By Laura Gent, Assistant Country Director - Fiji

Three of our care volunteers at Treasure House Orphanage in Nadi have appeared in a full page article in Fiji’s National Newspaper, the Fiji Sun. Karie Nickle, Sarah Woods and Natascha Rupp are pictured with the children and describe their experiences in Fiji with Projects Abroad. The Orphanage has about 20 children up to 16 years old and it is situated just outside of Nadi. A new addition to Treasure House is 2 week old baby Grace who is receiving plenty of deserved attention from our volunteers!

To see the online version of the article, please go to http://www.fijisun.com.fj/main_page/view.asp?id=29755

By Laura Gent, Assistant Manager - Fiji

Flying across to Fiji from Auckland, I saw what I had expected- crystal blue waters, beautiful blue skies and some real picture postcard islands.

One of the islands from the sky

Having just come from Ghana, where the people are unfailingly friendly, I was happy to find that the Fijians are equally as welcoming, and that they too, work according to a thing called ‘Fiji time’ meaning that the attitude is just as refreshingly laid back..

Two weeks in Fiji, and I am beginning to get to know my way around the little town of Nadi, so different from the big city of Accra. Here, there is definitely no shortage of things to do in the evenings and at weekends. The volunteers have sussed out the best night spots and at the weekends there are some excellent trips to the surrounding paradise islands where they can scuba dive, sky dive, dance with the locals or simply just soak up the rays.

Volunteers live with either Indian-Fijian families or native Fijian families who are incredibly welcoming. I was unsure of what to expect food-wise here but I have been totally spoiled with curries and plenty of fish dishes. Apparently they are fattening me up so I return home ‘like a local Fijian’… I was also intrigued to find that as well as eating with their hands Ghana style, Fijians eat a dish consisting of cassava and yams- no fufu in sight though unfortunately! As for my beloved sachets of Ghanaian pure water, I am now getting used to drinking bottles of ‘Fiji water’, fresh spring water shipped over to Hollywood and sold to actresses for about £10 a bottle……

Fiji Water

Our teaching and care placements are excellent with volunteers working in an orphanage, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools and a special needs centre. I was so impressed at the warm atmosphere in these places. The children, just like the Ghanaians are not camera shy! I am also astounded at the popularity of rugby here. They are fanatical- just like the Ghanaians are about football. Instead of football shirts dominating the markets and shops, the native Fijians are seen wandering around in rugby jerseys. I love telling them that it originated in a small town in England and I spent one evening watching Fiji play Tonga, where I saw the skills of a certain player named ‘Kinky PooPoo’. This was definitely one of the highlights along with a Fijian wedding which I went to on my first weekend via tro-tro style bus with no ‘mate’, which was disappointing as I certainly wasn’t able to shout ‘bus stop’ at the driver.

Fijian Wedding

I would strongly recommend a visit to Fiji because as it is beautiful place and a very friendly nation. Although I still miss Ghana and its endearing qualities, I am really looking forward to getting to know this little island which has a lot of potential and I am looking forward to meeting the new volunteers arriving in the next 4 months. Watch this space for more updates.. Vinaka!

By Elaine Wynn, International Development Officer

Last month I was fortunate enough to spend 2 weeks visiting Projects Abroad’s newest destination – Fiji. I am still struggling to compare it to any other destination I’ve visited! I was surprised at how developed Fiji is i.e. public transport is on time and relatively organised, there are a wide variety of restaurants available, little/no attention is given to you as you walk down the street.

English is taught to children from a young age, so in contrast to other destinations I’ve visited there was never an issue with communicating with locals, making the experience much easier to adapt to.

Before arriving I had high expectations of seeing tiny picturesque islands occupied only by beaches and palm trees – I certainly was not disappointed! Projects Abroad is based on the third largest island – Viti Levu, on the west coast in Nadi. The local port is a 10 minute bus journey from our office, it offers regular boat trips to many of the islands, therefore perfect for all volunteers (and myself) wanting to relax on a paradise island for the weekend! The islands can cater for literally every type of guest - from the 5 star resorts aimed at honeymooners - to huts on the beach for backpackers. It certainly makes the Fijian Islands an understandably popular tourist destination.

One of the smaller Fijian islands

The landscape for Viti Levu surprised me, rather than offering the dazzling beaches that its smaller neighbouring islands boast, it offers an extremely green and mountainous landscape. Volunteers therefore also have the option to travel inland over weekends and experience the traditional Fijian way of life away from any tourists.

Inland Viti Levu

Although I mention that Fiji is more developed than I expected, the projects we offer are still just as worthwhile as the projects in our other destinations. In my short time that I was in Fiji I managed to visit all our Teaching and Care projects. One school I visited has over 150 students attending, however due to a new law in Fiji (forcing teachers to retire at an earlier age of 50 and for teachers to pay a yearly fee to the government to be able to teach,) there were only 3 teachers left working at this school. Fortunately Projects Abroad began working in Fiji around the same time that this law was implemented, meaning volunteers can help relieve some of the work load for the teachers and ensure the children are receiving an education.

What struck me the most having visited all the schools was the freedom and independence that the teachers were willing to give to our volunteers. If any volunteers have specific interests, the teachers do their upmost to accommodate them, whether it is teaching sport, IT or music. The teachers are extremely enthusiastic towards our volunteers and are keen to make them as involved as possible.

Volunteer with school children

At one school I visited, a past Projects Abroad volunteer had refurbished the library, decorated the walls and providing the school with many books. The teachers were over the moon with this and are still in contact with the volunteer.

Refurbished Library

The majority of our Care projects are based at Kindergartens, classes normally have over 45 children, so volunteers provide a helping hand arranging activities for the children.

For volunteers particularly interested in working with children with Special Needs we work at a day centre with over 100 children attending. The staff here are extremely dedicated to improving the quality of life for each child. Volunteers working here have a fantastic learning experience working alongside local staff.

The aspect that made Fiji stand out the most for me, compared to other destinations I have visited, is the friendliness of its people. The host families I met here are by far the most welcoming. Many volunteers spend weekends away with their family and are included in everyday family activities.

I’ve no doubt that as more projects are set up in Fiji, the amount of volunteers visiting will continue to rise. I would definitely recommend visiting this little dot in the Ocean and exploring this fascinating country.

Click here to learn more about our programs in Fiji