A life-altering experience!

I was lacking fulfillment with my job back in the US and I decided to quit my job and embark on a three month adventure to Fiji. I can honestly say it was the best decision of my life. The GVI expedition in Fiji was both an incredible adventure and an eye-opening education. The construction project's impact on the local villages was enormous. Villagers were thankful to GVI for constructing water tanks and they showed their appreciation by inviting us to lunch nearly every day. Drinking water resources are very limited in the Yasawas, but GVI's rainwater harvesting initiative is going a long way to mitigate this problem. The work was demanding, especially the cement-mixing days, and the heat often made construction especially difficult, but in my opinion this project was, most-importantly, rewarding and constructive.

The education project probably didn't have as great of an impact on the locals as the construction project did, but I know Lauren, the education leader, has some great ideas for advancing GVI's significance in the school. It is disheartening when observing the education gap between this local school and typical Western schools, but I believe GVI is taking the correct route in helping the school's teachers close this gap. The students can be rebellious and often difficult to manage, especially if you are by yourself in the class, but the local teachers will generally be there to assist you. I took great delight in teaching my students (4th graders) things related to the world outside of Fiji. I taught my kids basic math skills, some english vocabulary, as well as some science and history. We also did arts and crafts, some singing, and of course sports!

Life on base was an extraordinary experience. We had cooking rotations, where teams of three volunteers cooked breakfast and dinner about once a week. There was no hot water, so prepare yourself for cold showers or rinsing off in the ocean! On base I learned some gardening skills, how to open a coconut, and how to hunt octopus! We got to watch the Fijian rugby team play in the World Cup on our one TV channel and we often had parties on the nights before volunteers would be leaving base! While work during the week was challenging, the weekends provided very relaxing and fun breaks.