Program Reviews

In 2017 I made the out of my comfort zone decision to apply to volunteer for Think Pacific, and it was without doubt the best decision I have ever made!
Was I scared? Absolutely, but for every worry I may have had TP were able to help me through it all providing every piece of information I could possibly need! Travelling to Fiji was amazing and experiencing their culture was such a privilege. Being taught the customs by the Think Pacific group leaders and going into different situations in Fiji were you knew how to behave and be courteous when other visitors didn’t was something to be very proud of.
The education system in Fiji is so different, however somewhere where I have learnt lessons for life. The children who have next to nothing have such an enjoyment for life and are so excited to learn anything and everything from you!! It was an honour to have been able to aid them in their learning and a privilege for me to have learnt from them.
I couldn’t recommend this experience enough and is something I am SO pleased I have done and am able to share my stories! A favourite experience was arriving at a small village to deliver a sports outreach day and learning that we must swim through a river to get to the school from the village, a crazy thought that these beaming little ones do it everyday!!! Amazing!!!!!

Think Pacific has provided me with an incredible, once in a lifetime experience that will stay with me forever.
If you are thinking you want to go volunteer in another country, I can't recommend Think Pacific enough! It may be expensive compared to some programmes but it is worth every penny and you can see where you money goes (something I have seen doesn't happen with other organisations).
From the moment I booked, Tom and the UK team were incredibly helpful at answering all of my questions and queries.
I hadn't done anything like it before I went and was quite nervous, but I was looked after from the moment I landed by my team leader and taken to meet the rest of my team. This seemed quite nerve wracking as I only knew one girl with me but everyone was in the same boat and after playing volleyball and tag we all soon became friends. Whilst we were at the resort, we were also given help with how to plan lessons and teach sport (something that I was apprehensive about before I went). This was a great couple of days and prepared us for going into the village.
When you are in the village you are in pairs and live with a family so you have a Fijian mum and dad and brothers and sisters. I was nervous about this, but my family was unbelievably welcoming and kind. It is a bond that will stay with me forever. My 'sister' who was on the project with me became my best friend and we bonded insanely fast. The experience wouldn't have been the same if I wasn't staying in a family with my 'sister'.
After settling in, we went for our first day at the school. The day is set up so that you have briefing in the morning by your leaders and then head into school. On the Sunday before, you will have decided which class you are going into. At the school you normally do 1 to 1 teaching with the pupils who are struggling. This was incredibly rewarding watching them grow with just a little help. Watching the kids develop was my most valued memory of the project.
In the afternoons you do House Cup which is art, dance, public speaking, singing etc. and is a lot of fun but quite competitive! It was great seeing the kids thrive in activities they hadn't done before.
After you teach sport. This was part of the reason I chose to came so it was really great watching the kids get excited about different sports. I chose to teach netball whilst I was out there as it is a sport, I loved as a kid and knew the most about. It was amazing how much the girls improved in just a few weeks from some simple drills such as footwork or passing drills. We were lucky enough to have a competition in our last week so we got to watch the girls win games at the end which was amazing!
I was unfortunate enough to break my foot on my first day in the village! However, with the help of my team I was able to continue the project and do almost everything they did. At the weekends you go on day trips. My team went hiking, caving, swimming in the river etc. and we also got a family weekend. This was really good fun as my family took my sister and I to the farm and showed us where they grew cassava, paw-paw (papaya) and bananas. The fruit their was so delicious and seeing how long it took for a cassava to grow was amazing!
At the end of your project you get a few days of rest and relaxation at a resort. This was a time to chill out and have a few drinks with your team. I loved this time as it gave us a chance to relax before we all headed home. It also gave us a chance to thank our leaders, who were incredible through every step of the way.
Since coming back from Fiji, I have set up a society at my university for people to book expeditions and help fundraise for the trips and I am also going back out this summer as a leader!
I cannot recommend both Fiji or Think Pacific enough. If you want a truly eye-opening experience with the best people, then book a trip with them.

Going on an international volunteering trip with Think Pacific is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. It is unlike any other form of travelling - most people who travel to Fiji do not get a real experience of village life. It is the chance to live in a real, traditional Fijian village that makes the experience so unique. I have never met any other group of people quite like the Fijian families I have been lucky to meet and live with - their positivity and way of life is something that I will never forget especially as some have so little yet have the biggest hearts and smiles. Getting the chance to teach and coach sports to Fijian children and adults was unforgettable and knowing you are making a difference to their lives is so rewarding. The skills you get to develop over the project, such as leadership, communication and teamwork, can help you become so much more employable. Through my experience I made friends for life and have a whole new family on the other side of the world. Think Pacific is a fantastic charity that dedicate their time to advocate for a better life for those living in hardships in Fiji - volunteering can really make a difference! I couldn’t recommend this experience enough - it sounds cheesy but if changed my life!!

To do something so significant and challenging at such a young age really matures and develops you as a person. To think we completed an expedition living in a remote area of Fiji embracing their cultures while sharing our knowledge is quite surreal looking back and something that will never be forgotten - I really do have a family on the other side of the world, and they have one here too. Activities we did;
- Village Sports Tournament
- Outreach (day visit to another village)
- Trek
- River Day (swimming/jumping in)
- Bilo making
- Mat weaving
- Kids Games Night
- lots of quizzes!

I did the 3 month project with Think Pacific in September 2016. For three months my team were based in Nabukelevu Village, Viti Levu (the main island in Fiji). I couldn't recommend a better charity to volunteer with, from application to leaving the country and returning home the Think Pacific team are with you every step of the way. They offer a friendly and professional service and any question no matter how big or small will be answered in great detail and punctuality.
The memories I made in Nabukelevu village will stay with me for life along with the friendships I made with both volunteers and Fijians.
Fijians are the most kind hearted, happiest people I have ever met and my village is like a second home for me. I can't wait to go back soon.

Bula,
Putting into words my experience in Fiji as a Think Pacific volunteer has not been easy. No words seem to be able to explain what is it like living in such a different but amazingly welcoming and loving community and even photographs don’t seem do it justice.
Upon entering Nalemalema village, which was to be my home for the next 4 weeks, I was greeted by the welcoming smiles of the villagers and any fears that I had seemed to disappear. They are genuinely so happy to see you and for you to learn how they live their lives in such a different environment to which we have become accustomed too. Meeting my Fijian Mum (“Nene”) and Fijian family is something that I will never forget and was blown away with their hospitality and willingness to welcome me, a complete stranger, into their house and family. Since returning home my friends seem to find it strange when I refer to them as my family or say my Fijian mum or brothers but that is genuinely what they become to you in such a relatively short period of time.
Fijian village life is unrecognisable compared to life in the UK. However, I seemed to settle into it very quickly and for me, someone who struggles to adjust to a week’s all-inclusive holiday in Spain, I have genuinely have never felt so comfortable in a place like Nalemalema Village. This stems from the support of not only your project leaders but also your fellow volunteers, family, villagers and teachers who are around you daily. Having said this, however I can understand why others may have struggled to initially adapt to village life as it is so very different to what we are used to. The food, living conditions, pace of life, lack of privacy and constantly being surrounded by children wanting your undivided attention are admittedly challenges but this is what makes Fijian culture so unique and amazing.
One thing I didn’t anticipate before going to Fiji is how much a volunteer affects the entire village and not just the families who you are living with. You leave knowing everyone in the village and greeting them with a hearty “Bula”, whether that is from school, your family, the other volunteers, the sporting teams or just from social events in the village whilst you’re on project. Obviously, school is one of the key areas where volunteers can make a hugely beneficial impact on these incredible children but also just having TP volunteers in the village working with not only the children but other villagers definitely makes a lasting impact which you can see developing throughout your time on project. Tooth Brush time in Kidi is a particular highlight for me and nothing will ever prepare you for the ‘controlled’ mayhem of 20 four to five year olds running around with bottles of water, frothing at the mouth and showing all their other kindi friends how far they can spit the water, turning it into some sort of competitive sport (Can’t see it Olympics any time soon though). All of this going on whilst singing at the top of your voice “This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth…”. ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!

A slightly different highlight whilst on project is building of relationships and development of the children who may tend to struggling a little whether that is at school (English and maths), during sports or just generally needing an extra boost of confidence. There was a little boy who I met on the first day of project who lacked confidence and was seen by the school as a child who was struggling. Through working with him on his English and maths as well as through sport I witnessed a monumental change in his confidence and consequently his education in the month that we were with him. He visibly started enjoying going to school and got himself more involve in extracurricular activities due to an increase confidence in his own ability. Seeing this as a volunteer was so rewarding and humbling and really gives you a much-needed boost on those days where you weren’t seeming to make much progress with other children.

As you can probably tell, my experience of Fiji and life as a Think Pacific volunteer is one where I can honestly say I loved every minute of it and there is nothing that I would change if I was to do it again. I seemed to have lived in the smallest house in the entire village but again, would not have changed this experience as my family were amazing and on my final day my Fijian Mum said to me “…we may have the smallest house in the village with no electricity or running water but we have the biggest hearts in the village”. Those words meant a lot to me and it was completely true what they said…they were so welcoming and would have done anything for myself and the other volunteers.
The one thing that I will always remember from Fiji is their welcome and how proud they are to be Fijians. I believe they are the kindest and most patriarchal people in the world. As soon as you leave the plane at Nadi, you will be greeted by “Bula” from everyone. No matter how busy they are, they will still take time to acknowledge you. Whilst in the village, I can remember having a wash in the morning next to the community hall and no less than 20 people, most of whom I had never even seen before, greeted me and asked how I was doing. This is very normal in Fiji!
Experiencing all the children in school singing “Blessing Grant”, the Fijian national anthem is also something that I will always remember due to their passion and pride of being from Fiji. To hear their national anthem being sang at the top of their voices, echoing around the village brought tears to my eyes and even now gives me goose bumps.
I know it sounds very cliché, but my experience in Fiji with Think Pacific has actually made me think very differently. Living for a month in a village with so little initially sounds like huge challenge but it’s amazing how quickly you settle into it. You don’t need a phone, TV or even electricity to entertain yourself and seeing how children can have so much fun with only a deck of cards or bouncy ball is really humbling and refreshing to experience. I now see Fiji as a second home and look back on my experience as one of the best times of my life. My family, the children, the other volunteers and the villagers all made it into such a unique and once in a lifetime experience (and I haven’t even mentioned the Rugby!). This will definitely not be my last trip to Fiji and already planning to return in the very near future. Remember you’ll always regret what you didn’t do rather than what you did, so get in touch with Think Pacific and see what amazing opportunities they could offer you.
Vinaka,

Tyler Holmes

The think Pacific project was a great experience helping children with their educational improvement in a place where they valued learning.

For may Fijian children they were shy at first but by the end of our month on project we were part of the family and was a sad day when we left.

The heath and safety of us was a first priority for the team even from the smallest cut they stopped infection before it could get worse.

Overall 10/10

There is so much I could say about my volunteer expedition,
...Think Pacific gave me an opportunity that a year ago I did not even realise was possible. They are a personable, sociable and down to earth organisation. It is clear from day one what their objectives are and their objectives are for you. Throughout my time in Fiji and before I made the long journey overseas, I always had at least someone I could contact from the charity to fire all sorts of questions at, they were always so personable. Although they are growing, this will not effect their personable culture, the fijian culture is clearly reflected in the organisation every day, positive and carefree.

I learnt so much about myself as well as about another culture. Think Pacific's expeditions are so well organised and you are able to achieve so much. My volunteer team and I supported the local school and the kindergarten, but we also visited other schools and communities in the area as well as organising fundraising events and a health night to support the village we were staying in. Think Pacific organise projects where you stay within a fijian home for your entire expedition, this one aspect that makes them stand out for me.

From the beginning of my time volunteering with Think Pacific, I felt like I was part of a team, welcomed and accepted. Because of my experience I am now connected to so many like minded individuals back in the UK, they are friends for life. If you are looking for a once in a life time experience with a supportive, positive and well organised organisation, you should throw yourself in at the deep end with the support of Think Pacific.

Think Pacific is an amazing organisation which truly makes a difference to the host communities, families, local schools, as well as the volunteers.

The opportunity that TP offers of living within a rural village with a Fijian family allows you to fully experience the culture and is what makes your stay so incredibly special and memorable.

Working in the schools was so rewarding, from helping in Kindi, taking one-to-ones and leading sports sessions, and you see first hand the impact and importance of what Think Pacific are achieving in Fiji.

I loved every minute of my time on project and I couldn't recommend Think Pacific or this volunteering opportunity any more and I will definitely be returning back to Fiji. Vinaka to the TP team for such an amazing experience that I will never forget.

Volunteering in Fiji with Think Pacific was the most rewarding experience of my life! The support both prior to and during the expedition was incredible and made the whole trip stress-free! Team leaders and fellow volunteers were all amazing and I have definitely made friends for life! I would recommend this project to anyone and everyone regardless of their background or previous experience of volunteering. The sustainable impact and friendships you will build are incredible and it will most definitely look impressive on any CV!