GVI, Ethical Impact: Internships in Fiji

Definitely do the GVI programs in Fiji if you get the chance. I had the best time. It is such an amazing place. The village is right on the beach, so you can go swimming snorkelling, scuba diving and dolphin watching in your free time. Silana is such a lovely community. The villagers are all so welcoming and really make you feel part of the community. It’s an amazing cultural experience where get the chance to learn many skills such as mat weaving, cooking, and their traditional dances. I was so sad to leave and hope to go back to visit one day!

I have just completed my second trip to GVI Fiji, both times doing the community development internship.
Firstly, living within the community is a great experience and it enhances the whole experience. I found myself able to go and socialise with my adopted family in the village and hang out at the beach stargazing with my friends. Being able to be within the village enhances the education and experience of a new culture.
Secondly, the staff and management are excellent, and I have learnt so much valuable knowledge and experience from them. The support network is incredible and feels like a big family.
Thirdly, the internship has greatly improved my CV with my most recent employers being impressed by my time in Fiji; and love to ask me numerous questions in regard to my time with GVI and Fiji.

I can't vouch for GVI enough, and the staff and running of Fiji is incredible. I have made lifelong friends in Fiji. My second time was joined by another intern from my first visit in 2020.

I did a health internship in Dawasamu, Fiji for ten weeks. The ten weeks went in a flash and I couldn't believe I was suddenly standing under the village mango tree, listening to the farewell song instead of badly singing it!

I had a blast living in Silana, working on health projects and with the community team, hanging out with other volunteers, and getting to know the locals. Part of my internship was helping develop and present materials for health promotion in Dawasamu District. I was lucky enough to have the District Nurse as the person approving my materials and I loved working with her. Not many people can say they taught adults to sing Row Row Row Your Boat so that they could do CPR at the right speed. I also got to work with the rest of the community team on some building and community events.

Living on a base in the village you work with is pretty special. You make friends with the other volunteers, end up singing and dancing badly in the kitchen while baking cakes, and you get to become part of the village. My Fijian family is pretty big, spans three generations and quite a few houses, I have sisters my age, nieces and nephews under five who are hysterical, a mum, a dad, a lot of aunties and cousins. There's always someone there for in you Fiji, even when all you need is a cup of tea. I also learnt to weave, which was a lot of fun and I was always excited for Wednesdays to come so we could get to weaving class.

I would absolutely go back in a heartbeat because leaving was so hard. I didn't realise just how special that litttle village, nursing station, and project base had become to me, or how important the people were to me. Seriously, what more do you need to hear, check it out.

When I first signed up for this trip I had no clue what to expect or what I would be doing. I arrived in a small village called Silana and were instantly welcomed into the community with open arms and a friendly Bula (hello). The people in the village are the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met. We were welcomed into many of their homes where they would cook meals for us or just enjoy our company by telling stories and learning about their culture. I worked with the community development program where we worked closely with members of the community, helping them build recycling points, start up school gardens, and talk about health and preventative care. It was an amazing opportunity to get close with the members of the community as well as make an impact on their village. I was only there for 2 short weeks but I’ve learned more from them about happiness, life, and family than I have in my entire life. It was truly a humbling experience and tears were shed when it was time to leave. I would highly recommend this program because you get a first hand experience on the culture and lifestyle of the community as well as get to experience all the beauty the island has to offer!

Sleeping a few meters from the sea, watching beautiful sunrises over distant islands through coconut trees, my two adoptive village families, laughter, music, singing and dancing in the village hall will forever be my memories of Fiji and my six month internship there…..but there was so much more.
As a mature intern heading off for new experiences, Fiji was a perfect place to start. A newly acquired TEFL qualification gave a little confidence, but the reality of holding the interest of a lively, challenging group of youngsters for the full length of lessons in PE, Art and Music required a new set of skills, patience and enthusiasm. One to one teaching, helping those struggling in Maths and English was a quieter affair and definitely rewarding seeing progress made and the delight students showed as they achieved each small step.
Three months living and working with other volunteers and project staff, learning all I could from them, was followed by 3 months in a different school and group of villages as the only volunteer, where no-one had preceded me. It was nerve wracking going to live with a Fijian family away from the support and companionship of the other volunteers, but I needn’t have worried, the Headmaster, his wife (Deputy Head Teacher) and their two children were so lovely and my time with them was filled with laughter and fun. The school was well run and the children had all the right building blocks to speak English but lacked the courage to start; reassurance that mistakes didn’t matter was all that was needed for the flood gates to open. Thus followed much laughter, noisy classrooms playing charades and other games to encourage speaking English, quieter one to one sessions, plus the massive task of sorting through boxes of old books, setting up a library and initiating weekly library sessions for all the children.
All too soon my six months was over. The thing I was least prepared for was how hard it would be to leave, to say goodbye to two schools, my two adopted families, the staff and other interns and of course all the villagers - a massive emotional wrench but so worth it for the joy and memories which will last forever.

On the first day we were met by the GVI staff members and treated to a delicious breakfast of local fruits. Before long, we were on our way across the lush, green island to the small village of Silana. Our arrival was eagerly anticipated by the other GVI volunteers, who welcomed us with smiles and lunch!
Our first Sunday was spent in church and getting to know our Fijian families. A traditional Fijian meal was prepared and we were supplied with pillows and told to ‘take a nap’ for the afternoon, happily following the local custom that no work can be done on a Sunday.
The following weeks involved getting to know our class at school. The level of spoken and written English varied dramatically throughout the class but all the children were keen to learn and practice, particularly if that involved gossiping about other class members or volunteers! I was struck by the enthusiasm of the children in my class – something that I never experienced whilst I was at school. They had dreams of being doctors or teachers in order to help out their community, but most of all, they wanted to travel.
My experience in Silana was one of the most treasured moments of my life. The village was so welcoming, always ready to teach you Fijian or inviting you into their house for dinner. The evenings were spent drinking kava in the community hall or watching exceptional performances of the Meke – a traditional Fijian dance.
Almost as soon as we arrived it was time to leave. The morning came for us to leave and the women of the village came to say goodbye in the traditional way – through song. By the time the stunning harmonies of Isa Lei had come to an end there wasn’t a dry eye getting in the van to leave.
I know I speak for all the volunteers when I say that being in Silana was a truly special experience and that we would all do anything to go back. Four weeks was definitely not long enough and I would thoroughly recommend this program to anyone and everyone!

The two months I spent on the Education Project in 2011 were undoubtedly the best of my life!! I feel like not only wasI able to make everlasting, positive change in the lives of many deserving children and families, but also got to do so in one of the most beautiful places in the world with some of the most amazing people in the world. I helped to establish the first kindergarten at Ratu Meli Memorial School, and was able to use all of my teaching experience in doing so. To see it continue to grow and develop today is absolutely amazing! The other volunteers I met are still my friends to this day, and are actually my forever Fiji family. This experience is NOT a vacation however--it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and yes, there is definitely a lot of fun that goes on as well, but its not just a kick-back holiday.The only word that comes even close to describing my experience is incredible, and that is still lightyears away from doing it justice. It made me grow as a professional and a person, and I would definitely recommend it!