We often wonder what makes a person pull up roots and relocate to a completely foreign environment. But in the case of Louisiana native Richard Bailey—President and CEO of Pacific Beachcomber, which owns Paul Gauguin Cruises and a string of Tahitian hotels—the answer seems simple enough. If the job opportunity presented itself, why wouldn’t you move to an exotic tropical paradise? Factor in falling in love with a local, and you have the perfect recipe for “happily ever after.”

We had the chance to ask Richard a few questions about his life in French Polynesia and the challenges of running a couple of successful businesses, and here’s what he had to say.

Hideaways International: What first brought you to Tahiti, and what kept you there?

Richard Bailey: I fell in love with a girl, and then with the place where she lived. Life just takes over after that.