Touria Prayag?s relaxed attitude immediately puts us at ease. As she explains how she has never felt a foreigner here, especially after learning Creole, she gives the impression of being a very dynamic person. Indeed, Touria Prayag spearheaded many social projects such as a crèche for a village community. She was also involved in the activities of the Idriss Goomany Rehabilitation Centre. The modesty in her voice is unmistakable, but so is her dedication. She explains she gets a lot of help from people who fill her with humility ?because they are so selfless in what they do.?

She is totally dedicated to social work, and though it is time-consuming (she runs off several times to answer the phone while we admire her stylish sitting room!), she is determined to try and ?make a change?. She admits she has little time left for hobbies, but otherwise seems to fit her activities into her timetable, while her family is top priority. ?I enjoy the responsibilities I have as a woman, a wife and a mother. I have built a fulfilling life around these responsibilities, which I would not give up for anything in the world?, Touria Prayag says, adding that if this is seen as ?an anti-feminist view, tant pis!?.

Surprisingly, and in spite of her apparent lack of interest in feminist issues, she manages to fit in some big responsibilities. We discover that she is at the head of a team of professional men, and when questioned about this aspect of her life, she claims that ?being a woman is not a hindrance because to lead, you have to listen and inspire confidence, two areas in which women are not at a disadvantage.?

This joie de vivre and simplicity emanating from Touria Prayag make her quite charming. ?I decided to come and live here, so I?ve had to adapt and learn not to look back?, she says, although she does sometimes feel homesick and cooks Moroccan food to make up for it!

When queried about the inevitable gossip a high-profile woman is exposed to, she simply answers ?I take it all in my stride. It doesn?t stop me from sleeping at night.? She jokingly adds that she believes in Oscar Wilde?s saying: ?There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about!?

Touria Prayag does not feel that living in Mauritius has made a different person of her: ?Being a woman here is as great as being a woman anywhere else in the world. I live according to the values I have been brought up with and which I want to inculcate to my own children.?

Touria Prayag is an expatriate who has adapted to Mauritius without changing her vision of life. She believes in individuals making choices ?dictated by what makes them happy.? Her simple way of seeing things has made her an open-minded and strong individual?

Nadia PEERUN