Fiji Islands Sunny Service & Island Immersion, Session 1 2023
June 22, 2023
Hello to parents, friends, and family!!
We started off this adventure in LAX airport. Introductions went smoothly and friendships began to blossom from the very beginning. A series of ice breakers and name games were played to help us to get to know one another. Before getting on the plane we picked up some snacks and dinner at the airport terminal. We boarded the plane close to 11 PM, eager to start this exciting experience. Two meals were served throughout the flight and many of us tried to make the most of those 10 hours. Luckily, some of us were able to sleep at least a little bit, but were still adjusting to the significant time change once we landed in Fiji. We crossed the international date line during our flight, skipping from Tuesday night to Thursday morning. We spent some time at the airport and were greeted by our other two trip leaders, Austin and Craig.
Our first stop of this trip was to a local fruit market where we got to try various local fruits and vegetables, and were exposed to a common cultural ceremony involving kava. This was very exciting and made us feel immersed into this new culture. The locals taught us some new words, such as “bula” (hello, goodbye, etc) and “vinaka” (thank you). We came to the hotel to drop off our bags and soon after headed to the beach for breakfast and orientation activities. Breakfast included eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, and more. We walked back to the hotel to enjoy some down time and go over some ground rules of this program. Afterwards, we headed to town to purchase souvenirs and sulus, which are traditional skirts worn in Fijian culture that we will use often in our upcoming stay in a local village.
When we returned to the hotel we spent some time together as a group and shared stories of our lives back home. We walked on the beach and learned about each others comfort zones. We took a big step out of our comfort zones by grouping into teams and putting together a dance routine in less than 10 minutes. This was highly entertaining and was followed by a freestyle dance battle to tiebreak and declare a winning team. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at a restaurant on the beach and are now back at the hotel getting ready for tomorrow’s adventure. We’re all excited to get a good nights rest and take on the day tomorrow. Goodnight to all!
-Alice and Ava
June 23, 2023
After a smooth night in our new homes, we awoke to the blissful sounds of the Fiji island. We started our day early with a great breakfast at the hotel around 7:30 and ate while chatting with our new friends. With full stomachs we all piled into a van and began a 45 minute endeavor into Fiji Jurassic Zipline Park. Soon after arrival we received an educational course for zip lining. We strapped in our harnessed and tugged on our gloves and hit the cables. Gliding through the tree tops, we were greeted by the ethereal greenery and the gentle breeze tossling our hair. After getting a feel for cables one time through, we were ecstatic to dive back into the course and try out some new tricks! These included the “Spider-Man”(hanging upside down and shooting webs at our friends), the “Dead-Man” (lifelessly hanging from the cables) and acted as a “cannon-ball”(as if you’re jumping into a pool). Our new-found confidence with tricks sparked competition between friends doing numerous variations like “dead man into Spider-Man” or “cannonball into dead man”. Others chose to glide down through the trees with their friends, chattering while in the sky together.
After completing the course for a second time, we channeled our energy into a hike through the Fijian Jungle to view a waterfall. Along the way, we were introduced to the native food of the forest, including turmeric, citrus fruit, wild tomatoes, coffee, ginger, and wild pineapple. Upon arrival at the waterfall, we took in the breathtaking beauty of the majestic flow. We cooled off from our hike by swimming in the cool water, and had a blast getting a massage by the waves of the waterfall. We begrudgingly left the water and trudged through the jungle with the visions of lunch in our minds. Upon arrival at the zipline site, we were thrilled by the sights of a cornucopia of food, including pizza, fresh fruit, salad, and burgers. With our bellies full, we loaded the bus and took the bumpy road back to our Villa, chatting constantly along the way.
When we arrived at the Villa, a group of us travelled to a local Fijian market to retrieve snacks. While loading up on munchies for our stay in the village, we also retrieved matching watches in the theme of Lightning McQueen (Cars), which entailed a mini projector that displays our favorite characters from the movie. Enthralled by our new purchases, we arrived back at the Villa eager to show off our bounty. We freshened up and packed our belongings for our day ahead, and got to know one another further through free time. During our free time, we spoke about expectations for each other as a community, and set rules for our excursion. Walking back to the Villa, we were greeted by a traditional Fijian meal accompanied by a dance. The encapsulating dance started off with two women and two men performing a traditional Fijian dance, followed by a thrilling show of fire dancing. The fire dancers’ sticks of flame flew and twirled through the air as they spit fire into the atmosphere. They lit the sticks with their hands, and set the ground ablaze as our group leader Neha took the stage twirling fire taking us all by surprise. The tricks were incredible, and mesmerized the audience. We ended our night by participating in a dance led by the Fijian dancers, and hearing about the plans to enter the village tomorrow. Stomachs and hearts full, we write this blog ecstatic for the days ahead, and ready to shower and hit the hay. Bye!
Xoxo,
Beachside (Avery, Casey, and Laila)
June 24, 2023
This morning we had an early rise wake up at 6:00 to get breakfast and catch a bus to take us to the ferry. At the port we stopped and had a chance to pick up drinks at a local cafe. Next, we boarded the ferry and travelled to Namara Village where we will be staying for the next six days. Upon arrival, we played with the young kids, walked around the island, and had morning tea. We participated in many rounds of duck duck goose with the kids and had a big dance party. For lunch, we had sandwiches, then had a Sevu Sevu ceremony with the island Chief. During the ceremony we drank cava and were officially welcomed onto the island. Next, we took a tour of the village followed by a beautiful sunset and various attempts of cracking open coconuts. When we got back we gathered in a circle with the children of the village and we sang and prayed with them. We played a group game and enjoyed our first dinner on the island. We had a final group discussion going over our highs and lows of the day and are now signing off for the night.
Goodnight and love to all,
The Island Boys (Abby, Alice, Ava, and Oliver)
June 25, 2023
What’s up y’all welcome back to the blog!!! This morning at 5 am we were awakened by the glorious sound of beating drums. Most of us returned to our deep slumber until 7:30, but Laila and Hannah were reawakened by the rustling sounds of a dog licking their feet who came into their home. We watched the sun rise over the glistening waters of the Fijian island coast before heading to a scrumptious breakfast in the community center. We indulged in some lemon and chocolate cake, coconut cake, fried rice, eggs and more. A few of us Global Workers participated in a creative writing circle on the beach. We ended our session hearing the bells that signified the beginning of church. We joined the community in the usual Sunday service and enjoyed listening to the rich magnificent voices of the church. After church we took a stroll on the beach and snorkeled in the coral reefs. The water was so warm and transparent it blessed our eyes. There were many fish of all colors that were incredible to see. We also saw so chunky sea cucumbers who were adorable. After a relaxing swim in the ocean, many of us laid out in the sun on our sulus and read our books which was so serene. We then proceeded to go to our own houses to unwind and Riyana, Avery, and Kasja brought out jolly ranchers to all of the kids who swarmed around us in excitement. We passed them all out and they ran around laughing and showing off their red, blue, and purple tongues. We then played with the children for a while and taught them the game charades which turned into lots of giggling. We lastly ate a delicious dinner and are now finally writing this blog! overall it was a wonderful day and we are so excited for tomorrow!
Sincerely,
The Beach Boys: Riyana, Hannah, Kasja, and Jade
June 26, 2023
Today we woke up with the rest of Namara Village at 6:00am to start the day and eat breakfast at 7:00am. After breakfast, we packed our bags and travelled by motor boat to the elementary school. At the school, we split into groups to teach the children Math, English, Geography, and dance. In between classes, we spent recess with the kids while they ate snacks. At lunch, we had sandwiches and rice while sitting as a group. After eating lunch, we all walked down to the beach near the elementary school. At the beach, we snorkeled, swam, and spent time under the sun. The motor boat picked us up around 3:00pm to take us back to Namara Village, where we relaxed and played with the kids until dinner. After dinner, we played a few rounds of Mafia and regrouped as a community, leading us to the end of the day.
Goodnight to all,
Oliver & Abby
June 27, 2023
Howdy partners! Today we slept in to 8 o’clock and cherished our bittersweet morning coffee. For meals we ate rice, plantains, chicken, and other delicious foods. Our meal was complimented by fresh mango juice from the waters of Fiji aka bottled water (not the brand). Then we primed the walls and fences of our beautiful community hall. We worked tirelessly for 6 hours painting the hall brand new and had a few laughs along the way. We jammed out to some TayTay Swift as well as other smooth tunes and overall just had a great time. After our hard work we made our way to the gorgeous beach next to the village. Many of us attempted to swim, but the water was quite chilly so after a quick dip we abandoned the ocean and chatted on the beach. In the evening we all got together to play some fun cards games. We then ate great dinner and are now heading off for a well deserved slumber.
xoxo love you all,
Jade & Kasja
June 28, 2023
Hey guys! Welcome back to the blog! This morning, we ate a glorious breakfast around 8:00 am before starting our service work at the community center. The day was filled with priming and painting touch ups along the interior and exterior of the center, as well as laughter and loud singing and dancing as our favorite tunes loomed through the air. After eating a yummy lunch and cleaning ourselves up, we changed and prepared ourselves for a long hike up the mountain leaning over Namara village. Although the trek was strenuous, the view was worth the wait. The way the luminous light reflected across the ocean was unreal. The view was unlike anything we have ever seen before – the island looked ethereal and was pure beauty. Completely exhausted by the end, we ate an exquisite dinner, and were briefed on our plans for the day ahead of us. We are so excited for the rest of our trip, and cannot wait to see more of the beautiful island of Fiji!
Xoxo,
Laila and Mirabelle
June 29, 2023
Hello friends and family and welcome back to the blog. Today was a lot of service but we really enjoyed it. Per usual, plans changed minutes before we started our day so our first service was sweeping the village for rubbish and helping to clean up the community. We then moved on to filling sandbags and transferring them to the community center. These bags were SO heavy that it took 8 girls at one point to carry a sandbag from the beach to the building. Meanwhile Casey and Abby carried like 3 bags each, a feat of strength. Around 8 of us chose to take a boat ride to a plantation where we harvested some yams. It was so amazing to see the process of harvesting and then replanting these yams which we then took back to the village to eat for dinner.
After a long day of work, we enjoyed some beach time and relaxed before we helped everyone in the village prepare for dinner. Tonight was a big feast where everyone in the village got together to break bread. We ate fish that had been caught that day and lots of chicken to accompany delicious sides. The elders also performed an ending cava ceremony as it is our last night in the village and it was so heartfelt as our group has felt so welcomed by this community We then ended our night with several rounds of the game, empire, which sent us to bed in giggles. Overall it was a splendid day and we are going to sorely miss the wonderful family we have created here.
Signing off,
Riyana and Alice
June 30, 2023
We started off this morning in our village with thoughts of new adventures in mind. We had breakfast and bid our farewells to our host families and our newly adopted children of the island. After waving our goodbyes, we stepped into our new endeavor, starting off with a 2 hour boat ride. It was much more chaotic and bumpy than last time, but we still managed to make the most of our time.
We arrived around 2 to our new home in the Blue Lagoon, at Coral View Resort. We had some lunch and decided to test the new waters by going out for a snorkel. We saw all different kinds of coral, lots of fish, and even a shark. Following the beach, we had some downtime where the boys were forced into makeup experimentation. This caused a chain reaction and everyone did their makeup for tonight’s dinner. After getting bribed and dressed in beautiful outfits, the boys and girls walked side by side to dinner. Lots of pictures were taken and lots of laughs were shared. We had dinner and played our community leader game which also involved plenty of laughs and smiles. This was followed by a dance party with the staff of the resort and lead us to our rooms and goodnights.
Goodnight to all,
Casey and Ava 🙂
July 1, 2023
We returned to consciousness early this morning to the rustle of blankets and the hum of the Fijian islands. We swiftly brushed our teeth eager for the day ahead . We grinned at each others faces stuffed with cereal and eggs and toast. Bags packed with snorkels and towels we headed to the boats with dreams of cave swimming circling our minds. After the relaxing 30 minute boat ride we finally arrived at out destination, the Sawa caves. We descended into the deep blue waters of the caves. We circled around the piecing blue water of the first cave before being guiding underwater to the entrance of a small dark cave. Once inside our voices echoed and we struggled to see our friends faces. After exploring every nook and cranny of the second cave we returned to land and began to browse the various stands of jewelry and knicknacs. After spending all of our cold hard cash we begrudgingly ventured home to nap and read on the beach. After reading, the clock hit 12 and we followed our noses to the dining area. Food babies on show we returned back to the beach to nap and dream of bright blue fish. When we awakened from our quick slumber we trekked our way up the mountain to view a stunning sunset. A challenging round of the quiet game begun with promises of the winner getting free ice cream. Only the bravest soldiers are still alive (Abby, Laila, and Jade). Despite our full bellies we munched down on a delicious fish dinner and relaxed on the sand by a nice warm bonfire. The amazingly talented Hannah set up a game of Assassin (no killing involved) and the game is going quite smoothly. Hopefully the participants can manage the strict rules of not saying the word. Unfortunately they don’t know the word they aren’t allowed to say so it proves extremely difficult. We already have half of our crew murdered by each other. The crew is preparing for departure from Coral View resort to head to Barefoot Manta. Everyone is excited to begin the scuba diving training tomorrow afternoon and are returning to our beds for a good night sleep.
– Avery and Hannah
July 2, 2023
Hello again! Our day was started with Jade, Casey, and Oliver as they woke up at the butt crack of dawn to go fishing. To their dismay, the turbulent waves triumphed over their efforts and they were not able to fish. While they waited on the the rest of us to wake up, they read books, laughed, and laid in a hammock. Once the beautiful sun on Fiji shined its light on the land, the rest of us woke up and started our day. We packed in preparation to leave Coral View as we got ready, and headed to eat a delightful breakfast around 8:00 am. Once we finished eating, we laughed as we played games and relaxed at the resort. Soon after, our wonderful leader Moses led us in a basket weaving class before we ate lunch (we were all pumped by the visions of French fries) and started our travels to Barefoot Manta. After chatting, relaxing, and eating ice cream on the boat, we arrived at the beautiful scene of Barefoot Manta, welcomed by beautiful tunes of the locals introducing themselves to us through song. After getting settled into our rooms, most of us started the exciting journey towards scuba certification, while others played a fruitless game of beach volleyball. All of a sudden, we heard the booming sounds of chaos as the professional dive team proclaimed their findings of the rare sight the resort is known for- manta rays! We quickly got dressed for the water and hopped into the boat, led by professionals who showed us where the manta rays lie. The majestic creatures glided through the ocean depths, greeting us with open mouths and wide wings. It was SO cool, and we were surprised at how huge they were! In addition to the manta rays, we had the opportunity to see the most beautiful fish the ocean has to offer. For example, we saw a fish that encapsulated every color of the rainbow. Once we got back, the scuba divers continued their studies, and the rest of us talked as we sipped on smoothies and milkshakes. We then ate a yummy dinner, accompanied by a show of a beautiful songs that showcased the culture of Fiji. After a full day, we write this blog with full stomachs, happy hearts, and full of exhaustion while the rest of our friends study for their arduous scuba diving course throughout the next couple of days. We are having so much fun, and can’t wait for what we will see next!
Xoxo,
Laila, Casey, Kasja, Hannah, and Abby
July 3, 2023
We started off this wonderful morning on Barefoot Manta Island with a delicious breakfast buffet. We were accompanied by the resort parrot named Cookie. She landed on Oliver’s head and Casey and Hannah’s shoulder. Some of us got ready for our day at SCUBA school, while others prepared for a fun day of snorkeling, relaxing, and more. The SCUBA started off with some theory on the topic and a review of some important content. Then we had a little break and played some beach volleyball as a whole group. When Scuba goers returned we learned how to set up the scuba gear and headed into the water. They began learning basic skills of diving accompanied by an Australian who wears grass flip flops (which he let Hannah try on a few days ago on the ferry). In the meantime, Casey, Abby, Talia, and Neha went on their own journey into the sea. Eventually we arrived at the sea floor where we began to plant coral and form bridges in the sea. After creating a stunning barrier for coral to grow we reascended and took our time to get out from the almost hot water. After getting the basics down, the scuba crew began to explore the ocean with our wonderful instructors in the shallow water off of the beach. They saw many fish, squid, and marine life. Meanwhile the beach group enjoyed swinging and relaxing in the hammocks and then sitting down to a fantastic lunch at the buffet. The smoothies were life changing, and the display of milkshakes and French fries were also delightful.
Then we made our way down to sunset beach and snorkeled and played mako mermaids. We swam for a few hours and acted like five year olds. Then the entire crew enjoyed a sunset together. We also had the chance to see the most beautiful full moon we’ve ever seen. After whispering our wishes to the setting sun we returned back to the resort to lounge and drink our money away on sodas and milkshakes. After the sun sank away to light the other side of the earth, it was time for us to enjoy our dinner. Each of us had different options for a main course, beginning with a warm soup and ending with a delicious carrot cake for desert. During the meal we talked, laughed, and shared many fun stories. As we finished eating, Austin arrived at our table to debrief the day and explore the plan for tomorrow. Today was a day of excitement and adventure for us all. So it’s only fitting that we wrote a blog of equal excellence. This blog was created by every member of this tight knit group which each contributed 4 sentences describing our adventures and experiences of this day.
– The Entire Group 🙂
July 4, 2023
Bula! Today was filled with snorkeling, swimming, relaxing, and many other fun activities. After a delicious breakfast buffet, the divers headed out for a morning dive. They finished skill training and observed the magnificent coral ecosystems just off the shore of sunset beach. After returning to land, divers took a short break indulging in smoothies and french fries before heading out on the final dive. We headed out on a boat and dropped off into a coral wonderland. We entered a whole new world full of fabulous creatures. We saw trumpet fish, stingrays, as well many other colorful species.
In the afternoon, the scuba diving students took their final exam and all passed! The non-divers enjoyed a leisurely breakfast then headed off on a kayak/ paddle boarding expedition. We paddled for about an hour before heading back to do some swimming and sleeping in hammocks. Next, we ate lunch and smoothies with the returning scuba divers after their morning dives. After lunch, there was no shortage of relaxing. However we did get back into the water for one last snorkel of the day. We saw parrot fish, Nemo, color changing corals and plenty of other soft & hard colorful corals. Before dinner with the whole group a few of us attended a talk by the marine staff here about sharks which was very interesting. We finished the day off with volleyball against the resort staff and then made our way to dinner. Overall it was a great day for Global Works at Barefoot Manta.
See ya next time,
Mirabelle and Jade
July 5, 2023
The Freak is up blog. We had an amazing last day together! We started off the day waking up to the splishing and splashing of the manta ray calls. Some of our group members went off to a dive, while others enjoyed a nice breakfast together. We then hopped into the water and swam back and forth to save the environment by helping the marine biology team at Barefoot Manta plant coral in the ocean. After about an hour of service, we enjoyed lunch, relaxed for a little bit, and spent all of our money on chocolatey, frothy milkshakes at the resort. We then listened to a heartfelt goodbye song performed by staff after dancing in an upbeat conga line that they organized for us. Soon after, we hopped on the boat back to the mainland for our last night together. During our 3 hour boat ride, we made acquaintances with a young kiwi, who was forced into conversation with us for a solid hour and half. After getting off the boat, we checked back into our hotel and went back to the place where it all began. We then sat down for dinner at our favorite restaurant: Smugglers’ Cove! After finishing dinner, we write this blog with super full stomachs, drowsy eyes, and exasperated yawns, ready to stumble our way to bed. We are super sad to be leaving each other, and we will dream of a reunion as we sleep tonight. See you guys soon!
Xoxo,
Laila, Avery, and Casey
July 6, 2023
To begin our very last day of this incredible experience, we woke up around 7 and had our final breakfast together. After that, we played a group game, one that has been a favorite throughout the trip. We went to the port to do some last minute souvenir shopping and got some yummy treats along the way. We had shopped for about 2 hours and then at 11:50 we met at a Mexican restaurant on the port to eat our last lunch together. Our last lunch was filled with delicious food and a coloring competition judged by our leaders. Unfortunately, the leaders bad taste allowed Mirabelle and Oliver to win. We believe they suffer from brain damage as Oliver may have driven them crazy. We then had some yummy ice cream and left to head back to the resort for the last of our activities, including writing appreciation letters to each other, ourselves, and reflecting on the trip. We write this from the airport, having made it through security and about to board the flight. Love you guys and see you soon!
Xoxo,
Avery, Casey, Mirabelle, Oliver, Hannah, Jade, Ava, Riyana, Alice, Abby, Kasja, and Laila
