Fiji Island volunteer updates!
Sorry for the delay on the blog front! It’s been a few weeks since we’ve been able to post from Fiji sadly, but we’re delighted to now be able to provide everyone with an update of all the experience our teams have been having in the South Pacific and the awesome achievements we’ve made in the rural communities! We’ll start with Batiki Island, where we pick up the diary from mid project in Yavu village..
Having settled in well to school, kindi and build last week and a well-deserved rest on Sunday, everyone was ready for another big week. Laura, Ben and Maggie took up where they left off in classes 1 to 6. First lesson of the day was mathematics followed by English. All our teachers introduced their own ideas and teaching methods to both subjects, much to the delight of both the children and teachers. Ben had classes 3 & 4 learning about pets and how to look after and treat them. In 5 & 6 Maggie was teaching her kids about the life cycle and breeding places of mosquitoes and how to help prevent them. She also introduced the idea of biographies to her classes with each of the children coming up with a list of questions to ask each of our volunteers to help find out more about them.
In kindi Grace, Tanita, Charlotte and Oonagh had between 10 and 14 very lively kids to keep them on their toes. As well as introducing some new songs to the kids they decided to hold a kindi tea party on friday, so in arts and crafts on Thursday everyone made an invite to take home to their mum’s and dad’s. There was a great turn out on Friday and as ever a great feast of various cakes and buns was laid out for everyone to enjoy.
On the build this week saw the continuing of some heavy work for the boys as Casper, Charlie, Jamie and Jack looked to complete the concreting of the toilet block floor and also build and plaster the septic. The hot sun didnt make their job any easier but all credit to the boys they got stuck in and with a little help from a few of the village boys reached their target on Friday. Next week will now see the build take some real shape as the frame goes up and the roof goes on.
As ever the team had a full schedule every afternoon as well as the volunteer projects during the day. Monday evening saw all the kids on Yavu gather in the hall for a night of fun and games with the team. Tuesday was time to experience night spear fishing with a few of the boys from the village. Although few fish were caught everyone had an excellent experience and some great pictures were taken. On Wednesday everyone had the chance to make their own bilo’s, which is the hollowed out coconut shell from which grog is drunk from. On Friday night the team organised a fundraiser in the village to raise money for Batiki District School. With nail painting, juice, family portraits and a raffle everyone had a huge laugh and of course the night ended in a fun night of grog and hop hop which went on to the early hours of Saturday morning!
The weekends have been fun packed too – no rest at all for this team! After lunch on Saturday it was off to Manuku for a quick sevu sevu and then a trek up to one of the highest peaks on the island where the team enjoyed some excellent views before sliding their way down for some well-deserved tea and of course a few more bowls of grog and some hop hop before going home to Yavu. As the village church service on Sunday is such a huge part of Fijian culture, our team decided to take part and sing a hymn. For anyone who has never heard a hymn sung by a Fijian congregation it is truly is an awesome experience and so it was fair play to our team with the performance they put on to impress the locals. Another incredible few days of Fijian life and south sea adventure from beautiful Batiki Island.
No comments:
Post a Comment