, said his home country, popular with tourists, is welcoming to people of all nationalities.

Mauritius is a country which has a very mixed population of Asians, Europeans and Africans.

"In Mauritius, we don't have major problems like discrimination," he said.

The business studies student said he has enjoyed his time in Wrexham.

"North Wales is a really beautiful place, I didn't expect it to be this beautiful and the people are really nice.

Multi-racial

"There is much difference between the UK and Mauritius....the food we eat is quite different as is how people behave and react."

Children in Mauritius are taught Creole; English; French and oriental languages.

Runnoo himself speaks five languages.

Ysgol Morgan Llwyd student Gareth Jones said Wrexham pupils could learn from the multiple languages students in Mauritius are taught.

"They're a multi-cultural, multi-racial country compared to here with various languages being spoken."

Ayesha and Runnoo fly home on Friday but they have promised to keep in touch with their new friends in Wales.