Madelyn Grant

Why did you choose this program?

I chose the Fiji Service and Adventure trip with Travel for Teens because it gave me an opportunity to see the beautiful country of Fiji while also working with kids.

I felt it would be an amazing and once in a lifetime trip and I love working with kids so I saw it as a perfect fit.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Travel for Teens helped me with traveling to Fiji, organized the volunteering, and assisted with accommodation.

I was in charge of planning what to do in my free time, how I was going to contribute to volunteering, and how to truly embrace the experience.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

One thing I wish I had known about going overseas was the medicine I should have packed.

I unfortunately got sick on my trip and did not have the right medicine to help cure the illness faster. My advice would be to pack a lot of medicine, even if it seems pointless.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

On an average day you get up between 6:15 - 6:30am and eat breakfast with the rest of your group. At around 7am the boat is ready to pick you up to take you to the island where you are volunteering.

You volunteer until around 11:30am - 12pm and you either eat lunch on the island then go back to your hotel, or you go back to your hotel and eat there.

After lunch you get free time to do what you chose - whether that means reading, swimming, sleeping or showering. At 5pm our hotel, Coralview, had a daily volleyball game in which my group took participated in.

After the game we ate dinner and after dinner we sat and talked for hours. Every night we went to bed around 12 - 12:30am. You wake up the next morning and repeat.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I am naturally a quiet person and I was worried my group would exclude me. I overcame that when I fist met my group in the airport because everyone was so chill and nice plus my trip leader was super encouraging.

I would definitely advise someone who is quiet to speak up because no one is going to exclude you or judge you and there are a lot of group votes and if you don't speak up you won't be able to do what you want to do, so speak up!

Outside of volunteering, how did you spend your time abroad?

If you do go on this trip you volunteer for the first week of your two week trip. The other week you spend time on other islands, exploring Nadi, the capital of Fiji and going to a mud bath spa.