Dive Right In!

If you were a girl growing up in America in the early ’90’s, you were probably a fan--if not a fanatic--of Lisa Frank. Lisa was a genius graphic designer who captured the hearts and minds of most females 12-and-under for over a decade. She did this with a hallucinogenic worldview that involved splashing cute and cuddly animals with melty, dreamy, electric colors. Her images were pasted onto every school supply I ever owned. No pen, pencil, or trapper-keeper was exempt from the fantasy.

Having not thought of her for years, I suddenly realized that I was living a Lisa Frank wonderland in Mayotte. On any given day, I swam with sea turtles, frolicked with dolphins, ogled at clown fish, and cuddled with lemurs. It all came clear when a local informed me that the main island, Grande-Terre, is shaped like a seahorse. I kept looking for a “Lisa Was Here!!!” neon pink-purple sea otter tattooed onto a rock or tree.
Of many grand “Lisa Frank Moments” during my time in Mayotte, a highlight was my first dive. We were taken to the far reaches of the lagoon, near a coral formation called “Passe en S.” It is an extensive reef shaped like a--can you believe it--S! All of the master divers jumped in and got underway, but the first-timers waited for one-on-one dives with our guide, Patrick. I somehow got voted to go last, which gave me over an hour to contemplate the concept of breathing underwater, and put me at a point where I quite nearly wet my wetsuit.

Finally Patrick came for me. Because I was so anxiously worked up at that point, I did some panicked breathing and almost drowned. Fortunately Patrick hurled me above the surface, yelled, “Get a grip!” and pushed me back under. I did just fine after that. We had a beautiful tour of the ocean floor: I brushed my hand over the most gluey, dancing, neon red sea anemone (which I named Lisa) and made faces with some really ugly eels.

The rest of the stay floated on, I saw octopuses, sting rays, and even sea turtles laying their eggs on the beach late one night. I was so inspired that I came back and opened my own competitive graphic design company. Nah, just kidding, Ma! But I do think it was all pretty surreal...

Patrick and I after my graduation ceremony