Sun, sand, and international service

Before the trip, I was excited, yet frankly very nervous. I had never traveled out of the country without my family and was scared of a culture shock. But what I expierenced in Fiji was nothing what I could’ve ever imagined. My outlook has changed immensely from my trip; experiencing new culture and seeing how one thing may seem tiny but made an enormous positive impact put everything in perspective. We often take many things for granted, like running water, restrooms, and even shelter. But, after helping to build compostable toilets I was able to see how much change one person can make. I know it may seem far fetched or dramatic, it really isn’t. Once you take a trip to an amazing and welcoming culture, like Fiji, your eyes will he opened. It wasn’t just service, but even the service was fun and very rewarding. We were able to go island hoping and even to the highlands, which is the “real” Fiji; most people just think of beaches or resorts and look past the locals lives in the villages in the mountains. We took a caravan to our home stay, where we were instantly accepted. The people are just the nicest and friendliest people you’ll ever meet, there’s no words to explain how at home you’ll feel in just a few short weeks. I loved my trip and would do it again in a heart beat.