Fiji: the lesser known aspects

Initially when I decided to travel to Fiji for a volunteer trip, I expected to be beach front with endless sun. This changed immediately as we landed into Suva, as we were in a large city of locals, no beaches, and constant rain. It was definitely a reality check. What also shocked me was that this city was not familiar with tourists, so people in the city would stare. Nonetheless, the locals were some of the nicest people I have ever met. They were very generous and always willing to share. Even the students that we met at the schools and kindergartens were happy, even though their school materials were breaking and they were so limited with toys that they played with beer bottle lids. They taught me there that happiness was more important than money, and that was truly reflected in their culture. As for the IVHQ program itself, the local organization is called Green Lion Fiji. The coordinators are amazing and super friendly, and the cooks are amazing. However, the organization as a whole is not as organized, as everything runs on "fiji time". Overall, my fellow volunteers really enhanced my trip, as I got to make friends all across the globe, and we got to experience the amazing and new culture together.