weekend

During week, our students stay with their project groups, with whom they do various community service projects and have reflective discussions and go and do various little fun activities.

The weekends offer students a different opportunity to sign up for some optional activities, which typically breaks up the regular groups (although they often choose to stay together, even though other students and leaders often get mixed in). Depending on the program they're enrolled in and their budget, students can choose among scuba diving, skydiving, island hopping, zip-lining, a weekend getaway on an island, at a resort near Suva (the capital city), or in the highlands. There are also a couple community service options during the weekend -- a day camp for local village children hosted at the base, or construction projects in a nearby village.

Since I don't lead a regular project group, the weekends are my opportunity to get out of the office and enjoy these activities with the students. So far, I have gotten to enjoy scuba diving, zip-lining, and island hopping, but I'm hoping to get the chance to try all these activities over the course of the summer.

This past weekend, I joined a group that went and did construction in a village on Saturday, and then went island hopping on Sunday. Saturday was my first experience in a Fijian village.

I will write about those two experiences later this week. For now, here is a picture of some village puppies the size of my foot. We are expressly forbidden from picking them up. Guess how much it killed me that I didn't have veterinary supplies or training. When I first saw them from a distance, I thought "Please let that be a work glove, not a puppy."

looking up

Things are looking up a bit now.  I made it into town again, and I should be able to return the microphone without too much hassle.  I got a lovely email from Bryan which made me feel happy and less lonely.  (Though others are certainly welcome.)  And I finally have a decent wifi connection here at a restaurant in town with a nice view of the river that also happens to serve a good cup of coffee.  

I just stopped at a grocery store and stocked up on the ingredients to hopefully make some hummus.  We'll see how that turns out.

some venting

I guess loneliness hit me today.

Last week, it was hard for me to imagine tiring of Fiji, of losing energy, of getting homesick. But it's been a busy week, and just today I'm starting to feel a little drained.

I have lovely people here who are caring and supportive and positive. But I've known them all for only 3 weeks, and they all only know the part of me that is here. I wish there was more time to connect with people regularly on the kind of deeper level I wish I could.  But things are busy and we keep moving, which keeps things interesting, but some days, it wears on me.

beneath the surface

I finally got to go diving this weekend. I took a group of 7 students to the dive shop we work with at a nearby resort.

Hike

Went on an intense hike from the lodge to the top of a big hill the other day.  Totally worth it.

A student with my fellow staff members: Erica, Lesi, Casey, and Max

Tour II - going to work

My bure is right near the dining area, so I just have time to grab some tea, or I mix up a cafe mocha (my own recipe of instant coffee, cocoa, sugar) or a cup of Shalini's chai (which is a little too sweet for me on its own, so I usually just add a splash to my tea. Bryan, you would love it. She's going to teach me to make it, don't worry.) and grab a bowl of cereal...

Staff bures near the dining area

Tour Part I - my bure

  

Since students arrived this week, I've had a very different rhythm from day to day than I had during training the first week.

When I wake up, which seems to happen naturally here for me around 6am (unheard of for me! especially even though the sky doesn't really get light until around 7:30... except today I had to get up at 5:15am), I have a little time to grab some tea and take a look at the schedule for the day. 

Here is the view from the door of my bure.

The ocean is visible on the horizon, though you can't quite make it out it in this photo.

baby goats

The school where I work back in the states just got some 3 month old goats, but they didn't arrive until just after I left the states.  I was bummed that I missed them. But then I found a 3 week old goat. IN FIJI.

tomorrow is thursday

Thursdays will be big days throughout the summer. And tomorrow will be very, very different from what I've been doing this past week, and much more like the rest of the summer that follows. Students arrive.

Today, we switched bunks. I am now moved into the room I will be staying in for the rest of the summer. I will have a rotating cast of roommates during that time, and one other consistent roommate, Rachael, who is the communications person for the group.

so far

Biggest packing regret: not bringing a second towel

Biggest surprise: first visit to the ocean was a slightly chilly, rainy, breezy day. We went for a swim in the ocean to warm up.

Best surprise: phenomenally awesome people

Biggest disappointment: only instant coffee

june 8

The following was written on June 8, but I couldn't post it then.... Oh, wait! It's June 8 where you are isn't it! Ha ha. Sneak peak: Tuesday is good!

june 7

The following post was actually written on June 7, 2015. I will be posting a few belated posts throughout this week because I wrote them offline but had limited internet access to post them.

Also, I promise later posts will include more photos.  I haven't had much time during training to deal with photos, but once training is over, my schedule will change dramatically and I'll have more time in the office.
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soundtrack

Every trip needs a theme song.