Mid-Service

Service up to this point in numbers: 

25- People in my training class when we arrived in Fiji

22- People at Mid-Service Training

6- People who have transferred sites (including myself)

6- Weeks in my original village in Vanua Levu

47- Overall days I've stayed at the PC Hotel due to Safety and security issues

6- Average amount of kids that eat at my village house in a week

3- Pairs of sandals and running shoes that have withered away into nothing 

X-Countless times I've had to go thrift store shopping for work clothes

2/3- Amount of times I hand wash laundry per month

4/5- Hours it takes my laundry to dry because I saved up and bought a washing machine that is terrible washing but AWESOME AT SPINNING THE WATER OUT OF MY CLOTHES 

9- Weeks without water in my village 

1- Neighborhood dog that I feed my scraps to 

15/20- Chickens that wake me up every morning with their crowing 

X- Countless animals that roam my village and compound on a daily basis (Cows, horses, pigs, dogs, cat, rats etc) 

6- Number of minutes it takes me to get to my village beach 

6- Number of hotels within a 20 minute radius 

2- Number of buses it takes me to get to work

2- Number of times a day I wish work was closer 

45/60- Average amount of minutes it takes me to get to work

75- Average amount of minutes it takes me to return home from work if I walk back to town

$4.30- Cost to get to work per day if I walk back not if I take a taxi or an early bus back 

4- Number of times a day I remember how amazing my job is at the hospital so it's all worth it 

44- Nurses that work at the hospital I work at 

20- Established staff (Doctors/Lab Techs/XRay Techs//Dietician/Physiotherapist/Admin Staff)

Xx- Countless amazing government wage employees 

2/3- Liters of water I drink daily

3- Number of times I wish I owned a refrigerator a day  

2- Number of times a week food spoils in my cupboard 

7- Number of times a rat enters my house in a week 

2- Amount of times per day someone asks me where I learned to speak Fijian 

X-Countless times a Fijian tells me I'm smart in speaking the itaukei language

X- Countless times I reply that I want to be fluent and am no where close

2- Mobile phones that have found their way out of my life 

6- Lights that I've had to replace around my house

2- Lights that actually work in my house

X- Countless times the power has gone out because of a power surge

2- Number of items I charge on a daily basis (iPad and Phone) 

1- Number of electrical outlets available to use in my house (thank you man for surge protectors) 

3- Number of rooms in my huge house

1- Number of people who live at my ridiculously huge house 

2- Number of Papaya trees outside my house 

2- Number of lime trees outside my house

3- Number of chile bushes outside my house

1- Number of times I eat meat on a weekly basis 

2- Average number of times I eat at someone else's house in my village

2- Number of best girl friends I have in my village

2- Number of unsuccessful male companions 

1- Number of successful male companions (Thus far lol) 

15- Number of rugby games I've attended 

2- Number of islands I've visited 

5- Number of islands I want to visit (Kadavu, Taveuni, Lau, Rotuma, Ovalau) 

24- Vacation days per year

0- Vacation days I've used 

1- Birthdays spent in Fiji so far, feels so great to be 23 (Said no one ever) 

1- Skin condition (psoriasis)

1- Week of mono 

2- Cases of pink eye (thank you village children) 

2- Cases of head lice (and again) 

3- Spider bites

x- Countless fevers and head colds 

x- Countless mosquito bites

x- Countless incidences of diarrhea/constipation

8- Traditional Fijian sulu jabas that I own

1- Traditional Indian saris that I own

1- Traditional Salwar Kameez that I own 

3- Shirts I ordered when my ALMA MATER WENT TO THE SWEET 16 

2- Average times per day I’m asked where I’m from (America) or if I'm from Fiji (Because they think I speak Fijian so well) 

4- Average times per day I’m encouraged to marry a Fijian or Indian while I’m here (if nothing else then to learn the language lol) 

2- Number of native fijians I randomly met but seriously considered marrying if I was here longer than two years lol 

4- Average times I get harassed a week 

2- Ladies at the market that I always go to for my usual fruits and veggies

1- Major project that has failed miserably

1- Small project that has been successful 

1/5- Roll of toilet paper I carry around in my bag every day (bathrooms almost never have toilet paper!)

1- Amount of times I’ve seriously considered throwing in the towel and going home

X-Countless liters of alcohol I've drank to wash my week away

X- Countless times I have to remind myself "I live in Fiji OMG" 

X- Countless times a day I wish I had my friends or family here with me

x- Countless times I’ve thanked God for this experience

Thanks Shadae for letting me steal some of your points!! 

There’s a phenomenon in Peace Corps called the “mid-service crisis”. The mid-service crisis happens to volunteers who are halfway through their 27 month stint. During this period time volunteers tend to be going through some of the emotions most high school students go through, with deeper reflection. 

1. Apathy 

2. Disillusionment 

3. Disappointment 

4. Revaluation of self 

5. Doubt about self, program, work, place in life 

6. Unmotivated 

Which am I going through right now? I don't know... all of them, none of them. Everything and nothing. Peace Corps has taught me so much in the time I've been here. About myself, about the kind of person I want to be; how to treat people, how I want to be treated. It has expanded my mind to places I've never been before. The personal development that comes through all the alone time we face is crazy! We become so self aware, that sometimes it's out self-awareness that causes our strife. Expectations are so different here. People, culture, lifestyles are so different. 

There are days I literally wake up and decide I'm not going to work and do nothing but lay in bed. I don't think I did that once in the U.S even when I was sick. It just gets hard. Especially with the holidays coming; holidays here in Fiji means work is slow which means we're often sitting on our butts somewhere. It gets frustrating, even if we are incredibly close with the staff because we have a fear of not accomplishing anything if we're sitting on our butts. But in Fiji nothing gets done in December or January. That's just how the country is run, and something we had to accept our first year. But I think this year we're all looking forward to the break. 

I know I'm looking forward to spending more one on one time with the people I care about the most here! Whether it be my family in my village or my family in my training village. Somewhere, everywhere. Take hold of the moment! Each day there is an adventure waiting around the corner! You just have to take it at the horns and don't let go. One of the most important lessons I've learned here is that I don't have to be a "yes woman" but I MUST take advantage of the relationships I make here because people are fascinating. I think I've come to the point in my life that though I may not always like people, I love them. I love people because they live. They have these fascinating experiences that sometimes I'm privileged enough to listen to. Then ask questions about. People can share their life, people can love, people can acknowledge their emotions. We are such fascinating creatures and I'm just so thankful that I'm human. Diwali, a new year so to speak for people belonging to the Hindu religion, was just celebrated in Fiji and I'm looking at it as a new year of fun for my second year as a PCV!  

We just swore in Group 90. It was surreal. Just a year ago we were there. Excited. Nervous. Ready. And now, we're all in different places. We've all had great experiences and regrets. As humans we make mistakes. And goodness me have I made probably too many in my short lifetime, but I'm so thankful for each one because it's brought me to be so thankful for all the things I have in my life right now. So yes, sometimes life gets difficult here, a lot of the time. Sometimes conversations are solely gossip, food, or retelling the same stories over and over in the village. But I have found the people I trust, the ways I can let loose, and will always the memories and gifts that Fiji has given me. It's so difficult yet so beautiful at the same time. The darkest days have come and gone, but they make me appreciate the brightest and happiest days. I wish I could better explain the emotional roller coaster we go through as PCV's but just know that it's similar to being in high school. 

With that, I'll leave you with some pictures I've taken over the last month and some memes that easily describe my experience and or emotions. 

Peace. Love. Fiji. 

Happy almost Thanksgiving Day!! 

My village, the hospital and life as I know it

I know it's been a long time since I've posted; sorry about that! I'm alive I promise and life is better than ever. Well besides the fact that my village has been without water for 7 weeks now. It wasn't fun, and only halfway through was I given a tank for when it rains to filter through. It was a hard journey, but supposedly we're about to get almost 24/48 hours of straight rain; so hopefully that'll fill up the creek that gives my village water. 

Since the last time I posted a lot has happened!! 

My counter part in my village died, and since it's been such a mess for my village restarting the process for the village nurse I've sort of given up until they're ready to get it together. I can only do so much. I was really fortunate and met a few people who talked to my Sub Divisional Medical Officer, or the woman in charge of my entire medical province, about working at the hospital. So now my job is so much better and I enjoy it so much more. I still do outreach's about health topics, but now my job is mainly organizational development at the hospital and I actually enjoy going to work. The only con is that it takes about an hour plus to get to work everyday. It can get expensive but Peace Corps gave me a travel to work stipend and now it's a lot easier to live. I work with the executive officer right now just catching up on all the things she's behind on; but soon I will be conducting customer service trainings, working towards employee satisfaction and figuring out ways to make the hospital run smoother. I'm so excited and thankful for this opportunity, I can't wait to see what the next year brings me. But I'll admit sometimes I go a little crazy, so I take selfies of my moods that I go through at the hospital, like below. 

Speaking of year, it's been over a year since I arrived in Fiji and the personal growth I've been through is crazy. I'm a lot more self aware, maybe a little less selfish, but unfortunately narcissistic as ever haha. I think I've become a little less talkative for all the friends who know me as motor mouth, and have started to enjoy working out. Some changes are absolutely for the better, but I can't say that for all of them. I am starting to think even my priorities are changing, but it could just be the environment impacting me. I'll let you know more about that as time goes on haha. This is my group at the beginning in California, and then the group at our Mid Service Training back in July! I had a fever so I was roasting next to the fire, in the back lol. 

My village is amazing and I really love being apart of it. Sometimes it gets difficult because it's worse than being in high school; because there are rules involved with talking to certain people.  If they're a certain type of family member they aren't allowed to speak directly towards that person; if it's their mothers village then they can be honest and up front with anyone. It's crazy how culture and family create a very large undercurrent of emotions that the casual glance could never explain. But because of all the rules, even I shouldn't be "talking straight" or be up front about my qualms. Not that I should beat around the bush, but it should be a slow process where I gain their trust through a few cups of kava around the tanoa (kava bowl). Respect plays a huge part in the culture here; and to be honest Fijians are not very forgetful of disrespect. They may forgive your blunder after you're done a forgiveness ceremony or said "vosoti au" which means endure me; but you'll be lucky if they ever look at you in the same light. Another difficulty with village life is the constant gossiping. We call it the coconut wireless because news spreads faster than a 4G wireless network. If you walked around the village with a baby, you bet the village will be talking about it. Did you eat a lot or help out at the funeral over the weekend? You bet they'll be talking about it. What about if you have a boyfriend? You bet it'll be hot news for weeks maybe months depending on how you approached it. 

Here's a few shots of people in my village: 

(this is my Fijian dad, he is a talatala qase or bishop of over 21 villages in our area!) I live on his methodist church compound so respect is everything to him! 

Speaking of changes and boyfriends. I have tripped and fallen into a village relationship myself. His name is Lavai (Levi) and he's 20 years old. He works as a delivery boy for a company that distributes pop across the coral coast area (where I live). He also plays rugby, and though I've always been a huge fan; because he asks me to come to every game, I'm always there front and center screaming my head off for the team!! LAKO CONUA LEGION!! (GO CONUA LEGION) in Fijian the C sound is the "th" sound. But we've been together for some time now and he's very good to me, and puts up with a lot from me so let's hope it lasts while I'm in Fiji haha. He's the one on the far right (picture below) 

My village rugby team, Conua Legion is a boss in our area and has won the cup for our division!! They kept getting challenged again and again, but to no avail has someone taken the cup away!! They are an amazing group of guys filled with young and old minds, strength and speed, built on the foundation of team work and humor. They're great and I'm so proud of them!! They'll have the cup until next year so it'll proudly be placed in the village for at least the next three months. Our team captain is the chief's son, so it'll go nicely with all the masi hanging around in the chief's bure. Masi is a cloth constructed from a certain type of tree (called the masi tree) where Native Fijians paint beautiful designs that sometimes tell a story through patterns and symbols. And a bure is a house made of bamboo and trees that can be small or very large, such as the ones in my village now, pictures in previous blog posts. (below a picture of the team after their last win for the cup!! We're number one!!) 

I've met some really great people in my time on the coral coast, and I'm so thankful for all of the opportunities they've given me. I swear if I could, I'd live in Fiji forever. One of my friends who lives in a town called Navua did a fire walking ceremony with the local hindu temple. He went vegan for almost 45 days and fasted on any "pleasures" of the body. It was really difficult but totally worth it, he is still the talk of the town and highly respected!! Seriously, it was crazy the amount of stuff he must've endured during the fire walking itself. He had to get pierced and there wasn't any kind of burning cream to help him through the nights so he was left to his own devices once it was done. Below is a picture of one of the Suva volunteer's and I after the fire walking ceremony! We had to wear traditional indian sari's! 

I've also started to work with the Coral Coast Seven's team which is a huge rugby tournament where teams from all around the world come to Sigatoka town in Fiji p, stay at the local hotels, and play to be named Champion! Even the National USA and Australia teams participate! It's a huge deal! I'm really excited to help out, I feel like it'll given me a lot more experience in event planning and a great way to meet even more people around Fiji! 

The volunteer in Navua did a training course for volunteer first responders recently and I assisted where I could and it was a really great experience. It taught me a lot personally and absolutely made me realize how much I never want to be a paramedic or nurse. The closest thing I'd ever want to do is maybe a midwife; mainly because recently I watched my very good friend in the village give birth to a beautiful baby girl. It was one of the most beautiful and courageous moments of my life. I am seriously changed for the better after watching it. I always looked at having kids with distain and headache, but if I can be even half the woman she was when giving birth then, phew man maybe I can do it too!! A picture from the training below. 

This is my best friend in the village Bulou! She's the one that had the beautiful baby girl! I have pictures of the baby but they're on my phone, isa technology! 

Also, just recently we had the trainees from the new group visit current volunteers all across Fiji. It was a three day trip where they went to work with us, saw how we lived, and experienced what we experience everyday. I think most of the volunteers treated their trainees because we remembered what it was like during training, so beers and items with cheese were being opened all across Fiji, but we were happy to oblige in anyway we could. It was a great experience, but after three days of having someone at my house, I was just mentally and physically exhausted. I like people, but I think sometimes I forget how important "me" time is. I need to recharge my batteries before I get out there again. Just another one of the things I've learned while being in Peace Corps! You, as a person, are really the most important thing in your life. If you aren't 100% nothing you do will be 100% either. The picture below is when the trainee came with me to my village's rugby game! That's the cup we won!! Woo!! 

We just celebrated Fiji Day ( Independece Day for Fiji) here on the coral coast with the annual BiliBili day races! If you can remember from last year, bilibili are bamboo posts tied together to create a raft. All the hotels around the coral coast participate to be championed number one! They also participate in fun games, like having to carry a tray across an obstacle course. It's hysterical!! 

Fiji Day meke and flag raising ceremony! 

Bilibi for the Fijian resort 

My friend, Mo, doing his thing for the Pearl resort. 

The Fijian Resort or Shagrala has been number one for eight years now! Crazy huh? Well speaking of crazy, I also got to meet Iliesa Delana! He is the first gold medalist of Fiji and a paralympian! He is such an inspiration, and I got to sit down and talk to him! He was so humble, he says he's almost gotten tired of all the attention and salusalu after salusalu honoring him everywhere he goes. He was such a joy to be around, and I am so thankful to have met him! 

All right, so I've another novel when I thought this would be short and sweet but you get the idea. Life in the coral coast of Fiji is great, and there are plenty of hardships like no water, cultural pressures and obligations, and then the everyday things like gossip but overall things are great. There are plenty of hard days, and times where I have to say thanks for the weather because that really is the only thing that has gone well that day; but as a Peace Corps Volunteer we just have to keep moving forward. The disconnect from friends and family back in the states is absolutely the hardest part about being here; but if you make the best of it and try to make your place in your country your home for 2-3 years, it's the most giving and learning opportunity you'll ever have! 

Well I hope you enjoyed reading this!! My grandparents turned 63 and 60 this October so a big shout out to them!! And it's my best friends birthday the 16th so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADISON!! Then it's my brother's on the 28 and my sisters on the 19, and their moms birthday on the 20th, so sending all my love and happy birthday wishes to the states this month!! I love all of you so much and miss you everyday!! 

And We Are All Connected To Each Other

Describing my last two months seems almost surreal. So much has happened and I'm not sure how to put it into words, but of course I'll try and probably over do it. I sort of took a little personal time and went around the island. Integrating with families that I've met while I've been here. It's been a really enriching experience, culturally and personally. You start to begin the of understanding life a little more, when you just throw the rules to the wind. Between the history of Fiji, the understanding of land, the dynamics of tokotoko's (families) and mataqali's (clans) then trying to begin to understand the deep emotional state that is under all of it, it's overwhelming. The culture of Fiji is so rich between I Tau Kei and Indo-Fijians, both so beautiful in their own way. Over the past two months I was blessed with the ability to spend time with both cultures and learned and an overwhelming amount of culture but also what it's like being apart of a family here in Fiji. Learning that we're truly connected to everyone, everywhere somehow. But it's up to you to find those connections and create the kind of relationships you hope to have.

The Sunday before Easter I participated in Palm Sunday celebrations and went to the drama service at my church in the village. I love how the children are the centerfold of the entire day! People in Fiji are extremely religious, at least with attending church. On Sundays many people in my village will go to all three church services: 5 am, 10:30 am and 6 pm. I spend a lot of time with the children in my village, whether it be at their school giving health presentations, playing around in the village, or having some of the neighboring kids over for tea. I swear, it is them who keep me sane in this world. There's something about the naïveté of children that inspire you to realize that there is still pure joy and goodness in this world. Every week I attend schools and village meetings, it's crazy to think though how there's never really repetition with my life. Always something new to do, or go to or see. The Friday before that I got to help with a large NCD screening across the whole town of Sigatoka! It was crazy and we tested over 200 people! I was able to talk to so many people about their diets and how to cut back on certain things for those close to going over in blood sugar and blood pressure!

The children as Jesus and his donkey walking into Jerusalem!

My favorite Adi Kama and I watching the drama at church!

Helping at Sigatoka!


I spent what would've been Easter weekend, celebrating a Hindu holiday called Holi. The story goes that a leader named Hiranyakashyap wanted everybody in his kingdom to worship only him but to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. Hiaranyakashyap commanded his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika had a boon whereby she could enter fire without any damage on herself. However, she was not aware that the boon worked only when she enters the fire alone. As a result she paid a price for her sinister desires, while Prahlad was saved by the grace of the god for his extreme devotion. The festival, therefore, celebrates the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of devotion. Its crazy the stories we believe through our religious texts or passed down stories. Here in Fiji we celebrate with a large festival of colors! I'm sad to report I didn't get any photos, but there was a lot of water balloon throwing and people walking around with crazy colors painted on their face.

It was sort of a relaxing weekend, and I really enjoyed it. Her mom has a washing machine so I got to wash my clothes with that instead of by hand. And that weekend, and the week previous my University won their first two games EVER in the NCAA! YAY Florida Gulf Coast University! I can't even explain the emotions I went through that weekend. It was truly inspiring. During that next week I visited family in a province I had yet to visit, Ba. It was ridiculously hot, but the family there was just ridiculously giving and welcome. Doing a nightly prayer service wasn't so bad. I even cried my last night there. I played some volleyball, watched some movies and played lots of Uno with the kids! They were so obsessed I ended up leaving the deck there! It was a surprise for when they got home for school since I left before they got home. I also went to visit one of my closest relatives, Eva at her house in Ba. She was really sick with a bad fever, but she's all right now. I was really worried. She stays in an area called Sacred Hart, and it's for families that can't afford to rent in Ba. It's right next to the hospital and health centers so I think it may also have to do with a disease that someone has that's in the family.

My family in Ba! Jo jo and Maggie!

Can't get enough of this girl Maggie! Even though I was looking rough that day haha


Then the next night I went and hung out with my friend matt again since his house was on the road to Suva from Ba, Rakiraki is right between. We talked about how his girlfriend is coming to visit and how excited he was! Hopefully, I'll have friends come visit too! Haha of course I ended up going to the hospital again the week she was by my province so I couldn't meet her. The next day I went to Suva and got a few errands done, then met up with my family from my village and we left together to go to the Fijian wedding! It was a really great time and there was just so much culture in my small time there. Between the outfits and the prayers and how it all works compared to modern weddings was really wonderful. After I was able to ride on the back of my families truck on the way back to our village. There is no better way to see Queen's road than on the back of a truck. It was a beautiful day and I got to see so much beauty :)

The bride and groom at the wedding

One of the groomsmen's, check out those outfits!

The wedding, and the back of the outfits!

MY sister and I at the wedding!

Queen's road! This is where we stayed at for our first few days in Fiji and for our second training back in February

With my sister on the back of the truck, we're rebels apparently...


I started staying in my village more since the school team went on break and it's done me a lot of good with building relationships there. I feel like I'm really starting to connect to the people more. I even did a little cultural exchange and made the Talatala's family (a Deacon sort of over 7 villages who lives in the same compound as I) omlette's and skillet'd potatoes BUT FOR DINNER! Because of course breakfast for dinner is the best thing in the world! I also helped out a bit when two people in our village died, one being the previous chief for the entire district (or tikina). Now that was a day of crazy culture and just faux pa after faux pa that I committed. Between standing in the doorway of the bure, to putting a child over my head, then not saying "tulo" (excuse me) when standing above people. In Fiji, it's tabu to stand over people or have items/people over your head in the village. To the people in Fiji the head is a sacred body part, and no one is above your head but God. Also that if people stand above others without saying tulo, it's as to say I am above you as a person in rank and intelligence. I felt so guilty after, but I learned my lessons for sure. During the funeral, since he was not just the chief of the village but the whole district, he had warriors with war clubs stand outside his bure defending his body until the time he was buried. The ladies of his tokotoko (family) weaved many mats and decorated his bure with color and traditional fabric that is originated from bark. It was another weekend of cultural education is all I can really say. Especially with how much kava I drank. The weekend after that I helped the NCD Wellness team launch a Healthy Lifestyle kickoff at a local hotel! It was a whole day affair and the hotel sent us off with some great fish and chips. Yummy yummy in my tummy.

The men who protect the chief's body, body guards with war clubs. Attractive.

Just a few of the mats the women weaved, placed in the church, before the body arrived

Carrying the coffin to the grave

Panoramic of the Chiefly bure to the church, to the grave

The Wellness team shirts we got at the launch!

The Wellness team with Dr. Tukana, a Ministry of Health VIP!


On the busiest Monday I've had in a long time, I finally became more on track with my health center project in my village. My village once had a health center independently run and completely funded by Rotary International, and the facility is still standing tall. It was cared for by the village after Rotary left and gave the land back to the village in 2006. The reason I am here as a volunteer in my specific village is to help it get back to it's former glory but with the Ministry of Health as its funding source. I work at a different Health Center now, but will move once the center is officially opened some time this year. But since there have been a lot of hiccups in the road, we have had to take our time. On this Monday, I didn't even know the meeting was occuring, I just happened to be in the village at the time. I met the Medical Officer of the entire Western Division (there's only four in the entire country), the Sister in Charge of the Western Division (the main nurse) and the Health Inspector of the Western Division as well. So many important people from around the Western side came to meet about the requirements needed to get the clinic running soon. After, I rode with them to another meeting in the local town and I met the Health Inspector of my entire Province. I'm really excited to work with him on toilets for my village at the up and coming Project Develop Management workshop with Peace Corps in May. Then I met one of my closest friends here, Caitlin and her boyfriend for dinner in Nadi. It was really nice to meet him and get to see Caitlin so soon. She's great people. After I returned to my town to meet with another volunteer to plan a workshop on water borne diseases in a village almost 90 minutes away. I had a fever through the whole day and didn't even realize it. I came home and had a 102 fever, I ended up having fevers the whole week, even through the presentations. Apparently I need to learn to slow down sometimes. I think this whole staying in my village mindset will be good for me.

My village has traditional bures, similar to the one I was going to live in, in my previous site. They're so beautiful, I wish I had one of those to live in somedays. But then I think how much more privacy I have where I live now and I am happier haha. My house was infested with fleas for a bit, pretty much from the fact that I didn't clean my house too well and the rat's were spreading too easily. Like I said earlier, I was really sick again. Lots of high fevers and throat swelling, so they wanted to check a few things out and again I was back in Suva the week after my presentations and meetings. Nothing serious no worries. I get home sick sometimes, and it's days like those I wish the airfare back to home wasn't so outrageous. The group before us is coming close to close of service, talking to them feels so weird. They've been here about 24 months now. They all have different plans, lots of traveling, lots of future tracks, one kid who lived down the street and went to High School with me got into a really fancy program with John Hopkins and he'll start his first semester in Italy! Crazy right!! I know it seems too early to think about post-peace corps but with so much down time, they say it's pretty normal. I'm still so confused. Our close of service month is November 2014. We haven't even hit the year mark.

Traditional bures in my village!

Beaches in my village!

Me sick in the hospital!

WHEN THE RATS ATTACK! THEY EAT THROUGH YOUR VITAMIN BOTTLE!!


While I was in Suva my program manager sat down with me and told me she felt my volunteer report was one of the few she's ever read that truly understands the people of Fiji; and that she wished I could convert the other volunteers to think like me. She's from Fiji, so I think for her it just gets disconcerting to have volunteers consistently feel like they don't connect to the people here. I think she sometimes wonders who isn't doing the right connecting work, volunteers or people here. I don't know why I have a different type of relationship with people here than most volunteers in my group, the group previous to us understands it a lot more as I do too. Maybe it's because from day one I've only expressed my want to learn while I'm here in Fiji; and some of the other volunteers believe they know enough and just want to teach the people of Fiji through a transfer of skills, aka what Peace Corps is supposed to be about haha. But I don't really know how much I have to give to them, so I just stick to learning. I'm never really sure if I'm doing the right thing, so I just keep doing what I want to do. It's worked out so far and I think I'm one of the consistently happier volunteers. While I was in Suva, I was finally able to pick up the packages from my Grandma and Cousin Erin! They sent me crazy awesome spices and candies. I've almost eaten all the bags up, it's terrible. This past week has been so busy, between meetings with my Turaga Ni Koro (or mayor) of my village and the Mata Ni Tikina (or face of my district) about the toilets and the list of things needed for the next meeting about the Health Center next week... and visiting Suva to help one volunteer Co-lead a 3 day leadership development workshop for a group of 15 14 yr-20 yr old girls! Then as a topper on the cake, the NCAA Sweet 16 shirts that I ordered from my University came in and I received a post card from my friend in Colorado!! The months of March and April were seriously amazing months. Busy and culturally unforgettable. I just hope May and June can do the same.

The postcard I received


I'm sorry I wrote so much!! Just so much has happened and I wanted to make sure you were there for it all! Below is a picture of one of the shirts that got sent to me and my friend Caitlin, her boyfriend and I having cocktails in Nadi! Then the spices and everything my family sent me!!

Vinaka vakalevu! (Thank you very much!) Miss everyone back home <3