A few years ago, when I was still in school, I accidentally came across an organization called Think Pacific. Having had a look at their website and understanding the concept behind it, I immediately fell in love with the projects proposed. It is then that I decided to start saving up so that one day I would be able to finally do the trip. On a random week day this year, after having spent the most awful day I have had in a long time, I told myself: ‘It is time. Pack your bags and go.’. I went back on that website, of which the name I kept at the back of my head for years, and saw that my university was in fact offering a grant to realize my dream of going to Fiji. Without thinking twice about it, I applied. One thing lead to another and here I am, a few days after the project, still trying to figure out what just happened.
The project started at the beginning of June. After a long 27 hours journey, I finally arrived to Nadi International Airport, where my jouney began. After meeting the team and a couple of days of training and team building in Sigatoka, the core of the project had finally started. Our team was placed in Nasau village, on the East side of the main island. After being welcomed in the traditional way with a sevusevu ceremony, we were officially part of the village. I am going to be honest and say that initially when our leaders were saying that we will actually think of Nasau and its inhabitants as our home and our family, I did not believe them, but quickly time showed me wrong. People in Fiji are extremely welcoming and kind to the point where after only a few days I knew goodbyes will be hard. Indeed they were. The whole experience was like a sweet dream with the most bitter ending. I honestly have never experienced a more emotional goodbye before. Everyone was crying no matter the age, no matter their function in the village. The goal of the project was to work hand in hand with the local youth to discuss and tackle down subjects and problems that are essential to be aware about nowadays. That involves topics such as climate change, leadership, enterprise, and more, building up collectively, volunteers included, new skills that will help us navigating our world more effectively and peacefully, hence the name of the project ‘Youth empowerment’. If mornings were filled with those workshops initiating conversation, the afternoons were occupied by the culture course. Learning about a new culture was definitely the part I was most excited about, and definitely the part I enjoyed the most at the end of the day. Fijian culture is beautiful, different, colorful and learning about it is definitely an experience I will never forget. I saw how to fish with a spear. I learnt how to dance the meke. I learnt how to cook lovo. I saw how coconuts, bananas, cassava and taro were planted. I tried cava and many more things I did not even know existed. More importantly, I met people, I will never forget and who I truly hope I will see again. In our free time we went on excursions, swam in the river, played with the kids, baked pies, played volleyball, danced, laughed and overall were able to experience a life we could never imagine otherwise.
Going to Fiji with Think Pacific helped me gain a better understanding of the world and myself in it and for this I always be grateful to everyone who made this journey possible.
